†Shaolin
Drunkard
Cast: Simon
Yuen (Jr.), Yat Choi,
Yuen Shun-Yi,
Yuen Cheung Yan,
Eddy Ko Hung
Trama: Yiao Pai Yuen lives with his grandma, and she is getting
worried that he will never marry and continue the family name. When a beautiful
girl is offered as the prize in a Kung Fu contest, Yao jumps (literally) at the
chance. He changes his mind when he sees that she has a large birthmark on her
face.Yiao meets an old drunken Shaolin monk, who is trying to re-capture an escaped
convict – a vampire who needs the blood of young men. Guess what? The girl
with the birthmark was the bait, and now the vampire wants Good Guy flavoured
sushi for lunch.
†Shaolin
Invincibles
Cast: Carter
Wong, Ka Ling
Trama: A group of experienced Shaolin fighters are sick and tired
of the evil emperor's nasty deeds and decide to hone their skills and bust into
the Forbidden City where he currently resides, to bust him in his grill a couple
times. Little do they know, they must first defeat the ultimate in martial arts,
his supreme bodyguard Gorillas!! Yes...Gorillas.
†Kung
Fu Cult Master
Cast: Cheung
Man, Hung
Sammo Kam-Po, Lai
Gigi Chi, Leung
Ka-Yan, Jet Li,
Ng Francis
Chun-Yu, Ng
Richard Yiu-Hon, Ngai
Sing, Tsui
Kam-Kong, Yau
Chingmy Shuk-Ching
Trama: Nella Cina ancestrale ci sono due forze che si contrappongono
per il possesso della Forma della Luna che è incisa su due magiche spade.
Chiunque possegga la Forma della Luna è riconosciuto come il vero e incontrastato
Gran Maestro di Kung Fu. I genitori di Mo-Kei(Jet
Li) sono parenti del Re del Leone D'Oro che possiede una delle die spade.
I genitori di Mo-Keivengono uccisi difendendo il loro segreto e il loro piccolo
figlio giura vendetta per la loro morte. Il Maestro Chang (Sammo Hung) della Scuola
Wu Tan raggiunge Mo-Kei e lo protegge da quando è impossibilitato ad imparare
il Kung Fu a causa di una maledizione. Doop una serie di eventi Mo-Kei è
finalmente curato dalla maledizione e diventa uno degli eroi più forti
del Kung Fu. Cercherà di riunirsi con il suo padrino, nonchè nonno,
il Re del Leone D'Oro, ma viene tradito dal suo vecchio clan e così inseguito
e braccato sia dai vecchi amici che dai nuovi nemici.Tutti gli avvenimenti "drammatici"
di questa storia si scopriranno tramati dal governo Ming, che con corruzione e
minacce si impossessa di alcuni dei combattenti più validi per ordire le
sue trame.
†Tai-Chi
Master, The
Cast: Jet
Li, Siu-Ho Chin,
Shun Lau, Michelle
Yeoh, Hai Yu, Cheung-Yan
Yuen, Fannie Kit-Ying Yuen
Trama: Tianbao and Junbao where Buddhist monks since they were
children but Tianbao always had trouble adapting to the monks lifestyle. His dream
was to become a master of Kung-Fu, Junbao on the other hand followed the rules
but always got into trouble with Tianbao. One day during a martial arts competition
Tianbao lost control because his opponent cheated. A large fight followed and
Junbao helped his friend, they were both kicked out of the monastery. Having never
seen the outside world the two monks had trouble adapting, Tianbao dreamed of
power and wealth while Junbao seeked a quiet life.
†Master
of the Flying Guillotine
Cast: Jimmy
Wang Yu, Kam Kang, Lau Ka Wing, Lung Kun Yee, Lung
Fei, Yu Sung Chao
Trama: During the Ching Dynasty, the Ching Empire used a kung
fu master to hunt down Han's rebels and Blind Fung-Sheng one of the greatest.
But when he heard that the well known One-Armed Boxer killed his 2 disciple, he
decide to leave his seclusion life and find that One-Armed Boxer to take revenge
for his dead disciples. None the less, Blind Fung-Sheng is the master of the flying
guillotine, a powerful weapon that can chop your head off in a blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, the Eagle Claw clan is organizing a martial art tournament. The tournament
is so awaited that some contestants have left their homeland, such as Thailand,
India and Japan, just to enter the contest. Word reaches the One-Armed Boxer who
thinks that is better not to enter the tournament, to not draw attention to him,
but still decides to go watch the contest.Unfortunately for him, a lot of people
recognize him and a lot of contestants are seeking a fight with this legendary
fighter. Trying to deal with these arrogant fighters, One Armed Boxer is not at
the end of his trouble as the master of the flying Guillotine is also coming very
close to finally discover were he is hiding.
†Kids
From Shaolin
Cast: Jet
Li, Chan Chau Yin, Yue
Hoi, Yue Sing Wai, Ding Laam, Gai
Chun Wa
Trama: Tin Lung and Yee Lung are two fighters trained in the
Shaolin arts, 10 years ago they saved a group of children from a village that
was raided by bandits. After escaping they relocated to Phoenix village where
they lived on the opposing side of the river from a Wu Dong swords master who
was master of the village. The Wu Dong master was father of many daughters and
was hoping that one day he would have a son who would be his heir, meanwhile he
told his daughters to stay away from the boys of the shaolin. He feared they would
try to steal the secrets of his sword style.
†Iron monkey
Cast: Cheung Fung-Nei, Lee
Fai, Leung
Ka-Yan, Siu Hou,
Tsang Sze-Man,
Wong Jean Ching-Ying, Wong
James Jim, Yam Yee-Kwan, Yen
Donnie Ji-Dan, Yu
Rong-Guang, Yuen, Sun-Yi
Trama: In a small village of China the local governor is corrupt
and exploits the population. In response to the cruel governor there is a bandit
called the Iron Monkey who goes around stealing from the rich and the corrupt
so that he may give to the poor. The governor receives word that an official from
the emperor is coming for a visit, to avoid loosing face he orders his soldiers
to capture the Iron Monkey at all costs. The soldiers round up anyone suspicious
or anyone who knows Kung Fu, one of those who is arrested is Master Wong Kay-Ying
and his son Wong Fei-Hung. During the trial the Iron Monkey makes an appearance
and Wong Kay-Ying decides to fight him. After a powerful display of Kung Fu the
governor orders Wong Kay-Ying to hunt down this Iron Monkey, to insure the job
is done right Wong Fei-Hung is taken prisoner. Wong Kay-Ying has seven days to
find the Iron Monkey or he will never see his son again.
†Fong Sai
Yuk
Cast: Jet
Li, Josephine
Siao, Vincent Zhao, Michelle
Reis, Paul Chu,
Sibelle Hu, Chan
Chung-Yung
Trama: Fong Sai Yuk is home after he got in trouble for fighting,
his friends sneak in and tell him that there is a Kung Fu tournament organized
by a government official to find the husband for his daughter. Fong Sai Yuk who
is skilled in Kung Fu decides to give it a try, meanwhile the the officials daughter
runs away so he replaces her with a servant. During the fight Fong Sai Yuk sees
the servant and looses on purpose so he does not have to marry her. Fong Sai Yuk's
mother hears that he lost so she pretends to be Fong Sai Yuk's brother to win
back his honor. She wins and is forced to marry but she gets back home so Fong
Sai Yuk gets stuck with the marriage and that's where the trouble begins.
†Fong
Sai Yuk 2
Cast: Jet
Li, Josephine
Siao, Adam Cheng,
Chun-Wah Hui, Amy Kwok,
Michelle Reis,
Cory Kwai Yuen
Trama: Fong Sai Yuk is now a member of the red lotus society,
still being unfamilier with the triad he gets into trouble for breaking rules
of which he had no knowledge of. Being righteous in nature Fong Sai Yuk quickly
becomes rivals with Yu who is cold and heartless and only interested in personal
power. Fong Sai yuk is chosen to retrieve a sacred box being transported by samurai
to a local lord. Little does Fong Sai Yuk know that this box holds the destiny
of the leader of the red lotus society, Yu would stop at nothing to acquire it.
†Chinese
ghost story II, A
Cast: Jacky
Cheung, Leslie
Cheung, Fung Guk,
Shun Lau, Siu-Ming
Lau, Waise Lee,
Michelle Reis,
Joey Wong, Ma
Wu
Trama: One hundred years after Chinese Ghost Story I, a monk
and his student are traveling to another temple to deliver a gold buddha statue.
During their travel they run into some trouble in town and decide to make haste
on their journey. When night falls they come across the Orchid Temple, they decide
to take refuge even tho the temple is rumored to be haunted. During the night
the Master monk senses evil spirits and decides to go hunt them leaving his student
to protect the Buddha statue. While the master is gone a ghost visits the young
student and tries to seduce him. She fails to have an effect on him and he scares
her away with his prayers. During the events with the ghost the young student
broke the Buddha statue, to avoid the wrath of his master he says he is ill to
buy some time to try to repair the statue. In the coming days the Ghost and the
student become friends but disaster strikes and the master monk falls into danger.
The student hires a traveling mystic warrior (Jacky Cheung) to help him rescue
his master.
†Chinese
ghost story III, A
Cast: Jacky
Cheung, Shun Lau,
Siu-Ming Lau,
Yuk-Ting Lau, Tony
Leung, Nina Chi
Li, Joey Wong
Trama: Chinese ghost story II is a fantasy tale of ghosts and
demons. It all begins when Ning escapes from prison, he seeks shelter in an abandoned
manor. He encounters a monk and a group of rebels who mistake Ning as the wise
elder Chew, the leader of the rebel looks like Sian from Chinese Ghost Story I
and Ning believe it is her reincarnation. The rebels are seeking to free their
father who is going to be executed by the emperor, they ask Ning for his wisdom
to aid them. During the night they do battle with an evil ghost that was mistakenly
freed by Ning. In the course of the battle they encounter the emperors soldiers
escorting the prisoner. After a long battle they manage to stop the soldier and
the evil ghost, the commander of the soldiers decides to join the rebels because
he believes the prisoner is innocent. The emperors advisor and chief monk comes
to see them and steals the prisoner away, Ning uncovers an evil plot and must
save his friends
†Chinese
ghost story, A
Cast: Leslie
Cheung,Wu Ma,Joey
Wang
Trama: Approdato anche in Italia (come STORIA DI FANTASMI CINESI)
con il prestigioso tramite del Festival di Venezia, A CHINESE GHOST STORY è
uno di quei film che non si scordano facilmente. Complicato intreccio di culture
e generi, il film di Ching Siu-tung è il punto d'incontro tra tradizione
e modernità, perfetta coniugazione di temi classici su forme all'avanguardia.
La storia è tratta da una novella di P'u Sung-ling, scrittore cinese vissuto
tra il 1640 e 1715, intitolata Il fantasma di una bella donna (da cui anche THE
ENCHANTING SHADOW di Li Han-hsiang, 1960). A rendere davvero speciale questo wuxia
fantasy è prima di tutto l'atmosfera onirica e libera da legami che permette
alla fantasia di essere padrona assoluta delle situazioni. L'estrema attenzione
alle leggende e al passato culturale cinese - i sutra e gli incantesimi; gli eroi,
i demoni e le figure mitiche - impedisce che i voli pindarici diventino eccessivi
o esclusivamente legati all'effetto spettacolare. Ching e Tsui Hark non imbrogliano
lo spettatore ma lo fanno giocare con le sue stesse conoscenze: sarebbe stato
molto semplice creare scene fantastiche totalmente slegate e decontestualizzate
dalle tradizioni popolari a cui invece la sceneggiatura attinge, rimanendovi sempre
fedele. Un progetto, questo, che non ha altro scopo se non il rinverdimento delle
proprie origini, documentandole senza rinunciare alla possibile commercializzazione
visiva (spesso infatti Ching Siu-tung ha detto di sentirsi un portavoce delle
conoscenze popolari). E' una forma di rispetto che rende la pellicola di altissimo
livello culturale, sociale, spettacolare e di intrattenimento.
Le immagini sono di quanto più immaginifico si potesse concepire senza
cadere nel grottesco o nell'auto parodia, e anche quando i momenti sono più
disimpegnati - un demone che attacca usando la propria lunghissima lingua; schizzi
di liquidi organici e di sangue che imbrattano i protagonisti; un proto-rap cantato
da un monaco taoista - non si scende sotto il livello di guardia. Ching Siu-tung
sfrutta il lungo apprendistato al seguito del padre, autore di wuxiapian per gli
Shaw Brothers, e la sua esperienza nell'opera cinese. La sua regia colpisce nel
segno grazie allo stile vorticoso, elegante, raffinato e sempre legato al movimento
(le veloci soggettive che tanto ricordano LA CASA di Sam Raimi). Il montaggio
estremizza il cinetismo e lo esaspera con un taglio moderno, ai limiti dell'impercettibilità.
La lezione di King Hu è stata ben appresa: non serve tanto comprendere
cosa stia succedendo, bensì seguire la storia senza perdere le coordinate
dettate dell'azione e dal ritmo; due lunghi flashback e il riassunto finale aiuteranno
l'eventuale spettatore distratto. A CHINESE GHOST STORY - capolavoro assoluto,
se non si fosse capito - rispetta limiti e generi, riconoscendone l'autorevole
importanza e la possibile intersecabilità, insistendo soprattutto sui vortici
emotivi tipici del mélo. In questo modo ci si diverte, ci si commuove e
si sogna ad occhi aperti di poter condividere emozioni e sentimenti dei due eccellenti
protagonisti.
