Kung Fu Movie Marathon!
Ready for a good binge watch?
There's nothing like an ACTION PACKED film, so, in light of Fist of Fury Noongar Daa coming to you in 2021, we've put together our top 8 kung fu movies.
Already a huge fan? Then this is a classic list of films worthy of a re-watch. Never watched a kung fu film before? You're in for a treat, this is the perfect place to start.
Settle in, this is a taste of kung fu cinema at it's finest.
1. IP Man | 2008
Defined by courage and humility, one man rises to the fore, Grandmaster Ip Man.
The creative bio pic of the celebrated wushu master, Ip Man who suffered under Japanese occupation during the late ’30s and early ’40s and then went on to teach his favoured discipline wing chun, to his illustrious student Bruce Lee.
Set in Foshan, China, during the Sino Japanese War, Ip Man vividly brings to life the brutality of the infamous Japanese occupation. Defined by courage and humility, one man rises to the fore, Grandmaster Ip Man, whose matchless fighting skills are revered all over China. Upon refusing to teach his beloved fighting art to the invading Japanese soldiers, he is forced to fight for the honour of his country in a series of battles that will culminate in a kill or be killed showdown with General Miura Japan’s greatest fighter.
Where to watch Netflix
2. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin | 1978
A classic tale of revenge, justice and stunning martial arts choreography.
Regarded as one of the most influential kung fu movies ever made, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is a classic tale of revenge, justice and one man's efforts to become as great an exponent of the martial arts as possible.
The plot surrounds young student Liu, who is urged to rise against the Manchu oppression in China, but the revolution has disastrous consequences. Escaping the massacre, Liu seeks shelter in the Shaolin Temple where the monks train him in their famous martial arts skills.
Where to watch Netflix
3. The Legend of Drunken Master | 1994
'Quite simply, amazing. It involves some of the most intricate, difficult and joyfully executed action sequences I have ever seen.' Roger Ebert
This is the Jackie Chan must-see movie! Filmed in 1994, but not given a wide release until 2000, The Legend of Drunken Master is about Wong Fei-Hong (Chan) returning home with his father after a shopping expedition and is unwittingly caught up in the battle between foreigners who wish to export ancient Chinese artefacts and loyalists who don’t want the pieces to leave the country. Fei-Hong (Chan) must fight against the foreigners using his Drunken Boxing style, and overcome his father’s antagonism as well.
We highly recommend the sequel too!
Where to watch Hmmm we can't find it on a streaming platform ... yet! Jump on this when it does get released.
4. The Way of the Dragon | 1972
Set in Rome featuring Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, need we say more?
An unforgettable Bruce Lee classic known for it's iconic showdown scene in Rome's Colosseum between Lee and Chuck Norris. This is also the film that launched Norris' career.
Tang Lung (Lee) arrives in Rome to help his cousins in the restaurant business. They are being pressured to sell their property to the syndicate, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. When Tang arrives he poses a new threat to the syndicate, and they are unable to defeat him. The syndicate boss hires the best Japanese and European martial artists to fight Tang, but he easily finishes them off.
Where to watch SBS On Demand
5. Police Story & Police Story 2 | 1985 & 1988
Witness some of Jackie Chan's most dangerous stunt work in these super-cop action packed films.
Known for it's incredible and dangerous stunt scenes all directed and performed by Jackie Chan (like all his work!) we can't go past this classic cop tale.
Filled with eye-popping stunt work Police Story centres around Hong Kong police officer who is framed for murder. The sequel Police Story 2 follows the super-cop who must stop a group of blackmailing bombers and tackle the villains from the first film who are out for revenge.
Where to watch SBS On Demand
6. Kung Fu Hustle
A gangster story like you've never seen before. Hilarious, unique and truly worth the watch!
This underrated classic is a unique, genre-bending mix of comedy, slapstick humour and cartoon-like action sequences unlike anything else in a Hong Kong or Chinese movie.
When the hapless Sing and his pal, Bone, try to scam the residents of Pig Sty Alley into thinking they're members of the dreaded Axe Gang, the real gangsters descend on this Shanghai slum to restore their fearsome reputation. What gang leader Brother Sum doesn't know is that three legendary retired kung fu masters live anonymously in this decrepit neighbourhood and don't take kindly to interlopers.
Where to watch Netflix
7. Five Deadly Venoms | 1978
One of the most heavily referenced and visually stunning martial arts films.
A truly iconic film with one of the best opening sequences, Five Deadly Venoms is totally unique, inventive and psychotronic. It's been heavily referenced by two of kung-fu’s most high-profile acolytes The Wu-Tang Clan and Quentin Tarantino.
The movie surrounds a kung-fu student who is instructed by his dying teacher to track down five of the teacher’s ex-students. Each of the five is equipped with a lethal martial arts skill, and the teacher fears this might be used for evil purposes. However, not only does the teacher not know the identity of the students (who all wore masks under his training), but some of the students also don’t know each other!
8. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon | 2000
Pure skill, heartbreaking romance and kick ass women. This is a must watch!
We couldn't leave this one off the list. Ang Lee's multi-award winning and beautifully crafted film is an absolute must-see for any cinema lover.
When a politician's daughter steals a legendary warrior's precious sword, a sequence of events is triggered to recover the sword, which leads to a deadly encounter with the thief's witch-like minder.
'A sweeping romantic epic with a strong feminist backbone, the thoroughly entertaining 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' also happens to boast a generous offering of seriously kick-ass action sequences that make 'The Matrix' seem downright quaint by comparison.' The Hollywood Reporter
Where to watch SBS On Demand
Fist of Fury Noongar Daa will be screening at Perth Festival 2021. Details released on 18 November.