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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) in Movies
Feb 7, 2018 (Updated Feb 9, 2018)
Chop Sucky
One of those movies where a bunch of very talented people get together and somehow manage to produce something not all that great. The famous British horror movie studio Hammer gets together with Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers to produce a Gothic horror kung fu movie that also manages to pastiche The Magnificent Seven (et al).
You want to know the plot? Well, a gaggle of Chinese vampires feel they aren't getting the respect they deserve, and so they recruit Dracula as a sort of foreign signing to help with their brand awareness, or something. However, also on a lecture tour of China is Dracula's nemesis Van Helsing (Peter Cushing, using all his powers to elevate deeply suspect material), even though they've apparently never met before, and he sets off with a gang of local kung fu experts to sort the problem out. Cushing is not required to do any kung fu, the Chinese cast are not required to say 'Transylvania' more often than is absolutely necessary, and Christopher Lee flatly refuses to participate (Dracula, who appears to be overdoing his make-up, is played by another actor).
Nevertheless this is still schlocky good fun, although the script doesn't even make sense on its own terms and credited director Roy Ward Baker doesn't seem quite sure of what to do with the kung fu genre. One of the most bonkers of the late-period Hammer horror movies, not that this is necessarily a bad thing.
You want to know the plot? Well, a gaggle of Chinese vampires feel they aren't getting the respect they deserve, and so they recruit Dracula as a sort of foreign signing to help with their brand awareness, or something. However, also on a lecture tour of China is Dracula's nemesis Van Helsing (Peter Cushing, using all his powers to elevate deeply suspect material), even though they've apparently never met before, and he sets off with a gang of local kung fu experts to sort the problem out. Cushing is not required to do any kung fu, the Chinese cast are not required to say 'Transylvania' more often than is absolutely necessary, and Christopher Lee flatly refuses to participate (Dracula, who appears to be overdoing his make-up, is played by another actor).
Nevertheless this is still schlocky good fun, although the script doesn't even make sense on its own terms and credited director Roy Ward Baker doesn't seem quite sure of what to do with the kung fu genre. One of the most bonkers of the late-period Hammer horror movies, not that this is necessarily a bad thing.
David McK (3194 KP) rated The Karate Kid (2010) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
2010 remake of the 1980s original, which - here - transplants the setting to China instead of Detroit, and which stars Will Smith's kid Jaden in the lead role with Jackie Chan downplaying his usual goofiness to take on the Mr Miyagi role made famous by Pat Morita.
While following the same beats as that original - single parent kid moves to new neighbourhood for his mums new job, is bullied, meets a handyman who teaches him the way of Martial arts while striking up an unlikely friendship with the same, takes part in a tournament - this also swaps Karate out for Kung Fu: meaning, yes, it should really be called 'The Kung Fu Kid' here!
(oh, and there's no 'Wax on, wax off' quote in this one)
While following the same beats as that original - single parent kid moves to new neighbourhood for his mums new job, is bullied, meets a handyman who teaches him the way of Martial arts while striking up an unlikely friendship with the same, takes part in a tournament - this also swaps Karate out for Kung Fu: meaning, yes, it should really be called 'The Kung Fu Kid' here!
(oh, and there's no 'Wax on, wax off' quote in this one)
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Nightshooters (2018) in Movies
Nov 2, 2019
Jean Paul Ly (2 more)
Comedy
British
Punchy Kicky Kung Fu Comedy at its best
An Absolute blast, A must watch in Brit Independent Punchy Kicky Kung FU Comedy's. Funny, Bold, Kick Ass, Inventive and a hell of a good way to spend an hour and 40. This movie gave me multiple eyegasms and is strong contender for my Top5 of 2018...
The core cast of seemingly random Misfits are firing on all cylinders with comedic gold but when its time for the action to kick in BritKick superstar in waiting Jean Paul Ly is there to say "Hold my Coat" in some of the best fight choreography I have seen in a Brit movie, so impressive you almost forget there is a comedy here then BOOM your back in the room with these likeable tools. Keep an eye out for Jean Paul, I recently watched Jailbreak on Netflix and damn he is gonna go far.
The core cast of seemingly random Misfits are firing on all cylinders with comedic gold but when its time for the action to kick in BritKick superstar in waiting Jean Paul Ly is there to say "Hold my Coat" in some of the best fight choreography I have seen in a Brit movie, so impressive you almost forget there is a comedy here then BOOM your back in the room with these likeable tools. Keep an eye out for Jean Paul, I recently watched Jailbreak on Netflix and damn he is gonna go far.
Olivia Munn recommended John Wick (2014) in Movies (curated)
Tony Jaa recommended Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001) in Movies (curated)
David McK (3194 KP) rated The Matrix (1999) in Movies
Dec 10, 2019
1999, the year that everybody expected Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to be the best sci-fi movie.
It wasn't.
This was, instead.
Coming seemingly out of nowhere with an ingenious marketing campaign ("What is the Matrix?"), and with Keanu Reeve cementing his action man persona in lather and shades, this (I believe) was the first time that Western audiences was introduced to bullet time.
Very much Manga influenced ("I know Kung Fu"), and with a plot that owes more than a bit to Descartes philosophical "what is reality" question, this film soon launched a host of imitators and 2 not-as-good filmed back-to-back sequels.
It wasn't.
This was, instead.
Coming seemingly out of nowhere with an ingenious marketing campaign ("What is the Matrix?"), and with Keanu Reeve cementing his action man persona in lather and shades, this (I believe) was the first time that Western audiences was introduced to bullet time.
Very much Manga influenced ("I know Kung Fu"), and with a plot that owes more than a bit to Descartes philosophical "what is reality" question, this film soon launched a host of imitators and 2 not-as-good filmed back-to-back sequels.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Mr. Vampire (1985) in Movies
Jul 24, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
When a 20 year old corpse is exhumed for a re burial Master Gau and his two students find that the body hasn't rotted. When the corpse re animates as a vampire the trio have to protect the vampires family and find a way to stop the monster.
Mr vampire is a Chinese horror/comedy and a breakthrough 'Jiangshi' (Rotting Copse) movie due it's mixing of slapstick comedy, kung-fu, Chinese folklore and western vampire myth and has a number of sequels.
The humour is very slapstick, with people getting hit with furniture or getting their head stuck in prison cell bars and the horror level is quite low and most of the effects are quite cheesy.
The Kung-Fu aspect makes the fight scenes entertaining and both the vampire and the ghost have to be dealt with slightly differently..
The image of the living corpse, be it vampire or zombie, being controlled by a yellow paper talisman stuck to it's head is though to have come from Mr Vampire and has been used in many subsequent Jiangshi film as well as many other shows, including the recent Netflix show 'Kingdom' where we see a scene of villagers selling the talismans when the zombies are threatening their village.
Mr Vampire manages to pull off Horror comedy in a way that is watchable by almost anyone. The film has a 15 (UK) rating and does contain vampires and ghosts but neither are overly frighting, partly due to the effects of the time.
Mr vampire is a Chinese horror/comedy and a breakthrough 'Jiangshi' (Rotting Copse) movie due it's mixing of slapstick comedy, kung-fu, Chinese folklore and western vampire myth and has a number of sequels.
The humour is very slapstick, with people getting hit with furniture or getting their head stuck in prison cell bars and the horror level is quite low and most of the effects are quite cheesy.
The Kung-Fu aspect makes the fight scenes entertaining and both the vampire and the ghost have to be dealt with slightly differently..
The image of the living corpse, be it vampire or zombie, being controlled by a yellow paper talisman stuck to it's head is though to have come from Mr Vampire and has been used in many subsequent Jiangshi film as well as many other shows, including the recent Netflix show 'Kingdom' where we see a scene of villagers selling the talismans when the zombies are threatening their village.
Mr Vampire manages to pull off Horror comedy in a way that is watchable by almost anyone. The film has a 15 (UK) rating and does contain vampires and ghosts but neither are overly frighting, partly due to the effects of the time.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Marvel's Iron Fist - Season 1 in TV
Aug 7, 2018
This series is by far the weakest of the first batch of Defenders components on Netflix, and I really didn't like Jessica Jones. It really feels like a poorly executed version of DC's Arrow - the characters and storylines are so very similar (rich boy goes missing, comes back with new talents, friends' father is an evil mastermind, corruption). There was nowhere near enough action for what should have been a very heavily kung-fu based series. The series was padded out to make the necessary 13 episodes, and there was a lot of nothing in between. Good to have some of the Iron Fist background but this was badly carried out (compared to the excellent equivalent in Luke Cage!).
Glad I got through it at last.
Glad I got through it at last.