Jackie Chan’s 10 Best Old School Kung Fu Movies, Ranked

Jackie Chan is celebrated as one of the greatest kung fu film actors of all time. His classic kung fu movies have their unique blend of Physical comedy, complex action choreography, and elaborate stunts. They were not only full of action, but were connected to the traditional martial arts – to the skill, discipline and incredible kung fu techniques. Although he became an action star around the world, in his earlier kung fu movies, Chan captured the best of both worlds: the raw power of bare knuckle fighting and the elegance of the old school martial arts.

What sets him apart from other martial arts actors is his talent for blending comedy with heart-pounding action. Do portray a mischievous, incorrigible student in Drunk master Or a sympathetic, bullied orphan in Snake in the eagle’s shadow, Jackie fully embodies the characters he portrays and his films all have their own brand of slapstick kung fu.Memorable dialogue and various fighting techniques. His physicality and effortless ability elevate his roles, and on screen, Chan’s personality and martial arts skills come together to create a new form of kung fu cinema and make him an incredibly influential actor.

10

To Kill with Intrigue (1977)

Directed by Lo Wei

An enigmatic ride from start to finish, in To kill with intrigueJackie Chan plays Lei Shao-feng, a young man whose family is massacred by a rival gang (the Killer Bees). Shao-feng is spared death by the gang’s female leader. Adding to the tension, Shao-feng drives his pregnant girlfriend away from him to spare her any potential retaliation. The film is much darker than many of Chan’s other early moviesAnd instead of the light touch, which would become his trademark. The fights are brutal, with multiple torture scenes throughout, with a greater emphasis on swordplay and traditional martial arts.

Although not as popular as his later films, To kill with intrigue Is another worthwhile look at Chance’s acting range, revealing his serious side as a dramatic actor. While the film Doesn’t offer the humor or innovative stunt work that Chan would later become known forThe film more than makes up for it with well-orchestrated sequences that highlight the precision, cruelty and intensity of the action. Fans of Jackie Chan’s more austere side, looking for a low-budget time capsule of what he was like before his persona, will certainly enjoy revisiting this gem from his early career.

9

New Fist Of Fury (1976)

Directed by Lo Wei

Starring Jackie Chan as A Lung, a reluctant hero pressed into action by an attack by a Japanese karate school on a grandfather’s Jingwu school who seeks to dominate the martial arts scene on the island. New fist of furY is designed to be a spiritual sequel to Bruce Lee Fist of FuryMit Chan set to inherit the title of the next action hero. The 1976 film Makes heavy use of traditional kung fu action and trapsWith Chan’s character feeling a sense of duty to his community before eventually protecting his people with his new martial arts skills.

Similar to To kill with intrigueThe film is not quite as close to Nailing Chan’s eventual comedy-action mix, which would become synonymous with his films. Still, IIt is a critical cog in the Chan machineRevealing his calmness and his commitment to martial arts ideals, his natural physicality and his skills in more traditional Chinese kung fu styles. It also leans into patriotic and honor/shame themes popular in Chinese cinema at the time, making it a culturally difficult but oddly fascinating early entry into some of his best kung fu films.

8

Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978)

Directed by Chen Chi-hwa

a kung fu comedy, Half a loaf of kung fu Casts Chan as a bumbling, well-intentioned buffoon who bumbles his way through a series of martial arts adventures, searching for opportunities and a master to teach him. The film makes frequent nods to the conventions of traditional kung fu storytellingBut its tone is often one of witty parody, and its action scenes are just as impressive. Chan’s character ventures through various scrapes and encounters in the service of slapstick comedy while demonstrating his comic timing and authentic fighting skills.

Half a loaf of kung fu It may not be the polished production that Jackie Chan would become known for later in his career, but it is a film that allowed Chan to test his comedic chops. The film served as the template for the action-comedy hybrid he would go on to define. Chan’s athleticism and skill in the fight choreography could be a little less polishedBut they are still clear. Blending humor and action carved out a creative space for Chan in the martial arts realm, and this is an important, overlooked film in his career.

7

Spiritual Kung Fu (1978)

Directed by Lo Wei

Spiritual Kung Fu Mixing martial arts and fantasy expertly as Jackie Chan’s Yi-Lang is taught ancient kung fu by a group of cheerleaders at his kung fu school. It takes place in a Shaolin temple, where Chan’s character starts out as a sneaky, work-shy troublemaker before learning the lost fighting style known as “The Five Style Fists”. The supernatural twist, with ghostly hosts, adds an element of whimsy to the film, And Chan’s action sequences are as playful as they are creative, with the paranormal aspects incorporated into the physicality of the fights.

It’s the lighthearted tone that most distinguishes Spiritual Kung Fu from the rest of Chan’s early filmography, a blend of playful ghost shenanigans and martial arts that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Since the supernatural antagonists are often present, Chan incorporates them into his fight choreography, and it really highlights the fight sequences. Kung Fu with Ghosts is a unique combination and twist on a genre that makes Spiritual Kung Fu A fun film to watch. It’s a delightful combination of martial arts and mysticism from Chan’s early career that makes it feel inventive and fun on its own.

6

Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin (1978)

Directed by Chen Chi-hwa

In the 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chen Chi-hwa, Jackie Chan plays the wandering martial artist Hsu Yin-fung, who happens to possess the coveted kung fu manual “Eight Steps of the Snake and Crane” that rival clans desperately want. . to lay hands on. There are twists throughout the film, with the gangs believing Hsu to have killed the authors of the bookBut in fact, he is on a mission to avenge their death. Chan’s precision and skill shine full of classic martial arts choreography as he makes his way to the epic final face-off.

One of the main attractions of this film is the authenticity of the kung fu on display. Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin is a Must-watch for kung fu fans who want a realistic display of martial arts and plausible conflicts. In this film, Jackie Chan reverts to his more traditional skills with limited comedic elements to his acting and the martial arts. The action is well thought out, intricate and effective, and the focus on the technical side of kung fu is refreshing. Chan’s acting is spot on, and the Mystic Manual adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

5

The Fearless Hyena (1979)

Directed by Jackie Chan

in The fearless hyenaChan plays Ching Hing-lung, a youth bent on avenging the killing of his grandfather by some gunmen from a rival clan. At the beginning of the film, Lung is convinced to work for a local businessman who is opening a new school and must defeat all the newcomers to raise the school’s reputation, doing so in Worrying, ridiculous disguises As he promised his grandfather he will not reveal his secret kung fu skills. The film alternates between dramatic moments of loss and revenge, and the climactic battle features complexity and invention that would become closely identified with Chan’s career.

Stylistically, the movie is considered one of Chan’s best early comedy martial arts films, balancing its humor with some of the most sophisticated action choreography of his career. The fearless hyena demonstrates Chan’s penchant for integrating his comedic talents into his action sequencesEspecially the scene where he dresses up as an alluring woman in a fight with a rival school’s champion. Half flirting, half fighting, Jackie Chan’s natural charisma and physicality are on full display and make this a genuine gem of his early career.

4

Dragon Fist (1979)

Directed by Lo Wei

In this film directed by Lo Wei, Chan’s character, Tang Hou-Yuen, plays a much more serious role than in some of his other films. The classic story follows Chan’s character as he seeks revenge for the death of his master. After he finally found the evil master, it turns out that he felt such remorse for his actions that he cut off his own leg as penance for his crime. The film then pivots to Tang working for a gang to take care of his old master’s family and exacting his revenge on a new, more deserving target.

With his foray into more comedic roles, it’s always interesting to see Chan fall back into more serious stories. Most notable in the film is its tight narrative and fully developed characters, which provide a more mature role for Chan. He excels in the straight kung fu movie as well, and Dragon Fist Showcases nimble and clean choreography, not relying on slapstick moments. Although lacking the humor that would later dominate his work, Dragon Fist is satisfactory. Chan and Gives evidence of his ability as an actor and as a martial artist Rather than just a comic star.

3

The Young Master (1980)

Directed by Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan is Dragon (Sheng Lung), an orphan who, along with his brother, Tiger, grew up in a martial arts school. The two have a fallout after Tiger betrays his brother and school for a rival academy. Later, Dragon is mistaken for a criminal, and Tiger is framed for a bank robbery after helping free a dangerous criminal called Cam, so Dragon must go on the run to clear his brother’s name and captures Cam to stop his brother from going to Jail. The narrative throughout is endlessly entertaining And Chan continues to show his love for Charlie Chaplin-style comedic sequences.

The young master JA key work in Chan’s early filmography, as it continues to mark the beginning of his distinctive brand of action comedy. The action scenes are meticulously choreographed and filmed in long takes that emphasize his hand-to-hand skills and stunt work (The climactic confrontation is an astonishing 12 minutes long). He was one of the few filmmakers of the time who actually did his own stunts. The balance of action and comedy makes this one of his most entertaining and rewatchable titles of the period, and the final scene in the body cast caps the entire film flawlessly.

2

Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978)

Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping

The directorial debut of Yuen Woo-ping, is the film that really helped propel Jackie Chan to stardom. Snake in the eagle’s shadow tells the story of a 200-year-old clan called the Eagle Claw Society who found and Eliminated every other style of martial art except for one, the snake fist style. Jackie Chan’s character, Chien Fu, is an orphan at a martial arts school and accidentally befriends one of the last masters of the snake style of kung fu, who teaches him everything he knows, and an epic confrontation is destined to be fought. between the two rival factions.

It is a crucial film in Chan’s career, the first in a succession of solo efforts that would set the gold standard of the genre. Snake in the eagle’s shadow is loaded with cleverly conceived, inventively choreographed action scenes that are amusing and exciting to watch. The movie benefits greatly from a carefully written plot in which there are many twists and turns, and The final action sequence ends in an exciting and unexpected revelation. It’s easy to admire Jackie Chan’s modern films that perfectly balance comedy and martial arts, but films like this deserve respect for paving the way.

1

Drunken Master (1978)

Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping

Drunk master is widely regarded as Jackie Chan’s early magnum opus in the kung fu genre. He plays Wong Fei-hang, the folk hero said to be a real-life Chinese Robin Hood who becomes a master of the drunken fist to defeat a deadly assassin. It is full of exciting action sequences, especially those that Use the unpredictable, circling drunken boxing style Which would become so popular after this film. Chan’s physical agility is extraordinary and perfectly timed with his comedic skills throughout the movie.

The movie became the blueprint for the kung fu comedy genre, mixing rapid-fire action with humor in a way never seen before. Jackie Chan is in top form in Drunk masterDemonstrating his skill in martial arts feats while still managing to elicit belly laughs from the audience. It’s no wonder it’s still considered a high-water mark for both his career and the kung fu genre as a whole.: The choreography and action scenes, especially the final battle, are inventive and unique. Drunk master is endlessly rewatchable and one of the best martial arts films of all time.