KENNETH'S REVIEW: A few minutes of sparks and terrific energy can't save Taylor Wong's highly Wong Jing infected piece. Choosing to be boring, totally grating and familiar when launching the plot of Sharla Cheung as a triad gang protector called Nightingale Wong (in gear that bears high similarities to the 1960s movies about Black Rose), as we see Ken Lo overact to a fun degree and the heroic bloodshead- esthetics playing out favourably, Deadly Dream Woman launches all the energy it wants. Then Wong Jing takes over and has perverts circulate the hostess world Nightingale gets thrown into during an amnesia period and much of what goes on really has no consequence. That's tiring and warrants the fast forward treatment as little can be done by other talent like Chingmy Yau and Jacky Cheung to make these proceedings fly. I guarantee you, a maximum of 10 minutes is what you can endure as that's where action directors Tony Leung, Yuen Cheung-Yan and Billy Pang log their work. Deannie Yip also appears.

As straightforward and kickass as it gets coming from the team of director Chang Cheh and his stars Ti Lung and David Chiang. At 81 minutes, and probably being I Kuang's easiest screenwriting gig that year, this is merely a minimal plot about the rescue operation of Prince Kang from the firm grip of the Jin. The heroic band of Sung dynasty brothers meet heroic deaths, wield awesome weapons and continually engage in epic, gory brawls. Add David Chiang as a Sung sympathizer with a lethal spear chain and the ride is on.

Short running time also means the sensible decision is put forth to just thrust us into the flick and despite recognizing this Chang Cheh flick as one of his many examinations of brotherhood and loyalty that has buckets of blood thrown around, I guess The Deadly Duo stands as an example of what happens when you perform the expected out of you on a very basic scale. Minimal dialogue while traveling from one set piece to the other, highlights includes a bridge sequence where the brothers are forced to cross under it as it's too frail to run over (the feeble attempts are hilarious however, an effect I don’t think the makers were striving for) and just about any weapons based brawls in outdoor locations or on the gorgeous Shaw Brothers sets. In particular slow motion is used to fine effect towards the end as the last stand moments are dealt with. Just about perfect, easily digested with a cast that also includes Ku Feng, Wong Chung and Chan Sing.

Korean and possibly a Hong Kong co-production, Bobby Kim and Lo Lieh are interpol agents out after someone something something, shots of actual dog fights etc etc. As you might've guessed, proceedings are rather dull and muddled and while Bobby Kim lights up the screen at times with kicking, a surprising dramatic streak is noticeable and Lo Lieh can survive on charisma alone, Deadly Roulette merely acts as a mild curiosity as it blends talent pools.

Having had the secret of a kung-fu style and what's referred to as a deadly secret entrusted to him, Ting Dien (Jason Pai) is thrown in prison and tortured in order for Magistrate Ling Tui Si (Yueh Hua) to get his hands on said secret. Ti Yuen (Ng Yuen-Jun) is put into jail with Ting Dien as well with hopes of being able to extract information but he becomes his disciple and aid against Ling Tui Si and anyone after the deadly secret. Mou Tun-Fei (Men Behind The Sun) one and only stint at Shaw Brothers making martial arts, the tale is very grey in tone, at times brutal and the slight morality tale told here is of above average standard when it could've been expected to be a run of the mill production. Jason Pai is iconic behind long hair and fighting in chains and Mou Tun-Fei keeps viewers interested all the way through the finale reveal that might've even survived sans an end fight as A Deadly Secret ultimately comes off as more than just a kung-fu film. Also with Shih Szu, Dick Wei and Walter Tso.

Surviving more on novel concepts than kickass execution initially, Deadly Silver Spear not only steps away from the incoherency of the beginning but gels as a visual- and action spectacle, once again showcasing Jimmy Wang Yu's starpower as an intense action presence. It will take until the end for the latter aspect to shine brightly though. Along the way Wang Yu is a killer for hire with the moral code of killing only those who deserve it while also pursuing his parent's killer. Defeating fighters both underwater, in snow, caves and in reanimated skeleton-form, the somewhat low budget design is continually eye popping and Lau Kar-Wing gets to play with pretty high concept action scenarios, with the remote control buzz saw called the death rings being a highlight. Of interest is the fact that the twists and betrayals take mostly place in the bad guy camp, with Chang Yi being one of the participants and while Hsu Feng is too stoic in my eyes to play a helpless, in this case blind, victim, Deadly Silver Spear is energetic fun with a pretty huge nod towards creativity. None more so than during Wang Yu's final battle with Chang Yi that not only involves weapons but hidden traps leading to some pretty courageous stuntwork amidst fire for our lead.

Also known as Breakout From Oppression and credited to three directors (including Lau Kar-Leung and lead Gordon Liu), that fact is debatable considering the simplicity and inept filmmaking on display here (think our latter two directors had more to do with action than narrative personally). Gordon Liu (with hair) witnesses a murder and subsequently takes a job with a factory owner in a dispute with two men (Dean Shek and Paul Chun) he saw leaving the murder scene. But the truth is perhaps not as clear as that. You'd think with the elite kung fu-talent involved that this low budget and drab looking genre-effort would at least sparkle action-wise. It's there but is light years away from any impact the Lau Brothers made at Shaw Brothers before and subsequently. The whole affair reeks more of the brothers along with Gordon having incredibly limited time and resources for quality choreography but regardless, nothing pops here. Also with Fung Hak-On.

Marketed shamelessly on not only the copied image of the late Bruce Lee embodied by another performer (Bruce Li) but Bruce Lee himself, it's a shame Deadly Strike was soiled by such cheap tactics because it's nothing like Brucesploitation. The connection is a Lee-ish war cry or two on the dub and the casting of Bruce Li but Deadly Strike takes its cues more from a 'Dirty Dozen' template instead. While basic drama and character information merely acts as filler in between the rather packed fighting showcase (also choreographed by director Wong Fei-Lung), the movie is rather enjoyable as a basic kung fu movie. Mostly thanks to the action being very solid, Wong choreographs several intense scenarios and ends suitably furiously as FOUR essentially squares off against Chen Sing (who in turn gets a terrific intro fighting off cobras as he demonstrates snake style). Also with Lung Fei in a rare role reversal for the otherwise constant kung-fu bad guy.

Camera pans down and within 5 seconds Godfrey Ho and Phillip Ko puts us into the main attraction of this Phillipino production: action and violence. Sure there's some dopey stuff like a pair of upbeat Hong Kong cops (Sharon Yeung and Yukari Oshima) on vacation and after an arms dealer (John Cheung) local cop (Edu Manzano) is also chasing. Canned family melodrama resides in the story of Manzano's character but never mind that, and definitely don't mind the flat look of this low budget production. It's all in the focus of the main attraction and while Godfrey Ho wasn't the action director, there is something to be said for the constant examples of action energy present in his own feature films (Princess Madam, Undefeatable, various ninja action footage at IFD etc) and Deadly Target manages to, despite wearing its John Woo and girls with guns action influences on its sleeve, deliver the kickass factor because it's the sole focus of anyone working on Deadly Target. Mixing stunts and fluid, albeit smaller bursts of fight action, it's in the vehicular stunts and gunplay Deadly Target engages the most. Capping it nicely with an extended factory finale utilizes the environment very well, you can sense it's an imitator, even a rough one but not many came close to even roughly match the mayhem of the best Hong Kong gunplay films.

Murder, Zhang Wenjiang (Ling Yun) is on the case and gets drawn into the rich elite's odd games and events behind closed doors and a conspiracy. Elgant thriller with a very present and cool Ling Yun doing well as the calm and collected hero who can forsee most danger (including a cyanide attack). Ultimately it is a bit standard and lacking true spark but you walk away with a few lingering images of cool and filmmaking elegance from Shaw Brothers. Also with Chiao Chiao (One-Armed Swordsman).

Didi (Sharon Kwok) travels to Thailand after being contacted by her grandfather for the first time in 10 years. But it's a trap set by maniacally laughing gwailo gangsters who are after a treasure map Didi's grandfather has. Interpol has also sent an agent (Chin Siu-Ho) to infiltrate the gang...

Chin Siu-Ho managed to be put into not only one but two Thailand set B-actioners around this time and BOTH featured either transsexuals or drag queens! But unlike Hero Dream, Dead Target mostly misses out on offering up something so poor it's dead on memorable. The walk into camera-transitions speak volumes of the filmmaking and clearly someone scouted Thailand prior. Hence a lot of those notes being included in the film in the form of street cooks throwing their vegetables as a way of serving and strip joints with aforementioned transsexuals or drag queens. It sounds lively, Dead Target certainly has stuff moving in the frame but not enough. To be specific, not enough hokey outrageousness although the elephants helping out Didi and company to crush and stomp bad guys is classic celluloid. The argument that "well at least it has drag queens, transsexuals and killer elephants" does apply but doesn't cancel out the lack of B-movie spark otherwise.