4/18/2011

Four Awesome Kung Fu Movies

By Adriana Noton


Kung fu movies have captured the interest of Western audiences since they first came out. There are lots to choose from, and sometimes it can be difficult to decide what to watch next. Here are some of the best ones.

You can even ask someone who is not much of a fan of the genre, and they have probably heard of or seen The Five Deadly Venoms. This is a classic 1978 film from Chinese master director Chang Chen, and it tells the story of a student sent by his dying master to find and defeat five former students who have taken the evil route.

All members of the Poison Clan, the five renegades each possess unique skills and fighting styles. The protagonist must track down and overcome Centipede, Scorpion, Toad, Lizard, and Snake and each of their particular methods. Though he is somewhat proficient in each of the five styles utilized by his opponents, he cannot best them at their own particular form. In order to succeed, he must use guile, cunning, and adapt his fighting approach to take advantage of his opponents' weaknesses.

People who like Jackie Chan will most likely want to have a look at the Chinese actor's 1994 film The Legend Of Drunken Master. The tale of a Chinese man named Wong Fei Hung and his unwitting involvement in a bid to steal priceless artifacts is gripping and fun.

This is arguably Jackie Chan's peak performance, and the action star is at his most outrageous. Excellent direction and a solid plot mean that those people who claim that no good martial arts flicks have been released since the seventies should rethink that statement. The Legend Of Drunken Master is a 1994 release.

Third on our list is The Magnificent Butcher. A classic martial arts comedy, this movie showcases the actor Sammo Hung. Great acrobatics, flawless fight choreography, and a truly interesting set of characters makes this one to watch.

Finally, no mention of Chinese martial arts cinema would be complete without the legendary Bruce Lee. Fists of Fury, otherwise known as The Big Boss, is perhaps the ultimate Bruce Lee experience. It's not exactly the best Bruce Lee film, but for sheer energy and excitement you can't beat it. There is possibly no more charismatic action star in this genre than Bruce Lee.

At its heart, Fists Of Fury is a story about the tensions between Japanese and Chinese martial arts students in the same town. There are some absolutely classic fight scenes in this one, many involving weapons and flying kicks. This is probably the film that made American audiences fall in love with Bruce Lee as an actor.

Poisonous traitors who can cling to walls, British bad guys stealing Chinese relics, a fat Sammo Hung, and Bruce Lee kicking the stuffing out of anyone who gets near make up this list of four kung fu movies you need to watch. These are usually all available to rent from a decent store, or they can be purchased online from a number of sellers.




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