films seen
25/26
average score
2.76*
nationality
China - 76 years old
status
R.I.P. (1936 - 2013)
more info

The Shaw Bros' most prestigious director. He made a slew of martial arts classics together with action legend Gordon Liu. Apart from a small dip in the late 80s, Liu's work is a treasure trove for action fans, others can safely skip his work.

Movies


Drunken Master II

Jui Kuen II
1994 / 102m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
Drunken Master II poster

One of the big martial arts masterpieces of the 90s. Jackie Chan teamed up with Chia-Liang Liu hoping to deliver a worthy sequel to Woo-Ping Yuen Drunken Master. Like Yuen, Liu may not be the most skilled director, but he sure knows how to set up an impressive spectacle. Drunken Master II is not a film without flaws, but whenever Lui and Chan dish out another stupendous action scene those flaws are quickly forgotten. The 20-minute finale is by far one of the best martial arts scenes ever. A must-see for all martial arts fan out there.


Drunken Monkey

Chui Ma Lau
2002 / 97m - China
Comedy, Action, Adventure
3.5*/5.0*
Drunken Monkey poster

Chia-Liang Liu's swan song. It's a very clear throwback to the heyday of the Shaw Bros studio, which is both a strength and a weakness. The film feels more than a bit dated for a 2003 project, but the focus on martial arts skills and choreography is tangible. With Liu both in front of and behind the camera, there's plenty to like for genre fans.

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Bill Man is a respected teacher, but he is tough on his students. They set up a trap and nearly kill him. Man manages to escape and becomes a recluse. He finds some new students to teach, but then his old clan learns he is still alive, and they come back to try and finish the job.

Liu found some young talent and gave himself a sizeable role to show off he could still kick ass at his age. The action scenes are pretty great, the rest of the film isn't quite up to par though. The cinematography is lacking, the soundtrack isn't great, and the plot is really bland. Still, if you love Liu's older work, this is well worth checking out.

Martial Arts of Shaolin

Nan Bei Shao Lin
1986 / 99m - Hong Kong
Action
3.5*/5.0*
Martial Arts of Shaolin poster

Disciples of the 36th Chamber

Pi Li Shi Jie
1985 / 90m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.5*/5.0*
Disciples of the 36th Chamber poster

The Lady Is the Boss

Chang Men Jen
1983 / 86m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.5*/5.0*
The Lady Is the Boss poster

Mad Monkey Kung Fu

Feng Hou
1979 / 116m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.5*/5.0*
Mad Monkey Kung Fu poster

Dirty Ho

Lan Tou He
1976 / 103m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Drama, Action
3.5*/5.0*
Dirty Ho poster

Drunken Master III

Jui Kuen III
1994 / 91m - China
Action
3.0*/5.0*
Drunken Master III poster

Cat vs. Rat

Yu Mao San Hu Jin Mao Shu
1982 / 97m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Cat vs. Rat poster

My Young Auntie

Cheung Booi
1981 / 121m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.0*/5.0*
My Young Auntie poster

Return to the 36th Chamber

Shao Lin Ta Peng Hsiao Tzu
1980 / 99m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Return to the 36th Chamber poster

36th Chamber of Shaolin

Shao Lin San Shi Liu Fang
1978 / 115m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action, Adventure
3.0*/5.0*
36th Chamber of Shaolin poster

Invincible Pole Fighter

Wu Lang Ba Gua Gun
1983 / 98m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Invincible Pole Fighter poster

Legendary Weapons of China

Shih Ba Pan Wu Yi
1982 / 109m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Legendary Weapons of China poster

Martial Club

Wu Guan
1981 / 110m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Martial Club poster

Challenge of the Ninja

Zhong Hua Zhang Fu
1979 / 105m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Challenge of the Ninja poster

Spiritual Boxer II

Mao Shan Jiang Shi Quan
1979 / 97m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Fantasy, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Spiritual Boxer II poster

Shaolin Mantis

Tang Lang
1978 / 96m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Shaolin Mantis poster

Executioners from Shaolin

Hong Xi Guan
1977 / 98m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Executioners from Shaolin poster

Challenge of the Masters

Huang Fei-hong Yu Liu a Cai
1976 / 95m - Hong Kong
Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Challenge of the Masters poster

Naked Fists of Terror

Shen Da
1975 / 103m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Drama, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Naked Fists of Terror poster

Breakout from Oppression

Zui Jia Bo Sha
1978 / 78m - Hong Kong
Action
2.0*/5.0*
Breakout from Oppression poster

One of the few Chia-Liang Liu films that had escaped me so far. While it's nice to finally catch up with it, the quality of the release was pretty dire and probably did have some effect on my overall impression. That said, it's clearly not one of Liu's best films, so while a restoration may help, it's not suddenly going to turn this into a martial arts classic.

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A young letter carrier roams the countryside and is troubled by some corrupt cops. When he enters a nearby village her sees three men darting off. He hears from a woman both her daughters were killed, so he assumes the men had something to do with their murder. He chases them down, but there's more to the story.

Gordon Liu still had hair, that's how old this film is. The martial arts scenes are pretty decent, but nothing quite as slick or polished compared to Liu's more prestigious films. The plot is pretty simple and the presentation could've used a little extra effort. Pure martial arts filler, that just happens to be directed by one of the most lauded directors in the business.


Tiger on the Beat II

Lao Hu Chu Geng II
1990 / 94m - Hong Kong
Action
1.5*/5.0*
Tiger on the Beat II poster

Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit

Xin Zuijia Paidang
1989 / 103m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit poster

Tiger on the Beat

Lo Foo Chut Gang
1988 / 88m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Action, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
Tiger on the Beat poster