Best HK films where the protagonist gets beat to a pulp then comes back to deliver his revenge? A friend who has a sick friend she wants to distract asked me this question today. Even though I feel like I've seen at least a hundred films with this description all I could think of was:

CRIPLED AVENGERS
ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
OPERATION SCORPIO
TAI CHI MASTER
WING CHUN

The new DVD of King Boxer looks amazing and is a pretty good example of this HK staple plot, although it's only the hero's hands that get busted up. Tsui Hark's The Blade is another one, bloody and angry. I wish I could tell you where to find a decent copy.

Do these fit in the loose 'genre' cited?
A Better Tomorrow 1 & 2
Five Elements Ninjas
The Beloved Son of God
Run and Kill

I'm spinning this loosely, of course (with a melancholy tip).

I must have seen a hundred of these, but they all blur together. What about PRODIGAL SON? I know Yuen Biao comes back to fight Frankie Chan in that one, but I can't remember if he got beaten to a pulp first.

But the grand-daddies of this genre are the following:

Anthony Mann's THE FAR COUNTRY (1954), a western in which James Stewart gets shot up, including his shooting arm, and goes into hiding in a mountain cabin (they're in Alaska) to nurse himself back to health and spends several days (or weeks) practicing shooting (I forget which arm--the wounded one or the other one) before coming back to confront the bad guys.

Akira Kurosawa's YOJIMBO (1961), in which Toshiro Mifune tries to play both ends against the middle in a town riven by two factions and gets beaten for his troubles and carried out of town in a coffin past the bad guys who are looking for him. And then gets his sword arm back in shape before coming back to town to take care of business.

Sergio Leone's A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964/1967-U.S. release), a remake of YOJIMBO, with Clint Eastwood doing the honors and his Colt .45 replacing the sword. But Clint, "the Man with No Name," really gets beaten to a pulp in this one.

Stephen Chiau's KING OF BEGGARS?

I'm stretching your criteria here a little; the hero suffers a terrible defeat more than get s a terrible beating, though there's a bit of that too.

36th Chamber of Shaolin
Return to the 36th Chamber of Shaolin
God of Cookery
Kung Fu Hustle
Love on Delivery
Drunken Dragon
Drunken Master

BEAST COPS

Not HK movies, but all the 70's gamera pictures have this format: gamera shows up, gets a vicious, bloody beat down, is rendered unconscious or freezes or whatever, then comes back with his newfound wisdom to beat the baddie.

Well, if we're talkin Gamera, then GAMERA 2: THE ADVENT OF LEGION where Gamera gets whupped by Legion big time before letting Legion know just who's planet it is. I suppose of the three 90's Gameras, this one is the most similar to the 70's Gamera movies.

Thanks for the brainpower everyone. For some reason I expected to see more old school titles but am always glad to see the later HK film era represented especially since I own so many of them and can just lend the discs to her.

Even though my friend wants HK film it's been fun to read the other entries. I would have to nominate Sholay even if he gets his revenge mostly by proxy.

Hi Jennifer, hope I'm not too late with my recommendations. Anyways, I'll start off first by seconding Terry with regards to KUNG FU HUSTLE. But here are a few titles that don't seem to have been mentioned yet:-

A HERO NEVER DIES

POLICE STORY II

PEKING OPERA BLUES *cough* Tsao Wan at the hands of the Ticketing Officers *cough*

THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR -- think of the bride in her red wedding gown...

THE BLADE

Also, Jennifer, fellow Brigitte-phile that you are, I wonder whether you've ever seen THE LADY IN BLACK -- which is one of those rare (intense) revenge movies featuring a female that does *not* involve rape?

Not too late Yvonne thanks. I meant to say something about Sing Jai's film's in my previous post. When I was asked about this genre his face immediately popped into my brain. Seems like this topic is a favorite of his but usually unfolds in his own very unique way. His victim/hero doesn't suddenly become superbad righting the wrong in the standard way but instead uses the "beating" as a jumping off point to better himself and usually those around him. Too tired (no sleep) and forgetful today to support this statement with specific scenes - sorry (been way too long since I've seen these excellent films).

Can't believe I didn't come up with BWWH!

And I don't believe I've seen THE LADY IN BLACK but I can't be sure. Seems like I woulda seen a film with both BL and Big Tony (always my favorite Tony. Although I might've like LT better if he'd done more comedies which he is absolutely brilliant at - HE AIN'T HEAVY HE'S MY FATHER anyone?). After reading THE LADY IN BLACK description I want to see it real bad.

Off topic, but Peter Chan was a fave director of mine when I managed to catch all/most his films in a short space of time after Comrades, Almost A Love Story came to the UK for two screenings (what a great date film that was then and after on DVD!). I searched out She's A Man, He's A Woman and the even better sequel Who's The Woman, Who's The Man and then backtracked through Alan And Eric, He Ain't Heavy, Tom Dick & Hairy - and then the well was dry for several years. I did a year or more ago watch Golden Chicken (and the sequel recently) which although not directed had his touch, and also saw The Eye and wondered if his stint in the USA had stopped him directing? Then today arrived a massive box 2 disc edition Perhaps Love - should I be ripping off the plastic and expect a buzz like 10 years ago?! And what is the big budget Warlords I read about at LoveHKfilm or somewhere?

He Ain't Heavy was magical fun in a Back To The Future spin of tenement comedies (that I know nothing about, but read about when I had just bought the DVD) - time for a revisit (pun intended)!

Let's just say Peter Chan will make you cry again. (Only not for the same reasons.)

As one of the two people who loved this film, I beg to differ. The story is very very similar to Comrades but done as a musical.