Despite the opening with star Alexander Fu Sheng doing martial arts in front of one-tone backgrounds and the English title being rather generic, here's a late, thoroughly engrossing and dramatic effort from a Chang Cheh I always thought left those skills behind earlier in the 70s before embarking on a journey to make movies with plastic heroes (i.e. his Venoms flicks). Disciples Of Shao Lin is something to treasure then, featuring the age old tale of innocence abused by corrupt forces. There's a better take on the theme in Chor Yuen's The Bastard but the story of orphan Guan Feng Yi's (Fu Sheng) rise through the ranks of society only to face deception, brotherly abandonment and redemption the gory way is admirable because of its lack of hurry into martial arts esthetics. In fact, it could've worked sans it as well. Chang Cheh remains fairly subtle and has the characters talking a whole lot in order for the hard edged drama to become really painful come ending time. But we're not talking overdone melodrama here, just a fairly hefty running time for the genre allowed to reach a sensible boiling point. In between there's even an unexpected amount of well honed symbolism, particularly well represented by the higher division possession in the form of a pocket watch and its melody. For anyone who's had a problem with the antics of Alexander Fu Sheng, here's a reference performance that's tailor made for the late star. A country bumpkin without any knowledge of the city he's heading into but with a martial arts knowledge that has him being playful in the beginning and being forbidden to fight by his brother, played with the correct amount of stern that actually is torment by Chi Kuan-Chun. Treated as a savior and treated to the good things in life this universe has to offer, including the clock, Fu Sheng switches effortlessly between the light, being a ferocious fighter and the transformation in progress where the character of Guan only catches a glimpse of himself when it's far too late. An eclectic mix of jazzed up, modern music score feels out of place at times but the main melody enhances the often quiet atmosphere of the film very nicely.

Lau Kar-Leung's action blossoms the most when channeled through its lead, being very fluent and to the point. Lau would return in the same capacity for the 1993 remake The Barefoot Kid (directed by Johnnie To). Starring Aaron Kwok, Ti Lung and Maggie Cheung, pre-Milkyway master To injects way too much melodrama into his take on the story that does have the upper hand via a new development Chang Cheh's version didn't take: the understated romance between Ti Lung and Maggie Cheung's characters.

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David Lam (Women's Prison) directs with his intentions fully on his sleeve but since they are good-hearted intentions, one can't feel very offended by Doctor's Heart. A story of what it takes to be a good doctor, the balance is between the obviously righteous (Mark Cheng's character) and the thoroughly evil (Simon Yam). So it's structurally very evident, convenient but at times overwrought in a way that speaks more to the shallowness of the production in general. But a social awareness about the state of medical welfare is not a bad thing to possess. Lam's problem is a lack of capability to vent in affecting ways which in itself places Doctor's Heart far off the acclaimed radar. Also starring Bill Tung, Michelle Reis, Lowell Lo, Amy Yip, Clifton Ko, Ni Kuang and Liu Fan.

Bowie Lam plays Tsung, a doctor that gets seduced and bitten by a vampire (the lovely Ellen Chan) during a trip to England. As he goes through his transformation, she turns up in Hong Kong under orders by the mighty count to bring back Tsung and his delicious blood but her desire is to break free from the grip the count holds on her. They both fight back, with the help of dopey male and female sidekicks...

The movie making climate of the 80s allowed fast paced insanity like Doctor Vampire to be made, which is a very good thing despite the low-brow places Jamie Luk takes the film to (copious gays and AIDS jokes for instance). However there is genuine fun in here (in particular a scene where the friends gather up blood for Tsung) and the extended climax is a fine example of the high gear Hong Kong filmmakers can put a movie in. Also with famed writer Ngai Fong, Sheila Chan, Crystal Kwok, Shing Fui On (another scene stealing performance), James Wong, David Wu and Helena Law.

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KENNETH'S REVIEW: A little trip to Wikipedia to read up on the Nanking Massacre, both for personal information purposes and in prep for this John Woo produced production helps. Partially due to the fact that various text cards in the movie lack English translation and certain other aspects documented about the atrocities committed by the Japanese forces can be picked up upon. As a portrait of the time, it's always important to highlight, be it in grim manner by Mou Tun-Fei in Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre or in this well-made production that doesn't push the envelope but still manages to horrify enough. Problem is, so does a read on Wikipedia but the subject matter is always valid to bring up. Focusing of course on the occupation by the Japanese army of Nanjing in December 1937, amidst all this we have fictional elements that concerns a Chinese/Japanese family (husband is played by Chin Han), a teacher (Rene Liu) and a solider trying to stay alive, even within the Nanking Safety Zone. Obvious drama intentions such as Chin Han's Cheng-Xian having a Japanese family, the advantage of that, the grave disadvantage of that and if you could carry a glimmer of hope during this time, are in place but there's nothing truly gripping about director Wu Zi-Nu's (Sino Dutch War 1661) portrait. What is gripping is the reality of it, taking place amidst them and around them in large set pieces covered in blood and destruction. Wu pushes fairly mildly yet still hard enough for an audience to react but overall Don't Cry, Nanking isn't revolutionary for this real life matter. But it is allowed to occupy a place in history and cinema history. Even Mou Tun-Fei's film is.

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Political correctness went out the window for Sammo Hung's reuniting with old Peking opera brother and 80s co-star Yuen Biao. It's a bit unfair to single out Sammo for being the sole filmmaker having made fun of racial stereotypes but on the other hand, he doesn't seem to know better based on the portrayal of homosexuals in Pantyhose Hero and when dressing up his co-stars as black people here in Don't Give A Damn. Also a pretty limp cop action comedy, there's chops here that proves Sammo could've churned out a fairly fine product but drowning matters in comedic banter that doesn't register and only glimpses of fighting stunts and prowess (best scene being Sammo and Yuen Biao beating the crap out of each other in a locker room) isn't enough to raise a final grade. It's standard stuff about bad guys wanting their heroin back and police station romance, the latter parts sees Sammo actually rising above this lazy inclusion as his signs of sincerity almost takes this part of the film to an acceptable level. Almost. Because when hitting the top of racial stereotyping towards the end, it's an embarrassing show that can't be forgiven despite a glimpse or two during the action finale being positive. A parade of recognizable faces appear though, including Takeshi Kaneshiro, Kathy Chow, Eileen Tung, Ngai Sing, Kelvin Wong, Teddy Yip, Nat Chan, Lau Kar-Wing, Leung Kar-Yan, Melvin Wong, Wu Ma, Cheung Kwok-Keung, Chin Siu-Ho, Blacky Ko, Richard Ng, Peter Chan Lung, Billy Lau, Miu Kiu-Wai, Eddie Maher and Bobby Samuels.

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Behind the English title that could as well have been a screwball comedy lies a quite dark tale with most flaws expected of an unseasoned cinema trying out being cinema. Alan Tang acts very big and exaggerated as Fan Kwok Ho, a refugee seeking help from his wealthy brother (Patrick Lung). When rejected, Fan wows to make his brother pay and as he rises up the ranks of the triads, he will have the means to do so...

Stanley Siu gives us arresting images of refugees taking the shore in Hong Kong and certainly sets up a classic template that will equal blood, destruction and grave nihilism. It does but those aspects being put focus on makes the characters quite one-dimensional in the process. Fan goes from being the dedicated husband with heart to a genuine lunatic with a touch of honor and an even smaller piece of heart the more bitter he gets. His transformation from poor immigrant to wealthy gangster is taken care of in lazy montage-form and along the way Stanley Siu never convinces that any character (and especially supporting) could make an impact. When focusing only on bloodlust, his darkness is eerie and superbly effective as the deaths get more and more disturbing. Among other things we see Fan ordering a fellow of his to perform amateur surgery while other people meet horrific deaths by trucks and bombs. It's memorable but not as the pessimistic character-piece Don't Kill Me, Brother wants to be.

Mosart (Lau Ching-Wan) enters Hong Kong from the mainland in order to use his skills in playing the violin. Cash needs to be gathered up quickly, he's kidnapped by two robbers (one of them being Billy Lau as the character of Stupid), ends up getting their loot and starts co-operating with the police led by Madam Mo (Teresa Mo). A tough cookie not afraid to carry a piece with a little recoil...

One of many signs to spell trouble for a Hong Kong comedy, directors Yau and Siu put sound effects to their comedy in a desperate attempt to squeeze laughs out of the low and low-budget material. Their intent is also to create deadpan absurdities, a skill neither director is adept at. Very cartoony inclusions like Teresa Mo's face turning all read when drinking beer and nurses playing mahjong in an elevator registers zero therefore and when dealing in opposite attracts kind of bond between Mosart and Mo, the film takes its biggest nosedive into boredom. Seriously, who laughs at the country bumpkin in this case not being able to use a microwave? I thought I knew you Herman Yau. Co-starring Gabriel Wong and Wu Fung.

IFD re-dubbed this South Korean horror-comedy madness where both the camp making sure it got out to the world and the original crew deserves equal credit. Re-naming characters for this period piece to the likes of Martin, Paul, Tony and Fanny and putting dubbers in front of a microphone with the purpose of enlarging the on-screen performances to surreal levels, Dragon Against Vampire therefore very much gets enlarged to the best, nonsensical levels.

Following a group of thieves (among others Elton Chong's character) as they roam the countryside for corpses for loot, they will stumble upon as well as fall victims to a Shaolin sorcerer (Eagle Han Ying). He is desperate in his search for female virgin blood (in true exploitation fashion, he only finds this out by sucking it out of their vaginas). The thieves check into an inn where the struggle begin and random things happen. The film prides itself in the unpredictable in a way because as much as you think certain sex scenes and horror excursions are in fact incoherency, in a corny way it all makes sense as part of a terror-ride. Eagle Han Ying's sorcerer is quite the guy too, using the art for his own benefit against girls (in one scene he gleefully makes one drop her pants and uses black magic to make another drink chicken's blood) and dressing up as an additional vampire for some reason. Yep, at times we do scratch our heads and the comedy routines via mostly Elton Chong's performance are crude and annoying. The clichéd master student relationships that eventually takes place comes with corny, philosophical quotes such as "Knowledge without compassion is ignorance" but the final twist to it all is welcome as the filmmakers remember the best momentum that was ever present in the film was the terror level and the gore, leading to quite a clever call back of a prop at the very end.

Produced in Taiwan under the title The Dragon And Tiger Kids, in Hong Kong known as The Hell's Windstaff and internationally tweaked a little in the form of a Z in that Hong Kong title, the action directing team (Yuen Shun-Yi, Hsu Hsia, Chin Yuet-Sang, Corey Yuen & Brandy Yuen) makes this a treat in the fights department. Choosing to highlight the acrobatic skills of stars Meng Yuen-Man and Mang Hoi, at their disposal is also the ultimate whirlwind of fury, Hwang Jang-Lee. Suffice to say, all participants are highlighted to a terrific degree. What we get is varied, which isn't the case always and co-directors Tony Wong and Tony Liu (Bastard Swordsman) provides ever so slightly sharper instincts for the genre. Comedy isn't all that exaggerated, standard story beats for the villains in a way subdued, making the film so much less intrusive that it's never a long trek between the fight scenes. A small but classic genre treat. Jason Pai also co-stars.

The Eastern Heroes presentation in widescreen, Cantonese language and subtitles is unfortunately missing at least brief fighting footage at the very end. Cropped, English dubbed versions such as the one available from World Video is complete in that regard.