Two Great Cavaliers (1978, Taiwan/HK)

Starring: Angela Mao, John Liu, Chen Sing. Directed by: Yeung Ching Chen

In the West, this movie is commonly known by three titles: "Two Great Cavaliers", "Blade of Fury", and "Deadly Duo", which is also the name of a Shaw Bros. movie.

No matter what name you may find this movie under, it's a kung fu movie that stars two of '70s kung fu cinema's greatest: Angela Mao and John Liu!

In this movie, Chen Sing plays Kuan Yu Chung, a fief in a Chinese province who has sworn his loyalty to the Manchu (Qing) Dynasty who are starting to establish their rule across China. Angela Mao plays Hsiao Mei, the leader of a group of anti-Qing rebels who are all members of the Fung Wan kung fu clan. The clan has been entrusted with the task of defeating Kuan and delivering a list of names of other anti-Qing rebels to the resistance leaders. Naturally, Kuan wants to crush the resistance in his province and he wants this list very badly.

In order to deliver the list and defeat Kuan and his men, the rebels are going to need the help of their best fighter Ou Yang Chun (Liu). Unfortunately for the rebels, Chun has met the woman of his dreams and decided to leave the Fung Wan clan, settle down, and make a quiet life for himself. If his brothers and sisters in Fung Wan want his help, they must get a little persuasive, especially where Chun's fiancee (who Hsiao Mei is extremely jealous of) is concerned......

The storyline of this movie can be a little confusing to understand as there are many characters who have their own swerving loyalties and motivations. However, we get to see Angela Mao and John Liu perform some of their greatest fighting scenes in "Two Great Cavaliers" and that alone is worth watching the movie in its entirety! Both perform some awesome legwork that makes Chuck Norris look like child's play throughout this movie! The end fight scene in particular is amazing and both are at their best in the final showdown.

Also in this movie are Leung Kar-Yan as brother-in-arms Sung Hua and Man Kong-Lung as the mysterious Pai Lung Hsing, who joins the rebels. Both have some very good fight scenes that are also worth watching. Chiang Kam also makes an appearance in this movie, but only as an extra baddie.

If you think you can keep track of all the characters and want to see some good Angela Mao and John Liu action, be sure to check this movie out! There's some awesome kung fu that's waiting for you to watch!

Also known as: Ci xiong shuang sha (original Mandarin title-Taiwan), Two Great Cavaliers (English title-HK), Blade of Fury (international English title), Deadly Duo (international English DVD title), The Two Great Cavaliers (international English title), Wang Yu - Härter als Granit (West Germany), Les 2 cavaliers de Shaolin (France)

The Ninja Avenger (1982, Taiwan)

Starring: Elsa Yang Hui San, Yun Chang-yueh, Don Wong, Yasuaki Kurata, Yuka Mizuno. Directed by: Gam Ming (Tommy Lee)
This movie seems to be a forerunner to the femme fatale genre of movies that started with the 1989 French megahit "La Femme Nikita", and the storyline bears a striking resemblance to the storyline of the 2000 Wong Jing movie "Naked Killer".

In "The Ninja Avenger", Yang Hui San (a popular actress in Taiwan during the 1970s-80s who made appearances in many a kung fu/martial arts movie) plays Mo Ling, a Japanese woman who was saved from a gang of rapists in Tokyo by the female Triad boss Chao (Mizuno). Chao trains Mo in the ninjutsu arts and transforms her into a deadly assasin. Chao puts Mo Ling to use against her rivals with great effect.

But when Mo starts to fall for Chao's younger brother Wei Li, things get complicated. And when the police start tracking Mo down and Chao decides Mo is a major threat that needs to be eliminated, things get even more complicated.

Mo must elude Chao's hitmen and the police and do whatever she can to survive. As for Wei Li, he must do whatever he can to protect the woman he loves. But can they succeed against overwhelming odds and stay together?

"The Ninja Avenger" seems to have been filmed on a fairly low budget, but despite this it has some very good action scenes. We get to watch Mo Ling fly across the (presumably) Taipei skyline on a body kite and kill her target with a poisoned dart, scale up buildings, and more...just as you would expect from one of the "Nikita"-type movie or TV shows that have come out over the past 20+ years. Also, the fight scenes are very good and Yasuaki Kurata's fight scenes toward the end of the movie are good to watch as always, but it's too bad he didn't have more in this movie!

As is the case for many Asian movies up until recent times, the English-dubbed version muddles this movie a little. The characters are all given English names and much of the emotion is lost, particularly the romance between Mo Ling and Wei Li. If you can find an original Chinese version of this movie, consider yourself lucky!

"The Ninja Avenger" is a very good ninja/kung fu movie that was directed by Gam Ming (alias Tommy Lee), who is the action director for many kung fu classics such as "Shaolin Wooden Men", "Butcher Wing", and "Tiger vs. Dragon". It seems to be a bridge between the kung fu movies of the 1970s and the modern action movies that have come out in Hong Kong and Taiwan since the 1980s that incorporate martial arts into the storyline. If you're a fan of "Nikita"-style femme fatale movies or martial arts movies with a female lead, this movie is one you won't want to miss!

Also known as: Fei yan zou bi (original Mandarin title-Taiwan), Impossible Woman (original English title-Taiwan), The Ninja Avenger (English title-HK, international English title, poster title-Netherlands), Fly Sky Run Wall (literal English title), Ninja - Die Kampfmaschine (West Germany), Ninja Apocalypse (VHS title-USA). Also released in Hong Kong in 1983???

Face Behind the Mask (1974, Taiwan)

Starring: Lo Lieh, Yueh Hua, Hsu Feng. Directed by: Chen Chi-hua

Until it was released in 2006 or so by Rarescope, this wuxia movie was a movie that was extremely hard to find and seemed to be forgotten. Now that it's available on the market again, we can enjoy this awesome wuxia movie/costume epic, which was directed by Chen Chi-hua (who directed several of Jackie Chan's early movies).

In this movie, a famous martial artist and swordsman named Chi Tien-Wei has been elected "Chief of the Martial World" after the other challengers were eliminated by some of his fighters.

However, a group of martial artists and wizards are not happy with the outcome of the elections. So much so that they try to kill Chi Tien-Wei by sending various fighters and wizards after him and setting some very interesting booby traps both in his household and at various ambush sites.

The most lethal of the whole group is known as the "Mystical Fighter" who wears a mask and is skilled in both kung fu and the art of poison and he uses both skills to his advantage. Also, there is a deadly traitor in the Chi household who is helping Szu Tu-Ming and the Mystical Fighter. The identity of this traitor is something Tien-Wei must find out before it's too late.

According to the Rarescope DVD cover and some Internet forums, the face behind the mask is widely speculated to be none other than Jackie Chan in an early cameo role! While the role has never officially been listed as a Jackie cameo, the moves of the Mystical Fighter are pure Jackie. Also, at the time this movie came out, Jackie was doing a lot of stunt work and making minor movie appearances and he and Chen Chi-hua were friends in the mid-1970s when his career was just starting. So it's quite possible that this is indeed an early Jackie Chan cameo!

The English subtitles are horrible and can make the storyline confusing, but all in all this is a very good wuxia movie with fast-paced swordplay and kung fu as well as lavish, high-quality production. In fact, some of the sets they used in this movie were beautiful and gave a unique backdrop to some of the fight scenes! If you're looking for a good wuxia flick, be sure to check this one out!

Also known as: Long she xia ying (original Mandarin title-Taiwan)

The Lost Swordship (1977, Taiwan)

Starring: Tien Peng (Roc Tien), Tang Bao-yun, Bai Ying, Wang Ping. Directed by: Chia Li

"The Lost Swordship" is the movie version of a novel by famous wuxia novelist Ku Lung and was adapted for the big screen by Shaw Bros. screenwriter Kuang Ni and director Chia Li.

In this movie, a mysterious martial arts clan known as Tien Cheng Chiao is headed by an even more mysterious masked figure known simply as The Bishop. The organization has some of the best fighters in the land among its ranks and is out for full-fledged supremacy. Roc Tien plays Lu Nan-jen, a swordfighter who opposes Tien Cheng Chiao. His wife Hsueh Jo-pi (Tang) is kidnapped by Tien Cheng Chiao and his best friend and fellow swordfighter Ling Pei-hsiu (Bai) defects to them.

In the midst of fighting with some of their fighters, Nan-jen is badly wounded by one of the fighter's Iron Palm technique.

In order to defeat The Bishop. Nan-jen will have to go to a secret location known only by his family, heal up from his Iron Palm injuries, spend five years learning his family's famous Fragrant Sword technique, and become master of the Fragrant Sword. However, The Bishop is also interested in learning the Fragrant Sword technique.....

Can Lu Nan-jen defeat The Bishop and rescue his beloved Jo-pi?

Also in this movie is a mysterious female fighter known as Lady Hsiao aka the Flaming Beauty who is also opposed to Tien Cheng Chiao. She gives Nan-jen some much-needed assistance in bringing down the organization. However, she is also in love with Nan-jen and makes it clear she wants to be the object of his affections and not Jo-pi.

This is a very good swordplay movie, except for a few flaws. The subtitles are horrible and make the storyline a little confusing. In addition, there are a few small gaps in the storyline, particularly when Nan-jen is shown teaching at a school after his Iron Palm injury. Is it safe to assume that he disguised himself as a village schoolteacher? Also, the romantic drama in the movie might be annoying for some, but at least Lady Hsiao more than makes up for it by becoming a kick-butt heroine in the movie!

If you're a fan of swordplay movies, wuxia, or costume epics, you'll probably like this movie. So much so you might want to watch it one or two more times!

Also known as: Yu jian piao xiang (original Mandarin title-Taiwan), Lost Samurai Sword (international English VHS title), The Lost Swordship (subtitled English version-HK)

The Crippled Masters (1979, Taiwan)

Starring: Chen Mu Chuan, Jackie Conn (Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming), Frankie Shum (Sam Chung-Chuen). Directed by: Joe Law (Kei Law)

If there was ever a kung fu movie that could be called inspirational, it would have to be this one. This is a movie that can give you inspiration to overcome your odds, no matter what problems you may be facing.

In "The Crippled Masters", Jackie Conn plays Lee Ho, a bodyguard/escort for the Pulaichi organization who is punished by the sadistic boss Lin Chang Cao for "betrayal". Lin's number 2 Tang orders the henchmen to cut off Lee's arms as a punishment. Instead of killing him, Tang lets him live. Lee Ho has a very difficult life ahead of him without arms, but nevertheless he leaves town, heads into the countryside, and makes a living by helping a farmer.

Meanwhile, Lin decides Tang knows too much about his organization and orders acid poured all over Tang's legs. As a result, Tang's legs are badly deformed and he cannot use them anymore. As was the case for Lee Ho, Lin's men leave Tang in the countryside.

Not long afterwards, Lee Ho and Tang cross paths again and Lee starts to kill Tang. However, just before Lee finishes him off, an old kung fu master intervenes and saves Tang's life. He drives the point home that the two are brothers now and must work together as a whole to defeat Lin Chang Cao and the Pulaichi organization.

Together they overcome their odds and learn kung fu. But can they defeat Lin Chang Cao, who is a kung fu master himself? Also, can they bring down the entire Pulaichi organization?

If you're looking for a kung fu movie to inspire you or give you motivation, this is the one for you. Both of the leading stars do an excellent job in this movie and of course the kung fu is very good. Also, look for some veterans from other old-school kung fu movies in this one, who are not credited in the New Line Cinema version of this movie that's available in the US.

Also known as: 天殘地缺/Tian can di que(original Mandarin title-Taiwan), Can que shuang xiong (alternate Mandarin title?), Crippled Heroes (international English title), Two Crippled Heroes (HK VHS title). Released in the USA by New Line Cinema in 1982.

Showdown at the Cotton Mill (1978, Taiwan/HK)

Starring: Chi Kuan-Chun, Tan Tao-liang, Peng Chang, Ching Kuo Chung. Directed by: Wu Ma

This movie is the sequel to the Shaw Bros. classic "Shaolin Avengers" and was believed to be long lost, until it was found by Rarescope in a Taiwanese movie vault sometime in the mid-2000s.

In "Showdown...", Chi Kuan-Chun reprises his role as Shaolin hero and anti-Qing rebel Hu Hui-Chien. At the beginning we see Hu wipe out the entire local affiliate of the Wu Tang school in Canton (modern-day Guangzhou, China) over the death of his father. This prompts a manhunt from the Qing authorities and Wu Tang. The first place they look is the Shaolin monastery but no luck there. They also harass and keep Hu's family under guard, as well as deploy a network of informers throughout the city and at the Shaolin monastery to report Hu's whereabouts and the latest info about Shaolin.

In the meantime, Hu gradually takes out the Wu Tang fighters and Qing authorities searching for him. He enjoys support from Shaolin (as always) and hides out at secret locations in Canton.

After suffering numerous casualties at the hands of Hu, Wu Tang deploys their most feared fighter from Fukien (modern-day Fujian province), Master Kao Chin Chung. But who exactly is Kao? And is his Northern Kick style as good as Hu's Southern Fist?

This movie has a very interesting history behind it. It was directed by famous martial arts director/actor Wu Ma and produced by legendary Shaw Bros. director Chang Cheh, who also directed the first "Shaolin Avengers" movie. However, Chang was contracted to Shaw Bros. at the time and was forced to remain uncredited. The movie itself was outsourced by Shaw Bros. to Long Year Film Company Production, which was a Shaw Bros. subsidary based in Taiwan and run by Chang Cheh and Wu Ma.

Since this movie was long lost for decades, the film has faded in places and the quality is not so great. Also, it is in Mandarin, but has English subtitles that are iffy in places but mostly accurate.

All in all this is an excellent kung fu movie and a worthy sequel to "Shaolin Avengers"!

Also known as: Hu Hui Chien xue zhan xi dan si (original Mandarin title-Taiwan), Woo Wai Kin huet jung sai dan ji/Woo wai gon huet chin sai chi (HK Cantonese titles), Cold Face, Heart and Blood (original English title-HK)

Iron Monkey (1977, HK/Taiwan)

Starring: Chen Kuan Tai, Chen Hui Lou, Chen Mu Chuan. Directed by: Chen Kuan Tai

Not to be confused with the 1993 HK blockbuster with the same name, this movie is officially known in English as "Bloody Monkey Master", but it's much better known in the West as "Iron Monkey" and is widely regarded to be one of the greatest kung fu movies ever made. It was both directed by and stars Shaw Bros. "Flying Guillotine" star Chen Kuan Tai, who pulls his role off very well.

Iron Monkey

In "Iron Monkey", Chen plays Iron, the son of an anti-Manchurian rebel leader who has no idea what his father does. He prefers to live as any normal young man would: Gambling, fighting, getting into trouble, etc.

One day the authorities round up Iron's whole family and executes them all except for Iron, who manages to escape. The authorities hunt him down but fail.

Meanwhile, Iron goes into survival-mode and stays in the wilderness for a long period of time. While there, develops monkey-like agility and uses this agility to break into a nearby Shaolin temple. The monks hide him there, take him as a student, and give him the pseudonym of Iron Monkey. They can't help but notice the pure raw hatred Iron feels toward the Manchus and hope that an Iron proficient in kung fu won't be a problem in the future.

Iron masters both Shaolin kung-fu and the Monkey Fist technique and eventually leaves the temple to take his revenge. However in order to do this, he must join the ranks of the Manchus and get as close to the Manchu general as he can. But can he accomplish his mission? Furthermore, can he set the deep animosity he feels for the Manchus aside while he infiltrates their ranks?

This is one powerful kung fu movie that you'll definitely want to see if you are a fan of fu....and if you are lucky enough to find a good quality copy. Sadly enough the DVD and VHS copies of this movie have been limited over the years and the prints shown are very bad. We can only hope that a good quality version of this movie will come out at some point.

Also known as: Tie hou zi (original Mandarin title-HK), Tie ma liu (alternate Mandarin title), Tit ma lau (original Cantonese title-HK), The Iron Monkey (original English title-HK), Bloody Monkey Master (USA), School of Shaolin (US DVD title), Die Schule der Shaolin (West Germany), Shaolin - Die tödliche Vergeltung (West German VHS title). Released in 1977 in HK, Portugal in 1981, and in the US in 1983.

Rickshaw Driver (1974, HK; Taiwan?)

Starring: Chiang-lung Wen, Yan-yung Tso, Ping Lu. Directed by: Joseph Kuo

This movie was obviously shot on an extremely low budget and as such it suffers from all the shortfalls of a low-budget kung fu film. That is, horrible film quality, the occasional recycled shot, "mountains" in the background behind the actor that fall over during filming, and so on. Despite all this, "Rickshaw Driver" is a very dark kung-fu movie that explores the themes of grief and vengeance and it has a storyline that's very straight-forward and easy to understand.

In "Rickshaw Driver," a young man (Chiang) in his late teens named Ah Fung is working in a Chinese town as a rickshaw driver and making an honest living for himself and his mom. He has a girlfriend, loves to put his fairly average kung fu skills to use in fights, and loves to read kung fu comic books. Ah Fung's world is turned upside-down when he overhears a local man in an argument with a brutal Japanese gang known as the "Deadly Four" and some Chinese Quislings to basically take over the village and use it for Japanese purposes. The man is killed and they discover Ah Fung listening in. They chase him down and try to kill him, but fail. He makes it back town and the gang proceeds to tear the town apart and kill anyone hiding him. They wipe out the local kung fu school and, eventually, his entire family.

After losing almost everyone he has ever known, Ah Fung sets out on a quest for vengeance. He is nearly killed several times by the Deadly Four and his kung fu skills are obviously not enough to take these guys down. Can he learn some new techniques to take on the Deadly Four?

Chiang-lung Wen does an excellent job playing the part of Ah Fung and you can see all the grief and anger in his face. If this movie were ever released in the original Mandarin or Cantonese version(s), his performance would probably be even more powerful to watch.

POSSIBLE SPOILER:
While you may have a hard time watching this movie due to the film quality and the first half might be a bit iffy, the movie really takes off when Ah Fung sets off to get his revenge. Also, his kung fu gets bloodier as the movie progresses. That is, lots of tearing through ribcages, skull-crushing, and more. END SPOILER

All in all this is a powerful kung fu flick that you might want to see if you like the more low-budgeted movies. Also, be prepared for a fairly emotional tear-jerker of an ending!

Cameo: Bruce Li?

Also known as: Rikisha kuri (original title), Da che fu (Mandarin title-Taiwan), Kung Fu - Zwei Handkanten aus Granit (West Germany), Rickshaw Man (English DVD title)

The Screaming Tiger (1973, Taiwan/HK)

Starring: Wang Yu, Chang Ching Ching, Lung Fei. Directed by: Lung Chien(?)

This is an excellent kung-fu movie from Wang Yu and co. It was beautifully filmed in the Japanese countryside, features some decent acting and excellent kung-fu, and a complex storyline.

In "The Screaming Tiger," Wang Yu plays a Chinese kung-fu fighter who goes to Japan to avenge the massacre of his village at the hands of some Japanese "pirates" (aka a karate school). He seeks out this particular karate school and along the way meets some friends: a Chinese girl (Chang) who was brought to Japan and raised as a Japanese, a Korean man who is himself out for vengeance, and a man wearing a basket who he encounters from time to time and whom advises him not to continue on his campaign for vengeance.

This film contains many hidden subtleties you have to watch for carefully. That is, the subject of human emotions such as love, hate, and the desire for revenge.

If you are a Wang Yu fan or just like an old-school kung-fu movie that features a little more than just fighting, you might want to check this one out.

Also known as: Tang ren piao ke (Taiwan, original title), Tong yan piu haak (HK Cantonese title), Screaming Ninja (international title), Wang Yu, King of Boxers (unknown), Ten Fingers of Steel (international title)

Renegade Monk (1978, Taiwan; 1986, USA)

Starring: John Liu, Alan Hsu. Directed by: Alan Hsu

This was a pretty decent kung-fu flick...or at least in this author's opinion. In this movie, John Liu plays Chu Fei Lin, a mysterious stranger who shows up in a Chinese town one day and saves a teenage boy from being beaten to death for sleeping with the local bigshot's daughter. The people in town are very suspicious of Chu and as it turns out, he's a man on a mission: to track down a deadly renegade Shaolin monk.

The comic relief in this movie is provided by the teenage boy. While most people won't find him all that funny and may even find his humor to be a little too much in the style of Jackie Chan in his early movies, it is interesting to see him being taught kung fu by Chu Fei Lin and watch him become an awesome kung fu fighter!

The fight scenes between John Liu and Alan Hsu are awesome in this movie.

If you ever get the chance to see "Renegade Monk," you might want to give it a watch! It's a very good old-school kung fu flick!

Also known as: Shaolin Ex Monk

Blood On the Sun/The Big Fight (1972, Taiwan/HK)

Starring: Chang Ching Ching, Peng Tien, Yuen Yi. Directed by: Ting Mei Sung, Shing Yuan Sun

This is a very interesting kung fu flick! It was obviously made on a shoestring budget (not a bad thing at all as far as kung fu movies go) and as such it suffers from all the flaws of a typical kung fu movie. That is, an abrupt ending, stereotypical Japanese/Chinese collaborators, etc. However, it makes up for this with an interesting storyline, some fairly accurate details of the Japanese soldiers (right down to the uniforms, field equipment, and weapons), and plenty of fight scenes!

In this movie, an anti-Japanese Chinese guerrilla living in occupied China during WWII is being pursued by Japanese troops and has become something of a legend in the Chinese countryside. He is contacted by Miss Liao (Chang Ching Ching), and some other agents of the Kuomintang government who need his help in fighting the Japanese troops. To make a long story short, he agrees to help and gives a serious whuppin' to the Japanese.

Later on in the movie comes the big event: the tournament, aka The Big Fight (hence the name of the movie). We get to see plenty of fights between Chinese kung fu fighters and Japanese karate, judo, and sumo fighters!

This movie is not bad at all and is worth a watch or two if you are in the mood for some serious fu!

Also known as: Lei Tai (original title)

Blood of the Dragon (1973, HK; 1978, USA. Also 1971, Taiwan?)

Starring: Wang Yu, Chiao Chiao. Directed by: Ko Pao-Shu

This is one of Wang Yu's best movies and an all-around good - and bloody - wuxia movie. In this movie, two rebels (one of whom is played by the director herself) are killed. Before dying, one makes his way to the nearest town and gives a list containing the names of virtually all the rebels resisting Mongol rule to a young orphan. The orphan must take this list to the rebel prince, but with the Mongols combing the countryside and desperate to get their hands on the list, he is going to need help! He gets this help from White Dragon (Wang Yu), a wushu/kung fu expert who also finds his true calling along the way.

This movie was put together very well and the fight scenes are awesome and well-choreographed! The American version of this movie features a soundtrack by a '70s rock band from Atlanta called Flood, which makes the movie even more intense.

It's also worth mentioning that the 1978 American version had two bloody dismemberment and impalement scenes cut, but it would seem that in recent years, the original uncut version with those two scenes intact has been resurfacing on DVD.

All in all, this is definitely a movie worth checking out!

Also known as: Zhui Ming Qiang (original title)

Iron Fist Adventure (1972,Taiwan; 1975, HK?)

Starring: Wang Yu. Directed by: Lee Siu
This is a very rare Wang Yu movie and one that isn't too bad! It is also one of the few kung fu movies to take place in China's Northeast (Dongbei) region duiring the early 20th Century and one of a small number of movies besides "Joe Kidd" (a Clint Eastwood western) to feature the Mauser C-96 10-round automatic pistol. In fact, there are quite a few of those are used in the movie!

In "Iron Fist Adventure," Wang Yu plays T.S. Kwang, a man out for revenge after his master and members of his family were murdered some 10 years previously. Little does he know who was responsible...

This movie features a very complex (and honestly, sometimes confusing) storyline that is easier to understand if you know a little bit about the history of northeast China/Manchuria. However, if you're only watching this movie just to see Wang Yu's fight scenes, you won't be disappointed because they are pretty impressive!

If you are a fan of Wang Yu or just like rare kung fu movies, you'll probably want this one for your collection!

Also known as: The Iron Fist Adventures