100 essential action/martial arts b movies, as chosen by you

[asimpson2006]

Well I guess it's time that I jump on the bandwagon and start my own 100 essential list.  This time for action/martial arts b movies. 

I guess I will start starting from 100 down to number 1.

100. Bloodsport (1988) - One of the few Jean Claude Van Damme films that I can watch without getting sick.  It's got everything that a martial arts movie should have, corny dialogue, excellent and to some extent over the top fight scenes and good looking women.  Plus it also has Forest Whitaker in it, how can you go wrong with him.

Edit: Hopefully we can get to 100.  If not we will try and get as many as we can.

 

[Patient7]

99. MORTAL KOMBAT!  Kung fu, based off video game need I say more.  Oh wait, yes I do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ0fFgU22ls

[AnubisVonMojo]

No.98 - Fearless Hyena - The directorial debut of Jackie Chan proved that the man knew what his strengths were and how best to exploit them: comedy kung-fu and elaborate fight scenes that make heavy use of props and set pieces.

[Rev. Powell]

I don't know as many of these as I would like, but I'll try to help.

97. MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

[brooky1969]

96. Kung Fu Hustle

Just ridiculously fun from start to finish.

[JaseSF]

95. TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE (1977) (AKA: Jian hua yan yu jiang nan):

Stars Jackie Chan, Feng Hsu, Hei Lou Chen, Ching Hsia Chiang. Directed by Wei Lo.

Source: English Dubbed Region-Free DVD from Media. Extras: None. I actually bought this at a Dollar store for a buck Canadian. I feel I got my money's worth. Sure, the dubbing is atrocious but hilariously so.

Plot: A young master named Cao Lei (Jackie Chan) drives away his pregnant girlfriend, whose name is  "Chin Chin" (believe it or not, the name is Japanese slang for "penis"), from the family castle because he knows it's about to be raided by a gang of deadly bandits (named the Killer Bee Gang) determined to kill his family. He charges a new friend with her care and protection. Following the attack on his family by the gang lead by a mysterious veiled woman who possesses tremendous, perhaps even mystical, fighting skills, Cao Lei somehow finds himself spared as the veiled woman seems to take a peculiar interest in him and begins following him around like a shadow. Meanwhile the man Cao Lei had entrusted to care for his girlfriend is not quite the honorable fellow Cao Lei had thought. We soon discover his plans do not mirror those of Cao Lei. (plot description I used in my IMDB comments on the film).

Comments: This one is quite strange, truly bizarre. The attack on Cao Lei's family led by the veiled woman is truly unusual and like something out of a twisted Horror film. It features one sequence where a man demands his severed hand, sent to the Lei clan as a warning of impending attack be returned to him. It is, he puts it back on and screaming maniacally disappears into the night only for a bunch of mask figures to soon thereafter rise up demanding their lives be returned to them obviously a reference to the Killer Bee Gang members Cao Lei's father had killed in the past (he says he nearly wiped out the Killer Bee Gang in his past and now regrets he didn't wipe them out entirely). The veiled woman possesses tremendous, perhaps even supernatural, fighting skills and with the help of a lot of rather well-done wire work seriously kicks Jackie Chan's butt. The  mystery veiled woman played by Feng Hsu completely steals the show whenever she appears on screen. The overall plot proves most confusing, I wonder if it perhaps made a bit more sense in its original Cantonese,  especially as it involves the veiled woman's interest in Chan's Cao Lei who all reason dictates should be sworn enemies yet...that said, this one has more than enough to please me. It delivers some fun kung-fu fighting action and even possesses supernatural elements to boot. Sure it may be a bit on the confusing, unbelievable side in terms of plot but I really had a blast watching it unfold. It may not be considered a genre film but I feel it ought to be.

[lester1/2jr]

94. Lone Wolf Mcquade (1983)



if you think because you like stuff like the matrix or asian cop movies with chow yun fat you are prepared for Chuck norris, think again. There is no pretense of cleverness here. There's no pretense at all. You get a veritable mountain of cliches. Mcbain from the "simpsons" is Fellini in comparison. But it works. The other actors are fantastic: David carradine and Billy Dee Williams and the beautiful Barbera Carrera. This is better than "Invasion USA". It borrows a bit from bruce lee and from the spaghetti westerns that Bruce lee borrowed alot from and while the action is very good, it doesn't really explode, more just a steady stream of entertaining explosions. it's a prime example of Norris's very straightforward style. I would definately watch this again.

[Cult Movie Mania]

Action/Kung-Fu isn't really my thing, but I'll contribute The Challenge (1982) at #93, an action-packed martial arts flick with Scott Glenn and Toshiro Mifune, directed by John Frankenheimer from a script co-written by John Sayles.

Memorable scene: Scott Glenn swallowing live swimming eels!

[JaseSF]

#92: FIGHTING OF THE SHAOLIN MONK (1977) (AKA: SHAOLIN MONK/KILLER PRIEST)

Stars Chen Sing, Chuen Yuen, Phillip Ko, Wen Chiang Long and Chia Ling. Directed by Lin Fu Ti.

Plot: A Buddhist monk, Tamo (Chen Sing), has come from India in hope of spreading the word but meets much resistance and little success according to our opening narration. Soon he sets his sights on finding one Chi-Yun (Wen Chiang Long), a young doctor in training who Tamo insists is fated to become his pupil and a monk in the Shaolin temple. The young man's girlfriend Yen Chi (played with great spirit and gusto by Chia Ling), quite the fighter in her own right, meanwhile protests this idea greatly determined not to lose her man. Soon Tamo, Chi-Yun and a reluctant Yen Chi must join forces to do battle with an evil Taoist priest (Chuen Yuen) who's managed to take over the town following a murderous game of revenge all thanks to his bizarre, mysterious master and trainer (Phillip Ko).

Comments: This is pretty damn weird. The Buddhist monk Tamo displays extraordinary powers and abilities in this one including powers of levitation, telekinesis, the ability to vanish without a trace and the ability to keep one's balance on a reed as it floats across a stream. The Taoist trainer played by Phillip Ko also displays unusual abilities having made his fist super strong, powerful enough to strike a blow straight through a tree as well being able to move at faster than usual speeds (personally I'm inclined to think this Kung Fu film is a part of the fantasy genre). It's their battle at the end that proves this film's most exciting event, that and the battle between Tamo's new student Chi-Yun and the evil Taoist priest whose plot caused his father's disgrace. The rest is surprisingly bland and forgettable aside from the constant protests of Yen Chi against the idea of her man becoming a Shaolin monk and her attempts to ensure it does not happen. Also the evil Taoist priest livens things up with his twisted hijinks, a highlight being his stealing of all the towns' women.

[Mr. DS]

#91 The Buddhist Fist - This film is absolutely awesome when it comes to martial arts.  The choreography is amazing. I haven't seen it in awhile so I figure I'd let a scene speak for itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE9gsn7xH6I

#90 The Devil's Sword - Still one of the most insane films I've ever reviewed.  Nymphomaniac reptile queens, floating warriors but wait...theres more...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKH_x7nDVQ

[Sister Grace]

89. Two Crippled Heros... need i say more?

[AnubisVonMojo]

No.88 - Tiger on the Beat - A movie introduced to me here on the forum during a post requesting info about movies featuring chainsaw duels last year. Chow Yun Fat starring and Conan Lee chainsaw fighting! Praise Hong Kong!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8_dY4rpjOc&feature=related

Lesson learned? Paper beast rock, Kryptonite beats Superman, and machine gun beats chainsaw.

[AnubisVonMojo]

89. Two Crippled Heros... need i say more?

Only if it's "The Crippled Masters" Sis. 

[Sister Grace]

89. Two Crippled Heros... need i say more?

Only if it's "The Crippled Masters" Sis. 

same movie, my copy was released under two crippled heros

[AnubisVonMojo]

89. Two Crippled Heros... need i say more?

Only if it's "The Crippled Masters" Sis. 

same movie, my copy was released under two crippled heros

There are indeed two different movies Grace, both done with the same actors. Crippled Masters was a 1979 production and Two Crippled Heroes was a 1980 follow-up. For some reason the latter is only listed on IMDB as "Crippled Heroes", but the VHS copy I have adds the "Two". The pair even made their act into a trilogy with a third movie called Fighting Life in 1981.