"Actor: Yasuaki Kurata"

• Legend of the Fist | DVD | (31/01/2011) from £4.98   |  Saving you £15.01 (301.41%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Intense war action meets blistering kung fu as Donnie Yen showcases his jaw-dropping martial arts skills in this exhilarating action epic. From the trenches of war to the perilous Shanghai streets, experience one incredible set piece after another.

• Legend Of A Fighter | DVD | (05/03/2001) from £13.73   |  Saving you £6.26 (45.59%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In the historically based Kung fu drama Legend of a Fighter director Yuen Woo Ping offers his version of the early life of martial artist Fok Yuen Gap (played by Leung Kar Yan). Set at the beginning of the 20th century, Fok is considered too weak to learn the family Kung fu style. Still, as his father can break eggs by growling, he probably considers most people weak. The teenager forms a bond with his humane Japanese tutor (Kurata Yusuaki), who secretly teaches martial arts. The story builds to a moving climax as 12 years later pupil and now ageing master are forced by honour into a deadly duel. The opening and closing acts are by far the strongest, the plentiful fight scenes being balanced by gentle humour and emotions torn between friendship and duty. Both lead actors are excellent, with Yusuaki being particularly fine as the noble warrior-teacher. The middle, a series of disconnected tableaux in which Fok establishes his stature as a Kung fu expert, goes on much too long to sustain interest. Nevertheless the story of Fok Yuen Gap, a genuine Chinese hero who was also the inspiration for Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury (1972), is fine and Woo Ping delivers the one-on-one Kung fu action with the touch of a master.On the DVD: The 1.77:1 image doesn't benefit at all from its anamorphic enhancement, the entire film being presented slightly out of focus so that by the end eyes are likely to be aching. The opening 4:3 Academy ratio archive footage has been distorted to 1.77:1, while the original trailer shows Legend of a Fighter was shot in an extremely wide format--possibly the Hong Kong equivalent of early 2.66:1 CinemaScope, or even 2.74:1 Techniscope--which means that large amounts of the original image are missing. This is very obvious as characters constantly vanish off the sides of the screen or are cropped in half. Additionally, and again compared to the crisp, sharp trailer, colours are washed out, while the mono sound distorts whenever the music gets loud. The film is available in Mandarin with optional English subtitles, or in an awful English dub littered with inappropriate obscene language. There is a nine-minute interview with Leung Kar Yan, and a 23-minute interview with Yuen Woo Ping, which is a slightly longer version of the conversation presented on the Magnificent Butcher DVD: it's notable how he expresses his love of science fiction and indicates he would like to make a SF Kung-fu movie, something he achieved with The Matrix (1999). There is a Hong Kong Legends' promo for the film, together with seven further new trailers. The photo gallery is pointless, simply cropping some shots even further than the main presentation. --Gary S Dalkin

• Legend of the Fist | Blu Ray | (31/01/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  During the war Chen Zhen was a hero. In the tempestuous years that followed he became a legend. The exciting story of Chen Zhen is given a modern refresh as Donnie Yen takes up the heroic mantle made famous by international superstars Bruce Lee (Fist Of Fury 1972) and Jet Li (Fist Of Legend 1994). The Shanghai of the 1920s is an exciting but ruthless place to be as the Japanese enforce their expansionist ideals on the beleaguered country by any means necessary while the rest of the superpowers watch on. One man decides to make a stand against injustice by becoming a masked avenger and using all of his exceptional martial arts skills to dismantle the evil that is besetting his beloved country.

• So Close | DVD | (19/01/2004) from £12.50   |  Saving you £7.49 (59.92%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Get ready for one of the most dynamic action-packed films of the year! Directed by famed action choreographer Cory Yuen (The Transporter Jet Li's The Enforcer) So Close is a thrill-a-minute shootout with lightning-quick action sequences and great performances by Shu Qi Zhao Wei and Karen Mok. A crooked businessman brings in a pair of high-tech assassin sisters to murder his elder brother so he can take over the family's business empire. When a determined policewoman starts to

• Fist Of Legend | DVD | (29/04/2002) from £9.25   |  Saving you £6.74 (72.86%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Jet Li stars in Fist of Legend, a 1994 remake of The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Jet Li is Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popular freestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to his former friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. If Jackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channelling Steve McQueen here. He speaks softly and carries a big kick, and like Steven Seagal, even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on him. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Woo-ping Yuen, who lent his expertise to The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout between Chen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --Donald Liebenson, Amazon.com

• Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Tasked with busting a crime syndicate the world's most inept crime-fighters wreak havoc in a holiday paradise with their peculiar brand of high-kicking justice and outrageous antics!

• Secret Of The Shaolin Poles | DVD | (01/05/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Fei Meng stars as the legendary Chinese folk hero Fong Sai Yuk who is forced to take on a variety of assassins hired by a ruthless governor to avenge Yuk's killing of one of his men. A cult favourite amongst martial arts fans it features some of the most breathtaking shaolin pole fighting ever committed to film.

• Secrets Of Shaolin Poles | DVD | (02/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  An unusual and exciting story that features a whole range of martial art - including devastating tactics required to fight and preserve one's life on top of the Shaolin Poles. The number one fighter of the whole Ching Dynasty Fang Shih-Yu was undefeated on the Shaolin Poles. No fighter of his century - Chinese or Western boxer or full contact Karate champion - can match Fang's record of knockouts.

• Legend of the Fist | DVD | (27/02/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Wai Keung (Andrew) Lau directs this martial arts action drama set in Japanese-occupied 1920s Shanghai. Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen (portrayed by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film 'Fist of Fury' and played here by Donnie Yen), the avenging hero returns. When he is not courting sultry nightclub singer Kiki (Qi Shu), Zhen takes it upon himself to stop the wave of assassinations sweeping Shanghai, donning a black mask to infiltrate the mob and track down the Japanese hitmen who have been killing off those named in their top-secret Death List.

• Fist of Unicorn | DVD | (27/11/2006) from £9.98   |  Saving you £2.01 (20.14%)   |  RRP £11.99

  In 1972 Bruce lee agreed to action direct a film for his bestfriend Unicorn Chan. The result was this action-packed fightfest featuring some of kung fu cinema's top names like HwangIn Shik Jackie Chan Gee Han Jay Alan Hsu and even Bruce Lee. Lung lives the peaceful life of a vagabond but always being on the road with no friends or future can take its toll over time. One day Lung befriends a young acrobat named Tiger and accepts an invitation to stay with the boy and his mother in exchange for his services as a handyman. However peaceful days turn to memories when Tiger insults a man in public. That man is Wong the eldest son of the boss of a criminal organization. During that day Wong tried to make advances on a beautiful girl who was part of a group of travelling acrobats but the girl rejected him only to be confronted by Wong's henchmen later on. During the conflict most of the acrobat performers were killed. Barely alive the girl escapes to end up under Lung and Tiger's protection.

• Magnificent 3 | DVD | (01/01/2008) from £11.30   |  Saving you £-5.31 (-88.60%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Starring Kung Fu's hidden treasure Tony Poon plus Japanese superstars Yasuki Kurata and Bronson Lee this is a lost classic never previously available on DVD! When the three martial mates all land up in a prison cell on the tropical island of Dominica their hopes of freedom seems bleak but they are bailed out by an Army General who wants to put their excellent skills to good use by getting even with a cruel mafia crew.... Non-stop Kung Fu action from start to finish featuring some of the biggest names in the martial arts!

• Iron Fists | DVD | (21/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Chen (Kong Ban) returns home from abroad only to find that his brother has become a collaborator to the occupying Japanese Imperial Forces. He is responsible for funnelling mining resources out of their town and into weapons factories. His brothers treachery causes the town to shun Chen until they realise he is not like his evil brother. The Japanese controlled East Asia Company sends a Samurai (Kurata) and many assassins to kill Chens whole family and kidnap his fianc. Soon Chen finds himself uncovering a conspiracy and defending himself from hard thugs in street brawls that are nothing short of murderous. All this ends in a marathon fight fest in which Chen must fight his way through the enemy and even his own family members to save his girl and keep weapons out of Japanese hands.

• A Life of Ninja | DVD | (23/04/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Yusaki Kurata is the leader of a band of Ninjas: Elsa Leung is the youngest daughter of a crime family being targeted by Kurata's Ninja clan. She and the police seek out the aid of local kendo master Chen Kuan Tai himself a master ninja to stop Kurata and save her family

• Secrets Shaolin/Dressed Fight | DVD | (29/08/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The Secret Of Shaolin Poles (Dir. Ulysses Au Yang-chun 1977): An unusual and exciting story that features a whole range of martial art - including devastating tactics required to fight and preserve one's life on top of the Shaolin Poles. The number one fighter of the whole Ching Dynasty Fang Shih-Yu was undefeated on the Shaolin Poles. No fighter of his century - Chinese or Western boxer or full contact Karate champion - can match Fang's record of knockouts. Dressed To Fight (Dir. Ulysses Au Yang-chun 1980): When the infamous swordsman Ting Chewha seeks to escape his reputation he is followed by vengeful fighters evil spirits and hoards of jealous women. He soon finds out that being a nice guy saving damsels in distress can get him killed as he is thrown into a conspiracy where he is the target of assasination by a secret society of fighters. When friend becomes foe no one can be trusted and Ting must fight his way through 12 secret society guards in order to escape and rescue a love from his past.

• Legend Of A Fighter | DVD | (25/09/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In the historically based Kung fu drama Legend of a Fighter director Yuen Woo Ping offers his version of the early life of martial artist Fok Yuen Gap (played by Leung Kar Yan). Set at the beginning of the 20th century, Fok is considered too weak to learn the family Kung fu style. Still, as his father can break eggs by growling, he probably considers most people weak. The teenager forms a bond with his humane Japanese tutor (Kurata Yusuaki), who secretly teaches martial arts. The story builds to a moving climax as 12 years later pupil and now ageing master are forced by honour into a deadly duel. The opening and closing acts are by far the strongest, the plentiful fight scenes being balanced by gentle humour and emotions torn between friendship and duty. Both lead actors are excellent, with Yusuaki being particularly fine as the noble warrior-teacher. The middle, a series of disconnected tableaux in which Fok establishes his stature as a Kung fu expert, goes on much too long to sustain interest. Nevertheless the story of Fok Yuen Gap, a genuine Chinese hero who was also the inspiration for Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury (1972), is fine and Woo Ping delivers the one-on-one Kung fu action with the touch of a master.On the DVD: The 1.77:1 image doesn't benefit at all from its anamorphic enhancement, the entire film being presented slightly out of focus so that by the end eyes are likely to be aching. The opening 4:3 Academy ratio archive footage has been distorted to 1.77:1, while the original trailer shows Legend of a Fighter was shot in an extremely wide format--possibly the Hong Kong equivalent of early 2.66:1 CinemaScope, or even 2.74:1 Techniscope--which means that large amounts of the original image are missing. This is very obvious as characters constantly vanish off the sides of the screen or are cropped in half. Additionally, and again compared to the crisp, sharp trailer, colours are washed out, while the mono sound distorts whenever the music gets loud. The film is available in Mandarin with optional English subtitles, or in an awful English dub littered with inappropriate obscene language. There is a nine-minute interview with Leung Kar Yan, and a 23-minute interview with Yuen Woo Ping, which is a slightly longer version of the conversation presented on the Magnificent Butcher DVD: it's notable how he expresses his love of science fiction and indicates he would like to make a SF Kung-fu movie, something he achieved with The Matrix (1999). There is a Hong Kong Legends' promo for the film, together with seven further new trailers. The photo gallery is pointless, simply cropping some shots even further than the main presentation. --Gary S Dalkin

• Legend of a Fighter/Eastern Condors/Iron Monkey | DVD | (08/07/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £32.99

  A must-have box set for any martial arts fan. Containing the martial arts best-sellers from the respected Hong Kong Legends label: 'Legend Of a Fighter' 'Eastern Condors' and 'Iron Monkey'. *Please see individual titles for full descriptions.

• Blood Fight | DVD | (06/12/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Kai, ex-free-fighting champion trains a young student to enter the arena of death and take on the might of the current champion, Chang. When the student is left for dead in the ring, Kai knows that he must take on Chang in one final confrontation....