THEME EXPLORATION

kung fu rivalry

25 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS

The Grandmaster

The Grandmaster
2013 · Wong Kar-wai

Executioners from Shaolin

Executioners from Shaolin
1977 · Kar-leung Lau

Ninja in the Dragon's Den

Ninja in the Dragon's Den
1982 · Corey Yuen

Panda Paws
2016 · Alessandro Carloni

Pumpkin Pie Wars

Pumpkin Pie Wars
2016 · Steven R. Monroe

Schrei aus Stein (Scream of Stone)

Schrei aus Stein (Scream of Stone)
1991 · Werner Herzog

Rocco and His Brothers

Rocco and His Brothers
1960 · Luchino Visconti

Summer Storm
1944 · Douglas Sirk

Whisky
2004 · Juan Pablo Rebella

Carne trémula
1997 · Pedro Almodóvar

Five Fingers of Death

Five Fingers of Death
1972 · Cheng Chang Ho

Gunnm
2000 · —

La belle endormie

La belle endormie
2010 · Catherine Breillat

Angkinin Mo Ako

Angkinin Mo Ako
2026 · Topel Lee

Athiradi
2026 · Arun Anirudhan

Paris s’éveille

Paris s’éveille
1991 · Olivier Assayas

Doubles Match
2026 · Hung Po-hao

Pinocchio: Unstrung

Pinocchio: Unstrung
2026 · Rhys Frake-Waterfield

The Legend of Maula Jatt

The Legend of Maula Jatt
2026 · Bilal Lashari

Super Charlie
2026 · Jon Holmberg

Wild Sing
2026 · Son Jae-gon

La Mort en ce jardin

La Mort en ce jardin
1956 · Luis Buñuel

Luci del varietà

Luci del varietà
1950 · Federico Fellini

Mask of Dust
1954 · Terence Fisher

Side by Side
1975 · Bruce Beresford

DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS

Bille Woodruff Hong Kong

Pioneered the heroic bloodshed genre, creating iconic rivalries between protagonists and antagonists through balletic action sequences that explore honor and betrayal.

Chang Cheh Hong Kong

Established the template for kung fu rivalry narratives in the 1960s-70s, focusing on swordsmen conflicts between martial schools and personal vendettas with operatic intensity.

Sammo Hung Kam-Bo Hong Kong

Masterfully blended kung fu rivalry with comedy and drama, using intricate choreography to showcase competing martial arts styles and complex emotional conflicts between fighters.