The Best of the Martial Arts Films (5 Stars)

The name of this documentary, made in 1990, sounds like a big hype. Fortunately, it lives up to its title. It features excerpts from films that every martial arts fan should know. In alphabetical order:

Above the Law

Armour of God

The Big Boss

Broken Oath

China O'Brien

China O'Brien 2

Dragons Forever

Dreadnaught

Duel to the Death

Eastern Condors

Enter the Dragon

Fist of Fury

Hand of Death

Hapkido

Lady Whirlwind

The Magnificent Butcher

The Master

My Lucky Stars

No Retreat, No Surrender

Project A

Project A Part 2

Return of the Dragon

Shanghai Express

Spooky Encounters

Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars

Wheels on Meals

When Taikwondo Strikes

Winners and Sinners

The Young Master

Zu

I've added links to the films I already own. After watching the documentary I ordered three films that I'm missing. A few are not currently available on Blu-ray.

There are interviews with Sammo Hung. I've been watching a lot of his films lately, and I'm growing to apricate him.

There are interviews with Jackie Chan. Was this really filmed in 1990? He was 35 at the time, but he looks like a teenager.

There are interviews with Cynthia Rothrock. She spends a lot of time talking about her work with Sammo Hung.

Sadly, there are no interviews with Angela Mao. She was the greatest female martial artist in cinema.

John Saxon proceeds to show film clips and describes the principal actors.

Bruce Lee. The documentary would have been pointless without him.

Joyce Godenzi.

Sibelle Hu.

Michiko Nishiwaki. Wow! I'd never heard of her, but she's made more than 20 films.

John Saxon calls the fight between Jackie Chan and Benny Urquidez in "Wheels on Meals" one of the best ever fights in a film.

Here's Sammo Hung being attacked by five beautiful women, all skilled fighters. Sammo isn't a gentleman. He shouldn't have fought back. I would have raised my hands and surrendered. Maybe they would have killed me, but I would have died with a smile on my face.

Jackie Chan has to fight these four beautiful women. They don't fight fair. Almost all their kicks are aimed at the place where it hurts most. This must have been the only time Jackie regretted that he always does his own stunts.