What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[Markgway]

Wasn't there a (dubbed) KF film where a character was called Roland?

[RetroRobot]

As much as I liked the original English dub for Drunken Master, calling Jackie, Freddy was retarded and always annoyed me.

[Killer Meteor]

I don't mind that one since it's a comedy. HKL keeping the names Freddy and Robert for the subtitles on the other hand...

[Killer Meteor]

Wasn't there a (dubbed) KF film where a character was called Roland?

I think he's in 9 Demons too!

[saltysam]

Lady Whirlwind 2/5 Angela Mao basher is standard fare,she plays a woman seeking vengeance on Chang Yi who dumped her sister years before. Angela looks like she's constipated throughout and Chang Yi spends most of the movie getting solid thrashings.nice to see Sammo in there though.

Hapkido 3.5/5 A much better Angela Mao movie than Whirlwind,this has a fantastic cast and some great action scenes.reminicsent of Fist Of Fury.

[Killer Meteor]

I enjoy both films a lot. Lady Whirlwind's fighting is quite primitive, but it's got a cool Western atmosphere. Hapkido shows amazing improvement from Angela and Sammo in just a few months.

[Killer Meteor]

The Condemned (1976)

David Chiang directs himself in this dark brooding flick. Chiang's character is a pickpocket who winds up in prison with death row cellmate Tsai Hung (the dude with the second weirdest mouth in Hong Kong cinema), and the two bust out so Tsai can track down the men who framed him. Rather too grim and sleazy for its own good (even Chiang's character is feeble and cowardly throughout) but very well directed and atmospheric, and with some awesome fighting. Tsai Hung deserved more roles like this, but mostly played secondary villians. A pre-stardom Lu Feng pops up very briefly.

7/10

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

When I ever get to rewatching this I will do a proper review:

Tiger on Beat (1988: Lau Kar-leung: Hong Kong):

Like many Hong Kong films of this time there are both highs and lows. I tend to appreciate a film more if it has highs than a film that is overall more solid but does not have scenes as excellent as the former. We tend to remember the high points and unless the lows are bottom-dwelling we tend to forget them. However, this film has one low point that is not easily forgotten and one high point that is also not easily forgotten.

This movie is a small ode to Lethal Weapon (and one obvious scene reference) with muscular cop Michael Cho (Conan Lee, his second HK film; funny enough he would be in Lethal Weapon 4) and eventual partner Francis Li (Chow Yun-fat) in the mismatched partner cop subgenre. Is there an earlier film of this type in Hong Kong?

Conan is a bit stiff as an actor, but luckily Chow has enough charisma for several people. I do wonder about his character arc though. He comes across as cowardly in the beginning, but sure does not end that way. The humor is sometimes funny especially with Chow’s boyish enthusiasm but when it delves into misogynist behavior it is less effective. I do love seeing the former Shaw Brothers actors from Lau’s brother Lau Kar-wing, to David Chiang, Phillip Ko, Gordon Liu, Ti Lung (great appearance here) and more.

I find it funny that posters of Sylvester Stallone are in both the good and bad guys’ abodes.

Without the ending I doubt this film would have been rated so highly, but seriously what an ending. The chainsaw duel is most often referenced with this film and rightfully so. But fans of Lau Kar-leung should expect great action. I do not think of this so much as a Lau Kar-leung film but more of a Cinema City production with Lau helming the fight scenes and overall structure. I have doubts that Lau would have been happy with some of the character’s actions like the overtly misogynistic tone that pervades some of the scenes – most famously the Chow Yun-fat beating of Marydonna* (Nina Li Chi who would later marry Jet Li), her quickly forgetting about her brother’s death, and her subsequent conversion to good person and falling in love with the person who beat her up only to be killed a little while later.

Anyone trying to wield a shotgun like that would probably shoot themselves.

This was a big box office hit in Hong Kong. It is followed by a sequel that is apparently mostly in name only since most of the characters do not reappear.

* I have read that Chow was not happy with this scene; however, I cannot find the origin of this comment.

Lion, dancing: Lau Kar-leung (July 2, 2013) by David Bordwell

PLANET HONG KONG: The dragon dances (January 14, 2011) by David Bordwell: Bordwell goes over the ending. A great read for discussing what is right with Hong Kong cinematography and what is wrong with some of Hollywood’s cinematography.

[RetroRobot]

Im sure there were HK cop-buddy flicks before this, though I can't really name any off hand (I guess Aces Go Places doesn't count, since Sam Hui isn't a cop).

As far as this one goes, it's a longtime fave and has no lows as far as im concerned. I am not blind to what most people would percieve as flaws, but I love it all, hence don't see it as flaws.

[Killer Meteor]

I love the bra-size gag.

And the HKL subtitles have a line I use everyday "Even the desperate need to catch their breath!"

[grim_tales]

The chainsaw fight at the end is awesome, and what a great theme song

[Markgway]

Never a fan of TIGER ON BEAT; I actually preferred the sequel.

[Killer Meteor]

I haven't seen the sequel yet. Did Joy Sales reissue it?

[Markgway]

Yeah, thru the Legendary Collection.

[RetroRobot]

But good luck finding that. Searched for years to no avail. Just settled for the old Universe version in the end. Not that bothered, as I don't really like the film.

[HungFist]

Speaking of lost Joy Sales discs, anyone know where I could get their Long Arm of the Law DVD? Been looking for it years, can't find even used.

[Markgway]

I only have Part 2 (better than the original).

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Speaking of lost Joy Sales discs, anyone know where I could get their Long Arm of the Law DVD? Been looking for it years, can't find even used.

I have that version though unfortunately now I do not know how to get it, but I'm currently looking through my records to see how I got it. I am thinking I bought it on the defunct HKFLIX site.

EDIT: I see buyoyo.com has the BD version of it on Amazon; none for that DVD release though.

[RetroRobot]

It's out on Blu, I believe.

Master beat me to it.

[HungFist]

It's out on Blu, but with remix only. The DVD is supposed to have the real mono.

[RetroRobot]

True, I just checked mine, and it does have original Canto 2.0..........

[Killer Meteor]

Filthy Guy (1978)

Taiwanese oddity starring Sammo Hung as a guy with killer dandruff...or something seriously wrong with his head at any rate, since it's dirty and super strong. I have to admit I laughed quite a lot during this, though that might be more because of the Monty Pythonish dubbing. Poor Carter Wong looks rather embarrassed as the villain, frequently glaring past the camera at his agent, judging from the expression on his face. Dean Shek is pock-marked and painfully crosseyed, TWO hot girls are mistaken for men, and you get the pleasure of a topless Wei Ping-ao. It's filthy alright...

6/10

[RetroRobot]

One of the few Sammo films I have zero recollection of, and for good reason im sure.

[Killer Meteor]

He's very much work-for-hire on this one.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

well since everyone seemed to be watching this (mini-review below):

“Here Comes the Unbreakable China Doll Who Gives You the Licking of Your Life!”

Hapkido (1972: Huang Feng: Hong Kong) aka Lady Kung Fu

Originally I wanted to see this movie years ago because Jackie Chan has some background stunt scenes where he gets beat up in at least one of them by “big brother” Sammo Hung. But after years of watching Hong Kong films I wanted/needed to see more early films from both Golden Harvest and Angela Mao.

The plot is derivative of Fist of Fury (this takes place in 1934) and it will do nothing to further positive relationships with Japan – seriously every Japanese character is an evil slobbering caricature with a few sporting a Hitler I mean Jordan I mean Chaplin mustache. But the action is quite good. While I do not see much karate style from the Japanese antagonists, there is plenty of “basher” (free-fighting) moments mixed with hapkido and kung fu fighting styles from athletic and capable Angela Mao, Sammo Hung, Carter Wong (in his first film), hapkido experts Whang In-shik (his first big role) and Ji Han-jae (also his first role though he did only a few films.)

How fun is it to see both Whang In-shik and Ji Han-jae (check out a high kick arm trap he does early in the film) in action. Superb martial artists who get to showcase the art of hapkido. Angela Mao is also fun to watch as she is quick, flexible and a solid fighter. Though since she has shorter limbs it is always important for who she fights with to “sell” her movements (you can find a similar analogy in determining a quality match in professional wrestling) and the choreography is done well here with Sammo Hung as the action director (try to see how many films director Wong Fun has done without either Hung or Mao.) Sammo is impressive himself though I think his best fighting work was done in the late 70s when his girth seemed to be done at its lowest point (plus the experience of choreography over that decade has helped as well.)

I was a little disappointed with the final fight scene because Black Bear boss (Yamane Teruo) just did not seem as good as everyone else. But overall I think this is a solid film for martial art fans with plenty of quality action and early appearances from many pertinent martial art stars.

I am glad this came out on a nice R1 release from Shout Factory coupled with Lady Whirlwind. The print looks good except for a few outside scenes, though that may be the fault of the source. It comes with a Mandarin and English dub and the English subtitles come out well.