FilmsThe BastardLike this

Films like The Bastard.

The Bastard (1973) reads as Sombre, breathless, extreme kung-fu / shaw-brothers, grounded in texture. Ambivalent, mid-stakes, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

The Savage Five (1974) poster
1. The Savage Five1974

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Anonymous Heroes (1971) poster
2. The Anonymous Heroes1971

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Five Shaolin Masters (1974) poster
3. Five Shaolin Masters1974

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Deadly Duo (1971) poster
4. The Deadly Duo1971

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Angry Guest (1972) poster
5. The Angry Guest1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Four Riders (1972) poster
6. Four Riders1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Broken Oath (1977) poster
7. Broken Oath1977

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Rebel Intruders (1980) poster
8. The Rebel Intruders1980

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Young Avenger (1972) poster
9. The Young Avenger1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

King Boxer (1972) poster
10. King Boxer1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Street Law (1974) poster
11. Street Law1974

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Chinese Boxer (1970) poster
12. The Chinese Boxer1970

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are The Bastard’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →