Sun Poll - Top all time martial arts movies

[NextGuard]

A couple of ommisions surprised me although I understand they can only pick ten. For recent movies, I thought Kill Bill Volume 2 and the Last Samurai deserves serious consideration For Comedies and parodies Wing Chung and the Kung Fu movie. But the biggest ommision -Shichinin no samurai - how can you make a list like this without Akira Kurosawa?



LONDON: Kung fu king Bruce Lee's film "Enter The Dragon" has been voted the greatest martial arts movie ever.

Released in the year 1973, the film brought this genre of martial arts films into vogue. 1973 was also the year in which Lee died at the age of 32.

At the time of his death, he had already become a legend for taking part in films like "The Way Of The Dragon" and "Fists Of Fury" which are also among the top ten films in an Argos poll.

The films that left audiences worldwide awestruck, according to The Sun are:

1. Enter The Dragon

2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

3. The Way Of The Dragon (1972)

4. Kill Bill Vol 1 (2003)

5. The Shaolin Temple (1979)

6. Fist Of Fury (1971)

7. Hero (2002)

8. Drunken Master (1978)

9. Iron Monkey (1973)

10. Magnificent Butcher (1987)

http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEE20050223060336&Title=Startrek&Topic=0

[Ronin]

To have Kill Bill in there is a joke.

[Meex]

I'll agree with SnS - Kurosawa had a few that could be on this list.

I would nominate these, but am sure disrtibution plays a part:
Legendary Weapons of China
Fist of Legend

What about Billy Jack?

`~/

btw - Shaolin Temple 1979, first public appearance of
"the golden boy" Li Jin Je (Jet Li), outside of China.

[MEGA JESUS-SAMA]

I heart Akira Kurosawa's movies.

Both the samurai dramas and otherwise.

[NextGuard]

On that same kind of topic Mercury News discusses trends in Martial arts movies.

Fu season: Martial arts movies coming full circle

BY CARY DARLING

Knight Ridder Newspapers

Five years ago, before the lyrical sweep of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "House of Flying Daggers" and "Hero," America's idea of martial-arts movies was more flophouse than art house.

Now, things are coming full circle. "Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior," is classic, fundamental fu, with all flying fists and feet and few discernible acting skills. Enough with the sumptuous cinematography, languid love stories and primping for Oscar recognition; this is what we want: a man on a mission and bad guys dropping like Seattle rain.

Later this spring, "Kung Fu Hustle," a comedy from director Stephen Chow ("Shaolin Soccer"), will follow in the acrobatic footsteps of early Jackie Chan. So now that old-school is new-school again and Ong-Bak is going to just whet your appetite for more, here are some of the must-rent Asian action films from the last few decades.

THE CLASSICS

"Enter the Dragon" (1973): Certainly not the first martial arts film, but the first to matter to a global audience. The reason? Two words: Bruce Lee. His sheer ferocity has yet to be equaled.

"Iron Monkey" (1993): With a rockin' title, action choreography from Yuen Wo Ping ("The Matrix" and "Kill Bill" movies), and a finale fight on flaming poles, what's not to like?

"Five Deadly Venoms" (1979): This one's got it all: the bad dubbing, washed-out color and a plot as cheesy as a brie factory. But director Cheng Cheh's tale of the "poison clan" - who, with their masks, fall somewhere between Mexican wrestlers and Slipknot - is a kung-fu hoot.

JET PACK

"Once Upon a Time in China" (1991); "The Swordsman II" (1991):

For anyone who's only seen Jet Li's American films, both the "China" and "Swordsman" series should be required fu viewing. Set in 19th-century China, these films offer Li the chance to show what he can really do, from his lightning-quick reflexes to his electric sense of grace. After seeing these, it's no wonder Hollywood came knocking at Li's door.

CHAN-TASTIC

"Dragons Forever" (1988), "Supercop: Police Story III" (1992): Though many Chan fans might pick "Drunken Master II" or "Project A" as their favorites - and they're certainly classics - these are my personal choices. The former because it teams Chan with the stalwart comedic talents of Sammo Hung and the fluid athleticism of Yuen Baio and the latter because of Michelle Yeoh and that sensational motorcyle stunt.

THEY SHOOT PEOPLE, DON'T THEY?

"Hard-Boiled" (1991): Director John Woo's Hong Kong farewell is no tear-stained love letter. Instead, it's a riot of gunplay and gangsters starring Chow Yun-Fat ("Crouching Tiger") and Tony Leung ("Hero"). The climax is a brilliantly choreographed 45-minute shootout in a hospital that gives new meaning to the term "emergency medicine." There are many other notable Woo titles, such as "A Better Tomorrow" (1986), "A Better Tomorrow II" (1987) and "The Killer" (1989).

"Battle Royale" (2000): In the wake of the Columbine massacre, there was no way a movie with this plot would see the light of American theater: A high school class is given orders by the government to kill each other in a "battle royale" until only one student is left woozily standing. But this explosive Japanese near-future comic-book fantasy, starring Takeshi Kitano ("Zatoichi") and based on Koushun Takami's epic, "Lord of the Flies"-like novel, is available on video through specialty shops. Not for the squeamish or for the kids.

LADY-KILLERS

"The Heroic Trio" (1993); "Peking Opera Blues" (1986): The former - starring Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui, is comic-book camp, the latter is "Crouching Tiger" graceful, but both let the ladies take the action spotlight.

SWORDPLAY

"The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi" (2004): My swordsman can beat up your swordsman - and mine is blind. There are many Zatoichi adventures in Japan, but this version has Takeshi Kitano playing the laconic hero who, of course, takes on a Japanese village's bad guys.

And as long as we're talking Japanese warriors, fans should seek out the classics from famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, such as "The Seven Samurai" and "Ran," or just about anything starring Sonny Chiba, who got some exposure in "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" but is better appreciated in his classic "Street Fighter" series from

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/movies/10923901.htm


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[PizDoff]

I agree with Osiris. "Once Upon a Time in China", Drunken Master2 are top movies.
Other great movies that people on this board have recommended to me are 'Seven Samurai' and 'Ong Bak' (that I can remember.)

To have Kill Bill in there is a joke.

And totally removes any credibility of that list.

[NextGuard]

Really? I love Kill Bill. Of course I liked every Tarantino movie - Four rooms is one of the best movies ever made.

[Sharlintier]

A couple of ommisions surprised me although I understand they can only pick ten. For recent movies, I thought Kill Bill Volume 2 and the Last Samurai deserves serious consideration


well I really didn't care for Kill Bill or Kill Bill 2, but I agree the Last Samurai should have been there. It has to be one of the finest films in recent history and I hate Tom Cruise.

[Mr. Mantis]

This is obviously a list of martial arts movies thought up y someoe who doesn't watch martial arts movies.

heh. I'm just a poor wood cutter!

[SamHarber]

If the poll came from the Sun newspaper, then you can guarentee that its worthless.

The average Sun reader is homophobic, racist, poor and seriously deluded.

Asking them to watch a Kurosawa film is WAY too much...

[NextGuard]

If the poll came from the Sun newspaper, then you can guarentee that its worthless.

The average Sun reader is homophobic, racist, poor and seriously deluded.

Asking them to watch a Kurosawa film is WAY too much...

gotcha - I only know that the Sun is a British paper- I don't know it's reputation in the same way I do major American papers.


Is the Sun the one that mayor of London said was the last paper to have any right to talk about fascism?

[Kinzei]

I didn't see Twilight Samurai or Musa the Warrior on that list either. There definately should have been a Kurosawa film somewhere on the list

[SamHarber]

Is the Sun the one that mayor of London said was the last paper to have any right to talk about fascism?
Nah, that was the Evening Standard, owned by Associated New Media. The Sun is owned my News International (Rupert Murdoch).

The difference is tiny though...

[Mr. Mantis]

The list is bullshido. Seven samuari inspired the magnificant seven. Hidden fortress inspired George Lucas to come up with the role of R2-D2 and C3PO! Neither of them are in the list.

[NextGuard]

The list is bullshido. Seven samuari inspired the magnificant seven. Hidden fortress inspired George Lucas to come up with the role of R2-D2 and C3PO! Neither of them are in the list.


I don't know that the whole list is Bullshido - Drunken Master, Iron Monkey ,Fist of Fury, Enter the Dragon, Hero - they all belong.

But Shichinin no samurai (Seven Samurai) in specific and Kurosawa in general define the genre and are the standard for greatness.

[celticdragon03]

Bullshit.

I don't see Drunken Master 2 on there. Nor do I see fist of legend. Dont see Once Upon a Time in China either. This is what happens when people who aren't actually fans reply to polls. Not a single samurai movie either. The new Zatoichi was certainly better than a lot of that stuff. And Enter the Dragon is highly overrated.

I totally agree with this. Once Upon a Time in China was a great movie, and I really wasn't that impressed with Enter the Dragon....it is definitely over rated.

Also, I agree with whoever said that Kill Bill should not be on the list. Don't get me wrong, Kill Bill 1 and 2 are one of my favorite MA movies, I just don't think they can compare to the old ones with such great MA masters like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Uma Thurman was never a martial artist, they simply taught her the choreography.