Is there ever really a point in one’s life where they tire of watching martial arts films? I may be dating myself a bit here, but after nearly forty years as a film obsessive, my answer to this question is a solid no. Whether it be modern, classic, or international, the excitement of seeing the dazzling display of skills that many of these performers perfected over the course of their lives remains the same. Those Shaw Brothers films were the basis for so many people to grow obsessive, and I have yet another review forthcoming for the classic Disciples of Shaolin (1975). This film is far darker than previous films I’ve reviewed.
Kuan Fung Yi (Alexander Fu Sheng) is offered a job working in a textile factory and quickly finds himself caught in the middle of a bitter rivalry when the Manchu clan shows up. They run a mill in the next town over and aren’t interested in letting his mill grow and develop. The rivalry soon turns bloody when they collide, leaving Kuan Fung Yi no choice but to use his fists and feet, revealing him to be a Disciple of Shaolin.
Director Chang Cheh is arguably one of the most prolific martial arts filmmakers in history. With nearly a hundred films on his résumé, fifty-five of those were released from 1970 to 1979. He was responsible for many classic films in the genre, including Crippled Avengers (1978), The Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1981), and Five Deadly Venoms (1978). With Disciples of Shaolin (aka Hong quan xiao zi), he delivers a compelling and, dare I say, thought-provoking action film, memorable for a couple of reasons.
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The main and most dominant reason is courtesy of the film’s star, Alexander Fu Sheng. Sheng was a Shaw Brothers staple who would always deliver strong, intense performances. He’s no different here, and he’s certainly the film’s driving force. Also of note is the abundance of exciting fight scenes. Each one is distinct, showcasing various styles, but there’s something that jumped out at me right away.
It was no secret that Quentin Tarantino drew inspiration for Kill Bill (2003) from the Shaw Brothers’ catalog, so when a couple of the fights go black and white, I was immediately reminded of this fact. At times, the film comes off as being pretty goofy, especially during the first couple of acts, but it eventually drifts into a somewhat dark and unexpected place, which I found to really add something extra to it.
88 Films (distributed through MVD Visual) have once again loaded this package with more goodies than we deserve. The package comes with a slipcase with brand-new artwork, a 38-page booklet that includes an essay and Jamie Luk interview conducted by Matthew Edwards, a look back on the film and Alexander Fu Sheng article written by Andrew Graves, and ‘Finding Fu Sheng’, by Karl Newton. The package also features a reversible sleeve, a double-sided foldout poster, an HD remaster from the original 35mm negatives, a commentary track, and more. Certainly not to be dismissed as a throwaway film, Disciples of Shaolin is a wonderful addition to the growing collection.
