THE DUEL (1971) #64

THE DUEL (1971)

Released on April 21^st, THE DUEL (1971) is yet another well-loved movie produced by the elder brother Shaw: Runme Shaw. It is written by, surprise, surprise Chiu Kang-Chien, the writer of THE SINGING KILLER (1970) but not so surprisingly, also the writer of THE BELLS OF DEATH (1968). THE DUEL (1971) is a tale of intrigue set on the backdrop of the birth of The Republic of China. The great Chang Cheh is the director working once again with the action direction team of Yuen Cheung-Yan and Tang Chia putting in their most exciting work to date! Let’s get busy!

Ti Lung as Tang Ren Jia

David Chiang as Jian Nan, the Rambler  and  Cheng Kang-Yeh as Xiao Mao

On the surface of it THE DUEL (1971) is a tale of a fateful duel between two fighters. Tang Ren Jie is fighting to avenge his godfather’s death at the hands of a journeyman in the underworld (the Rambler), Jian Nan, a highly skilled fight with no ties to any one gang and as such can be persuaded to help one gang or another. In this case however, Jian Nan is deceived in killing Tang Ren Jie’s godfather, Shen Tian Hung, an elder gang boss who is actually retiring from the criminal life after taking revenge for a friend of his who was also killed recently. Jian Nan must fight Tang Ren Jie but he is sorrowful for what he feels is an unworthy kill for him since his victim was going to retire from the gang life and become a civilian. 

Tang Ren Jie saves Jian Nan's life during a battle

THE DUEL (1971) takes place during “The Warlord Era” or the period after the Qing Dynasty from 1916 to 1927. Whether they were called warlords or bandits or gangsters, these people wrecked havoc on life in Mainland China where it was a “man’s world” and if you were weak or a woman you could be forced to do whatever you were told and corruption was everywhere and justice was whatever the powerful said it was. I mention this because the more you know of China and this era the more there is for you to experience in THE DUEL (1971), it is that deep.  There are double crosses galore and everybody has deep characterization if you care to look for it. A look at life in China after the Qing Imperial government and before Communist Party rule, THE DUEL (1971) is a must have for everyone's library of Asian films.   

Chuen Yuen steals this scene but ONLY if you are paying attention to details

CAST REPORT

the “good”:  Ti Lung as Tang Ren Jie. David Chiang as Jian Nan, the Rambler. Chang Kang-Yeh as Xiao Mao. Ku Feng as Tang Jen Lin. Wang Ping as Hu Die.

the bad: Chuen Yuen as Gan Wei Bin. Hung Lau as Shiu Li. Wang Ching Ho as Jau Hai Shan. Lee Wan-Chung as Senator Fung.

HONORABLE MENTION: Chuen Yuen is absolutely repulsive as the big bad, excellent acting especially when you are not suppose to focused on him. 

FIGHT TIME: THE DUEL (1971) was choreographed by the fight team of Tang Chia and Yuen Cheung-Yan. Their design style could certainly be called “fast and furious” and it was again difficult for me to grab screen shots of action without any blur. They also like to keep multiple fights working simultaneously making for some very exciting scenes where you could get caught up in just trying to follow everything. I counted twelve (12) fight scenes making this one of the most fight filled movies to date. No wonder this one is a fan favorite!
HONORABLE MENTION: The all-star cast of henchmen used throughout the film. Including: Liu Chia-Yung, Yuen Woo Ping, Fung Hak-On, Cliff Lok, Wang Chung, Yuen Shun-Yi, Chen Kuan-Tai, Bruce Tong Yim-Chaan, and more!

RECOMMENDATION: Any Shaw Brothers, David Chiang and Ti Lung co-starring project needs no one's recommendation, especially mine. It is entertaining and collectible. It is automatically a must-see and a must-have. 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 EUNUCH (1971)

THE SINGING KILLER (1970) #057

THE SINGING KILLER (1970)

The Singing Killer (1970) released 12/22 is Shaw Brother's the last kung fu movie released in 1970. Sir Run Run Shaw produces Master Director Chang Cheh's heist / kung fu / modern music / romantic / young people's slice of life in Hong Kong / dramatic movie. This movie is definitely one for the time capsule with everything and the kitchen sink from the Shaw Brothers Studios packed inside it and it takes itself very seriously. The script is co-written by I Kuang and Chiu Kang-Chien, and the song lyrics are written by director Chang Cheh. Action direction is by the skillful team of Tang Chia and Liu Chia Liang so it is a legit kung fu movie. Let's get busy! 

Chen Sing the "Chinese Clark Gable"

Mr. Fung is a music promoter and the manager of the Dragon Palace Night Club. Mr. Fung is also an independent member of the criminal underworld in Hong Kong. Occasionally his legit world and his illegal underworld would cross paths but this time they will totally collide as his multi-million dollar jewelry heist of Tse's Jewelry Shop is missing one "key" element. That element is someone to crack open the safe in the manager's office. Namely Mr. Fung's heist requires the skills of the Singing Killer himself, the former criminal gang member known as "Johnny".   

David Chaing doing teen angst

Mr. Fung is keenly aware of Johnny's reluctance to return to a life of crime but he also knows Johnny's weakness --"Lily". Lily is the love of Johnny's life and his former gang member and girlfriend. They have long went their separate ways but Johnny would do anything to be reunited with Lily or at least, that's the plan...

Wang Ping as "Shiu Hsien"

CAST REPORT

the good: David Chiang as Johnny. Wang Ping as Shiu Hsien (Lily). Stanley Fung as Detective Wang.

the bad: Chen Sing as Manager Fung. Tina Chin Fei as Ho Man. Ku Feng as Brother One.

HONORABLE MENTION: Ti Lung, Dean Shek, and Wang Chung have very small roles. 

The Crew

FIGHT TIME: THE SINGING KILLER (1970) spared no effort by assigning the masterful team of Tang Chia and Liu Chia-Liang to do their fight choreography which consisted of street-fighting and some gun play. I counted six (6) fight scenes which is not very action-packed but with the drama and music necessary for the story any more action would have made for a much longer film which I can see them not wanting to risk on a multi-genre movie. Bottom line is you can't do too badly with these guys as your action directors, they do good as usual.

HONORABLE MENTION: And the Academy Award goes to...Chen Sing for pretending he can't fight! 

David Chiang versus Wang Chung

Let's dance!

RECOMMENDATION:

I'll have to recommend THE SINGING KILLER (1971) if for no other reason than the off-the-cuff kick-in-the-stomach realism it portrayed in depicting life on the run for young street people in Hong Kong. If you are not used to Hong Kong movie realism then you might be taken aback when one of the female characters has to "pay the rent" for the group. Unfortunately this does not come until the movie is two thirds over and so you might be bored by the goody-goody two step of the early part of the movie. Over-all this is a movie one should "have" rather than "not-have" but I will not call it a must-see movie. It is, however, a unique look at Hong Kong in the 1970's and as such as some collectible value. 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: KING EAGLE (1971)

TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969)

TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969)

Runme Shaw produces a good straight forward wuxia yarn with TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969), our first film of 1969. There are no problems whatsoever with director Doe Ching's  work and as a matter of fact his direction is very much above par. However, there is a flaw in the script from writer Chiu Kang-Chien. Lets take a look.

Our story begins with Chang Qi Liang also known as the TWIN SWORDS OF DOOM and Hero Lu Chun Yee also known as the Jade Unicorn on a field amongst a mountain range for a duel. The are both reading letters presumably written by each of them for the other and afterwards gentlemanly and honorably begin the duel. Chang Qi Liang defeats Hero Lu with his unique weapon but is immediately overcome with grief over his win and retires from the Jiang Hu and refuses to kill for three years. 

SPOILER ALERT: Now, if you have read my previous 30 reviews you know I like to write spoiler-free reviews, if I can do such a thing for such old movies but in this case there are two things that are NEVER revealed in this movie and I would rather mention them, than not, so it does not diminish one's enjoyment of this movie. One is: what was in the letter the heroes wrote to each other and the other is why Chang Qi Liang is devastated over his killing of Hero Lu. The additional factor of not speaking Mandarin Chinese means that something more could have been revealed that was not translated in the subtitles but there's nothing we can do about that as the movie is rare enough as it is, only available in VCD, if you can find it at all. So with a movie released in 1969 we just have to live with the fault in the movie and carry on. It happens sometimes. Aside from these two things the movie is very straight forward and I liked it very much as you will see. 

It is three years later and Chang Qi Liang is struggling and living with his parents taking on odd jobs to help make ends meet. It just so happens that the house where he and his parents live is part of the territory of The Ghost Gang. The Ghost Gang is a huge underworld criminal organization engaged in all kinds of criminal activity. The leader is called the Ghost King, and his lieutenants are known as The Five Great Killers, namely: Red Killer, Yellow Killer, Green Killer, White Killer and Black Killer. The Ghost Gang employs scores of down and out citizens across China in their operations and supply weapons and masks to their henchmen.

Qi Liang's latest odd job is as a paladin carrier. Unfortunately for Qi Liang, the passenger happens to be  the provincial governor of Han Dan whom the Ghost Gang has decided to rob and assassinate this rainy night. Unfortunately for the Ghost Gang, when they decide to kill all possible witnesses Qi Liang goes on automatic kill mode and wipes out the entire kill crew. Unfortunately for Qi Liang (okay, last one, I promise) the Yellow Killer is the cleaner for this job and sees his kill crew accomplish the job but get wiped out and so he tracks Qi Liang to his parent's house and kills both of his parents. 

The Yellow Killer's next move is an elaborate ambush on Qi Liang while Qi Liang is looking for his parent's killers and the Ghost King. The battle between them leaves Qi Liang wounded as well as poisoned. His weakened body is found by a troupe of martial arts performers and the girl who finds his body, Lu Yin-er, takes an immediate interest in him. Yin-er and her father treat Qi Liang for the poisoned wound and when he recovers they give him a ride to Qi Dou Town (He is still looking for the leader of the Ghost Gang) while they go on to Lu He Village to perform. 

Qi Liang runs into three Ghost Gang henchmen at a Qi Dou Town Inn he stops to rest and learns (after "smacking them around") that the Ghost King is headed to Lu He Village! Qi Liang races to Lu He Village but is too late to catch the Ghost King ram sacking the whole village. Lu Yin-er and the sole survivors of the martial troupe (her sister and father) tell Qi Liang of the plan they learn of the Ghost Gang's robbery intentions at Qi Dou Town (!) They decide to go together to Qi Dou Town and put an end to the Ghost Gang terror for once and for all. (Woooo ! What a story!!)

TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969) stars Ling Yun as the troubled and vengeful son Chang Qi Liang, he is a handsome actor and goes on to do many a great wuxia movies for Shaw Brothers. Ching Li plays Lu Yin-er, with her cute self and is so girly and adorable you can barely resist her. Her real life father, Cheng Miu, plays her father in this movie, if you noticed the resemblance and she becomes a major beauty in the Shaw Brothers stable of beautiful women. Chen Hung-Lieh plays Ma Lok and Yau Ching plays the mayor of Qi Dou Town's wife and their parts are probably better appreciated if you can speak Mandarin.

HONORABLE MENTION: Lam Kau as the Ghost King, Chieh Yuen as Yellow Killer, Cheng Lui as White Killer and Lau Gong as Black Killer

FIGHT TIME: TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969) has no action director in spite having seven (7) full fight scenes by my count for an action packed movie with some pleasant subplots that might even cause you a laugh or two. Everyone performed well so we have no "HONORABLE MENTION" for this review. 

I would not at all be surprised if TWIN BLADES OF DOOM (1969) was somehow an adaptation of some form of Chinese literature. The story seems very involved and cut short in some places giving an overall feeling of being scaled down. In spite of this, the movie as a whole still thoroughly entertains, even without a fight choreographer and I absolutely recommend it for all viewers and collectors alike! 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: KILLERS FIVE (1969)