1. Prince of Thieves (賊王子)
Middle Eastern folktale collection One Thousand and One Nights has been greatly treasured by Western storytellers who are fascinated by the fantastic world within. The exoticism conveyed in Western film adaptations greatly appealed to Cantonese opera and film writer Ma Si-tsang, who adapted The Thief of Bagdad into Cantonese opera The Prince of Thieves, set in an ancient empire influenced by both East and West. In 1958, director Luk Bong adapted the play into a film, turning the thief of the original film into a Robin Hood-esque hero who poses as a prince to compete for the princess' hand in marriage. Packed with a thrilling treasure hunt and a damsel-in-distress rescue as well as eye-catching special effects, Prince of Thieves is 100% a romantic swashbuckler.
2. The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)
In the twilight of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial court is plagued by corruption as tyrants rule over the land. With the Manchurians preying on a weakened empire, war is imminent. To save the victims from their suffering, sorceress Jade Raksha fights the soldiers that oppress people for their own gain. As payback, local government officials decide to pin the murder of Governor Zhuo Zhonglian on Jade, turning her and the members of her cult into wanted fugitives for a crime they didn't commit.
It has an average vote of 6.207 on TMDB.
3. The Lurking Man
Supernatural Drama about an addictive woman who is given a chance at redemption if she accepts Death's offer.
It has an average vote of 7.3 on TMDB.
4. The Four 2 (四大名捕2)
The four constables Emotionless, Iron Hands , Life Snatcher and ColdBlood are specially skilled in their own individual super powers. When the four constables of the Divine Constabulary investigate a murder in the suburbs, they unexpectedly stumble on clues to the murder of Emotionless's family 15 years ago.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
5. A Night with Moosina (A Night With Moosina)
On a full moon night, a ten-year-old girl from a farming family in a remote village is lured by Moosina into a cave in the mountains, where she uncovers the secret about why the mountain demon always plays dirty tricks on children.
It has an average vote of 8 on TMDB.
6. The Story of Wong Ang the Heroine (女飛俠黃鶯巧破鑽石黨)
The Diamond Gang commits a robbery. The leader Chiu Yee-kong wants to keep the booty and this arouses the suspicion of gang member Tai-wai. The police does not have a clue and thus invite Wong Ngung, Heung Ad and Wu Ngar for help. Kong is in accomplice with his third concubine. They order someone to steal the diamond and leave Wong's symbol. Wai turns his attention on Wong. Wong, Ad and Wu are not afraid of Wai and they throw him out. They sneak in Kong's apartment to investigate. Kong's second concubine is mad at Kong for neglecting her. She tells Wong the truth but gets killed. Kong's people surround Wong, Ad and Wu. Each of the three faces their enemy. Ad is tortured by Wai. Wong and Wu arrive in time and save her. One of Kong's people tells Wai the truth. Wai immediately attacks Kong. Wong, Ad, Wu and the police arrive at Kong's headquarter to arrest the gangsters. Wai is arrested but Kong has escaped. The diamonds are found. The inspector makes Wong, Ad and Wu as partners.
7. How Oriole the Heroine Solved the Case of the Three Dead Bodies (女俠黃鶯夜破三屍案)
The three heroines, Wong Ang, Wu Nga, and Heung At expose a murder case involving three dead bodies found in an old temple. Unbeknown to the trio, they've fallen in a trap laid by gangster Hui Pui-shing, who desires to avenge his brother's death by eliminating the women. With the cooperation of Hui's righteous subordinate, the police arrest Hui for smuggling tobacco and seizes their forged banknotes.
8. Wong An Vs. the Flying Tigers (秘密三女探)
The Flying Dragon gang goes on a rampage and the police Inspector is at his wits' end. He then commissions Wong Ngung, Wu Ngar and Heung Nga to help him catch the gang members. Suet-ying, a young woman, is addicted to gambling and owes a huge sum to the gambling den that belongs to the Flying Dragon gang. She has even signed IOUs. When the younger sister of Ying's husband sees that Ying is weighed down by worries, she asks Wu Ngar for help. Wu Ngar sneaks into the gambling den, but her behaviour is suspected by the gang leaders, Tai-kit and Tai-hong. Fortunately, Wong Ngung saves her. To get back the IOUs, Ying falls under the control of Hong and Kit. Master Lung has evil designs on Ying. He first kills Kit and seizes Ying. Hong then shoots and kills Lung. Wong Ngung and her two partners get back the IOUs for Ying. They notify the police Inspector to arrest the members of the Flying Dragon gang. Hong is shot and injured by Wong Ngung. He is arrested with the other gang members.
9. The Secret Agent 303 (勇特務大戰神秘黨)
Hong Kong's Ironman stepped up to the plate when Dr. No took the world by storm in the 1960s. Tso Tat-wah, the quintessential tough guy of Cantonese cinema who had appeared in dozens of popular action films, was licensed to spy in several 007 imitations. Here, he is Agent 303, the lucky number "3" a vivid sign of East-West integration. Presented in glorious widescreen, the film is garnished with secret weapons and ominous hideouts, mind games and technological intrigues, violence and sex, the latter in the form of a silhouette striptease!
10. New Arabian Nights (新天方夜譚)
Showing off his love of visual aesthetics as a painter, director Dan Duyu combines elegance, exoticism and oddity into a grand big-budget package with New Arabian Nights. Dan's vision is definitely not bound by the source material, but his magical and music-filled version of the orient turns out to be not so different from how Western storytellers would imagine it.
11. Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
A man journeys by rail to a nameless sanatorium where his father has recently died. Once there, time loses its linearity and he finds himself in a world that appears both strange and strangely familiar.
12. The Devil and Her Magic Needles, Part Two (白骨離魂針下集大結局)
'Ghostly Mother Blue Flower' Chiu Choi-wan has abducted a group of virgin boys and girls for the nourishment of her mind and soul. Alarmed by the abduction, Yiu But-fan, Kau Suet-mui and Hung Tin-bo make a night raid on the Hanshan Temple to release the children and set a torch to the bandit lair. Fuming over the arson, Chiu casts a spell on Kau, who kills the father of Chuk Yuk-heung in her cross-dressing persona as Yiu. Confronted by the angry Chuk clansmen at the Chuk Fortress, Yiu tries futilely to defend his innocence. Believing that Chiu has masterminded the framed murder, the fugitive infiltrates the White-bone Yinyang Cave where he finds himself attacked by Kau and Chiu. Demon-vanquishing Magic Monk, Chuk and Hung helped Yiu wrestle Chiu, who fled. Kau is nursed back to health by the monk and joins the fellowship in their quest to annihilate the demon. With all her venomous needles forfeited to the monk, Chiu gets her comeuppance, slain by Chuk's flying dagger.
13. Great Classics on Video
Three classics tales are retold in condensed adaptations.
It has an average vote of 3 on TMDB.
14. A Sword and Nine Rings, Part Two (追魂太極鏢)
Lee Kap-lan, whose parents are slaughtered by the underling of the Qing court, Yan Sheung-kong, is rescued from the carnage by Leopard-faced Magic Nun. Nun imparts martial artistry to Lee, who will kill the old enmity when she grows into womanhood. Yan and his half-brother Luk Sun are assigned to capture the survivor. Fong-ping comes under the attack of an assassin dispatched by Sun when Butterfly comes to his help. Recruited to the Yan den, Ying Tin-lung summons the knights-errant of the martial world to the court. Lee infiltrates the congregation and has her eyes fixed upon Sun and strikes him with the Soul-snatching Tai Chi Dart which has mistakenly wounded Fong-ping. Butterfly puts Lee into a drug-induced coma to obtain the antidote to treat Fong-ping. Ying seizes the chance to capture the women. Fong-ping sustains another injury to rescue the hostages. Nun arrives in time and seizes the Lee family heirloom. Lee avenges her parents' death.
15. Killer Clans (流星．蝴蝶．劍)
Based on a popular swordplay novel, this colorful and complex saga has enough conspiracies, stratagems, and sword fights to fascinate even novice kung-fu cinema viewers. The cast of Shaw Brothers' leading swordsmen and swordswomen are masterfully staged by Yuen Cheung-yan, the brother of Matrix and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. The result is both a great action movie and an exceptional dramatic film.
It has an average vote of 6.333 on TMDB.
16. The Bloody Devil, Part One (玉面閻羅)
Kwok Sau-yuk fails to ward off the advances of Scholar Four Poisons while mourning the murder of her husband. Master Chung comes to help and asks Kwok's son Chan Lam to look for his daughter Siu-chui before dying. Hurled into the Blood Pool, Chan chances on Ng Yau-nin, a victim of the intrigue hatched by his wife Ho Yim-wah and her lover Oh Yu-kan. Ng bequeaths to Chan a sword, and the Book of Blood Devil Moves unearthed from the cave and entrusts his daughter Yu-ying to his care. Having mastered the art, Chan emerges from the abyssal waters and becomes the 'Little God of Hades.' He is soon kept under lock and key by Oh who wants the Book of the Yellow Emperor. Treating Chan with a antidote, Yu-ying escapes with Chan after learning his father’s intrigue, only to be hit by a pang of loss and agony upon Chan's reunion with senior master Lee Kei and Siu-chui, his betrothed fiancee. Instigated by Oh, Chan finds himself confronting members of the seven leading martial sects…
17. The Bloody Devil, Concluding Episode (玉面閻羅下集大結局)
Her mind deluded by Elder Three Unsurpassed, Ng Yu-ying is about to surrender the captured Chan Lam to Oh Yu-kan and Ho Yim-wah when his senior master Lee Kei comes to save the day, warding off the conspirators. Restored to sanity by the antidote delivered by her mother, Ng bids a silent farewell and pleads to be made the protege of Black Raksha. With Fairy Crimson Pearl leading the way, Chan rescues Chung Siu-chui and Chor Ling imprisoned at the White-bone Sect and survives the bombings orchestrated by Oh but finds himself cornered by beguiled members of the seven leading martial sects. Ng dons a mask and teams up with 'Little God of Hades' to break the siege, pursuing their nemesis to the Fiery Fire Sect where Chan and cohorts finally eradicate Scholar Four Poisons and Oh, the latter confessing to the murder of Chan's father at his last breath. Ng wields the Raksha Order to avenge her father's death, perishing together with her mother.
18. Flooding with Love for The Kid
A one-man adaptation of First Blood, filmed over the course of four months, entirely within a 220-sq. ft. apartment.
It has an average vote of 4.5 on TMDB.
19. Maleficent
A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. She rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal – an act that begins to turn her heart into stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading King's successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom – and to Maleficent's true happiness as well.
It has an average vote of 7.092 on TMDB.
20. Spy No. 13 (十三號情報員)
During World War II, spy Wu Lai-sheung is instructed by her superior Fan Yeung-shan to murder spy number 13 Cheung Chi-ping. While Wu establishes a relationship with Sakei, the assistant general of the Japanese army, she also gets acquainted with Cheung. Cheung and Wu fall in love. Wu recommends Cheung to become Sakei's driver. Cheung pretends to court the Japanese spy Siu-kuen, but Siu-kuen arranges to kill the spies contacting with him. Cheung has seen through Kuen's identity for long. When Kuen is going to kill Wu, Cheung kills Kuen, Fan compels Wu to kill Cheung. Wu follows the instruction to murder Cheung. After the murder, Wu disappears. After the war, Fan discovers Wu ends up in asylum. When he visits Wu, he tells her of Cheung's innocence. This breaks Wu's heart. Cheung turns out to have seen through Wu's identity for a long time and pretended to have been killed to cover up his identity and facilitate his work. With the truth known and the war ended, Cheung and Wu married.
