10 Best Shaw Brothers Martial Arts Movies Of The 1980s

Shaw Brothers Studio was responsible for some of the greatest kung fu movies of all time and continued producing incredible feature films well into the 1980s. While this studio’s heyday was during the 1960s and 1970s, with classic releases like The One-Armed Swordsman and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, stars like Gordon Liu and Lo Lieh continued appearing in their movies in subsequent decades. Although the longstanding influence of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Golden Harvest meant the Shaw Brothers were not the only game in town, the 1980s still saw many iconic releases.

Several of the greatest martial arts stars who ever lived counted themselves among the Shaw Brothers’ impressive roster of kung fu legends. From stories of Shaolin monks protecting their honor to wuxia depictions of times past, Shaw Brothers were never afraid to mix up genres, as their releases included comedy, period films, and even supernatural stories. While kung fu cinema may have peaked in popularity during the 1970s, the 1980s featured plenty of undisputed classics from the Shaw Brothers Studio.

10

Disciples Of The 36th Chamber (1985)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

As the third movie in a loose trilogy that also included The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Return to the 36th Chamber, the harsh truth was that Disciples of the 36th Chamber was the weakest of the bunch. While this kung fu release paled in comparison to the elite status of the original movie, it was still an enjoyable send-off for Gordon Liu’s legendary portrayal of the Shaolin monk San Te. As Liu attempts to protect his temple from the attacks of corrupt Chin officials, this kung fu spectacle is packed with well-choreographed fights.

With some true martial arts legends among its cast, Disciples of the 36th Chamber featured the return of San Te, as in the previous movie Liu had played an imposter version of the character. However, Fong Sai Yuk (Hsiou Hou) took up most of the screen time as a feisty young fighter whose most redeeming quality was that they could back up all their brash confidence with real skills. As one of the final releases before Shaw Brothers briefly ceased producing movies and shifted toward TV in the late 1980s, Disciples of the 36th Chamber represented the end of an era.

9

The Master (1980)

Directed by Lu Chin Ku

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The Master

Release Date

May 23, 1980

Runtime

92 Minutes

While the Shaw Brothers Studio may have dominated kung fu cinema throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the emergence of major new stars like the late Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan caused them to venture out and try new things. Lu Chin Ku’s The Master was certainly an attempt to emulate Chan’s more fantastical style and seamless ability to blend kung fu action choreography with hilarious slapstick humor. This meant that The Master, also released as 3 Evil Masters in the United States, had a much more lighthearted approach than previous films.

The Master featured three antagonists, each with a separate fighting gimmick, who used their skills to defeat the kung fu teacher Lu Chin Ku (Chen Kuan Tai) and take over his martial arts academy. However, a promising young student named Gao Jian (Chiang Lin) nurses his master back to health and, in return, gets taught the secret skills needed to get the school back. With a classic teacher-student martial arts movie set-up, The Master represented Shaw Brothers’ continued appeal into the 1980s.

8

My Young Auntie (1981)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

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My Young Auntie

Release Date

January 1, 1981

Runtime

121 minutes

Director

Lau Kar-leung

Writers

Lau Kar-leung, Lee Tai-Hang

While kung fu cinema has often been viewed as a male-dominated genre, Shaw Brothers Studio often stepped outside of this stereotype to deliver some excellent female-led fighting films. My Young Auntie was a great example of this as Kara Hui starred, alongside the director Lau Kar-leung, in this excellent story of a female fighter’s skills being put to the test after she’s forced to protect the deeds of the property she recently inherited.

My Young Auntie was a light-hearted kung fu comedy that explored many of the same themes and ideas as Lady Is the Boss, a later film that reunited Kar-leung and Kara Hui. With an astounding performance, Kara Hui won Best Actress at the first Hong Kong Film Awards and showcased the continued presence of female martial arts stars in the 1980s. As a fast-paced, fun, and well-crafted kung fu rom-com, My Young Auntie was an enjoyable addition to the Shaw Brothers varied catalog.

7

The Boxer’s Omen (1983)

Directed by Kuei Chih-Hung

The Boxer’s Omen explored the more spiritual side of kung fu cinema as a Hong Kong gangster and the brother of the heavyweight boxer Chan Wing travels to Thailand to avenge his sibling, who was paralyzed in a match. While a desire for retribution was a standard tenet of many Shaw Brothers movies, things take a supernatural turn as Wing gets caught up in a conspiracy of fate, Buddhism, and dark magic.

Featuring battling wizards and a style that combines American horror movies with Eastern mysticism, The Boxer’s Omen was a genre-bending glimpse into just how unique kung fu films can get. While, at times, this can feel like two wildly different movies slapped together, that was also part of its alluring appeal. The Boxer’s Omen works well as a midnight movie and a fun alternative for kung fu lovers looking for something a little bit different.

6

Killer Constable (1980)

Directed by Chih-Hung Kwei

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Killer Constable

Release Date

March 28, 1980

Runtime

98 Minutes

Director

Chih-Hung Kwei

Writers

Sze To On

Killer Constable was a martial arts action film by Shaw Brothers set amid the 19th-century Qing dynasty. As director Chih-Hung Kwei’s one and only period wuxia film, this historical tale told of social inequity among the poor and famished Han Chinese by the corrupt and greedy Manchu ruling class. With a focus on justice, Killer Constable had serious thematic depth as it explored the cruelty of class warfare through its ruthless protagonist, Leng Tian-Ying (Chen Kuan-tai.)

With Leng Tian-Ying as the titular killer constable, this officer’s reputation for killing thieves without remorse started to see his notoriety being used against him. With an almost noir aesthetic, Killer Constable explored themes of law and order in a way that dug deep into the antihero qualities of its lead protagonist. Killer Constable was a thought-provoking and effective martial arts movie that signaled a new direction for Shaw Brothers productions.

5

Legendary Weapons Of China (1982)

Directed by Lau Kar Leung

This wuxia classic was set during the Qing Dynasty and tells the story of Empress Dowager Cixi’s requisition that her agents track down the different factions of the Boxer Rebellion and source supernatural martial artists who are invulnerable to Western bullets. As the title suggests, many of the various fights involve legendary weapons as several groups of skilled fighters face off against one another. Featuring the Eighteen Arms of Wushu, which are the main items of Chinese weaponry, it was thrilling to watch how this film included everything from staff fighting to double-edged swords.

Legendary Weapons of China blended elements of Taoist Maoshan folk magic with hand-to-hand combat to create an action-packed showcase of fighting choreography unlike anything else made by Shaw Brothers. With appearances from major stars like Gordon Liu and Alexander Fu Sheng, this was just one of the many Shaw Brothers titles that inspired the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, as their 2011 compilation album was titled Legendary Weapons.

4

Return To The 36th Chamber (1980)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

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Return To The 36th Chamber

Release Date

August 24, 1980

Runtime

98 minutes

Director

Liu Chia-Liang

Writers

Ni Kuang

It’s no secret that the original The 36th Chamber of Shaolin was a real contender for the greatest Shaw Brothers movie of all time, so it’s not surprising that it returned to a sequel in 1980. However, Return to the 36th Chamber shook things up, and, although it featured the return of kung fu star Gordon Liu, he played an entirely different character. Rather than reprise the iconic role of the monk San Te, Liu portrayed his imposter Chu Jen-chieh, a low-key hustler who will stop at nothing to learn the ways of martial arts.

This unique idea for a sequel managed to maintain much of what made the original special and added an air of comedy that was previously missing. Return to the 36th Chamber featured a simple hero’s journey of this imposter monk being defeated and going to the temple to learn the skills he needed to emerge victorious. While it didn’t break down any cinematic boundaries, it was still a lot of fun to revisit the iconic world of this kung fu series.

3

Clan Of The White Lotus (1980)

Directed by Lo Lieh

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Clan of the White Lotus

Release Date

January 1, 1980

Runtime

95 minutes

Director

Lo Lieh

Writers

Haung Tien

Director and star Lo Lieh delivered one of his very greatest martial arts films with the 1980s kung fu classic Clan of the White Lotus. Featuring Lo Lieh alongside the likes of Gordon Liu and Kara Hui, much like previous movies such as Executioners from Shaolin and Abbot of Shaolin, it explored the story of Priest White Lotus and his quest for revenge against his brother Pai Mei’s assassins.

Packed with some of the best fight choreography ever captured on screen, Clan of the White Lotus has gained a reputation as a true classic. From its deeply evocative music to the incredible martial arts skills on display, Clan of the White Lotus mixed fact and fiction to tell a thrilling story of non-stop excitement. Interestingly, Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to the legacy of this film when he cast Gordon Liu to play Pai Mei in Kill Bill, the same character who the Priest White Lotus was avenging in this film.

2

Five Element Ninjas (1982)

Directed by Chang Cheh

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Five Element Ninjas

Release Date

April 21, 1982

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Chang Cheh

Writers

Chang Cheh, Ni Kuang

Five Element Ninjas continued in the tradition of Venom Mob releases like Five Deadly Venoms to tell another thriller martial arts story of fighting and fortitude. Featuring Venom Mob member Lo Mang under the accomplished direction of Chang Cheh, this film saw an outclassed ancient Chinese martial arts school hire a skilled ninja to take out their rivals. With only one survivor left from the fallen school, this singular warrior learns the secrets of the ninjutsu before enacting his revenge against the hired ninja.

With a fascinating premise that lent itself well to over-the-top fight sequences and an emotionally involving battle for retribution, Five Element Ninjas had everything a viewer could want out of a 1980s Shaw Brother production. Things truly came to a head in the bloody final 20 minutes as the showdown reached extraordinary heights in a truly wild final battle. As a gore-drenched piece of kung fu cinema, Five Element Ninjas was almost cartoonish in its violent excesses.

1

The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

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The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter

Release Date

February 17, 1984

Runtime

98 minutes

Director

Lau Kar-leung

Writers

Ni Kuang

The absolute pinnacle of Shaw Brothers productions during the 1980s was The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter. As one of the greatest films to ever depict Shaolin monks, this kung fu classic starred Gordon Liu as Ng-long entering the Shaolin Temple to increase his skill and learn the art of pole fighting. With unique weaponry at its center, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter featured some of the best kung fu choreography of the decade, as Liu showcased his intense staff-wielding skills.

With a story based on the Generals of the Yang Family in Chinese folklore, themes of revenge and retribution came to the forefront as Yeung Yip and his family were captured and killed, with just two sons making their escape and vowing to pursue vengeance. As the final film role of kung fu legend Alexander Fu, there was so much to love about the epic triumph that was Shaw Brothers‘ 1980 classic The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter.