One of the best martial arts movies is a classic titled "ShogunAssassin". It was derived from the Lone Wolf TV series(A.K.A The baby cart series) that was popular in japan years ago. Scenes from the TV series were compiled to produce a full length feature film. The first time I saw it was back in the early 80,s on SELECT TV(one of the first cable tv services in Los Angeles)on the midnight horror show. This is a bloddy,action packed story of a rogue samurai (and son) who defies the shogun and becomes the target of every assassin the shogun can throw at him including the shoguns own son's. This movie is difficult to find but not impossible. Try E-bay or your local video rental store(thats how I found my copy. ALSO: Make sure it is the english dubbed version. Warning-This is a bad ass movie. Not one of those cheap chop sewy chinese crapper's. I admit there are a few scenes that are a little corny due to bad dubbing but all in all it is a true classic often overlooked. My favorite M/A movie pic for sure. Oh mad one. We know your trap. Lord Torinaga
What an EXCELLENT suggestion! I believe it was also released in the U.S. as "Lightning Swords of Death". If you liked that one try "Babycart in Hades" and "Babycart in the Land of Demons". More of the same, but still great! I have many favourites, but a random top five will include: 1) Way of the Dragon (I love THAT fight) 2) Roadhouse (Wade Garrett = coolest man ever!) 3) Babycart series (all very good) 4) Revenge of the Ninja (cheesy as hell, but Sho Kosugi is great!) 5) Bloodsport (c'mon...everyone loves it really! Great fun!) there are about 30 others too, but those will do for now...oh, I forgot 6) The Matrix (MA for the next generation!)
Too many out there to list so i'll just randomly name.. Drive - Mark Dacascos BloodSport - JCVD (i worked in the company which helped make it.yay) Iron Monkey - Donnie Yen Once Upon a Time in China - out of all of em(a total of 6 i think, Chui Man Chuek replacing Jet Li), i think 2 and 3. 2 Jet Li vs Donnie . 3 Clubfoot (Li Xian Xian) vs everyone. Kiss of the Dragon - Jet Li Storm Riders - more fantasy than MA, but still great. dont watch US version! i would say more...but cant remember all the films i seen
Hmmm one of the best martial art movies ever , not realy martial arts , but rush hour 2 is class , realy funny . Drunken master - jackie chan , excellent Shogun assasin is great , all baby cart , serie great .. ummm kill bill gotta be in ther for all modern ma fans along with the matrix and jet li's the one. umm but some of the best would have to be ummm jet li's first movies the Shaolin temple trilogy simply because of the hard work and pure cheesy-ness displayed and of course the Hunted with chritsopher lambert in ( ninja movie brill sword fights) and the worst movie of all time , enter the ninja and american ninja ,because they portray the ninja in such idiotic ways with white gi's and pathetic fight scenes that use karate instead of ninjutsu ( karate good , but we nee authenticity )
Kiss of the dragon was very good, I think I prefer Lady Snowblood to Shogun Assassin. 1. Iron Monkey 2. Hitman in the hand of Buddha 3. Kiss of the dragon 4. Drunken master 5. Lady Snowblood.
These are my favourites and why. The Seven Samurai- the whole freeking movie, every freeking line was cool. The Last Samurai- Watanabe was awesome. Drunken Master2- Jackies bamboo in the face attack, haha brings a tear to the eye. Enter the Dragon- The art of fighting without fighting woooootaaaaaagh. Yojimbo- The scene with the old bag says, "Even the wind greets you!" Crouching Tiger Hidden Tiger (dispend your disbelief...that chicks can fight ) Shogun Assasin- Buckets of Blood The Hunted- The Ninja Version, just because the main ninja was both insane and cool. The Hunted- For the shear bloody mindedness of the overly long knife scenes. Braveheart- Brutal and bloody Last of the Mohicans- some cool axe and knife fighting. The patriot- again some nasty axe and knife. Kiss of the dragon- For two reasons, when Jet walks into the room filled with the karate guys and when the special forces guys drop out of knowwhere off a bridge that was a cool surprise.
Surely Jet Li's Fist of Legend has to be somewhere in the top 10? Awesome movie. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour and check it out.
Oh yeah..forgot about that movie. Love it to bits. Notice how Jet's fight with the general is almost exactly the same as Neo vs Smith in the train station Matrix 1. Yuen Wo Ping slacking a bit in choreography. Stuntpeople: Mr Yuen, how you wanna choreograph this bit? YWP: I dunno...give em this bit...right, I'm off for a beer
A few of my favourites, in no particular order, The Matrix, for introducing me to wire fu, in honk kong cinema, Fist Of Legend, possibly the best martial arts movie ever, Twin Warriors Tai Chi, great fighting. Once Upon A Time In China (trilogy), great choreography, Kiss Of The Dragon, jet li at his meanest. Hero, probably the most beautiful film i've ever watched, each scene was like a photograph. Iron Monkey, yuen wo pings choreography. The Last Samurai, a great story/message, Ong Bak, excellent muay thai film, stunts and action are mind blowing, Drunken Master, for the comedy, And no martial arts list would be complete without Kung Phow - Enter The Fist
how about "best of the best"! Great movie!! My all time favorite, if you have not seen it, go see it now!! It is based on a true story, the bad guys win, and there are no bad guys! (see it, you'll understand) Also, Hero starring Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Unbelievable. Jet Li is good, but I always am amazed at Donnie Yen. and finally, the Karate kid series. Sure, they are corny, but for my 8 year old son, the are perfect. He can't watch the other ones yet, so these are really good. Plus, they teach the actual values of the arts.
What? What? What? You must have been watching it with a lot of beers. That is the worst m.a. film I've ever seen.
1) CTHD. There is no better martial arts movie. 2) The Seven Samurai. It needs no explanation. 3) The Samurai Trilogy (biography of Musashi, staring Toshiro Mifune). #2 was the best of the three, but you need all of them to complete the story. Even my wife liked these movies, and that says a lot. 4) Fist Of Legend (Jet Li). The best H2H fight in a martial arts film -- Li vs. father in law -- and a good story too. 5) Iron Monkey. Hey, I like the wire work. 6) Best of the Best. Excellent TKD. I can actually believe that they would and could fight like that. Good story too. I would have liked the American to lightly tap his Korean opponent for the win at the end, but that's okay. 7) Karate Kid (first one). Miyagi's instructions were on the money. He made the movie. 8) Legend of Drunken Master (Jackie Chan). He's the man! And his step-mom was great. 9) Bloodsport. I admit it -- I like it. 10) Rocky (first one). Some people think boxing is a martial art, and this is a great movie. 11) A Knight's Tale. The jousting! Hoorah! Let's see that again. And just for the fights: The Princess Bride. "I clearly cannot choose the one on the left." He didn't even see it coming. And an excellent movie in its own right, but not exactly a martial arts movie. Matrix I, especially the opening 10 minutes. Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) and Braveheart. I felt like I was in the battle. Gladiator, especially the 5-against-1 arena fight. That one kicks A$! The Hunted (Benecio del Torro). Though not perfect, it's the most believable knife fight I've seen on film. [shudders] Any "Zorro" or "Three Musketeers" movie. I saw a clip from an old black and white Zorro movie, year unknown, where the blades clearly would have touched skin if they missed the choreography. Oh yeah! Now we're talking!
how about: -36th chamber of the shaolin temp a.k.a kung fu master killer -Way of the Dragon -shaolin wooden men -reblilious reign (the last 30mins is one huge non-stop fight scene) I agree that fist of legend is also a good film. I'm really into 70's kung fu films as there are some real classics, can anyone recomend any on par with say 36th chamber, young master etc.. there is one film i saw when i was about 11 and i've been looking for it ever since but can't find it. Its about some guy who lives with his sister, he goes to shoalin but only fetches water etc.. anyway an old drunk teaches him some kung fu, then while going home the guy stops a local gang from beating beating someone who hasn't paid protection fees. onbviously he wins but is then challenged by there boss. he practices somemore and beats the boss but is now challenged by the bosses brother who fights with weapons, he is losing the fight when on of his friends (another monk) fakes a fit. the fight is rescheduled and this time the guy wins as he has been practicing in the mean time. now he is challenged by the overall boss (who comes complete with long white hair) who is of course an exceptional fighter. to train for this challenge the guy is taught every style his friends at shaolin know, (crane, tiger, dragon etc..) he is losing the fight, but is then helped out by someone and together they win. ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS FILM IS CALLED?
For another great Kung-Fu flick try "Shaolin challenges Ninja" - not a single fatality in it but soem fantastic fight scenes of China vs Japan arts
Englishpremier....I swear I have seen that movie and for the life of me I can't remember it. I was beginning to wonder when someone was going to mention 36 Chambers, my personal favorite along with Master of the Flying Guillotine and Enter the Dragon.
I saw that one too. The drunk guy was the former master of the Shaolin temple, but he quit because he liked alcohol too much, right? I remember the movie because the video cover said it was a Chan movie, but Chan wasn't in it. Grrr! But I can't remember the name either.
