Starting as a fight choreographer, martial artist and actorLau Kar-leungwould go on to become well-known and celebrated for his directorial achievements. Lau is seen as one ofthe best martial arts directorsof all time, forhis contribution to the genre encouraged other directors to portray a range of martial arts styles in their films with authenticityand attention to detail. Lau, having first been taught kung fu as a young boy, has created some iconic fight sequences in martial arts films, namely thoseproduced by the Shaw Brothers, includingThe One-Armed Swordsman.
Though many of Lau’s best-known martial arts films have intense narratives, likeThe Eight Diagram Pole FighterandThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the director also dabbled quite a bit inmartial arts comediesas well. Awearer of many hats, Lau’s talent is evident in his choreography, acting, and writing, but it’s his directorial efforts that see these abilities fuse to create memorable and, in many cases, influential pieces of work.
Return To The 36th Chamber
Cast
Return to the 36th Chamber (1980) is a Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lau Kar-leung. Starring Gordon Liu, the movie follows the story of a con artist who pretends to be a Shaolin monk and ultimately trains in the real 36th Chamber to confront oppressive factory owners. The film showcases traditional Shaolin training and features intricate fight choreography, remaining a classic within the genre.
Lau’s filmThe 36th Chamber of Shaolinis seen as one of the best martial arts movies of all time, and while the loosely connected sequel films may not have been as positively received, they are still undeniably fun and ambitious. The second film in the trilogy isReturn to the 36th Chamber, which stars Gordon Liu, Kara Hui, and Hsiao Ho. Unlike the first film,Return to the 36th Chamberis much more comedic.
10 Trippy Kung Fu Movies With Awesome Visuals
The martial arts genre has a lot to offer, including its fair share of trippy kung fu movies with awesome visuals and great action.
Liu’s role in the second film differs slightly from the first, where he played Shaolin monk San Te. This time,Return to the 36th Chambersees Liu as a young man who poses as San Te to help factory workers. Liu’s character then goes on a journey to become a kung fu master at a Shaolin temple. The story doesn’t differ too much from its predecessor, but the comedic twist can be greatly appreciated for its entertainment value.
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
Mad Monkey Kung Fu features a tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption through the unique style of Monkey Kung Fu. After a respected martial artist is crippled by a treacherous former friend, he mentors a young thief in the art of Monkey Kung Fu to help him avenge the wrongs of the past. This film is celebrated for its intricate fight choreography and the portrayal of the distinctive monkey fighting style.
There have been a few films throughout Lau’s career that he’s both directed and starred in, withMad Monkey Kung Fubeing one of them. Rounding out Lau’s impressive run in the ’70s,Mad Monkey Kung Fufollows a retired kung fu master’s path toward revenge. After being brought down and shamed by a local gangster, Chen (Lau) is working as a street performer when he comes across a young boy nicknamed Monkey (Hsiao Hou), who’d soon become his protégé.
Mad Monkey Kung Fuhas a standard story seen in several martial arts films, following a revenge plot and depicting the significant relationship between a teacher and his student. Therefore,what truly sets the film apart from other kung fu movies is the action sequences. The film includes the titularmartial arts style, which is delicately choreographed and highly entertaining to watch. As a stunt performer, action choreographer, and frequent collaborator of Lau’s, Hsiao Hou is more than capable of keeping up with his co-star throughout the film.
Many of Lau’s best kung fu movies featured familiar faces, one of which is that of Kara Hui. In fact, the actor’s earliest film appearance was in Lau’sChallenge of the Masters, andHui would continue to pop up in the director’s films in the following years. InMy Young Auntie, Hui plays the titular character, a martial arts champion named Cheng Tai-nun, who, following the death of her elderly husband, moves in with her older nephew (Lau Kar Leung) and his son, Yu Tao (Hsiao Ho).
For her performance in the film, Hui won Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
The action movie sees Tai-nun and Tao fighting off those who stole the former’s inheritance. Compared to most of Lau’s films,My Young Auntieis much more comedic, which its cast handles well.The choreography is silly but convincingin its technicality. For her performance in the film, Hui won Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Merging comedy with martial arts is the late ’70s filmDirty Ho. The kung fu film stars Gordon Liu and Wong Yue as a prince and jewel thief, respectively, who team up to protect the former from a mystery assassin hoping to take his throne.Of Lau’s martial arts comedy films,Dirty Hois among the best. It’s not an easy task to pull off comedic action movies, as the silliness of the film can quickly become cheesy.
However, Lau andDirty Ho’s cast do a great job at finding the ideal balance. Both the slapstick humor and the well-choreographed action are at a consistent high throughout the film, with neither element overpowering the other.Dirty Hois unapologetically loud with its comedic tone and lavish sets, making it easy to secure audiences' attention. Liu and Wong, too, who were frequent co-stars throughout their careers, are a well-paired match on-screen and act as the ideal counterparts to the film’s delightfully villainous antagonists.
The Legendary Weapons of China
Legendary Weapons of China, a 1982 martial arts fantasy film, unfolds during the late Qing Dynasty amid the Boxer Rebellion. Empress Dowager Cixi sends agents to uncover supernatural martial artists impervious to western bullets. Chaos ensues when a disillusioned leader disbands his group, prompting remaining factions to deploy assassins against him.
Though he’s most celebrated for his directing and choreographing efforts,Lau also wrote a handful of screenplays throughout his career. Many of these screenplays were for films he directed, includingLegendary Weapons of China. Set during the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi sends a group of assassins to find supernatural martial artists who are invincible to bullets. When one member appears to be a traitor, the remaining assassins go after him.
Admittedly,Legendary Weapons of Chinadoes open with a confusing story, overstuffed with too many characters and details to keep track of. However,once the film’s action begins, it’s clear that’s what makesLegendary Weapons of Chinaworthwhileand one of Lau’s best films. As expected from Lau, the'80s martial arts fantasy filmis full of eye-catching action sequences that interweave innovative means of magic with traditional kung fu choreography.
Inspired by the style of one of the'80s best buddy cop movies,Lethal Weapon, Lau’sTiger on the Beatpairs Chow Yun-fat and Conan Lee as the mismatched duo. Though the film’s simple story has been told several times before and since its 1988 release, it differs greatly from the movies Lau is best known for. Additionally, the film’s leading performances set it apart from others in the buddy cop genre.
In the film, a veteran police officer (Chow) and his rookie partner (Lee) investigate the murder of a famous drug trafficker. During their investigation,the pair find themselves wrapped up in the world of organized crime. As expected of great buddy cop movies, the comedic chemistry between Chow and Lee is palpable. As an action film,Tiger on the Beatalso features some compelling bouts of conflict, with a particularly memorable scene involving a chainsaw.
Gordon Liu leads Lau’sHeroes of the East, in which the director also has a small part in the film. Differing from many kung fu movies at the time,Heroes of the Eastfeatures a mix of traditional kung fu seen throughout Hong Kong cinema, as well as Japanese martial arts. The inclusion of Japanese martial arts styles and characters was executed with a great amount of respect, minimizing the threat of the film’s antagonist characters.
InHeroes of the East, Liu plays a Chinese martial artist who marries a Japanese martial arts fighter (Yuka Mizuno). The relationship is filled with a bit of tension as each partner insists their style of martial arts is superior. Following a grave misunderstanding,Liu’s character must fight off several Japanese fighters, each a master of a different style. While there is plenty of substance within the film, there are very few stakes within its narrative, allowing Lau to take full advantage of its diverse and fun display of martial arts.
The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter
The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, directed by Lau Kar-leung, follows the story of the Yang family, betrayed by a corrupt official allied with the Mongols. After most male members are killed, the surviving brothers, Fu Sheng and his sibling, face turmoil, leading one into madness and the other to seek solace in a Buddhist temple.
Featuring powerfulperformances by Alexander Fu Sheng, Gordon Liu, and Kara Hui, among others,The Eight Diagram Pole Fighteris a dark yet incredibly moving martial arts film. The movie is based on a collection of stories known asThe Generals of the Yang Family. In the film, the Yang family is ambushed, resulting in the heartbreaking deaths of all the men except for the fifth (Liu) and sixth (Fu Sheng) sons.
The emotional weight such a tragedy has on the remaining brothers is apparent throughout the film and is effectively captured in Liu and Fu Sheng’s performances. The emotional trauma in the film acts as the leading motivator for Liu’s character to get revenge. The titular fighting technique proves to be quite useful in the character’s final confrontations, which are among the most brutal in Lau’s filmography.The final moments of action inThe Eight Diagram Pole Fighterare gruesome and shockingand are likely to stick with audiences for quite some time.
Drunken Master II
Drunken Master II is a martial arts film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Jackie Chan as Wong Fei-hung. Set in early 20th century China, the story follows Wong Fei-hung as he employs his unique style of drunken boxing to combat corrupt officials and foreign agents smuggling valuable artifacts. The film is renowned for its intricate choreography and traditional kung fu elements.
A follow-up to theYuen Woo-ping-directed filmDrunken Master,Drunken Master IIis arguably one ofJackie Chan’s most important movies. Just like its predecessor,Drunken Master IIblends comedy with kung fu and boasts some of Chan’s more daring stunts. The film sees the actor returning as the famous Chinese martial artist Wong Fei-hung. In the sequel, Wong uses a drunken boxing style to defeat foreigners who try to export precious Chinese artifacts.
A decade before the release of the film, Chan hadn’t appeared in a traditional kung fu movie. While that may be the best way to categorizeDrunken Master II, the film still features several trademarks of Chan’s most celebrated work, including an admirable amount of physical comedy and remarkable stunt work.Lau played a big part in creatingDrunken Master II’s iconic fight scenes as he provided the choreography for the filmand had a supporting acting role as well. For his contributions, Lau won the award for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin follows Lui, a young man who escapes a Manchu attack and seeks martial arts training to avenge his fallen comrades. Set against the backdrop of anti-Ching resistance, Lui’s journey leads him to the Shaolin Monastery, where he undergoes rigorous training.
Early on in his career as a director, Lau teamed up with the Shaw Brothers and Gordon Liu to makeThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin.The movie is considered to bethe best film about Shaolin monksand one of the best kung fu films ever.The 36th Chamber of Shaolintells the story of how San Te (Liu) rose above hardships, rebelled against the oppressive Manchu government, and established the titular chamber to teach ordinary people kung fu.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolinhas its moments of action, but the film is more concerned with telling an engaging origin story, albeit one that’s embellished. Despite having a slightly slower pace and relishing every step of San Te’s training,Liu’s captivating lead performance and Lau’s direction ensure audiences are never bored. The success ofThe 36th Chamber of ShaolinpropelledLauand his cast to greater levels of fame, signifying early on that the director’s influence on filmmaking and martial arts was far from fleeting.
