Two classic kung-fu films from the Shaw Bros. If by any chance you're of the unfortunate ones that does NOT know who the Shaw Bros. are, here's a chance to find out.
If you ever happen to be channel surfing and you see this logo come up in the opening credits, nine times out of ten it's going to be a winner. You might happen to notice the similarity to a notable US Production Company, but the similarities don't end there. Warner Bros. was born during the infancy of film, helping to shape the movies we see today. Shaw Bros. was born during the infancy of Hong Kong cinema, shot in Mandarin, and helped shape the movies we see today. And while the Shaw Brothers made movies in a multitude of genres, it is their kung-fu films that changed the world. But that story is for another day.
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung is pretty high on the list of greatest kung-fu films of all time, so I'm finding it very difficult NOT to recommend this title. That is unless you have seen the basics of the genre. The film itself exemplifies everything one should expect from a good SB flick. Great back-stories, fantastic dialogue (no matter how poorly the dubbing voice actors perform), humor in droves, fight sequences that you find yourself rewinding over and over, and of course, drinking. So what's the problem? You have ten "lead characters" and that's not including the other players in the story. If you're not accustomed to Hong Kong films, you may have trouble following who is who. Confusion turns us away. Therefore I'd advise seeing something more along the lines of Five Deadly Venoms which uses fighting styles to differentiate between characters in a way that also informs the story.
If you have seen the basics or in case you're still weighing the idea of watching kung-fu films in general, here is a sample from Ten Tigers of Kwangtung:
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung is pretty high on the list of greatest kung-fu films of all time, so I'm finding it very difficult NOT to recommend this title. That is unless you have seen the basics of the genre. The film itself exemplifies everything one should expect from a good SB flick. Great back-stories, fantastic dialogue (no matter how poorly the dubbing voice actors perform), humor in droves, fight sequences that you find yourself rewinding over and over, and of course, drinking. So what's the problem? You have ten "lead characters" and that's not including the other players in the story. If you're not accustomed to Hong Kong films, you may have trouble following who is who. Confusion turns us away. Therefore I'd advise seeing something more along the lines of Five Deadly Venoms which uses fighting styles to differentiate between characters in a way that also informs the story.
If you have seen the basics or in case you're still weighing the idea of watching kung-fu films in general, here is a sample from Ten Tigers of Kwangtung:
Need I say more?
Shaolin Intruders is a different story. Focusing on intrigue and a mysterious group who is killing off each of the five major factions of martial arts in the area. The job is left to a trio this time, each character with their own tics and traits. Clearly this is one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite kung-fu films, since quite a number of scenes in Kill Bill Vol. 1, particularly the Bride vs. the Crazy 88, take many cues from this film. In fact, the film is abundant with "one vs. many" fight scenes and the choreography couldn't be better. No quick cutting here folks. This is the real deal.
See what I mean? Watch this, Five Deadly Venoms, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Invicible Pole Fighter, and any of the White Lotus films, then come back for Ten Tigers.
More on Kung-Fu soon...
More on Kung-Fu soon...
Previous Entries
- Bug (2006) & Take Shelter (2011)
- Phantom Lady (1944) & The Killers (1946)
- Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) & Destination Tokyo (1943)
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