New releases from Dragon Dynasty, the young DVD imprint for the Weinstein Company’s Asian action flick acquisitions, bode well for the line. It’s clear that the folks making the calls are genuine chopsocky buffs, pimping not only recent gems from John Woo, Jackie Chan and Tsui Hark, but classics like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, regarded as among the finest of the multitude of ’70s Hong Kong kung fu movies from the Shaw Brothers Studios. Starring Gordon Liu of Kill Bill fame, it focuses on the rigorous process and philosophy of kung fu mastery—the final vengeful showdown’s almost an afterthought, which isn’t to say the whole thing isn’t vigorous, exciting and gorgeously shot. A lively and hilarious odd-couple commentary by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and L.A. film critic Andy Klein offers even more insight.

The same imprint branches out to Thailand (currently the leading provider of martial arts movies in that simple-but-effective old-school style) with titles like 2004’s Born to Fight. If you dug Ong-Bak and The Protector for their whirlwinds of kickboxing and wireless stuntwork—reviving the Chan school of spills that leave you gasping and cringing in sympathetic soreness—snap up this simple, even silly little pleaser. Panna Rittikrai, who choreographed the aforementioned Tony Jaa films, directs this remake of his own ’79 debut with panache. Sure the plot is ludicrous, and the Thai patriotism mawkish as always, but star Dan Chupong’s moves are ace and the excitement hardly lets up.

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG