The Shaw Brothers -

[Hemingway Jones]

Need I say more?

Producers, distributors, empire.

Vintage kung-fu favorites:

"The Five Deadly Venoms" (1978) Action, intrigue, odd costumes that were more disco than Han Dynasty. This film has wire-rigged stunt scenes, something that could almost be called character development, and it even has a plot.

The Toad's death scene stands as one of the most pathos-drenched scenes in Kung-fu cinema. This was the film that started my studies in martial arts.

What are your favorites? If not Shaw Brothers, then what other early kung-fu favorites?

 

[Sefton]

Yes, The Five Deadly Venoms is classic. I have to mention also the immortal himself: Bruce Lee. The Chinese Connection is excellent. I like especially how his characters always have a philosophy that requires violence only as a last resort (which fortunately for filmgoers was frequently reached). I also like that he never used guns. He always looked offended at just the mention of them. A wise and classy man.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I've never seen a Shaw Brothers film but a good friend of mine did a commentary on the re-release of "Heros Two", so I plan to pick that one up soon. He always said they made the best Kung Fu movies !

 

[Feraud]

The Five Deadly Venoms is one of my favorite martial arts films!

My brothers and I used to watch them every Saturday afternoon on our local tv station.

I can recommend Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong for a good look at the history of Kung Fu in cinema.

 

[morgan]

"The Kid with the Golden Arm" is my all time favorite SB film. I was so happy when I found a bootleg copy at Dragoncon several years ago.

Morgan