The Chinese cinema was a big part of our teenage years.
I for one grew up on a diet of swordfighting and later kung fu movies out of Hong Kong and Taiwan. I know I'm not alone in having childhood action heroes and heroines like Ti Lung, David Chiang, Wang Yu, Cheng Pei Pei, Yueh Hua, Fu Sheng and of course the legendary Bruce Lee. My favourite director was Chang Chieh, who created an exciting, violent style with much displays of screen blood. Chang was also the inspiration for John Woo, who is so successful in Western action cinema today.
Some friends I know liked the more romance type movies starring the likes of Lin Chin Hsia (one of my good friends had a crush on her for years), Chen Chen, Chin Han (one was said to look like him) and others.
Of course, many of us also liked the more comedic actors and actresses, such as Li Kun, the Hui brothers, Lydia Sum and Hu Chin (yes, that sexy, funny lady with a mole on her chin!)
Anyway today I just wanted to let you relive the opening sequence of the two major Chinese film production companies we used to love.
Turn up the volume and play ...
And now this one ...
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Posts
I KNOW WHO HAD THE CRUSH ON LIN CHIN HSI !!!! HA! HA! HA!
ReplyDeleteDidn't we all? I would have thought the question would be: who didn't have a crush on her?
ReplyDeleteBtw, I presume you meant Lin Ching Hsia.
I guess Jackie Chan got her ...
ReplyDeleteI think you are confused Kopi-Si. There was another screen beauty named Lin Feng Chiao. I think that was the one Jackie Chan married.
ReplyDeleteI think she was also the object of many schoolboy crushes.
YA, GEORGE !
ReplyDeleteLin Ching Hsia and Lin Fung Chiao got the SYT look; so innocent and fragile but sayang a bit skinny lah ( beh pah cui )whereas Chen Nie( the late Fu Shen's ex wife ) and Ting Pei ( purportedly the cause of Bruce Lee's death as a result of excessive amorous indulgence )got the
ReplyDeleteCFM ( Can't Forget Me )look and the body to die for. But Chen Chen made me shed a few tears.
ROTFLMAO
ReplyDeleteAh, the good old days. 50 cents for the front row, 1.20rm for middle class and 2.40 for balcony and good seats. It was always chin han, chin siang lin, lin fung chao and lin chin hsia. I must admit that the opening themes always brought some excitment especially in anticipation of a good movie. How many people remembers that Chang Cheh started his own company that featured a guy pulling on a bow(archer pose) as the opening theme of his movies? Saw Bridgette Lin, Chin Han in a Taiwanese Restaurant 20 years ago in Los Angles at 3am with their group of people. Who didn't have a crush for Bridgette Lin? Chin Han ( married) and Chin Siang Lin had romantic siyuations with her. Those two guys could had anybody they wanted during that time. Lin Chin Hsia and Chin Han lived in Los Angeles for a while and then she moved to HK, made a lot of great movies with Tsui Hark in cantonese which is incredible considering she is Taiwanese and had to learn a new dialect to be in HK movies. Chen Chen, Chen Pei pei are still all living in Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteI recently saw Cheng Pei Pei on a TV interview in HK, together with her mother and her two daughters (both in modelling or acting careers)
ReplyDeleteLCK, creative use of acronyms.
ReplyDeleteYea Alex, now that you mention it, there was a period when we were watching action movies by Chang Cheh under that new company - I think it was called Chang's Film Company. And the opening sequence was the archer guy.
ReplyDeleteWe have a classmate who looks like Sam Hung. Not sure about his kung fu though.
ReplyDeletethere were also other actors like Lo Lieh, Chen Kuan Tai, Wang Chung, Ku Feng (who usually played the baddie), Chen Sing .....
ReplyDeleteand actresses like Li Ching, Ching Li (just to confuse), Shih Szu (not to be confused with a breed of little doggies :), Li Li Ho, Ivy Ling Po .....
Hey guys! what about Nora Miaw? The 'ang tau chan lut' girl in Bruce Lee's movie? Nobody like her meh?
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Nora Miaw Ker Siew (or something like dat) ... the sweetie pie girlfriend of Lee Xiao Loong in "Fists of Fury" and "Way of the Dragon".
ReplyDeleteOf course, any sword fighting movie has to trace their roots to that #1 movie of all time, "One armed swordsman" starring the great Jimmy Wang Yi. Even though I don't think that the movie is all that spectacular, it is a definite hit in the Western world, for some odd reason. Same goes for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Those Westerners has a different perception of what a good Chinese movie is. Supposedly, "one armed swordsman" is dervived from an adaptation of a movie from the great Akira Kurasawa. Anybody care to confirm that? During the late 70's, there were a lot of "Kun Lung" chinese movies where the scenery were absolutely gorgeous' The stories were interesting and mythical "Hu Clan of the seven mountains ". To me, those were great movies. In the 80's and 90's, most Chinese sword fighting movies are a deriviative of that "Kun Lung" genre. sorry about the spelling and grammar as I'm in kind of a hurry but I just wanted to put in my 2cents worth of opinion. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI think movies like "seven sumurai" and "one armed swordsman" attained "cult" status in the west as they were based on strong characters. The fact that the filming was quite spartan added to their "arty" appeal then. These days it'a all about whiz bang special effects. I would have rated "Crouching Tiger..." an excellent piece except the "flying" bits completely destroyed any chance of that. I am still waiting for a "Kun Lung" class of movies without all that rubbishy aerobatics and exaggerated super human abilities. Western movies does this well with "Troy" and "Gladiator". Quite a number of chinese "fighting" movies depicts characters, who supposedly possess great strengh/skill but would not do too well in a sparring session in a suburban karate club. I do have a lot of time for Jackie Chan's movies. Bruce Lee was good with "Big Boss" and "Way of the Dragon".
ReplyDeleteChen Ni & Chen Niu? are they the same or twins or sisters?
ReplyDeleteJackie Chan adopted a very different style from Bruce Lee. That was precisely why he was successful. If he tried to be a direct copy , he would have failed miserably.
ReplyDeleteBruce Lee used his movies to showcase real martial arts (altho even he had to sacrifice some realism for showmanship) and in the process he also elevated the status of the Chinese race status among the Western world.
On the other hand, Jackie Chan was playing with martial arts as humour & light entertainment. I think we all know that Bruce Lee films get your adrenaline pumping a lot more than Jackie Chan flicks.
Also don't forget that Bruce Lee was first a martial artist, then a movie actor. Jackie Chan was a movie stuntman first then an actor.
Guys, I need help to contact Ngu Chin Sun. Anyone got his email address?
ReplyDeleteGeorgie boy,
ReplyDeleteI think you can get it from KCK ( Chee Kok ).
He's in contact with Ngu Chin Ho occasionally.
Chin Ho is based in kl.
Anon 12.16pm,
ReplyDeleteThere's no Chen Niu. You might be referring to Thien Niu, the sweet-looking gal with a cute mole on her cheek.
Chen Nie is Sino-russian; a gorgeous singer and ex wife of the late Fu Shen.Story has it that she had an illicit relationship with an Indon tycoon and was eventually blessed with a fatherless daughter.
Coincidentally we had some photo shots at the 'Walk of Fame' in Kowloon, HK when we last visited the place er...sometime ago.
ReplyDeleteBruce Lee did not have his prints but lots of other actors and actresses did, including those of Jacky Chan, Run Run Shaw, Andy Lau, Ling Po, etc. etc.....
Share the photo lah, Anon 3:43PM ... don't shy boh?
ReplyDeleteNo can do yet Anon 10.21pm, I no shy. Just that the attachment or photos are too large to send over to WJ. I tried but just can't.
ReplyDeleteWill try other methods of sending or getting the photos to him. Just wait kay? All the photos are compiled into a disc. Can post to him or not ho?
i just watched a 1969 Shaw Brothers swordfighting flick called "Vengeance is a Golden Blade" on my Celestial cable channel. Still thoroughly enjoyable. An example of Shaw Brothers at its best !
ReplyDeleteChina trip photos are OUT! Hurry, view them before they are gone. Wash my hands now.
ReplyDelete