If You Could Only Keep 3 From Your Collection..

[PsiKnifeKFT]

If you could only keep three movies out of your entire kung-fu collection, but with one stipulation, they couldn't include Bruce Lee, Jet Li or Jackie Chan, what would those three movies be?

Since I'm still somewhat green, and have yet to see as much as I'd like, I'll save my list until I've seen much more.

[Endsang]

That's mean. I'd probably keep 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Knockabout and Crippled Avengers. These are probably the movies with the highest replay value for me, but there's so many others I couldn't bear to part with.

[Sifu]

Ha! What's funny is that two of the three I'd think of bringing star Bruce Lee AND Jet Li!

Well, here we go. The house is on fire and I have to grab 3 movies. I think to myself, 'I'm tired of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan!' :D So I grab..........................

IRON MONKEY

THE PRODIGAL SON

LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA

[Alex]

If it's strictly Chinese/HK I would go with Iron Monkey, Prodigal Son and Duel to the Death. If I can throw some japanese stuff in the mix, one of these might have to be switched out in favor of Streetfighter.

[CrazyFrog]

Warriors Two

Heroes of the East

Mad Monkey Kung Fu

[venom10463]

Chinese:
Death Duel of Kung fu
Crippled Avengers
Heroes Two

Japanese:
Sword Devil
Watari The Ninja Boy
Sanjuro

The 3 titles I would definitely take:
Crippled Avengers
Heroes Two
Sword Devil

But this is a hard choice to make, I would probably try and take all my movies:D:p

[PsiKnifeKFT]

Interesting picks. Sifu, and Alex, when you say Iron Monkey you mean the 77 release, right?

[oldeschool17]

36 Chamber of Shaolin
Crippled Avengers
Masked Avengers or 5 Element Ninjas

Those have the most sentimental value for me.

[PsiKnifeKFT]

Warriors Two

Heroes of the East

Mad Monkey Kung Fu

lol I was just watching that one a few hours ago. High on comedic value, but given it's noticeably biased Chinese spin on Japanese styles, I never saw what justified such high reviews of this movie. It's not neutral enough to showcase the positives of either style, when it's underpinnings are rife with J-bashing, even if unintended.

I realize It's ostensibly playful at heart, and funny at times, but I too often thought "wow they don't think much of Karate or Judo despite its practical success at competitive levels on the world stage". In its defense, the choreography was sharp, and the chemistry between husband and wife seemed to be redeeming on some level.

[lightning hopkins]

Since I'll only have three movies, replay value will indeed be at a premium.

Two movies that have held up well over the years after repeated viewings are the manic Master of the Flying Guillotine, and the previously mentioned Legendary Weapons of China.

To stay within the stipulations, and round out the trio...and I do mean round....I'll take the greatest mix of Bruce Lee tribute and kung fu comedy, not to mention Sammo's best film, Enter the Fat Dragon.

[Bravery]

8 Diagram Pole Fighter
Avenging Eagle
Blood Brothers

[CrazyFrog]

I think that Heroes of the East is more of a response by Pops to the burgeoning Japan bashing that was popular in Chinese cinema. He set out to make a movie that portrayed the Japanese in, if not a totally positive light, then at least a respectful one. Which is more than you can say for almost any other movie at the time! It does give deference to the Japanese styles but you have to realize that ultimately, this is a movie about Chinese kung-fu and it's relevance.

And while it's high on the comedy, the weapons sequences were top notch and the finale between Yasuaki Kurata and Gordon Liu is awesome.

[PsiKnifeKFT]

I think that Heroes of the East is more of a response by Pops to the burgeoning Japan bashing that was popular in Chinese cinema. He set out to make a movie that portrayed the Japanese in, if not a totally positive light, then at least a respectful one. Which is more than you can say for almost any other movie at the time! It does give deference to the Japanese styles but you have to realize that ultimately, this is a movie about Chinese kung-fu and it's relevance.

And while it's high on the comedy, the weapons sequences were top notch and the finale between Yasuaki Kurata and Gordon Liu is awesome.

Good points. If Chia-Liang Liu and Kuang Ni set out to distinguish themselves from other movies portraying Japan and its extended martial arts styles in an intentionally demeaning/disparaging light, I wouldn't know because that's the first Kung-Fu classic movie that comes to mind that I've even seen reference Japan or its styles outside of maybe Ninja vs. Shaolin Guards. I'm sure there is a spate of HK classics including Japanese themes/styles, I've just yet to see them.

Understand too, I don't fault China. Politically speaking, Japan doesn't have the greatest track record with making friends, the least of whom being China. Americans were no different portraying their perceived enemies post war as well. Mccarthyism and the cold war come to mind where Hollywood rattled off scores of movies depicting virtually all governments not our own as communists, and communist stereotypes were prevalent in movies up until the Reagan years.

It's just that logically speaking, Karate, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Kendo and Ninjitsu etc aren't necessarily worse than Kung-Fu. Objectively speaking, it's a realtive argument. So when I see the Japanese half losing automatically in Heroes of the East, it just looks funny because realistically that's not accurate.

I guess I just would have felt more entertained if they were both portrayed equally. I'm sure that's not a realistic expectation for a Kung Fu movie made at that time, but it's how I see that movie; until at least I see worse portrayals (more biased/hateful) elsewhere, and then Heroes of the East might start looking more like an attempt to bridge the divide, in which case I'll definitely view it differently.

[schleg64]

Wow! That's a real tough call! For me, I'd probably have to divide them up:


Old School:
Master of the Flying Guillotine
7 Grandmasters
and either
Green Dragon Inn or Invincible Super Chan

New School:
Ong-Bak
Iron Monkey
Yes Madam!

And that still leaves out a whole bunch of other fantastic movies.

[NoNiceTime]

Great minds really do think alike.

Crippled Avengers

Prodigal Son

Magic Blade

Funny thing is not having to choose a Jackie Chan,Bruce Lee or Jet Li isnt a big deal for me.

[Sifu]

Interesting picks. Sifu, and Alex, when you say Iron Monkey you mean the 77 release, right?

Heck no! The 1933 Yuen Woo Ping film is superior in every way; choreography, script, and especially directions! :cool:

[gravedigger666]

¨Five Shaolin Masters(masterpiece,likely finest movie ever made)
¨Pursuit Of Vengeance(Highly enjoyable)
¨Secret of shaolin(I would need to have one really bad k-f movie to watch so this would be ok for that purpose)

[Alex]

Heck no! The 1993 Yuen Woo Ping film is superior in every way; choreography, script, and especially directions! :cool:

fixed :)

this is the one I meant as well

[ironfistedmonk]

Only 3 eh, tough one

Warriors Two
7 Grandmasters
Martial Club

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

Well, yeah thats tough! I guess I would pick a Shaw movie, a golden harvest and an indie movie.....

SHAW MOVIE: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin... I never get tired of those training scenes!

GOLDEN HARVEST: Magnificent Butcher... The Yuen Biao,Wei Pai VS Lam Ching Ying, Yuen Mo fight is one of the tightest fights ever, and I couldn't live without ever seeing it again!

INDIE: Maaan... your killin' me here...! Ok, 7 Grandmasters... the sheer abundance of fights and crisp choreo galore, secures this one as my third pick!

Im all tired now.... I have to go lay down!

[Bus]

7 grandmasters
crippled avengers
knockabout

[Winfred]

If the house is on fire, I will grab
The 14 Amazons, The Crimson Charm and The Mighty One.

[tdb]

Mr Vampire
King Boxer
Bride With White Hair

[SamuraiDana]

My 3:

8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (Lau Kar Leung masterpiece)

SHAOLIN TEMPLE (1976 / Chang Cheh masterpiece)

BROKEN OATH (Angela Mao's greatest)

[Drunken Monk]

The Odd Couple
Chinese Super Ninjas
Dirty Ho

[Gkunedo]

If you could only keep three movies out of your entire kung-fu collection, but with one stipulation, they couldn't include Bruce Lee, Jet Li or Jackie Chan, what would those three movies be?

Since I'm still somewhat green, and have yet to see as much as I'd like, I'll save my list until I've seen much more.

Eastern Condors
Encounters of the Spooky Kind
Saviour of the Soul

[greenfan]

My 3
Magnificent Ruffians - The best 'Venoms' film.
Opium and the Kung Fu Master - Wonderful action and a superb performance by Ti Lung.
Ong Bak - Enjoyable film and a total action-fest.

Honourable Mentions
Iron Fisted Monk
The Victim

[Jstn]

Great question, mine would have to be:

Prodigal Son

Legend of a Fighter

Fearless

[Markgway]

My hands could hold more than three so I'm not answering your question... :D

Seriously, I don't really know. I can't pick just three.

[massa_yoda]

Oh no, my house is on fire! I will grab:
1. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
2. Project A
3. SPL
One 70s, 80s, and new. (sorry 90's!)