Kar-wing Lau
The Treasure Hunters
Fans of the international star Alexander Fu Sheng were aghast. Their idol had broken both his legs and was recuperating. Everyone wondered: would he be able to return to the action comedies for which he was so famous? This movie was the answer, and it left no doubt that he had made a full recovery. Liu Chia-yung, brother of preeminent martial arts moviemaker Liu Chia-liang, was famous in his own right for kung-fu comedies, and he out-did himself with this one. Imagine Bob Hope and Bing Crosby with the skills of Jet Li and Jackie Chan, and you’ve got an idea of the fun and fury inherent in this delightful tale of two con men vying for a horde of hidden gold. Add to the mix a Shaolin monk (played by “Master Killer” Gordon Liu Chia-hui), a powerfully brutal villain (Wang Lung-wei), and his equally dangerous mute sister (future director Yang Tsing-tsing), and you’ve got one of the most internationally loved kung-fu capers ever made.
Apple TV
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
There have been many kung-fu movies set in the famed Shaolin Temple, but none have captured the monastery’s martial arts world quite like "The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin". Liu Chia-liang, a legendary director of the genre, made a star of his brother Gordon Liu Chia-hui in this look at anti-Ching Dynasty rebels and their revolt against the Manchus. Gordon Liu Chia-hui attains the ultimate knowledge of kung-fu by arduously mastering one chamber after another, eventually reaching the fabled 36th chamber. Armed with this knowledge, the monks engage in some of the most exciting battles ever staged in the history of martial arts movies. The film was Shaw Brothers’ number one hit of 1978, and won the Best Martial Arts Award at the 24th Asian Film Festival.
Apple TV