BEST OF THE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS (1990) available again on DVD

[Brian Thibodeau]

Just noticed DDDhouse.com has this back on sale again, after a long absence. It's only HK$32 if anyone's interested. It's a great documentary about martial arts movies centred largely around the Golden Harvest back catalogue, interspersed with interviews with Jackie, Sammo and others. The only downside is it spends a bit too much time on straight-to-video never-weres like Dale "Apollo" Cook. In the U.S., this was released by FOX as THE DEADLIEST ART on VHS, but has yet to see a DVD release.

Worth picking up as a good introduction to 80's HK action cinema.


NOTE: DDDhouse has also quietly reduced the prices of many of it's "Weekly Cheap Sale" movies to HK$22, so the bargains are even better now.

[dleedlee]

Brian, thanks for pointing that out. I'm not a big MA fan, but at that price it's certainly worth a look. I might get inspired and find a few new titles to check out.

[wild9]

Is this the best of it's kind as I'm kinda looking to get back into some 80's MA films that I haven't already got.

[Brian Thibodeau]

I wouldn't say it's the absolute best, but it's excellent considering it was made in 1990, which means the movies featured are mostly from the 80's. As I mentioned, it's a Golden Harvest production, produced by ENTER THE DRAGON producer Fred Weintraub and directed by his wife. I believe it covers some 70's period martial arts stuff as well, mostly just to illustrate various philosophies of martial arts. The bulk of it is mostll clips from Sammo-Jackie-Yuen Biao-Joyce Godenzi-Cynthia Rothrock-Michelle Yeoh movies, with a laughable side trip into the straight-to-video action market of the likes of Dale Cooke and Richard Norton.

For the price, though, it's definitely worth owning.

One that offers broader coverage is THE ART OF ACTION, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, which covers Chinese martial arts films as far back as the early silent era up to today, circa 2001.

Shaw Brothers have also produced a three-part documentary series on their films that I believe is coming out soon on DVD. I believe it may have been created and aired on satellite TV originally. Can't remember the name of it, though.

[dleedlee]

I
Shaw Brothers have also produced a three-part documentary series on their films that I believe is coming out soon on DVD. I believe it may have been created and aired on satellite TV originally. Can't remember the name of it, though.

I've seen it at listed at hkflix.com, it's a little pricey for what it is. I'd be mostly interested in just the Ladies of Shaw segment.

[wild9]

I wouldn't say it's the absolute best, but it's excellent considering it was made in 1990, which means the movies featured are mostly from the 80's. As I mentioned, it's a Golden Harvest production, produced by ENTER THE DRAGON producer Fred Weintraub and directed by his wife. I believe it covers some 70's period martial arts stuff as well, mostly just to illustrate various philosophies of martial arts. The bulk of it is mostll clips from Sammo-Jackie-Yuen Biao-Joyce Godenzi-Cynthia Rothrock-Michelle Yeoh movies, with a laughable side trip into the straight-to-video action market of the likes of Dale Cooke and Richard Norton.

For the price, though, it's definitely worth owning.

One that offers broader coverage is THE ART OF ACTION, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, which covers Chinese martial arts films as far back as the early silent era up to today, circa 2001.

Shaw Brothers have also produced a three-part documentary series on their films that I believe is coming out soon on DVD. I believe it may have been created and aired on satellite TV originally. Can't remember the name of it, though.

Thanks for the info. Will probably pick it up then. I've always been interested in Art of Action too but have been put off as I thought it only covered recent films and lists Charlies Angels on the cover.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Yeah, ART OF ACTION doesn't spend a lot of time on CHARLIE'S ANGELS, but ANY time spent placing that film into the context of important martial arts movies is TOO MUCH time. Director McG even gets interview time. Yeeesh! It's mainly used to illustrate the influence of HK on Hollywood, but perhaps since the doc is released by Columbia Tri-Star, that was the only movie they could reference from their library on which a Chinese choreographer had served as the action designer.

Still, you can get ART OF ACTION for about $6US shipped, from Deep Discount DVD, so it's more than worth picking up.