#78: Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983)

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Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, and Corey Yuen star in this hyper-kinetic supernatural comedy, Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain, a special effects laden wuxia film from Hong Kong director Tsui Hark about an ordinary Chinese solider who, after stumbling into a world of fantastical supernatural battles between the forces of good and evil, must embark on a quest to save the universe.    

Timestamps:

• [00:00] Films we’ve been watching, Chainsaw Man, Shenmue the Animation, Anno’s Shin Ultraman Trailer
  
• [49:05] Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain Review
• [2:15:38] Twitter Questions

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#35: One-Armed Swordsman

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Our Shaw Brothers training regimen continues with the bloody saga of Fang Cheng aka the One-Armed Swordsman (1967), a seminal work of wuxia film-making from prolific director Chang Cheh.

Timestamps:

• What We’ve Been Watching (00:00)
• Listener Mail (39:12)
• News (49:53)
• Review (1:08:35)
• Three Minute Rule (2:13:01)

Links:

• Episode 31: Come Drink with Me
• Episode 24: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• Episode 11: 36th Chamber of Shaolin

If you have questions or comments about the show, please feel free to shoot us an Email or leave a comment below.

Thanks for listening!

#31: Come Drink with Me

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Review (38:30):

Although, taken for granted today, King Hu’s Come Drink with Me (1966) set the wuxia genre on a completely new footing.  By turning away from trained martial artists and instead hiring performers from the Beijing Opera school, such as the film’s magnificent female lead Chang Pei Pei, he began the process of transforming the type of action that defined these films away from the world of rigid, practical martial arts towards the more artful, flowing, and graceful form of combative dance that feature so strongly today.  Tune in for our full review of this Shaw Brothers classic that directly inspired Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon!

Links:

• We reviewed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on episode 24.
• And we reviewed another Shaw Brothers classic, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin way back on episode 11.

If you have questions or comments about the show, please feel free to shoot us an Email or leave a comment below.

Thanks for listening!

#24: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Download Link – Episode 24: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

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Introduction + News (0:00)

Review (15:09):

In order to bring his vision of the fourth novel in the Crane Iron series to life, Oscar winning director Ang Lee employed the talents of mega-stars Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi, legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping, and musical composer Tan Dun.  The results speak for themselves.  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, an all time classic of the wuxia genre, is still, to this day, the most successful international film, both critically and commercially, to ever hit the states — and rightly so.  Tune in for the full review!

If you have questions or comments about the show, please feel free to shoot us an Email or leave a comment below.

Thanks for listening!