Film

The Kung Fu Instructor

Name: The Kung Fu Instructor
Genre: Action
Released: 1979
Cast: Ti Lung, Wong Yu, Ku Feng, Angie Chiu Nga-Chi, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei

Martial arts action

A 1979 Hong Kong kung fu film where political intrigue and false accusations force a righteous martial arts master into unlikely alliance with his enemies. Fast-paced, gorgeously choreographed fight sequences punctuate a plot about honour, betrayal, and the cost of principles. For anyone who loves the Shaw Brothers era of martial arts cinema.

If you liked this

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin1978

Gordon Liu's transformative journey from peasant to master, with stunning fight choreography and a structure that builds to genuinely earned satisfaction. Pure martial arts filmmaking.

But The pacing is patient in places; if you need constant action, the training sequences may test you.

Executioners from Shaolin1977

Ti Lung (your film's lead) in a revenge narrative with intricate fight work and genuine emotional stakes. Chen Kuan-Tai's presence is magnetic, and the rivalry feels personal and earned.

But The plot logic sometimes bends to serve the action; don't expect tight narrative coherence.

Disciples of the 36th Chamber1985

Spirited and playful where others are stern, with inventive combat choreography and a charismatic hero solving problems through wit as much as fists. Hugely entertaining.

But The comedic tone won't suit anyone wanting serious, brooding martial arts drama.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Kung Fu Instructor

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Come Drink with Me1966

Both explore what happens when a principled fighter's reputation becomes a weapon others use against them. Both are set in worlds where skill and honour should align, but don't.

King Hu's masterpiece: a female Shaolin fighter recovers a kidnapped diplomat. Choreography as ballet, narrative as poetry. This birthed the Hong Kong action cinema your film inherits.

But It's wuxia, not kung fu—atmospheric and lyrical rather than visceral. If you want bone-crunching action, this floats above it.

Crippled Avengers1978

Five martial artists with different animal-style techniques converge on a mystery that requires them to trust each other despite their antagonism. Endlessly inventive fight choreography.

But The plot requires close attention; miss a scene and you'll lose the thread of who's deceiving whom.

Fury of King Boxer1972

The film that launched the 1970s kung fu explosion worldwide. Raw, direct, with a hero whose victory feels hard-won against genuine obstacles. Essential viewing for the genre.

But The print quality varies; this is a product of its time, and it shows.

The Duel1971

Beautifully composed wuxia with philosophical undertones. Ti Lung again, in a quieter register—this explores the cost of mastery rather than celebrating it.

But If you want action spectacle, this is meditative and sparse. It's a study, not a rampage.

Return to the 36th Chamber1980

Gordon Liu returns to Shaolin to train a group of peasants to defend their village. The teaching sections are charming, and it bridges comedy and genuine martial arts skill nicely.

But The tone is uneven; comedic moments clash with earnest action in ways that don't always land.

Unfaithfully Yours1948

Both explore the mechanism where a false accusation forces an innocent person into guilt. Both ask whether the accusation or the forced action is the real crime.

Preston Sturges' comedy about a conductor who imagines elaborate revenges against his wife. It has nothing to do with martial arts, but the structure—false accusations spiralling into violence the falsely accused must commit—mirrors your film exactly.

But It's a 1948 screwball comedy in black and white; the tonal distance from kung fu action is genuinely vast.