(Mostly) Forgettable Asian Movies of the 1980s
Since I have already created lists concerning the lesser enjoyable movie output from the west, I decided to do something similar concerning movies from Asia.
I do not mean to say that the pictures on this list are an absolute waste of time. Some of them make great B-pictures or are just ridiculously entertaining - at least if you like to think of yourself as someone with an ancquired taste. Others, well, others don't have any redeeming quality whatsoever and are simply bad.
On a side note, I am very much aware that movies from Asia (especially Eastern Asia) can often be quirky, strange or just downright different. I took that into account upon giving my verdict, but more than often I stumbled across a movie which, at least for me, just didn't cut it.
So, have fun browsing through what I, at least in some cases, consider to be the bad, boring, superfluous and/or way over the top kind of movies and don't hesitate to let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices.
PS: The movies are sorted by year and not necessarily by my preference. This list is by no means complete as I will add new worthwhile films as I stumble across them.
I do not mean to say that the pictures on this list are an absolute waste of time. Some of them make great B-pictures or are just ridiculously entertaining - at least if you like to think of yourself as someone with an ancquired taste. Others, well, others don't have any redeeming quality whatsoever and are simply bad.
On a side note, I am very much aware that movies from Asia (especially Eastern Asia) can often be quirky, strange or just downright different. I took that into account upon giving my verdict, but more than often I stumbled across a movie which, at least for me, just didn't cut it.
So, have fun browsing through what I, at least in some cases, consider to be the bad, boring, superfluous and/or way over the top kind of movies and don't hesitate to let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices.
PS: The movies are sorted by year and not necessarily by my preference. This list is by no means complete as I will add new worthwhile films as I stumble across them.
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- DirectorHark TsuiStarsNorman ChuEddy KoMelvin WongA secret agent investigates a village that is populated by crazed, inbred cannibals."We're Going to Eat You"
- DirectorDennis YuStarsEddie ChanSing ChenKent ChengA father seeks revenge from a gang of thugs who raped his daughter and murdered his son."The Beasts"
- DirectorSammo Kam-Bo HungStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungFat ChungLung ChanA rickshaw driver's wife and his rich client are secret lovers, and they decide to get rid of him without being implicated, so they hire a powerful sorcerer to kill him, but the sorcerer's colleague intervenes to protect him."Spooky Encounters"
- DirectorRonny YuStarsYing BaiGigi Suk Yee WongKent ChengInspector Tom is a tough cop, but has a soft side. Once a week, he plays day foster father to a young boy in an orphanage."The Saviour"
- DirectorChung SunStarsYue WongKu FengLung-Wei WangStarring kung-fu comedienne Wang Yu, a kid on a mission of justice, this film features plentiful ripsnorting martial arts by Jackie Chan's kung-fu classmates Yuen Hua and Yuan Pin, and Shaw Brothers' best martial arts fighting villain Wang Lung-wei."Claws of the Eagle"
- DirectorsNoriaki YuasaShigeo TanakaStarsMach FumiakeYaeko KojimaYoko KomatsuUsing several clips from previous Gamera entries, this film deals with alien forces sending all the monsters Gamera has faced in one final battle to rid the planet of its last hope."Gamera Super Monster"
- DirectorPeng TienStarsPeng TienHo TienChun-Erh LungKung fu masters Silver Spear, Red Leaf, Fast Steed and Green Lotus must survive dangerous obstacles and fight each other to the death to wed the lovely maiden of the Green Jade Villa and inherit her millions."The Silver Spear"
- DirectorChiu LeeStarsKa-Yan LeungPhillip KoLung-Wei WangA shipment of gold, collected as charity, is high-jacked in transit. Two con-men witness the robbery, and become wrongly accused as the robbers. At first they compete to capture each other for the rewards on their heads; but eventually work together to find the gold and expose the real bandits. However, the bandit chief isn't giving up so easily...."Two on the Road"
- DirectorKenjirô OhmoriStarsHiroshi KatsunoToshiyuki NagashimaYumi TakigawaA large earthquake hits Tokyo, which was predicted by a seismologist but was ignored."Deathquake"
- DirectorsGodfrey HoHyeok-su LeeStarsRyong KeoJeong-lee HwangGene ChanDragon Lee has his leg amputated and forges a replacement leg out of steel.
- DirectorsDarve LauBruce LeStarsBruce LeShih KienKwok-Choi HonA semi-biography of a young Bruce Lee striving to perfect his fighting style and how he is continually threatened by other schools of Kung Fu, jealous of his power, ability and agility.Bruce Lee - King of Kung Fu"
- DirectorShi-hyeon KimStarsRyong KeoCarter WongJin-su AhnTwo of Asia's biggest martial arts stars team up in this excellent offering from Korea. Two sons swear to avenge their father's murder. They set off in search of the last man to see him alive."Rage of the Dragon"
- DirectorYuen Woo-PingStarsShun-Yee YuenSiu-Ming TsuiLung ChanAspiring barber and experienced kung-fu fighter Shang learns that his childhood friend, Siu Ming, has been framed for murder by an unknown villain. When Shang begins looking into the crime, he soon finds himself the target of an assassination attempt. Who is behind all these crimes, and can Shang stop them?"The Buddhist Fist"
- DirectorWing-Cho YipStarsKa-Yan LeungYi-Lung HuangFeng ChengAh Chi (Ka-Yan Leung) is obsessed with the martial arts and, more often than not, his kung-fu clowning gets him into trouble. One day he gets into a fight defending the locals from a violent thug who turns out to be an enforcer for tong boss Hsia (Eddie Ko) of the notorious Jade Brotherhood. In retaliation, Hsia forces Chi's martial arts master to expel him. Masterless and working for a fish vendor, Chi meets a crafty kid (Yat Lung Wong), whose uncle Chow Tung (Simon Yuen) is a master of the Insane Mantis style. Though the crotchety old man refuses to teach Chi his technique, Chi picks up what he can in secret. Master Chow soon relents after Chi is badly beaten in yet another battle with Hsia's goons. Insane Mantis instruction now begins in earnest with great acrobatic acuity. Eventually, however, Hsia and his lackeys ambush and kill both the fish vendor and the old master which, in turn, completes Ah Chi's descent into total insanity. Emulating praying mantis behavior, Ah Chi unleashes an outright cannibalistic rage directed against the Jade Brotherhood's big boss himself!"Thundering Mantis"
- DirectorYoshitarô NomuraStarsTsunehiko WataseYukiyo ToakeMayuko WakamoriA five-year-old girl gets a tiny scratch on her finger while playing with mud in a marsh. After that, she suffers all kinds of horrible spasms including biting her tongue."Writhing Tongue"
- DirectorCheh ChangStarsPhillip Chung-Fung KwokMeng LoSheng ChiangThree refugees become sworn brothers during a war. One (Kuo Chui/Philip Kwok) works in a whore house, one (Chiang Sheng) in a gambling house, and the other (Lo Mang) in a martial arts school. They become embroiled in the war and are betrayed by one's mentor."The Rebel Intruders"
- DirectorPao-Shu KaoStarsHo WangYuen-Man MengShi-Kwan YenCasanova stars as a bodyguard, entrusted with guarding a rare treasure. While ensuring its safety, he discovers it's been stolen. Two conmen find out about Casanova's connection to the treasure, so they join forces with him in an attempt to get rich."The Master Strikes"
- DirectorsHsi-Chieh LaiSung-Po LiuStarsCarter WongNancy YenLo LiehThe kingdom of the Ming Emperor is being over run. He decides to kill himself and his daughter - but she escapes with a severe injury. She is helped by a female warrior and hopes to defeat the invaders."Emperor of Shaolin Kung Fu"
- DirectorJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanPai WeiBiao YuenA talented martial arts student goes after his expelled brother, who get into bad company."The Young Master"
- DirectorChih-Hung KueiStarsJames Yi LuiJenny LiangJu-Hua PeiA compulsive gambler with bad luck owes money to a violent gangster boss. A mysterious old man offers him a proposal to marry the ghost of his dead daughter in exchange for cash and an expensive apartment."Hex vs. Witchcraft"
- DirectorsShyam RamsayTulsi RamsayStarsNavin NischolVidya SinhaKaajal KiranDharamdas is killed by Dhanraj and his man later one by one Dharamdas killers are killed but it puts question to everyone as whose behind all this killings?
- DirectorsKi-nam NamJoseph VelascoStarsRyong KeoIrina ShevchenkoBruce LeA brilliant professor gathers cells from the late Bruce Lee and creates three clones, who are trained in martial arts and sent out to fight crime."The Clones of Bruce Lee"
- DirectorCheh ChangStarsMeng LoSheng ChiangLi WangThe Wu Tang chief sends out his men, each of whom is given a symbol so they can recognize each other. The largest is given to Lee, whom the others are to obey."Two Champions of Death"
- DirectorEiichi KudôStarsTeruhiko SaigôTsunehiko WataseSô YamamuraUpon the death of the third Shogun, his heir is kidnapped by a ninja group. Consequently, Hattori Hanzo fights the evil forces that threaten to destroy the nation."Shadow Warriors"
- DirectorChan-Wei LinStarsBilly ChongChiu-Sing HauOn-Lai LiuA dying Manchu Kung Fu fighter sends his three sons on a mission of revenge against the five Southern champs who defeated him a generation ago. The Manchus beat down the families but one son, Billy, takes a crash course in both North and South Eagle styles as well as Horsehead Fist. Only then, is he able to confront each of the three Manchu fighters in a martial arts finale like no other!"Super Power"
