Artivels Undescribable Perfection

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

ebiros2 Nora Miao and Jackie Chan stars again since New Fist of Fury (1976) in this classic martial arts movie.Eight masters of snake and crane combined their skills and wrote the book containing all their secrets. They entrusted it to master Lin along with the Dragon Spear, and disappeared. Hsu (Jackie Chan) is carrying that book. Everyone seems to know that and wants the book. Unfortunately Hsu turns out to be very well learned in the techniques, and nobody is able to take the book away from him. He's letting everyone know he has the book, because he's looking for a man. Three different clans, Tang, Black Dragon, and Flying Tiger are after his book. Leader of the Tang clan Tang Sei-Chun (Nora Miao) is looking to get the book to find her father. It turns out that man Hsu is looking for is Chan, the leader of the Black Dragon clan and he's after the book also. Wong, head of Flying Tiger clan who's daughter Un-Chu has been stalking Hsu is interested in the book. They feel that with that book, they can rule the kung fu world. Sei Chun, and Un Chu has feelings for Hsu, and sides with him. When Hsu gets caught by Wong, Sei Chun gathers her troops to free Hsu. But Hsu escapes on his own, and Chan hearing about this, goes after Hsu. The end result is all three clans converging on location where Hsu shows up. Chan wants to wipe out the other two clans, and full battle between the clans including Hsu ensues. Then surprising secret about the Shaolin masters and Chan is revealed.Surprisingly entertaining movie featuring Jackie Chan. This movie has real plot to the story. Few months after this movie was shot, Jackie will be filming his crowning achievement from the '70s, the Drunken Master. The two characters he played couldn't have been more apart. In this, he plays dead strait character, and there's no comic element in this story.This is one of the better Jackie Chan movie from the '70s, and also a very decent kung fu movie.

winner55 having just about butchered more old Hong Kong action films than i care to mention, Columbia-Tristar actually did something right with the DVD re-release of this film - they restored a brief snippet towards the end that had long been lost to the standard American video release of it. The snippet is only about a minute of film, but it explains the emotional upheaval shown by one of the characters, and why he decides to aid Jackie in the final battle.This is one of the better pure chop-socky 'fu films of Chan's early period, while still under contract to Lo Wei. Chen Chi Hua is really only directing a typical chop-socky, but he does allow Jackie to try out some mugging for the camera as well as some shtick. most of the actors are quite up for their supporting roles, and although the script is pretty standard fair, Chen and Chan rarely let it get beyond their capacity to have a good time, and to share this with the audience.By no means a classic, but a thoroughly entertaining 'fu film.

cloudhands_1 To start with, this is one of the best old skool Kung Fu movies out there! and now to the nitty gritty...Every year, the Masters of all the Shaolin divisions gather for combining and developing the best technique based on their supreme kung fu knowledge & experience, now they have formed the ultimate kung fu technique making "The Book of the Eight Steps of Snake & Crane".but mysteriously hereafter, the 8 Masters of Shaolin disappear along with the most valuable book, and chaos reigns in South China Until one day, when a young stranger comes to town named Hsu Yin Fung, or better known to us as Jackie Chan, carrying the precious book. Now this definitely means action, and in big quantities - all the kung fu clans want this book for themselves, but Hsu Yin Fung has mastered the art which is written there! even more, not only that Hsu Yin Fung does not keep the fact that he has the book very secret as you would expect him to do, he also has a bad habit: he likes fighting people who fight well, as he puts it in the movie.yes ladies & gentlemen, this movie is loaded with fighting scenes! there are heaps of them to surely satisfy any kung fu movies fan, while the plot itself is also interesting, it is not the usual formula of kung fu movies, a lot of colorful characters appear in this film, and there are no dull moments, the story keeps it's rhythm fluently.There is also some humor weaved in the story although not exactly the kind of humor you might be used to from other Jackie Chan's movies, note this - Jackie does not do any slapstick like humor by himself, here he is the toughest guy around and he has no problem showing it. most of his films, Jackie is not reluctant to kick ass, nor to straight forward declare that he can, but here it's a whole different tale...one last thing, in the opening scenes of the movie (and later on) The Dragon Spear is mentioned: a weapon which is given to The ShaoLin Master Lin who was given the book at first to assist him in this, but we never get to see this spear in the movies it is only mentioned so don't build up expectations.

Edwin Bailey This movie's actually really good, especially considering how old it is... There's a wonderful cast of characters, each with their own particular weapon/style, and it doesn't dwell too much on plot like some earlier pics. Jackie Chan refers to this in his book as his "First Dream Project", and it shows, because it really looks like he's in control with the action and story. Not bad at all.