Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Bloody Fists (1972, HK)

Starring: Chen Sing, Chen Kuan Tai. Directed by: Ng See-Yuen

This is a very good old-school kung fu movie and one that features the Yuen brothers (Yuen Woo-Ping, Yuen Cheung-Yan) as action directors.

In "The Bloody Fists", a group of Japanese karate experts led by the long-haired, masked fighter Okagawa Takeo (Chen Kuan Tai) has been dispatched by the Emperor before or during (presumably) World War II to secure the world's only supply of the Dragon Herb, which is a powerful drug that can cure many ailments. The only place in the world where this herb grows is in a village in China and the Japanese must take it over and terrorize the villagers into submission.

Chen Sing plays Jang Wu-dip, an infamous outlaw and kung fu expert who is on the run and happens to hide out in this village after nearly wiping out a whole police squad single-handedly. After the local kung fu fighters have all been defeated or killed, it's up to Jang to take on the Japanese and keep the Dragon Herb out of their hands. But can he accomplish the task?

Also in this film is Henry Yu Yung, who does a very good job as Yu Yang, one of the village's Dragon Herb farmers/kung fu fighter, and Suen Lam as the Chinese Quisling Chen San who assists the Japanese in their mission. He is a truly despicable, nasty character who willingly hands over his own family and fellow villagers to the Japanese and even laughs as his own sister is brutalized by one of the Japanese thugs! Hon Kwok-Choi, who also appeared with Chen Sing in "Kung Fu: The Invicible Fist" the same year, does a great job as Ya Ba the mute villager, and Yuen Woo-Ping and his other brother Yuen Shun-Yi both have cameos. Woo-ping plays Chen San's brother who is handed over by Chen San and Shun-yi is an extra in this movie.

The only big flaw in this movie was the soundtrack. The original version uses "Nadia's Theme" (also the theme of the US soap opera "Young and the Restless") throughout the movie, as well as a few seconds of the Black Sabbath song "The Wizard". However, in the 2006 Warner Bros. DVD release, the whole soundtrack had to be replaced due to US copyright laws and the soundtrack used was a cheezy synth and breakbeat score that sounds much like the ones used by Dimension in their HK movie releases of some 10 years ago. There are many who will no doubt find either score to be distracting. Also, why did all the Japanese wear flannel pants in this movie???

All in all this is a great film from Ng See Yuen that is a must-see if you are a fan of old-school kung fu!

Also known as: Dang kou tan (original Mandarin title-HK), Dong kau taan (original Cantonese title-HK), Deadly Buddhist Raiders (original US title), Durs combats de karaté (France), Zakato - Die Faust des Todes (West Germany), The Bloody Fist (unknown English title #1), Death Beach (unknown English title #2)

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