The Original Ass Kickers: Hong Kong Cinema’s Female Action Heroes from Shaw Brothers and Beyond at HOME

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
HOME

The Original Ass Kickers: Hong Kong Cinema’s Female Action Heroes from Shaw Brothers and Beyond at HOME Manchester, Manchester 20 October — 18 November 2019 Tickets from £9 — Book now

Female action heroes have a long history in Hollywood but, in 2019, it is still the case that they appear front-and-centre, far less frequently than their male counterparts. It’s frustrating that female-fronted action films as recent as Wonder Woman or Star Wars: The Last Jedi still seem to be big-screen exceptions for women. With Hollywood slacking, this year HOME invite us to look elsewhere for a dose of tough, deadly women — back to The Original Ass Kickers, female heroes from Hong Kong cinema stretching from the 1960s to the present day.

Scheduled as part of Celebrating Women in Global Cinema, HOME’s season, titled in full, ‘The Original Ass Kickers: Hong Kong Cinema’s Female Action Heroes from Shaw Brothers and Beyond’ takes in six films with women at the heart of the action. As the programme notes put it: “the parts of demure courtesans, shy adolescents or wallflowers were just not enough. They were more than happy to punch and kick their way into new roles, and their formidable acting, fighting and stunt skills ensured that they have become legends of East Asian cinema.”

We start off with a pair of sixties wuxia films set in ancient China and produced by Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers Studio. Both starring Cheng Pei Pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) as a formidable swordswoman, King Hu’s Come Drink With Me is followed by its sequel Golden Swallow (a.k.a. The Girl With The Thunderbolt Kick) — a film named in a contemporaneous Variety review as “one of the bloodiest films ever released.”

Golden Swallow

From there, season curator Andy Willis, Professor of Film Studies, University of Salford, brings us a sumptuous sword-fighting epic in the form of Cheng Kang’s 1972 The 14 Amazons. Also produced by the Shaw Brothers, the film showcases one of the studio’s top female actors, as General Yang’s widow (Ivy Ling Po) leads a revenge party following the death of her husband and many of his male followers.

Hong Kong actor Kara Hui was set on the road to stardom with martial arts comedy My Young Auntie. Released in 1981, Lau Kar-leung’s film sees Hui as Cheng Tai-nun, a young woman who marries a dying older man in order to prevent his estate falling into the hands of his evil younger brother. Following her husband’s death, Tai-nun is pursued by enemies who, emboldened by her polite, demure appearance, underestimate her fierce kung fu skills.

The season concludes with a pair of films from arguably Hong Kong’s greatest working director, Johnnie To, starring three of Hong Kong’s biggest stars in Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui and Maggie Cheung. Both released in 1993, The Heroic Trio and its sequel Executioners are deft high concept actioners with comic book elements, in which the three leads kick the asses of super criminals — firstly a baby stealing mastermind, and then an evil villain with designs on a vital water supply.

The Original Ass Kickers: Hong Kong Cinema’s Female Action Heroes from Shaw Brothers and Beyond at HOME Manchester, Manchester 20 October — 18 November 2019 Tickets from £9 Book now

What's on at HOME Manchester

After the Act at HOME
TheatreManchester
After the Act at HOME

The ever-brilliant Breach Theatre bring a new scorching protest musical that traces the infamous Section 28 anti-gay legislation.

from £15.00
Feel Me at HOME: A girls face is cradled by multiple hands. The background is bright pink, with different symbols poking out including a house, heart emoji and pyramid.
TheatreCity Centre
Feel Me at HOME

Interactive and provocative, The Paper Birds’ new show looks at empathy and connection, and actively encourages the audience to use their mobile phone throughout.

from £20.00
CinemaManchester
FilmFear at HOME

FilmFear is back as HOME team up with Film4 for another season of new and classic scary movies, premieres and events.

from £7.95

Where to go near The Original Ass Kickers: Hong Kong Cinema’s Female Action Heroes from Shaw Brothers and Beyond at HOME

Manchester
Restaurant
Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

The Ritz Manchester live music venue
Manchester
Music venue
The Ritz

The Ritz was originally a dance hall, built in 1928, has hosted The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and The Smiths and is still going strong as a gig venue now.

Homeground
Manchester
Event venue
Homeground

Homeground is HOME’s brand new outdoor venue, providing an open-air space for theatre, food, film, music, comedy and more.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Burgess Cafe Bar
at IABF

Small but perfectly-formed café – which also serves as the in-house bookstore, stocking all manner of Burgess-related works, along with recordings of his music. It’s a welcoming space, with huge glass windows making for a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

Rain Bar pub in Manchester
City Centre
Bar or Pub
Rain Bar

This huge three-floor pub, formerly a Victorian warehouse, then an umbrella factory (hence the name), has one of the city centre’s largest beer gardens. The two-tier terrace overlooks the Rochdale canal and what used to be the back of the Hacienda, providing an unusual, historic view of the city.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
The Briton’s Protection

Standing on the corner of a junction opposite The Bridgewater Hall, The Briton’s Protection is Manchester’s oldest pub. It has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally patriotic name The Ancient Britain.

Castlefield Gallery, Manchester
Castlefield
Gallery
Castlefield Gallery

The influential Castlefield Gallery sits at the edge of Manchester’s exciting Castlefield district, an ideal home for thought-provoking contemporary art.

What's on: Cinema

Until
CinemaCheetham Hill
Jewish Culture Club

Meet new people, explore contemporary cultural works and learn about Jewish culture with Jewish Culture Club at Manchester Jewish Museum.

free entry
CinemaManchester
FilmFear at HOME

FilmFear is back as HOME team up with Film4 for another season of new and classic scary movies, premieres and events.

from £7.95

Culture Guides