Related
Summary
Gordon Liuhas one of the most impressive filmographies of any kung fu picture star , with multiple iconic title to his name . A Taiwanese actor and martial artist , Gordon Liu study material kung fu from a unseasoned years , finally getting his big break in the film industry thanks to a production company owned bythe famous Shaw brothers . While Liu does n’t quite have the same level of eclat as breakout stars like Jackie Chan or Jet Li , his career spans some standout kung fu epics .
Gordon Liu ’s movies lean to be menses piece for the most part , typically demo off the value of the traditional kung fu style he himself learned in real living . Liu is widely typecast as a grinder , but reach the unexpended visual aspect as one ofmartial arts picture show ' most famous villains . In either case Liu is a seasoned worker and fighter whose breathtaking stage dancing and turgid performances lead him quickly to international credit and acclaim .
DID YOU KNOW : Before becoming an worker , Liu worked as a cargo ships clerk .
Kung fu movie techniques often seem too good to be honest , but there are some that , with the correct skills , could actually work on in real life .
10Challenge Of The Masters(1976)
Directed By Lau Kar-leung
Challenge of the Masterssaw Gordon Liu join the ranks of Jackie Chan as being one of the few to portray the Chinese sept hero Wong Fei - hung . While Chan’sDrunken Masterseries hadWong overcome the graphics of drunken boxing , inChallenge of the Masters , Gordon Liu more accurately portray the trend of kung fu Wong is noted for using , sleep together as Hung Ga. Liu himself grew up training in Hung Ga as the first expressive style he ever used , and shows off his acquirement spectacularly inChallenge of the Masters .
The film centers on a teen Wong Fei - hung that is pressed to use his skills so as to defend the honor of his school while taking down a mortal assassinator . avowedly , this is something of a lineage - standard martial arts picture plot that does little to distinguish itself , leavingChallenge of the Masterstowards the bottom of Liu ’s filmography . Still , the film offers a more accurate depiction of Wong Fei - hung punctuated with a particularly impressive fight scene versus his brother , Lau Kar - backstage .
9Shaolin Mantis(1978)
Another quislingism between Gordon Liu and the fabled Shaw brothers , Shaolin Mantiswas released closer to the zenith of Liu ’s life history . Also known as simplyDeadly Mantis , the film star David Chiang as Wei Fung , a young scholar who happens to be an passing talented martial artist , as well . With his kin held by the emperor under threat of harm , Fung is draw to carry out a serious espionage mission against his will , developing his own unique marque of kung fu along the style . Liu appear only briefly as a campaign Shaolin monk .
Shaolin Mantisis an interesting premix of incredible and engaging , with the improbable tale of Fung ’s ontogeny of the celebrated mantis mode by detect one of the real insects coincide with an intriguing drama beleaguer his circumstances . However , the film is still marred by a glacial amorous hoagy - plot , historical inaccuracies , and one of the Shaw brothers ' trademark grim endings . The result is a memorable , if flawed experience that represents a lowly entry in Liu ’s cinematic appearances .
8Legendary Weapons Of China(1982)
Yet another menses slice , Legendary Weapons of Chinaisa classic wuxia filmthat present one of the most fantastical stories to credit Gordon Liu . carry blank space during the Qi Dynasty amid the notorious Boxer Rebellion , the film sees the Empress of China seek out the nominal " Legendary Weapons " , supernatural armament with powers able to stand up to western ammunition . Gordon Liu stars as the villainous Ti Tan , a kung fu master with the ability to make his trunk resistant to sharp objects .
The biggest specialty ofLegendary Weapons of Chinais its sheer variety of fight scene , with all 18 of the mythological arm being used at some level or another . Even better , the fight choreography trust on a sort of stone - newspaper - scissors active with the weapons , with some beating others while having a depute weapon they ’re weaker against . However , the confusing story and meagerly - developed characters leaveLegendary Weapons of Chinawith trivial else to volunteer besides its admittedlyexcellent engagement scenes .
7Return To The 36th Chamber (1980)
Directed By Gordon Liu
The 36th Chamber of Shaolinwas a breakout run into for Gordon Liu , propelling his career to fresh pinnacle . Naturally , a trilogy was fashioned out of the tarradiddle , and Liu returned to the enfranchisement two years later withReturn to the 36th Chamber . Interestingly , Liu does n’t reprize his role as the pure - hearted Shaolin monastic San Te , or else playing a gyp - man with a nerve of atomic number 79 name Chu Jen - chieh posing as a truthful Shaolin adherent . Chu is the only character of Liu ’s to not start the motion picture know kung fu , score for a fascinating arc .
The striking irony of Chu Jen - chieh , present as the famous San Te , meeting the substantial plenty deep within the famed 36th Chamber is delectable play .
The dramatic satire of Chu Jen - chieh , posing as the famous San Te , meeting the genuine tidy sum deeply within the far-famed thirty-sixth Chamber is delicious fun . However , Chu is something of a Mary Sue liken to San Te , who had to work severely to pull in his science . In the end , the not bad bequest ofReturn to the 36th Chamberis the cultural wallop that its predecessor had .
6Shaolin And Wu Tang(1983)
A martial arts take on a classical pal cop motion-picture show , Shaolin and Wu Tangis an iconic squad - up movie that gives Gordon Liu plenty of elbow room to shine . The film pore on a pair of blistering martial fine art competition , one of whom relies on kung fu and the other on swordsmanship , who are forced to wreak together to prevent the strategy of a bitter local lord to destroy both their schoolhouse . Liu star as Hung Jun - kit , who eschew wu tang steel in party favor of his fists .
Shaolin and Wu Tangwould leave a go ethnic bequest , being adduce as a prime aspiration bythe famous coxa - hop mathematical group , Wu - Tang Clan . Outside its name acknowledgement , the film does a great job pairing the kung fu and wu tang masters as a classical odd duo forced to put their differencesaside for the greater good . Still , it ’s plagued by the same problem as other low - budget soldierlike art films of the era , such as persistence issues , confuse politics , and death scene utterly lacking in worked up impact .
5Fists Of The White Lotus (1980)
Also known asClan of the White Lotus , Fists of the White Lotuswas yet another of the Shaw brothers ' countless martial liberal arts films of the 80 to star Gordon Liu . A straight retaliation level , the motion-picture show revolve around around the malefic Priest White Lotus , who seeks vengeance for the murder of his twinned brother , Pai Mei , by two Shaolin monk hero sandwich brothers , one of which is played by Liu . In turn , Priest White Lotus kill one of the brothers , which then prompts Liu ’s Man Ting Hung to continue the cycle of retaliation .
The premise may card at a virtuously - gray circumstance of prolonged conflict , but no misapprehension is made as to the evil of Priest White Lotus , leave something of a missed chance .
Technically a sequel toExecutioners from Shaolin , which was loose three years prior , Fists of the White Lotusis able to mostly provide enough background to be easy to jump into without any previous cognition . The premise may beleaguer at a morally - grey-headed circumstance of prolonged battle , but no mistake is made as to the iniquity of Priest White Lotus , leaving something of a overleap chance . That being say , with particularly remindful choreography , medicine , and performances , the film is one of Liu ’s strongest starring roles .
4The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
release in the United States asInvincible Pole Fighter , The Eight Diagram Pole Fighteris a alone kung fu movie epic that showed off Gordon Liu ’s skill with a polearm . Liu star as the 5th son of a famous Song Dynasty superior general , whose family is known far and blanket for their science with spears . After most of his family is slaughter in a brutal surprise attack , the surviving son learns the art of eight - diagram rod fighting at a Shaolin monastery , only to leave and break his vows to look for revenge .
An incredibly compelling internal drama survive within Liu ’s grapheme , wrestling with both his familial loyalty and newfound appreciation of Buddhist pedagogy while he converts his spear science into staff skills . Beyond the tangible drama , the film ’s competitiveness panorama were hard enough to realise it a nomination at the fourth Hong Kong film awards for Best Action Choreography , a heatedly - contended accolade . at long last , the celluloid is view as back just a tad by the over - indulgence of its many war outcry and weaponry , but is scraping the control surface ofall - metre classic kung fu .
3Kill Bill Vol. 2(2004)
It ’s true that Gordon Liu also star inKill Bill Vol . 1as Johnny Mo , the head of the lethal assassinator O - Ren Ishii ’s secret army . However , one would be hard - entreat to refer to the first cinema as a " kung fu " movie , being mostly centered around steel and tongue combat . On the other handwriting , Kill Bill Vol . 2is much more kung fu - centrical , with Gordon Liu render as the unpitying instructor Pai Mei . This attach the picture back to Liu ’s previous project , Fists of the White Lotus , possibly linking the persistence of both photographic film .
As one of the more famous Quentin Tarantino moving-picture show , Kill Bill Vol . 2needs picayune instauration , continuing Beatrix Kiddo ’s quest for retaliation alongside a revealing serial publication of flashbacks featuring Gordon Liu ’s unbelievable Pai Mei . Kill Bill Vol . 2boasts unfair advantages in production economic value over Liu ’s previous body of work , with all the defect and hyper - violence to be look of a Tarantino picture . With how much he managed to raise the film , it ’s no wonderGordon Liu ’s role inKill Bill Vol . 2was so long in the making .
2Heroes Of The East(1978)
One of the rare Chinese - made films to portray the kung fu of their homeland alongside Japanese warlike arts , Heroes of the Eastis an utterly singular experience suitable of praise . Gordon Liu appears aHo Tao , a gifted kung fu student and heritor to his founder ’s wealthy business imperium who finds himself in an arranged wedding with a Nipponese womanamid tense ethnic relations between China and Japan . He soon finds she is also a martial artist , and what results is a tear - down serial of affaire d’honneur between Ho Tao and a litany of Japanese opponents .
Considering the very real implications behindHeroes of the Eastamid East Asian political science , the plastic film is an fantastically daring exploration of Sino - Nipponese relation .
Considering the very veridical implications behindHeroes of the Eastamid East Asian politics , the film is an incredibly daring exploration of Sino - Japanese relations . That ’s not to advert the many detailed and entertaining engagement between utterly foreign martial arts dash , with the hilarious comedic stylings of Ho Tao ’s servant prevent affair alert . Featuring Romance language , action and comedy while making a bold cultural thesis financial statement , Heroes of the Eastis a triumph for Liu .
Custom Image by Alex Valentino
1The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin(1978)
Not only isThe thirty-sixth Chamber of ShaolinGordon Liu ’s most noted and iconic film , but it remains one of the single greatest kung fu movies of all sentence . The plot is simple;a young rebel in the Chinese countryside heads to a Shaolin monastery to learn kung fu in social club to overthrow a tyrannic local government activity . But outlast the 35 Shaolin chambers is no easy undertaking , and Gordon Liu ’s San Te has to summon all his self-will in society to continue .
Many kung fu films simply begin with their hero already experts in martial artistry , making San Te ’s grueling journeying that much more gratifying , a testament to the indomitable will of humanity . His dissertation statement on creating the 36th chamber to help protect the mutual masses is downright inspirational , and with a few eye - popping fight scenes and setpieces along the way , The thirty-sixth Chamber of Shaolinbecomes a classic for a reason . If there ’s one thingGordon Liuis famous for , it ’s spearhead one of the most influential kung fu movies of all metre .
