VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969)

VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969)

VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969) is a movie totally worthy of a remake with the only improvement necessary being the martial arts choreography. The original production was done by Sir Run Run Shaw, himself. The Maury Povich / Jerry Springer type story was written by Tu Yun-Chih and Ho Meng-Hua and is directed by Ho Meng-Hua. Let's get busy. 

Li Zhishan returns home to an ambush by a rival security escort service. Long Zhentian and his brothers robbed their own charge and were discovered and thereby went out of business. They blame Li Zhishan and his Golden Dragon Blade escort service and go after him for "revenge". With Li Zhishan wife's, Yuexiang help (yes, you read that correctly) they succeed in stealing the Golden Dragon Blade, wounding him seriously enough to ruin his kung fu and they run him out of his own home. It is only with the help of his faithful servant Li Sheng that he and his toddler daughter, Li Xiaoyan escape and go on the run. But Long Zhentian and his brothers are not satisfied. They want Li Zhishan killed dead and will not rest until it is so.  

VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969) is brilliantly casted with Li Zhishan embodied by the sorrowful Tang Ching. Long Zhentian is played by the questionable Lee Pang-Fei. Mrs. Li Yuexiang is played with the proper sense of entitlement by veteran actress / director / producer Kao Pao-Shu. Li Sheng the faithful servant is fittingly played by Pang Pang and Li Xiaoyan is the all grown up fiercely loyal daughter by Chin Ping.

HONORABLE MENTION: Yueh Hua and Ku Wen-Chung play a pair that is a grandson and grandfather and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo is an extra in two different scenes as two different people. 

FIGHT TIME: VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969) is directed by Ho Meng-Hua the veteran director who, this time out, did not use a action choreographer and unfortunately it shows in some of the action. Nevertheless the action is only a bit flawed and is totally acceptable for the time period. I counted nine (9) fight scenes in this action-packed movie but you watch this one for the story.

HONORABLE MENTION: none 

One of the most difficult reviews to write is one where the story is jaw-dropping at some point and you are dying to discuss it with someone but you have to write the review assuming your audience has not seen the movie and you certainly do not want to spoil it for them. VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969) is one such movie. The wife says something at the beginning of the movie and you immediately thing of her in one way. After you have watched the movie, having thought no more about the statement she made, you go "oooohh, that what she meant" and suddenly she becomes a very different and perhaps a little more interesting character if not more sympathetic. I absolutely recommend VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969) for all audiences and collectors, see you next time!

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NEXT UP: THE SWORDMATES (1969)

KILLERS FIVE (1969)

KILLERS FIVE (1969)

Our second movie for 1969 is KILLERS FIVE (1969) an ensemble cast "mission impossible movie" directed by Cheng Kang and co-scripted by Cheng Kang and Sung Hoi-Leng. Han Ying-Chieh is credited with being the action director and Runme Shaw is the producer that brings it all together. Let's get busy!

Cao Qinsheng, the daughter of Duke of Ping Xi, Cao Guowei, who is just recently engaged to the Prince of Jin, makes a miscalculation and goes to town without her escorts to visit her nanny. This misstep gives the villainous Jin Tianlong the opportunity to kidnap Qinsheng and hold her for one hundred thousand taels of gold in his fortress on Mount Jinlong. The Duke is given a ten day deadline to pay the ransom --or else! 

The Duke of Ping Xi, Cao Guowei decides against using troops to storm Jin Tianlong's fortress in Mount Jinlong to rescue his daughter. He sends a letter to summon Yue Zhenbei, the son of an old friend to rendezvous at a discreet location and arrange a surgical strike to free his daughter hoping to avoid a possible war with the nation of Jin should the Prince of Jin find out his future wife has been so poorly protected as to have been kidnapped. 

Yue Zhangbei has accepted Duke Cao Guowei's request to rescue his daughter. Zhangbei's plan is to recruit the Water Rat: Li Xiaoqi, the Climbing Tiger: Niu and the Master Archer: Ma to go in, secret the lady out and get her back to the duke even if he has to sacrifice himself in the process. Along the way they meet the King of Burglary Liang Shangfei who is willing to help --for a price! Killers Five (1969) has some small twists and turns on its perilous journey making it a film well worth your time. 

Li Ching, Li Ching, Li Ching, Li Ching, I adore me some Li Ching. Ever since I saw her performance in RAPE OF THE SWORD (1967) whenever I see her do her super to-hip-for-the-room characterization I am so entertained! Her performance here in KILLER FIVE (1969) does not disappoint. Li Ching plays the Master Archer Ma Jin Ling [I got so excited I almost forgot to write this (lol)]. Tang Ching plays the "crew chief" Yue Zhengbei and does a movie standard performance. Ku Feng as The Water Rat and Cheng Miu as Climbing Tiger have a playful chemistry as "bro-friends" that is cool to watch. Wang Kuang-Yu is the villainous Liang Shengfei and Yeung Chi-Hing plays Duke Cao Guowei and his daughter is played by Carrie Ku Mei.

HONORABLE MENTION: Wang Kuang-Yu is the "Five" of the KILLERS FIVE, King of Burglary Liang Shangfei.

FIGHT TIME: The Hong Kong movie website Hong Kong Cinemagic credits Han Ying Chieh as the Action Director for KILLERS FIVE (1969). I counted three (3) full, expertly done fight scenes and enough action in this movie to keep you focused. The big finale is certainly very well done and is bloody enough for a typical Shaw Brothers wuxia movie. 

One of my pet peeves is the overuse of the word "classic". With or without a hashtag the word "classic" is often used as a comment with it being the only word present. While the word does not suit my personal taste because of its overuse, Killers Five (1969) being one of the earlier mission movies (if not the precursor for them) is certainly a classic and is a perfect lesson on how to do it well. I, 100% without reservation, recommend KILLERS FIVE (1969) for all viewers and collectors to enjoy --with or without popcorn! See you next time.

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NEXT UP: TWELVE DEADLY COINS (1969) 

THE JADE RAKSHA (1968)

THE JADE RAKSHA (1968)

HO MENG-HUA co-writes (with YIP YAT-FONG) and directs THE JADE RAKSHA (1968),  a unique wuxia tale that asks the question: "When is revenge, justice and when is it not?" Produced by RUNME SHAW this film has plenty of action but no action director is credited. Let's look at the plot.

The wail of The Jade Raksha is a song of the hell spawn demon-woman  promising the wicked that they will not go unpunished for their crimes against heaven. If you are evil, you know this song spells your doom.

Leng Qiu Han is The Jade Raksha. When she was a child, one of the 20 Yan Clan masters killed her whole family -- but her problem is, she does not know which one. Her solution is simple: kill them all. 

For 6 months Xu Ying Hao has been traveling the Jiang Hu searching for one Shi Yong San, the man his mother told him murdered his father twenty years ago. Along his travels he hears about The Jade Raksha who has been killing the heads of the Yan Clan and hanging their heads up in the various village squares where the individual Yans lived. Xu Ying Hao feels this is too cruel and extreme for it to be justice. The Jade Raksha should restrict her killing to the individual responsible for a specific wrong doing. And so, even though the matter has nothing to do with him, Xu Ying Hao feels he must get involved and confront The Jade Raksha. This is their story.

The lovely Cheng Pei-Pei is back as Leng Qiu Han aka The Jade Raksha and Shaw Brother's top leading man Tang Ching is Xu Ying Hao her counterpart in this philosophical tale of at "what price revenge?" The bad guys are represented by veteran actor  Yeung Chi-Hing as Master Yan Tian Long and Fan Mei-sheng plays his son Yan Long Er.

HONORABLE MENTION: The very talented Ku Feng plays Jiang Man Leung and Shi Yong San.

FIGHT TIME: THE JADE RAKSHA (1968) has no credited action director but its fights are easy to follow, although a little wild. They are very much par for 1968 and so are pretty cool to watch. I counted four (4) full fight scenes plus some small skirmishes so there is no shortage of action. 

HONORABLE MENTION: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo and James Tien have roles as stuntmen in this movie. I actually found James Tien by accident (!) while looking for Sammo as James Tien is not credited but I think you will agree after seeing the screen shot it is definitely him. 

THE JADE RAKSHA (1968) is a unique wuxia tale because it is not a story about a revenge but is a story about revenge told through the eyes of two people, both seeking revenge and showing how it affects their lives, their loved ones and the lives of the people they seek to take revenge on . I have deliberately told very little of the story (except for the details of Leng Qiu Han which I looked for it but it just wasn't there) because it is a well crafted story that builds on its parts and it is worth your time to see it for yourself.  

  

I absolutely recommend THE JADE RAKSHA (1968) for all viewers and collectors of all ages! See you next time!

If you liked this review please comment on the blog, become a follower of the blog, join me on my Facebook account by sending me a message first and then a friend request so I know who I am friending (  https://www.facebook.com/Michael529P   ) and like my Facebook page: SHAW Brothers Kung Fu Movies 1965-1986. I thank you and would appreciate it very much!

NEXT UP: THE FASTEST SWORD (1968)