5 DEFINITIVE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS (WITH VIDEO)

By Jack on 2007-10-24 22:53:17

Martial arts films combine the art of choreography, fighting, story-telling and tradition into a couple short hours of pure, sweet action and in some cases side-splitting comedy. Here is a short list of, and tribute to what I consider the essentials to the martial arts and kung fu genres.

1. Shaolin vs Lama
Generally regarded as kung fu director Lee Tso-nam's best film, Shaolin vs Lama should find itself a place on many a must-see martial arts film list and certainly holds it's place on mine. Alexander Lo Rei stars as an earnest young wanderer who challenges various kung fu masters in hopes of finding one who can best him and be considered qualified to instruct him further.

While on the surface, Shaolin vs. Lama looks like any low budget kung fu movie with gaudy costumes, screwball comedy, and exaggerated characters, it ends up having a fairly solid plot. But hey, we're watching kung fu! Who gives a crap about plot. I'm happy to inform you, Shaolin vs Lama not only meets, but greatly exceeds expectations in the action department with a spectacular stream of martial arts mastery that should be good enough to satisfy even the most demanding old school fanatic.

Enjoy this highly entertaining Shaolin vs Lama fight Clip

2. Master of the Flying Guillotine (a.k.a. One Armed Boxer vs. The Flying Guillotine)
Oh man, Jimmy Wang Yu's 1974 martial arts classic The Master of the Flying Guillotine has been a long time favorite of mine for years now. This film had to have been a significant influence to combat style video games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.

Despite it's low budget effects (including the rather obvious arms stuffed inside shirts) and cartoonish action Guillotine has unforgettable characters, incredible performances, a spectacular electronic soundtrack and one of the most notorious weapons in film history: the flying fuckin' guillotine! To make matters more interesting, a one-armed man is forced to go against the master of this unspeakable weapon. All the while, competing in tournaments of bloody kung fu fighting as a variety of martial arts styles are displayed... such as this fight with an Indian(ish) guy with crazy rubber arm power: Watch the Master of the Flying Guillotine trailer on YouTube.

3. Five Deadly Venoms
Five Deadly Venoms is another martial arts film that has developed a real cult following. This is the one that started the whole trend of having a bad guy force where each dude has his own special fighting skill and powers. Again, video games such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat were greatly influences by this concept. As bonus um.. cool points, Five Deadly Venoms even inspired the name of a really bad Miami rap group!

The story-telling stays true to Chinese methods of intrigue, suspense, and inter-personal relationships. The premise is simple. The dying master of Poison Clan (sounds good so far right?) dispatches his last pupil on a mission to check on the activities of five former pupils, each of whom he taught a unique and special style of kung-fu to: The Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad (hence the title). Greed and treachery ensue as the student discovers that some of the students are indeed evil. But which one can he trust enough to team up with? You can expect twists and turns as the identities of the 5 venoms are revealed and an expert pace.

Watch a fight scene below or here's the trailer

4. Drunken Master II
In what is arguably considered Jackie Chan's best overall film, Drunken Master II does a tight rope act with comedy, drama, and over the top action elements all while developing an engaging storyline. Chan shows off his acting skills along with his superior fighting skills in what was a very dynamic role for him. His "drunken boxing" fighting style provides a lot of eye candy and will leave your jaw on the floor. This is the movie that put Jackie Chan on the map everywhere (except in the USA, that wouldn't happen until Rumble In The Bronx).

In the story Wong Fei-Hong (Jackie) is unwittingly caught up in the battle between foreigners who wish to export ancient Chinese artifacts and loyalists who don't want the pieces to leave the country. Having learned a style of fighting called "Drunken Boxing", he becomes a dangerous person to cross. Problem is, he's got to be drunk to fight. Or is it really a problem? You judge.

5. Enter The Dragon
In Enter The Dragon, Bruce Lee is as a martial artist who is drafted by law enforcement to participate in a martial arts tournament and infiltrate a drug smuggling operation run from the host's heavily guarded island. Again, of course this is kung fu so the terribly predictable plot is merely a side-dish to Jim Kelly's afro, that big guy from the the Revenge of the Nerds and martial arts greatness for a main course.

Enter the Dragon is the Citizen Kane and Bruce Lee the Orson Welles of the martial arts film genre. Often regarded as one of the most influential films of all time Enter The Dragon also succeeded in kick-starting the Kung Fu movie genre during the 1970s in the West and establishing Bruce Lee as a popular culture icon. So, failure include it into my list would be an act of immorality against shitty internet lists that no one reads.

Unfortunately, as with any cult classic, the original thought free minds at the big studios have decided a re-make is in order. That's right, Kurt Stutter (TV's The Shield's executive producer) with the help of Warner is set to write and make his feature directing debut on "Awaken the Dragon." Sutter's plans to make "..a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs." Read more if you care.

Enjoy an Enter The Dragon Video clip montage

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