Hong Kong had a prolific pre-1970s film industry, but it was the supremely talented and determined Bruce Lee who brought Hong Kong film to the international stage. This tiny island nation has been integral to the introduction of the martial arts genre to the rest of the world. One look at Uma Thurman's yellow jumpsuit in the Kill Bills is enough to show us this influence is still alive and very much kicking. After Lee's death in 1973 the industry lost some of its momentum and stuck to the tried and true chop socky formula, but by the 1980s a new talent was emerging in the form of John Woo, inventor of so-called 'balletic gunplay'. This style of shooting shoot-outs captured the imaginations of many young American film makers and emerges in films as diverse as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'The Matrix'. The martial arts genre was reinvigorated by talents such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li who wanted to introduce more story into the action, and in recent years film maker Wong Kar Wai has challenged what it means to be an HK film, steering clear of Kung Fu and concentrating on more personal, quirky stories. Undoubtedly there is more to see from this exciting port of call... Right: There can be no more an iconic figure in the martial arts world, than the master himself, the late, great Bruce Lee.
Sammo Hung's first directorial outing is a well-polished, innovative and highly entertaining kung-fu flick that was breaking new ground with its blend... Read more
The Pang Brothers' spine-chiller about a writer on the hunt for some genuine supernatural experiences while researching her next novel is full of thei... Read more
Hong Kong comedy king Stephen Chow directs and stars in this sci-fi family comedy as a struggling single father whose quest to find his son the perfec... Read more
Their martial arts skills languishing while their teacher remains in a long coma, two middle-aged teahouse proprietors get back into the swing of thin... Read more
To Wai-cheung (Chapman To), a long-time film producer, has yet to produce anything resembling a hit. Beset by financial troubles, he agrees to recreat... Read more
When the mysterious deaths of a series of loyal subjects threaten to delay the 690 A.D. inauguration of Empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau), she summons th... Read more
General Wang Sheng (Chen Kun) rescues a beautiful young woman, Xiao Wei (Zhou Xun), from the scene of a battle and takes her into his household, littl... Read more
Aka "Fists of Fury". In his first starring martial arts epic, Bruce Lee plays a naive country boy who chops and kicks his way through corruption and d... Read more
Uses footage and out-takes from Bruce Lee's other films to allow the legendary performer to make a short appearance at the films start - the result is... Read more
After ruining his school's attempt to win a "Pao" competition, a young Wong Fei-hung (Gordon Liu) is sent away with Master Luk Ah-choy (Chen Kuan-tai)... Read more