The One And Only Martial Arts Thread!

[Guest Karnage]

Although this board has some discussion about Martial Arts films, it has not really been talked about such as other topics like horror movies and animé.

 

So, what's your favourite Martial Arts movies?

[Guest Angle-plex]

I've always like Bloodsport.

 

::ducks flying objects::

 

Oh yeah, and Enter The Dragon is cool too.

[Guest Lethargic]

Iron Monkey. There hasn't been another kung fu movie since I first saw that 5 years ago that I've been able to like.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

I liked Bloodsport and Kickboxer but haven't liked a J-CVD movie since.

 

I love alot of early Jet Li movies but haven't liked his American films. I have yet to see the Once Upon A Time In China series but heard the first two are excellent.

 

Bruce Lee was great although he unfortunately wasn't able to have a big body of work.

 

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was great, I won't say it's my fav but I liked it alot. I like period piece martial arts films more then ones that take place in the present. I'd take hand to hand combat scenes over gun fights and bomb explosions.

 

I've seen quite a few of Jackie Chan's Hong Kong movies and liked most of them. I haven't liked his American stuff too much although they really haven't been martial arts movies anyway.

[Guest Sandman9000]

I'd have to say that Drunken Master II/Legend of Drunken Master is my favorite, though I need to see more of the genre, which is what I am in the process of doing.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

Mafia vs. Ninja!

[Guest MrRant]

I enjoy Kickboxer and Best Of The Best (only the first one... the second was ok but after that....JESUS CHRIST.)

[Guest razazteca]

I mark out for all Drunken Master movies, so far I have seen about 6 of them. But I get angry when Jackie Chan is advertised for a movie but is only in the opening scene then disappears never to appear again.

 

Yuen Woo Ping is a genius and Yuen Biao is underrated as an actor, he holds his own in Prodigical Son and in Dreadnaught both movies has Biao as the lead character in great comedies which are superior to Jackie Chan movies. The Lucky Stars also OWN.

[Guest Lethargic]

Any movie with Magic Ninjas is good too. Such as Zombie vs Ninja or Zombie Kill. You know magic ninjas. They're the ones that wear brightly colored uniforms like yellow and purple and they always wear head bands that say "nin-ja" on them just so you know who the ninjas are.

[Guest J*ingus]

How 'bout some Japanese love? If there's ever been a martial arts movie more brutal than The Street Fighter, I'm not sure if I want to see it. And if boxing counts as martial arts, I guess we could throw the Cronenberg-on-amphetamines horror show Tokyo Fist in there too.

[Guest 5_moves_of_doom]

Bruce Lee > Chuck Norris > Everyone Else

 

Return of the Dragon was the shit.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

How 'bout some Japanese love? If there's ever been a martial arts movie more brutal than The Street Fighter

Good movie. I actually just picked up The Streetfighter's Last Revenge yesterday at another patented Wal-Mart video blowout. I got The Street Fighter and Return Of The Street Fighter together on one DVD for the low, low price of $6.99 at the mall a few months back.

 

As for my all-time favorites:

 

Drive

Martial Law 2:Undercover

Revenge Of The Ninja

Kickboxer

China O'Brien 1 & 2 (Dakota, the guy with only one good hand, is the frickin' man)

Avenging Force (with Michael "American Ninja" Dudikoff)

 

Best of the Best 1 and 2 were both really good IMO (the first one moreso since it was pretty realistic). I haven't seen 3 or 4, but I've heard that part 3 (where Tommy Lee helps a small town against the KKK) is actually a pretty good straight to video actioner.

 

I've actually studied the martial arts for some time, so that's why I'm pretty heavy into the movies.

 

And C.H.U.D., I've heard about Mafia vs. Ninja, but can't find it anywhere. And if you want a ninja suckfest, search out Ninja Champion. I had heard about it on a bad movie site about a year ago, and found it at K-Mart for $1.99

 

Malibu-bargain movie black belt

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

Rikki-O: Story of Ricky... that's the greatest of all time. If you don't know, that's the movie where the head smashing scene from the Craig Kilborn Daily Show is from.

Drunken Master II is great, although I have the undubbed, un subtitled version, and I must say I like it better when I can't understand what they're saying. Iron Monkey, also great.

As far as those cheesy super ninja movies, my favorite is Death Mask of the Ninja.

[Guest Karnage]

I mark out for all Drunken Master movies, so far I have seen about 6 of them. But I get angry when Jackie Chan is advertised for a movie but is only in the opening scene then disappears never to appear again.

Are you talking about those movies like 36 Crazy Fists, Young Tiger, Rumble In Hong Kong, etc.?

 

Cause if you think that's trying to make a cheap buck off Jackie, look at those Bruceploitation movies with knockoff guys like Bruce Li and Dragon Lee.

[Guest notJames]

I'm an uber-fan of the old-school Shaw Brothers movies like The Five Deadly Venoms, Master Killer, and Flying Guillotine. Definitely love period pieces over the modern ones.

 

When I was a kid, Channel 5 (NY, NJ) showed a feature called "Kung Fu Theatre" every Saturday at 3pm, where they'd show a different kung fu movie each week. For the most part, they took place during the old Chinese dynasties, with awesome costumes, weapons, and funky karate technique names, like "Horse-face Fist" or "White Lotus". They always used the same 10 or so feature guys, and they'd switch from good guys to bad guys depending on the movies. Some of them could break through solid stone walls, while others had impenetrable skin, and you could only hurt them if you found their weak spots, like their ears or their groin. (Silly, I know...)

 

Other than that, I dig Bruce Lee's stuff, of course. And I don't know if this counts, but Big Trouble in Little China is a definite fave, too.

 

Add in the Once Upon A Time in China series and Crouching Tiger..., and maybe Iron Monkey.

[Guest razazteca]

I mark out for all Drunken Master movies, so far I have seen about 6 of them.  But I get angry when Jackie Chan is advertised for a movie but is only in the opening scene then disappears never to appear again.

Are you talking about those movies like 36 Crazy Fists, Young Tiger, Rumble In Hong Kong, etc.?

 

Cause if you think that's trying to make a cheap buck off Jackie, look at those Bruceploitation movies with knockoff guys like Bruce Li and Dragon Lee.

Yes I am, but at least 36 Fist had some TNA and the chain whip weapon, it was worth $6 for the DVD

 

If you like Bruce Lee then you must get Fist of Legend which is a remake of Fist of Fury/Chinese Connection

 

Last Hooray for Chivlary is one of my favorite old school movies, not sure if it was a Shaw Brothers production but it has the style

 

bride with white hair is another great film based on a classic chinese novel-opera, if you like Crouching Tiger then buy this

[Guest ArkhamGlobe]

The Street Fighter rules all.

[Guest razazteca]

The Street Fighter rules all.

Sonny Chiba < Jean Claude Van Dam

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

And C.H.U.D., I've heard about Mafia vs. Ninja, but can't find it anywhere.

I bought my copy from an old video store, the mom & pop type store that had original copies of everything. Almost every rare horror movie I own on VHS I bought from that store. I bought a device that allows me to make VCD's from my VCR, so I may be able to make you a VCD of it. The quality would be shit, but it's better than nothing.

[Guest razazteca]

Michelle Yeoh movies are pretty good especially the Heroic Trio & Excutioners. And the period movies of Wing Chun and Butterfly & Sword with Donnie Yen are good.

 

any suggestions for some great sword play movies

[Guest DVD Spree]

Depends how we're "grading" the films, really. There are as many styles of martial arts films as there are styles of wrestrling matches.

 

Bruce Lee is the best pure martial artist that ever lived, and any of his HK flicks are obvious choices, but Enter The Dragon is generally regarded as the greatest pure martial arts movie of all time. That said, if you get hold of the R2-only Hong Kong Legends release of Game of Death with the full 40 minutes of uncut fight footage, I would pick that as the greatest martial arts encounter ever.

 

Jackie Chan is not a through-and-through gung-fu man, since he's more of a slapstick comedy/action choreography guy. That said, Drunken Master is probably the best of his classic stuff, though like most older HK movies, most Wseterners can't get into it.

 

Shit, I may as well carry on by big-name actor now.

 

Van Damme is a fucking horrific martial artist, but he's a gymnast so he can cover it well with a bit of flying (much like Chan, ironically). Bloodsport is his best martial arts film, provided you don't buy into the Frank Dux mythology too much. It's also the film where Bolo Yeung has had his greatest screen appearance.

 

Steven Segal is a pussy and you shouldn't waste your time with his films. Except for Executive Decision

I know Curt Hennig agrees with me.

 

Jet Li... well, he's spectacular on the wires. The Once Upon A Time... series is awesome, and well worth checking out. As a straight-up martial artist? Hmm.

 

And Chuck Norris was the man, although he's never looked better in any of his own films than he did in the Coliseum battle with Bruce Lee in Way of The Dragon ("Return of The Dragon" US).

[Guest caboose]

Bruce Lee's 'Way Of the Dragon'

 

Can anyone say 'Banned Nun-Chuck scene reinstated to full glory'?

[Guest DragonflyKid]

Jet Li... well, he's spectacular on the wires. The Once Upon A Time... series is awesome, and well worth checking out. As a straight-up martial artist? Hmm.

 

I think Li's spectacular without wires as well, I also read he was a legit martial arts champ. Is the Once Upon A Time In China series available on DVD?

 

I finally got Iron Monkey, the local video store was selling a copy cheap so I picked it up. If I like it enough I get the DVD.

[Guest Karnage]

I finally got Iron Monkey, the local video store was selling a copy cheap so I picked it up. If I like it enough I get the DVD.

Is it the Miramax version of the film? Cause that's one cut, rescored, redubbed and stuff. You should pick up the HKL version from the UK or get the Mega Star version if your DVD player doesn't have PAL to NTSC conversion.

 

As for Jet Li, his Hong Kong films are way better than his American ones.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

It's the Miramax releash, presented by Quentin Tarantino.

 

I'll watch Iron Monkey today and if I like it enough I'll see about getting the Mega Star version if I can. Is the MS version subtitled? I hate dubbing, I can tolerate it most of the time but I prefer subtitles whenever possible.

[Guest Karnage]

Yes there are subtitles, along with an extra english track I think.

[Guest PORNFAQ]

Man, of all the people who have posted in this thread only a scant few have actually mentioned some REAL Martial Arts movies even worth discussing. I hope Zack Malibu NEVER gets in an actual fight. For someone who "actually studies" martial arts, he's got a pretty crappy list of some of the most unrealistic martial arts movies EVER. That's rare for someone who "actually studies" martial arts. By "study" he must mean flips through books and magazines.

 

I'm not understanding all the love for American movies that star Steven Seagal (although I will give him credit for introducing Aikido to the American masses), Jeane Claude Van Damme (GUILE! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'll admit to marking for Bloodsport back in the day, though), etc. And while their American work is passable, how ANYONE can list the American work of either Jackie Chan or Jet Li (Fist of Legend really is his best, mostly-non-wire work) is beyond me. And don't worry: I won't dis Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon qwnz j00, I'm sure I don't have to say, despite all the American involvement. But my favorite Chuck Norris movie isn't Return of the Dragon like most folks here. It's actually Missing In Action 2: The Beginning. Don't ask why, it just is.

 

I mean, the absolute LAST thing I was expecting when I opened this thread was people raving about Best of the Best, China O'Brien or Drive (although I'll admit to being a Brittany Murphy mark and she was the ONLY highlight of that movie). I'm not taking anything away from *snickers* Eric Roberts or Chris Penn as martial artists, but C'MON FELLAS! Mark Dacoscos (REAL fans should get their hands on Crying Freeman) and Cynthia Rothrock, okay...but Michael Dudikoff? I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ninja III: The Domination, with Lucinda Dickey (Breakin' & Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo) as the (still) breakdancing gal with ESP who's possessed by an evil ninja. I'm sure it was on it's way as SOMEONE's favorite movie. More than likely C.H.U.D.'s. I don't have much to add about bad spoof-like ninja movies...I'm sure C.H.U.D. has that covered if that's your thing.

 

It seems as if notJames was the first person to inject any actual SENSE and/or TASTE into this thread by mentioning The Shaw Brothers productions. I'll give props to razazteca (YAY for Michelle KHAN!) and DVD Spree for continuing the trend, but I was surprised to see so many American-known stars mentioned by Spree. Where's the foreign love, son?

 

Quickly:

 

Iron Monkey - Awesome movie...back in 1993. After Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came out it seems as if Hollywood was fumbling all over itself to release anything even remotely similar or with Yuen Woo Ping's name attached, so Iron Monkey gets (re) released over here. Bah. Just goes to show that just because you have the same fight choreographer doesn't mean you'll have a comparable movie. It's a fun flick don't get me wrong, but it doesn't belong in the pantheon of the GREATS...at least not anymore. Shit, there's a movie that came out in the late 70's by the same name that's probably better if you're not into all that fake-looking wire-fu.

 

Street Fighter - I never saw the big deal about Sonny Chiba. The same people that cite Street Fighter as some sort of martial arts classic, I wonder if they've been watching a little bit too much of True Romance. Because as all you internet kids know, if Quentin Tarantino or Kevin Smith says it, it must be true. Nay...GOSPEL.

 

Like Jingus Christ and some others said...where's the HONG KONG or Japanese love??? Does anyone in this forum even KNOW of ANYTHING that exists outside of the US? Because if you DO, you certainly can't tell by looking at this pitiful thread.

[Guest razazteca]

Man, of all the people who have posted in this thread only a scant few have actually mentioned some REAL Martial Arts movies even worth discussing. I hope Zack Malibu NEVER gets in an actual fight. For someone who "actually studies" martial arts, he's got a pretty crappy list of some of the most unrealistic martial arts movies EVER. That's rare for someone who "actually studies" martial arts. By "study" he must mean flips through books and magazines.

 

I'm not understanding all the love for American movies that star Steven Seagal (although I will give him credit for introducing Aikido to the American masses), Jeane Claude Van Damme (GUILE! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'll admit to marking for Bloodsport back in the day, though), etc. And while their American work is passable, how ANYONE can list the American work of either Jackie Chan or Jet Li (Fist of Legend really is his best, mostly-non-wire work) is beyond me. And don't worry: I won't dis Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon qwnz j00, I'm sure I don't have to say, despite all the American involvement. But my favorite Chuck Norris movie isn't Return of the Dragon like most folks here. It's actually Missing In Action 2: The Beginning. Don't ask why, it just is.

 

I mean, the absolute LAST thing I was expecting when I opened this thread was people raving about Best of the Best, China O'Brien or Drive (although I'll admit to being a Brittany Murphy mark and she was the ONLY highlight of that movie). I'm not taking anything away from *snickers* Eric Roberts or Chris Penn as martial artists, but C'MON FELLAS! Mark Dacoscos (REAL fans should get their hands on Crying Freeman) and Cynthia Rothrock, okay...but Michael Dudikoff? I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ninja III: The Domination, with Lucinda Dickey (Breakin' & Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo) as the (still) breakdancing gal with ESP who's possessed by an evil ninja. I'm sure it was on it's way as SOMEONE's favorite movie. More than likely C.H.U.D.'s. I don't have much to add about bad spoof-like ninja movies...I'm sure C.H.U.D. has that covered if that's your thing.

 

It seems as if notJames was the first person to inject any actual SENSE and/or TASTE into this thread by mentioning The Shaw Brothers productions. I'll give props to razazteca (YAY for Michelle KHAN!) and DVD Spree for continuing the trend, but I was surprised to see so many American-known stars mentioned by Spree. Where's the foreign love, son?

 

Quickly:

 

Iron Monkey - Awesome movie...back in 1993. After Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came out it seems as if Hollywood was fumbling all over itself to release anything even remotely similar or with Yuen Woo Ping's name attached, so Iron Monkey gets (re) released over here. Bah. Just goes to show that just because you have the same fight choreographer doesn't mean you'll have a comparable movie. It's a fun flick don't get me wrong, but it doesn't belong in the pantheon of the GREATS...at least not anymore. Shit, there's a movie that came out in the late 70's by the same name that's probably better if you're not into all that fake-looking wire-fu.

 

Street Fighter - I never saw the big deal about Sonny Chiba. The same people that cite Street Fighter as some sort of martial arts classic, I wonder if they've been watching a little bit too much of True Romance. Because as all you internet kids know, if Quentin Tarantino or Kevin Smith says it, it must be true. Nay...GOSPEL.

 

Like Jingus Christ and some others said...where's the HONG KONG or Japanese love??? Does anyone in this forum even KNOW of ANYTHING that exists outside of the US? Because if you DO, you certainly can't tell by looking at this pitiful thread.

at least there is no love for Richard Nortan, Billy Blanks, Don Wilson movies! I myself cannot stomach a Cynthia Rothrock movie.

 

As for CHUDs choices you can see he like the cheesey B-grade movies, as he would consider Michael F'N Dosendorf an martial artist! Ninja movies of the early 80s were a big fad just lke all of the Karate Kid ripoff movies were.

 

The best of the USA attempts into Martial Arts movies are:

 

1)BloodSport, Lionheart, Kickboxer, then all Van Dam movies went downhill

2)any of the 3 early Stephan Segal movies, as Nico the policeman, vs Jamicians, vs corrupt cops/politians etc.

3)Best of the Best only part one, it was F'N karate kid with James Earl Jones as coach sweet movie for what it was

 

As for the Jet Li movies released into USA market I suggest all of the Jet Li Collection by Dimemsion as this series shows Jet Li at his best outside of the Once Upon A Time series. Even though the movies are renamed for some dumnass reason prolly due to distribution rights, it showcases some non wirework.

 

the Defender is Bodyguard from Beijing

Twin Warriors has Michelle Yeoh

Enforcer is My Father was a Hero, this movie has wire work with a kid!

The Legend is Jet Li as folk hero Fong Sai Yuk

 

As for Jackie Chan look for

 

Snake in Eagle Shadow and the sequal

Drunken Master and the sequal

Hand of Death/Countdown to Kung Fu as this is one of the rare movies where Jackie dies on screen, directed by John Woo.

All of the Lucky Stars series as Meals on Wheels and Dragons Forever are the good ones

and look for the Sammo movie where he plays the retard brother of Jackie not sure the name of it but it is good.

 

Yuen Biao movies, a member of the Lucky Stars group and long time Jackie friend/sidekick.

 

Dreadnaught

Prodigigal Son

Iceman Cometh

 

Leslie Cheung has been co-star in several Martial Arts movies, pretty much unknown in USA but is huge in HK, and a better singer than Jackie.

 

Chinese Ghost Story and the sequals

Bride With White Hair

A Better Tomorrow

Butterfly & Sword

[Guest Zack Malibu]

Man, of all the people who have posted in this thread only a scant few have actually mentioned some REAL Martial Arts movies even worth discussing. I hope Zack Malibu NEVER gets in an actual fight. For someone who "actually studies" martial arts, he's got a pretty crappy list of some of the most unrealistic martial arts movies EVER. That's rare for someone who "actually studies" martial arts. By "study" he must mean flips through books and magazines.

Actually, I've studied both Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo since I was 5, and I"m 22 now. I'm don't mean to come off as a badass to you, PORNFAQ, or anyone for that matter, but you make it sound like I learn what I know from movies and not teachers. My movie taste has absolutely nothing to do with discipline. It's not exactly a big secret around here that I have an affinity for the low-budget, bargain bin type of movies. What I put down for movies were simply ones I was entertained by. Damn, I was entertained by No Retreat, No Surrender growing up, but by no means is that a movie featuring great martial artists. I grew up during the ninja/karate fad of the 80's, and in keeping up with my interest, I've kept interested in the movies of the genre. I admit to not seeing many Hong Kong actioners, and I'm sure they are better than quite a few movies I mention. Saying that my knowledge of martial arts and my liking of certain movies are related is like saying that C.H.U.D. really believes there are sewer monsters under his house or something.

[Guest Lethargic]

Iron Monkey - Awesome movie...back in 1993. After Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came out it seems as if Hollywood was fumbling all over itself to release anything even remotely similar or with Yuen Woo Ping's name attached, so Iron Monkey gets (re) released over here. Bah. Just goes to show that just because you have the same fight choreographer doesn't mean you'll have a comparable movie. It's a fun flick don't get me wrong, but it doesn't belong in the pantheon of the GREATS...at least not anymore. Shit, there's a movie that came out in the late 70's by the same name that's probably better if you're not into all that fake-looking wire-fu.

You think the 70's Iron Monkey is probably better? Man, I just started bleeding out of my ears I'm laughing so hard.

 

What's wrong with it getting released over here? I was ecstatic for that movie to come out over here and finally be seen. When Crouching Tiger came out I thought it was total bullshit. It completely bored me because I had been watching wire movies for years. People would ask me why I hated it and I'd just say, cause I've already seen Iron Monkey. Then they'd ask what the hell Iron Monkey was of course. So then it finally got widely released over here and everybody saw it and understood why I thought Crouching Tiger was a watered down retread. Even if it wasn't re-released it'd still be my favorite and I don't understand at all why you seem to think it doesn't belong because it got released in a theater.

 

I never thought I'd see somebody bitch that there wasn't enough "sens" and "taste" in a martial arts thread.

 

I'm glad somebody mentioned the Heroic Trio movies. I completely forgot about those. They kicked a lot of ass.