Summary

• Old-school kung fu movies, like those featuring Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, had a major impact on the action genre, captivating audiences worldwide.
• Some underrated kung fu classics, such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and My Young Auntie, showcased impressive fight sequences and subverted gender roles.
• These old kung fu movies, while initially accessed through poorly dubbed English versions, still left a lasting impact on the genre and continue to be enjoyed today.

Old-school kung fu movies have dominated the action genre at a global level since the 1960s up to the 1980s, boasting stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. While Lee changed martial arts movies forever with cult classics like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon, Chan added a humorous punch to the kung fu formula. With most of these movies being produced at meager budgets by Hong Kong studios, these enthralling action flicks ended up fascinating not just local audiences but even Hollywood’s target demographic. Even though Western audiences initially accessed these movies through poorly dubbed English versions on video, their impact on the genre could still be enjoyed.

Straying away from the Lee and Chan canon, some kung fu classics are definitely underrated and demand a resurgence among modern viewers. Gordon Liu is a major case in point, having led influential Shaw Brothers productions like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. No wonder Quentin Tarantino even featured Liu as a master martial artist in Kill Bill. But straying away from the hypermasculinity of 70s and 80s-era action, some of these kung fu classics have even managed to flip the script in of gender roles. Movies like My Young Auntie and Come Drink With Me featured actresses Kara Hui and Cheng Pei-Pei, showcasing their fighting skills in the lead.

10 The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin (1978)

The legendary Shaolin monk San Te resided in several monasteries in 18th-century China, where he mastered meditation and fighting skills to such a level that he eventually became the stuff of legends. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin presents a fictionalized take on San Te with Gordon Liu pushing the physical capabilities of human endurance to become the greatest Shaolin monk. Hand-to-hand combat aside, the movie boasts some impressive training sequences that involve jumping over a pool of water and carrying buckets with blades attached to their arms. The kung-fu movie inspired rap group Wu-Tang Clan who even referenced it in their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

9 Five Fingers Of Death (1972)

Also known as King Boxer in some territories, Five Fingers of Death was a Hong Kong-produced effort that starred Indonesian-born martial artist/actor Lo Lieh. Pre-dating the international success of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon by a year, Five Fingers of Death is a thrilling melodrama delving into the clash between two martial arts schools. When one of the rival teams resorts to dishonorable tactics like hiring samurais to defeat the other school, all hell breaks loose. The movie boasts not only impressive one-on-one duels but also a frenzied orgy of kicks and punches as multiple factions fight among themselves (much like the finale of the aforementioned Enter the Dragon).

8 The Boxer From Shantung (1972)

For modern audiences that love the Showtime series Warrior, The Boxer from Shantung should definitely be on their watchlist. One of the finest Shaw Brothers Productions, the action drama is a poignant take on human morality that very rarely falls into campy territory. Moreover, it’s a brilliant showcase for stunt choreographer Chen Kuan-ti who stars as a Shangtung man moving to Shanghai for a better life. But when he faces the ire of gangsters and corrupt warlords, it’s only his fighting skills that save his back. Watching Kuan-ti turn into a one-man army against hordes of evil henchmen is still as thrilling to watch as it was in the 1970s.

7 The One-Armed Swordsman (1967)

The wuxia genre dabbled in glorious heroes trained in the finest martial arts and then all that changed in 1967. The One-Armed Swordsman did tick many boxes of the average wuxia kung fu movie but also subverted the tropes with an anti-heroic lead at its core and the sword fights stained with liters of fake blood. Putting a hyperviolent spin on the wuxia genre, The One-Armed Swordsman finds the titular protagonist protecting his former master from gangs of rival sword fighters. The movie lives up to its name with enthralling blade-heavy duels, cementing the status of then-debutant director Chang Cheh who went on to direct many other cult kung fu movies.

6 Master With Cracked Fingers (1979)

Before he became a household name all over the world, some of Jackie Chan’s best movies included his early kung fu works like Fearless Hyena and Drunken Master. A rather underrated watch in this case was Master with Cracked Fingers aka Snake Fist Fighter. Chan stars as a beggar who unexpectedly picks up the Chien Fu kung fu style from a nomadic teacher. Training montages and thrilling duels with the town’s criminal elements follow as Chan’s Lung masters the fighting style that focuses on the hardening of the fist. The result finds Chan at some of his peak physicality while also adding a bit of his trademark slapstick comedy.

5 The Blood Brothers (1973)

With kung fu veteran Chang Cheh returning to the director’s chair, The Blood Brothers doesn’t just boast intricately choreographed fights but also a surprisingly moving Shakespearean plot at its center. Straying away from the familiar revenge dramas populating most of the kung fu genre, Cheh dabbled in a story of friendship between two assassin brothers and their soldier ally. But when this soldier ends up falling for one of the brothers’ wives, the friendship breaks down and the stage is set for a bloody showdown. The Blood Brothers balances genuine human drama with fast-paced action, marking a new highlight in Cheh’s filmography and the genre as a whole.

4 My Young Auntie (1981)

Directed by The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’s Chiang-Liang Liu, My Young Auntie is one of the most memorable old kung fu classics with a female lead. Kara Hui stars as a loyal attendant to an aging patriarch. To protect his fortune from conniving nephews, Hui’s heroine marries her master. Matters only get more complicated when a romance blossoms between her and the master’s nephew (for whom Hui is her “young auntie”). While this comedy of errors leads to some chuckle-worthy moments, Hui also shines as a martial arts star as her character finally resorts to her kung fu skills to fight her new foes.

3 Mad Monkey Kung Fu (1979)

From Drunken Master to Master with Cracked Fingers, kung fu movies tended to show wronged martial arts teachers picking up underdog novices and shaping their skills to perfection. Mad Monkey Kung Fu is no exception to this norm but Chinese choreographer Chia-Liang Liu shines as a Monkey-style kung fu master and opera singer who is betrayed by his peers. Training a young vagrant to avenge him, Mad Monkey Kung Fu offers a fun-filled take on the familiar teacher-student trope. Hsiao Hou’s performance as the naive student might definitely draw some parallels with a younger Jackie Chan but their on-screen chemistry is engaging enough for the movie to stand out.

2 Master Of The Flying Guillotine (1976)

Jimmy Wang Yu writes, directs and stars as the Master of the Flying Guillotine. The movie is grittier in tone when compared to the other wuxia films of the era with Yu’s protagonist struggling to deal with the trauma of the massacre of his students. Seeking revenge against the One-Armed Boxer who wreaked this havoc, he relies on his trademark weapon, a multi-toothed handheld blade aka the Flying Guillotine. Its relentless, adrenaline-fueled action aside, Master of the Flying Guillotine also features a stellar soundtrack, interestingly boating rock-pop numbers from many West German bands. Quentin Tarantino even went on to feature one of the tracks in Kill Bill.

1 Come Drink With Me (1966)

While Bruce Lee didn’t work with Shaw Brothers, the studio still offered such energetic kung fu thrill rides that cinephiles can discover many other martial artists and actors in this process. In Come Drink With Me, Cheng Pei-Pei takes center stage. Considered to be China’s first female action heroine, she plays the strong-willed daughter of a governor who relies on her brain and brawn to rescue her brother from a group of bandits. Earning rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike, Come Drink With Me launched Pei-Pei as a star. It makes for essential viewing for anyone interested in the archaic wuxia genre of kung fu movies.