China O'Brian

[killer meteor]

Did these films get a theatrical release in the States? They're not terribly good but it seems a shame that they didn't get a large release - they were Cynthia's US debut, I think?

[moviegyrl]

'Just a guess... Because the series was released by Golden Harvest (beginning in 1990), I don't think the series could have gotten a theatrical opening in the U.S. 'Nothing much at IMDB, but here's the link (http://imdb.com/title/tt0099260/).

[Dion Brother]

Never released in theaters, thankfully. Imperial premiered them on video.

[DragonMa55]

It was intended as a theatrical release I think but it went straight to video instead.

I remember watching this with my friends, we used to laugh at the reactions of the stuntmen as they got kicked and punched, comedy gold.

[The Running Man]

I remember watching this with my friends, we used to laugh at the reactions of the stuntmen as they got kicked and punched, comedy gold.

Tell me about it. A guy would kick with his leg coming from the right and the guy getting hit would spin and fall on his right side. :lol

[Dion Brother]

Golden Harvest shot them on the cheap in Salt Lake City, figuring the buzz Rothrock got from martial arts magazines would get them picked up by Warner Bros. Surprisingly, they didn't bother using Hong Kong choreographers or second unit directors, so the film lacked the unique action that had everybody buzzing about YES MADAM and RIGHTING WRONGS. Yet another inane misstep from a rather stupid company.

[morgoth]

Plus, they were directed by Robert Clouse, and that guarantees it to be a bad movie.

[DragonMa55]

I actually watched the trailer for this on youtube, it's just as bad as I remember.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pMH5zEZIto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pMH5zEZIto)

[Chen Zhen]

morgoth beat me to the punch...Robert Clouse is a HORRIBLE director....and b4 anyone tells me "what about Enter the Dragon?"....Bruce Lee made that movie watchable...him and Jim Kelly's afro & one liners....but its really a subpar movie hightened by the fact that Bruce Lee is in it, and it was one of the first true MA flix in america.

[killer meteor]

Let us not forget the horror that was Gymkata.

Clouse didn't understand martial arts filmmaking, even after 15 years of the stuff. It's a shame that producers never tried to go beyond Enter The Dragon when it came to US martial arts movies - the least they could have done is got a new director but they didn't even do that

[kingofkungfu2002]

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7250/chinalobby1sx2.jpg

[killer meteor]

Is that a lobby card?

[chen lung]

but I liked this one:lol .

It's a bit funny yeah, but it's one of the first ones I watched and it still doesn't look too bad compared to the likes of earlier Shaw flicks.

[Markgway]

but it's one of the first ones I watched and it still doesn't look too bad compared to the likes of earlier Shaw flicks

:x

[chen lung]

Shaws were often filled with young men who fought like geriatrics. Hell even the genuine geriatrics (in the likes of 'Rivals of Kung Fu') fought better than them:lol !

[kingofkungfu2002]

but I liked this one

Me too, but I'm a huge Rothrock fan so I'm biased.
It's also one of the first martial arts movies that really got me into the genre :D


http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5350/chinalobby2up2.jpg
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/2939/chinaobrienposterbigkf9.jpg
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1899/chinacover2cs1.jpg

[Markgway]

Shaws were often filled with young men who fought like geriatrics. Hell even the genuine geriatrics (in the likes of 'Rivals of Kung Fu') fought better than them !

Early Shaws were among the best martial arts movies ever made you... you... you... philistine!! :x

[Jesse Smooth]

It's kinda sad that America couldn't go beyond Bruce Lee - using ETD to market everything. However, though it's been a while since Ive seen it, I like the cheesy value of this.

BTW this is the 1st kung fu movie my mom let me see on a school night.

[tigerstyles]

"sometimes you just can't walk away!"

especialy when your tied to a chair watching this crap.. hiee yaaa!

[kingofkungfu2002]

especialy when your tied to a chair watching this crap

Cynthia could tie me to a chair anytime ;)