Rating: 
Summary: Kung Fu- Hope
Review: The best TV Series ever produced.
When the world is at war everywhere, then comes Kwai Chang Caine to tell us some words of wisdom. People should see the philosophical side of the movie not the physical side.
I bought this DVD to show my children about what is real strengh.
Rating: 
Summary: boring...
Review: This one is NOT a must own. I was looking forward to see it again after 30 years. However, it did not age very well. The production can be called 'low budget' at best, reminding me of some cross of 'Bonanza' and 'Green Acres' at times! The Kung Fu action is limited to maybe 5-10 seconds each 50 minute episode.
All the Kung Fu action is shot in slow motion, very cheesy, just as the writing and the acting! Don't get me wrong I'm not comparing this to the high energy rope work of today's martial arts films, but this is so slow, I lost interest after watching just a few episodes. They even 'recycle' the same cast in later episodes for different roles, with full beards and such gimmicks as they tried covering it up or something! Come on! Together with the formatting issues mentioned by many other reviewers (which I did not mind that much), this set is going back on sale on Amazon, great condition, partially watched!
Rating: 
Summary: Better than I remembered, but DVD too flawed to buy.
Review: I truly love these DVD box sets of entire seasons of shows. I buy the good ones to encourage their creation. As DVD box sets go, this isn't a good one. The advance information about the shows being cropped for 16:9 and edited for time was reason enough for me to rent instead of buy this collection. These flaws to me are fatal.You buy the DVD to get the best version available. If I want to watch something shot in 4:3 at 16:9 I can adjust my set. The three star rating is based solely on the quality of the program. The technical quality of the DVD is the source of any flaws I find in this box set and I have to subtract at least two stars for that alone. No reservations about recommending the show itself. The show itself is better than I remembered. I can appreciate it more now as an adult than as I kid. Very nicely done and the first season of episodes are some of the best. Episode 10 with Jodie Foster is among the best of the bunch in this collection. I sincerely hope that future editions of this DVD, perhaps a complete box set of all seasons of Kung Fu will correct the technical flaws. They simply must transfer from the original elements of the show at the original aspect ratio and not edit the episodes for time. It was a sloppy mistake. This show deserved better care and attention.
Rating:
Summary: Its Great!
Review: Awesome! I don't know what the big fuss is about the cropping. It's better than the original.
Rating: 
Summary: No one.
Review: We'd be lying to ourselves not to admit that some aspects of KUNG FU have not aged all that well and look silly today; in particular, the sort of faux Eastern philosophy that was used (in one episode, master Po even uses a game of Rock - Paper - Sissors to impart a not particularly profound nugget of "wisdom") ...
... but dang I wish there was a show on the air today that had the moral weight that this one has, that had the courage to ask the question "If I don't have a right to revenge, who does?" -- and then answer that question with the title I've used above. Today the whole world seems to be falling apart, and our media does nothing but feed the frenzy and fear that drives the violence. In that respect, KUNG FU comes across as a much more daring show than it did in its time.
As regards the DVD itself, I don't detect any cut scenes, and whether or not the widescreen version crops out material seems to vary from episode to episode depending on the source print available. Some of the shows look terrific, while others have visual flaws. In the end, none of it matters: the show is the thing, and the show still works.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent & Brillant. Snatch the pebble from my hand.
Review: "Work. Wander. Rest when I can." Shaolin priest Kwai Chang Caine starts his journey after he murders the Chinese Emperor's cousin. I watched the re-run when I was a very small kid. I only recalled some cool fighting scenses, the flashbacks of Caine's Shaolin beginnings with Master Kan & Master Po, and Caine always beats up the bad guys and continues his journey. I didn't appreciate much. I purchased and watched this DVD set 20 years later. Wow, I couldn't believe that every single episode is telling brillant and intelligent philosopy. You wouldn't be surprised to find lots of good and rich dialogs from each episode as well. I really think this is a great TV series. As Master Kan tells the young Caine, "Snatch the pebble from my hand. If you can, you're ready to go." I think after twenty years later, I can snatch the pebble and I'm ready to fully appreciate this Kung Fu series now. I look forward the second complete season coming out. Picture quality in this DVD set is amazingly crystal clear. Sound is excellent and it also provides different subtitles. This complete first season DVD set contains 15 episodes in 3 double-sided disc as below: [Disc 1: Side A]
- Pilot Movie (original airdate: 2/22/72)
- Documentary: The Tao of Caine (Production and Beyond) [Disc 1: Side B]
- King Of The Mountain (original airdate: 10/14/72)
- Dark Angel (original airdate: 11/11/72)
- Blood Brother (original airdate: 1/18/73)
- Documentary: From Grasshopper to Caine (Creaing Kung Fu) [Disc 2: Side A]
- An Eye For An Eye (original airdate: 1/25/73)
- The Tide (original airdate: 2/1/73)
- The Soul Is The Warrior (original airdate: 2/8/73) [Disc 2: Side B]
- Nine Lives (original airdate: 2/15/73)
- Sun And Cloud Shadow (original airdate: 2/22/73)
- Chains (original airdate: 3/15/73) [Disc 3: Side A]
- Alethea (original airdate: 3/22/73)
- The Praying Mantis Kills (original airdate: 3/29/73)
- Superstition (original airdate: 4/5/73) [Disc 3: Side B]
- The Stone (original airdate: 4/12/73)
- The Third Man (original airdate: 4/26/73)
- The Ancient Warrior (original airdate: 5/3/73) Overall, highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: David Carradin ROCKS!
Review: I just want to say that I've only seen one episode from this show...AND IT WAS AWESOME. David Carradine is an awesome actor go see Kill Bill Vol. 2 then buy it when it comes out on DVD. Also buy Kill Bill Vol. 1 where I think you can only see his hand, but his hand is a good actor too. =')
Rating:
Summary: The best TV show ever !!
Review: This show was responsible for getting me interested in eastern philosophy and I must rate it as my favorite show of all time. The question is, When are season 2 & 3 being released?
Rating:
Summary: Love and destruction
Review: I was 11, and I loved this series. I love it now, at 43. A gentle man tries to survive while doing as little damage as possible, and sometimes offering a bit of help. However skillfully written or choreographed the episodes were, the central message of kindness remained. I see many flaws today that I didn't at age 11, but who cares? Caine was one of my most beloved teachers. That will never change. I subtract TWO STARS for the cropping. I swear it did not even occur to me to look at the box for the ratio! Who on earth would crop a TV show? Listen, I always check the ratio on films, and I was in the vanguard of widescreen proponents, in the 80's when no one gave a damn about it. But the whole point is to RETAIN INFORMATION, to avoid destruction of the artist's creation. Somebody decided Kung Fu did not deserve that much respect. They were wrong. So I have mixed feelings. I'm sorry I bought the tattered version, but I have watched a few episodes and they made me as happy as they did in 1972. Clean look, clean sound. If you love this series, buy it and enjoy it. But I am still hoping for an untattered version. If they produce that, I will buy it instantly, and give the widescreen version to an 11 year old.
Rating:
Summary: Original Kung Fu Season 1
Review: This was, in my opinion, the best show ever on tv. The CD set has the whole first season on 3 CD's, which is recorded on BOTH sides!! Very nice set, Very Cool! ONLY COMPLAINT - Why don't they sell season 2 yet?!?
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