A few months ago I decided to up my kung-fu collection with a Shaw Brothers box set. Kung-fu fans know the Shaw Brothers from such movies as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and other assorted classics. I personally found them through listening to interviews with the RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan. He was a big fan and of course kung-fu has a huge influence on the Wu-Tang Clan's music and presentation.
Anyway, the Shaw Brothers Collection II definitely isn't the highlight of my kung-fu collection. But the movies are ok overall, with some better than others.
Here is my breakdown of each in the random order in which I watched them:
Brave Archer and His Mate
I'm still not sure who the Brave Archer is, but according to the case, this was the fourth part of the Brave Archer Series. If it was me, I would package this with the other three parts, but no one put me in charge.
As for the movie itself, it is chock full of great kung-fu scenes and sword fighting. It has some comedy, some intellectual thinkers, many masters and wizened philosophes, and an appearance by the legendary toad style. Unfortunately, based only on this part of the Brave Archer series, the movie is basically two movies in one.
In the first part, the main character and his wife battle a maniac master cooped up in a temple. When one of their students, a wise-cracking wisenhiemer discovers the master's lair and falls under his influence, the main character has to face this insane character and rescue his impressionistic apprentice.
After facing the insane master, the main character, along with the sarcastic student and another student, comes to the aid of another temple under attack by two fighters well versed in the sword fighting style.
You can check it out here and follow the link through all the chapters.
Grade: 82/100
Holy Flame of the Martial World
Most of the kung-fu flicks I own are grounded in reality. Although there are some unfeasible jumps and overly-graphic kill scenes, they are by and large realistic. Holy Flame of the Martial World, on the other hand, takes place in a fantasy world that barely has its roots in reality. No other movie I own has demons, monsters, and ghosts mixed in with its kung-fu.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is, as Kung-Fu Cinema says, "a live-action cartoon", full of beast-men, finger lasers, and super cheesy special effects. It is over the top and fun.
Grade: 84/100
Brothers Five
In this more traditional kung-fu film, five brothers (imagine that!) attempt to defeat the boss of an evil temple. Unfortunately, however, none of them know each other, as they were separated at birth. They are reunited by a roaming female kung-fu master who also has a problem with the evil boss. After the brothers are reunited, the female master teaches them a new style that combines their powers and helps them become more than the sum of their parts.
See Kung-Fu Cinema's review here.
Grade: 80/100
Journey of the Doomed
I'm glad I watched Journey of the Doomed last. It was definitely the worst movie of the set. I'm sure had I watched it first my entire opinion of the set might have been ruined. Although there is one redeeming quality, Journey of the Doomed is without a doubt a bad movie. First of all, there is little to no kung-fu. There is only one fighting scene of any value. Second, Journey of the Doomed contains something no other kung-fu movie I own does: soft-core porn. For some reason, the people who made this movie decided to insert several sappy soft-core sex scenes. It's like watching Kung-Fu Theater if it were on Skinamax. Then there is the related rampant nudity. In one scene, for example, two female warriors decide to execute an entire whore house. Of course, everyone there has to be topless. For effect, of course.
I mentioned that Journey of the Doomed did have one redeeming quality (no, not the gratuitous amount of boobies - although those are cool). The resulting plight of the main characters, two lovers with nothing to lose, I thought was original. It bucks the traditional storyline of good versus evil in exchange for a Romeo and Juliet kung-fu collision.
Check out Kung-Fu Cinema's review here.
Grade: 70/100
Overall, the Shaw Brothers Collection II is not a bad box set for fans of kung-fu. If you aren't a fan of the genre, or even if you are just a casual fan, I would recommend skipping this set and sticking with some of the classics.
