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905
BEST MARTIAL ARTS ACTION The Chop Socky Classic That Really Started it All!
Pros
Where do I begin. . .
Cons
You're either with me on this or not.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
One of 70s most entertaining kung-fu imports. Dated but still fun.
Just prior to Bruce Lee Films invading the U.S. full force and as Martial Arts was being discovered in the suburbs, Warner Brothers picked up this Shaw Brothers Production, emphasizing the violence and leaping fighters. The film was a huge hit and it was the film that introduced millions to Hong Kong and Chop Socky films back in 1973. For more than a decade its success (among Martial Arts films) was only topped by Bruce Lee's films--most of which were discovered by audiences after this film!!!
This is the film with the infamous scene where eyeballs are ripped out of an opponents head. It employs the now very familiar plot of rival Chinese/Japanese training schools. Training, punishment, sadism and over the top revenge. The gore created a bit of a backlash and films with similarly graphic gore (like Streetfighter were rated X or cut to avoid
the X rating).
It's an energetic and still enjoyable to watch film for any chop socky
fans out there. The fight scenes range from martial arts films realistic, to over the top violent (and pretty gory) to absolutely silly with men
leaping high into the air (trampoline and early wire work) flipping and fighting. It's badly dubbed, and a great film to watch with a crowd of
kung fu movie afficianados.
There's all the cliche's of the genre at play here including the rather dull love story too. It's star is one of the first international stars of the Hong Kong cinema Lo Lieh. He would later make a well known cult film
fave The Stranger and the Gunfighter (1974) with Lee Van Cleef and many might know him best as the star of Kung Fu Theatre favorite : Master Killer (1978). He was a popular star of martial arts films since the mid-60's and has been in such well known films as Dirty Ho (1979); Sex and Zen (1992) and appeared with Jackie Chan in Police Story 3 aka Supercop.
The film is available on VHS and from Steeplechase on DVD. It was previously released in the early 80's briefly as King Boxer. I can't vouch for how good the transfer quality of it is, but I've just ordered it so I'll know soon. Right after this film is when I discovered Bruce Lee
and those wonderful Baby Cart films!!!
Chris Jarmick (author: The Glass Cocoon -Available November 2000)
This is the film with the infamous scene where eyeballs are ripped out of an opponents head. It employs the now very familiar plot of rival Chinese/Japanese training schools. Training, punishment, sadism and over the top revenge. The gore created a bit of a backlash and films with similarly graphic gore (like Streetfighter were rated X or cut to avoid
the X rating).
It's an energetic and still enjoyable to watch film for any chop socky
fans out there. The fight scenes range from martial arts films realistic, to over the top violent (and pretty gory) to absolutely silly with men
leaping high into the air (trampoline and early wire work) flipping and fighting. It's badly dubbed, and a great film to watch with a crowd of
kung fu movie afficianados.
There's all the cliche's of the genre at play here including the rather dull love story too. It's star is one of the first international stars of the Hong Kong cinema Lo Lieh. He would later make a well known cult film
fave The Stranger and the Gunfighter (1974) with Lee Van Cleef and many might know him best as the star of Kung Fu Theatre favorite : Master Killer (1978). He was a popular star of martial arts films since the mid-60's and has been in such well known films as Dirty Ho (1979); Sex and Zen (1992) and appeared with Jackie Chan in Police Story 3 aka Supercop.
The film is available on VHS and from Steeplechase on DVD. It was previously released in the early 80's briefly as King Boxer. I can't vouch for how good the transfer quality of it is, but I've just ordered it so I'll know soon. Right after this film is when I discovered Bruce Lee
and those wonderful Baby Cart films!!!
Chris Jarmick (author: The Glass Cocoon -Available November 2000)
