Martial Arts

  • Kenji Misumi – Zatôichi chikemuri kaidô AKA Zatoichi Challenged (1967)

    1961-1970ActionJapanKenji MisumiMartial Arts

    Synopsis:
    Ichi is staying at an inn when a woman dies. Her dying wish is that Ichi take her son to his father, an artist living in a nearby town. After arriving in the town, Ichi finds out that the father has been forced by a local boss to create illegal pornography to pay off his gambling debts. Ichi makes it his mission to save tha man and reunite the family, even though it brings him into conflict with a samurai he sort of befriended on his way to the town.Read More »

  • Wei Lo – Du long tan AKA Dragon Swamp (1969)

    1961-1970ActionHong KongMartial ArtsWei Lo

    In another one of Lo Wei’s excellent wuxia films, the powerful Jade Dragon Sword is stolen by the devious Tang Dachuan (Wong Chung-Shun). His plan involved the seduction of the owner’s daughter, Fan Ying (Cheng Pei-Pei), and when she is found and the sword recovered, she is banished to the Dragon Swamp for 20 years. Now, 20 years later the sword has been stolen again, and it is up to Master Fan of the Lingshan Clan (Lo Wei) to send his disciples out into the world to recover it. One of them is the daughter of Fan Ying (unknownst to her and again played by Cheng Pei-Pei) and she gets involved with the Roaming Knight (Yueh Hua) who happens to be searching for his long-lost love, Fan Ying. Together, they brave the Dragon Swamp in search for answers about the whereabouts of Fan Ying and possibly, the Jade Dragon Sword.Read More »

  • Siu Ming Tsui – Bong ju AKA The Gang Master (1982)

    1981-1990ActionHong KongMartial ArtsSiu Ming Tsui

    This is no street gang or gang of mobsters. It’s a Yuan Dynasty army, out to destroy the Hsien Lung “gang” of anti-Yuan revolutionaries. Their leader is the redoubtable Chen Kuan-tai, the real-life South-East Asian Chinese Martial Arts Tournament champion and master of “Monkey-King Split and Deflecting Arm” kung-fu, who must face paternal murder, brother against brother plots, and shocking discoveries that could change the course of history.Read More »

  • Akira Inoue – Zatôichi Nidan-kiri AKA Zatoichi’s Revenge (1965)

    1961-1970ActionAkira InoueJapanMartial Arts

    Synopsis:
    Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi’s recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss’s brothel. With help from Denroku’s daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.Read More »

  • Tokuzô Tanaka – Zatoichi Kyojo Tabi AKA Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963)

    1961-1970ActionJapanMartial ArtsTokuzô Tanaka

    Synopsis:
    Blind swordsman/masseur Ichi (known as Zatoichi, or “Masseur Ichi”) angers a local yakuza gang when he defeats several of them in a wrestling match. When he finds that his long lost love Tane is nearby and romantically involved with a tough samurai in the employ of the gang, he remains in the village. Meanwhile, the young heir to the leadership is forced to confront his own fear and weakness when the gang insists he fight Ichi.Read More »

  • Tokuzô Tanaka – Shin Zatôichi Monogatari AKA New Tale of Zatoichi (1963)

    1961-1970ActionJapanMartial ArtsTokuzô Tanaka

    Synopsis:
    Blind masseur and master swordsman, Zatoichi, is tired of killing. He journeys to his old village looking for peace, but is pursued by the brother of Boss Kanbei, a man he’s killed. Back home, Ichi connects with Banno, his teacher, who seeks prestige and has arranged for his younger sister, Yayoi, to marry into a wealthy samurai family. Ichi and Yayoi realize they are in love, but Ichi’s request for her hand meets with Banno’s derision. Ichi is also drawn into Banno’s plot to kidnap the son of a wealthy man, ostensibly to aid the Mito Goblins, a gang of thieves on the run; but Banno wants to keep the ransom. Ichi wants harmony and love, but can he escape a destiny of violence?Read More »

  • Kazuo Mori – Zoku Zatôichi monogatari AKA The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

    1961-1970ActionJapanKazuo MoriMartial Arts

    Synopsis:
    Blind swordsman/masseur Zatoichi is pursued by the retainers of a lord who fear that he will reveal a secret weakness of their master. Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love: his own brother. He must face in combat not only the pursuing retainers but his own flesh-and-blood.Read More »

  • Kenji Misumi – Zatôichi monogatari Aka The Tale Of Zatoichi (1962)

    1961-1970ActionJapanKenji MisumiMartial Arts

    Synopsis:
    An impoverished blind masseur becomes a mercenary swordsman, to gain basic respect. The first of novelist Kan Shimozawa’s Zatoichi series: 26 films, a TV series and a play, all but two starring controversial singer/producer/director Shintaro Katsu. First of six Zatoichi films directed by Kenji Misumi. The shrewd Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighboring town’s smaller gang is brewing. The broke ex-masseur “Ichi” immediately wins big, by taking advantage of local bakuto’s cheating, after they scoff at his asking to join a dice game. The larger horde, who have been given carte blanche by the local governor, summoned Zatoichi. Zatoichi hates the fact that he’s become an outlaw, so he strikes up a friendship with the other gang’s honorable hired samurai, who has TB.Read More »

  • Chun-Ku Lu – Bui bun si mun AKA The Master (1980)

    1971-1980ActionChun-Ku LuHong KongMartial Arts

    A young gung fu student named Kao Chien (Yuen Te) saves the life of a man whom he later finds out is the famous gung fu master, Chin Tien Yun (Chen Kuan-Tai). Chin Tien Yun senses that Kao Chien is a good lad and asks if he could teach him some of his gung fu and breathing techniques. Kao Chien realizes this is against school rules, but agrees anyway to be taught. During his training, Kao Chien is told the story of a infamous gang called the “3 Evils” who terrorize the lands. Shortly, Kao Chien is expelled by his Sifu (Lau Hok Nin) for being a traitor, and then shortly later Chin Tien Yun meets his match and is killed by the “3 Evils”. The “3 evils” then take over Kao Chien’s school and make it a home base to plan their evil deeds along with forcing the remaining students and Kao Chien’s Sifu to act as their servants. Kao Chien, armed with new gung fu and breathing techniques, decides to take on the “3 Evils” one by one until all are dead.Read More »

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