Pao Hsueh-Li

Directing

Pao Hsueh-Li

Born

1936-01-01 (90)

Place of birth

Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Known for

Directing

Credits

34 titles

Born in Nanjing and a native of Jiangsu, Pao went to Taiwan in 1949. While in Secondary school, he worked part-time in the evenings at the film processing studio of Taiwan Motion Picture Studio. Upon graduation, he continued to work at the company as an assistant cinematographer for six years and later switched to Lucky Star Film Co Ltd to work as a cinematographer for three years, where he shot many Taiwanese-dialect films. In 1966, when Lo Chen went to Taiwan for the location shooting of Too Late for Love (1967), Pao assisted him and gained his recognization. Pao then went to Hong Kong the following year and joined Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Ltd. He first worked as a cinematographer at Shaw…

Known for

Man of Iron poster
7.1

Man of Iron was positioned as something of a follow-up to Boxer From Shantung, the rise-and-fall story of Ma Yung Chen and it reunites the directors and some of the cast in a similar but much slighter tale of a lesser gangster's rise and fall in Shanghai. While the opening narration specifically recalls the events and tragic conclusion of BOXER, this one is set 20 years later in the same section of Shanghai but otherwise has nothing to do with the events or characters of the previous film.

Man of Iron

1972

The Delightful Forest poster
6.5

Wu, a prisoner is sent into exile where he becomes friends with Shih En, a prison officer. He later helps Shih in fighting a local thug named Chiang who has forcefully taken over Shih's restaurant.

The Delightful Forest

1972

The Pirate poster
6.4

Pirate Chang Pao-Chai springs a leak after an otherwise successful raid on a foreign ship. He goes ashore to get materials to patch his ship up, where he encounters corrupt Qing officials and poor, oppressed peasants. Being a good man at heart, he decides to help out and becomes an even bigger outlaw in the process.

The Pirate

1973

The Boxer from Shantung poster
6.9

Leaving the poverty of his life in Shantung to seek fortune in Shanghai, The Boxer is instead drawn into a world of corruption, gang warfare and evil... Where his only protection is his famed fighting technique.

The Boxer from Shantung

1972

The Water Margin poster
6.8

The corruption in the Sung Dynasty of 11th century China is so rampant that it inspires a band of Oriental Robin Hoods - the Honorable 108. Mountain bandits who nevertheless live by a scrupulous code of conduct, the Honorable 108 pledge to end the repression of the brutal overlords.

The Water Margin

1972

The Battle Wizard poster
5.9

A brother who loves books and a sister who loves swords must face a yellow-robed warrior, the Red Python, a sinuous snake-charmer, and a silk-masked beauty (who must kill or wed the first man to see her face) before they can bring peace to their battle-addled family.

The Battle Wizard

1977

Behind the camera

Man of Iron poster
7.1

Man of Iron was positioned as something of a follow-up to Boxer From Shantung, the rise-and-fall story of Ma Yung Chen and it reunites the directors and some of the cast in a similar but much slighter tale of a lesser gangster's rise and fall in Shanghai. While the opening narration specifically recalls the events and tragic conclusion of BOXER, this one is set 20 years later in the same section of Shanghai but otherwise has nothing to do with the events or characters of the previous film.

Man of Iron

1972

The Delightful Forest poster
6.5

Wu, a prisoner is sent into exile where he becomes friends with Shih En, a prison officer. He later helps Shih in fighting a local thug named Chiang who has forcefully taken over Shih's restaurant.

The Delightful Forest

1972

The Pirate poster
6.4

Pirate Chang Pao-Chai springs a leak after an otherwise successful raid on a foreign ship. He goes ashore to get materials to patch his ship up, where he encounters corrupt Qing officials and poor, oppressed peasants. Being a good man at heart, he decides to help out and becomes an even bigger outlaw in the process.

The Pirate

1973

The Boxer from Shantung poster
6.9

Leaving the poverty of his life in Shantung to seek fortune in Shanghai, The Boxer is instead drawn into a world of corruption, gang warfare and evil... Where his only protection is his famed fighting technique.

The Boxer from Shantung

1972

The Water Margin poster
6.8

The corruption in the Sung Dynasty of 11th century China is so rampant that it inspires a band of Oriental Robin Hoods - the Honorable 108. Mountain bandits who nevertheless live by a scrupulous code of conduct, the Honorable 108 pledge to end the repression of the brutal overlords.

The Water Margin

1972

The Battle Wizard poster
5.9

A brother who loves books and a sister who loves swords must face a yellow-robed warrior, the Red Python, a sinuous snake-charmer, and a silk-masked beauty (who must kill or wed the first man to see her face) before they can bring peace to their battle-addled family.

The Battle Wizard

1977

The Oath of Death poster
5.6

Three Sung loyalists decide to become blood brothers to fight the tyranny of the Tartar invaders. They build a stronghold and christen it 'The Flying Dragon Fortress' up in the hills. Gathering together a devoted army of followers, the three brothers wage war against the Tartar defense. Desiring to oust the oppressors altogether, Ma Ching plans to coerce an ally, Hong Zhang Chung to release the kidnapped Tartar princess in what initially seems a strategic and civil effort to gain points with the court. Not long after, it soon becomes apparent Ma desires both a great position and power and is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to get it.

The Oath of Death

1971

Deadly Angels poster
4.7

Three female detectives - from Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore - go undercover in a cabaret to expose a murderer.

Deadly Angels

1977

Heroic Ones poster
5.7

A naive kung-fu student (Lung Ti) falls under the influence of a corrupt master. Soon the student realizes his master plans to dominate the martial arts community by stealing a legendary martial arts book that's supposed to bestow its owner with extraordinary powers. And his master will stop at nothing - including murder - to possess that book. Now, with the help of a sympathetic female fighter and an intriguing drunk, the student must lead a rival kung-fu sect in a deadly tournament against his master and his kung-fu stablemates to keep the book out of the wrong hands.

Heroic Ones

1983

Finger of Doom poster
6.4

This creepy kung fu film fight-fest centers on the evil Madame Kung Sun and her poisonous "Finger of Doom", a unique supernatural power which allows her to transform normal, everyday people into horrifying zombies! In the face of this devastating talent, only one person has the guts to stop Madame Kung Sun in her chilling bid for martial arts supremacy - the villainess' own sister. But it's not something she can do alone, so this heroic young woman joins forces with three world-weary martial artists, The brothers-in-arms were actually looking to retire from the world of Jiang Hu, but now find themselves thrown back into the mix, embarking on one last mission to save the world from machinations of the venomous Madame Kung Sun!

Finger of Doom

1972

Iron Bodyguard poster
6.1

Wang Wu, a skilled swordsman, befriends Tan Tzu-tung, a scholar who encourages him to join a reform movement in China. Together, they face challenges as they fight for change.

Iron Bodyguard

1973

Beauty Escort poster
4.5

This blood tale of a feud between two sword fighting clans is full of betrayal and intrigue, will most probably please the fans of samurai sword fighting.

Beauty Escort

1979

The Imposter poster
7.2

With the cast list, you would almost expect this to be another Chang Cheh film. Two of Chang's proteges, David Chiang and Chen Kuan-tai go head-to-head in The Imposter which sees cinematographer Pao Hsueh-li back in the director's chair. Chiang plays Ko Liang, as master of disguise who puts his seven faces to good use when he goes to the aid of two young guardsmen Tseng Yung (Danny Lee) and Tseng Kan (Wang Chung) who have been framed by Captain Lo (Chen Kuan-tai) for murder.

The Imposter

1975

Tough Guy poster
6.7

A kung-fu fighting detective investigating the murder of the emperor's wife uncovers a high-ranking conspiracy.

Tough Guy

1978

Night of the Assassins poster
8.0

The swords never stop flying in this action-packed old school hit! Master Wu (Ko Keung from "Fatal Flying Guillotines"), after refusing to help the king continue his war, fights off a regiment of guards attempting to take him by force. Unfortunately, he cannot save his brother, but he can get revenge! Master Wu embarks on his journey for revenge and is joined by David Chiang ("Slice Of Death", "Challenge Of The Shaolin Masters"). Ninjas, gap-toothed kings, and a sword-wielding army are just a few of the obstacles Master Wu must overcome on his revenge quest.

Night of the Assassins

1980

The Taxi Driver poster
5.4

An honest, diligent and helpful taxi driver Chen Kuang (David Chiang) gets involved in a bank robbery, and the police mistakes him as a robber. He together with a driver Tu Fa (Wang Chung) strives to gather evidence. After some twists and turns, the two finally are able to help the police in bringing the culprits to justice.

The Taxi Driver

1975

The Heroes poster
6.7

Former Shaolin man Marshal Kao takes his former classmates prisoner and, instead of executing them, proposes to his Qing commander that he torture them until they're willing to fight on behalf of the Qings. The 'torture' comes to look increasingly like strenuous kung fu training with Kao putting the prisoners through their paces. The Qing governor and his aides become suspicious of Kao's motives, although the beautiful Princess Shao Lung develops her own ideas about him.

The Heroes

1980

Heroes of the Underground poster
6.0

Besides martial arts, Bruce Lee's contribution to Chinese society was instilling a strong sense of nationalism. After his death, anti-Japanese films found new breathe especially in Taiwan. Based on a King Hu’s script, Heroes Of The Underground tapped into Lee's nationalistic fervor and the Confucian ethic of country above family and starred the popular Ching Li as a World War II, Chinese secret agent planted into the Japanese Headquarters at Changsha. Tears flow in the name of country pride.

Heroes of the Underground

1976

The Shadow Boxer poster
5.4

Chen Wo-Fu plays construction worker Ku Ting, whose skill at "tai chi" (shadow boxing) is as great as his pacifism. But when his girlfriend is raped by vicious gangsters, he shows everyone the true power and beauty of tai chi.

The Shadow Boxer

1974

The Great Conspiracy poster
5.7

A knife expert arrives to tell the ruler he is to be invaded during his annual knife skills challenge. He coaxes his old enemy (a deaf, blind old man) out of hiding. In return he grants the hero the prize of the knife skills. He then goes off and has lots of fights with people, and makes friends with a woman who is pretending to be a man for unknown reasons.

The Great Conspiracy

1980

The Hero Tattooed with Nine Dragons poster
7.0

He's just a hotheaded, rude and violent young man who loves punching people. His family are killed in a revenge attack and he seeks revenge.

The Hero Tattooed with Nine Dragons

1978

Five Tough Guys poster
5.2

The plot follows the titular gang of misfits, gathered together by Chen Kuan Tai (a real life martial arts champion who starred in many films for the studio) in order to protect a patriotic general from a scheming usurper. To this end, the unlikely heroes act as the general’s escorts on a dangerous journey to a distant British consulate, beset by enemies and sinister Japanese interference along the way.

Five Tough Guys

1974

Layout poster
9.7

The place: Shanghai. The time: 1921. The Japanese aggression towards China is getting stronger each day. Enter Hsueh Ao-Lin, an agent of the government sent to uncover the Chinese traitors helping the enemy. Once inside, Hsueh must fight both the Japanese and his countrymen for his sake, and the future of China.

Layout

1977

The Revenger poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Revenger

1980

Witty Hand, Witty Sword poster
NR

A well-known family is wiped out when a princess is on the hunt for a special sword called "Witty Sword". The daughter in the family sent in the attack. But the princess's minions are soon her on the tracks. Amidst all the ports obliterated family adopted son and sword fighters on both sides. Also a mysterious fisherman settles in.

Witty Hand, Witty Sword

1978

Blooded Treasury Fight poster
3.3

Master thief Chow Kwan-hai is the only person who knows the location of a stash of valuable pearls. With the help of a mismatched gang of criminals, assassins and pickpockets, Chow leads a suicidal mission to the Bloody Mill to find the treasure and hopefully make it back alive.

Blooded Treasury Fight

1979

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Private First Class

1981

Flying Sword Lee poster
NR

This is a brilliant Taiwanese movie adaption of "Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Blade." Li "Little Flying Dagger" Xunhuan comes back to his home after three years of wandering. He has decided to have a normal life, but a group of skilled fighters and leaders are bent on killing him, so they can be ranked top by Bai Xiaosheng in his renowned list of the best warriors in the martial arts world. Li Xunhuan battles them as he searches for his estranged friend A'fei, who is now married and living in seclusion. Li asks A'fei to join forces and fight against a new threat that wants to rule the world: the Money Clan.

Flying Sword Lee

1979

The Eight Escorts poster
5.2

In Wuiyng County a violent jewel thief is harming the business of local merchants. As they nervously await the delivery of a shipment, they hire an experienced martial arts expert to protect it, who in turn hand-picks a team of seven other fighters to take on the thieves.

The Eight Escorts

1980

The Kung Fu Emperor poster
10.0

Don't expect a long life if you are one of the emperor's fourteen sons! For instance, Ninth Prince meets an "accident" while hunting. The (unnamed) Manchu emperor is old and ill, and speculation about his successor is rife. But the powerful Lord Long, who is not a son of the emp, wants the throne as well. To stay alive, Fourth Prince keeps secret his kung fu lessons and plays the fool. Fourth Prince then leaves palace life to live among the poor. He befriends a ragged band on commoners and, eventually, returns to the palace to prevent Lord Long's rise to the throne after the last prince is killed.

The Kung Fu Emperor

1981

The Drinking Knight poster
8.0

An unfinished Shaw Brothers production initially to be the directorial debut of Chiu Kang Chien, but was then shelved for a year before being taken over by Pao Hsueh-Li. However, the film appears never to have been finished and hence remains unreleased.

The Drinking Knight

1971

Match Maker for Successful Candidate poster
NR

Half-brothers Yan Jun and Yan Qing share a bond of deep respect and affection, yet their mother openly favors Yan Jun. Following a matchmaker's advice, a "joy-bringing" marriage is arranged for sickly Yan Jun. To spare his brother, Yan Qing steps in as the groom. This remarkable film unites two legendary performers of Chinese opera cinema: Ling Po and Yang Li-hua, both are celebrated for their iconic male roles played by women. It also marked Yang Li-hua's final film performance and represents the last traditional Huangmei opera film ever made, closing a significant chapter in Chinese cinema history.

Match Maker for Successful Candidate

1982

No artwork available
6.0

This film is a sequel to "The Heroic One" and begins with the platform fight scene which ended that film.

Hero at the Border Region

1981

A Co-Ed's Diary poster
NR

Taiwanese movie

A Co-Ed's Diary

1986