3 comments about Zatoichi 25 - Zatoichi's Conspiracy.

1. With the flip of a coin , it's home I go. Ichi returns to the town he was raised as a child only to find that much has changed since he last left. A good film in the series I gave it five stars because I am bias and think that they all deserve five. This one was a strong introduction into Ichi's personal life along with the background of villians and lost ruffians with little or no way to reedeem their karma. Of course the cane sword is revealed yet again which leads to some good gore. I thought this was an all around good story with lots of underlying plays on greed and deception, and above all ,love ,shame and guilt from Ichi whom never seems to want to be bothered after it all goes down. Much is lost to our friend Ichi and he seems to just lose more.



2. This Zatoichi movie is cool!!!
   This time our blind anti-hero fights a whole army at the end and his moves were awesome but not THAT fast. Is worth to buy this movie but there is NO action until the ending.
   
   ADIOS!!!
   
   P.S: This movie was MUCH better than Zatoichi in Desperation!!



3. The 25th episode of Zatoichi finds the ever humble blind masseur on his way to his hometown. It has been years since Zatoichi has visited his family; and with a toss of a coin, the protagonist finds himself back to a different village that he left many years before. One of the changes Zatoichi finds is that he has a sister who was raised by the same woman who raised him. Only the old woman is now deceased: Zatoichi has been away far too long.
   
   Also, Zatoichi meets a man who grew up with him as a young boy. This man is now a corrupt government official. When Zatoichi is giving this friend a massage, the official says that he does not know Zatoichi, yet ichi knows that the official is lying. Ichi relates what they did as children, and still the official rebuffs him. The official is not only corrupt, but he has no honor and decency. The official is attempting to claim the village's quarry, which is the main source of income for the people who live there. And this angers Zatoichi.
   
   One of the greatest actors in cinema history also makes his appearance in the film. Takashi Shimura--of the famed "SEVEN SAMURAI" and "IKIRU" by Akira Kurosawa, portrays the old man who is watching over the new-found sister of Zatoichi. Takeshi Shimura has always been my favorite actor, and it was wonderful to see him in this episode of Zatoichi. The conclusion of the film is a strange one, which I do not wish to give away. However, Zatoichi confronts his old childhood friend. And as he does he struggles with the problem of whether or not to kill him. This is an excellent Zatoichi episode. The cinematography is great, and the character actors in the film--especially the corrupt official--are great. I highly recommend this great episode of "Zatocihi's Conspiracy" to all viewers.

5 comments about Qigong: Traditional Chinese Exercises for Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit.

1. In Qigong: Traditional Chinese Exercises For Healing Body, Mind, And Spirit, Ken Cohen takes the viewers through a 90 minute, full color, video presentation of the Ancient Chinese system of gentle movements and breathing techniques designed to access and harness the basic energy of the university abiding in the human body and called "qi". Easy-to-follow instruction and dozens of demonstrations hallmark a four-part Qigong workout that is simple to learn and perform. Qigong is strongly recommended viewing for students of applied eastern philosophies, as well as ordinary men and women in search of a peaceful spirit and healthy body.



2. This video was less than wonderful. It had too much chatting,
   and not enough exercises. Then the exercises it did have
   were the ordinary run of the mill kind.Definately not worth the money I paid for it



3. This is a good video. It teaches some mild ChiGung. The real novelty here is the instruction about the healing sounds coupled to the exercises. I respectfully disagree with another reviewer that this video is too wordy. One can learn from the video and then going "inside" and doing the real training.
   The video "the five animal frolics" by the same author is by far the best instructional tool he made public. It's a shame that the author didn't re-record the "frolics" with the same high quality as this one.



4. A wonderful way to learn the essence of healthy breathing. Ken takes his time to give the ultimate details to optimize posture and benefits from the practice. I have viewed the video over 50 times in the past few years and I still learn from viewing it again.



5. A very clear, and comprehensive tool for self sevelopment. Post standing and walking are included as well.
   
   I recommend it highly.

5 comments about The Defender.

1. After Christy Chung wittness a mob killing she needs protection 24/7. Jet Li a secret agent is sent to protect her at all cause. Her house has nothing but hidden cams to watch for bad guys. At first Christy didn't want Jet Li's help and start giving him a hard time until she was being chased in a mall by the mob tring to kill her. Lucky for Li he kill all of them and saved her. Now she is starting to appericate him and tring to get to know him even be his lover. But it's good for Jet Li to blow her off cause she should of gave him a chance at first. She thought she was too good for him so served that Bi*ch right.



2. I'm a big fan of Hong Kong action movies, but Bodyguard from Beijing was merely okay. Jet Li stars as a doughty tough bodyguard from the mainland hired to protect a spoiled rich girl from Hong Kong. Sparks fly when he tries to restrict her movements and jet-setting lifestyle. The two eventually fall in love, despite the fact that his new girlfriend is already the mistress of a wealthy man.
   
   I liked the film, but didn't find it anything to shout about. The girl's nephew Billy was way irritating. Jet Li was handsome and there were some great martial arts feats but this DVD was nothing to write home about. 3 stars. Average.



3. 
   This movie was made in Hong Kong, starring Jet Li, directed by Corey Yuen. Although it is not Jet Li's best, it is nevertheless worth watching.
   
   The bodyguard (Jet Li) is assigned to protect the rich Christy Cheung, the only remaining witness to a murder case (the other two witnesses were killed weeks before the trial). At first, they don't get along, largely due to the stiff bodyguard violating her privacy, installing security cameras not only throughout the house but also her bedroom. However, a romantic relationship develops after she violates security procedures and goes shopping, only to be saved from being narrowly killed by several assassins, due to the first rate fighting skills of the bodyguard.
   
   The movie starts slowly but it builds up to excellent martial arts towards the end. The major disappointment is that the producers forgot that this was supposed to be a martial arts movie and introduced guns unnecessarily, which spoils the action. The action is not as much as I would have wished. However, the fight, towards the end is first rate, particularly when Jet Li fights Ken Lo (Jackie Chan).
   
   However, for those who like guns and also like martial arts, then this movie will excite you.



4. The Defender is perhaps one of Jet Li's more different and original of all his HK made films. The movie relies on a pretty good story filled with multiple aspects of conflict and suspense, rather than a lot of action. The lesser amount of action never phased me because I thought the movie does well without it. Thats not to say there isn't any, just not as much as most of Jet Li's movies. Fortunately, if you can't help but desire a good fight, the finale of the movie presents one of Jet Li's better fights scenes I have ever scene, a fight of originailty etched with emotion.
   
   There are a few set backs from getting a 5 star rating. The English dubbing, as always, gives the movie a cheesy feel sometimes and makes the acting seem a little week. Aside from the dubbing, there are some moments in the movie that are a bit cheesy. Jet Li's character and the woman he is ordered to protect endure continuous scenes of tension that are great to watch, since he takes his work seriously and she has a rich boyfriend who has hired the bodyguard. Though entertaining and suspenseful moments arise from these two, they also present the cheesy moments, especially the ending of the film.
   
   The Defender is a great addition to anyone who loves Jet Li movies. I'd have to say this is one of his better ones overall. Great story filled with suspense, and a wonderful final fight scene that is amongst the best. If you are looking for movie filled with action throughout, it may not please, but this is a good all-around film, giving more than most martial art films would.



5. the eng dubbed version i find kindna cheesy, so i'm glad i purchased the original version. although the video quality is poor (Average) and the eng sub (harddubbed) is hard to read, quality of the eng sub is excellent; that's what I always look for - good to excell eng subs. i wish/hope that in the near future the producers can optimize this movie with better vid quality and same quality eng subs (not eng dubbed, that is). also, yes, i highly recommend this movie to any jet li fan/collector.

5 comments about Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 2 - The Tale of Zatoichi Continues.

1. I've seen basically all of the 'Zatoichi' films and this is far and away the best. Although it's relatively short (75 minutes or so), it's got well-coreographed fight scenes, great acting (when he's not killing three people at a time, you'd think Shintaro Katsu was really blind), and all sorts of wonderful plot twists. In this film, Zatoichi develops more as a character rather than as a gimmick. Although the first film was superb, we really only got to see that he was this avenging angel from the yakuza, if such a thing is not a contradiction in terms. This time around, however, we get to see more of what motivates Ichi as well as some more insight into his past. We are introduced in this chapter to Ichi's law-breaking brother, played by Tomisaburo Wakayama (who was Shintaro Katsu's brother in real life as well). We learn that the two had previously feuded over the same woman to the point that Ichi cut off his brother's arm in a fit of rage. While all this is going on, Ichi is being pursued by Kanbei, an assassin sent to dispatch Ichi before he can tell of Kanbei's lord's insanity. In his pursuit of Ichi, Kanbei hooks up with Sukegoro, Ichi's employer from the previous installment who has a score to settle with the blind swordsman. These various groups all come into conflict with one another at various points and make for a film that is simultaneously action-packed and well thought out. Highest recommendations.



2. In the early seventies, I was enamored of the Zatoichi and Sword of Vengence movies produced in Japan, and viewed at the Toho Brea Theatres in Los Angeles. When the Toho closed down, these movies were lost to me and others. Now, they are back, on DVD, with Japanese wording and good subtitles! Thank you for making these great works of Movie History available again! Everything about them is excellent!! 10 stars would be better!!



3. So obviously the acting could not get any better. But the story is the thing to watch. If you have not seen the first episode let me catch you up. Zatoichi came into town and was unsuccessfully hired to help take out a rival gang in town. One side had already hired a master samurai. When that samurai became sick the other gang thought they weren't going to fight. But he shook off his sickness for a final heroic stand and helped the gang he was hired from beat out the other one even though they were outnumbered by double the swordsman. But then the samurai decided that he must face Zatoichi before he dies. "Better than dying at teh hands of goons". I am horrible at quotes but it was something like that. And then the table were turned and the gang that had more men ended up winning. Also from thsi Zatoichi became known as like a one man army.
   
   Well in this one he is back in town one year later to visit the grave and pay his respects to this samurai. The story starts out almost a bit dumb but you forgtet it and it turns good minutes in when Ichi starts some sh** talking and though justified, he may have gone too far. Well these people are not happy and decide to try and kill him. What follows is a VERY good story about another samurai who we find all about. Ichi ends up meeting this "samurai" and we find out the connection between the 2. The whole movie I was deciding whether or not this should be a 4 or a 5, but then the end happened. You don't f*** with Zaoichi or anybody who is close too him.
   
   The DVD is amazing picture quality, even though it is in black and white. Also perfectly letterboxed and some of the best subtitles you will ever see traslated for asian cinema.



4. This is the last black-and-white episode of the Zatoichi films. And like the first episode, we find the protagonist Zatoichi [Shintaro Katsu] returning to the scene of the first episode. Ichi has come to pay his respects to the Ronin, Hirate, whom Ichi did not wish to kill. Ichi's brother, Yoshiro, [Tomisaburo Wakayama] in both the film, and in true life, is in the episode. And as usual he is larger than life. The film starts off with the usual Ichi trademark of humor, which will become more pronounced as the episodes continue.
   
   Yoshiro, the one-armed samurai is his brother: and his brother has a grudge with Ichi. At the same time, Yoshiro and his sidekick must elude the law, which have a bounty on his head.
   Throughout the film Zatoichi gives off the nuances of humor which he will make a trademark of in regards to the character. As the episode begins, Ichi is asked to give a massage to the Lord to Edo, however, he discovers that the lord is a lunatic. The court retainers wish to keep this a secret, therefore, they attempt to kill Ichi because he has heard the antics of the Lord while giving him a massage. They don't yet realize who they are up against.
   
   Zatoichi's reputation has not been cemented yet in this early installment, moreover, the action scenes in the second episode are limited in the beginning. Not so with the ending however, and as the film nears the end Zatoichi has begun to cement his reputation as a swordsman to be reckoned with. The cinematography is very good, and they will only get better as the Zatoichi saga continues. I do not wish to spoil the ending for you, but if you hang in there with the plot, you will see the beginnig stages of this magnificent swordsman. Highly recommended.



5. Not as good as the 1st but still decent. Story wasn't setup as well, and the "plot twist" was seen coming from a mile away. Short movie as well. Was kinda dissapointed what with my 3+ hour marathon movies of late. Shintaro Katsu is extremely likeable as the title character and better than Takeshi Kitano in this role.

5 comments about Beginners Guide To Karate - d.

1. In this production you will learn the basics of karate which are important to students of all grades.You are shown stances , how to kick and punch correctly and how to defend yourself with blocking tecniques such as rising block.



2. In this dvd the instructor Jim really does show what to do and he explains all the karate moves in such a way I could start doing them right away ... I was really pleased I was able to show my parents some good karate stuff. I think this tape is great and everyone who wants to learn karate moves should have one.



3. Plus factor
   
   This is one of the few teaching tapes that really is useful as a training aid ... Jim wilson explains all the various kicks , punches , strikes in such an " Easy to learn from way " that I would recommend this tape to anyone wanting to learn or sharpen up their karate striking basic.....he explains about stances , shows how to use the hip correctly and the correct way to use the body to generate maximum power and speed ... this is much more than a beginners guide ...its a full explanation of basic technique performance .......whether you are a complete beginner or someone like me who has been training for reasonable time it is a great reference and learning guide..
   
   Negatives
   
   It was obviously filmed as a video and transferred to DVD and so suffers from some lack of chapters I would also have preferred if he had included the basic kata and kumite sparring drills as well making the tape so much more valuable ... but despite that I think its still a worthy buy.....



4. I purchased this DVD based off the reviews. It is not meant to be something for kids -- only someone who is serious enough to edure the slowpaced instruction. The instructioni s accurate, just very boring. My children who are very excited about Karate, couldn't make it through this.



5. THIS DVD IS FOR THE PERSON WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT LEARNING KARATE TECHNIQUE AND ALTHOUGH ITS NOT PERFECT ITS STILL EXCELLENT IN MANY WAYS . I ENJOYED THE CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE INSTRUCTION GIVEN BY THE PRESENTER. THE QUALITY IS NOT THE BEST AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS SHOT ON VIDEO AND TRANSFERRED BUT THE CONTENT IS EXCELLENT. I DIDNT BUY IT AS A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR MY KIDS BUT AS A TEACHING VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. MY TWO KIDS TRAIN IN KARATE TAE KWON DO AND THEY WATCH THE DVD FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN KEEP REPEATING THE TECHNIQUE UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT. I HOPE THIS PRESENTER MAKES MORE DVDS AND PUTS MORE INFO INTO THEM LIKE THE FORMS AND SPARRING AND IF HE DOES I WILL GET THEM FOR MY KIDS. BUY IT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN KARATE TECHNIQUES 5 STARS

5 comments about Complete Taekwondo Kicking.

1. This DVD is no substitute for a master, but still, the kicks are clearly shown, from different angles and slow and normal motion. Interested viewers can also easily analyze the more subtle parts of kicking, like positions of knees, feet, how much knees are bent etc. The different types of kicks are also conveniently indexed in the disc: you can move directly to the kick you want to view or practise. Definitely recommended for coloured belts. Instructors might also want to have a look at this DVD.



2. I bought this when I was just getting started in taekwondo so I could review at home and almost a year later, I still use it to review each kick as I learn it in class. The kicks taught here go well beyond black belt so it's something you'll be able to use for quite a few years as you progress through the belts. I like the many views of each kick and the slow motion allows me to pick up the little things that I don't catch in class. Very useful DVD and well worth the price!



3. I thought this DVD was excellent. I study a martial art that does not do much kicking. I received this DVD as a gift and it taught me a number of very good kicks to incorporate into my practice and sparring. The instruction was clear and the quality of the production is outstanding. I highly recommend this product.
   
   Matt



4. If you need excellent training material to reference on TKD kicking, this is it. The quality is excellent and the repetitive views of each technique is invaluable to the learner. I would recommend this DVD without reservation. Only for serious students.



5. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this dvd does just that. It starts the practitioner right at the beginning. The level of complexity rises the further you go into the dvd. Stances are discussed; varying camera angles are given. Will this aid the person who's been studying for years? Not really. Will it aid a child who may need extra time to get a kick right? Definitely. Will it enhance an adult who is trying to "remember" how to do certain techniques? Yes. It's never to late to get back to basics.

1 comments about ADCC: Best of ADCC Vol. #2.

1. This DVD has pretty good action, and is entertaining for those with some background or understanding of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, submission wrestling, etc.
   
   The quality of competitors is high, and the Royler and Machado matches were impressive.
   
   It's too bad the DVD didn't have more matches, as some of the matches ended fairly quickly, but due to excellent technical skills, mind you.

5 comments about Don't Make Waves.

1. What do you get when you mix a conniving Tony Curtis as a shady grifter with an accident on two legs like Claudia Cardinelli in a plot that involves beach front house along a gorgeous stretch of Malibu Beach? The kind of outrageous pandemonium that only a Hollywood screenwriter could imagine. Yet it is also an interesting character study of a number of individual minor characters, and it is this aspect of the film that makes its histrionics and dumb jokes somehow more palatable. Watch for the scenes with the late and beautiful Sharon Tate and big bodybuilder Dave Draper, who ignite on screen together in a sweet and almost innocent way in front of the camera. Big Dave never made a career in fims, but this movie shows he could act, and that he had a unique sort of charisma on-screen at that. I save this one for cold winter nights when my California dreaming is at a fever pitch. I always seem to enjoy it. I hope you will too.



2. This is your typical empty-headed surfer dude/chick movie with Sharon Tate playing the part of a beach bunny who practically lives at the beach (along her other "job" - a skydiver). She looked absolutely fantastic (as always) but it was sad to see how few lines she had throughout the film (if she had two full pages of script, it would have been a miracle).
   
   Tony Curtis played the part of a guy who was moving to California and winds up losing all his posessions in one fell swoop on his first day there and moves in with Claudia Cardinale's character (who lives high thanks to her sugar daddy). He winds up selling pools for a living.
   
   Although the movie is cute, the plot isn't complicated at all. It seemed as though Curtis and Claudinale didn't have anything else to do at the time and Tate was contracted to perform here.
   
   I enjoyed this but, when it comes to seeing Sharon's comedic ability shine, "The Wrecking Crew" is a whole lot better.



3. Don't Make Waves is an enchanting oddity from the UK director Alexander Mackendrick who made THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS and many previous British comedies with Alec Guinness and the like. And underneath its hip, mod clothing DON'T MAKE WAVES shares with the Ealing comedies many similar views towards the world and its neurotic inhabitants. What everyone looks at first, of course, is the talent, including Claudia Cardinale in an amazing array of outfits and sunglasses and more eye makeup than she had ever worn before. Then there was the card that says "Introducing Sharon Tate," who takes your breath away with her glamor and her exotic looks. She is rather like Bo Derek in "10" even wearing the same kind of bikini in her entrance. With Robert Webber in both movies, 10 and Don't Make Waves, the similarity is very striking. Here Webber plays the husband cheating on Joanna Barnes with a Malibu mistress (Cardinale, very kittenish and charming, and confused about what she wants out of life). Tony Curtis is all right, but for some reason you could watch the whole movie and never find out who he is and why he came to California. You keep expecting him to reveal something about his past and he never does.
   
   The Byrds' title song isn't one of their strongest numbers but the twangy guitars and patented harmonies announce right away, as soon as the MGM lion has roared, that we are in Southern California and everything is just a dream away.
   
   The climactic landslide reminds me of a later pair of California films that both try to sum everything up, Altman's SHORT CUTS and Anderson's MAGNOLIA. You'll see why!
   
   Most of all the movie belongs to David Draper, the bodybuilder who was Mr. Universe, as many of the other reviewers here on Amazon have noted. Draper plays Harry, willing to give up sex to get better "glutes." He is a very sweet, amazingly good actor whom Mackendrick gives many of the movie's best moments. David Draper's own website has a contemporary article about his appearance in DON'T MAKE WAVES, with a staged photo of himself and Cardinale looking as though they were playing Rusty and Myra in MYRA BRECKINRIDGE.
   
   All in all, it's a wonderful picture with a great performance by David Draper.



4. After the rotund success of "Someone like it hot", this is perhaps, the most provocative satire about then lives and times of South California around a beautiful house that will become a particular hell. The cast is incredibly good.
   
   Don't miss it!



5. I recorded this off TCM last week, mostly because I saw it had an appearance by Sharon Tate from the same year she did "The Fearless Vampire Killers." Which is, of course, a perfectly good reason to see any movie.
   
   And while there's a fair amount here to satisfy people who just want to see Tate -- specifically some long, strange shots of her in a bikini bouncing endlessly on a beachside trampoline -- there's a lot more going on here.
   
   "Waves" is basically a rake's progress tale as stammering, backstory-free Tony Curtis arrives in California and charms/scams his way to the top of a Malibu swimming pool empire.
   
   Along the way he meets the aforementioned Tate (as a vacant but intrepid skydiver named ... Malibu); an accident-prone, broken-English-spouting Claudia Cardinale who destroys Curtis' little VW and then helps him stage his comeback; her sugar daddy (Robert Webber); his angry, voluptuous wife (a criminally underutilized Joanna Barnes); a queeny, crooked astrologer; future Mr. Universe David Draper; and, oddly enough, Jim Backus who, in an almost Charlie Kaufman-esque scene, plays himself and offers to do Mr. Magoo voice readings for Curtis at the promise of a free pool.
   
   It even has an animated opening sequence (depicting Curtis' VW on an antic world tour) with music by The Byrds.
   
   Basically, this is one of those glossy, widescreen, Metrocolor sexless sex farce confections from the waning days of the studio system -- Benjamin Braddock had to live somewhere nearby, but had he wandered into the story, the universe probably would've collapsed into itself.
   
   What's odd, though, is that this was made by director Alexander Mackendrick exactly 10 years after he and Curtis made "The Sweet Smell of Success" together. Mackendrick doesn't have material by Lehman and Odets this time; the script is by one writer (Maurice Richlin) responsible for Inspector Clouseau and "Operating Petticoat," another (George Kirgo) who'd just penned the Elvis Presley epic "Spinout," and -- should it even be a surprise -- an uncredited Terry Southern.
   
   Obviously, "Success" is the classic acid indictment of fame and corruptive ambition and the sting of betrayal. That film had its stark black-and-white photography, its potent and bustling New York aesthetic, its whip-cracking dialogue and a genuine taste of bile in its mouth. Which makes it not so much the *opposite* of the sunny, West Coast "Waves," but a reversed or negative image of it. It's Bizarre-O "Success."
   
   And one of the reasons "Waves" is interesting is because you can tell there's some kind of force behind it, you can smell a whiff of satire beyond its heavy seabreeze, perfume and cigar smoke. But those aromas never quite waft to the forefront. The movie is intelligent and somewhat literate without ever actually being smart; witty without ever really being funny; and fairly sexy without ever attempting to even acknowledge the ramifications of its own weird carnality.
   
   But it's also strangely paced and rambling without ever really being boring. As a result, I think it's a fascinating movie, even though the awkward slapstick grows tiresome and leads to a conclusion in which all the characters wind up in the same valley bachelor pad together and find themselves swept up in a SoCal landslide. But even then, it's hard not to admire the strange elaborate detail of ... the film's disaster effects (!). Yep, this is a bedroom farce in which Cardinale at one point literally has to leap for her life while a lavish patio crumbles under her feet. You can't tell me that doesn't have something to do with something besides the general plot.
   
   By the way: I'm reviewing the VHS version of this only because there's no DVD. Don't buy the tape, though, the compositions will of course get killed by the pan-and-scan.

1 comments about Challenge of The Masters (Shaw Brothers).

1. I have heard a lot of different opinions on this movie over the years, and the people who don't like it seem to not like it because they think the movie is slow. It is a bit slow I suppose, but to tell a story you can't just have nonstop fighting, right? The story in this movie is very well done. A killer is in town (played by the director Lau Kar Leung), and an officer (played by his real life blood brother Lau Kar Wing) has shown up to arrest him. They have an amazing fight scene and Lau Kar Leung kills him. Gordon Liu plays the legendary Wong Fei Hung, and had become friends with Lau Kar Wing's character. He wants to catch the killer, but he has only started to learn kung fu (from a teacher played by Chen Kuan Tai). Chen Kuan Tai's character is where the line in the title of my review comes from (in the English dubbed version that is, and I had to shorten the quote so it could fit into the limited space given for the title). He also teaches Wong Fei Hung that "kung fu cannot be learned in just a few years. After 2 years, people start to believe they're not bad. But then, after some 20 years, you realize that you are not so good. But still, if you are not feeling satisfied, that means you are on the right track". It's those types of speeches that sucked me into this movie and kept my eyes glued to the screen the entire runing time (I actually just got the movie yesterday, and I've already watched it 3 times!). So Wong Fei Hung ends up becoming a kung fu master and he fights the killer, and helps his school gain back the respect that they had lost in some kind of a fun looking game where everybody beats eachother up.
   
   There are a ton of other recognizable actors on hand, such as Wong Yu, Fung Hak-on, Eric Tsang, Wilson Tong, John Chang, Shut Chung Tin, Ricky Hui, Lily Li-Li-Li, Peter Chan Lung, Chien Yuet Sang and Kong Do.
   
   There are a couple of very touching moments towards the end of the movie, and that is what helps to make it a real kung fu classic, and a movie that I highly enjoyed and will surely be watching again and again. If it had maybe one more great fight scene, it would easily get a 5 star rating. But as Chen Kuan Tai's character would say, a rating of 4.5/5 isn't all that bad.
   
   Picture and sound quality are awesome. Cantonese and Mandarin tracks included, and what I prefer, the original English dub.
   
   Special features include the original English and Chinese trailers, and 2 interviews with Chen Kuan Tai. Very enjoyable interviews.
   
   And on a side note, is Chen Kuan Tai going to star in every Media Blasters Shaw release? Because it's fine with me.

5 comments about Mad Monkey Kung Fu.

1. This movie is entertaining from the start to finish,,are art of old school kung fu very apparent and all over this flick!! Importantly,,the picture sound quality very, very good. If you're a lover of the monkey kung fu,,this is definately a must have. The fight scenes are truly amazing. A must have for the collection for sure!!



2. I did not like this because it is a bootleg. The film is great, but Red Sun is a bootleg "company" who are stealing the remastered versions from IVL DVDs made in Hong Kong. If you want the films, get the Thai releases that are all region or the HK IVL DVDs and don't buy the boots. Anyone that buys these discs are supporting the very reason why the US hasn't seen quality releases of these films for all these years ie bootleggars selling in legit stores. I honestly can't believe Amazon would allow this to be sold on here due to the chance of lawsuit by the Wienstein Company.



3. While I'm not a HUGE fan of this movie I am a fan of Hsiao Hou and his performance is worth the price of admission. Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad movie. If it were just based on the last 20 minutes and the cast it might well be the best kung fu movie ever made. You have the director, Lau Kar Leung as the protagonist, the lovely Kara Hui as his sister, and Lo Lieh as (surprise!) the bad guy.
   
   Chan (Lau) is a performer with the opera and master of the monkey fist. When Duan (Lieh) sees Chan's sister, he gets Chan liquored up and after he passes out, he puts him in bed with his (Duan's) wife and gets her to corroborate an accusation of assault. In an effort to save Chan, his sister agrees to become Duan's concubine. Chan gets his hands smashed and is then released.
   
   Years go by when Chan meets Little Monkey (Hsiao) and the two become friends, though Chan is still quite melancholy. Little Monkey eventually learns Chan's monkey fist to defend himself against local thugs, who work for Duan. When Little Monkey tangles with Duan it is Chan's sister who helps him escape. Upon learning this, Chan decides it's time to get her back and take his revenge.
   
   This movie has great fight and training scenes but has some rather slow stretches. Some of the fights (though well performed) involve more jumping around than striking. Until the last fight that is. The finale is also some of Lo Lieh's most convincing work. You get to see Hsiao Hou's unbelievable acrobatic display. The guy does back hand springs so fast he looks like an oscillating fan.
   
   This DVD has the typical flawless, gorgeous picture of remastered Shaw Bros. films. Though this is far from the best of their productions, it is still a good flick and has enough fantastic moments to make a pleasant addition to any martial arts collection. It's hard for me to believe that Gordon Liu isn't in this. Was he too good for it? Maybe Lo Lieh was sick of fighting him at the end all the time.



4. This is one of the best from Shaw brothers. I saw this movie years ago. And the remastered version is nothing short of Amazing! The training is excellent, acting fantastic and a Must see DVD. This is simply the best. If your an old school fan, Shaw Fan or any fan of real Kung Fu movies then get this one now! The Teacher of the Shaw clan shows his true teaching abilities and the action is nonstop. This is a 7 star movie, but I'm only able to give 5. You will love this DVD as long as you get the remastered version.



5. This was one of the very first of the highly regarded kung fu movies that I was lucky enough to catch back in the 70's, and even though at that early date my experience with m/a films was limited, I knew that I was watching genius. So it didn't surprise me a year or so later when I learned that the movie I had been blown away by had starred and been choreographed by none other than master of kung fu Liu Chia-Liang himself, a name that anyone seriously interested in the genre knows and respects.
   You can read plot synopsis elsewhere, all I need say is that there are only a few movies that present monkey style in as entertaining and exciting a fashion as this one, and most of those will also have Liu's name attached to them!
   This is simply not to be missed if you consider yourself a fan of the genre, and especially is you enjoy pre-wire kung fu!