What are your favorite Wuxia films?

[cybernetichero]

Back in the days of VHS libraries I borrowed a movie called Erotic Ghost Story. It was my first taste of the Wuxia genre. Long wire flying fights, strange demented spirits and a Taoist sorcerer. Note, the "erotic" bit was a bit odd but tame (it's funny how different cultures have different taboos but that's another story). It got 2 pretty good sequels and I have the box set on dvd.



I guess I was already primed to like the genre being a fan of Monkey and Wukong/Goku is probably my favourite Wuxia character, I have a stack of movies based on Journey to the West.
I used to have the set of the Shaw brothers films but lost it. Anyone with a spare going cheap, lol?

I also like the fabulous recent Detective Dee movies and scored a couple of the novels by Robert Van Gulik the other day.

There was also this awesome Japanese movie (I guess it's not called Wuxia in Japan but this one fit the parameters otherwise) and all I remember was a woman who turned into a butterfly and who was having an affair with the moon (?), a massive battle in the Imperial palace and a tomb. It was billed as The Zen Master(s?) but does not correspond to the movie of that name google points at. Anyone who can help would be appreciated.

So what are YOUR favourite epics.

 

[jedishrfu]

Yes, I've seen the last two. They are pretty good to watch. A little fanciful though.

I usually like Monkey stories. The relatively recent Jet li one was pretty cool. As a kid, I saw the Alakazam movie, a cartoon dubbed to English with the Heavenly Court converted to Greek mythology but still the Monkey King story underneath. One notable change was Monkey had a girlfriend. Its also pre-wuxia.

There are other wuxia like Crouching Tiger, and the Shaolin Temple movies that are arguably better developed with deeper storylines.

 

[cybernetichero]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a great movie. Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li made a great duo. She was a deliciously devious White Bone Demon in Monkey King 2. I've been a fan of hers since Raise the Red Lantern.

 

[jedishrfu]

Also there's the Stephen Chow movies too that parody kungfu movie tropes.

And some much older films like A Touch of Zen and Come Drink With Me staring a very young and beautiful Cheng Pei Pei. She was also in Crouching Tiger as an older martial arts master and the protector to Zhang Ziyi.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_Drink_with_Me