View Full Version : Your Favorite "Really Bad" MA Movie...
SteyrAUG
07-12-2004, 16:52
OK, it is no secret that most martial arts films are often lacking in production values, storyline and final product. But we also love them despite their many and varied flaws.
I myself am a Shaw Bros. (Runme Shaw) junkie and can watch Zatoichin and Lone Wolf & Cub movies all day. But even these are often considered among the best of the genre and when they get bad, the films can really be pathetic.
So which one is the absolute worst that you will watch or even maybe like.
Here is my winner:
http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1010/201988.1010.A.jpg
Bruce Lee: The Man, the Myth (1976)
http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?master_movie_id=25437
One of the many Bruce Lee exploitation flicks by probably the biggest Lee wannabe Bruce Li. I don't know why I like this thing. It is a psuedo documentary that is so bad it almost makes a Michael Moore film seem objective and informed.
The acting is bad. It is "Jr. High productions of Shakespeare" bad. The martial skills portrayed are bad. They are so bad they make Shaw Bros. movies look like instructional videos from reknowned masters.
And the worst thing about this movie is the endless parade of myths and misconceptions that it promotes resulting in a crop of idiots who believe them as fact.
But when this stupid thing is on, I get sucked into it. I even have a copy on DVD. A lot of it is comic relief but that doesn't justify everything.
I think for me it is nostalgic. It was one of those early movies I saw on a local UHF channel around 1978 and the damn thing is just stuck in my brain and I associate it with earlier "good times."
Course it is still way better than American Ninja. :D
Oh boy...where to start..the "best" of the worst.eh?
This movie is horrible, but I find it hilarious! Can't remember who stars or tries to,anyway.
My nominee is "They still call me Bruce"
Best Regards,
Paul Bladen
Dennis Monk
07-12-2004, 18:33
Can't remember the name but it came on Kung Fu theater on the weekends.
It had two brothers in it. One was named Long Axe and yes the other was named Short Axe.
De_Franza
07-12-2004, 19:05
How can y'all forget "the Five Deadly Venoms?" (maybe because it doesn't actually suck....)
Does Double Dragon with Scott Wolf count? That really is a mess.
TaoSeeker
07-12-2004, 19:41
Dragons Forever, all the way.
Jackie, Sammo, Yuen, in they're last movie all together. Really funny. In bad way. Awsome fights though. Benny the Jet's in it too.
SteyrAUG
07-12-2004, 20:25
How can y'all forget "the Five Deadly Venoms?" (maybe because it doesn't actually suck....)
Does Double Dragon with Scott Wolf count? That really is a mess.
Five Deadly Venoms is a classic. Right up there with Master Killers and Challenge Of The Ninja.
Jeff Burger
07-12-2004, 20:44
"It had two brothers in it. One was named Long Axe and yes the other was named Short Axe."
Yup 5 Dealy Venoms one of my fav of the cheesy MA flicks.
The same fighters / actors are in "Kid with the Golden Arm" another goo cheesy flick.
There is a place here in Boston called "Kung Fu Video" and they have all yourol time cheesy favorites.
I have a bunch of Jet Li and Jackie Chan flick from China on VCD.
A great fun one to see is Shaolin Soccer. I have it on VCD and its in Chinese with English subtitles ...ALL the kis say its their favorite movie ever.
Jeff
Jeff
Luebbers
07-12-2004, 20:50
You wanna hear something funny? I have that Bruce Lee fake documentary on DVD as well and it may be the worst movie I've ever seen. The funny part is, a friend gave it to me for Christmas because he knew I was a big Bruce Lee fan. He thought it was a "rare" Bruce Lee film.
I don't consider this "really bad", but Hitman with Jet Li was just weird. I mean, it was good, from what I can remember, it's just that I didn't get much of the story.
I can't really think of any bad one's. Double Dragon does come to mind when I first read this thread, but I think that was more on the story side instead of the martial arts.
How about "The Hunted" with Christopher Lambert.
A movie about an american gaijin who stumbles onto a 100yr old (1000???) feud between rival samurai and ninja clans.
Do battle with samurai swords and "ninja swords" on the bullet train and finish with a big show down in the castle grounds of the samurai.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
How about "The Hunted" with Christopher Lambert.
A movie about an american gaijin who stumbles onto a 100yr old (1000???) feud between rival samurai and ninja clans.
Do battle with samurai swords and "ninja swords" on the bullet train and finish with a big show down in the castle grounds of the samurai.
Well, whether it was bad or not, I thought it was quite entertaining. :rolleyes:
sean_stonehart
07-13-2004, 10:21
"Monkey Kungfu" with Chan Sau Chang in it. He played the guy who developed the Tai Hsing monkey system. Really really really bad movie, but at the end, he & Shek Kin fight it out for like 20 minutes.
helvedsrike
07-13-2004, 13:13
There are countless ninja movies that we would have to start a new forum just to list them all... I kinda remember that Bruce Li guy, I saw in a -real- Bruce Lee documentary that he was also called "Bruce Lies" (I wonder why?). And now that I'm on the subject, what can you guys tell me about that Bruce Lee movie "Dragon: The Life of Bruce Lee" or something like that. How much of that was fantasy?
Obviously my icon on the left there is a tribute to the fact that I love cheesy kung-fu movies. I don't know if "Kung-Pow" can officially be dubbed a "kung-fu" movie but that's a great one to watch with a few beers in you. You either love it or hate it.
One of my most shocking memories of a cheesy kung-fu movie was one I watched about 10 years ago called "Two Crippled Heros" with one hero without arms and one hero without legs who worked as a team. I think with the things that went on in that movie, "PC"-ness went out the window!
SteyrAUG
07-13-2004, 15:53
There are countless ninja movies that we would have to start a new forum just to list them all... I kinda remember that Bruce Li guy, I saw in a -real- Bruce Lee documentary that he was also called "Bruce Lies" (I wonder why?). And now that I'm on the subject, what can you guys tell me about that Bruce Lee movie "Dragon: The Life of Bruce Lee" or something like that. How much of that was fantasy?
More accurate than some but still greatly fictionalized.
For example Bruce's back injury was the result of a weight lifting session not a challenge match.
I CANNOT believe that none of you nominated this one as the BEST BAD MA movie of all time:
http://www.sixstringsamurai.com/front/s3sticker.jpg
I highly recommend that y'all rent this one and check it out. There's even a website: www.sixstringsamurai.com.
Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu
SteyrAUG
07-13-2004, 22:04
I CANNOT believe that none of you nominated this one as the BEST BAD MA movie of all time:
http://www.sixstringsamurai.com/front/s3sticker.jpg
I highly recommend that y'all rent this one and check it out. There's even a website: www.sixstringsamurai.com.
Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu
I just got a "Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai" vibe off that thing. :D
Never mess with a man with a sword in one hand and a guitar in the other.
Never mess with a man with a sword in one hand and a guitar in the other.
Or what? Will he garrote you with his G String?
Jeff Burger
07-14-2004, 06:42
I have 18 Sony Chiba flicks ...not counting Kill Bill.
Jeff
Or what? Will he garrote you with his G String?
Well, that's what the poster of the movie shows me. Sounds like it'd hurt, though.
Luebbers
07-14-2004, 13:02
Dude, Six-String Samurai rocks!! It's like Mad Max meets Wizard of Oz, meets surf rock. Then throw in some bad-*** post-apocalyptic samurai play and you've got my attention!
Oh yea, I forgot one - "The Story of Ricky"
One of the most over the top movies I've seen. I think it's fairly recent too. Only saw it once at a buddy's house.
I gotta check out that "Six String Samurai" - that cover is killer!
helvedsrike
07-14-2004, 16:31
More accurate than some but still greatly fictionalized.
For example Bruce's back injury was the result of a weight lifting session not a challenge match.
HA! So it was a training related injury eh? And I suppose the injury wasn't that bad as depicted in the movie was it?
And I assume the whole "curse" thing was just another fiction resource just to keep people interested in the movie, right?
Ha! Great thread :) My fav bad MA movies:
the hunted was good (minus the chris lambert character)
Best of the best (can i help it...it was a tkd movie)
and my all time fav...
Blood Sport!!!
Yes, I know Van dame im out of work, is such a cheeseball, but those damn pretty kicks are what got me hooked on MA in the first place :)
Bloodsport II was my favorite of the series. I don't know who that dude is, but I thought he was better than Van Damme. Best of the Best ruled! Not so much as a martial arts movie, but just as a movie overall. The ending made me cry, though.
Oh yea, I forgot one - "The Story of Ricky"
One of the most over the top movies I've seen. I think it's fairly recent too. Only saw it once at a buddy's house.
I gotta check out that "Six String Samurai" - that cover is killer!
Yes, I have "the story of Ricky" on DVD at home, but just haven't got round to watching it yet.
How about Jackie Chan's City Hunter? I love the scene where they act out characters from street fighter (the game)! :laugh:
I just bought Game of Death II with Bruce Lee. Hmmm, I thought the first one was the one where he had passed during the making and they had to get someone else to do it. Oh, well, it was only eight bucks, so I figured why not get it.
SteyrAUG
07-16-2004, 01:20
HA! So it was a training related injury eh? And I suppose the injury wasn't that bad as depicted in the movie was it?
And I assume the whole "curse" thing was just another fiction resource just to keep people interested in the movie, right?
Actually the injury was pretty severe.
As for the curse it depends who you ask. But try this for a twilight zone feel.
The movie Dragon, came out before Brandon Lee was killed in The Crow. In the film you may remember the demon switched interest from Bruce to Brandon.
Now remember how Brandon died, he was shot by a film weapon that was suppossed to be loaded with a blank. The 'official' version is that a squib round (a round that didn't full exit the barrel) was in the gun from a previous shooting session with live ammo and that once laoded with a blank you essentially had a loaded gun which resulted in a terrible accident.
Then remember Bruces last film "Game of Death" in which he died prior to completion. Remember how the syndicate killed his character? By substituting a live round for a blank on a movie gun. Factor that with Brandon dying prior to completion of The Crow and in errily similar circumstances and you have the grounds for some serious "evil curse" charges.
I personally don't believe in curses but the terrible accident and random coincidence isn't exactly believable either.
SteyrAUG
07-16-2004, 01:22
I just bought Game of Death II with Bruce Lee. Hmmm, I thought the first one was the one where he had passed during the making and they had to get someone else to do it. Oh, well, it was only eight bucks, so I figured why not get it.
Bruce died prior to the completion of Game of Death. He had nothing whatsoever to do with Game of Death II.
helvedsrike
07-16-2004, 08:52
Whoa... I guess you're right, Richard. The word "coincidence" souds pretty fishy here. I wasn't aware of "Game of Death", maybe I'll try to get it or rent it. Could it be that there was some obscure force that didn't want the Lee dinasty to continue? Creepy, very creepy. And by the way, who were those old men that are playing poker in the movie Dragon? MA masters that were not pleased with Bruce's success?
And if you don't mind another question, do you know what was Bruce Lee's cause of death?
Thanks, Richard
To answer a previous question: Six String Samurai can be found out some of the off-the-wall video rental stores. I have not found it in the mainstream stores.
It is a cult classic, and is a very popular underground movie.
Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu
Bruce died prior to the completion of Game of Death. He had nothing whatsoever to do with Game of Death II.
That's what I was thinking as I was looking at it in the store. Since that's true, why is his name in the credits for the movie?
I am ashamed and appaled that none of you have yet mentioned "Gymkata"
SteyrAUG
07-16-2004, 16:38
Whoa... I guess you're right, Richard. The word "coincidence" souds pretty fishy here. I wasn't aware of "Game of Death", maybe I'll try to get it or rent it. Could it be that there was some obscure force that didn't want the Lee dinasty to continue? Creepy, very creepy. And by the way, who were those old men that are playing poker in the movie Dragon? MA masters that were not pleased with Bruce's success?
And if you don't mind another question, do you know what was Bruce Lee's cause of death?
Thanks, Richard
My personal belief is that given set security was not great and there are lots of sick people in California, I think somebody got access to the set and dropped a live round in the gun in a sick, poetic gesture.
As for the old guys in Dragon they were suppossed to be some Chinese MA governing body that dictated how things were done in the MA community and had a standing order against teaching non Chinese.
The reality was there was no authorritarian body of the kind portrayed. Bruce was certainly NOT the first to teach whites, I think Ark Wong had him beat by a good 10 years. And contrary to popular misconception the 2 main complaints were 1. he was commercializing the martial arts (treating it as a commodity for sale rather than a respected cultural heritage) and 2. he was changing the martial arts (the old times didn't appreaciate their valued traditons being tinkered with to make them more marketable.)
Of course, like in all groups their will be those with prejudices. And a few instructors like Wong Jack Man did complain about Bruce teaching non Chinese in addition to the other complaints.
Bruce officially died of a cerebral edema (swelling of the brain). The controversy surrounding his death is because the original cause of death was simply "death by misadventure" which left the door open for all kinds of conspiracies (death touch, mob hit, etc.) The cause of death was due to his use of an analgesic (Bruce was into traditional remedies) which he was allergic to. He had taken it once before and had a severe reaction but for whatever reason didn't make the connection. When he took it the second time for a headache, he died.
SteyrAUG
07-16-2004, 16:42
That's what I was thinking as I was looking at it in the store. Since that's true, why is his name in the credits for the movie?
Could be something as simple as including a clip from a genuine Lee film (a common tactic) to blatant misrepresentation (also common).
Technically "Game of Death" barely qualifies as a Bruce Lee film. I think he appears in a total of 17 minutes. The rest of the film was completed with doubles and footage editted from previous films. There is even one scene where a lifesize cardboard Burce Lee is used.
Dang, Richard. You sure do know a lot about Bruce Lee. There's so much information about him out there, how do you know which is the truth?
Tripitaka of AA
07-18-2004, 04:28
I'd have to draw a distinction between the dreadful yet compelling Hong Kong Action movies (to which I think the opening post referred), and the misguided and sleep-inducing US movies.
My favourite bad Hong Kong movie list would go on for pages... with titles that would bore you to death, unless you'd seen them. I love them all, but in a perverse, masochistic, seeking pleasure from pain kind of way. "Funny Kung Fu", "The Magnificent", "Fist of unicorn" (featuring some tiny clips of Bruce Lee rehearsing for "Enter the Dragon") would all scarpe the bottom of that barrel. The cream, rising to the top (of the cheesy barrel), would include "Legend of the seven golden vampires", "Heroic Trio", "Mr Vampire 2" and "Young Master" with Jackie Chan.
My US-made list would really be my list of BAD. They are films I never want to see ever again... "Best of the Best" (1 and 2) would probably not qualify, as they are still almost watchable. Chuck Norris (God bess 'im) and Sho Kosugi would probaby make great dinner guests but I don't want to see their movies. Cynthia Rothrock gets my patronage mainly because she had the good sense to work with Sammo and Yuen Biao. But films like "No retreat, no surrender" (1 & ...yes, it's true, I even watched 2), would not even be good for propping up a wobbly table. "Ninja" movies from America... naaaah! Who mentioned "Gymkata"?! "Remo: Unarmed and Dangerous", "Big Trouble in Little China" and "The Last Dragon" just stole my money and my time... (there was better action in "Raising Arizona").
Give me "Police Story 2", or "Proect A", or "Moon Warriors", or "The legend of Fong Sai Yuk", or "36 chambers of Shaolin".... :D
The Nephilim
07-18-2004, 05:13
Awww you have not mentioned my best cheesy film from the USA yet...
Beverly hills ninja.
Now that is cheesy in all ways.
Beverly hills ninja.
Now that is cheesy in all ways.
It was still entertaining, nonethelss. I think it was ment to be cheesy, though.
What about American Ninja 1 - 4?
The Nephilim
07-18-2004, 13:10
It was still entertaining, nonethelss. I think it was ment to be cheesy, though.
What about American Ninja 1 - 4?
Beverly Hills Ninja is a good film. After all it gives us hope to us fatties that we can flip out and be on an astral plane et all.
Mind you any film that has MA as it's core is bound to be cheesy. Look at Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter ETC. Even the fight scenes in Invasion USA with Norris is about bearable.
SteyrAUG
07-18-2004, 13:31
Dang, Richard. You sure do know a lot about Bruce Lee. There's so much information about him out there, how do you know which is the truth?
Pretty much just research. Sooner or later you figure out what the credible sources are. The problems with Bruce Lee are the same as with MA in general, the popularity attracts morons and idiots as well as people who actually know what they are talking about. Just as with MA in general the morons and idiots are only too happy to promote the myths and misconceptions because they are more interesting (re: "cool") than the real thing.
I see. I guess I should have to do some of that. Or just ask you.
By the way, I just saw Game of Death II earlier and I think they did the same tactics with him as they did in the first one. They eased up off of him by making his character die. But I must say, it was a damn good movie!
Keegs have you seen Tiger & Crane Fist, the movie that Kung Pao spoofed? Not a bad flick...
Screaming Ninja. It's a Jimmy Wang Yu flick. There are no ninja in this movie, and no screaming. There IS an amazing fight scene at the end though.
No I've been trying to find it at a video store but having no luck at all! I'll have problems watching "Betty" and his real voice. :laugh:
May have to do a search on half.com for it.
tripptripp
11-10-2004, 00:57
Bruce Li in New Guinea is one of my favs. The greatest scene being the fight with kung fu fighting apes ( I bleep you not).
_
Matt Tripp
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