| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 148.1 | Tsui Hark rules | KOLFAX::WIEGLEB | Who is 'The Loneliest Monk'? | Wed Apr 21 1993 19:32 | 18 |
| Agreed. This one is well worth checking out. I actually liked it
much better than "Swordsman II" - sacrilege, I know.
Some great action sequences including the rooftop-chase finale.
I couldn't quite figure out who the Ticketing Office were either. On
their first appearance I though they were just really ornery box-office
managers, but they seem some be somewhere between the Mafia and the
KGB.
Ray, I hope you got a chance to stay through "Once Upon a Time in China
II" as well. That one is even more fun than any of the others.
Another Tsui Hark film will be in the Bay Area with a showing of
"Zu: mumble-mumble of the Magic Mountain", which I absolutely intend to
see.
- Dave
|
| 148.2 | | DSSDEV::RUST | | Thu Apr 22 1993 12:28 | 4 |
| Sounds like a must-see; I _loved_ "Swordsman II". [Does "Opera" have as
catchy a tune as the "<mumble-something> Heroes" number?]
-b
|
| 148.3 | | ESGWST::RDAVIS | Some justice, some peace | Thu Apr 22 1993 12:59 | 17 |
| No, the PEKING OPERA music is more traditional than that catchy "Hero
of Heroes" ("Who is the hero of heroes?") number.
SWORDSMAN II remains my favorite of the movies you mentioned, Dave,
although I can see how viewers who rank fast-moving complicated
plots over lunatic melodrama might prefer PEKING OPERA BLUES.
But ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA II left me cool. Too slow, too
one-dimensional, and the female lead (apologies for forgetting her
name), who was great as the tragic Chief in SWORDSMAN II, got stuck
with a demeaning "Indiana Jones"-style part in this one. The fight
scenes were good but not enough to carry the movie for me. Mostly it
felt clunky, with scenes just pinned on willy-nilly like "Kiss Me I'm
Buddhist" buttons, whereas the other two move more assuredly through
their variety of moods, camerawork, and pacing.
Ray
|
| 148.4 | Part IIIs | 22708::ROBERTLIM | rock round the locks | Sat Apr 24 1993 13:52 | 26 |
| Ray/Dave
Just an update - watch out for ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA II and
Swordsman III! They were released a couple of months ago during the
Chinese New Year.
Saw OUATIC III which again was full of action sequences - this time
lion dance. It was amazing! The balancing act was incredible. Watch
out for the fight sequence at the inn with oil on the floor! The
romantic parts were expanded.
Swordsman III was boring. Some of the scenes - Invincible Asia and
cannon balls were stupid. I believed that this movie bombed.
The chief in Swordsman II is Joey Wong. She's cute isn't she? She is
also in III.
Jet Li was once a champion of China in kung-fu. He shot into
prominence in a movie call ShaoLin Temple. I know there are hundreds
of movie with that title. The one he was in featured all kind of
styles of fighting. I would say that the movie was released between
1980-84 His lateste movie is about another Chinese legendary hero -
"Fung Say Yuk". Watch out for more actions.
Rgds
Rob
|
| 148.5 | Thanks for the information, Rob | ESGWST::RDAVIS | Some justice, some peace | Mon Apr 26 1993 13:44 | 19 |
| I saw SWORDSMAN III when it played in Chinatown a month or two ago.
Its official name was something like RED EAST, since the Swordsman
didn't appear. I agree, a real waste of time. The only character
brought over from the second movie was Invincible Asia -- and she was a
character who'd died! One cool line. though, when she was lording it
over the Spanish galleon and its priest: "Now you must call me...
INVINCIBLE-ASIA-AND-EUROPE!"
Thanks for the Joey Wong tipoff. Ooh baby ooh baby ooh baby.
In other "Hong Kong movies not quite amazing enough to support their
own topic" news: Those of you who are particularly fond of the
pseudo-historical-magic-buddhist-sword-kung-fu subgenre might enjoy the
recent EAGLE-FIGHTING HEROES, a broad parody along the lines of
AIRPLANE!, NAKED GUN, or early Mel Brooks. Lots of great HK actors
goofin', and at least one line which will live forever: "Ha ha ha ha!
The only thing which could possibly save you now is a deus ex machina!"
Ray
|
| 148.6 | Loves the boot ... | 22609::ROBERTLIM | rock round the locks | Tue May 04 1993 06:33 | 8 |
| Yes - the Eagles - don't you love the part where the martial artist
came out from years of training only to be killed by a flying
jet-boot?
There is another one - Master Wong vs Master Wong which is a spoof of
the Once Upon A Time in China series!
Rob
|
| 148.7 | An OK adaptation of "Some Like It Hot"'s last line, too | ESGWST::RDAVIS | Some justice, some peace | Tue May 04 1993 13:36 | 9 |
| The flying boot (an innovation from the Mysterious West) was very nice.
I also loved the "instinctive" martial art defense against someone
attacking you from behind: you stick your hand in the attacker's mouth,
flip him over your shoulder, then, before centrifugal force lessens
enough to let the poor guy fall to the ground, whirl him around your
head a couple of times.
Ray
|
| 148.8 | Spoofs and classic .. | 22609::ROBERTLIM | rock round the locks | Thu May 06 1993 11:30 | 22 |
| Unfortunately, the latest trend is to spoof kung-fu sword fighting
movies. Some of the 'real' ones are laughable esp Invincible Asia.
Master Wong Vs Master Wong and the Eagles are just two.
One more spoof - Legend of the Liquid Sword - has just been released.
The previous movie was good and they even made it into two video
serials.
The Swordsman is based on an 83-part sowrd-fighting epic by Louis Cha.
Another good writer is Ku Loong and Chin Yung who wrote master pieces
like Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre with characters like the beggar's
clan, female monks, Amazons, etc/ Louis created the Moon Sect, Wah
Mountain, etc
Guess what - Sun Star Software has released the Swordsman PC game! It
has all the characters and follow the book closely. Yes - even Elder
Fong, Splitting Sword Stance, Wavering Sword, etc are in the game.
More on the sword-fighting genre. Anyone seen the father of them all -
Jimmy Wang Yu in the One Armed Sowrdsman?
Till then ...
|
| 148.9 | some questions | 9881::CHANWONG | | Wed Jul 07 1993 14:28 | 39 |
|
I couldn't resist an entry...
a few back regarding Joey Wong...I beg to differ...she was only in the
Swordman III! The one you are thinking of which is in Swordsman II as
well as Once Upon A Time in China (which I assume is about Master Wong
Fay Hung) is someone else...don't know her English name but her last
name is Kwan...she has amazingly big eyes!
What I wonder is if any of you who love Swordsman II so much seen
Swordsman I? all of the actors/actresses were different in I than II
except for the sun/moon woman chief's sidekick. If you get a chance
see that one because I is much better than II (IMHO). The lead is
played by Sam Hui rather than Li. As for III it was a joke..I couldn't
believe that Hark would allow such a failure.
Since I don't know thw English names of the movies can you give me a
general background and plot for the Eagles movie? I cannot figure out
what that one is.
BTW where do you guys get to see these movies? are you located in CA?
also are the movies dubbed in English or sub-titled?
BTW .0 identifies "Invicible Asia" actress as Brigette Yin was that her
name in the movie? because as far as I know "Lin Ching Hsia" does not
have an English name...the actresses last name in Lam but Lin if using
madarin pronounciation. Heroine #1 is Cheri Chung, number #2 is Sally
Yeh who is a singer first then an actress.
The reason for all these swords-fighting, kung-fu period films is
because that is currently the market in HK. Now they are filming lots
of Cha's novels because they are running out of fresh ideas...but
certainly Hark probably brought on the fever with Swordman I.
It is interesting to note that many Americans know quite alot about HK
film-makers. Particularly Hark and John Woo. People repsonding to
this note particularly appear to see more recent films than I!
Unfortunately in Boston the only theater is no longer that great a deal
so we have to wait for videos.
|
| 148.10 | Legend of Liquid Sword | 9881::CHANWONG | | Wed Jul 07 1993 14:31 | 2 |
| also can you give overview of Legend og Liquid Sword and who the stars
are?
|
| 148.11 | Update - Once Upon a Time in China IV | 22708::ROBERTLIM | rock round the locks | Mon Jul 12 1993 14:11 | 23 |
| Chan
Ray and Dave are in CA, I believe.
I am in Malaysia so I get the latest. IA III heroine is Bridgette Lin
Chin Hsia - she has a Christian name!
Did not get the chance to see Liquid Sword.
Will keep you posted on the latest.
There is a spilt in the Tsui Hark-Jet Li. Li did one called the Last
Hero in China (directed by Wang Chin of the Chan Sau Chi-acted series).
It was not as high a std as OUATIC 1,2,3 although he uses the Fay-hong
character. Tsui has since picked up an unknown to star in OUATIC 4.
There is also movie - Iron Monkey - that based on Fay-hong as a boy.
Fantastic kung-fu. Fay-hong's dad is played by the baddie (court
officer) in OUATIC 2. The other male lead is a new guy. The female is
is a real beauty which I have never seen before. The martial arts
director is Woo See Yeun of Jackie Chan-early movies fame.
RLim
|
| 148.12 | thanks | 9881::CHANWONG | | Mon Jul 19 1993 17:26 | 7 |
|
I did not realize that Lin had such a pretty English name! it certainly
fits her very well.
I'd loved to hear more about good movies you and the other people have
seen. I am very envious that there is no good way for me to get at the
movies.
|
| 148.13 | Hong Kong Film festival at Boston's Museum ine Arts | VAXWRK::TCHEN | Weimin Tchen VAXworks 223-6004 MSO1 | Fri Aug 27 1993 13:45 | 29 |
| .9> Unfortunately in Boston the only theater is no longer that great a
deal so we have to wait for videos.
I believe that Boston's Museuam of Fine Arts has a Hong Kong Film
festival in Aug - e.g. showing Swordsman I this Fri at 5:45 & Pushing
Hands (a tai-Chi master come to live w/ his daughter's family in the US)
on Saturday. Perhaps I go when my son is older. :-{
I used to see imperial-period kung-fu movies in New York's Chinatown 10
years ago (I didn't like Hong Kong stories of gangsters & gambling).
The sentimental family emotions of love & revenge, and the themes of
resisting the Manchu's & Mongols appeal to me. I recall that mainland
China produced a film ~12 years ago on role of the Shaolin fighting
monks in the founding of the Tang dynasty - excellent martial arts but
the charater development could be improved.
Some Japanese films like Harakiri seem to take a much more serious
approach with themes of a warrior resisting the overwhelming forces of
authority for the sake of his family. In Harakiri, a retired samurai
takes up arms again to avenge the death & inhumane treatment that
an important clan subjected his son's family to. Even though the
retired samurai is rusty, his experience & spirit enable him to defeat
his arrogant opponents till he dies at his own hand. Nobility in defeat
even though the clan has the connections to wipe out public knowledge
of the incident.
The old low-budget Hong Kong movies often seem to be just a stage for
martial exhibitions. I have seen the one's mentioned here, but perhaps
more care is being taken w/ their plots.
|
| 148.14 | | DSSDEV::RUST | | Mon Mar 28 1994 10:43 | 38 |
| I finally got to see "Peking Opera Blues" (I gave up trying to catch it
at a film festival and rented-by-mail from Facets); what a blast! (I
don't know whether I like it better than "Swordsman II" or not, but
they're sufficiently different for me to just call 'em each "best of
breed".) It's a rollicking good time all the way through, and not a
slow moment [possibly a disadvantage for theater owners who prefer
movies that include popcorn breaks].
One of the features I found especially amusing was that, while there
were a large number of cross-dressing characters, not a single one of
them ever seemed to fool anybody, even when their lives apparently
depended on the success of the impersonation. (Young revolutionary
woman dressed - *very* dashingly - as man is addressed as "Miss" by
everybody, so unless the subtitle translators screwed up, even the
people who didn't notice at first would get the message after hearing
that. But it never seemed to bother anybody. [She really was appealing
- something between a young, slim Oscar Wilde type and k. d. lang, only
with finer features and a devastating "stern glance".])
I also got a kick out of the Act I subplot in which the local Mafia
chieftain got a crush on the leading "actress" (male) of the opera,
sent him presents and asked - nay, demanded - to marry him. Somebody
ventured to inform the gangster that this was a man, and the gangster
just grinned and nodded (I told you, the cross-dressing never fooled
anybody) - and poor Fa (the "actress") fainted on the spot...
Too many ticklesome things happened for me to remember them all, but
one of my favorite scenes involved the meeting of the three women.
After considerable running, hiding, fighting, bribery, attempted
blackmail, and mutual rescuing had taken place, the dashing
revolutionary, tall and slender in her black uniform and cape, threw an
arm around each of the others (who were wearing identical lacy white
opera costumes and were shivering in the snowy street) and said, "Let's
go have a drink."
Definitely recommended; this one's worth going out of your way for.
-b
|
| 148.15 | Wudda curmudgeon! | EDABOT::RDAVIS | Simile: God like you | Mon Mar 28 1994 20:26 | 11 |
| > revolutionary, tall and slender in her black uniform and cape, threw an
> arm around each of the others (who were wearing identical lacy white
> opera costumes and were shivering in the snowy street) and said, "Let's
> go have a drink."
Lisa Gassaway made a sour face over the soundtrack song accompanying
this scene. She was even unmoved by the pajama party which immediately
followed. Unlike red-blooded types like myself and Brigitte Lin's
father the General.
Ray
|
| 148.16 | Rosemund Kwan I Ling | 22609::ROBERTLIM | rock round the locks | Tue May 03 1994 06:32 | 11 |
| Hi
Apologies for the error in .4 which was correctly pointed out in .9
The actress is Rosemund Kwan who is the "aunty" of Wong Fei Hong
series. She has starred recently in many action movies altho she
started off as the "sweet-heart bring home to mommy"-type.
Dad is a famous character, male lead actor Kwan Sun.
Rgds
Robert
|
| 148.17 | OUATIC V | 22609::ROBERTLIM | | Sun Jun 05 1994 08:51 | 6 |
| It is now OUATIC V - Wong Fei Hong even uses guns to fight with
pirates. Background is the Chinese Civil War (or Warlord Wars).
Getting boring.
Robert
|
| 148.18 | | PCBUOA::BELLOWS | | Fri Aug 11 1995 13:58 | 1 |
| I believe it's Bridgit Lin, not Yin.
|