My Favourite MVs ...
... ' 菊花台 ' (Jay Chou )
... ' 牛仔很忙 '
Saturday, May 17, 2008
146 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ‘ The Crimson Charm ‘
‘ The Crimson Charm ‘
Cast : Ivy Ling Po, Chang Yi, Shih Sze, James Nan
Director : Huang Feng
Synopsis
In an attempt to rescue some innocents, a master swordsman killed the son of a ruthless gang’s leader. The enraged rival vowed to revenge his son on the master swordsman’s 60th birthday ….
Excellent fight choreography! Intriguing plot! Dashing performances from all leads!
Rating : 4 stars of 5
145 SB ROMANCE : ‘ The Flying Mr B ‘
‘ The Flying Mr B ‘
Cast : Kenny Bee, Cherie Chung
Director : Wong Jin
Synopsis
A school teacher had accidentally eaten a magical super bill and became a superhero. When his colleagues and students were endangered during a camping , he went to their rescue and thus aroused the suspicion of one of his female colleagues …………
A light-hearted comedy with an amazing finale ……..
Rating : 3 ½ stars of 5
144 SB SWORDSPLAY '60s : ‘ Trail Of The Broken Blade ‘
‘ Trail Of The Broken Blade ‘
Cast : Jimmy Wang Yu, Chin Ping, Chiao Chung, Chiao Chiao
Director : Chang Cheh
Synopsis
When a gang of bandits invaded a merchant’s mansion, a gallant swordsman came to his rescue. Thereafter, he met and fell in love with the merchant’s daughter. However, upon hearing that she had a fiancé who went into hiding after assassinating a corrupt minister, he promised to locate for his whereabouts…
A classic swordplay of romance, chivalry, honor and brotherhood!
Ratings : 3 ½ stars of 5
143 STAR : ‘ Chin Ping ‘
(31) Chin Ping
Chin Ping’s blazing persona was perfect for period piece dramas.
Over the several years of her film career, she starred in many films.
Her first film was the huang mei opera ‘ The Crimson Palm ‘, then the wu xia film ‘ The Magnificent Trio ‘, the rollicking comedy ‘ The Millionaire Chase ‘ …
Her last film with Shaw Studio was a tearjerker ‘ The Price Of Love ‘.
Friday, May 16, 2008
142 SB KUNG FU : ‘ The Chinese Boxer ‘
‘ The Chinese Boxer ‘
Cast : Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, Wang Ping
Director : Jimmy Wang Yu
Synopsis
A villain was defeated by a kung fu master and driven out of his hometown due to his misconduct. Many years later, he returned with some Japanese karate experts for revenge. In the ensuing battle, the master and his disciples were killed, except for one who was knocked out during the combat. The survivor was later trained on “Iron Palm” kung fu and ready to challenge the villains to a duel....
Jimmy Wang Yu's great directorial debut made this a box office champion during its first theatrical release in the '70s; absolutely amazing and stunning classic !
Rating : 4 1/2 stars of 5
140 REVIEW : ' The Lotus Lamp '
' The Lotus Lamp '
Cast : Lin Dai, Cheng Pei-pei, Li Ching
Director : Yueh Feng
Synopsis
A scholar was lost on his way home in a fog on Mt Hua. He sheltered in a temple where he saw the statue of Goddess of Mt Hua and at once fell for her. Goddess of Mt Hua was touched by his sincerity and soon they fell in love deeply. However, the fairy-mortal relationship was strongly objected by her brother and thus resulted in her imprisonment under Mt Hua and the scholar's fled away with their baby son ......
Rating : 3 1/2 stars of 5
139 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ‘ Swordsman At Large ‘
‘ Swordsman At Large ‘
Cast : Margaret Hsing Hui, Tina Chin Fei, Frankie Wei
Director : Hsu Cheng-hung
Synopsis
A renowned precious sword was on the delivery to a top swordsman to eliminate a rumored notorious villain Hsiao Shi-yi-lang ; thus stirred a commotion in the martial world to steal the sword. Meanwhile Hsiao planned to clear his name ….
No big cast, no elaborate plot, no thrilling fight … Shot location in Taiwan with many local actors except Margaret Hsing Hui and Tina Chin Fei. The only surprise is to see Chang Yi’s guest appearance in the beginning of the movie for only a few minutes...
Rating : 2 stars of 5
138 STAR : ' Frankie Wei Hung '
(30) Frankie Wei
Frankie Wei Hung’s first movie with Shaw Studio was a wuxia film ‘ Swordsman At Large ' .
He played a righteous knight, fighting together with Tina Chin Fei and Margaret Hsing-hui in this Taiwan made production.
However, he was famous for his villainous role in many Shaw Bros movies.
He was later a favorite star of director Liu Chi , starred in many of his erotic movies ...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
137 HK MOVIE '80s : ‘ Scared Stiff ‘
‘ SCARED STIFF ‘
Type :
Action Thriller
One-word description :
Tense
Stars :
Miu Kiu Wai, Chow Yun Fat, Anita Mui
Director :
Liu Chia-rong
About :
Two good friends were injured in a car crash. One of them suffered slight injuries while the doctor declared the other ‘death’. However, the dead revived after his friend’s cries and thus led to the doctors to study the strange phenomenon….
Rating :
3 1/2 stars of 5
136 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ‘ The Brave Archer ‘
‘ The Brave Archer ‘
Cast : Fu Sheng, Tien Niu, Danny Lee
Director : Chang Cheh
Synopsis
Two sworn brothers hoped that their sons could share the same brotherhood when they grew up. However, one of the sons was abducted by a prince of the invading Chin Kingdom during a brawl ; the other son was rescued by several martial arts masters. The story began with the grown up son heading to the capital city where he met a witty maiden-in-disguise and started their perilous adventures ….
One of Fu Sheng’s best classics where he played as an martial arts idiot but became an extremely skillful martial artist after his several strange encounters. Opposite him is Tien Niu who excels as an adorable and witty maiden. Interesting plot adapted from Jin Yong’s renowned novel … highly entertaining !
Rating : 4 1/2 stars of 5
135 REVIEW : ' The Goddess Of Mercy '
' The Goddess Of Mercy '
Cast : Li Li-hua
Director : Shin Sang-okk
Synopsis
The youngest daughter of a brutal king disapproved her father's cruel treatment on the prisoners.
With the help of a sympathetic marshal, she led the prisoners to escape into exile ...
Ratings : 4 stars of 5
134 STAR : Li Li-hua
29) Li Li-hua
She is the powerful Empress Wu Tse-Tien .
She is also the magnificent Concubine Yang Kwei-fei.
She is the ever –elegant and ever-sensual renowned versatile veteran actress Li Li-hua
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
133 DIRECTOR : Pao Hsueh-li
(06) Shaw Bros Directors – Pao Hsueh-li
Pao Hsueh-li, a cinematographer-turned-director made his first directorial debut “ Finger Of Doom” ( starring Ling Po, Chin Han ) in 1971. He succeeded in creating a creepy atmosphere in this tale of a zombie burial party carrying a coffin with a living heroine inside .
In the same year, Pao directed his second movie “Oath Of Death” ( starring Lo Lieh, Frankie Wei ). This wu xia pian depicted a Sung Dynasty patriot who made an oath of death to avenge his villainous sworn brother’s treachery. However Pao failed to fill this interesting plot with expected fast-n-furious actions.
In the following years, Pao co-directed several movies with the legendary Chang Cheh. Indeed, they out did themselves in their subsequent kung fu flicks “Boxer From Shantung”, “Man Of Iron”, “Iron Body Guard” ( starring Chen Kuan-tai )…
Pao again directed his own movies in 1974. His anti-Japanese film “Heroes Of The Underground” ( starring Ling Yun, Ching Li, Frankie Wei ) was one with excitements and suspense. His kung fu movie “Five Tough Guys” ( starring Chen Kuan-tai, Frankie Wei, Ling Yun, Lily Ho ) successfully narrated the battle between usurper and some patriots with wonderful fighting choreography.
However, there were some of Pao’s movies which were bad. “The Battle Wizard” ( starring Danny Lee, Tien Ni, Lin Chen-chi) was badly adapted from Jin Yong’s renowned novel by him. “The Shadow Boxer” ( starring Shih Sze, Frankie Wei ) and “The Imposter” (starring David Chiang, Chen Kuan-tai, Danny Lee, Wang Chung ) failed due to the absurb plots.
The impressive movies directed by Pao were his crime actioner “The Deadly Angels” ( starring Liu Yong) and kung fu flick "Five Tough Guys".
132 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ‘ The Rescue ‘
‘ The Rescue ‘
Cast : Shih Sze, Lo Lieh
Director : Sheng Chiang
Synopsis
It was the era of Sung Dynasty verses the Yuan invaders. A reputable Sung Prime Minister was taken captive and put into prison. That aroused a group of Sung patriots to fight the overwhelming odds to rescue him. They plotted to get themselves arrested into the prison through various means so as to get close to the prime minister….
A tale of brave knights and chivalry! A simple plot with bloody brawls!
Rating : 3 1/2 stars of 5
131 SB ROMANCE : ‘ A Place To Call Home ‘
‘ A Place To Call Home ‘
Cast : Li Ching , Margaret Hsing Hui , Yen Chun
Director : Wu Chia-hsiang
Synopsis
The Chang’s family had 3 daughters of different personalities. The second daughter, being jealous of her parents love for her elderly sister, maliciously revealed to her that she was an adopted child. Shocked and disappointed, the pathetic adopted sister started her quest for her biological parents …
A miscast for Li Ching to play a teen student … Margaret Hsing-hui is as usual that arrogant and snobbish … The outstanding is Yen Chun as the stressful father in dilemma …
Rating : 2 ½ stars of 5
130 STAR : Margaret Hsing Hui
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
129 HK MOVIE '80s : ' The Seventh Curse '
A Golden Harvest Classic ...
' The Seventh Curse '
Cast : Chow Yun Fat, Chien Hsiao Hao, Maggie Cheung
Director : Lam Nai Choi
Synopsis :
A famous doctor joined a research team to a Thai-tribe and saved a girl from a local sacrificial ceremony. His life was at stake as he was cursed with a black magic that took effects after a year ….
Rating : 4 stars of 5
128 SB KUNG FU : ' Boxer Rebellion '
' Boxer Rebellion '
Cast : Fu Sheng , Chi Kuan-chun , Li Li-hua , Hu Chin , Jenny Tseng
Director : Chang Cheh
Synopsis
Towards the twilight of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager was unable to protect the country against foreign invasion. In desperation, she held her trust in her pugilists who were believed to be unbeatable with their superpower protection. With their support, Empress Dowager declared war to the Allied Combined Troops …
Bloody thrills and stereotyped Chang Cheh’s fight scenes !
Rating : 3 stars of 5
127 SB MUSICAL : ' The Singing Thief '
‘ The Singing Thief ‘
Cast : Lily Ho, Jimmy Lin Chong, Lo Lieh, Essie Lin
Director : Chang Cheh
Synopsis
An ex-jewel thief started afresh as a professional singer after his imprisonment. When a series of jewels robberies blown out in town, he again became the prime suspect. Henceforth, he decided to track down the mastermind ……
Lily Ho is gorgeous and Jimmy Lin Chong is charming. However, the stars’ power cannot help the lousy plot and atrocious actions. Only impressions are the few unforgettable songs, in particular the song “Diamond”.
Rating: 2 stars of 5
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