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Hong Kong Action Cinema OT Lots of YouTube Videos and Lots of Corpses

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M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
This is something I'm doing for the Sleeping Dogs OT, but I figured no reason not posting it here.

This series will focus on HK Triad movies, but I'll add separate genres, include Category III gore films like EBOLA SYNDROME in separate posts that won't appear in the sleeping dogs thread.


This is just part one...many more to come. :)

Hong Kong Triad Flicks Part 1.
The Basics aka John Woo Films
These are the typical Hong Kong Triad movies that everyone and their mom knows. Usually people with only this level of knowledge are artsy “foreign film fans”, QT fanboys, and anyone who read a AP article about John Woo or Chow Yun Fat. Nothing wrong with these films in anyway and there are great gateway movies. Our goal will be to take you further though.

A Better Tomorrow (1986)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR7q9_8qmak
A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F6bD3vYuw0 (English Langauge Trailer produced by Cinema City)
It’s not a great movie and you’ll want to punch Dean Shek in the nuts at times (the movie was done as a benefit to Shek who had money issues).
The entire movie is redeemed by EAT THE RICE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0fEJt54vxI
The final end battle (Note Shing Fui On comes back from the dead. lol RIP Big Silly, he passed away a few years ago after struggling with cancer, he was a great guy).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yquf-4xUsNc

Skip A Better Tomorrow III...you’re not missing much.

The Killer (1989)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c1JPPkE08w
US Trailer with reviews based on critics who saw messed up subs and thought it was an action comedy. Great movie, look again for Shing Fui On as the main bad guy.
Hard Boiled (1991)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqjSnbu48Qw
The epic original Hong Kong Trailer

Tease for beyond the John Woo looking glass.
Just Heroes Directed by John Woo and Wu Ma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY1Z6bl0eSA
Done as a charity pick for Shaw Brothers great Cheng Cheh (who was also Woo’s mentor and Wu Ma’s) this movie is stuff to the brim with HK and Shaw Brothers greats. Enjoy seeing a young Stephen Chow. It’s got Danny Li, David Chiang, Chen Kuan Tai and many others. Basically Cheng Cheh wasn’t in great financial state and the movie was done as a benefit for him, instead of retiring Cheng went to direct another film. :) Cheng was a legend and through his Shaw Brothers films you can see the development of Heroic Bloodshed and Brotherhood (even with most films being period pics) which are hallmarks of John Woo’s films and most of the Hong Kong Triad Cinema, without Cheng Cheh, Hong Kong Cinema would be far far poorer.

Oh it seems people uploaded all of these movies in full to youtube, strange world we live in.

Next Up: Triad Vanity Projects Two films made for the reason of honor a dead triad and one made by a man (Broken Tooth) to honor himself.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Hong Kong Film Flicks Part 2: It’s The 80s Do a Lot of Coke and Vote for Ronald Reagan
I know I said Triad Vanity Projects would be up next, BUT considering I just did John Woo it makes sense to deal with the movies before and after A Better Tomorrow that helped make it a great time for the Hong Kong Gangster Film

The Club (1981)
Directed by Kirk Wong (of the insanely underrated The Big Hit) this movie actually predates A Better Tomorrow by nearly 5 years. It star Chan Wai Man.
Chan Wai Man is a tough tough motherfucker...don’t fuck with Chan Wai Man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg0wfyACzCQ

The movie features the use of a boat fan as a weapon

Opening of the movie since I can’t find a trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tktekI6q2Q

Hong Kong Godfather (1985)
I love the ever loving shit out of this movie. It feature director by Johnny Wang and Stars Leung Kar Yan aka Beardy. This movie is filled with heroic bloodshed up the ass. Avoid old non remastered censored copies. You know how boss this movie is? When Beardy is reading the newspaper the ad on the backpage is for Rambo: First Blood Part II!

End fight spoilers...but you should still see it and this isn’t even the whole fight!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfhKsLPQ8g

On the subject of Beardy here is an excuse to show the end fight of Thundering Mantis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynsuaBPDFvo
Beardy and Sammo Hung
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9at2zelCKMA

Tiger Cage 1
Yuen Woo Ping and Donnie Yen. Also features Beardy without a beard and Johnny Wang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1F0QuFC18
Tiger Cage 2 (made in 1990...sue me)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZz8FjShjk
Features early Robin Shou.

Dragon Family (1988)
Lar Kar Leung Gangster films. Trailer will confirm the movie is filled with insane action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKoc0Ct9Ho0

Tragic Hero (1987)
Chow Yun Fat and Andy Lau. Two part movie with Rich and Famous as the other part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8GtIhngQg8

Flaming Brothers (1987)
Alan Tang and Chow Yun Fat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6eEQrsFnm4&feature=plcp

More from the 1980s coming up a little later

Bonus

Casino (1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPZ2jowCwCw
 
ScientificNinja

ScientificNinja

Member
Hate to point out the obvious, but this list is sorely lacking in vanity/style pieces like the Young and Dangerous series and that abomination called Born to be King.
 
M

muntersaur

Member
Apart from the John Woo films, I remember loving Beast Cops, The Big Heat and The Mission. I never got around to seeing any of the Young and Dangerous films.
 
R

Replicant

Member
It wouldn't be a Hong Kong action rec without this title:

VFszn.jpg


Deliciously trashy action/erotica goodness.
 
K

klee123

Member
80s to 90s HK movies were the best. A lot of them were cheesy low budget films, but they were so enjoyable.

My personal favs were the Prison on Fire series and City on Fire.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Replicant said:
It wouldn't be a Hong Kong action rec without this title:

VFszn.jpg


Deliciously trashy action/erotica goodness.
Click to expand...
I've never seen it, I know i know, but the Fox version was an R rated cut and being in college at the time importing wasn't cheap. On the bright side apparently people have uploaded every Hong Kong movie on YouTube (which sucks for companies wanting to distro it here and dealing with scumbag bootleggers that fill up those Kung fu stalls in the mall) and if you know the Chinese title (check hkmdb) it's really easy.
 
M

Munin

Member
Thread needs Ringo Lam. His gritty urban style was unparalleled. Nobody else has depicted Hong Kong with such feverish vision (and it's also markedly different from the more fantastical and cinematic approach of Woo and To).

Also Long Arm of the Law, On the Run, etc
 
dream

dream

Member
I know this is a thread about action films but a thread about HK flicks seems oddly incomplete without mentioning those awesome gambling films they used to make.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Munin said:
Thread needs Ringo Lam. His gritty urban style was unparalleled. Nobody else has depicted Hong Kong with such feverish vision (and it's also markedly different from the more fantastical and cinematic approach of Woo and To).

Also Long Arm of the Law, On the Run, etc
Click to expand...
He will be!*

dream said:
I know this is a thread about action films but a thread about HK flicks seems oddly incomplete without mentioning those awesome gambling films they used to make.
Click to expand...
You think Id ignore God of Gamblers? How can I leave out Charles Heung as the badass bodyguard of Chow Yun Fat.* Also Andy Lau getting chucked out a window by Shing Fui On so he bounces off a car.

MRORANGE said:
nice list!, care If I just link this thread?
Click to expand...
I think it might be best.

*Okay basically each day I'm going to do a theme and list trailers and clips. Trust me I will not leave a stone unturned with HK cinema. This thread won't really cover old school kung fu, that will be another thread. :)

People if you post a title try and post a trailer link in the thread so those with GAF Gold can see the YouTube video when they read the thread.
 
R

Replicant

Member
Manos: The Hans of Fate said:
I've never seen it, I know i know, but the Fox version was an R rated cut and being in college at the time importing wasn't cheap. On the bright side apparently people have uploaded every Hong Kong movie on YouTube (which sucks for companies wanting to distro it here and dealing with scumbag bootleggers that fill up those Kung fu stalls in the mall) and if you know the Chinese title (check hkmdb) it's really easy.
Click to expand...

Well, tbh the editing on both the R version and the Unrated version are so choppy that it often makes you wonder if your copy is complete or not. Half of the time I went "Huh, how did we go from that point to this one?". The only differences I can remember between the R and Unrated were some nipple shots, a lesbian scene, and a longer hetero scene.

Trailers (maybe NSFW):

Naked Killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8ug-0Iy4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIrIs0NOtcQ
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Replicant said:
Well, tbh the editing on both the R version and the Unrated version are so choppy that it often makes you wonder if your copy is complete or not. Half of the time I went "Huh, how did we go from that point to this one?". The only differences I can remember between the R and Unrated were some nipple shots, a lesbian scene, and a longer hetero scene.

Trailers (maybe NSFW):

Naked Killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8ug-0Iy4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIrIs0NOtcQ
Click to expand...
Ballin, thanks I think I'll watch this on the train tomorrow. I had the chance to meet Simon Yam once, guy is a true gentleman and much like his nickname really is Mr. GQ. Funniest thing is he smokes Marlboro Menthol, tremendous nice man though.
 
B

blainethemono

Member
Was asking a few of my friends for some recommendations just now and then saw this thread. Great looking list, gonna watch some of these in the next few days
 
K

Kuro Madoushi

Unconfirmed Member
God damn this thread is like my childhood in movies.

Makes me wish that Sleeping Dogs really did have all canto option.

I haven't seen a good HK flick in years and seeing what comes out makes me glad I don't watch them.

HK cinema really has lost its identity. Not sure if 97 is to blame, or modernity, or just globalism, but it really isn't the same anymore.
 
D

DustinC

Member
It's been a while since I've looked at my instant queue, but I think Netflix streaming in the US had a lot of the stuff Miramax had the rights to as far as HK action flicks from the 80's/90's, most of which was subbed.

Video quality is pretty atrocious, and the subs are probably off (I have no real idea), but it looked like a decent mix of stuff.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
DustinC said:
It's been a while since I've looked at my instant queue, but I think Netflix streaming in the US had a lot of the stuff Miramax had the rights to as far as HK action flicks from the 80's/90's, most of which was subbed.

Video quality is pretty atrocious, and the subs are probably off (I have no real idea), but it looked like a decent mix of stuff.
Click to expand...
Some of those title were remastered for the late Kung Fu HD channel, some are actually really good, some done back in the day are shit. I think Tiger Cage is on there.

Kuro Madoushi said:
God damn this thread is like my childhood in movies.

Makes me wish that Sleeping Dogs really did have all canto option.

I haven't seen a good HK flick in years and seeing what comes out makes me glad I don't watch them.

HK cinema really has lost its identity. Not sure if 97 is to blame, or modernity, or just globalism, but it really isn't the same anymore.
Click to expand...

It's actually a mixture of the market tanking, remember the Asian flu (not SARS), the decline in regional box offices, where movies were sold (such as Taiwan, everyone wanting a peace of the China Market (and it's horseshit rules), and the rise of US films. Good stuff is still being made (and I'd take it over Korea or Japan or Mainland China any day of the week), just not as much as before or the amount being made.

Danny Lee talks about it here (regional issues)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWZwzF6W74c

All Canto option would be fun.
 
B

Bob White

Member
Manos, you seem to be in the know. In the Casino trailer, the slow paced trumpet song that comes on in the middle, what would I call that genre of music? Like, what do I put in google/amazon if I wanted to find more music like this?
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
dream said:
No shit? Time to upgrade. I actually wasn't kidding; this is the only version of Bullet in the Head I own.

Photo%202012-08-12%209%2046%2012%20PM.jpg
Click to expand...

Oh man that VCD used to be worth it's wait in Gold back in the day.

CaptYamato said:
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bullet-In-The-Head-Blu-ray/22841/
Click to expand...

Most HK Blu-rays are just upsacles (oddly not all of them it's a bit hit or miss, I know Black Mask was real HD), if you don't have a DVD, then just get the BR, unless you can find the DVD dirt cheap.

Good places to check are
DDDhouse.com
Buyoyo.com
Yesasia.com (use for info searching mostly as there prices are a bit meh)

Bob White said:
Manos, you seem to be in the know. In the Casino trailer, the slow paced trumpet song that comes on in the middle, what would I call that genre of music? Like, what do I put in google/amazon if I wanted to find more music like this?
Click to expand...

Hong Kong Film Scores, I guess? Truthfully a lot of HK music used to be stolen from other movies. For example the music in the Dragon Boat Scene in The Killer is from Jame's Horner's score for Red Heat. However, but the late 90s it was mostly an uncommon experience...well barring that Danny Lee produced Direct to Video movie that reuses music from The Killer AND has sex scene to the music from Predator 2!

A lot of the classic kung fu used to come from Italian film scores and spaghetti westerns, so that's not a bad place to find similar music. Trying to find that exact tune it's best just to rip the audio from the video (not sure if it's in the movie). Soundtracks for low end triad films was really rare and even for regular movies barring Jackie Chan films. The composer (if it wasn't borrowed from something else) likely wrote it and that was that.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Today is Danny Lee day.

Danny Lee is a badass. He has portrayed cops so many times that his public nickname is Lee, Sir (based on how a police officer would be addressed). Danny has been active since the Shaw Brothers days and also as a director, producer, and owner at a time of Magnum Film, his production company. He's responsible for some of the sleazy as fuck CAT III movies, police procedural, and tons of other types of movies. Danny Lee also originally discovered Stephen Chow, Chow was later a massive tool including graffiti in a movie that basically said Danny Lee and his family can die/fuck off (it's Cantonese you get a lot of leeway), this earned the enduring ire of the late great Shing Fui On (whose getting his own day), who often worked with Danny Lee and Chow.

So time for some Danny Lee trailers
No Compromise (1988) Typical Danny Lee cop film...and there is nothing wrong with that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSvHG7UL88w

Red Shield (1991) Directed by Parkman Wong
Stars Danny Lee and Beardy along with Yuen Wah as the baddie. Lots of action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKVsYt5pyog

Law With Two Phases
Classic Danny Lee cops and triads movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpaBkUHAX_E

Cop on the Town
Hmm wonder what this is about?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phW4hVKS1aU

Dr. Lamb (DO NOT WATCH AT WORK)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUDYyHPgbpM
Classic Cat III movie from Billy Tang (Red to Kill) and Danny Lee. Both directed the movie most likely with Billy doing the messed up stuff and Danny Lee with the cops beating the shit out of Simon Yam.

Tiger on Beat 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDD8SxTPh4A
Conan Lee and Danny Lee directed by Lar Kar Leung. Look for the stunt fuck up in the trailer.....OUCH
 
K

Kikujiro

Member
You'll probably cover them, but two movies people should definitely check are:
The Longest Nite and Expect the Unexpected, both released in the same year (1998), both directed by Patrick Yau. They are your typical yet not so typical cop/gangster movie, Patrick Yau really knows how to handle the narrative.
 
S

SMT

this show is not Breaking Bad why is it not Breaking Bad? it should be Breaking Bad dammit Breaking Bad
Netflix tonight, while I wait for Sleeping Dogs to arrive. :D Tannkyu Manos.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
In The Line Of Duty 2 / Yes Madam ! / Police Assassins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-1PSV6W_18
Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock...plus camoes from Sammo Hung, Richard Ng, John Sham and Tsui Hark.

No trailer quite represnts the often (and beloved by me) switches between light comedy to brutal ass beating violence and stunts...check out around 3:45.

D&B action movies were fucking awesome. Also they were produced by a man named Dickson Poon, who was Michelle Yeoh's ex-husband...let's think of that name again though.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
Hard Boiled, Infernal Affairs and Hong Kong Godfather are three of my favorite flicks. This is an awesome list.

I've sort of been out of the loop, but do movies like this really get made anymore? Any good recent ones?
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
BigJiantRobut said:
Hard Boiled, Infernal Affairs and Hong Kong Godfather are two of my favorite flicks. This is an awesome list.

I've sort of been out of the loop, but do movies like this really get made anymore? Any good recent ones?
Click to expand...
They do, not as much and not as many good, but let me see what I can't dig up for a good movie.

Happy to know Hong Kong Godfathers is well loved. I'm like an evangelist for that movie.

SHAZOOM said:
Are we only covering the Heroid Bloodshed style film here or can we dulge into Crazy Stunt Chainsaw Duel Territory?
Click to expand...
You may always bring up Tiger on Beat and crazy stunts this is a general non Kung fu (working on one) HK action cinema thread.


SUPARSTARX said:
RIP dai sor :(

Also , dat Chingmy. She still looks amazing for being 40+
Click to expand...
True, man was a Hong Kong institution.

I think Joey Wong still looks amazing too, Amy Yip not so much.
 
M

Max

I am not Max
God damn im excited this thread exists

Was always a fan of the killer and hard boiled but never really delved deeper than infernal affairs in terms of hk cinema

Are many of these titles available reasonably?
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Max said:
God damn im excited this thread exists

Was always a fan of the killer and hard boiled but never really delved deeper than infernal affairs in terms of hk cinema

Are many of these titles available reasonably?
Click to expand...
You'd be surprised what's on YouTube and yoku and can be found by searching with the English and more so with the Chinese title.
 
R

Riptwo

Member
Does anyone here have any love for The Odd One Dies? I've always wondered if there are similar films out there.
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
BattleMonkey said:
Need a list of whats available on Netflix!
Click to expand...

Chinese Movies helps a bit with 160 titles, but you have to filter out the artsy crap or boring Mando Epics.
http://instantwatcher.com/genres/571

This is from 1912-1995
http://instantwatcher.com/genres/571?earliest_year=1905&latest_year=1995
Chinese Ghost Story is there
Tiger Cage
Flaming Brothers
Rich and Famous
Tragic Heroes
Triads The Inside Story
YES Maddam!
Full Contact

Eternal Evil of Asia
http://instantwatcher.com/titles/173284
Dr Lamb(!)
http://instantwatcher.com/titles/173285

I'm sure more are there too.
A lot of the Miramax titles are actually nice transfers done for Kung FU HD, rule seems to be if it didn't have a DVD or theatrical release, it's likely to be a nice transfer and possibly subbed.
 
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