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Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack's classic monster movie "King Kong" was released in 1933, so the monster turns 91 years old in 2024. That means he's definitely too old for this sh*t.

In Adam Wingard's 2021 film "Godzilla vs. Kong," the 70-year-old nuclear gorilla-whale and the 91-year-old mega-ape, both drawn by an ineffable, in-born monstrous instinct, had to fight. Over the course of many decades, Godzilla movies have taught us that if two kaiju ever appear in the same film, they instantly hate one another and have to start wailing on each other. It won't be until a tertiary monster appears — usually an "evil" one — that the primary and secondary monsters put aside their differences and team up to hang a beatin' on the new guy. This is what happened in "Godzilla vs. Kong." At first, the title monsters were enemies. When Mechagodzilla appeared, however, Kong and Godzilla pounded the interloper into the dirt.

By the early 1980s, the Shaw Brothers Studio had been eclipsed as Hong Kong’s most popular genre film studio by Golden Harvest and their more comedic take on martial arts cinema with stars like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. Plagued by lower theatrical returns, which was exacerbated by the explosion of piracy in Southeast Asia with the advent of home video, the studio would—barring the occasional efforts in later years—cease film production in 1986 and pivot to making TV. As such, Shout! Factory’s fourth box set of Shaw Brothers films, all of which were released between 1980 and 1984, presents a cross-section of the studio’s last great burst of filmmaking.

In terms of directorial variety, this set has the least of any of these collections to date: Of the dozen films on offer, seven are helmed by Chang Cheh and feature all or some of his Venom Mob...

One of the great thrills of old school kung fu flicks is the juxtaposition between the dance-like choreography and bone-crunching violence. Bright splashes of blood are made more shocking by the balletic quality of the fights themselves. This is the contradiction at the core of almost all classic martial arts films; the spirituality inherent in Shaolin Kung Fu coexists with its potential to cause serious bodily harm. Many of the best releases of the 70s and 80s golden age understood how to blend Zen-like philosophy with animalistic anger, and revenge storylines allowed for especially potent drama. Here are five of the most down-and-dirty payback plots from the heyday of Hong Kong action.

5. The Duel

Chang Cheh's Ti Lung and David Chiang team-up from the year before, “Vengeance,” might be the obvious choice, but “The Duel” is an underrated slice of Triad grittiness. Lung and Chiang are two of the coolest...

“Lord Buddha is against killing, under any circumstances.”

The 1984 Martial Arts Epic The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter will be available on Blu-ray April 5th from Arrow Video. It can be ordered in advance Here

After one of its lead actors (cherub-faced actin icon Alexander Fu Sheng) unexpectedly died midway through production, master director Lau Kar-leung (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) retooled his latest martial arts epic, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, as the ultimate action spectacular in tribute to the fallen star.

Loosely based upon the legendary Yang dynasty chronicled in Chinese folklore, the film starts as the family patriarch and all but two of his sons are brutally wiped out in a bloody battle. One surviving son (Fu Sheng) returns to his mother and two sisters, deeply traumatized; the other (Gordon Liu) escapes and joins a nearby monastery while in hiding. Once he learns his sister (Kara Hui) has been captured by their enemies,...

Shaw Brothers is a company that needs little introduction to fans of kung fu, responsible as it was for genre-defining films such as “Five Deadly Venoms” (1978), “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (1978) and the subject of this review, “Eight Diagram Pole Fighter” (1984). The movie was produced by Mona Fong and the Shaw Brothers. It was directed by Lau Kar-leung, who was also the martial arts choreographer for the film and co-wrote the script with Kuang Ni.

Kar-leung was a long-time collaborator of Gordon Liu, who starred in several notable titles which he directed, including “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”, “Legendary Weapons of China” (1982) and “Eight Diagram Pole Fighter”. Liu’s co-star in the movie, Alexander Fu Sheng, another prolific Shaw Brothers actor, was sadly killed in a road-accident during filming, which meant his role was partly re-written and consequently Liu is the main protagonist. The film was nominated...

It’s a bit of a stretch to label the work of Lau Kar-leung as “arthouse” cinema, as was very much working to a prescribed format during his time at Shaw Brothers. Yet if Chang Cheh’s movies were rock’ n’ roll, all out action blockbusters, then Lau Kar-leung’s were more classical. Bringing a purity to martial arts action hitherto not seen. The choreography would be intricate and his work express the more philosophical side of the arts. Yet there is an anomaly amongst his cannon. One that has a viciousness that would rival any Chang Cheh feature. That production is “Eight Diagram Pole Fighter”.

At the battle of Golden Beach, General Yang and his Son’s are betrayed. Only the 6th Brother (Fu Sheng) makes it home, but is driven mad by his experiences. 5th Brother (Gordon Liu) is left for dead and helped to...

Ifa Isfansyah's The Golden Cane WarriorSTORY70%DIRECTION65%ACTING70%VISUALS75%SOUND75%POSITIVESDistinct wuxia-style storyGreat action choreographyVery good actingNEGATIVESA little tiresome during the middleLingers between art and action wuxia2016-06-0171%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (1 Vote)71%

Indonesia has its own wuxia genre, called silat, which actually refers to a class of indigenous martial arts. The genre has been abandoned for many years, but Ifa Isfanya decided to revive it, using a budget of $2 millions, a sum quite exuberant for the Indonesian film industry.

In distinct wuxia style, the story revolves around Cempaka, a female Silat master known as The Golden Cane Warrior, and her four students, Biru, Gerhana, Dara and little Angin, all of whom are children of enemies she killed in battle. Cempaka plans to name her successor, who is to receive her powerful Golden Cane along with her ultimate technique. However, when she names Dara, Biru, who is the strongest fighter amongst them,...

The date to set the record button is January 15th, 2016 as Film 4 bring us some classic movies from Shaw Brothers, from the world of Kung Fu and Wu Xia.

It starts with a Classic

The season will kick off with a Gordon Liu classic “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”, then will continue for a further 3 Friday nights which will include Shaw Brothers classics such as King Boxer (Lo Lieh), Come Drink With Me (Cheng Pei-Pei) and The One Armed Swordsman (Wang Yu).

I have to say, they have chosen some great movies and anyone who is a fan of Kung Fu and Wu Xia cinema need to watch these and record then watch again. The second season (Which stars in April) will include The Five Deadly Venoms and The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, so far.

Also every movie will play with original language and English Subtitles.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin...

Hong Kong-based Celestial Pictures has signed a multi-year content deal with El Rey Network, the new cable channel established by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.

Under the agreement, El Rey Network will offer subscribers titles from the Shaw Brothers library such as The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, The Sword Of Swords, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter and The Flying Guillotine.

The films, which will be presented with English subtitles and English dubbed tracks, will screen throughout the network’s schedule and during its monthly Saturday kungfu marathon. The next marathon will air March 1 and features The One Armed Swordsman trilogy.

Robert Rodriguez said: “Long before El Rey Network was born, I had many of the Shaw Brothers films on my playlist at home. It was a hard drive that had my hit list of personal favorites and certainly these titles were among the best in kung-fu films.

“They are action-packed and still have cult status among fans of the...

El Rey Network announced today that its original, scripted actions series Matador from Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman will premiere in July following the World Cup soccer tournament. El Rey also confirmed that the network’s founder Robert Rodriguez will direct the first episode of the series. Production gets underway at the end of March with Nicky Whelan, repped by UTA, Luber/Roklin and attorney Dave Feldman, set for the female lead. Matador is El Rey’s second original series to launch. It was announced earlier that the network’s first scripted project, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, premieres March 11. El Rey also announced that the first of 10 primetime installments of El Rey Network Presents: The Director’s Chair will premiere in April. The new hourlong series provides a forum for two directors to go one-on-one. El Rey also said it has inked a multi-year licensing deal with Celestial Pictures...

Shaw Brothers films are not exactly at the top of many film buffs’ watching list. For one, there has not been a traditional Shaw film, opening fanfare and all, in close to 30 years and a hefty portion of the public do not give catalogue films the time of day. Even for those who do, there is a vast selection of genres, directors, actors and studios that, often for good reason, will strike someone’s fancy more so than a 1960s, 70s or early 80s Shaw production.

It is widely known that said movies were produced at the speed of light, like cheap toys on a factory production line. Even so, their legacy lives on, with the bountiful number of martial arts films made and released in countries around the world, in addition to their critical role in making Kung Fu films popular in North America. For the decidedly smaller band...

With the passing of Lau Kar-leung (the common Cantonese spelling, he was also often credited in Mandarin as Liu Chia-liang), one of the great chapters of Hong Kong cinema comes to a close. Justly famous as martial arts choreographer and action director for many kung fu and wu xia films—the last was Tsui Hark's Seven Swords (2005), in which he also acted—Lau was also one of the outstanding filmmakers of Hong Kong cinema. His most important period was during the final heyday of Shaw Brothers, Asia's biggest studio: In the late 70s and early 80s, before Shaw Bros. closed their doors, Lau proved himself the biggest proponent of the martial arts tradition in Hong Kong cinema, as well as its chief modernizing force, hiding sublime layers beneath ultra-robust exterior appearance. (Fittingly, in 2003 he also directed the studio's comeback movie, more or less coinciding with the inauguration of belated...

Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang), one of the most revered martial artists in Hong Kong Cinema, has lost a long battle with leukemia, local media is reporting this morning. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Lau starred in - and provided action choreography for - more than 70 films. In his early days he often collaborated with director Chang Cheh at legendary Shaw Brothers studios, and directed more than 25 feature films himself, culminating in 2003's Drunken Monkey.Many of Leung's most famous films, including The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, starred his "god-brother" Gordon Liu Chia Hui - who is also critically ill. Other highlights of his long and illustrious career include My Young Auntie, starring Kara Hui, Drunken...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Fu Sheng is a legend in the Kung Fu world, if you like all the old Shaw Brothers movies then you will certainly know who Fu Sheng is and why he is loved all over the world. He as made some excellent Kung Fu movies and was the Shaw Brothers equivalent to Jackie Chan.

Selected Filmography

1974:Shaolin Martial Arts

1974:Heroes Two

1975:Marco Polo

1975:Disciples Of Shaolin

1977:Chinatown Kid

1977:The Brave Archer

1978:Avenging Eagle

Biography

Alexander was born as Cheung Fu-Sheng in 20 October 1954 in Hong Kong, the son of a wealthy New Territories indigenous inhabitant businessman. His youth was characterized by his quick temper, disinterest in school, and fighting in the streets. As a child, his family lived in Hawaii for a few years and there he began training in judo and karate.

In 1971, he enrolled at Shaw Brothers Southern Drama School and instantly drew the attention of director Cheung Cheh.

5.Corey Yuen

Other names: 元奎

Yuan Kui

Yuan2 Kui1

Cory Yuen

Don Yuen

Yuen Fooi

Nationality: Hong Kong

Workplace: France, Hong Kong, USA

Cory Yuen as been choreographing movies since 1973, is first movie was Chinese Hercules, starring Bolo Yeung. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes. In July 1981, Yuen made his Hong Kong directorial debut in 1982 film Ninja in the Dragon’s Den, along with Hiroyuki Sanada, Conan Lee and Hwang Jang Lee. In June 1985, Yuen made his American directorial debut in 1986 film No Retreat, No Surrender, which marked the film debut of Belgium martial artist actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

n 1993, he began an alliance and good friendship with action star Jet Li. He directed several of Li’s films, beginning with Fong Sai-yuk and Fong Sai-yuk II, and continuing through The Bodyguard from Beijing, The New Legend of Shaolin and My Father Is a Hero,...

The Kung Fu And Grindhouse Spectacular in St. Louis is this weekend!

Deadly Shaolin monks, legless fighters perched atop the shoulders of armless fighters, goofy cartoon sound effects, flying guillotines, black-clad ninjas, villains with long white beards laughing with voices that don’t quite seem to match their lip movements. Welcome to ’70s Kung Fu.

Dan Halsted of Portland Oregon, has been called .The Indiana Jones of Film Archivists.. Dan is an avid collector of 35mm films with an interest in exploitation, horror and grindhouse, but Dan’s real passion is Kung Fu Cinema of the .70s. Dan is the film programmer at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland and founder of the Shaolin Film Archive, whose mission is to .save and preserve 35mm films from Hong Kong, China, Japan and Taiwan produced from the 1960.s to the 1990.s.. The archive is dedicated to presenting these films to a wide range...

Deadly Shaolin monks, legless fighters perched atop the shoulders of armless fighters, goofy cartoon sound effects, flying guillotines, black-clad ninjas, villains with long white beards laughing with voices that don.t quite seem to match their lip movements. Welcome to .70s Kung Fu. Bruce Lee may be dead, but the martial arts action films he helped popularize with American moviegoers will never die. Though Kung Fu movies were actually around long before the 1970s, emerging as a popular genre in China soon after the end of World War II, the decade of the 1970.s was the Golden Age of Martial Arts cinema, when the genre was an international phenomenon.

Dan Halsted has been called .The Indiana Jones of Film Archivists.. Dan is an avid collector of 35mm films with an interest in exploitation, horror and grindhouse, but his primary passion is Kung Fu Cinema of the .70s. Dan is the...