Run Me Shaw Movies
Run Me Shaw and his brother, Run Run, helmed one of the largest production companies in the world and produced many kung-fu films between the mid-'60s and the early '80s. At their peak, the Shaws' Movietown, located on the Chinese mainland near Kowloon, contained ten sound stages, 16 elaborate exterior sets, an enormous costume department containing period clothing from nearly every dynasty, and quarters for stars and production personnel. It was so big that seven productions could be shot simultaneously. With over 1,500 employees, it is small wonder that the Shaws were able to produce 30 or 40 films a year. They also owned their own theater chain and at one time, studio head Run Run Shaw was one of the richest men in the world. While Run Run ran the studio, Run Me was in charge of distribution in Singapore. A native of Shanghai, Run Me got his start in 1924 when he moved to Singapore to oversee the already thriving family distribution business that specialized in bringing American silent films to China. In 1959, after increasing their empire with amusement parks and a chain of theaters, Run Run Shaw left Singapore to start up their studio and began producing their own films. Meanwhile, Run Me remained in Singapore to continue working at the distribution angle though he did receive production credits on the films. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Three young Cantonese men (Chi Feng, Yen Hung, and Chen Ming) swim from mainland China across the Hou Hai Bay to Hong Kong in an attempt to gain freedom in a city still ruled by Britain. Rather than reaching a better life, the three are held captive by slave dealers, and their miserable fate unfolds with scene after scene of abuse, human degradation, lurid sex, gang rape, and other unimaginable horrors. Early on, the film leaves the issue of illegal immigration far behind, burying it in the pursuit of violence and torture. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- 1980
Three top martial arts instructors star in this kung-fu action film set during a period when China was divided up among local warlords. The three heroes, Wang Xui (Philip Chun-fung Kwok, aka Kuo Chui), Yu Hansheng (Chiang Sheng), and Jin Zhengbing (Lo Meng) make a blood pact early on to help each other in their battles against despots. They leave their southern homes for northern China, and their ultimate objective is to eliminate a particularly evil general. There is plenty of spectacular martial arts action using everything from "empty hands" (kung-fu) to hands wielding swords, benches, clubs, chains, spears, and just about anything necessary to win a fight. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, (more)
- 1979
Two young teens experience the consequences of their lovemaking, and despite a lot of comic moments, when the girl's baby dies, she commits suicide. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1978
Two wushu masters become trapped in a treacherous puppet labyrinth while competing for the prize of a precious sword in this fantastical tale of swordplay starring Ti Lung and Lily Li. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
This campy Hong Kong version of King Kong played at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival (in the Midnight Madness sections), as well as the Toronto Film Festival. Mighty Peking Man is an over-the-top retelling of the great ape story in classic Hong Kong action style. A giant ape (called Mighty Peking Man) has emerged following an earthquake in the Himalayas, and has made its way to the Indian jungles. Lu Tien and Johnny Feng plan to capture the ape and exploit it, so they head out on an expedition to catch the beast. After violent encounters with elephants and other wild creatures they turn back, except for Feng, who on his own meets Samantha, a Tarzan-like woman in a leopard skin who was raised in the jungle. Feng and Samantha fall in love, capture the ape, and take it to Hong Kong. There, of course, the ape escapes its shackles and ravages the city. The big guy eventually climbs the Connaught Centre, the city's tallest building, where he soon meets his demise. ~ Chris Gore, Rovi
- Starring:
- Li Hsiu-hsien, Evelyn Kraft, (more)
This classic kung-fu flick, directed by Lau Kar-leung, opens with the legendary Shaolin temple getting burned to the ground by Manchu troops and its head monk, Chi San, getting murdered by treacherous priest Pai Mei (Lo Lieh). The surviving Shaolin follows escape, posing as an itinerate opera troupe. Along the way, ace Shaolin student Hong Hsi-guan (Chen Kuan-tai) marries the beautiful though deadly Fang Yung-chun (Lily Li). Soon the couple gives birth to a son named Wen-ding. As Hong practices the Tiger style, Fang teaches her son the finer points of the Crane style. Ten years later, Hong challenges Pai, but manages to barely escape with his life. Seven years later, Hong is a much improved fighter, but sadly, so is Pai. Soon Hong's son, Wen-ding (Wong Yue), vows vengeance and starts training in earnest. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- 1976
A Chinese volcanic eruption frees a number of prehistoric monsters into the modern world, and only the superhero Infra-Man can save the day. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Li Hsiu-hsien, Wang Hsieh, (more)
- 1976
- R
Following the controversial death of martial-arts superstar Bruce Lee in 1973, theatres were festooned with unauthorized biographies. One of the best of these was 1976's Bruce Lee: His Last Days, His Last Night. Li Hsiu Hsien plays the title character quite efficiently, though he can't help but be a pale shadow of the original. The film focusses on Lee's relationship with actress Betty Ting Pei, and offers its own theory of the cause of his death. Bruce Lee: His Last Days, His Last Nights was released in the U.S. in 1979 under a variety of alternate titles, including Bruce Lee, His Last Days and Bruce Lee and I. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1976
This Hong Kong softcore sex feature includes two shorter episodes, "The Poison Weed" and The Illicit Lovers." In the first, two lovely women engage in an erotic competition for the attentions of an important and wealthy man. In the second, a younger woman married to a much older man dallies with her neighbor. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shirley Yu, Hu Ching, (more)
While searching for a magic blade, a group of martial artists encounter such characters from folklore as the Devil Grandmother. When they finally find the legendary weapon, it turns out not to be a blade, but the infamous "Peacock's Dart." ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1975
This kung-fu/action film is of more than usual interest because the leading character, who was portrayed as an ordinary citizen fed-up with official inaction against crime, was unacceptable to the Hong Kong Government; they had extra footage added to the film to show that he was an undercover cop all along. The filmmaker got around this by dropping the curtain on these last few minutes of the picture. In the story, Hong Kong restaurateur Boss Cheng is a sort of one-man justice squad, taking on all sorts of bad guys before they can harm his community. When he is injured in a fight with an ex-con, the community rallies to help him, for he has become a local hero. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chen Kuan-Tai, Karen Yeh, (more)
- 1975
In this unusual drama from Hong Kong, a driver from the Blue Cab Company gets kidnapped to serve as the getaway driver for a bunch of bank robbers. One of the highlights of the film is the view it gives of Hong Kong through a cabbie's eyes. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Chiang, Wang Chung, (more)
The Empress Dowager tells the story of the last imperial family member who actually ruled in China until her death in 1908. She handed over the titular rulership to Kuang Tsu but retained all actual power. Retaining power seems to have been her real talent; she was unable to reform the Ching (Manchu) Dynasty and its system of government to meet the challenges of European dominance in Asia. The Empress Dowager was a fascinating, dominant woman in a male-oriented culture and she was a brilliant manipulator. This movie shows some of her intrigues, one of which prevented China from defending itself from the Japanese and led directly to the first Chinese revolution in 1911. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lisa Lu, Ivy Ling Po, (more)
This Shaw Brothers production introduced the world to one of the most memorably bizarre weapons to ever appear in a martial arts film. Flying Guillotine was inspired by a historical account of the Manchu dynasty and revolves around the development of the title weapon, which is created by general Xin Kang (Ku Feng) to appease an emperor who requests a device that will allow him to quietly dispatch his enemies. Ma Teng (Chen Kuan-Tai) is enlisted to become part of an elite squad trained to use the weapon and quickly excels. However, he finds himself on the run when rival student Xu Shuang-kun (Frankie Wai) plots against him. Ma Teng finds happiness for a short while by living in seclusion with street performer Yu Ping (Lau Ng-Kei) but is ultimately forced to square off with the gang of killers he once belonged to. Flying Guillotine was a big hit for Shaw Brothers, inspiring two follow-ups (Flying Guillotine II and The Vengeful Beauty) as well as a slew of imitators like Master of the Flying Guillotine. It remains a cult favorite today amongst martial arts film fans and is considered by many to be one of the all-time Shaw Brothers classics. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chen Kuan-Tai, Ku Feng, (more)
- 1975
In this historical epic, the downfall of a feudal-style lordly family in 1920s China is depicted. Four sons, with their families and entourages, reside with their widower father. In this strongly hierarchical Chinese family, members are known as "First Master, First Lady, Second Master," etc. Servants have names, however. The film chronicles the multiple love relationships, murders and tragic deaths that occur within the familial circle. The only family members who are left at the end of the film have no children, hence, this branch of the Yang family is doomed to extinction. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1971
When his father, the owner of a respected Chinese boxing institute, dies of a heart attack on the eve of a trip to Thailand, loyal son Fan Ko (David Chiang) takes over the family business, and travels to Bangkok in search of the brother he never met. Along the way, Fan Ko befriends a talented Thai-Chinese boxer (Ti Lung) who aids him in his quest. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
This violent and bloody exploitation action feature finds the hero (Wang Yu) seeking retribution and revenge for the villains that killed his loved ones. When he leaves the dart of the Golden Swallow at the murder scenes, the Golden Swallow herself (Cheng Pei-pei) investigates to see who is using her trademark calling card. She helps the young man battle the forces of evil as the corpses of the victims drip with rivers of blood. Our hero survives four knives in his chest, a bevy of bullwhips, swords, arrows and similarly outrageous misfortunes while riding a white horse and wearing a white robe that shows off his many wounds. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jimmy Wang Yu, Cheng Pei-Pei, (more)
- 1966
In this operatic fairy tale, a peasant lad endeavors to become a learned man so that he can become worthy of the woman he wants to wed. He is aided by a fairy with whom he eventually falls in love. Unfortunately, she is in the charming form of a 1,000-year-old carp. Fortunately, the goddess of Mercy comes to her aid. Wisdom and happiness ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ivy Ling Po, Ching Li, (more)
- 1964
In this Chinese drama set during the 8th-century, the wicked brother of the emperor's favorite concubine is appointed prime minister. One day the concubine leaves followed by the emperor. The prime minister tells no one and eventually causes the court to leave. Meanwhile the greedy leader has refused to pay the devoted palace guards who revolt, kill him, and demand that the concubine die too. The find her taking care of their ailing emperor. She swears to them that as soon as he is well, she will kill herself. He heals and she does. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1960
In this biographical drama, Wu Tse-tien, a Chinese empress who ruled during the T'ang Dynasty (AD 618-906), is desperate to keep her throne. To maintain her status she begins massacring any and everyone, including her own sons, that might oppose her. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Li Li-hua
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