Films like The New Shaolin Boxers.

The New Shaolin Boxers (1976) reads as Sombre, breathless, measured kung-fu / shaw-brothers, grounded in texture. Ambivalent, intimate, measured. 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 Association (1975) poster
1. The Association1975

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

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

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Shaolin Plot (1977) poster
3. The Shaolin Plot1977

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Duel of the Iron Fist (1971) poster
4. Duel of the Iron Fist1971

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

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

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Disciples of Shaolin (1975) poster
6. Disciples of Shaolin1975

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Lady Whirlwind (1972) poster
7. Lady Whirlwind1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Delightful Forest (1972) poster
8. The Delightful Forest1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

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

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Men from the Monastery (1974) poster
10. Men from the Monastery1974

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Invincible Shaolin (1978) poster
11. Invincible Shaolin1978

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Hapkido (1972) poster
12. Hapkido1972

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are The New Shaolin Boxers’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 →