Hong Kong Classics - Golden Era Film Back to Start Page ......... Back to HK & China Film Page


The Golden Era of Hong Kong Film, lasted approx. 1980 - 1993. Films made in the British Crown Colony were
wild, unhinged and unique with it's Hyperkinetic Energy. The Re-Animation of the Crime genre where romantic
Hong Kong Noir mixed with Heroic Bloodshed, and with John Woo inspired by Sam Peckinpah laying the
foundation for the modern action film.
The Golden Era with it's delirious Category III genre with wild horror, comedy, action and sleaze (often combined)
the genre peaking in the early 90's. With Swordplay Wuxia and Martial Arts in which i.a. Jackie Chan gave us
impossible stunts never bettered, with Female Fighters and Girls with Guns action genre (Cynthia Rothrock and
Michelle Yeoh et. al.) and with the slapstick comedy of The Funny Man, Stephen Chow.

HK films had a unique Hyperkinetic pace and even more so with their cantonese dubbing (films were dubbed
well into the 1990's) and with atmospherical views of HK by night, maybe with a wailing 1980's saxophone on
the soundtrack. The 1997 handover and Mainland's censor rules probably changed the HK way of making film
as filmmakers had to adapt to their biggest market and Cat. III became tamer. The Female Fighting genre is gone.
Martial arts peak were the 1970's-1980's but Wuxia and Crime action thrives in Mainland and in HK as well

Jade Leung

For more info and pictures - click on the picture link at left. No films are for sale, only information

picture links

Some short reviews below are written in swedish



Mother of all HK crime action movies and considered
a Masterpiece. But, underrated if not unknown in the
West. Gritty realistic about mainland robbers doing a
job in HK and with a mindblowing shoot-out in the
cramped alleys of the old Kowloon Walled City.
The 1987 sequel is also a fine gritty crime action

Long Arm of the Law (Sang gong kei bing)
Long Arm of the Law Saga 2 (Sang gong kei bing 2)

Direction, co-production: Johnny Mak 1984 / Michael Mak 1987
Cast: David Lam Wai, Shum Wai / Elvis Tsui, Ben Lam, Alex Man
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region A+B
US 88 Films 2 disc 2023 bluray edition

 

Finally 2K restored Blu-ray editions of this legendary
1980's film series that introduced the Golden Era
martial arts genre combined with Girls with Guns.
Tough and agile female fighters as Michelle Yeoh,
Cynthia Rothrock, Cynthia Khan became icons

In The Line of Duty 1 - 4 Box Collection

Direction: Corey Yuen, Yuen Woo Ping et al. prod. 1985-1989

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock, Cynthia Khan, Donnie Yen
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region A
US 88 Films 4 disc bluray 2023 box edition with posters and a Book

 

 

Trashy but enjoyable B Crime action where
ex-model Jade Leung moves nicely and with
a fine fight at the top of an Indonesian volcano.
Jade is HK cop Yeung Leung sent on a mission
to Singapore to catch a weapons dealer

Satin Steel: Revenge of Black Cat (Cuo ti zhui ji zu he / Fox Hunter)

Direction: Tony Leung, production: HK-Singapore-Indonesia 1995

Cast: Jade Leung, Jordan Chan, Anita Lee, Russel Wong
DVD in english audio (or cantonese with german subs), region 2
German Cargo Records Numbered 441/500 DVD 2022 edition

 

Seven disc Blu-ray collection of:
Winners and Sinners 1983, Heart of Dragon 1985,
Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars 1985, My Lucky
Stars 1985, The Protector 1985, Dragons Forever
1988, The Canton Godfather 1989

Jackie Chan Vintage Collection Volume 4

Direction: Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, James Glickenhaus
Production: Hong Kong and US-Hong Kong 1983-1989
Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao et. al.
Blu-ray in english audio dub with swedish subtitles, region B
Nordic Universal 7 disc bluray edition

 

Classic Sci-Fi action comedy nonsense from the HK
Golden Era with the great Sally Yeh as Robot Maria.
The evil Hero Gang wants to fight HK police with
killer robots but two losers fights back with the help
of turned friendly Robot Maria. Great and silly !

I Love Maria (Tiejia wu di ma li ya/Robo Force)

Direction: David Chung Chi Man & Tsui Hark, production: 1988

Cast: Sally Yeh, Tsui Hark, John Sham, Tony Leung, Ben Lam
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation 2021 DVD edition

 

Ghost Story, Romance, Comedy and Horror when an
unlucky gangster has a re-incarnation problem and
fall in love with a beautiful ghost played by the
lovely Chingmy Jau. Lots of silliness from producer
Wong Jing but still it's somewhat entertaining

Ghost Lantern (Yan pei dang lung)

Direction: Andrew Lau, production: 1993

Cast: Tony Leung Ka Fai, Chingmy Jau, Roy Cheung, Wai Lok
Blu-ray in cantonese with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong CN Entertainment bluray edition

 

Not a typical Stephen Chow funny guy movie but
a pretty straight crime action, and it's great.
Chow is an undercover cop and there are HK stunts,
fights, car chases and bloody shoot-outs

The Unmatchable Match (Fung yu tong lu)

Direction and co-script: Parkman Wong, production: 1990

Cast: Stephen Chow, Michael Wai Man Chan, Sing Fui On, Vivian Chow
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation DVD edition

 

Stupid but fun hyperkinetic martial arts action
adventure where everybody does kung fu fighting
and also with skilled western fighters. Even the
beautiful Carrie Ng takes part in the mayhem and
Fujimi Nadeki shows her martial arts skills

Crystal Hunt (Nu huo wei long / China Heat)

Direction: Pak Lam Chui (Hsia Hsu), production: 1991

Cast: Donnie Yen, Sibelle Hu, Carrie Ng, Ken Lo, Fujimi Nadeki
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 2
German Imperial Pictures 2020 DVD edition

 

Delightfully trashy crime action with tons of
shoot-outs and with hordes of gangster underlings
eager to be massacred by Moon Lee and Max Mok.
True detective work finding which Moon Lee film this
really was as there are at least two films with her titled
Angel Force, and who the actors were

Angel Force (Tu ying dang an / Mission Kill / Mission of Condor)

Direction: Chiu Lee/Ying Chiu, production: 1991

Cast: Moon Lee, Simon Yam, Max Mok, Wong Yee-Kam
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 2
German Imperial Pictures 2020 DVD edition

 

Grade B crime action with a great John Woo-ish
over the top shoot-out massacre ending probably
inspired by Brian De Palma's "Scarface".
The film starts with a summary of what happened
in the first film

China White 2 (Ying hung ho hon / Black Vengeance)

Direction: Taylor Wong, production: 1987

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Ken Lo
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 2
German Cargo Records DVD edition

 

Trashy, violent and a bit sleazy crime action drama
where beautiful Joey Wang promises to run her
fathers Triad business group when he's in jail.
She tries to close down criminal activities but is
raped and degraded by her nasty underling

An Eye for an Eye (Wai ngoh duk juen)

Direction: O Sing-Pui, production: 1990

Cast: Joey Wang, Max Mok, Wilson Lam, Lung Fong
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong CN Entertainment DVD edition

 

Mildly enjoyable ghost story comedy with the
adorable Sally Yeh, the Taiwanese-Canadian HK
Golden Era of film cult actress and singer, as a
student writing her thesis on HK superstition.
Chow Yun-Fat and Raymond Wong woos her

The Occupant (The Tenant)

Direction: Ronny Yu, production: 1984

Cast: Sally Yeh, Chow Yun-Fat, Raymond Wong, Lo Lieh
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation DVD edition

 

Very entertaining martial arts crime action where
Jimmy Wang is violence proned police inspector
Fang from the HK Special Unit taking down dope
criminals in Australia. Sammo Hung's 1st action
choreography work on film

The Man From Hong Kong

Direction, script: Brian Trenchard, Prod. Hong Kong - Australia 1975

Cast: Jimmy Wang, George Lazenby, Sammo Hung
DVD in english audio with swedish subtitles, region 2
Swedish Retro Film DVD edition

 

Another absolute Jackie Chan Masterpiece
with the Golden Trio, where the agile Yuen Biao
litterary defies the laws of Gravity. The brothers
defends a cute heiress and with a classic ending
fight with Jackie vs. Benny The Jet Urquidez

Wheels on Meals

Direction: Sammo Hung, production: 1984

Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung,Yuen Biao, Benny Urquidez
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region B
UK Eureuka! 2019 bluray edition

 

The precursor to 2002 "Infernal Affairs" superhit
was the gritty and very well made 1981 "Man on
the Brink" where a young cop has to infiltrate and
join the Triads. Beautiful Feel Bad with a great
performance from Eddie Chen and Ga Lun

Man on the Brink (Bin Yuen Yan)

Direction: Alex Cheung, production: 1981

Cast: Eddie Chen, Ga Lun, Kam Hing-Yin, Mei-Bo
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong CN Entertainment Ltd. DVD edition

 

This is the stuff that dreams are made of ...
Psychotronic masterpiece. Sex-comedy-sci-fi-action
with the genre Legend Amy Yip, japanese goddess
Chikako Aoyama & cool taiwanese Hsu Hsiao Dan
One of my favourite cat. III films, sleazy to the hilt
It doesn't get better than this folks. Nudity Alert

Robotrix (Nu ji xie ren)

Direction, co-script: Jamie Luk Kim-Ming, production: 1991

Cast: Amy Yip, Hsu Hsiao Dan, Aoyama Chikako, David Wu
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region A
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation Ltd. 2020 bluray edition

 

Females with Guns cult classic trash action that
became a sensation in the west and started the
HK film mania. Funny and sleazy about female
killers and Carrie Ng is unforgettable as lesbian
killer Princess. A Cat. III trash masterpiece

Naked Killer (Chik loh goh yeung) /Naked Killer 2)

Direction: Clarence Fok Yiu Leung, production: 1992

Cast: Chingmy Yau, Carrie Ng Ka-Lai, Simon Yam
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star edition

 

An insane trash horror action comedy mess from
the Ed Wood, Jr. of Hong Kong, Godfrey Ho.
Put together from a bunch of different films we get
to see hopping vampires, drug smugglers, ninjas,
Taoist priests and something about a film script
Beware of serious brain damage watching these

Robo Vampire + The Vampire is Alive (Counter Destroyer)

Direction and script: Godfrey Ho, prod: Hong Kong-Thailand 1987-1988

Cast: Robin Mackay, Nian Watts / Michelle Yim, Sorapong Chatree
DVD in english audio, region 2
German Mr. Banker Films 2021 DVD edition

 

Before 2001 "Shaolin Soccer" made fun of the noble
sport of soccer one of the Three Brothers, Yuen
Biao did it in the 1983 comedy "The Champions".
There's a lot of matchfixing going on in HK soccer
but country boy Lee Tong refuses to take part

The Champions (Boh ngau)

Direction and script: Brandy Yuen Cheung Yeung, production: 1983

Cast: Yuen Biao, Dick Wei, Moon Lee, Cheung Kwok Keung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation Ltd. 2020 DVD edition

 

Stupid, intense, bloody hyperkinetic crime action
with unappropriate comedy from the Golden Era
and great B trash just as we want it. Simon Yam
and Jacky Cheung plays professional killers for
hire until it's time for some heroic bloodshed

Bullet for Hire (Zi dan chu zu)

Direction and script: Yuen Chun-Man, production: 1991

Cast: Simon Yam, Jacky Cheung, Dick Wei, Lieh Lo, Elaine Lui
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong CN Entertainment Ltd. DVD edition

 

Erotic Crime Mystery Cat. III , somewhat crappy
but slickly shot and with the luscious Carrie Ng
as a dangerous beauty. Much nudity and soft-
core sex and a Basic Instinct ripoff. Ng could be
the queen of the Cat. III but is also a fine actress

Evil Instinct (Gik dou sau sing / Ji dou shou xing)

Direction and co-script: Barry Chu, production: 1996

Cast: Carrie Ng, Diana Pang, Sam Hui
DVD in cantonese with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation Ltd. 2020 DVD edition

 

Beautiful wuxia swordplay fantasy and love story
with the fascinating Brigitte Lin as a witch who has
grown up among mountain wolves and falls in love
with a young warrior.
A bizarre, hyperkinetic and hypnotic HK classic

The Bride with the White Hair

Direction: Ronny Yu, production: 1993

Cast: Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Francis Ng, Yammie Lam
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong CN Entertainment 2019 blu-ray edition

 

A forgotten crime-thriller drama and almost as
good as "Long Arm of the Law", when a dangerous
criminal hijacks the bank-robbery of 2 amateurs.
With a fine intense ending and with a great Ti Lung
as desperado. HK Noir as it's Feel Bad best

People's Hero (Yan man ying hung)

Direction: Derek Yee Tung Shing, production: 1987

Cast: Ti Lung, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Elaine Jin, Tony Leung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong CN Entertainment DVD edition

 

Hyperkinetic film it is. A GREAT inspired and weird
sci-fi fantasy action after a manga with lots of energy
about the war between Man and Monsters. The pace
is just amazing, fasten your seatbelts, this is insanity..
Entertaining weirdness in a nice Blu-ray edition

The Wicked City

Direction: Peter Mak Tai Kit, production: Tsui Hark 1992

Cast: Leon Lai, Jackie Cheung, Michelle Reis
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region A
Hong Kong Panorama blu-ray edition

 

Crime thriller where 2 competitors and rivals in
pistol police target style shooting, who after an
accident on the range, meets again after 3 years.
One as a cop and one as a killer for the Triads

Double Tap

Direction and script: Lo Chi Leung, production: 2000

Cast: Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong, Ruby Wong
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong kong Panorama Corporation Ltd. DVD edition

 

The Great Stephen Chow in an early slapstick
comedy filled with gags and nonsensical humour
attacks you like a force of nature. Here as a trickster
hired to wreak havoc in the life of poor Andy Lau

Tricky Brains

Direction, script: Wong Jing, production: 1991

Cast: Stephen Chow, Andy Lau, Ng Man Tat, Chingmy Yau
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Vicol Entertainment Ltd. blu-ray edition




Jet Li plays Chang San Fong, the founder of the Tai
Chi martial arts technique in the beautiful wire fu Yuen
Woo Ping Masterpiece. My favourite Jet Li movie with
real tai-chi combined with fantasy wire fu

The Tai Chi Master

Direction: Yuen Woo Ping, production: Jet Li 1993

Cast: Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Chin Siu Ho
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
UK Dragon Dynasty Showbox blu-ray edition

 

Absolute Cult Classic mix of King Kong with japanese
kaiju when Danny Lee finds not just the enormous ape
in the Himalayas but also a gorgeous blond jungle girl.
Beautiful Evelyne Kraft is unforgettable as the girl,
daringly playing around with big felines. Great stuff!

The Mighty Peking Man

Direction: Ho Meng-Hua, production: Shaw Brothers 1977

Cast: Evelyne Kraft, Danny Lee, The Man in the Mask
Blu-ray in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region B
UK 88 Films blu-ray and DVD region 2 combo edition

 

The great Jet Li version of Bruce Lee's 1972 Fist of
Fury where he plays Chen Zhen, a student returning
to 1930's China to avenge the death of his master.
Amazing martial arts choreography from the master
Yuen Woo Ping and nice extras. One of Li's best films

Fist of Legend

Direction, co-script: Gordon Chan, production: Jet Li 1993

Cast: Jet Li, Shinobu Nakayama, Chin Siu Ho
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
UK Dragon Dynasty Showbox blu-ray edition

 

Once upon a time the reason to get a dvd player.
The Jackie Chan masterpiece of action-comedy
with wild stunts from The JC Group that never
will be surpassed. Jacke plays loose cannon HK
super cop Ka-Kui and hunts a tycoon villain

Police Story

Direction, co-script: Jackie Chan, production: 1985

Cast: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 2
UK Cine Asia Hong Kong Legends DVD edition

 

The sequel and ditto above. Another action comedy
with beyond mindblowing stunts that probably
never will be outdone. This time hero super cop
Ka Kui hunts the mad bomber and kung fu kicker
Ah Pa. Maggie Cheung is May, his girlfriend

Police Story 2

Direction, co-script: Jackie Chan, production: 1988

Cast: Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Benny Lai
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 2
UK Cine Asia Hong Kong Legends DVD edition

 

A Spectacular Jackie Chan movie with great pace,
wild stunts and with Michelle Yeoh exploding on the
screen and almost stealing the movie from Jackie.
Maybe my favourite JC film and now finally in a
Blu-ray edition. God bless my region free player

Police Story 3 - Supercop

Direction: Stanley Tong, production and action direction: 1992

Cast: Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Ken Tsang
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region A
Hong Kong Kam & Ronson Fortune Star 2018 blu-ray edition

 

The lovely Chingmy Yau in a Lawrence Cheng
comedy. Burlesque and nonsense humour
about a pretty girl with telekinetic and magical
power arriving to HK to live with her only relative
her sloppy drunkard aunt Big Beer

She Starts the Fire (Penhuo hu lang)

Direction: Lawrence Cheng, prod: Wong Jing & Gordon Chan 1992

Cast: Chingmy Yau Suk Ching, Deannie Yip, Lawrence Cheng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Panorama Corporation Ltd. 2020 DVD edition



Jet Li as folk hero in a great martial arts wire fu action
comedy where Jet shows he's well suited also for fun
stuff, even though Josephine Siao playing his kung fu
mother somewhat steals the show. Great fun

Fong Sai Yuk (The Legend of Fong sai-Yuk)

Direction: Corey Yuen, production: Jet Li 1992

Cast: Jet Li, Josephine Siao, Michelle Reis, Sibelle Hu
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
UK Dragon Dynasty Showbox blu-ray edition



Deliciously unhinged black magic horror with
splatter, gore and nudity. The tentacle monster at
the splatter explosive end must be seen to be
believed. A taxi driver takes revenge on his wife's
killers by using Black magic, Gong Tau from a wizard

Seeding of a Ghost

Direction: Chuan Yang, production: Shaw Brothers 1983

Cast: Phillip Ko, Norman Chu, Maria Jo, Yung Wang
Blu-ray in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region B/2
UK 88 Films blu-ray and DVD combo edition

 

Early Johnnie To crime-action classic with lots of
intensity, energy and violence. Great stuff from
the Golden era with a fine Waise Lee as a cop up
against Triad drug criminals. They just don't make
them like this anymore

The Big Heat (Seng fat dak ging)

Direction: Johnnie To & Andrew Kam, production: 1988

Cast: Waise Lee, Wang Tsu Hsien, Phillip Kwok
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region free
Hong Kong Fortune Star - Joy Sales DVD edition

 

Another hyperkinetic crime-action from the Golden
era of HK film, but this one of the more trashy type.
The entrepreneur Leung finds himself in a conflict
with a tycoon and his brutal underlings

Profile in Anger (Wu ming huo)

Direction, script: Leung Ka Yan, production: 1983

Cast: Leung Ka Yan, Pat Ha, Phillip Ko, Michael Chan
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Fortune Star - Joy Sales DVD edition

 

A fine forgotten crime action about a Hong Kong
cop and his wife played by the great Carrie Ng.
He works as an undercover cop and is drawn
into a drug war in New York. A bit B-ish but good
and lovely Carrie is always good

Taking Manhattan

Direction: Kirk Wong, production: 1991

Cast: Lei Zi Ran, Carrie Ng, Chen Jun, Alana Adena
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Fortune Star - Joy Sales DVD edition

 

A downbeat but interesting and talented artmovie
from Taiwan about a sad teenage girl fleeing into
dreams. Magic, unseen connections and karma.
Chen later made the great thriller Double Vision and
even later became a successful producer in China

The Peony Pavilion (Wo de mei li yu ai chou)

Direction: Chen Kuo Fu, Photo: Christopher Doyle, prod: 1995

Cast: Chang Pen Yu, Ue Tien-hsin, Rene Liu
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

 

Classic and VERY funny horror comedy where Lam
Ching Ying is hilarious as the hopping zombie and
vampire hunter, and with Pauline Chan Hot as a
horny ghost. Absolute beloved HK classic that
was followed by a legion of sequels

Mr.Vampire (Geung sin sang)

Direction: Ricky Lau Chang-Wei, production: 1985

Cast: Lam Ching Ying, Moon Lee, Pauline Wong Siu Fung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

Bizarre HK hybrid of a giallo and a slasher with
much unsuitable burlesque comedy among the
violence, a typical HK film staple. A transvestite
with a taste for white nylon stockings kills women

He Lives By Night (Ye jing hun)

Direction: Po Chih Leong, production: 1982

Cast: Eddie Chan, Simon Yam, Sylvia Chang, Kent Cheng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Fortune Star - Joy Sales DVD edition

 

Pitch black Hong Kong noir classic with Yuen
Biao, the agile martial arts expert and Jacke Chan
movies actor, as a cop and with Pat Ha as female
killer. Both actors underrated and this forgotten
Feel Bad crime-action is a golden era masterpiece

On the Run (Mong ming yuen yeung)

Direction: Alfred Cheung, production: 1988

Cast: Yuen Biao, Pat Ha Man Jing
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

Wild, vulgar and insanely crazy action-comedy and
a prime example of the glorious only from Hong Kong
Cat. III film about a re-animated cop out for revenge.
Legendary Amy Yip appears briefly in the infamous
squirting milk scene. Fun tasteless craziness

The Blue Jean Monster (The Monster Wore Jeans)

Direction. Ivan Lai (Jimmy Li), production: 1990

Cast: Sing Fui On, Pauline Wong, Tse Wai Kit, Amy Yip
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Fortune Star - Joy Sales DVD edition

 

Kung Fu masterpiece from the great Yuen Woo
Ping. Visually gorgeous about the Iron Monkey
- the chinese Robin Hood. one of the great
martial arts movies

Iron Monkey

Direction: Yuen Woo-Ping, production: 1993

Cast: Donnie Yen, Yu Rong Gwong, Tsang Ze Man
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3 & 6
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

Chow Yun-Fat plays an undercover cop in a gang
of robbers. A great crime-thriller from one of the
masters of the genre Ringo Lam, before he left for
Hollywood and trashy Van Damme films and lost
his magic. Tarantino ripped the story for his debut

City on Fire (Lung fu fong wan)

Direction: Ringo Lam, production: 1987

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Carrie Ng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Mediocre B gangster action with gorgeous Carrie
Ng as a maffia killer and .... the classic violinist
Li Yuen Hwa. Does this bother me? Noo, Carrie
i'm your slave. The forgotten queen of the B-
movies may your memory live on forever

Deadly Illusion

Direction: Wong Chun-Yeung, production: 1998

Cast: Carrie Ng Ka-Lai, Elvis Tsui, Guan Yu
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Winson DVD edition

 


Masterful artmovie drama from the in the west
so popular director talent Wong Kar-Wai,
about meetings in a fast-food joint.
With an intro from hipster Quentin Tarantino

Chungking Express

Direction: Wong Kar-Wai, production: 1994

Cast: Tony Leung, Takeshi kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Faye Wong
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 1
US Miramax Rolling Thinder DVD edition

 


My favourite Wong Kar Wai movie.
Beautiful, pensive and minimalistic complex
artmovie that puts me in a trance-like state

Days of Being Wild

Direction: Wong Kar-Wai, production: 1990

Cast: Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

 


Romantic crime-drama about the ruthless living
situation for some triad gangsters in Hong Kong.
This was Wong Kar Wai's 1st film and his
biggest success in his own home territory

As Tears Go By

Direction: Wong Kar-Wai, production: 1988

Cast: Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

Hsi-Yu Chi
The Journey to the West
The often filmed classic, read more under The Monkey Goes West

 

Part one in the beloved Shaw Brothers film series
based on the 15th century novel Hsi-Yu Chi, with
a monk, a pig and the Monkey King. Do read more
on the picture link about the film and about novel

The Monkey Goes West

Direction: Ho Meng-Hua, production: 1964

Cast: Diana Chang Chung-Wen, Ho Fan, Pan Peng
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong IVL Celestial Shaw Brothers DVD edition

 


The 2nd part where the Monkey King is on a
pilgrimage, borrows a sun feather and meets
luscious but dangerous cannibal women

Princess Iron Fan

Direction: Ho Meng-Hua, production: 1966

Cast: Cheng Pei-Pei, Ho Fan, Pat Ting-hung
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong IVL Celestial Shaw Brothers DVD edition

 

3rd part in the trilogy with the Monkey King
and his travel companions getting caught by
meat-eating spider demons. Great fun and
very colorful as usual from Shaw Brothers

The Cave of the Silken Web

Direction: Ho Meng-Hua, production: 1967

Cast: Angela Yu Chien, Shen Yi, Shirley Huang
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong IVL Celestial Shaw Brothers DVD edition

   

 


Mix of fairytale and swordplay wuxia with the
beautiful avenger Li Ching using a jade sword
to revenge the death of her parents

Vengeance of a Snow Girl (Bing tian xia nu)

Direction: Lo Wei, production: 1971

Cast: Li Ching, Yueh Ha, Tian Feng, Chiao Chiao
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 3
Thai Shaw Brothers United Home DVD edition

 

Lam's visual masterpiece. Beautiful, dark and
very, very violent. Glorious style over content.
Simon Yam excels as the slimey psycho bad
guy .... as usual. The Psycho Baddie No. 1

Full Contact

Direction: Ringo Lam, production: 1992

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Simon Yam, Anthony Wong
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah Re-Mastered DVD edition

 

Hailed Erotic softcore classic based on Chao
Meng Fu's famous 17th century novel, and
with busty legend actress Amy Yip in her
only fully nude role. A booklet with pictures
was included with this edition

Sex and Zen (Re-mastered edition)

Direction: Michael Mak, production: 1991

Cast: Amy Yip, Isabella Chow, Lawrence Ng, Carrie Ng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Fortune Star DVD edition

 


Taiwanese actress and ex-model Shu Qi in her
"real" film debut. A softcore about a sex-changing
demon out and hunting for virgins to seduce

Sex & Zen 2

Direction: Chi Man Kei, production: 1996

Cast: Shu Qi, Rachel Lee, Elvis Tsui, Ben Ng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

 


Yet another fine artmovie drama from Artmovie
island no.1 - Taiwan. Talented and minimalistic
from Tsai Ming Liang in a US DVD edition

Rebels of the Neon God

Direction: Tsai Ming Liang, production: 1992

Cast: Lee Kang-Sheng, Chen Chao-Jung, Miao Tien
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 1
US Wellspring unrated DVD edition

 Stephen Chow (Chiao) The Funniest man in China - Hong Kong

 

The Funniest man in the world isn't Jim Carrey,
it's Stephen Chow. The King of nonsensical but
hilarious comedy. I love him but some can't stand
the man. Many of his earlier HK films have been
released in new re-mastered DVD editions lately


Stephen Chow/Chiao (Chow Sing Chi/Zhou Xing Chi) is a very funny
guy and with an unique nonsensical slapstick style of humour called
Mo Lei Tau that shifts between hysterically funny gags, hard to translate
word jokes and very vulgar pee and poop level jokes.
Born in 1962 he debuted in 1988 and has since entertained the chinese
in a long series of film-comedies. His breakthrough in the West came with
the 2001 Shaolin Soccer and the following Kung Fu Hustle

 

Probably my all time favourite film from Chow.
Very funny with often hysterically gags, as a
food delivery guy or a martial arts contender.
With his constant buddy Ng Man-Tat at his
side naturally

Love On Delivery (Poh wai ji wong)

Direction: Li Lik-Chi, production: 1994

Cast: Stephen Chow, Christy Chung, Ng Man-Tat
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong IVL Shaw Brothers - Re-mastered DVD edition

 

Funny and bizarre Chow parody on ghost-
horror movies with some wild gags when
Chow as a ghosthunter shall clean a haunted
house from spookery

Out of the Dark

Direction: Jeff Lau, production: 1995

Cast: Stephen Chow, Karen Mok, Huang Yi Fei
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong IVL Shaw Brothers - Re-mastered DVD edition

 

Chow plays an unlikeable and obnoxious rich kid
who terrorizes the school, but after an explosion
of a bomb he's transformed into a super hero
using strange bodily gadgets

60 Million Dollar Man

Direction: Wong Jing (Yip Wai Man), production: 1995

Cast: Stephen Chow, Ng Man Tat, Gigi Leung, Pauline Suen
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah - Re-mastered DVD edition

 


Classic action comedy with policeman Chow
forced to go undercover as a school-student
in the quest for a lost police weapon

Fight Back to School

Direction: Gordon Chan, production: 1991

Cast: Stephen Chow, Ng Man Tat, Shara Cheung, Roy Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah re-mastered DVD edition

 

In the sequel Chow has been degraded to be a
traffic cop and he yet again goes undercover as
an overaged student investigating cases of
terrorism in school ... or something like that,
i've forgotten

Fight Back to School 2

Direction: Gordon Chan, production: 1992

Cast: Stephen Chow, Ng Man Tat, Sharla Cheung, Athena Chu
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah re-mastered DVD edition

 

Chow is Secret agent Ling Ling Fat No. 008 in
old China on a mission to protect the Emperor
and to .... make a fool of himself in as much
different ways as possible

Forbidden City Cop

Direction: Vincent Kok, production: 1996

Cast: Stephen Chow, Carina Lau, Cheung Tat-Ming
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah re-mastered DVD edition

   

 

A very good wuxia drama and one of the early
Hong Kong martial arts movies. Wang Yu goes
to Dragon Valley to meet his future bride and
her family is fighting against martial arts monks

Temple of the Red Lotus

Direction: Chui Chang Wang, production: 1965

Cast: Chin Ping, Jimmy Wang Yu, Ivy Ling Po, Lo Lieh
DVD med mandarin och engelsk text, region 3
Hong Kong Shaw Brothers re-mastered DVD edition

 

Brilliant, dark and intense crime-drama from the HK
crime maestro about a robber playing cat and mouse
with the police. Lau Ching Wan is magnificent in
the lead naturally, what else?

Full Alert

Direction: Ringo Lam, production: 1997

Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Francis Ng
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

 

Another martial arts classic from Yuen Woo Ping,
one of the masters of the genre. In this we get to
see Sammo Hung deal with a another Kung Fu
School, a hostile to Sammo's one. Great old time
Kung Fu with a staple story in these films

The Magnificent Butcher

Direction: Yuen Woo Ping, production: 1979

Cast: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Kuan Te Hsing
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

The extremely agile Yuen Biao thinks he's a
martial arts master as his rich parents have
payed his fighting opponents to lose

The Prodigal Son

Direction: Sammo Hung, production: 1982

Cast: Yuen Biao, Lam Ching Ying, Sammo Hung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

Jet Li
 A selection of some Jet Li movies below Jet Li - The Master of Kung Fu (Li Lian Jie or Li Lin Kit, born 1963)
has won many kung fu competitions, he also was/is one of China's
and the world's most popular martial arts action filmstars.
He debuted at 18 years of age in the classic The Shaolin Temple

 

Probably my favourite film with Jet Li, when he
plays Chang San Fong, the founder of the Tai
Chi martial arts technique. Directed by the genre
master Yuen Woo Ping

The Tai Chi Master

Direction Yuen Woo Ping, production: Jet Li 1993

Cast: Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Chin Siu Ho
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Bizarre and fascinating Wuxia with Jet Li vs.
an evil emperor that turns into a woman, and
Brigitte Lin is nothing less than magnificent
naturally. She for sure had some screen charisma

Swordsman 2

Direction: Ching Siu Tung, production: 1992

Cast: Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan, Michelle Reis
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah Re-mastered DVD edition

 


The only 18 years old Jet Li became a martial
arts legend when he debuted in this great looking
movie filmed at the actual Shaolin Temple in China

The Shaolin Temple

Direction: Chang Hsin Yen, production: 1982

Cast: Jet Li, Ding Lam, Hui Ching
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah Re-mastered DVD edition

 

Jet Li is the hero of the people, Fong Sai Yuk in a
brilliant action-comedy. But it is his mother
played very nicely by Josephine Chao that
steals the film as his martial arts mother

Fong Sai Yuk (Part 1 and 2)

Direction: Corey Yuen, production: Jet Li 1993

Cast: Jet Li, Josephine Siao, Michelle Reis
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Jet plays the legendary martial arts expert-
doctor and philosopher Wong Fei Hung in a
Super Hit that was followed by a legion of
sequels. A classic with choreography from
the great Yuen Woo Ping

Once Upon a Time in China

Direction: Tsui Hark, production: 1991

Cast: Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

   

 

Insanely violent splatter-action-comedy on a
manga about a sadistic prison.
Sick, funny and so cartoonish violent that
this wild puppy just has to be seen

Story of Ricky (Rikki O)

Direction: Lan Nei Tsai/Nam Nai Choi, production: 1991

Cast: Fan Sui Wong, Ho Ka Kui, Oshima Yukari
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Fortune Star DVD edition

 


Funny, sweet and charming romantic
fantasy with Chow Yun Fat, zombies and a
cute nepalese witch

Witch From Nepal

Direction: Ching Siu Tung, production: 1987

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Emily Chu
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Shaw Brothers production about the intrigues
and battling between the Sun Yu Klan and
the ROC Society. Later filmed as Butterfly and
Sword with Michelle Yeoh

Killer Clans

Direction: Chor Yuen, production: 1976

Cast: Chung Wa, Cha Ping, Guk Fung
DVD in mandarin audio with english subtitles, region 3
Hong Kong Shaw Brothers DVD edition

 


A wuxia classic about desert battles during
the Ming Dynasty, and with quite impressive
cast list

Dragon Inn

Direction: Raymond Lee, production: 1992

Cast: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen, Brigitte Lin
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

 

Nice looking historical fantasy adventure
popcorn fluff with fighting in the Gobi desert
between the Tang agent Lai Xi and the
Tang defector officer Li

Warriors of Heaven and Earth

Direction: He Ping, production: China 2003

Cast: Jiang Wen, Nakai Kiichi, Vicky Zhao Wei
DVD in mandarin audio with english subs, region 3
Hong Kong Columbia Tristar DVD edition

 

Crime thriller in the same wein as Infernal Affairs
where Wong's police Huang Jiang could be
responsible for the death of a colleague, and the
son of the victim want to revenge his fathers death
OK popcorn from schlockmaster Wong Jing

Colour of the Truth

Direction: Wong Jing/Marco Mak, production: HK 2003

Cast: Anthony Wong, Jordan Chan, Lau Ching Wan
DVD in cantonese audio with english subs, region free
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD DVD edition

 

Fine actors in a suspenseful crime thriller about
the reciprocal hunt for infiltrators within the
police and the Triads. Super Hit that was remade
in Hollywood in a crappy version from always
overrated Scorsese with always overacting Jack N.

Infernal Affairs (with 2 sequels in HK and a US re-make)

Direction: Andrew Lau & Alan Mak, production: HK 2002

Cast: Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang
DVD in cantonese audio with english subs, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star 2 disc DVD edition

 


Nice drama where cute Angelica Lee becomes
the model to the computer game heroine
Princess D. Great movie and one of the better
Hong Kong films from 2002

Princess D

Direction: Sylvia Chang, production: HK 2002

Cast: Angelica Lee, Daniel Wu, Edison Chen
DVD in cantonese audio with english subs, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

 

Artmovie love triangle drama with some great
acting from the great Gong Li, the other Tony
and from Sun Honglei.
Mainland China do have a lot of great actors
that's for sure

The Train of Zho Zhu (Zhou Yu's Train)

Direction: Sun Zhou, production: China 2002

Cast: Gong Li, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Sun Honglei
DVD in mandarin audio with english subs, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

 


The Artmovie maestro of Taiwan, Hou Hsiao Hsien
give us a drama about Vicky and her shaky relation
to a slacker- His siren Shu Qi is, as always in his
films, very good in an artmovie type of film

Millennium Mambo

Direction: Hou Hsiao Hsien, production: Taiwan 2001

Cast: Shu Qi, Tuan Chun-Hao, Jack Kao
DVD in mandarin audio with english subs, region 3
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Slick looking crime action with Andy Lau as
a professional killer. Based on a popular crime
novel from Pang Ho Cheung - the soon to be
auteur HK filmmaker and renewer of HK film

Fulltime Killer

Direction: Johnnie To, produktion: 2001

Cast: Andy Lau, Takashi Sorimachi, Simon Yam
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

Visually stylish and cool action drama where a
group of bodyguards have their hands full
protecting the Triad boss Mr. Lung

The Mission

Direction: Johnnie To, production: 1999

Cast: Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Simon Yam Tat-Wa
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

Jackie Chan
 A small selection of some Jackie Chan movies below Jackie Chan's Police Story series is brimfilled with out of this world
stunts and sensational action scenes, everything with Jackie himself
in it and without the not yet existing computer faking opportunities.
These films were once the main reason for getting a DVD player and
they made Jackie the greatest film star in Asia. Must see action movies

 

Jackie Chan action Masterpiece with action
scenes and stunts that are beyond mind-
blowing and they will probably never be
outdone

Police Story

Direction: Jackie Chan, production: 1985

Cast: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

Ditto above

Police Story 2

Direction: Jackie Chan, production: 1988

Cast: Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

 

Ditto above .... plus Michelle Yeoh in a sensa-
tional performance as a rock-hard Chinese
military policewoman, and she almost steals
the film from Jackie

Police Story 3 - Supercop

Direction: Stanley Tong, production: 1992

Cast: Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mega Star DVD edition

 

Another absolute Jackie Chan Masterpiece
with the Golden Trio, where the agile Yuen Biao
litterary defies the laws of Gravity. The brothers
defends a cute heiress and with a classic ending
fight with Jackie vs. Benny The Jet Urquidez

Wheels on Meals

Direction: Sammo Hung, production: 1984

Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung,Yuen Biao, Benny Urquidez
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

The sequel to Wheels on Meals with the 3
brothers fighting against the gang of a drug-
lord, and yet again with an epic ending fight
between Jackie and Benny The Jet Urquidez

Dragons Forever

Direction: Sammo Hung, production: 1987

Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung,Yuen Biao, Benny Urquidez
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

 

Action-comedy where 5 ex-convicts are chased
by counterfeiters and assist Jackie Chan's
catastrophe cop. This film later had a sequel in
My Lucky Stars. Read more on the picture page

Winners and Sinners

Direction: Sammo Hung, production: 1983

Cast: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao cameo, Cherie Chung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe DVD edition

John Woo
 A selection of some John Woo movies below John Woo (Ng Yu-Sum/Wu Yu-Sen), born 1946, legendary status
action director. Inspired by Sam Peckinpah he re-animated the genre
and made some iconic Gun Play - Bullet Ballet films that became icons

 

Epic John Woo masterpiece about 3 friends fleeing
Hong Kong just to find themselves in the middle of
the Vietnam war. Plays out like a more hyperkinetic,
intense and violent version of Deer Hunter and my
favourite film of John Woo

Bullet in the Head

Direction: John Woo, production: 1990

Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Waise Lee, Simon Yam Tat-Wa
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

The first John Woo classic and the film where
cool cat Chow Yun Fat became an asian superstar.
This genre epic set the standards for the Modern
Action film world-wide with it's Gunplay.
At least 2 sequels were made

A Better Tomorrow

Direction: John Woo, production: 1986

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Ti Lung
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Deltamac DVD edition

 

More of everything in the deliriously overblown
Mother of All action movies. Woo lets the film
explode in an orgy of gunplay that goes on and
on and .... Probably the ultimate gunplay movie
regarding the excess of shoot-outs

Hard-Boiled

Direction: John Woo, production: 1992

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anthony Wong
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Mei Ah DVD edition

 


Another elegant, violent and style setting
gangster crime saga from the Hong Kong
school of Golden Era actionfilm.

The Killer

Direction: John Woo, production: 1989

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh
DVD in cantonese audio with english subtitles, region all
Hong Kong Universe 111 min DVD edition

   2001-2024 Gunnar Strange Things
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