Best Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s by Year
by ckormos1 | created - 17 Jun 2015 | updated - 24 Apr 2016 | PublicThe 1970s was the greatest decade in the history of martial arts movies (if not in the history of all movies).
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1. The Hammer of God (1970)
R | 90 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A martial artist seeks revenge after his master and his entire Kwoon are wiped out by Japanese Karate masters who're in cahoots with a vile martial artist seeking to control the area by opening casinos and trapping people in debt.
Director: Jimmy Wang Yu | Stars: Jimmy Wang Yu, Lieh Lo, Ping Wang, Hsiung Chao
Votes: 916
Most important fact about this movie: A Shaw Brothers movie written by, directed by, and starring Jimmy Wang Yu. That was the first and last time that ever happened. Shaw Brothers kept their studio model but actors with creative control dominated elsewhere.
2. Brothers Five (1970)
109 min | Action, Drama
A young woman sets out to reunite feuding brothers to take out a gang of killers who have murdered their father.
Director: Wei Lo | Stars: Pei-Pei Cheng, Han Chin, Yi Chang, Yuen Kao
Votes: 248
This movie seems to have non-stop action. The fights last a long time and there are plenty of fights. Sammo Hung at 18 years old was the fight choreographer. Pei Pei Cheng does all her fights and pulls off a 24 move sequence!
3. The Angry River (1971)
90 min | Action, Adventure
Lan Tin-lung, master of the Liangyi Castle, calls upon all upright swordsmen to help wipe out the notorious Lunar Sect.
Director: Feng Huang | Stars: Angela Mao, Yuen Kao, Ying Bai, Shao-Hung Chan
Votes: 150
Golden Harvest begins and this is the company's second release with Angela Mao in the lead and a very young Sammo Hung setting up the action.
4. A Touch of Zen (1971)
Not Rated | 200 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A lady fugitive on the run from corrupt government officials is joined in her endeavors by an unambitious painter and skilled Buddhist monks.
Director: King Hu | Stars: Feng Hsu, Chun Shih, Ying Bai, Peng Tien
Votes: 7,316
Everyone knows this is a classic, nothing to say, sit back for two hours and enjoy.
5. The Lady Hermit (1971)
105 min | Action, Drama
Martial arts star Cheng Pei pei and versatile director Ho Meng hua were a great team, who elevated this tale of a virtuous swordswoman's revenge on the Black Demon who injured her to one of the best of both their careers.
Director: Meng-Hua Ho | Stars: Pei-Pei Cheng, Lieh Lo, Szu Shih, Hsieh Wang
Votes: 428
Simply my favorite Cheng Pei Pei movie. It has all the elements of a good story and great fights start to finish.
6. Fist of Fury (1972)
R | 107 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A young man seeks vengence for the death of his teacher.
Director: Wei Lo | Stars: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, James Tien, Maria Yi
Votes: 33,910 | Gross: $1.29M
Bruce Lee therefore this movie must be on the list.
7. The Black Tavern (1972)
87 min | Action
This sword-filled thriller centers on the title location-an inn where the down and dirty meet to plot nefarious doings.
Director: Wing-Cho Yip | Stars: Szu Shih, Li Tung, Feng Ku, Barry Chan
Votes: 217
Any knowledgeable list of the best martial arts movies of all times, not just 1972, must include this movie.
8. Bandits from Shantung (1972)
78 min | Action, Drama
In the Shantung province everyone fears the bandits of the Green Dragon Gang. Only a man named Yin dares to stand up to them.
Director: Feng Huang | Stars: Yi Chang, Ying Bai, Chin Hu, Shao-Hung Chan
Votes: 62
Many actors were not martial artists when they played martial arts characters. Chang Yi was one of the first actors to subsequently become a martial arts master. He started as an actor in "King Rat" five years earlier. In this movie he does all his punches, kicks and weapons plus acrobatic moves such as a front flip off a table.
9. Enter the Dragon (1973)
R | 102 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A Shaolin martial artist travels to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord - who is also a former monk from his temple - under the guise of attending a fighting tournament.
Director: Robert Clouse | Stars: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri
Votes: 113,050 | Gross: $25.00M
Not just Bruce Lee but best of Bruce Lee. There is nothing to add.
10. Da xiao tong chi (1973)
86 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Filial daughter seeks revenge on father's killer. She must associate with dishonest people to finance her mission.
Director: Pao-Shu Kao | Stars: Yuan-Shen Huang, Chin Hu, Yasuaki Kurata, Feng Hsu
Votes: 23
11. Si dui tou (1973)
Action, Drama
Chained together in a ring of mistrust and hate the good and the bad fight in karate.
Director: Lung Chien | Stars: Kang Chin, Yasuaki Kurata, Chiang Chao, Tien Wei Chao
Votes: 30
12. Dynasty of Blood (1973)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Drama
Assassin Chang and his brother Hung meet up with a soldier, Mu. Together, they form a small mountain army, but when Hung's wife arrives, emotions swell, and Mu leaves for the army. After ... See full summary »
Director: Cheh Chang | Stars: David Chiang, Lung Ti, Kuan Tai Chen, Li Ching
Votes: 847
13. The Savage Five (1974)
R | 91 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A town is taken over by a brutal gang, which has taken a safe in a robbery of another town and needs to find someone who can open it for them. They terrorize the townsfolk, beating up and ... See full summary »
Director: Cheh Chang | Stars: David Chiang, Lung Ti, Kuan Tai Chen, Danny Lee
Votes: 337
14. Shaolin Martial Arts (1974)
R | 106 min | Action, Drama
When the ruling dynasty in China sends soldiers to destroy the Shaolin Temple, students use their martial arts to defend the school.
Director: Cheh Chang | Stars: Sheng Fu, Kuan-Chun Chi, Yi Ling Chen, Chia-Hui Liu
Votes: 442
15. Zhong tai quan tan sheng si zhan (1974)
94 min | Action, Drama
The head of a Chinese martial arts school owes money to some local hoods, so he sends two of his students to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in a kickboxing tournament in order to raise ... See full summary »
Director: Feng Huang | Stars: Angela Mao, Carter Wong, Lung Chan, Chuan Chen
Votes: 117
16. The Flying Guillotine (1975)
Not Rated | 111 min | Action, Drama
An assassin, trained in the use of a throwing weapon that can behead its victims from a distance, questions the morality of his missions and becomes a fugitive hunted by his former comrades.
Director: Meng-Hua Ho | Stars: Kuan Tai Chen, Feng Ku, Hung Wei, Wu Chi Liu
Votes: 1,645
17. The Spiritual Boxer (1975)
Not Rated | 103 min | Comedy, Drama, Action
A con artist uses Kung Fu to swindle villagers for money by pretending to be possessed by angry gods. However, when the villagers are later threatened by bandits he must use the same skills for good.
Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: Yue Wong, Chen-Chi Lin, Lung Ti, Kuan Tai Chen
Votes: 333
18. The Man from Hong Kong (1975)
R | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
While on dispatch in Australia to extradite a drug courier, a tough Hong Kong cop wages a one-man war against Sydney's most powerful kingpin.
Directors: Brian Trenchard-Smith, Jimmy Wang Yu | Stars: Jimmy Wang Yu, George Lazenby, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward
Votes: 1,851
19. Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
R | 81 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
After his students are killed by the One Armed Boxer, a vengeful and blind Kung Fu expert travels to a village where a martial arts contest is being held and vows to behead every one armed man he comes across.
Director: Jimmy Wang Yu | Stars: Jimmy Wang Yu, Tien Wu Chu, Kang Chin, Chun-Erh Lung
Votes: 4,829
20. Dirty Ho (1979)
R | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
A prince enlists a thief to serve as his bodyguard to protect him from assassins.
Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: Yue Wong, Chia-Hui Liu, Lieh Lo, Hou Hsiao
Votes: 1,483
21. Gui tai jian (1971)
105 min | Action, Drama
Eunuch Gui Dehai avoids assassination and extracts a most bloody revenge on the royal family. This revenge extends to the absent Prince and the Eunuch sends out men to find and kill him. ... See full summary »
Director: Wing-Cho Yip | Stars: Hua Tsung, Chiao Chiao, Ying Bai, Billy Chan
Votes: 68
Actor Pai Ying stars as the villain in the title of this excellent movie. The story is compelling and the action top quality. James Tien and Sammo Hung can be spotted as stunt men in the background but Pai Ying pulls his weight doing almost all of his fights sequences.
22. The Angry River (1971)
90 min | Action, Adventure
Lan Tin-lung, master of the Liangyi Castle, calls upon all upright swordsmen to help wipe out the notorious Lunar Sect.
Director: Feng Huang | Stars: Angela Mao, Yuen Kao, Ying Bai, Shao-Hung Chan
Votes: 150
In this movie Angela Mao must ride across Angry River, through Merciless Pass, and enter Soul Valley to get the Black Herb to cure her father. How can it not be good with such places on the map? This is one of if not the first of Angela Mao's martial arts movies and I loved every minute of it.
23. Shen chu gui mei nu sha xing (1974)
100 min | Action, Thriller
Director: Ching-Chen Yang | Stars: Ling Chia, Barry Chan, Fu-Sheng Tsui, Ming Lei
Votes: 12
Excellent comedic spoof of all martial arts movies of the era.
24. Killer Clans (1976)
PG-13 | 91 min | Action, Drama
Two clans compete for dominance over the martial arts world in this classic of violent swordplay and political intrigue. A complex tale of deception and double crosses. Killer Clans leaves ... See full summary »
Director: Yuen Chor | Stars: Fei Ai, Shen Chan, Ping Chen, Kang-Yeh Cheng
Votes: 710
25. Dance of Death (1976)
Not Rated | 90 min | Action, Comedy
A woman uses her knowledge of kung fu to kill many warriors by kicking them in the ribs and head.
Director: Chi-Hwa Chen | Stars: Pu-Liao Hsu, Angela Mao, Dean Shek, Kai Chia
Votes: 123
Almost non-stop action and comedy with Angela Mao.
26. Secret Rivals (1976)
Unrated | 90 min | Action, Drama
A classic kung fu movie! Wang Tao plays Shen Yi Wei, the son of a General, who travels to the Gold Valley in Korea to investigate a gold heist that took place 3 years ago.
Directors: Seok-hoon Nam, See-Yuen Ng | Stars: John Liu, Don Wong, Jeong-lee Hwang, Seok-hoon Nam
Votes: 340
Different from any previous martial arts movie and changed the genre thereafter, plus white eye brows for a bonus!
27. Bloody Monkey Master (1977)
Not Rated | 95 min | Action
Iron is the son of a rebel leader, but prefers to spend his days gambling and getting into fights. When his father's group is arrested and executed, Iron is forced to flee and hide in the ... See full summary »
Director: Kuan Tai Chen | Stars: Kuan Tai Chen, Kuan-Chun Chi, Chia-Lin Sun, Kang Chin
Votes: 437
Change the title to "The Iron Monkey" and fast forward past the animal cruelty at the beginning then enjoy Chen Kuan Tai's best.
28. Broken Oath (1977)
98 min | Action, Drama
Angry and aggressive orphan Lotus Lin gets raised as a Buddhist in a Shaolin temple after her mother dies in the wake of giving birth to her in prison. Consumed with rage, Lin gets expelled... See full summary »
Director: Chang-hwa Jeong | Stars: Angela Mao, Michael Wai-Man Chan, Siu-Lung Leung, Shan Kwan
Votes: 259
Angela Mao's remake of "Lady Snowblood".
29. The Invincible Armour (1977)
Unrated | 90 min | Action, Drama
A corrupt official frames a man for murder. The man studies a martial arts style that makes his body as strong as iron, so he can counter the official's own incredible fighting skills.
Director: See-Yuen Ng | Stars: John Liu, Jeong-lee Hwang, Tino Wong, Hsin Hsing Kuo
Votes: 1,076
Hwang Jang Lee is too good a martial artist to use in just one - cast him as two characters!
30. The Shaolin Plot (1977)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Drama
A brutal Manchurian prince is determined to collect every Chinese martial arts manual. After obtaining all but two, the prince devises a daring scheme to get his hands on the heavily guarded manuals located at the Shaolin temple.
Director: Feng Huang | Stars: Sing Chen, Ho Wang, James Tien, Shan Kwan
Votes: 236
Sammo Hung as the renegade monk.
31. Executioners from Shaolin (1977)
R | 100 min | Action, Drama
Hong Hsi-Kuan devotes years to mastering Tiger style Kung Fu in order to defeat the evil priest Pai Mei. His wife, who is an expert in Crane style Kung Fu, has a feeling training in only one style won't be enough.
Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: Kuan Tai Chen, Lieh Lo, Yue Wong, Lily Li
Votes: 1,895
32. Piao xiang jian yu (1977)
93 min | Action, Romance
Director: Chia Li | Stars: Peng Tien, Bao-Yun Tang, Ying Bai, Ping Wang
Votes: 42
"A man cannot rely on tricks, he must depend upon himself".
33. Jue sha ling (1977)
94 min | Action, Adventure
A clan clash centered on the trial of an admitted mass murderer and serial rapist.
Director: Chung Sun | Stars: David Chiang, Hua Tsung, Li Ching, Michael Wai-Man Chan
Votes: 122
"One does not simply walk in Fa Mansion!" (Nor Mordor neither, from what I have heard,)
34. Pursuit of Vengeance (1977)
93 min | Action, Drama
Master of the "swordplay thriller" genre, Chu Yuan and renowned kung-fu choreographer Tang Chia tell the fabulous tale of the "Fastest Swordsman in the World" facing the "1000 Face Devil" and no less than seven murderers.
Director: Yuen Chor | Stars: Lung Ti, Tony Liu, Lieh Lo, Paul Chang Chung
Votes: 144
Not to be left behind, Lo Lieh presents his best side for the best ending ever, no butts about it! Actually, yes butts.
35. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
R | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A man studies kung fu at the Shaolin Temple to fight back against the oppressive Manchu government.
Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: Chia-Hui Liu, Lieh Lo, Yue Wong, Chia-Yung Liu
Votes: 18,384
Nothing more to say.
36. Crippled Avengers (1978)
R | 104 min | Action, Drama
Three men who have been physically disabled by an evil warlord and his physically-disabled son become friends and learn kung fu so that they can seek revenge with help from an elderly martial-arts teacher and his mentally-disabled pupil.
Director: Cheh Chang | Stars: Kuan Tai Chen, Feng Lu, Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, Meng Lo
Votes: 3,001
37. Heroes of the East (1978)
R | 105 min | Action, Comedy
A Chinese man (Liu) marries a Japanese woman through an arranged marriage and manages to insult all of her Japanese martial arts family by issuing a challenge to her that is misinterpreted ... See full summary »
Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: Chia-Hui Liu, Yuka Mizuno, Yasuaki Kurata, Naozo Kato
Votes: 2,669
38. Five Deadly Venoms (1978)
R | 101 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
The sixth and final pupil of a dying martial arts teacher is instructed to find the teacher's five former pupils and defeat any evil ones that are among them.
Director: Cheh Chang | Stars: Sheng Chiang, Chien Sun, Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, Meng Lo
Votes: 7,984
39. Drunken Master (1978)
PG-13 | 111 min | Action, Comedy
Wong Fei-Hung is a mischievous yet righteous young man, but after a series of incidents his frustrated father has him disciplined by a master of drunken martial arts.
Director: Woo-Ping Yuen | Stars: Jackie Chan, Siu-Tin Yuen, Jeong-lee Hwang, Dean Shek
Votes: 43,892
40. Warriors Two (1978)
R | 96 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
A bank cashier discovers a plot to kill the mayor. His attempt to warn the mayor is foiled, and he almost gets killed, but a mumbling Shaolin disciple rescues him and takes him to his master to teach him a formidable form of kung fu.
Director: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung | Stars: Ka-Yan Leung, Ho Wang, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Chia-Yung Liu
Votes: 1,574
41. Dirty Kung Fu (1978)
89 min | Action, Comedy
Gao Jai is a young man with minimal Kung Fu skills who spends his time spotting wanted criminals, then finding bounty hunters who fight the villains and claim the reward, in the hope of earning a percentage.
Director: Chia-Yung Liu | Stars: Yue Wong, Cecilia Wong, Karl Maka, Billy Chan
Votes: 59
42. The Wandering Dragon (1981)
99 min
A wealthy kung fu man with exceptional martial arts skills wanders the land fighting for justice.
Director: Yang-Ming Tsai | Stars: Ying Bai, Miao Tien
Votes: 13
I have 1978 as a release date for this excellent kung fu comedy with Sek Fung, Wong Goon-Hung, Pai Ying and three lovely kung fu chicks.
43. To Kill a Mastermind (1979)
95 min | Action, Thriller
A fearful crime syndicate known as the Qi Sha clan is terrorizing towns across the Chinese empire. The syndicate, infamous for their atrocities, is controlled by Seven Chiefs that rule ... See full summary »
Director: Chung Sun | Stars: Wei-Hao Teng, Sheng Lo, Kang Shih, Wah Yuen
Votes: 67
44. Odd Couple (1979)
Unrated | 97 min | Action, Adventure
The self proclaimed 'king of sabres', and 'king of spears', decide to settle whose weapon is better by each taking a student and training them in the use of their favorite weapon, and whoever students' comes out on top is the winner.
Director: Chia-Yung Liu | Stars: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Ka-Yan Leung, Chia-Yung Liu, Lung Chan
Votes: 618
45. Five Superfighters (1979)
95 min | Action, Drama
Three young martial arts students and their teacher are beaten up badly by a wandering man who proclaims himself ''a corrector of bad kung-fu.'' Determined to avenge their teacher and ... See full summary »
Director: Mar Lo | Stars: Chiu-Sing Hau, Siu-Hung Leung, Austin Wai, Mo Yuen
Votes: 392
46. Butcher Wing (1979)
89 min | Action, Comedy
Young pork butcher Lam Sai Wing and his fishmonger friend run afoul of some local thugs. A local doctor and martial artist Wong Fei Hung, trains them to fight and they take on the thugs' boss.
Directors: Ming Chin, Po-Sheng Lu | Stars: Ming-Tsai Wu, Kwok-Choi Hon, Jason Piao Pai, Hoi-Sang Lee
Votes: 28
47. Lao shu la gui (1979)
89 min | Action, Comedy
Tiger partakes in a Kung Fu contest, he wins the contest and the grand prize: the right to marry the daughter of the town's most wealthy figure. In order for Tiger to marry Ting, Tiger must... See full summary »
Director: Chuan Chen | Stars: Yuet-Sang Chin, Alan Chung San Chui, Dupar Singh, Michelle Yim
Votes: 119
48. Sun Dragon (1979)
R | 92 min | Action, Drama, Western
When a Black Panther's whole family is wiped out by a ruthless band of assassins, he's determined to avenge their murder. The gang think he's weak but they didn't reckon with him employing the aid of a martial arts genius.
Director: Shan Hua | Stars: Billy Chong, Carl Scott, Louis Neglia, Joseph Jennings
Votes: 155
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