Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

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Hong Kong wuxia films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching wuxia films as a youngster and made Crouching Tiger as a tribute to the form. To elevate the genre above its B-movie roots and broaden its appeal, Lee did two important things. First, he assembled an all-star lineup of talent, joining the famous Asian actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh with the striking, charismatic newcomer Zhang Ziyi. Behind the scenes, Lee called upon cinematographer Peter Pau (The Killer, The Bride with White Hair) and legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, best known outside Asia for his work on The Matrix. Second, in adapting the story from a Chinese pulp-fiction novel written by Wang Du Lu, Lee focused not on the pursuit of a legendary sword known as "The Green Destiny," but instead on the struggles of his female leads against social obligation. In his hands, the requisite fight scenes become another means of expressing the individual spirits of his characters and their conflicts with society and each other.

The filming required an immense effort from all involved. Chow and Yeoh had to learn to speak Mandarin, which Lee insisted on using instead of Cantonese to achieve a more classic, lyrical feel. The astonishing battles between Jen (Zhang) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) on the rooftops and Jen and Li Mu Bai (Chow) atop the branches of bamboo trees required weeks of excruciating wire and harness work (which in turn required meticulous "digital wire removal"). But the result is a seamless blend of action, romance, and social commentary in a populist film that, like its young star Zhang, soars with balletic grace and dignity. --Eugene Wei

Description

An epic set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, combines the exhilarating martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo-Pind (The Matrix) with the sensitivity and classical storytelling of an Ang Lee film. The result is something truly unexpected: romantic, emotionally powerful entertainment.

Customer Reviews:

beautiful and gravity-defying.............2007-08-12

In all honesty, it is really hard for me to review the DVD version of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON because I believe this film is really one that you must see in the movie theater to experience the full effect of its marvelously directed splendor. Ang Lee [EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN, THE WEDDING BANQUET, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY] did a brilliant job with this modern day masterpiece. Inspired by the wuxia genre of Chinese film, we see beautiful action sequences, featuring "flying" actors and actresses [suspended from seemingly invisible wire], fighting scenes high in the canopies of trees, and even a love story. This is truly eye popping entertainment and features a wonderfully dynamic and charismatic cast (including Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh and Chang Cheng). CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON began a tidal wave of wuxia style film releases in the United States--including THE HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS. For me, this was the best film of its kind and I am so glad that I saw it! I just hope that they re-release this film on the big screen, so, more people can come to appreciate the fine attention to detail and seamless direction that went into making it so extraordinary.

I don't remember much.......2007-07-12

I don't remember much but I remember thanking the person who recommended that I see this film and I loved the scene with the woman jumping from house to house. It was awesome.

Best Martial Arts Film Ever.......2007-06-22

Everything has already been said about this film, so I'll put only a short review here.

Why did I use the superlative in the title? Because it seems to be true for me. (The second place belongs to House of Flying Daggers [Region 99].) The story line is not very strong, but much better than you may see in this genre. The romantic threads do not make it too schmaltzy, and the visual design is simply excellent.

Disappointed..........2007-05-28

Although I enjoyed Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi (as always), I didn't enjoy this movie hardly at all. I couldn't believe this was the movie that got such rave reviews and was Oscar nominated etc. I don't say that foolishly, stating that I dislike the movie when really I dislike the genre. That's not it. I just much prefer films like "House of the Flying Daggers" and "Hero" to this one.

Not The Best Martial Arts Movie.......2007-04-05

the cinemotography is pretty good i this movie, but the plot was raw. This movie was okay.

Average customer rating:

A definitive staple of Kung Fu cinema gets the DVD it rightfully deserves!
It's the duty of Shaolin to vanquish evil
Fight'n the Man
kong fu fans will love this
Review

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Starring: Gordon Liu , and Lo Lieh
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MM0LEG
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

A pure old-school martial arts movie, beloved by aficionados, that also appeals to nonfans simply as a rousing action film. The often-imitated fact-based plot (see The Karate Kid) centers upon the rigorous training process undergone in the mid-19th century by the anti-Manchu Chinese patriot San Te (Gordon Liu). It's depicted as a grueling voyage into the unknown. Cast out of his home village when he stands up to the cruel warlord (Lo Lieh) who slaughtered his parents, the refugee seeks out the martial monks of the Shaolin Temple, who steer him through a torturous series of "chambers"--horrendous ordeals designed to build strength and agility--before he's even allowed to study boxing or swordfighting. Finally he defeats a rival by inventing a brand-new weapon, the three-section chain-linked staff. But innovation can be carried only so far; when San Te suggests opening a "36th chamber" in the temple that would teach Shaolin techniques to the populace at large (so that they can fight the nasty Manchus) he is drummed out of the corps. Naturally he returns to his home village, slaughters the baddies, and prepares to open China's first public Shaolin-style kung fu school. Many of the pupils San Te recruits in the final reel became legendary martial artists in their own right, the "Fathers of the Church" of the Chinese kung fu tradition. This is strong action entertainment with real historical resonance. --David Chute

Description

(Action) A young man on a mission of vengeance trains at Shaolin Temple to become a kung fu master, evolving into the legendary monk San Te (Gordon Liu), who introduces Shaolin kung fu to oppressed Chinese.

Customer Reviews:

A definitive staple of Kung Fu cinema gets the DVD it rightfully deserves!.......2007-09-12

Dragon Dynasty has been releasing lots of great martial arts films uncut and polished up lovely with great extra features... and was there any more deserving out there than this!? The fantastic journey of an ordinary student who loses everything and seeks out the Kung Fu training attainable only at the Shaolin Temple. After the setup it's train, train, and train some more through the different chambers of Shaolin, which tests everything from your skill with a staff to your ability to strike heavy bags with your head to how quick your eyes can follow an object (plus LOTS more). Gordon Liu is great as this is the role that he was obviously born to play and one of the factors that make this Lau Kar-Leung movie the classic it is. Though mostly a training film there are some great fights here including an enjoyable (although one-sided) finale versus the one and only Lo Lieh! Another joy is watching Liu master the 3-section-staff especially in his first fight against a fellow monk with double knives (brilliantly performed by Lee Hoi-San). For martial arts fans it's officially time to throw out those janky bootleg quality copies that we were forced to endure for so long and put this version right at the head of your collection... where it deserves to be.

It's the duty of Shaolin to vanquish evil.......2007-08-18

San Te is a student that finds himself rallying behind his teacher in resistance to the Manchu government. When many of his friends and family die as a result of the government's ruthless tactics San Te tries to become a Shaolin monk in order to learn Kung Fu in order to gain revenge on the Manchu officials.

36th Chamber is a brilliant martial arts film. It is artfully directed and edited and endlessly entertaining containing some of the most interesting "training scenes" that I have seen in a martial arts film, or any film for that matter. The fight choreography is almost completely flawless throughout and each fight seems to tell a story or have a purpose in the overall narrative. There isn't fighting for fightings sake. While that may sounds like a drawback it certainly isn't. Also, while seemingly a revenge flick 36th Chamber is more about the power of learning and teaching. The vast majority of the film contains some element of teaching or implementing teachings in one form or another.

The brilliance of the directing and editing is that one San Te starts learning to become a Shaolin monk he has to pass 35 Chambers to do so. Now obviously showing all 35 Chambers on film in their entirety would probably make for an exorbitantly long film here the first 6 or so chambers are focused on showing San Ta's tackling of the "easiest" of the chambers to increase his strength and dexterity. The later chambers are handled more quickly and the process of each is shown through other character enduring the tests while San Te is shown to be mastering them. Seen in its entirety this entire section of film is quite brilliantly directed and edited. In addition, later when San Te exhibits the different things he has learned in his fights it is down without a "remember that?" type flash back like other films have done. The film assumes we are smart enough to remember or merely uses similar camera cuts and angles from the training sequences to aid in recall.

I really can't recommend this film enough.

Fight'n the Man.......2007-07-26

Hands down one of the best old school kung fu movies ever made. The acting is good (except for the main villian, but he is rarley seen) for a kung fu movie and if you ever wanted to know how to start a popular uprising, this is the standard template. If you are a martial artist, this movie is great for getting the juices going, if your not one, you might start taking lessions!

kong fu fans will love this.......2007-07-20

this is a classic movie, thoroughly enjoyable for kongfu fans. lovingly transferred to dvd, good production qualities. the training scenes are memorable, there is enough humor in it to sustain a good time, and the fight scenes are creative,fast, and well choreographed.

Review.......2007-07-17

This movie is what made watching saturday afternoon kung fu flicks as a child enjoyable. The movie has held up pretty good and the dvd transfer is very clean. The only knock on the dvd is the subtitles which are often mispelled, but not enough to detract from reading and watching the film at the same time. I only saw the movie once as a child, but it obviously made an impression. A great martial art film to add to any movie collection.

Average customer rating:

Very Entertaining, Great fight scenes
Probably the best martial arts movie ever
Really Good!
The Sequel to Fearless?
Great Fighting! Story Resembles Chinese Connection...

Fist of Legend
Starring: Jet Li , Siu-hou Chin , Ada Choi , Shinobu Nakayama , and Yasuaki Kurata
Director: Gordon Chan
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003W8NS
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com

Like compatriot Jackie Chan, martial arts champion Jet Li has long been revered in his native country and enjoys a cult following in the States among aficionados of Hong Kong cinema. After two decades, it took his villainous turn in Lethal Weapon 4 to put him on the Hollywood map, paving the way for the release of his earlier films. Fist of Legend is a 1994 production and a remake of The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Li stars as Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popular freestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to his former friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. If Jackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channeling Steve McQueen. He speaks softly and carries a big kick. And like Steven Seagal, even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on this guy. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, who lent his expertise to The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout between Chen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --Donald Liebenson

Description

International superstar Jet Li (LETHAL WEAPON 4, BLACK MASK) explodes on the screen in this thrilling martial arts action story about courage, honor ... and revenge! When Chen (Li) discovers that his beloved teacher and mentor has been murdered, he swears to avenge his death! Then, with an unwavering commitment to vengeance, Chen puts everything on the line to settle the score! The must-see modern remake of a Bruce Lee classic, FIST OF LEGEND packs hard-hitting excitement and incredible hand-to-hand combat into one unstoppable adrenaline rush!

Customer Reviews:

Very Entertaining, Great fight scenes.......2007-06-05

This movie if for the martial arts fan. My family and friends watched this movie and laughed that the English dubbed voices, however when the fight scenes came up they were glued to their seats.... IF you can get passed the dubbed voices, it is a great martial arts movie...

Probably the best martial arts movie ever.......2007-04-21

While many will point to classics such as The Five Deadly Venoms and Drunken Master as the greatest of the greats, Fist of Legend puts them to shame. Jet Li portrays Chen Zhen, a Chinese student studying abroad in Japan during the turbulent years leading up to the second world war. The Japanese, looking to humiliate the Chinese by defeating their best martial artists, challenge and defeat his master Huo Yuen Jia (also played by Jet Li in Fearless).

He returns to China to defend the honor of his school, mixing his kung fu with martial arts he learned while seeing the world. He deals with nationalism, racism, traitorous countrymen, honorable foes and a military/industrial complex which conspires to conquer and exploit his nation. Don't miss this one!

Really Good!.......2007-03-15

Hard to believe, but an english dub that is good! Excellent movie. Very realistic kung fu, no loud, fake sound effects. Good story. My new favorite!

The Sequel to Fearless?.......2007-01-21

I'm sure some people have made the connection already but I think I'd just point it out now and say that Fist of Legend is pretty much a fictitious sequel to the turn of events that occur in Fearless, the story about Huo Yuanjia and how his death turned up as a explosive dilemma in Chinese culture during that time and this movie runs about the same era... if not the SAME story.

Where I'm getting at is that the story of Fist of Legend is that a martial arts student, Chen Zen, of the Jingwu Federation finds out their master has been killed in a comptetition... Jingwu was founded by Huo Yuanjia himself and when Chen Zen fights the Japanese man who fought supposedly fought Chen's master, he even says he'll fight the Sensei with the Huo fist, his master's fist. HUO YUANJIA's style.

There are some strange connections that lead up by connecting the two movies but if you make the distinctions clear enough to understand, they do match up, which was pretty neat. Other evidence that follows up that Fist of Legend is a presumable sequel is when Chen Zen goes to pay respects to his dead master, there at the temple is the picture of Huo Yuanjia. Seriously.

Alright aside from tid-bitting self-produced facts and such, Fist of Legend is a movie that's timeless to Jet-Li's other performances. I only wish I could find an english subtitled version of this movie or something because the dubbing does NOT serve it justice! I won't knock its rating down just for dubbing, that'd be a shame to do because everything else about the movie is fantastic. Action sequencing is profoundly neat, that mediocre type of filming chinese movies seem to use for a broad majority of their films is actually quite good in this one, not quality, but by execution and performances really get you in to know each character and who they stand as.

I can't think of a reason why anyone wouldn't get this movie if they're a big kung fu movie buff, action movie lover or Jet-Li fanatic, or someone who just wants some unique exposure to these realms. Fist of Legend is definitely a reamarkable piece of work and entertainment.

Great Fighting! Story Resembles Chinese Connection..........2007-01-08

This is another twist on the Janpanese versus Chinese ongoing feud movie, with the Japanese being the bad guys. Usually these scripts start with the foremost Master being killed and their finding there was foul play in the death. So does this movie.

The initial part of the plot is to find the killer. However pride and envy become the downfall of the new Master who is jealous of Chen (Jet's character), the former Master's best student.

Although I LOVE Bruce Li's version of this story, the fight scenes were better in THIS one - namely because there were fighters of equal magnitude to Jet all throughout the movie.

Most memorable in this movie is the blindfolded battle between Chen and his Japanese girlfriend's uncle...and how each comment on their fighting abilities. Jet learns from this Japanese Master. Their interplay was quite amusing...and you just marveled at each's skill.

Jet's posture early in the movie sets the serious tone of his character. The really big bad guy shows up face early on in the movie and you know the battle will be with this killer, the General, in the end. He even kills his own people.

The movie is worthwhile to see the skill of the excellent fighters involved and the multiple styles that are showcased.

The final fight scene is a bit long...but you anticipate that defeating the General would not be an easy task. If you are a Jet Li fan, this is one deserves to be in your collection.

Shaolin Master Killer (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Shaolin Master Killer (Widescreen Edition)
It's a classic
Still a classic
GORDON LIU=A LEGEND IS BORN
This is the good Master Killer

Shaolin Master Killer (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Chia Hui Liu , Lieh Lo , Chia Yung Liu , Norman Chu , and Yang Yu (II)
Director: Chia-Liang Liu
Manufacturer: Crash Cinema Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305511705
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Shaolin Master Killer (Widescreen Edition).......2007-08-29

Again, any movie with Gordon Liu is great..... he has the best fight scenes with no special effects. Just do watch out for these little companies trying to sell you something they claim is digitally remastered, because they really arent. See what other reviewers have to say.

It's a classic.......2007-08-23

This is one of those movies I saw as a kid and had to have on DVD. Like most of the classic kung fuu movies there is an element of comedy mixed in. All in all a very enjoyable movie.

The training scenes may be one of the best parts of the movie.

Still a classic.......2007-04-02

No matter how many years pass; still one of the best kung fu flicks ever made!

GORDON LIU=A LEGEND IS BORN.......2006-05-28

this movie no doubt is arguably the greatest of all-time you can consider it the martial arts version of the godfather because its mainly an initiation and training then the last 20+ minutes or so is where all the fun and action begins. this movie is approximately 1 hr 55 mins long. for the 1st 25 to 30 mins you see gordon liu with hair (which is pretty odd to see) and his friends in a school and the manchus taking over. you see lau kar wing trying to plot to kill the head manchu general but lo lieh anticipated it and they have a battle with their weapons which lau kar wing is killed at the hands of lo lieh. then later gordon liu and his friend try to escape to shaolin but unfortunately for his friend he dies. my faovrite chambers were the waterbucket chambers, reflex chamber, and the fighting chamber. best fight was gordon liu vs. great wing chun master lee hoi sang about 100 times. this movie also stars wong yu, norman tsui siu keung, wilson tong (who had a sizeable role), henry yu yung (who bares a resemblence to jason pai piao), and late great simon yuen siu tien. this movie is widescreen 2:35.1 and the sound you know about that i have to turn up 3 quarters of the way to hear it. but pick this up and find a better trasfer if you can.

This is the good Master Killer.......2006-05-18

I've been trying to get my hands on this movie for a long time. My teacher told me that he saw it 23 years ago and loved the training scenes. I didn't know which Master Killer it was though so I ended up buying "36 Chambers", "The Master Killer Trilogy", and "Return to 36 Chambers" before finally getting it right. IT WAS WORTH IT.

The quality is surprisingly good, Chia Hui Liu is at his best, and the storyline isn't the typical revenge story you've seen a thousand times (well not entirely anyway).

What I love about this movie is that it shows the protagonist overcoming real mental and physical obstacles along the martial way with great dedication and patience thus bettering himself and contributing to the art. Fantastic.

Average customer rating:

Red Sun version is the way to go.
36TH whaaat

Return of Master Killer
Starring: Liu Chia Hui , and Wang Lung Wei
Manufacturer: Red Sun
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000C0PL4S
Release Date: 2007-02-07

Product Description

When a new dye factory run by the Manchu powers opens in a busy town, the former peace and calm is shattered. The Manchus take over the local rivals and use their cruel dominance to squeeze yet more work out of the locals. After a strike by these workers results in their beating by the hired lackies, one of their friends is persuaded to intervene. This con-artist decides to impersonate legendary Shaolin monk San-Te and scare the oppressors with a series of misleading tricks designed to give the impression of kung-fu excellence. The hoax works once, but is then exposed by one of the Manchus top fighters who has been called in to handle the situation. The dye factory workers are now in a worse position than before and are left nursing their wounds after this severe humiliation. Enraged by how helpless he feels, the exposed impersonator decides to go to the Shaolin temple to try an emulate the real San-Te. Once again using his deceptive skills to get into the temple, the eager student observes the rigurous training that all of the new fighters go through. However, when he is exposed by the head monks and is therefore required to plead his case, he is put to work within the temple to make up for his deceit. Little does he realise that this seemingly unimportant manual work is in fact developing him into a formidable fighter.

Customer Reviews:

Red Sun version is the way to go. .......2006-10-22

Tha last reviewer wants to know what the difference between these are and I would be glad to go over them.

Shaolin Master Killer AKA 36th Chamber-this is the one. Gordon Liu goes to learn kung fu at the Shaolin Temple, comes back, takes revenge.

Return of Master Killer AKA Return to the 36th Chamber(beware, there is a bad bootleg floating around that says 36th chamber on the cover but is really Return to the 36th chamber. That DVD case actually has pictures from Return Of MK on it). This movie is just as good as the first. It is a comedy. Instead of playing San Te, he goes to learn from San Te. The final fight is about 20 minutes long and is one of the best in cinema history.

Disciples of Master Killer AKA Disciples of the 36th Chamber-Gordon does play San Te in this though he is not the main character. Hsiao Ho plays Fong Sai Yuk and this movie also co stars Jason Paio, Li-Li-Li, and Lau Kar Leung who is the director for all 3 films.

Also the Red Sun versions of these 3 movies are completely uncut, have CRYSTAL CLEAR picture, are letterboxed, and have dual language tracks so you can watch it in it's original language. Some people call these boot legs but the picture quality and sound on these 3 movies by Red Sun is absolutely second to none. Some other flawless releases from Red Sun are 2 Champions of Shaolin, Ninja in the Dragon's Den, 7 Grandmasters, the entire Lone Wolf and Cub Series, Dirty Ho, Shaolin Challenges Ninja, and Fists of the White Lotus.

I hope this review was helpful to you.

36TH whaaat.......2006-08-19

I ordered 36th Chanmber and Return of the Master Killer. I recieved 2 movies with different covers and write ups thinking it was part one and two but they were both the same movie. nobody can tell me the difference in the title for part one and two. Other than that buy the one from this seller, real good quality vs the other with was horribly boot-legged.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (UMD Mini For PSP)

Average customer rating:

Awesome Movie!
Awesome Movie!
Awesome movie for the PSP

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Chang Chen , Chow Yun-Fat , Chang Cheng , Cheng Pei-Pei , and Sihung Lung
Director: Ang Lee
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Named "Best Picture of the Year" by over 100 critics nationwide! Two master warriors (Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword is stolen. A young aristocrat (Zhang Ziyi) prepares for an arranged marriage, but soon reveals her superior fighting talents and her deeply romantic past. As each warrior battles for justice, they come f

ASIN: B0009IOWGG
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Product Description

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon PSP UMD Movie MODEL- 11559 VENDOR- UMD MOVIE FEATURES- Crouching Tiger PSP Movie An epic set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon combines the exhilarating martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo-Ping (The Matrix) with the sensitivity and classical storytelling of an Ang Lee film. The result is something truly unexpected: romantic, emotionally powerful entertainment. Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee took a break from making Western period dramas to fashion this wild and woolly martial arts spectacular featuring special effects and action sequences courtesy of the choreographer of The Matrix (1999), Yuen Woo Ping. In the early 19th century, martial arts master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) is about to retire and enter a life of meditation, though he quietly longs to avenge the death of his master, who was killed by Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei). He gives his sword, a fabled 400-year-old weapon known as Green Destiny, to his friend, fellow martial arts wizard and secret love Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), so that she may deliver it to Sir Te (Sihung Lung). Upon arrival in Peking, Yu happens upon Jen (Zhang Ziyi), a vivacious, willful politicians daughter. That night, a mysterious masked thief swipes Green Destiny, with Yu in hot pursuit -- resulting in the first of several martial arts action set pieces during the film. Li arrives in Beijing and eventually discovers that Jen is not only the masked thief but is also in cahoots with the evil Jade. In spite of this, Li sees great talent in Jen as a fig

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Movie!.......2005-09-07

Best UMD I've watched to date! If your into movies like Hero, or House of Flying Daggers you will love this one too!

Awesome Movie!.......2005-09-07

Best UMD I've watched to date! If your into movies like Hero, or House of Flying Daggers you will love this one too!

Awesome movie for the PSP.......2005-08-16

I first saw this Chinese-language film quite a while back on a rental VHS. Due to the poor tape quality I wasn't impressed. This time around, I simply fell in love with the PSP presentation. Great visuals (those lovely bamboo trees! and lovely Miss Ziyi), great soundtrack, pretty neat fighting sequences, and the PSP's beautiful screen makes all look so delicious. Now my coworkers who don't have a PSP want to borroww one from those of us who do have one, so they can watch this, too! Whether you are into Kung Fu or romance or just cute Oriental girls (or a Chow Yun-fat fan), this movie is totally for you!

Average customer rating:

Another great Shaw Brothers movie
Three Evil Masters - "A Sure Old School Kung Fu Classic"
This movie is unbelievable to watch.
Excellent
Classic Shaw Brothers

Three Evil Masters
Starring: Kuan Tai Chen , Lin Chiang , Eddy Ko , Fei Ai , and Chok Chow Cheung
Director: Chin-Ku Lu
Manufacturer: Ground Zero
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005UQ75
Release Date: 2002-02-05

Customer Reviews:

Another great Shaw Brothers movie.......2007-03-10

Chen Kuan Tai plays a kung fu master on the run from a gang called the 3 Evils. Johnny Wang Lung Wei is their leader and these 3 are super tough. After getting injured, Kuan Tai looks for shelter at a young man's house. Yuen Tak plays the young man and stays at a kung fu school. He was taken in as an orphan and has lived there for about 3 years. He gladly takes Kuan Tai in and they begin a very friendly teacher and student relationship. Yuen Tak is not an actor and would never fit in at playing a serious role, but this is a comedy and he fits right in as the lead. He and Yuen Bun are responsible for almost every Hong Kong action movie made in the 90's. Along With Yuen Woo Ping and Corey Yuen Kwai, these 4 directed the action in at least 70% of everthing being made for close to 10 years. Lau Hok Nin plays the school master and he is not exactly a fan of Kuan Tai because of their troubles in the past. The story is very well done and more than enjoyable all the way through. It's not surprising since it is directed by Lu Chun Ku who has done many good movies including 'The Postman Strikes Back' with Ti Lung and 'Holy Fame of the Martial World'. He has worked together with Lau Hok Nin and action director Hsu Hsia before. Lau Hok Nin is even better in this than he was in 'Hell'z Widstaff' and 'Tiger Over Wall', both being directed by Lu Chun Ku. Not only is he a wonderful character actor, but he is no slouch in the kung fu department either. The action is absolutely superb and the entire movie is fight filled. Not a single scene looks rushed, and I always love it when they save the best for last.

While the story is very well done, it also has a lot of unique director touches to it. One of the 3 evil masters is a ladies man and his scene in a brothel is not one you will soon forget. The nudity does get a bit excessive, but the hero of the movie steals the show dressing up as a woman. I was amazed to see all the jiggling, but I had no idea that it would turn out to be so funny.

To go along with the amazing action scenes and great acting and directing job, there is also a very fun soundtrack and beautiful cinematography. It is always nice to see the Shaw Brothers outdoor sets. I could have used a little more comedy out of Chan Lau, but other than that, I can only think of one other fault. Lung Wei uses a hair braid very effectively as a weapon, but it only seems to cut up clothes rather than cut up the body or face. It's a minor gripe, but there is some good blood effects for death scenes, and Lung Wei is an absolute madman with a spear in his hands. There is a lot to be happy about. If you are not a fan of the genre, it may get boring at times, but all kung fu fans will be delighted with this classic. 4.5/5

I have the region 3 IVL version. And if you need it English dubbed, there is the bootleg Red Sun version with slightly inferior picture quality.

Three Evil Masters - "A Sure Old School Kung Fu Classic".......2005-08-30

Listen up all old school Kung Fu fans do not sleep on this one. This is surely in my top 5% of great all time Kung Fu flicks. Years ago, this was one of the flicks (on VHS then) that was least advertised and spoken about in my neighborhood. I just happen to pick it up at my local video rental store because the cover looked interesting. Man, I picked a winner with this one!

This flick is the classic case of a young, skinny, and unskilled student getting picked on and bullied by others - in my opinion - less skillful than himself. Because he was less in stature and position and was the Kung Fu school's flunkee, he was often used as a punching bag - even by his teacher who was supposed to teach him Kung Fu and protect him.

After finding an extremely injured man who managed to escape the clutches of "The Three Evils", he took it upon himself to hide him on the premises and try to nurse him back to health. His fellow students nor his teacher never knew that he was hiding a severely injured man. He later learned that it was this same man that broke his teacher's ribs in a fight. So, Yes, his new friend and teacher had history and an obvious hatred for one another. This fact was played into the plot and carried out well here. Out of pure gratitude for what this young student done for him, this teacher taught him Kung Fu to prevent him from being further bullied.

Once his teacher discovered he had befriended the same man who broke his ribs, he was viewed as a traitor and forced to leave the Kung Fu school. After "The Three Evils" caught up with his friend (who was still injured) and killed him they took over his teacher's school. They forced the teacher to obey their demands and made servants of the students.

After using trickery to gain access into the school as a student again, he began to scheme and plan his revenge against "The Three Evils" for killing his friend and taking over his teacher's school.

I purposely left out many details as to not give away too much of the plot and the excellent ending. It's an ending that can easily go down as being one of the best in Kung Fu.

The Kung Fu in this movie is excellent. This guy has a roundhouse kick you won't believe - whoaaaaaa - it's something you must see for yourself!!!!!! This young student is awesome - totally awesome! It's a shame that I don't see this guy in too many other Kung Fu flicks. The "back" button will be your bestfriend in this one. I can't tell you how many times I had to go back to see a special move saying to myself, "Man, no way, he didn't just do that!" The overdubs on the DVD great - acting - no problem! I was sold. I'm truly impressed with the quality of this old school joint.

I gave this movie a "5" star rating based upon the movie itself not the dubbing of it to DVD. This was a great flick in itself from beginning to end. This is a must have for your Kung Fu collection.

This movie is unbelievable to watch........2004-09-02

Not a bad price, for a darn good flick...

Excellent.......2002-03-23

This is one of the lesser known Shaw Brothers titles but is no slouch. It ranks as one of their best. The opening credit sequence is also quite memorable. The fighting styles are quite unique and acrobatic. "Old school" yes but not the "superman" flying you see in today's films. Chen Kuan Tai is probably at his best here, next to his role in "Executioners From Shaolin". Wang Lung Wei is also superb, probably as amazing as his villain in "Instructors of Death". The hero's climactic battle(s) in the end are worth the price of the DVD alone. Most interesting killing move: received by Wang Lung Wei.

Classic Shaw Brothers.......2002-01-20

"It's just you should be punished. I'm going to chop off your arms, so are you ready? Those word are spoken by Chen Kuan-tai as Chin as so begins probaly the best opening fight sequence in a Shaw Brother movie. Chin takes on all three of the titled villains in a restaurant. Watch closely as the knife expert does a back flip while throwing two knives. The Three Evils are lead by my favorite Shaw actor Wang Lung-wei. You would reconize him as Iron Robe in Kid With the Golden Arm and also from Five Deadly Venoms. In this movie he uses Panther style. In the movie the Three Evils wound Chin and he hides in a Kung-fu school where he is aided by Kao-chin. Chin repays Kao-chin by teaching him new techniques. I don't want to give away the whole movie, which I'm sure you enjoy. All the good Shaw elements are here excellent martial arts and choreography and the hero gets his revenge. I would like to explain why I gave this movie four stars. Like I said I love this movie, but I took one star away because of the quality of the DVD. I know the makers Ground Zero tried to the best they could by using the best original print they could find, but I can't give a perfect rating to am ovie that's neither wide screen nor remasterd. Unfortuantely many reviewers are quick to slap on a perfect rating because the movie is great and forget the quality of the DVD it's self. I just want people to know what they are buying. If you are a old school martial arts fan I encourage you to buy this because it's the best version of this good film at a reasonable price. I can only hope that one day someone takes the Shaw films seriously and gives a digital remasters with all the extras.

The Return of the Master Killer: Return to the 36th Chamber

Average customer rating:

Good movie
Under-rated at best... a must have for Kung Fu junkies!
Best final fight scene ever
You can't Lose with Gordon Liu
Dont believe the hype!

The Return of the Master Killer: Return to the 36th Chamber
Starring: Chia Hui Liu , Kara Hui , Lung Wei Wang , Siu Hau , and Yeong-mun Kwon
Director: Chia-Liang Liu
Manufacturer: Ground Zero
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005KH3B
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Customer Reviews:

Good movie.......2007-08-23

As with many Gordon Liu movies there is some comedy here. The action is pretty good and the story is ok...just a good old fashioned kung fu movie. It's a fun one to watch more than once.

Under-rated at best... a must have for Kung Fu junkies!.......2007-04-18

It is difficult to get ahold of a good copy of this film - my version is a pirated copy that I got in college years ago. Why did I go out and hunt down a pirated copy? When I was about 9 years old I would fake sick to stay home from Sunday School and watch Kung Fu Theatre on Sunday mornings. I have seen countless movies, but this one stood out in my memory. So 20 years later I decided I had to have it. I bought a couple of versions, mis-named movies, movies that had the right description on the back of the case, but a different movie in the box, you name it... it was painstaking. I have seen it called Master Killer (obviously that is not this film), I have seen it called Return to the 36th Chamber, The 36th Chamber, etc.

Be careful - there is a Gordon Liu film in which he plays an abbott in the Shaolin temple, that movie sucks. Its "Return of Master Killer" that you want.

Here is a little background on this film. Liu starred in the awesome film Master Killer, where he plays San Te. Its a serious film, and a classic in its own right. The Return of Master Killer really has nothing to do with it. Its how the production company's rename these films that gets this all confused. In this film, a comedy, that Gordon Liu plays a con-man who tells everyone he is San Te. When he is exposed as a fraud, guilt drives him to the Shaolin Temple to learn real Kung Fu. Again, he has to con his way in.

Once in the temple he is punished, and put to work. He is not "taught" Kung Fu, however as the movie unfolds he learns it anyway by observing as he works... where the motions he makes while working become Kung Fu motions. NOBODY ever says it, but this movie has to be a direct source of inspiration for the Karate Kid. There are so many similarities. There are tons of other films that have come and gone that draw upon this great film for inspiration, another that comes to mind is the Jet Li movie Romeo Must Die. During this film there is a fight scene that takes place on some scaffolding where Jet Li uses zip-ties to tie up his opponents... yeah, you can see the original version of that very fight scene on the bamboo scaffolding in Return of Master Killer.

No Kung Fu afficianado should be without it.

Best final fight scene ever.......2006-02-28

WARNING: this is not a sequel to master killer, but it is a better movie.

A young actor(who likes to play monks, but not on stage) needs to learn kung fu so goes to shaolin to learn from san te.

I don;t want to give anything away, cause it is such a great movie.

You can't Lose with Gordon Liu.......2002-11-21

The more I watch Gordon Liu, the more I like him, not only for his excellent martial arts abilities, but also for his expressive acting abilities (even though constrained--or enhanced(?)--by the dubbing), which this film showcases.

Liu plays a winsome, selfish con-man who in the course of the story unwittingly masters a very unique kung-fu style and overcomes his selfishness, but who does not lose the vitality of the character he portrays (with a sort of easy-going brashness) in the process. This film genuinely made me laugh! And that is not a frequent event for me while watching movies--even intentional comedies. Liu vents a natural, unforced humor, that carries the story along and even cheerfully colors his fights; he's funny without, apparently, trying to be.

This is one of my all-time favorite kung-fu films for hero portrayal and development. Top shelf, for sure!

Dont believe the hype!.......2002-08-04

This movie has potential. Gordon Liu, Shaw Bros., Shaolin Master Killer. Sounds tasty right? Rent this movie. Its mildly entertaining. But not enough to own. The best part of the DVD are the extra fighting sequences provided as Special Features. There are a few money scenes, but it cant even begin to compete with other Shaw titles. Admittedly, the fighting styles are things you have never seen before, but are really pretty lame. (I cant get into it with out spoiling, sorry.) The Shaolin temple is only in the movie for a brief period. The Master Killer isn't really "that other Master Killer." The plot doesn't even begin to convey any drama or passion. Skip it. Or rent it. Or if you are a die hard collector and need to expand go get another one of the Deadly Venom films. If you own all of those, get any of Toshirô Mifune's samurai films (not really the same style but will be a much better investment.) If you must get this, you've been warned, its amateur at best.

Average customer rating:

Best of the Series
Never slows down
3.5, but jet li and sammo make it a a 4.
Another Jet Li flying on wires film
Fantastic incomplete Kung Fu saga

Lord of Wutang
Starring: Ekin Cheng , Man Cheung , John Ching , Wing Cho , and Collin Chou
Director: Jing Wong
Manufacturer: Beverly Wilshire
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005AWRG
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Best of the Series.......2007-06-11

Many people do not know that this is only part of a 60 volume serial.
The main reason most people are confused about what is happening is a lack of understanding about internal energy or "Chi". This is the magic of the Orient. Many various legends of certain types of "secret" Kung Fu have existed for centuries in China and the chinese audinces are not so confused by the plot line.
If you suspend you dis-belief this is a fantastic, fuuny, deadly serious, bloody tale of sweat revenge; betrayal and ultimate victory for the underdog. I can't find a better movie that works on all these levels.
The english sub-titles are washed out by the background in some frames but can be gleaned if the movie is watched enough which you are sure to do.

Never slows down.......2007-01-26

Of all the movies I've heard, "Lord of Wutang" is undoubtedly the one... with the fastest pace.

Really. This movie never even pauses for breath, hurtling from one plot development to the next, and barely allowing the viewer to catch up. But if you can keep up with the rapid-fire pace, it's a rewardingly bizarre and comic adventure story with a fantastical little twist.

As a child, Mo-Kei (Jet Li) was hit with the deadly Jinx Palm, just before the terrible deaths of his parents. Mo-Kei grows up under the tutelage of a great master, but the Jinx Palm leaves him unable to fight or have sex -- until he and the sprightly marial artist Siu Chiu (Chingmy Yau) fall off a cliff.

There, Mo-Kei encounters a wacky old hermit embedded in a boulder, who teaches him the great "Solar Stance" kung-fu and cures him of the Jinx Palm. Now Mo-Kei can seek revenge for his parents' deaths, but he and Siu Chiu find themselves in the middle of a massive power struggle between the martial-arts schools, Shaolin monks, and the Evil Sect (which doesn't seem that evil).

"Lord of WuTang" is really kind of confusing -- revenge vendettas spring out of nowhere, battles start without warning, and the plot is so fast-moving that the whole thing seems to be about a day and a half's worth of action -- as soon as one subplot ends, another instantly starts. And yet, somehow despite all this craziness, it's still pretty entertaining.

Perhaps that's because this isn't intended to be a serious revenge epic. It has lots of verbal and physical comedy ("Get my head off of my a**!") and bizarre characters who are thrown in just to be bizarre, like the Red Cross sex freaks and the old hermit who rolls around inside a boulder.

But they don't neglect the kung-fu aspect, with lots of energy blasting, flying shields, and a great fast-paced duel between Li and a roaring Shaolin monk. It strikes a pretty good balance between the fantastical violence (flying killer shields?) and the realistic stuff that looks pretty bloody.

It's hard to keep the dozens of characters straight, especially since some of the girls are almost identical in dress and body language. But Li is appealing as the naive, peace-loving guy, and Yau is just as fun as his sprightly, spunky love interest. She even gets the kung-fu equivalent of a catfight.

"Lord of Wutang" is almost too fast paced to follow, but it still has a bizarre charm. Definitely worth watching.... so long as you don't leave the room.

3.5, but jet li and sammo make it a a 4. .......2006-03-26

Now I will go over later about the version that I have which has very easy to read subtitles.

This movie is so freaking weird, I still cannot figure out what the hell is going on. Jet li's parents are killed in a very dramatic scene, and jet gets touched by a cursed palm. The cursed palm makes it so jet cannot become good at martial arts. So guess what, he is gonna get his skills. Ya probably did not have to guess that, but this movie really goes out of it;s way for jim to learn. Definintely not your average revenge tale.

So I can't tell you exactly what I liked about this film because nothing really stands out too much, but there are so many crazy things that happen it would be impossible to list half of them. So for all you people like me who are always looking for that next great hand-to-hand movie, then this is a pretty good break.

Also this movie has a ton of stars in it. And it really tries to be a BIG movie, just doesn't quite live up to what it was supposed to be, but maybe it did, give your opinion.

Also-the version i have comes from widesceen, good picture quality, and BLACK OUTLINED subtitles. So you won't miss a thing, the sunbs are imbedded, but are easy to read, a first in my mind. The subs do run a little fast sometimes, but you can always pause. This has Dr. Wai on the other side(unwatchable picture quality), and comes in the JET LI COLLECTION. Don't get that boxed set with twin warriors and the bodyguard, but get the one that is like 11.99, and has a disc that has early jet li footage and also has a lengthy crowd lethal weapon 4 interview.
I would call those special features and when I classify them like that they are certainly some of the best special features that I have ever seen.

So get the jet li collection that HAS 4 MOVIES IN IT. Evil Cult master, Dr. Wai(unwatchable), lee-thal weapon, and I can't remember what the early footage feature is called.

Good stuff but don't buy this version unless it is longer than 103 minutes. Also people are saying you can't read the subs for this version which is a shame bacuse it didn't have enough action in it to excuse unreadable subs.

Another Jet Li flying on wires film.......2005-07-03

I didn't care for this movie the first time I watched it. It is pretty far from believable. But the 2nd time I watched it and I knew what to expect I enjoyed it a lot more. No, humans don't shoot lightning colored chi out of their hands. And people can't live being strapped to a large boulder. But it is still a good kung fu flick.

This one is SUB-TITLED and sometimes hard to read. White letters on a white background. I would like to find another version of this movie that has been dubbed in English for my collection.

Fantastic incomplete Kung Fu saga.......2005-04-28

Jet Li plays Chang Mo Kei, a young fellow who was injured as a child by a life threatening Kung Fu move called the "Jinx Palm", which has made him weak and unable to learn Kung Fu. Plus on the same day his parents were both forced to commit suicide, which, as you might expect, was also no fun. Mo Kei is raised by his father's former master, a spry 100 year-old played with great aplomb by an unrecognizable, white-haired Sammo Hung, who also did a very good job as the fight choreographer for the film. The plotline is too complex to summarize, but needless to say Jet Li starts kicking ass and taking names pretty quickly. The film is of the fantastic Kung Fu variety, with people flying through the air, and using magical Kung Fu powers which put Jedi Knights and Neo to shame.

"The Evil Cult" has a variety of english titles and is based on a chinese martial arts novel which hasn't been translated to any western languages as far as I'm aware. It was supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but it didn't make enough money and so even though Jet Li, Sammo Hung, and the others involved fought to make them, it never came to pass. Apparently there have been some other films and TV Series made following the same story, but the most recent TV Series from 2003 hasn't made it to North America yet.
Still this first part of an incomplete saga is a great kung fu flick, primarily because of the incredibly quick pace, intricate plotline, bad humour, and non stop ass-kicking fun. It overwhelms the senses and if this type of flick is your cup of tea, I think you'll find this is as good as it gets. It seems to be a style of film you either get or you don't, so don't be put off by any bad reviews you see. This isn't Proust, but has its own virtues. If you like it, you likely be frustrated when it ends before resolving much of anything plot-wise, but just hold on, I'm sure they'll do a proper remake in ten years with genetic clones of the original cast or thereabouts. We'll see.

Average customer rating:

Best of the Series
Never slows down
3.5, but jet li and sammo make it a a 4.
Another Jet Li flying on wires film
Fantastic incomplete Kung Fu saga

The Evil Cult
Starring: Ekin Cheng , Man Cheung , John Ching , Wing Cho , and Collin Chou
Director: Jing Wong
Manufacturer: Videoasia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002ZYE3C
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Description

Jet Li and Sammo Hung star in one of their greatest adventures! Action on the master level in the Jet Li kung fu tradition!

Customer Reviews:

Best of the Series.......2007-06-11

Never slows down.......2007-01-26

3.5, but jet li and sammo make it a a 4. .......2006-03-26

Another Jet Li flying on wires film.......2005-07-03

Fantastic incomplete Kung Fu saga.......2005-04-28

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