Related
By the 1980s , the genre of phantasy warriorlike arts had produced some ofthe best soldierly arts performances of all time . They present the best of both human beings – the action , mythology , and magic of fantasy mixed with the flush of watching pictorial martial arts armed combat . These films were often sic in a fantastical world that reserve warriorlike artists to defy physics and perform soberness - defying stunts . The special effects and the magnetic characters of the 1980s made it a golden eld of this hybrid writing style . plastic film - makers have assume the convention of kung fu and transformed them into something exciting and different .
These movies married martial artists to colossus , magic , and adventure , bear over - the - top fight scenes and exciting storytelling , bringing with them rich folklore , traditional knowledge , mythical creatures , and torpedo on larger-than-life journey . Films likeShogun Assassinand one ofKurt Russell ’s best comedy films , Big fuss In Little Chinadidn’t justdefine the genre but helped define cinema in its entirety in the eighties and beyond . The tenner that followed would pay off tribute to many of the present moment and themes in these styles of celluloid , and leave an indelible crisscross on the pop culture of their era .
10Legend Of The Eight Samurai (1983)
Starring Hiroko Yakushimaru And Hiroyuki Sanada
The Legend of the Eight Samuraiis jell in the feudalistic Japan period , where an malefic clan is chasing Princess Shizu ( Hiroko Yakushimaru ) , who has fled for her life story . The princess needs to find and recruit eight legendary samurai to protect her with the help of glowing beads , and the movie combines classic samurai traditional knowledge with these supernatural elements . The warrior look not only human enemies but spectre , devil and swearing . Full of elaborate visuals and sweeping storytelling , the moving picture is a fantasy dangerous undertaking filled with both play and courageousness .
Relive the raw energy of ' 80s activity with these intense , heart - speed moving-picture show that shaped a ten of cinematic toughness .
An other samurai film that blended interesting , fantasy element mixed with traditional soldierly arts . The legal action is intricate and inventive , and it mingles the traditional scrap skills of Samurai with supernatural abilities . There are a multitude of occult foes and fabled struggle , all of which give the movie a different feelingthan your classical samurai motion-picture show . The fantasy elements are well executed with props , wires , and post - production redaction ; it ’s a necessitate spotter for those who are into fancy soldierlike fine art .
9The Seventh Curse (1986)
Starring Chow Yun-Fat And Chin Siu-Ho
This 1986 pic is an incredibly unparalleled mixture of martial arts , horror , and escapade , organize by Lam Ngai Kai . The story follows Dr Yuen , who is cursed with seven " Blood Curses " that collapse through his stage , andhe must crusade his fashion through a series of supernatural scourge , include flesh - use up craze and monsters , to find a cure for the whammy . The Seventh Curseis a stern rollercoaster of action and revulsion , with slick soldierly artwork succession combined with unassailable horror moments that keep the tension high throughout .
The Seventh Cursehas at least three different endings for each of its official releases . 1 : After the monster is killed , there is another pool political party scene with a moment with the two main type . 2 . The final two guess are abridge altogether , and the last shot is a two - nip of Bachu and her lover in sinister and bloodless . 3 . The second to last view is cut , and the final scene plays out while the credits turn over over the top .
With its incessant yard and unusual kung fu / supernatural horror mix , The Seventh Cursestands out as a solid ledger entry in the genre . While the plot veers far into the wonderful realm , the action scenes featurefast , hard - defend warlike art engagement that ground the film back nearer to reality . The film ’s premise , its many inventive dictated pieces , and inventive action sequences have madeThe Seventh Cursea cult classic film . As one reviewer eloquently put it , " The Seventh Curseis weird and earthy , gross and tasteless , silly and shocking , but God is it fun . "
8The Boxer’s Omen (1983)
Starring Phillip Ko And Shao-Yen Lin
A boxer ’s search for revenge against a rival who has cursed him becomes a hellish evildoing into the tincture realm of Asian shamanism and the supernatural . After the brother of a young fighter is viciously beat and paralyzed , he seek out the soundness of Buddhist monks to aid him on his journey , understand his religious visions , and coach him in the dark arts . The moving-picture show is a riot of ghastly imaging , monstrous beasts , surreal black magic , and frenetic warriorlike arts combat . The complete melding of revulsion and kung fu in this cult film is undeniable .
The 1980s produce some of the best action movies ever , and with these movies came some of the most intense and memorable action scenes of all time .
The Boxer ’s Omenis one of the most improbably raging , vivid ocular experiences in cinema , and itsundertones bring home the bacon a unambiguously supernatural atmosphere . The bagger ’s visions presented are nothing short of worrying , with several sequences present winged , firing - eyed demons , blister skin , terrify aliens , and psychological incubus that turn into a actual fever - dream mix . The Boxer ’s Omennails the brief of combining fantasy and martial graphics into one of the most unique and compelling films of the ' LXXX .
7Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983)
Starring Sammo Hung And Yuen Biao
Zu : Warriors of the Magic Mountainis a visually sensational fantasy epic in which ancient Chinese soldiers join force with mystical warrior in a fight against an evil demon cultus . The motion picture have many gravity - withstand stunt , magic , and dazzling peculiar effects , all set within an elaborately imagine world of larger-than-life battles and otherworldly imperil . It also helped to limit the style of fantasy martial arts cinema that go forth in the 1980s , boast more talkative storyline and visually telling effects .
Filmmaker John Carpenter has stated thatZu : warrior from the Magic Mountain , was a major influence on his 1986 cult classic filmBig Trouble in Little China(which appear further down this inclination ) .
Most notably , Zu : Warriors from the Magic Mountainfeatured groundbreaking visuals and effects that prepare the good example for all fantasy martial graphics film that came after . Its combining of Hong Kong action film elements withWestern ideals and extra effects , enlisting talent such as Robert Blalack , renowned for his work in the Star Wars enfranchisement , was fabulously innovational at the sentence . The action is degenerate and entertaining , with fly swordsman , epic warfare shots , and witching duels . It is an absolute must - see for those who enjoy soldierly graphics and fantasy .
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
6The Last Dragon (1985)
Starring Taimak And Julius Carry
Part martial art , part music , part ' 80s street culture , The Last Dragonfollows a untried martial prowess prodigy on his pursuance to achieve subordination . endure in his agency is Sho’nuff , a ego - declared ‘ Shogun of Harlem’,a power - hungry madman who require to be notice as the one on-key original of soldierlike humanistic discipline . direct piazza in New York , the movie blends kung fu mayhem with pop culture references and a Orcinus orca soundtrack . This uncanny , sometimes silly , but many times brilliant film is among the most original of the 1980s .
The 10 Best Fantasy Martial Arts Films On This List
IMDb military rank :
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 action comedy directed by John Carpenter. Kurt Russell stars as Jack Burton, a truck driver who attempts to rescue his friend Wang Chi’s fiancée from the clutches of an evil sorcerer named David Lo Pan.
Legend of the Eight Samurai ( 1983 )
6.4/10
The Seventh Curse ( 1986 )
6.7/10
The Boxer ’s Omen ( 1983 )
7.0/10
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 action comedy directed by John Carpenter. Kurt Russell stars as Jack Burton, a truck driver who attempts to rescue his friend Wang Chi’s fiancée from the clutches of an evil sorcerer named David Lo Pan.
Zubird : warrior from the Magic Mountain ( 1983 )
6.6/10
The Last Dragon ( 1985 )
6.8/10
Clan of the White Lotus ( 1980 )
7.1/10
Mr. Vampire ( 1985 )
7.3/10
Shogun Assassin ( 1980 )
encounter of the Spooky Kind ( 1980 )
Big Trouble in Little China ( 1986 )
7.2/10
What really makesThe Last Dragonstand out as unparalleled is its weaving of multiple genre , ranging from martial arts to urban action to elements of musicals . The climactic fight between Leroy and Sho’nuff is arguably the best part of the film , as it marry the in high spirits - energy warriorlike art with the funky , 80s aesthetic that defined the earned run average . The Last Dragon has become a craze classic , thanks to its wacky characters , romantic subplot , dynamic fight scenes , and the chart - topping , soundtrack of a generation of moviegoers .
5Fists Of The White Lotus (1980)
Starring Lo Lieh And Gordon Liu
The news report follows two soldierly artist seek retaliation against the White Lotus clan , lead by the nearly invincible Pai Mei , who is seemingly imperviable to all form of fighting . Much of the movie is filled with the two combatants breeding , thenskillfully and brutally exchanging blows in one of the most intricate and fast - paced hand - to - hand combatsequences in history . Pai Mei ’s nearly god - comparable position gives an element of danger to the conflict and make each battle more exciting than the last in a narrative ample with revenge and palpable anger .
The final encounter between the champion and Pai Mei is among the good in all kung fu cinema , with a surprising gimmick on how to defeat a mystical foe .
The fight picture are fantastically meticulous , right down to the positions of the foot , and it shows in the final product . Not surprisingly , the fight choreography was prepare by the unbelievable Liu Chia - Liang , a frequent confederate with Gordon Liu . The last showdown between the hero and Pai Mei is among the best in all kung fu film , with a surprising tress on how to defeat a mystic opposition . Fists of the White Lotusblends the dependable of traditional soldierlike arts with the good of fantasy elements that combine to make a timeless classic of the literary genre .
4Mr. Vampire (1985)
Starring Ricky Hui And Moon Lee
Mr. Vampirewas a musical genre - defining blend of horror , kung fu , and comedy ; it ’s a potent blend of spooky sense of humor and kung fu mayhem , in which a Taoist non-Christian priest who performs magic and his disciples take on a legion of irrepressible lamia and malefic spirits . Due to its popularity and achiever , in no humble part to its plaster cast and its original , jiangshi concept , Mr. Vampire engender unnumberable continuation and turned into a franchise . It remains , to this day , one of the most influential flick of its kind .
Mr. Vampire Films In The Franchise :
Release Year :
Mr. Vampire
1985
Mr. Vampire II
1986
Mr. Vampire III
1987
Mr. Vampire IV
1988
Mr. Vampire 1992
1992
The fight scenes in the movie – which fuse kung fu with Taoist magic – add an innovative element to warriorlike art choreography , while the moving-picture show ’s body fluid is so deftly integrated into the action that the film is an endlessly entertaining experience . There are some authentically terrifying moments throughout the 96 - minute runtime , and its ability to beguile genres so effectively is what makesMr . Vampirea genre classic of 1980s fantasy martial liberal arts films , with keen dialogue and perfectly executed activity sequences that lay it aside from its peers .
3Shogun Assassin (1980)
Starring Tomisaburo Wakayama And Kayo Mautso
Shogun Assassinwas a re - emended variant of two Lone Wolf and Cub films , which chronicle the effort of a tattooed apostate samurai and his young son as they travel a unreliable landscape of assassins and warlord in lookup of payback . An epic , gore - soak journey through wartime Japan , Shogun Assassinis a serial publication of bloody steel fights and elaborate action scenes string together by the guilt - ridden finding of the samurai to at the same time protect his son yet avenge his wife . The iconic flick ’s stark , visceral usance of violence made it an hole-and-corner furore favorite among fans of martial humanities and legal action films .
The ' fourscore saw the release of many unbelievable sci - fi movies , but these titles aged badly and were criticized for their SFX , cringey tale , and more .
It is the worked up father - Word narrative electric discharge that makesShogun Assassinso much more than just another gamey - octane , descent - splattering action film . The relationship between the two gives the film its solution and makes the dateless blade - scrap feel all the more grippingas the two of them battle wave after undulation of assassin . The action is brutal and attractively choreographed , and blood and wildness are used as a visual ingredient that lingers well after the credits terminate . It is a film that has stained pop cultivation , with many pop motion picture paying homage even decades subsequently .
2Encounters Of The Spooky Kind (1980)
Starring Sammo Hung And Wong Ha
Written , directed , and star Sammo Hung , Encounters of the Spooky Kindblends martial arts , supernatural horror , and comedy . It roll around Cheung , a bold and confident man who is tasked with spending the nighttime in a taken up business firm , where he must ward off ghosts , ghoul , and lamia . His various encounters with the supernatural combine slapstick factor with a brightly imaginative seriesof kung fu sequences , and Sammo Hung ’s instruction keep back the pic pumping forward and concede equal component part revulsion and humour in abundance .
brush of the Spooky Kindlike many films in the literary genre , portmanteau word repulsion , funniness , and action , and while there have been other films to successfully melt all three elements , few do it as well .
The action scene are imaginative , incorporating supernatural element into the battle choreography to make toppingly weird combat sequences not available to those outside the genre . Sammo Hung ’s strong-arm humor lends a clear hint to the film , but his fighting skills are also on full display . Encounter of the Spooky Kindlike many films in the genre , blends horror , clowning , and action , and while there have been other films to successfully meld all three elements , few do it as well . rooter of soldierly arts films will enjoy the clean - hearted , exciting drive and one of the honest films in the genre .
1Big Trouble In Little China (1986)
Starring Kurt Russell And Kim Cattrall
heavy Trouble in Little Chinais a genuine cult favorite , a unique melding of kung fu , fantasy , and American elan action - adventure , the form of movie only John Carpenter could have made . The film tell the story of a motortruck equipment driver named Jack Burton ( Kurt Russell ) who get hold himselfunwittingly pull into a supernatural warfare in San Francisco ’s Chinatown . With his closest friend Wang Chi , he must combat ancient wizard with superpower who have kidnapped his fiancée . Carpenter ’s bent for mix intensive activity with sharp humor and big - than - life personality makes it a frantic , fun - mob 99 - minutes .
Big worry in Little China , from theater director John Carpenter , is a illusion risky venture about the Chinatown underground , and here ’s how to watch it .
The pic ’s martial artistic creation scene are fast and unyielding , with the supernatural elements that provide a magical flair . Carpenter and his particular upshot squad were forwards of their time , creating a film that merge the techniques of traditional kung fu choreography with paranormal elements that feel contemporaneous . The dialogue and physical comedy are underrated and one of the highlights of the motion picture . bad Trouble in Little Chinastands apart for being a wildly inventive story , and it has become a cult classic for its fusion of East and West cinematic tradition into a cohesive and beloved fantasy warlike arts classic .
Your Rating
Your scuttlebutt has not been saved
Cast
openhanded Trouble in Little China is a 1986 action comedy directed by John Carpenter . Kurt Russell star as Jack Burton , a truck driver who undertake to deliver his friend Wang Chi ’s fiancée from the clutch of an evil sorcerer name David Lo Pan .
