Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently featured in training scenes and other sequences in addition to fights. Martial arts films commonly include hand-to-hand combat along with other types of action, such as stuntwork, chases, and gunfights. Sub-genres of martial arts films include kung fu films, wuxia, karate films, and martial arts action-comedy films, while related genres include gun fu, jidaigeki and samurai films.
Yang Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist and a martial arts film actor. Globally known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon, and the dominant super-villain Chong Li in Bloodsport as well as other numerous appearances and long career in Hong Kong martial arts films.
The Bloody Fists, is a 1971 Hong Kong action movie directed by See-Yuen Ng and starring Chen Siu Sing and Kuan Tai Chen. The memorable fight scenes were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, better known for choreographing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix.
Lo Wei was a Hong Kong film director and film actor best known for launching the martial arts film careers of both Bruce Lee, in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, and Jackie Chan, in New Fist of Fury.
Bruce Leung Siu-lung is a Hong Kong martial artist and actor who has appeared in many Hong Kong martial arts movies. He often appeared billed as "Bruce Leung", "Bruce Liang", "Bruce Leong", or "Bruce Leung Siu-lung", and is thus generally grouped among the Bruce Lee clones that sprang up after Lee's death in the subgenre known as Bruceploitation.
Crippled Avengers is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh and starring four members of the Venom Mob. It has been released in North America as Mortal Combat and The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms. The film follows a group of four martial artists seeking revenge after being crippled by Chu Twin, a martial arts master, and his son, Chu Cho Chang.
The Master is a 1980 martial arts film produced in Hong Kong. It was directed by Lu Chin Ku and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. While The Master was Lu's attempt at kung fu comedy similar to Jackie Chan movies of the time, he continued on to create films with a more fantastical flair.
He Has Nothing But Kung Fu aka. Kung Fu's Deadly Duo is a 1977 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lau Kar-wing, starring Gordon Liu and Wong Yue. It was Lau Kar-wing's first film as a director.
Conan Lee Yuen-Ba 李元霸, is a Hong Kong-born American film actor and martial artist.
All Men Are Brothers, also known as Seven Soldiers of Kung Fu, is a 1975 Hong Kong wuxia film based on the Chinese classical 14th century novel Water Margin. The film was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh and Wu Ma.
The Legend of Bruce Lee is a 2008 Chinese biographical martial arts television series based on the life story of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. The 50-episode series was produced and broadcast by CCTV and began airing on October 12, 2008. It was intended to promote Chinese culture alongside the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Là dove non batte il sole, also known as The Stranger and the Gunfighter and El kárate, el Colt y el impostor, is a 1974 kung fu Spaghetti Western comedy film directed by Antonio Margheriti and starring Lo Lieh and Lee Van Cleef. It was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio in collaboration with an Italian company, and filmed on location in Hong Kong and Spain. For English-language release, the film was retitled The Stranger and the Gunfighter and Blood Money.
The Karate Kid is a 2010 martial arts drama film directed by Harald Zwart, and part of The Karate Kid series. It stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan in lead roles, and it was produced by Jerry Weintraub, James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. This film does not take place in the same fictional universe as the four previous Karate Kid films, but is instead a remake of the original 1984 film with the setting moved to China, and the martial art changed from karate to kung fu.
The Scorpion King is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by David Lai, and starring Chin Kar-lok, Lau Kar-leung and Kim Won-jin. The film was released on 12 November 1992.
Opium and the Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Tang Chia, who also serves as one of the film's action directors, and stars Ti Lung as the titular protagonist.
George Wang was a Taiwanese actor and producer who appeared in a multitude of Italian films.
The Chinese Boxer is a 1970 Hong Kong action kung fu film written, directed by and starring Jimmy Wang Yu. Tong Gaai was the action director. The Chinese Boxer was a box office success at the time of its release and is currently considered the first classic in the non-wuxia, Kung Fu genre, or specifically the unarmed combat martial art films that center more on training and prowess than fantasy/adventure. It would prove influential to subsequent films like Fist of Fury.
Raw Force is a 1982 Filipino-American martial arts action-horror film written and directed by Edward D. Murphy and starring Cameron Mitchell.
Duel of Karate, also known as To Subdue Evil and To Subdue the Devil, is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts film produced by and directed by Fu Ching-hua and starring Chan Hung-lit and Tien Peng as twin brothers who were separated at a young age after their parents were murdered by the chief antagonist.
Spooky, Spooky, also known as The Haunted Island and Spooky, Spooky, Spooky, is a 1988 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed and co-produced by Sammo Hung. The executive producer was Leonard Ho. The film was released theatrically on 19 October 1988.
