Swordswomen: Brigitte Lin & Michelle Yeoh
Thursdays, November 15 - December 20, 2001

You just can't beat the thrill of seeing a Hong Kong Action film up on the big screen! And these films should be twice as exciting with our new stereo sound! Of course, Michelle Yeoh rocketed to fame last year with the release of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (showing on Thanksgiving), but her long career in Hong Kong includes such highlights as WING CHUN, HEROIC TRIO and SUPERCOP (with Jackie Chan!). And Brigitte Lin has been in many defining films from Hong Kong, not the least of which is her pivoltal role in Wong Kar-Wai's CHUNGKING EXPRESS. She is also the captivating star of classics like THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR and DRAGON INN. Wire work and high kicks abound in these always thrilling films! Come on in and see your favorites again or, if you've never experienced a Hong Kong Action film on screen, now's your chance to check out some of the best.

Thursday, November 15, 2001

Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain
at 7:30
1983 Tsui Hark w/BrigitteLin, Yuen Biao, Ong Hoi, Sammo Hung, Moon Lee

Considered the film where the flying swordsman genre started, ZU follows the travels and battles of Ti Ming Chi (Biao) and his sidekick (Hung) as they encounter monsters, sages, ghosts, demons, and other foes. Brigitte Lin is ever elusive as the Ice Countess reigning over her all-female kingdom. Lin was nominated in the Best Actress category for the 3rd HK Film Awards in 1983 for her role. John Carpenter cited this film as the inspiration for Big Trouble in Little China.

Holy Weapon
at 5:30, 9:45
1993 Wong Jing w/Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Cheung Man, Sandra Ng

Wong Jing is known to make some of the crazier Hong Kong films, and he doesn't fall short with HOLY WEAPON.This film doesn't hold back at all! Yeoh and Cheung are members of a team of girls banded together to battle an evil Japanese master by learning the "Virgin Sword Stance." That is just a quick look into a wildly fantastic and entertaining film.

Thursday, November 22, 2001

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
at 4:30, 7:00, 9:30
2000 Ang Lee w/Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chow Yun Fat, Chen Chang

CROUCHING TIGER took the box office and the Oscars by storm last year. The Brattle is excited to bring it to our screen - finally! - and at the same time be able to show off exactly how far Michelle Yeoh has come. How many female action stars who can actually do their own stunts can you name in Hollywood? Her success is in a large part thanks to the dedicated audiences of series like this! Yeoh is in fine form as the honorable Yu Shu Lien, chasing after a sword and its elusive thief all over China. What better way to burn off some of the calories from a turkey day feast than to come see it again?

Thursday, November 29, 2001

The Bride With White Hair
at 7:45
1993 Ronny Tu w/Lin, Leslie Cheung

Lin returns as the wild title character who falls in love with her rival clan's leader, Leslie Cheung. What could be better than Cheung and Lin co-starring together? Breathtaking! And don't forget the Siamese twin leaders, a man and woman, where the man half is in love with Lian. Gorgeously shot and well-choreographed this is one of the favorite Lin films for Hong Kong fans.

Heroic Trio
at 5:30, 9:45
1992 Jonny To w/Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui

Action, fantasy and sci-fi come together in this futuristic thriller headlined by three of Hong Kong's hottest leading ladies. Our series star Yeoh, teams up with Cheung and Mui to form a new kind of superhero team! Whether they are out for justice or merely a bounty, they won't let any man stand in their way.

Thursday, December 6, 2001

Chungking Express
at 7:30
1995 Wong Kar-Wai w/Lin, Tony Leung, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro

Weaving in and out of this Brattle favorite is Lin as a mysterious woman in sunglasses and a trench coat. She steals every scene she appears in although she barely speaks in Wong Kar-Wai's breathtaking, visual tour-de-force.

Supercop
at 5:30, 9:45
1992 Stanley Tong w/Yeoh, Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Kenneth Tsang

The best duo out of Hong Kong, Jackie Chan and Michele Yeoh, join forces for this unstoppable action film, punches and kicks flying - this is literal for Jackie since he does a stunt on a helicopter! Chan plays the same supercop from all the Police Story films, this time he ends up in China to break up a drug cartel with assistance of Yeoh's Chinese police officer. This is the film that cemented Yeoh's career as an action star, returning to the screen after her divorce.

Thursday, December 13, 2001

Swordsman II
at 7:15
1991 Stanley Tong, prod Tsui Hark w/Lin, Jet Li, Michelle Reis, Rosamund Kwan

Lin stars alongside action man Jet Li in this fantastic film full of swordplay, love triangles, and humor. Lin also once again portrays a man/woman as Asia the Invincible.

Butterfly and Sword
at 5:15, 9:30
1993 Tusi Sui Ming w/Yeoh, Tony Leung, Joey Wong, Donnie Yen, Joey Wang

The amazing "human bow and arrow" trick performed by Yeoh and Cheung is infamous, but it is only part of the fast, furious, and outrageously over the top action of this wild Hong Kong fantasy adventure. Yeoh and Leung play a team of hired killers sent to infiltrate and destroy a group trying to take over the government by their eunech boss. The rest is just pure fun!

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Wing Chun
at 7:45
1994 Yuen Woo-Ping w/Yeoh, Donnie Yen, Waise Lee

This period actioner features Michelle as Yim Wing Chun, the defender of a small remote village, whose heroic antics only get her in more trouble with low-life criminals and amorous suitors. A sure-fire crowd-pleaser, WING CHUN proves that Yeoh is surely the finest actress working in the Jet Li-style period-piece, kung-fu epic genre.

Dragon Inn
at 5:30, 9:45
1992 Raymond Lee, prod Tsui Hark w/Lin, Masggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Donnie Yen

This sumptuous remake of King Ju's classic Dragon Gate Inn is made in the best Tsui Hark tradition of Hong Kong action epics, complete with period costumes and expertly choreographed swordplay. After a hard day's work rescuing orphans, two noble warriors take refuge at THE DRAGON INN. Trapped there, they play an elaborate game of cat and mouse with the resident evil eunuch and the kick-ass innkeeper.