Fantastic Fest 2010

The American Genre Film Archive presents a treasure of the archive, introduced by the Indiana Jones of film collectors and the man who located the legendary "Shaw Stash", Dan Halsted.

Two warring clans challenge each other to a kung fu tournament, employing a wide array of martial arts weaponry. The losing clan seeks revenge by hiring the legendary Five Element Ninjas to kill their rivals. The Five Elements consist of GOLD ninjas who fight with blinding, dart spitting shields, WOOD ninjas who hide in trees, FIRE ninjas who cloak themselves with smoke bombs, WATER ninjas who drown their foes, and EARTH ninjas who dwell underground. The Five Elements massacre everyone in ultra-violent fashion and prove to be unstoppable. When they turn on their employers, it's up to some young warriors to learn the art of the ninja in order to destroy them. This Shaw Brothers masterpiece is extremely gory, and packed with kung fu excitement! Directed by the great Chang Cheh and presented in Shaw Scope.

Film collector and old school kung fu fanatic Dan Halsted will be on hand to talk about his adventure last year unearthing the largest collection of 35mm martial arts films in the Western Hemisphere (including this beautiful print of FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS) from an abandoned kung fu theater in Vancouver B.C. He’ll also speak about the recently established American Genre Film Archive, which is dedicated to saving rare 35mm exploitation film