Action Member: King Lee

Not as saturated with action as some of its ilk of the time but a solid gangster gambling drama nonetheless with the two leads at the top of their game.

If you like your early 90s wuxia flicks full of excessive theatrical action and characters then ‘Deadful Melody’ is a lot of fun.

‘Disciples Of The 36th Chamber’ is a quality film; from the choreography to Liu Chia-Liang’s artistically composed frames, this is a more sophisticated kung fu film.

‘Legendary Weapons of China’ loses impetus when it concentrates on the distracting sub-plot involving Fu Sheng’s kung-fu charlatan, but it is still a refined entry in the genre.

Joyce Godenzi accepts the lead role with real grace and, like Michelle Yeoh before her, is a flawless mixture of fighting prowess and femininity.

This fine period film flawlessly combines the dazzling choreography that one expects from Liu Chia-Liang and the moral edge that often underlines his work.

It’s undeniably rough around the edges, but in its favour it has a solid cast and some good interaction between the characters – certainly worth an evenings viewing.

Multi-layered and superbly made, ‘The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter’ remains one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time.

You’d expect a film with Sammo in would have something special in the action department, but even this is very average and certainly not up to his usual quality.

Often unfairly nudged aside when the career of kung-fu auteur Liu Chia-Liang is considered, ‘The Lady is the Boss’ is a fun action comedy that came near the end of the Shaw Brothers’ hegemony in Hong Kong.