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Kung Fu Dunk

May 142013
 

Kung Fu Dunk 2008 Chinese Movie Kung Fu DunkKung Fu Dunk (2008) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese – 功夫灌篮
Title in Pinyin – Gong Fu Guan Lan

Genre – Action

Subject/theme – a young kung fu student is drawn into the world of basket ball

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 7 February 2008
China – 8 February 2008
Japan – 16 August 2008

Director – Chu Yin-ping

Cast & Role Played
Jay Chou – Shi Jie
Eric Tsang – Zhen Wang Li
Charlene Choi – Lily
Ng Man Tat – Master Wu
Bolin Chen – Ting Wei
Baron Cheng – Xiao Lan
Wang Gang – Wang Bao

Plot
Shi Jie was abandoned as a baby next to a basket ball court and grew up in a Kung fu school. One night while completing a task for his master, he demonstrates his throwing skills to a passing down on his luck hustler Wang Li. Wang Li takes Shi Jie to a casino where he wins hundreds of dollars playing darts. The thugs at the casino cause a fight and Shi Jie cleans them up and destroys the casino bar in the process. With a damage bill of thousands, Shi Jie is expelled from his school. Not one to waste a good opportunity,  Wang Li arranges for Shi Jie to enrol at First University where he is the new star player of their basket ball team. With the university championships coming up, Shi Jie struggles to convert his kung fu skills to basket ball in time.

Kung Fu Dunk Links
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Kung Fu Dunk Movie Posters
Kung Fu Dunk 2008 Chinese Movie Poster One Kung Fu Dunk
Kung Fu Dunk 2008 Chinese Movie Poster Two Kung Fu Dunk
Kung Fu Dunk 2008 Chinese Movie Poster Three Kung Fu Dunk
 

Bruce Lee, My Brother

Aug 122012
 

Bruce Lee, My Brother (2010) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  李小龙
Title in Pinyin – Li Xiao Long

Genre – Drama

Subject/theme – A Bruce Lee biographical film

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 25 November 2010
Singapore – 25 November 2010
Germany – 5 December 2011

Running Time – 129 minutes

Director – Raymond Yip and Manfred Wong

Cast & Role Played
Aarif Rahman – Bruce Lee
Christy Chung – Grace Ho, Bruce’s mother
Tony Leung Ka-fai – Bruce’s father
Michelle Ye – Lee Hap Ngan, Bruce’s aunt
Lee Heung-kam – Unicorn Chan, Bruce’s friend
Jennifer Tse – Pearl, Bruce’s love interest
Wilfred Lau – A cop and Bruce’s nemesis
Alex Yen – Charlie, British boxer
Kristy Yang – Mui Yee
Heung Kamg Lee – Bruce’s grandmother

Story
Bruce Lee, My Brother focuses on the early of Bruce Lee from when he was a young child to the time he was sent to the US by his father for his own protection. Covered in this biography are Bruce’s life living in an affluent and extended family in the 1950’s and 1960’s in Hong Kong, the role and influence of his parents with his mother playing a dominant role in the family. This movie illustrates how Bruce was a child actor and dedicated to his family and acting but rebellious in the rest of his life, spending time street fighting, hanging out with his friends and dancing.   One key point covered is how Bruce’s confrontation with drug operators in the Hong Kong triad made him a target of both the triad and the police so his father sent him to the US for his own safety.

Bruce Lee, My Brother Links

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IMDb Movie Database for Bruce Lee, My Brother   

Youtube Trailer for Bruce Lee, My Brother

My Kung Fu Sweetheart

Aug 112012
 

My Kung Fu Sweetheart (2006) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  野蛮秘笈
Title in Pinyin – Ye Man Mi Ji

Genre – Kung Fu & Comedy

Subject/theme –A family of Kung Fu masters must unite to fight a super powerful enemy

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Singapore – 26 January 2006
China – 29 January 2006
Hong Kong – 9 February 2006

Running Time – 90 minutes

Director – Wong Jing

Cast & Role Played
Cecilia Cheung – Phoenix
Leo Ku – Dragon, company boss
Yuen Wah – Kung Fu master and Phoenix’s father
Yuen Qiu – Kung Fu master and Phoenix’s mother
Wong Jing – Kung Fu master and friend of the family
Wong Yat-Fei – Abbot of the Kung Fu school
Benz Hui – CEO of Phoenix’s company
Lam Suet – Handsome Willy

Story
A young Phoenix discovers that she is from a family of Kung Fu masters and begins her training in a mountain temple at the age of 14. Later when she has grown up, her parents are divorced, father is unemployed, her mother works in business and she uses her kung fu to avoid being late to work.  One day a new manager joins her company and she discovers he is the man she is prophesied to be the love of her love.

At the same time, an evil traitor is using unbeatable wicked Kung Fu from the temple is killing business men in the pursuit of building a business empire and is planning to kill Phoenix’s love. To defeat the traitor, Phoenix must reunite her family, save her loves life and battle the traitor.

Editor’s Review of My Kung Fu Sweetheart – Score 5/10
My Kung Fu sweet heart has a brilliant cast with the lovely Cecilia Cheung, Yuen Wah, Wong Yet Fei and Lam Suet. The problem is the dialogue is hopeless, the characters shallow, the humour cheap and idiotic and the Kung Fu sloppy and low quality. The actors are constrained by one dimensional characters and have no chance of rescuing the movie. The use of a Condor suit just adds insult to injury and further detracts from the quality of the movie. You’d need to be a rabid fan or extremely bored to find watching this movie worth while.

My Kung Fu Sweetheart Links

Movie Poster One
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IMDb Movie Database for My Kung Fu Sweetheart

Youtube Trailer for My Kung Fu Sweetheart

Enter The Dragon

Jul 292012
 

Enter the Dragon 1973 Chinese Movie Enter The Dragon

Enter The Dragon (1973) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  龙争虎斗
Title in Pinyin – Long Zheng Hu Dou

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – A Shaolin fighter is recruited by a government agency to enter a tournament to uncover evidence of opium dealing

Language – English & Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong & USA

Release date
Hong Kong – 26 July 1973
USA – 17 August 1973
Japan – 22 December 1973
France – 9 January 1974

Movie running time – 98 minutes

Director – Liu Chia-liang

Cast & Role Played
Bruce Lee – Lee
Jackie Chan – Han’s henchman
Sammo Hung – Shaolin fighter
John Saxon – Roper, tournament contestant
Jim Kelly – William, tournament contestant
Shih Kien – Han
Ahna Capri – Tania, secretary of the Han
Robert Wall – O’Hara, scarred henchman of Han

Story
A government linked agency suspects a martial arts tournament that is held every three years on a remote island by Han to be a front for opium smuggling. They recruit Lee to enter the tournament to investigate Han’s operations and to try and uncover evidence. John and Jim are two ex army buddies who also join the tournament. John is on the run from mafia thug’s who he owes money to and Jim fleeing from persecution after he beat up two racist cops who were harassing him.

Once on the Island, Han hospitality is lavish with plenty of food, drink and women. Once the tournament begins, John and Jim fixing odds in the matches and gambling while Lee starts to scout an underground complex he has discovered. The situation rapidly becomes deadly and Lee focus on getting the two friends and himself off the island alive.

Enter the Dragon Links

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IMDb Movie Database for Enter the Dragon

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

Jul 292012
 

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  少林三十六房
Title in Pinyin – Shao Lin San Shi Liu Fang

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – A rebel fleeing the corrupt Manchu government is taken in by the Shaolin Temple

Language – Mandarin

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 2 February 1978
South Korea – 1 December 1978
USA – June 1979
France – 8 April 1981

Movie running time – 115 minutes

Director – Liu Chia-liang

Cast & Role Played
Liu Chia-hui – Monk San Te
Lo Lieh – General Tien Ta
Yu Yang – Hung His-kuan
Norman Chu – Lu Ah-cai

Story
A young student San Te joins his teacher in local rebellion against the corrupt Manchu government. The government quells the rebellion and kill every one at the school and their families and friends. San Te escapes and flees to the Shaolin temple seeking training. The temple eventually accepts him and his training in the temples 35 chambers begins.

Once his training is complete, San Te leaves the temple and starts to train rebels to fight the Manchus. He is eventually drawn into a deadly conflict with the local Manchu governor .

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin Links

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IMDb Movie Database for The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

Shaolin Temple

Jul 292012
 

Shaolin Temple (1982) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  少林寺
Title in Pinyin – Shao Lin Si

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – A son learns Kung Fu at the Shaolin Temple to avenge the death of his father

Language – Mandarin

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 21 January 1982
China – 1982
Portugal – 25 May 1984
France – 25 May 1990

Movie running time – 95 minutes

Director – Chang Hsin-yen

Cast & Role Played
Jet Li – Chieh Yuan, student of Shaolin
Lan Ding – Bai, daughter of a Shaolin teacher
Yan Di Hua – Lan Ding

Story
Chieh and his father are conscripted as labourers by a warlord Wang and Chieh’s father is killed by one of the warlord’s guards. Chieh flees to the nearby Shaolin Temple where learns Kung Fu and plans to avenge his father.

After a failed attempt to kill Wang, Chieh and the Shaolin temple are drawn into a war between warlord Wang and Warlord Li who would later found the Tang Dynasty. The Shaolin temple ends up on the side of Li but are attached by Wang’s army and with no help in sight, they must fight for their own survival.

Shaolin Temple Links

Movie Poster One
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IMDb Movie Database for Shaolin Temple

Drunken Master

Jul 282012
 

Drunken Master (1978) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  醉拳
Title in Pinyin – Zui Quan

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – A young rebellious man is sent to learn Kung Fu from a ruthless master

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 5 October 1978
Japan – 21 July 1979
Spain – 31 December 1979
West Germany – 25 July 1980

Movie running time – 111 minutes

Director – Yuen Woo-ping

Cast & Role Played
Jackie Chan – Wong Fei-hung, young rebellious Kung Fu student
Yuen Siu-tien – Beggar Su, Drunken Kung Fu master
Hwang Jang Lee – Thunder Leg, Devil’s Kick master and assassin
Lam Kau – Wong Kei-ying, Fei’s father

Story
After causing a lot of havoc and getting into big trouble, Fei is sent by his father to learn Kung Fu from Beggar So is famous for his punishing training regime and crippling his students. Fei runs away to avoid Beggar So but is drawn into trouble on the road and meets Beggar So by accident to starts his training. The training program is brutal so Fei runs away again and bumps into Thunder Leg who fights and soundly defeats him.

Determine to master Kung Fu, Fei returns to Beggar So and continues his training in earnest. Fei eventually masters seven of the eight styles of Drunken immortals before his training is interrupted and he returns home with Beggar So to protect his father from Thunder Leg who has been sent to assassinate him.

Drunken Master Links

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IMDb Movie Database for Drunken Master

Fist of Fury

Jul 272012
 

Fist of Fury (1971) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  精武门
Title in Pinyin – Jing Wu Men

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – During Japanese occupation, a Chinese Kung Fu school goes to war with a Japanese karate school

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 3 October 1971
Canada – 1 December 1972
USA – 8 April 1973

Movie running time – 100 minutes

Director – Lo Wei

Cast & Role Played
Bruce Lee – Chen Zhen, Kung fu fighter
Riki Hasimoto – Hiroshi, Japanese karate school master
Tien Feng – Fan, son of Chen’s kung fu master
Paul Wei – Wu, Japanese translator
Lo Wei – Police inspector

Story
During the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, Chen returns to his Kung Fu school to marry his fiancée. Tragically his master has just died from an illness and a funeral is held for him.  After the funeral to members of a karate school go to the Kung Fu school to issue a challenge. Chen accepts the challenge, goes to the Karate school and defeats every one there, the sensei included, single handed.

The situation between the two schools rapidly spirals out of control with bloodshed and death appearing unavoidable. The situation is further complicated when Chen learns his master was poisoned and returns to the Japanese school for a showdown.

Fist of Fury Links

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IMDb Movie Database for Fist of Fury

 

Fist Of Legend

Jul 262012
 

Fist of Legend (1994) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  精武英雄
Title in Pinyin – Jing Wu Ying Xiong

Genre – Action Kung fu

Subject/theme – A Chinese Kung Fu expert returns to Shanghai to avenge his master against the Japanese

Language – Cantonese

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 22 December 1994
South Korea – 24 December 1994
Japan – 16 December 1995
USA – 28 February 1997

Movie running time – 98 minutes

Director – Gordan Chan

Cast & Role Played
Jet Li – Chen Zhen, Chinese Kung Fu expert
Shinobu Nakayama – Mitsuko, Chen’s girlfriend
Yasuaki Kurata – Funakochi, Karate master and Mitsuko’s uncle
Chin Siu-ho – Huo Ting’en, Chen’s master’s son
Billy Chow – Japanese General and Karate master Go,

Story
Chen is an engineering student studying in Japan where karate students from a local Japanese clan try to oust him. He easily defeats them with his superior Kung Fu and befriends Funakochi who arrives to monitor the situation. Funakochi informs Chen that his master back in Shanhgai has died so Chen immediately returns to Shanghai to investigate his master’s death.

Once in Shanghai, Chen learns that his master was killed in a tournament against a Japanese fighter. Chen challenges and easily defeats his master’s opponent and the entire Karate school which leads him to suspect foul play. Chen exhumes his body and finds out his master was poisoned. This sets the stage for an epic confrontation with the top Karate master, General Go.

Fist of Legend Links

Movie Poster One
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IMDb Movie Database for Fist of Legend

The Deadly Duo

Jul 222012
 

The Deadly Duo (1971) Chinese Movie Information

Title in Chinese –  双侠
Title in Pinyin – Shuang Xia

Genre – Martial Arts

Subject/theme – A group of rebels fight to save a captured prince during the Sung Dynasty

Language – Mandarin

Region – Hong Kong, China

Release date
Hong Kong – 22 December 1971
West Germany – 28 February 1974

Movie running time – 83 minutes

Director – Chang Cheh

Cast & Role Played
David Chiang – Little Bat
Ti Lung – Bao Ting Tien
Ku Feng – Man tien Kuei
Wong Chung – Hero Gau Shun

Story
Ching forces have invaded China and captured one of the Sung Dynasty princes. A group of kung fu heroes fight to rescue their prince against overwhelming odds. To rescue the prince they must overcome 5 deadly enemies, a ruthless and cunning general and storm an enemy stronghold.

Editor’s Review of The Deadly Duo – Score 4/10
The Deadly Duo is a Chinese version of the cheap mass produced spaghetti westerns that were so popular in the 60’s and 70’s. There are zero special effects, the props, fake blood and death scenes are laughable and the fighting look mind bogglingly fake. Hard to see how the actors can take themselves seriously when so little effort is made to make the movie believable.

To the film’s credit, in the early 1970’s there were minimal special effects computer graphics did not exist so audiences at the time were much less critical and spoilt.

The Deadly Duo Links

Movie Poster One
Movie Poster Two
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IMDb Movie Database for The Deadly Duo

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