beta_4_sale_pg4.html

BETA TAPE BLOWOUT SALE Page Three

MARTIAL ARTS -- KUNG FU MOVIES

The BETA format is (well.... was) the best video tape format ever to be marketed.
Sony ceased manufacturing consumer BETA recorder-players for the American market in 1993

My ancient SLHF-900 finally crapped out in early 2000 -- which is really messed up because I liked my betamax!.

Reluctantly, I've decided to say bon voyage to my Beta collection.

So, if you are a Beta-phile and are looking for pre-recorded video tapes in this format -- READ ON!

2010!
The βeta format is still alive -- on the net!

$1.00 per tape!

Since I first put up this site, I have sold about 2/3 of my Betamax tapes. Beta is indeed live and well on the internet.

About once a year, I update this site by removing the Sold items making space for other sale items and images.

I will sell all these betamax videos individually -- in groups of two or more -- or the entire collection! As of this update -- March 2010 -- that's 153 tapes!

Just click "e-mail me" if you want to buy the remaining Beta library as is.

I'm also selling my off-air Beta tapes. Yes, there are recorded shows on them, but I cannot sell them as anything except "Blank Tape." Scroll to the bottom of the page to click that link.

Buyer will assume shipping and handling costs.

Depending on the number of tapes you order, and the combined weight, shipping is actually cheaper if you buy in bulk.

The Betamax movie titles listed on these 7 pages are commercially released features and Made-for-TV movies, Music Videos, Cartoons, Comedy, Special Interest, Documentaries, and of course, Kung Fu movies.

Titles are in alphabetical order and include reviews (or references) and a small picture of the actual box. I recommend to viewers and potential buyers to also reference the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) for alternate reviews of these features. My reviews are highly biased and subjective. I could be wrong.

Several of these videos no longer reside in their original boxes. Where noted they are protected by sturdy translucent white or solid brown clamshell cases.

Click to go to your page of interest:

Page: 1A
Titles beginning with
A-F
Features and Made for TV Movies

Page 1B
Titles beginning with
G-N
Features and Made for TV Movies

Page 1C
Titles beginning with
O-S
Features and Made for TV Movies

Page 1D
Titles beginning with
S-Z
Features and Made for TV Movies

PAGE 2
Beta
MUSIC VIDEOS

PAGE 3
Beta
CARTOONS, COMEDY, TV SHOWS, SPECIAL INTEREST

This Page
PAGE 4
Beta
MARTIAL ARTS
KUNG FU MOVIES

ITEM STATUS:

IF AN ITEM GETS SOLD:	A RED LABEL WILL INDICATE "SOLD" THAT ITEM WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ANY MORE.
IF AN ITEM IS PENDING SALE:	A GREEN LABEL "SALE PENDING" WILL ACCOMPANY THE DESCRIPTION.

E-MAIL ME to make sale arrangements.

Return to: Beta Movies Page One

Or, return to the Chunk O Stuff For Sale Home Page

Kung Fu Movie Caveats:

"To be updated. No listing."

I use this caveat to emphasize that the information presented in the description may be less than accurate.

Information on Kung fu films -- especially those from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China -- can be difficult to trace. In many cases, some of these movies are retitled (often more than once!) for the American market.

Besides changing the original title(s), screen credits are often "Americanized" also -- making one think this is a completely different film. I remember several times sitting through a movie in a darkened theater and suddenly remembering, "Hey, I've seen this one before." Well, the distributor got my money -- again.

Without good references, of which there are very few, this page would be nearly blank! My sources are "Eastern Heroes" and "Asian Cult Cinema." Also, some on-line sources too numerous to mention here.

MARTIAL ARTS
KUNG FU MOVIES

THE ASSASSIN
1979
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
(dubbed in English)

The great Shinichi Chiba takes on all gangsters with guns and fists. They don't stand a chance.

THE BIG BRAWL
1980
(U.S.)
Jackie Chan
Mako
Christine Debell
Jose Ferrer
Rosalind Chao

Jackie Chan's first attempt at breaking into the American movie market. Not a bad film, really. The best scenes are those with his trainer-Uncle, Mako, and the fights are decent, but "Brawl" lacks the energy of the over-the-top Hong Kong fighting sequences more typical of a "Jackie Chan Film." Brawl is set in the 1930s, depression era Chicago.

BLOOD ON THE SUN
1975
(H.K.)
Chang Ching Ching
Tieng Peng
Yu Yuan
Yang Hsiao Ping
Dir: ?
(dubbed in English)
(To be updated. No listing.)

It is 1936 China. The Japanese have invaded a small coastal village. Two martial warriors, one a woman who runs a fighting academy and the other a wandering Master, lead the underground resistance. The Japanese, with the help of Chinese collaborators, hire a trio of brutal enemy champions to wage a tournament. As you would expect, this leads to a series of fights to bring out the underground champions.
This Retitled film is not listed in any reference I own. But fans of Chinese American actor James Hong will enjoy the English language dubbing. Hong's voice is unmistakable. He also produced the "English language version".

SOLD No Longer Available

THE BODYGUARD
1976
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
Aaron Banks
Judy Lee
(dubbed in English)

New York's Mafia and Japan's Yakusa face off. If the Judy Lee listed is the same Judy Lee that's in the book Asian Cult Cinema, she's great!

BRONSON LEE, CHAMPION
1978
(U.S. - Japan)
Tadashi Yamashita
(dubbed in English)

Real-life Karate Master Yamashita performs the fist ti cuffs in this fu-er that follows Bronson from the American Southwest to Japan to engage in a martial tournament that could well lead to his death.

CIRCLE OF IRON
1978
(aka "Silent Flute")
(U.S. - Israel)
Jeff Cooper
David Carradine
Roddy McDowall
Eli Wallach
Christopher Lee

Warrior Cooper is on a quest to find ultimate knowledge. Based on a script originally co-written by Bruce Lee. Lee's co-writers were the legendary actor, James Coburn, and the equally legendary writer, Sterling Silliphant. A cut above, for this genre.

SOLD No Longer Available

DEADLY SHAOLIN LONGFIST
197?-1980
(H.K.)
Mike Wong
Elton Chong
Bruce Cheung
Natassa Chan
Chan Fung
Dir: Phillip Chan
Prod: Thomas Tang
(dubbed in English)

Ink stamp print kung fu! Look at the picture! I'm not kidding!
Story follows young Chan Leng, Chan Ta's son, who gets trained by a disguised master Yau (he's disguised as a beggar) in the "deadly shaolin longfist" so that he can take revenge. Played broadly for comedy.

SOLD No Longer Available

DRAGON PRINCESS
1980
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
Etsuko "Sue" Shiomi
(dubbed in English)

Gutsy protege and graduate of Sonny Chiba's Action School, Etsuko Shiomi, gets to shine as a karate girl out for revenge.

DUEL OF THE MASTERS
1981
(H.K.)
Tsiu Siu Keung
Sonny Yue
Dir: Wilson Tong (Tong Ky Ming)
(dubbed in English)

Kung fu movie "intended as a parody" if I am to believe "Asian Cult Cinema." Young Liu, an orphan, leaves the monastary trained in martial arts but sworn never to fight (you can see this one coming a mile away). He gets caught up in the intrigues of a village that is being terrorized by a vicious gang. As one might expect, he has to break his vow, otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a movie if he didn't.
(original box in pieces; brown storage bookend box)

DYNAMO
1980
(H.K.)
Bruce Li
(dubbed in English)

Bruce Li, a Bruce Lee clone, makes faces and swings fists.

EDGE OF FURY
1981
(H.K.)
Bruce Li
Dir: Lee Tso Nan
(dubbed in English)

Another Bruce Li corker.

SOLD No Longer Available

ENTER THE DRAGON
1973
(U.S.-H.K.)
Bruce Lee
John Saxon
Angela Mao

THE classic kung fu movie, though Hong Kong has made some pretty damn good martial arts movies since this one. Lee and his team of fighters invade an island fortress to bring down a drug kingpin. This story line has been used at least a million times since then but fans of Lee and Mao will appreciate this film for generations to come.

ENTER THE NINJA
1981
(U.S. - Philippines)
Sho Kosugi
Franco Nero
Christopher George
Susan George
Dir: Yoram Globus
Prod: Menacham Golan

Bruce Lee's death caused a crisis in the kung fu movie industry. In desperation, producers the world over tried to find "the next Bruce Lee". They really should have known better.

Even the Hong Kong movie kings were floundering about looking for something to keep the genre going. A struggling stunt worker and actor named Jackie Chan would break away with one angle, kung fu comedy.

Meanwhile, the "kung fu craze" had more or less died out in the US. It revived (somewhat) with the arrival of consumer video recorder-players and a ton of old kung fu movies were released to the rental and sales market. However, a few thinking producers were looking around at the martial world and noticed that no one was paying any attention to ninjas, or ninjutsu, the martial art of stealth.

Action exploitation producers Cannon Films, and real life martial artist Mike Stone put together a story about ninjas thinking "it's the next big thing" (producers say this a lot!). Stone was fired and replaced by Franco Nero, though Stone stayed on as stunt choreographer and double. But it was Japanese actor Sho Kosugi who would stamp his face into American audiences as the ninja star. Enter the Ninja was the first of many films by Sho. See: "Revenge of the Ninja."

EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER
1976
(H.K.)
Bruce Li
Lung Fei
Ma Chi Chiang
San Moo
An Ping
Dir: ?
(dubbed in English)
(To be updated. No listing.)

Bruce Lee clone, Bruce Li, strikes again in this silly Fu-er about Bruce Lee's alleged successor.

SOLD No Longer Available

FANTASY MISSION FORCE
1984
(H.K.)
Bridget Lin Ching Hsia
Chang Ling
Wang Yu
Jackie Chan (cameo)
Dir: Chu Yin Ping
(dubbed in English)

Comedy and lunacy abound as a team of bungling bad guys get conscripted into doing a dangerous job for the army. A younger and luscious Bridget Lin gets to strut her stuff, there's a haunted house, a bunch of Mad Max rejects, and a balls-to-the-wall finale. Don't even try to figure it out. This is Hong Kong action movie lunacy at its best. All Seasons stuck Chan's face and name on the box to get sales. Chan's appearance is a cameo.

SOLD No Longer Available

FISTS OF FURY
(AKA "The Big Boss")
1973
(H.K.)
Bruce Lee
(dubbed in English)

This was the Hong Kong movie that put Bruce Lee's star on the map. Classic revenge story made all the more compelling by Lee's barely restrained rage. It was box office gold in Hong Kong.

FISTS OF FURY 2
1976
(H.K.)
Bruce Li
(dubbed in English)

Another horrendous fu film starring the Bruce Lee clone trying to ride the coat tails of a classic.

FORCE FIVE
1981
(U.S.)
Joe Lewis
Pam Huntington
Bong Soo Han
Benny Urquidez

A puerile "Enter the Dragon" clone with a team of mostly American karatekas. Producer Director team of Fred Weintraub and Robert Clouse were forever trying to repeat the success of Enter the Dragon. Come on, guys.

SOLD No Longer Available

GYMKATA
1985
(U.S. - Europe)
Kurt Thomas
Tetchie Agbayani
Richard Norton
Conan Lee
Dir: Robert Clouse

Ranks among the worst of the latter day karate films. Ex-Olympian, Thomas, plays a gymnast who gets recruited into a CIA-type organization, trained in martial arts, and sent to a middle eastern country to negotiate for a radar base. He has to compete in a deadly marathon. Clouse directed the classic "Enter the Dragon," but this one stinks. Not even the all too brief scenes with cute babe Agbayani make this watchable.

SOLD No Longer Available

KILL THE GOLDEN GOOSE
1979
(U.S.)
Ed Parker
Bong Soo Han

Parker plays the baddie; Han the "I gotta track him down" good guy.

SOLD No Longer Available

KUNG FU COMMANDOS
(aka "Incredible Kung Fu Mission")
1979
(H.K.)
John Lin (Liu)
Robert Tai
Chen Lung
Dir: Chang Hsin Yi.
(dubbed in English)

Lots of humor and broken bones in this one.

SOLD No Longer Available

LIGHTNING KUNG FU
(aka "Killer Constable")
(aka "Karate Exterminator")
1980
(H.K.)
Chen Kuan Tai
Ku Feng
Jason Pai Piao
Chaing Tao
(dubbed in English)

Constable Liang (Chen) searches for thieves and stolen gold. Along the way he gets into lots of fights. Did I say this was a kung fu movie?

SOLD No Longer Available

MAD MISSION 3
Original HK Title
"Aces Go Places 3"
1984
(H.K.)
Sam Hui
Karl Maka
Sylvia Chang
Peter Graves
Richard Kiel
Jean Mersant
Tsunehara Sogiyama
Dir: Tsui Hark
(dubbed in English)

The "Aces Go Places" movies (there are five of them) are an insane series of caper comedies that made lots of money in Hong Kong but are practically unknown here in the U.S. Think of them as parodies of Pink Panther or James Bond action films. Director Hark ignited the Hong Kong New Wave with his release, a year earlier, of "Zu Warriors From Magic Mountain."

MOONLIGHT SWORD AND JADE LION
1981
(H.K.)
Angela Mao Yin
Wong Tao
Dir: Kwong Lam
(dubbed in English)

Female karate dragon princess (Mao) struts her stuff in this costume epic set in ancient China.

SOLD No Longer Available

NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA
1985
(U.S.)
Sho Kosugi

Japanese Ninja expert Kosugi fights for justice!

SOLD No Longer Available

NINJA TURF
1986
(U.S.)
Jun Chong
Bill Wallace
Rosanna King
James Lew
Philip Rhee

When some teenage kick boxers rip off a Hollywood drug dealer, they suddenly find themselves being chased by ninja hitmen. Hollywood has been dealing with this kind of trouble for years; they're called producers.

SALE PENDING

NINJA WARS
1984
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
Henry "Duke" Sanada
(Dubbed in English)

Japanese feature film with ninjas and samurai and Sonny Chiba!

SALE PENDING

PAY OR DIE
1983(?)
(Philippines)
Dick Adair
Johnny Wilson
Dir: Bobby Suarez
Intro by Sybil Danning
(Dubbed in English)

The daughter of a crime boss is kidnapped by some of his own men. This makes him very upset; kung fu ensues. Sexy starlet Sybil Danning does the introductions. Hundreds of very poorly made kung fu and horror movies have escaped from the Philippines starting back in the 70s. Sadly I watched some of them.

SOLD -- No Longer Available

PRAY FOR DEATH
1985
(U.S.)
Sho Kosugi
James Booth
Robert Ito
Shane Kosugi
Kane Kosugi
Donna Kai Benz

A Japanese family is victimized by a crime syndicate. Unfortunately for that syndicate, the head of that family is ninja master. Kosugi. Kosugi steps up and makes an accounting.

SALE PENDING

THE PROTECTOR
1985
(U.S. - H.K.)
Jackie Chan
Danny Aiello
Moon Lee
Roy Chiao
Bill Wallace
Dir: James Glickenhaus
(dubbed in English)

Jackie Chan's less-than-steller second attempt to breach the American film market, though rumor has it that Chan tried desperately to fix it. The end result is that there are two versions of this movie, an American version (this one) and a Hong Kong version that contains over 30 minutes of additional footage shot by Chan.

THE REAL BRUCE LEE
1979
(H.K.)
Documentary
(dubbed in English)

Footage from Chinese film archives of early Bruce Lee films.

SOLD No Longer Available

RETURN OF THE DRAGON
(AKA Way of the Dragon)
1973
(H.K. - Italy)
Bruce Lee
Chuck Norris
(dubbed in English)

Now THIS is the real Bruce Lee. Breaking free from being assigned a director, Lee turned filmmaker. "Return" was shot in Rome and Hong Kong and Lee did virtually everything He starred, wrote, produced, directed and probably set a few lights and ended up crafting a fine little film.

RETURN OF THE STREET FIGHTER
1976
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
(Dubbed in English)

The great Sonny Chiba breaks lots of bones and teeth and causes lots of severe medical trauma.

RETURN OF THE TIGER
1977
(H.K.)
Bruce Li
Angela Mao
Paul Smith
(dubbed in English)

Only saving grace of this film is the presence of Angela Mao.

REVENGE OF THE NINJA
1983
(U.S.)
Sho Kosugi

Sequel to "Enter the Ninja," and this was followed up by a really bad sequel ("Ninja 3, the Domination" -- don't waste your time or money) Earnest, stoic but deadly ninja good-guy Kosugi has to plow his way though a lot of mobsters to finally have it out with another really bad ninja.

SOLD No Longer Available

RIVALS OF THE DRAGON
197? - 1980
(H.K. - U.S.)
Jeffrey Chan
Yuen Tak
Chan Wah Lung
Dir: ?
(Dubbed in English - duh)
(To be updated. No listing.)

Contemporary fu-er with some locations in Los Angeles. Students of Crane Style kung fu find themselves between gangs and renegade instructors.

SOLD No Longer Available

SHOGUN ASSASSIN
1980
(Japan)
("Baby Cart" feature)
Tomisaburo Wakayama
(Dubbed in English)

Americanized version of several "Baby Cart" (aka "Samurai and Son") movies strung together with an American soundtrack -- voices and music -- added. Although a big hit here, it pales in comparison if you ever watch the originals in the original language.

SOLD No Longer Available

SHOGUN'S NINJA
1983
(Japan)
Sonny Chiba
Henry Sanada
Etsuko "Sue" Shiomi
(Dubbed in English)

Chiba and his Action Team stir up things in ancient Japan.

SOLD No Longer Available

STORY IN TEMPLE RED LILY
1976
(H.K.)
(aka "Story in the Temple of the Red Lily")
Judy Lee (Chia Ling)
Tan Tao Liang
(Dubbed in English)

Based on a famous Chinese tale. The current dynasty in ancient China is falling. Rebels have captured the sacred temple. Intrigues abound. Along the way, various people fight and kill each other. Judy Lee was one of the early kung fu queens of Hong Kong (well... Taiwan actually) and this is one of her lesser films. Try to find "Queen Boxer" -- THAT is her best film!

SOLD No Longer Available

STRANGER AND THE GUNFIGHTER
1976
(H.K., Spain, Italy)
Lo Lieh
Lee Van Cleef
(Dubbed in English)

Brilliant -- funny -- entertaining combination of a kung fu movie and Italian western! Lieh and Van Cleef are perfect as partners tracking down some missing treasure. I saw this in a drive-in movie and liked it so much I sat through it twice. Lo Lieh has made a lifelong career playing bad guys with long white hair in the Hong Kong movie circuit. It's fun to see him playing a good guy in this kick ass western.

SOLD No Longer Available

SWORD OF HEAVEN
198?
(U.S.)
Tadashi Yamashita
Mel Novak
Gerry Gibson
Bill Wallace

Low budget American production about a super powered sword forged from a meteor 400 years ago in Japan. The secret of this sword has been handed down through the generations within the same samurai family, until the present day. It has been stolen and Toshiro (Yamashita) is searching for it.

SOLD No Longer Available

TEN MAGNIFICENT KILLERS
197?-1980
(H.K.)
Chang Li
Liu Yung Chu
Chih Ming
Yang Szu
Dir. Fong Yeh
(dubbed in English)
(To be updated. No listing.)

Kung fu film that follows the misadventures of a young man who nearly kills his own father.

SOLD No Longer Available

TIGERS AT THE TOP
197?-1980
(H.K.)
(aka "Tigers at Top")
Li Hung
Gaw Shiu Pau
Hung Wing Wa
Dir. But Fu <-- I'm not making this up
(dubbed in English)
(To be updated. No listing.)

Chin is asked by the owner of a stack of gold bars to deliver his bounty. The original owner however plans to double cross Chin. He will probably wish he hadn't thought of that as Chin is a raging martial artist. Can you guess what will happen?

TWO WONDEROUS TIGERS
1979
(H.K.)
John Chang
Yeung Pan Pan
dir. Wilson Tong
(dubbed in English)

Better-than-average classic Hong Kong kung fu movie -- especially with the presence of the incredible Yeung Pan Pan. Hurts so good.

SOLD No Longer Available

WEAPONS OF DEATH
1983
(U.S.)
Eric Lee

Real life martial arts master, Eric Lee, shows his stuff and kicks ass on a truckload of baddies.

SOLD No Longer Available

WHEN TAE KWONDO STRIKES
1973
(H.K. - Korea)
Jhoon Rhee
Angela Mao Yin
Samo Hung
Carter Wong (Huang)
Dir: Huang Feng
(dubbed in English)

Karate Queen Angela Mao goes to Korea to help real life martial arts master Jhoon Rhee take out the trash.