Heroes Of The East (1978)

Tao vs Koda: 2.25/5


Tao vs Koda: 2.75/5


Tao vs Kendo Master: 3/5


Drunken Master Fight: 2/5


 Tao vs Karate Master: 3.25/5


Tao vs Nunchaku/Tonfa Master: 3.5/5


Tao vs Sojutsu Master: 3.5/5


Tao vs Sai Master: 3.25/5


Tao vs Judo Master: 2.5/5


Tao vs Takeno Round 1: 3/5


Tao vs Takeno Round 2: 3.75/5



I really dug this movie. It was kind of revolutionary for its time in that most Chinese kung fu movies portrayed Japanese people as awful monsters, whereas in this movie they are mostly honorable and fight in the spirit of sport. I also really enjoyed the variety of martial arts employed. There are no blow away fights but nothing is bad. And there's some really good stuff in here. Recommended.

Warriors Two (1978)

Mr. Tsang vs Cashier Hua: 2.5/5

Cashier Hua vs Swordsmen and Big 3: 2.75/5

Mayor's Guard vs Swordsmen, Thunder & Iron Body: 2.75/5

Mr. Tsang vs Thunder & Iron Body: 3/5

Chasier Hua vs Fat Chun: 2/5

Fat Chun vs Beetle: 2.75/5

Mr. Tsang vs Assasins & Big 3: 4/5

School vs assasins and Big 3: 2.75/5

Fat Chun vs Tiger: 3.75/5

Cashier Hua vs Thunder: 4.25/5

Phoenix vs 2 Swordsmen: 3.25/5

Fat Chun vs 2 Swordsmen: 4/5

Cashier Hua vs Iron Body: 4/5

Fat Chun vs Master Yao: 1/5

Cashier Hua & Fat Chun vs Boss Mo: 4.5/5


One of my favorite old school flicks. Besides the fight with Dean Shek, everything here is solid. The earlier scraps set up larger scale fights towards the end. Casanova's kicking is soooo good. Lau Kar Leung carries himself very well as the Master. Fung Hak On's Mantis style looks deadly. And Sammo is in top form.

This film is considered one of the best Wing Chun movies out there, and for good reason. I love Wing Chun as a martial art and many of the techniques and a lot of the philosophy is on display here.

Highly Recommended.

The Young Master (1980)

Jackie w/ Fan vs fat Dude: 3.5/5

3 Outlaws vs Officers: 3.75/5

Hwang in Shik vs Officers: 4.25/5

Sword Fight: 3.5/5

Jackie vs Yuen Biao: 3.5/5

Jackie vs Yuen Biao 2: 4/5

Jackie vs Chief: 3.25/5

Jackie vs Chief's daughter: 3/5

Jackie vs 2 Outlaws: 3.75/5

Jackie vs Hwang in Shik: 4.75/5

Man, when I think about this movie I don't usually think about it as one of my favorite fighting movies of all time. But upon review, it's probably up there. The thing with a lot of old school kung fu films is the choreo tends to be slower but more about showcasing the art. But there's some beautiful stuff here. Even the first fight with the fan, though it has no real drama to it, features beautiful fan work from Jackie. He makes the fan look like a viable weapon.

I love that Yuan Biao's in this, and that he's a total asshole to Jackie in the movie. The two clash a couple times and Yuen Biao fights with a bench, of all things. That's why old school movies can be so fun. Strange weapons are commonplace.

Hwang In Shik is a total badass every moment he's onscreen. He showcases hapkido brilliantly in this. The end fight between him and Jackie is glorious. It's a short film unto itself. 15 minutes of action, with Jackie taking heavy damage for 12 of those minutes. Young Jackie sure was durable. A tour de force of a finale.

Highly recommended.