My advice is that you go to a Hong Kong Imports film distributer and try to find ALL your kung-fu films there. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the really good, re-masters of the best martial arts films (per their original HK release version) are Region 3 encoded.

My chief gripe is that the transfer to (Platinum Disc) DVD is very poor: the film is very dark and, consequently, dim and often featureless. (I was misled by Platinum's claim on the cover case that the film was "Digitally Mastered," mistakenly thinking I would see a clean, clear, restored print. No such luck!)

Wang's character has a real attitude, and rubs elbows with some other interesting supporting characters, adding some arresting twists to an otherwise "stock" revenge plot. The action sequences are frequent and, for the most part, worthwhile. Although I thought the final fight scene was a bit drawn out (like an old American western fight scene), repetitive and bordering on the tedious; and, frankly, not all that satisfying.

I liked Jimmy Wang Yu in this film, but not as much as I liked him in Blood of the Dragon. I would award Screaming Ninja 4 stars, if the picture quality were better. As-is, however, second shelf status.

My chief gripe is that the transfer to (Platinum Disc) DVD is very poor: the film is very dark and, consequently, dim and often featureless. (I was misled by Platinum's claim on the cover case that the film was "Digitally Mastered," mistakenly thinking I would see a clean, clear, restored print. No such luck!)

Wang's character has a real attitude, and rubs elbows with some other interesting supporting characters, adding some arresting twists to an otherwise "stock" revenge plot. The action sequences are frequent and, for the most part, worthwhile. Although I thought the final fight scene was a bit drawn out (like an old American western fight scene), repetitive and bordering on the tedious; and, frankly, not all that satisfying.

I liked Jimmy Wang Yu in this film, but not as much as I liked him in Blood of the Dragon. I would award Screaming Ninja 4 stars, if the picture quality were better. As-is, however, second shelf status.

The beginning is full of the comedy of differences and humorous rivalry between a young Chinese man (Liu), who is proficient in Chinese boxing, and his new Japanese bride, who is proficient in Japanese fighting; along with the misdeeds of a meddlesome servant who manages to incite even more difficulty between the spouses.

The rivalry turns into a formal challenge, as a cadre of Japanese fighters: experts in--among other things--Bushido, Karate, Ju-Jitsu and Ninjitsu, visit the character portrayed by Liu, to defend the wounded pride of his wife, which translates to their own pride in the (alledged superiority of) Japanese martial arts.

Liu then faces off against each of seven Japanese fighters in a series of very entertaining matches. Liu carefully chooses the appropriate Chinese weaponry and/or fighting style prior to meeting each of the challenges (the ju-jitsu match has its own surprises, though!), then engages. Good, clean (and informative) fun! No blind revenge, no death matches or victims coughing up blood, just a wholly enjoyable look at two competing styles within the context of 7 challenges, each of which affording the contestants new insight, appreciation and respect for each other: the elegant, diverse repertoire of Chinese martial arts styles pitted against the powerful, efficient styles of the Japanese.

And in the meantime, the marriage relations get better!

Top-shelf, top-of-the-list entertainment for every devotee of "old-school" kung fu films.

The beginning is full of the comedy of differences and humorous rivalry between a young Chinese man (Liu), who is proficient in Chinese boxing, and his new Japanese bride, who is proficient in Japanese fighting; along with the misdeeds of a meddlesome servant who manages to incite even more difficulty between the spouses.

The rivalry turns into a formal challenge, as a cadre of Japanese fighters: experts in--among other things--Bushido, Karate, Ju-Jitsu and Ninjitsu, visit the character portrayed by Liu, to defend the wounded pride of his wife, which translates to their own pride in the (alledged superiority of) Japanese martial arts.

Liu then faces off against each of seven Japanese fighters in a series of very entertaining matches. Liu carefully chooses the appropriate Chinese weaponry and/or fighting style prior to meeting each of the challenges (the ju-jitsu match has its own surprises, though!), then engages. Good, clean (and informative) fun! No blind revenge, no death matches or victims coughing up blood, just a wholly enjoyable look at two competing styles within the context of 7 challenges, each of which affording the contestants new insight, appreciation and respect for each other: the elegant, diverse repertoire of Chinese martial arts styles pitted against the powerful, efficient styles of the Japanese.

And in the meantime, the marriage relations get better!

Top-shelf, top-of-the-list entertainment for every devotee of "old-school" kung fu films.

The beginning is full of the comedy of differences and humorous rivalry between a young Chinese man (Liu), who is proficient in Chinese boxing, and his new Japanese bride, who is proficient in Japanese fighting; along with the misdeeds of a meddlesome servant who manages to incite even more difficulty between the spouses.

The rivalry turns into a formal challenge, as a cadre of Japanese fighters: experts in--among other things--Bushido, Karate, Ju-Jitsu and Ninjitsu, visit the character portrayed by Liu, to defend the wounded pride of his wife, which translates to their own pride in the (alledged superiority of) Japanese martial arts.

Liu then faces off against each of seven Japanese fighters in a series of very entertaining matches. Liu carefully chooses the appropriate Chinese weaponry and/or fighting style prior to meeting each of the challenges (the ju-jitsu match has its own surprises, though!), then engages. Good, clean (and informative) fun! No blind revenge, no death matches or victims coughing up blood, just a wholly enjoyable look at two competing styles within the context of 7 challenges, each of which affording the contestants new insight, appreciation and respect for each other: the elegant, diverse repertoire of Chinese martial arts styles pitted against the powerful, efficient styles of the Japanese.

And in the meantime, the marriage relations get better!

Top-shelf, top-of-the-list entertainment for every devotee of "old-school" kung fu films.

However, as another reviewer has already noted, the fight scenes were filmed "off-center," clipped, or at strange camera angles, which I found for the most part distracting, removing most of the impact that these scenes might otherwise have offered. For example, it wasn't unusual to see most of the figure of one of the fighters, but perhaps only the hand or foot of his opponent, in many of the fight scenes.

I bought this film on DVD. The quality of the video and audio transfer is o.k., considering what the producers probably had to work with (without digitally re-mastering). Being a die-hard kung-fu movie fan, I will no doubt watch The Massive again, but will store it on my second or third shelf.

Wang Yu portrays a lone fighter, "the White Dragon," who expertly wields a silver spear and gives allegience to no one. However, his fateful involvement with a young boy and pretty inn keeper place him on a true hero's path of interior change and even transcendence, through the situations he finds himself in while helping these two.

In addition to the merits of the film itself, for the price,... it is easily one of the best bargains among the many martial arts films I have purchased. The video transfer on my Platinum Video version of the DVD is a bit soft, but still acceptable.

Top shelf all the way! Blood of the Dragon rightfully deserves to be on the "top ten" list of many a serious subscriber to this movie genre.

This is one of my all-time favorite kung-fu films for hero portrayal and development. Top shelf, for sure!