The Master Killer

Long before we knew him as a kung-fu star, he was making movies with his (adopted) brothers Liu Chia-Liang and Liu Chia-Yung -- while preparing for bigger and better things. At his peak, he was said to have been more famous than Bruce Lee in some countries. He captured the hearts of millions of Americans, when he starred in the classic Master Killer (aka 36th Chamber Of Shaolin) in the late '70s. He was another actor, who displayed excellent range and emotions -- if he displayed it, we felt it. Even in films, where he had a small role or cameo part, he seemed to stand out. This, was because fans, were just dying to see what he was going to do, as our expectations of him soared with each film.

Fans loved him in such classics as Dirty Ho, Fists Of The White Lotus, Instructors Of Death and 8 Diagram Pole Fighters, each showing his prowess with weapons and "Hand-to-hand" combat, which seemed to escalate with each film. A class act, he used weapons like everyone felt a true kung-fu star should. His films helped pull millions of Americans out of a state of depression in the late 70's and early 80's. Here in the United States, he is held in high regards, right up there with the likes of the Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. He can be said to be a combination of the two, an intense kung-fu star, who has a flare for comedy, but the way he mixes them, have served him well and has keep his name on the lips of fans around the world.

He was without a doubt, one of the genre's better actors and his martial-arts abilities, spoke for themselves. When the films Heroes Of The East and 8 Diagram Pole Fighters came out, his fanbase probably hit the roof, as these films helped to solidify his status. It was his expertise in films like these that have kept him a favorite amongst fans for over (30) years. The "Icing-on-the-cake" for him, came about when he directed (co-directed) the film Shaolin Vs Wu-Tang, which was an excellent piece of filmmaking. This film, seemed to pull certain aspects from many of his earlier films and is still regarded, as one of his best films to date. 

With the release of Quentin Tarrantino's film Kill Bill, a new generation the opportunity to discover his talents, while giving us kung-fu fanatics a chance to see him in action (again). He's seemed to have come full-circle, as he is still appearing in quality films and he's still giving fans another look at his skills and unique acting ability. Even if, he best years are behind him, the films that he gave us, helped to spark our interest, in just about everything he decided to do. It would have been hard to imagine, the 70's and 80's Kung-fu films without him and his excellent displays of artistry. 

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