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Best known for his novels, film producer, screenwriter and novelist Xiong Yao Hua (pen name Gu Long) wrote “Xiao Li Fei Dao” (“Little Li Flying Dagger”), a wuxia series consisting of five novels from 1968 to 1981. This film is an adaptation of the second novel “The Bordertown Wanderer” in which two swordsmen team up to investigate the murder case of a legendary swordsman, Bai Tian Yu. Apparently it is the 20th anniversary of his death and his son is showing up to settle the old score with the remaining surviving seven murderers.

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Set in a winter landscape, the film kicks off with Fu Hong Xue (Ti Lung), an unshaven man cladded in a poncho, walking alone on the snowy fields and frozen rivers as the opening credits roll. Obviously the same frozen location where Chor filmed his very own “The...

Filmed on location on the beautiful volcanic Lanyu Island (Orchid Island) on the Pacific Ocean off mainland Taiwan, this is a romantic drama concerning a returning overseas young Doctor He Wei De (Paul Chang Chung) who has decided to run a small clinic there, while he’s also looking for his long lost father. Furthermore, he has broken up with his fiance Bai To Na (Lily Ho Li Li) and is keen for a new start, away from the mainland.

There are no hotels or civilization on the remote Lanyu Island, it’s inhabited by the Ya Mei natives and their Chief. However, trying hard to convert the locals is Priest Giger. Elsewhere, planning to overthrow the Chief is an ambitious evil medicine man Ba Da (Wang Chung Hsin). Above all, there‘s the beautiful native orphan girl Ya Lan (Cheng Pei Pei) who has taken a shine to Dr.

“Nobody wins here but death”. Probably the best summarization of Wu Xia cinema, encapsulated in one line by Damian Lau’s Ching Wan. There are arguments as to when the Hong Kong New Wave started and there is certainly evidence for “Duel to the Death” to be one of the instigators. The directorial debut of legendary action choreographer Ching Siu-Yung, it is one of the defining films in the rich history of the area’s action cinema.

Ching Wan, a student of the Shaolin Temple is the chosen Chinese representative in a one-on-one duel with the Japanese. Prior to his departure he confronts Kenji (Eddie Ko), a Japanese monk visiting the temple who goads the Abbott into a fight. Hashimoto (Norman Chu), the Japanese representative is attacked by a masked individual whom turns out to be his maste; as he lays dying he asks Hashimoto to recite their clan’s mantra.

1. Swordsman in the Twilight (1967)

Director: Chung Chang-Hwa

Cast: Nam Goong-Won, Yoon Jeong-Hee, Heo Jang-Kang

Best known for helming the Shaw Brothers film King Boxer (1972) a.k.a. Five Fingers of Death, which stands as one of the best cult films among Hong Kong martial art films, Director Chung pioneered in the genre of action films in Korean cinema. The film stepped into the spotlight at the Biff (Busan International Film Festival) in 2003.

In the reign of the king Sukjong, the new queen, Jang Hui-Bin ascends the throne. Oh Ki-Ryong, an ally of Jang, tyrannizes those who remain sympathetic to the old queen, Min. A lone swordsman, Kim Tae-Won appears and gets rid of the allies of Jang with a certain vengeance. He gradually unfolds his story in flashbacks.

2. The General’s Son (1990)

Director: Im Kwon-Taek

Cast: Park Sang‑Min, Shin Hyun‑Joon, Lee Il‑Jae

The first installment,...

When I think of Wu Xia movies, I immediately think of Shaw Brothers and the many classic they have made over the years. What I love about this genre is many things, the Swordplay, The Characters, Story lines, Setting, Costumes and much more.

Wu Xia, traditionally is a form of literature. But after high demand over the years it’s become involoved in many art forms such as Movies, Opera, Video Games and beyond. This list of 30 Wu Xia movies listed, i hope you’ll like and want to thank my friend Richard Robinson for contributing to the list. If we missed any classics out, its most probably because we honestly forgot at that time or maybe we haven’t seen all the classic Wu Xia movies so far, anyway enjoy the list and let us know what you thought in the commen box at the bottom.

1.Have Sword Will Travel (1969)

Cast: David Chiang,...

We've had a good week of Godzilla fun on Empire recently, what with our spoiler podcast and feature on Gareth Edwards' version, and our tour through radioactive monsters. But the original - and, for many, still the best - Godzilla is the Toho creation of 1954, and its soundtrack is now available in full for the first time in its sixty year history, courtesy of Death Waltz Recording Company. And it gets even better: we have an exclusive stream of the whole thing for a limited time, so get your monster on and get listening below!Akira Ifukube's score builds layers of bass and brass to emphasise the dread as the monster approaches Tokyo. While there's a jauntier theme here early on, which became the Godzilla theme, the focus is disaster and destruction - contrasted with the piercing strings that mark the arrival of the Oxygen Destroyer weapon that might halt the beast.

As we get closer to the release of Legendary Pictures' upcoming take on Godzilla, fans are beginning to get all sorts of creative in terms of showing their love for Big G. Take, for instance, this muscle diagram from artist Cheung Chung Tat. It doesn't get much cooler than this!

An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Johnson, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, Richard T. Jones, Sally Hawkins, Akira Takarada, Victor Rasuk, Yuki Morita, and C.J. Adams star.

Making his first appearance in 1954 (Gojira), Godzilla is a giant monster that lives in the sea that comes from the ocean to feed on mankind.

Visit the official Godzilla website here.

Click on the image below for a larger version.