Subgenre Sampler
Action/Adventure > Foreign Cinema: 401 Films to Buy & Rent
Impossible Kid, The (1982)
- Dir. Eddie Nicart
Feat. Weng Weng, Romy Diaz, Nina Sara
- Chop–socky sequel with world's smallest spy again coming up another baddie intent to destroy the world. Comical dialogue, and more ball busting…
Legend of a Fighter (Huo Yuan-Jia) (1982)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Kar-yan Leung
- A 'wireless' kung–fu masterclass from one of Hong Kong's most feted martial arts exponent, dir. Ping (choreographer for THE MATRIX), here…
Legendary Weapons of China (1982)
- Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Liu Chia Liang
- Forthright Shaw Brothers classic with the invincible Gordon Liu as a dogged kung fu master pursued relentlessly by hired assassins. And intriguing…
Ninja Wars (Iga ninpûchô) (1982)
- Dir. Mitsumasa Saito
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Sonny Chiba
- Period fantasy action involving magicians, love potions and endangered royalty in ancient Japan, a story resolved with a fair amount of…
Shaolin Prince (1982)
- Dir. Chia Tang
Feat. Ti Lung
- Respected fight choreographer Tang Chia helms one of his few films as director: two princes are separated at birth; one is raised by Shaolin monks…
Das Boot (The Boat) (1981)
- Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Jurgen Prochnow
- Nail biting, meticulous and realistic account of a German U–boat's prowlings through the North Atlantic. The most expensive German film to…
For Your Height Only (1981)
- Dir. Eddie Nicart
Feat. Weng Weng, Yehlen Catral, Carmi Martin…
- Schlocky riff on the 007 franchise with pint sized ass–kicker Weng Weng as the world's smallest super spy, Agent 00, doing battle with mad…
Encounters of the Spooky Kind (Gui da gui) (1980)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- A groundbreaking Hong Kong blend of martial arts action, horror, and slapstick humour, set around Hung's attempts to battle the voodoo and hopping…
Kagemusha (1980)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara
- A majestic 16th century saga about a petty thief who ascends to tribal leadership on account of his resemblance to a dying warlord. Shared the top…
Young Master, The (Shi di chu ma) (1980)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Biao Yuen
- A fine early action–comedy from the phenomenal Jackie Chan, here trying to lure a wayward fellow student back to the 'right' side of martial…