Top 10 classic martial arts movies for beginners

Some movie genres and cinematic moves are easier to get into than others, so it's useful to have some help the first time you watch a certain type of movie. Indeed, the martial arts genre offers a wealth of accessible and exciting entertainment, but The amount of great martial arts movies from decades ago is staggering. (Shaw Brothers Studios alone produced hundreds of films, most of which were pretty great).

So, anyone on the fence about immersing themselves in the world of classic martial arts movies should start with the following films, which are particularly familiar and timeless: In order to focus on old-school classics, none of the films below were released more recently than 1985… However, for those wanting to see what the 21st century martial arts genre has to offer, there are other “modern” classics, such as: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Raid A great starting point!

Ten “The Return of the Five Poisons” (1978)

Director: Chang Che

There is a certain amount of cruelty and violence inherent in it. The return of the five deadly poisons It's pushed into exploitation/B-movie territory, but never in a bad way — certainly, classic martial arts movies can be surprisingly brutal. The return of the five deadly poisons is an effective wake-up call to that reality (and, going back to The Raid, John Wick As seen in the series, 21st century martial arts films often continue this tradition.

But the violence is purposeful, establishing a vicious villain who hurts each of our five main characters in different ways, leading them all to inevitably team up to exact collective revenge on that villain and his minions. The return of the five deadly poisons Stands out Because each weaker hero has to adapt their fighting style to suit their injuries.The second half of the film features some creative and highly enjoyable action scenes.

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9 “Way of the Dragon” (1972)

Director: Bruce Lee

East meets West Way of the DragonOf course, Bruce Lee Fight Chuck NorrisThat alone should be enough to satisfy anyone with an interest in martial arts films, but the film also has plenty of fun moments before the climactic showdown and, given that this is Lee's only completed film in which he both starred and directed, it also showcases his talents behind the camera.

Way of the Dragon The story follows Bruce Lee as he rescues his impoverished relatives who are being threatened by various shadowy figures. The family's enemies become Lee's enemies, and Lee fights against the various foes in increasingly spectacular battles. Way of the Dragon Also There are a fair few comedy elements (although they are relatively light for Lee's films) which add to an already very entertaining production..

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8 Shogun Assassin (1980)

Directed by: Kenji Misumi, Robert Huston

Shogun Assassin This is not a new installment in the action-packed samurai series. Lone Wolf and Cub series. Instead, it is an English dubbed/re-edited version of the first two films. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance and Lone Wolf and Cub: Pram of the River StyxBoth were released in 1972, and the combination of the two films Shogun Assassin Even more merciless.

Anyone wanting to fully enjoy the original series should watch the original two movies, Lone Wolf and Cub It might be fun to watch Shogun Assassin first, This is a good sample of what the rest of the movie will be like.. Shogun Assassin It's a little cheesy and chaotic, at least pacing-wise, but it gets to the point and is also a great example of non-stop classic samurai/martial arts cinema.

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7 The Dragon Inn (1967)

Director: King Hu

Few people know about the film King HuBut who knows the name? I know very well that he has worked on some of the greatest action movies of all time.One of his best works, and perhaps his most accessible, is the 1967 film. Dragon InnSet in 15th century China, the story follows a group of various skilled martial artists as they set out to protect the pursued children of a murdered general.

The premise is fairly simple by martial arts movie standards, but it works well, with enough story and character development early on to make the build-up to the fight scenes compelling. As with other King Fu films, Dragon Inn It takes its time in places, but ultimately it's pretty action-packed for a film of this age, and with a runtime of just under two hours, it doesn't waste too much time.

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6 The Thirty-Sixth Chamber of Shaolin Temple (1978)

Director: Lau Kar-leung

For a change of pace, and away from non-stop martial arts movies, Shaolin Temple Room 36 The film demonstrates that the genre doesn't need drawn-out, nonstop battles to be compelling: Simply put, the majority of the film feels like one long training montage, depicting a revenge-driven young man working his way up to become a skilled fighter so he can bring bad guys to justice.

By the time the third act action inevitably begins Shaolin Temple Room 36The hero is so powerful that his enemies are no match for him, but this is never unsatisfying, as so much of the rest of the film is spent on his training. It's a very well-executed, straightforward and lean story.and it is rightly considered a staple of the martial arts genre as a whole.

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Five Lady Snowblood (1973)

Director: Toshiya Fujita

Lady Snowblood is one of the most iconic samurai films of all time, and while not all samurai films are necessarily action/martial arts films, Lady Snowblood The film follows a woman who has been trained since she was a child to be a deadly warrior/assassin, and her adventures throughout the film include tracking down and killing the people who wiped out her family years ago.

The story is about revenge, and while it is simple in some ways, Lady Snowblood This film ultimately shines because of the way it explores its central themes and the way it tells its story in a non-chronological order. There's a reason this film is a classic; it's a great film in every respect. As long as you don't mind some pretty bloody violence and some pretty nihilistic undertones, it's pretty watchable by the standards of old martial arts movies. Overall.

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Four The Last Daredevil (1979)

Director: John Woo

First of all, no one has ever made a shooter movie like this one. John WooSo it makes sense to have a title like this: killer, hard boiledand Face/Off is one of his most popular works, but Woo also excels at creating great action scenes that don't involve guns or big explosions. Redcliffe And at the start of his filmmaking career, The Last Cheer of Chivalry.

1979's Star Wars: Episode I – The Final Battle makes it clear that Woo could have spent his life making martial arts films and still been recognized as an action movie legend. The storyline is a little relentless and messy at times, but the action is so frequent and intense that nothing else matters. The Last Cheer of Chivalry Amazing and exciting from start to finish. This is one of John Woo's best works and deserves more recognition..

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3 “8 Diagram Pole Fighter” (1984)

Director: Lau Kar-leung

The glory days of Shaw Brothers Studios were probably during the 1960s and 1970s, but in 1984 8 Diagram Pole Fighter This film shows the studio's continued existence into the 1980s to some extent. It's an unrelentingly gory and near-perfect martial arts spectacle, with the story focusing on two brothers who become separated after their families are murdered, each training alone and plotting revenge.

8 Diagram Pole Fighter While it certainly is superficially familiar, it's the execution of the key parts (the action and fight scenes) that really makes the film a masterpiece. The 36th Room of the Shaolin TempleGordon Liubut this is a very different type of martial arts movie. But it's still amazing in its own unique (and brutal) way..

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2 Police Story (1985)

Director: Jackie Chan

Police Story probably Jackie Chan's The movie is great, he both stars and directs it, and it's a bit of an oddity for a martial arts movie, being set in the present day and balancing the expected stunts and martial arts with gunfights and car chases — including a notable early scene in which an entire slum is destroyed.

But I saved the best for last. The final fight scene is one of the greatest action scenes ever filmed.. Police Story For anyone wanting to understand the Jackie Chan craze, this is the perfect starting point, as his Hollywood movies, while entertaining enough, don't hold a candle to the great action movies of his younger years.

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1 Enter the Dragon (1973)

Director: Robert Clouse

rear Way of the DragonBruce Lee's next (and ultimately final) film was also DragonThe title is based on the theme of Dragon AppearsThe film is set in a martial arts tournament hosted by a shady character with ties to a criminal empire, and sees Bruce Lee's character go undercover to take part in the tournament. It remains one of Bruce Lee's best and most satisfying films.

Dragon Appears This film is legendary as a martial arts movie, and arguably one of the best films released in the 1970s, not just action movies. The film is one of the most well-rounded, light-hearted martial arts movies of the last decade and is well worth a watch even for those who haven't yet been seduced by this type of action film..

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