The Prodigal Son (Bai ga jai, 1981)

Next up here on the blog is a classic from the Golden Harvest studio, "The Prodigal Son"!! This film features Seven Little Fortunes member Yuen Biao in the lead role, one of his earliest apart from his 'brothers' of the Peking Opera School, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo(who also stars and directs the picture.)The film also features Lam Chang Ying, Frankie Chan, Wei Pak & Dick Wei.

The film opens up in 19th Century Foshan following Leung Chang(Biao), the son of a wealthy merchant and a kung-fu fanatic. His father arranges to have him trained by two instructors, and as a result Chang has had 300 fights. The problem is, his dad doesn't want to see him hurt, so he pays Chang's instructors to purposely lose and has his servant Yee Tong Choi(Chan Lung)bribe all of Chang's foes to lose. Everyone in Foshan knows this EXCEPT Chang, calling him 'The Prodigal Son' in mockery.

One evening, three of Chang's friends take in an evening seeing a performance by the Lok Fung Lin Opera Troupe. One of them becomes smitten with the actress and goes backstage afterwards to make his move. She refuses, and has to fight off his harassment and then his forceful advances. Basically by beating his ass. She then reveals herself to be a man by the name of Leung Yee Tai(Ying). Chang hears this, and goes to challenge Yee Tai, who thoroughly whips him and then reveals to Chang that everyone loses to him on purpose. Shamed, Chang challenges his two instructors who beat him knowing they'll be fired. Only Choi is there to comfort him. Chang then takes it upon himself to convince Yee Tai to be his master, even having his father buy the opera troupe so he can work there.

Six months go by with a few funny encounters along the way, and Chang becomes a part of the troupe. One night, Yee Tai's co-star winds up having to flee after committing adultery. Chang steps into his role and is confronted by the angry mob and has to fight them off with Yee Tai's help. Watching all of this is Lord Ngai Fai(Chan), the son of a Manchu duke and also a rabid martial artist. He sees Yee Tai's skills and invites him to dinner as a pretext to challenging him to a duel, viewing him as a worthy opponent. They fight, but Yee Tai is stricken by a severe asthma attack. Ngai puts off the fight until Tai recovers. But his handlers, on orders from Hgai's father, set out to kill both Tai and Chang. See, Ngai is also a 'prodigal son' due to his father not wanting to see him hurt, but his solution is extreme. Both flee into the country to the home of Wong Wah-Bo(Hung). There, Chang learns Wing Chun from both Tai and Wong, in anticipation for the showdown against Ngai.

"The Prodigal Son" is a smart, snappy kung-fu comedy that really shows off Yuen Biao's exemplary acrobatic skills. Seeing him evolve and become better throughout is what makes the film so vivid. There's also enough bloody, bone breaking action in here to satisfy that crowd who seeks it, best seen in the final fight between Chang and Ngai. You're gonna find yourself flinch once or twice, trust. Sammo Hung also shines here, thrilling you with his flips and making you laugh with a training scene I can only describe as, 'hygenic'. As for Lam Ching Ying, "The Prodigal Son" was another high point for him. He had started his film career in Hong Kong as a stuntman for Shaw Studios, and wound up challenging Bruce Lee upon meeting him in his hotel room, not believing Lee was as tough as they said. Reportedly Lee sent him flying with a punch, but liked Lam enough to make him an action director and also star in The Big Boss. For this film, he was also action director and won the Best Action Direction award that year. To this day it's still regarded as the most true-to-form portrayal of Wing Chun on film. If you want rollicking comedy with enough kick to keep you in your seats, go check out 'The Prodigal Son' when possible.

The Kid With The Golden Arm (Gam Bei Tung, 1979)

For this post, we are going with another all-time, yes ALL-TIME favorite kung-fu film from the Shaw Brothers, 'The Kid With The Golden Arm'! This film features the legendary group of actors known as the 'Five Deadly Venoms' (Kuo Chui, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Lo Mang, Sun Chien & 'sixth' Venom Wei Pei) from their rise to fame in the movie of the same name. (There will be another post on that flick & the history of The Venoms to come, I got you covered.) This Chang Cheh-directed film stands out because the villain gets top billing, but there is of course, so much more.

The story is, there is an area stricken by famine. The government directs a large shipment of gold to be delivered there and escorted by Yang Yu Heng(Chien) and his group. Joining in this effort are renowned swordsman Li Chin Ming(Pai), his girlfriend Miss Leng(Pai Pin-Chang), the darkly comedic fighting duo of Long Axe & Short Axe(Sheng and Sun Shu-Pei) and Sheriff Hai To(Chui) who hasn't seen a wine jug he didn't like. They all have a tough adversary in the Chi Sah Gang of the Deadly Valley, led by Golden Arm (Meng), Silver Spear(Feng), Iron Robe(Wang Lung Wei) and Brass Head(Yang Hsuing). As they confront the Chi Sah gang, there are a slew of bloody conflicts, twists and turns that have everyone on edge within Heng's group. Who is loyal? Can Hai To be trusted? How does the Chi Sah gang stay one step ahead? Can Heng and the rest defeat the Chi Sah gang and deliver the gold?

'The Kid With The Golden Arm' is undoubtedly in the top tier of Chang Cheh's films for Shaw. Clocking in at a shade under 90 minutes, it's fast-paced action served up in a 'whodunit'plot format. Lo Meng plays Golden Arm in magnetic form. When he addresses opponents, the restrained sneer is withering. Kuo Chui's Hai To character is the best out of them all, mainly because it utilizes Chui's knack for both his comedic acting talents and his phenomenal acrobatic fighting skills seen at great length here. Chien doesn't get a lot of burn until later on in the film, but when he does it's noticeable and a distraction from his wooden delivery of dialogue. Wei Pai's swordsman character is bullheaded, arrogant and almost brings you to the point where you want him to catch a bad one. Lu Feng and Chiang Sheng get to show off their amazing skills. This film is a gold standard for fight scenes, and has enough bloody instances to get you riled up.

Sure, there's a couple of things even someone who's watched this film a hundred times would notice. Iron Robe makes a well known film effect goof with the flare. And as much as Brass Head figured into the credits, homeboy got the early bird exit special. You also have to ask yourself how they made suede leather vests back in the warring period of China. In addition, the last scene of Golden Arm may be over the top for some out there. That said, 'The Kid With The Golden Arm' has subtle jabs in it. For one, Cheh seems to have listened to his critics about female characters being slighted. So Miss Leng, while still a foil for the plot developments between Li Chin Ming and Hai To, still plays a role in the penultimate scene. Also, Wei Pai's ire wasn't totally an act; rumor has it that he didn't get along with his Venom mates too tough. Cheh also seems to mock the role of the noble swordsman with his character. But make no mistake, 'The Kid with The Golden Arm' is a film with lasting impact. Of course you know it had an effect on the Wu-Tang Clan, with one of its members taking the name for himself. DJ Steve Aoki, son of the iconic Benihana founder has been referred to as the movie title here and there. And of course, Quentin Tarantino...take a look at the set piece scene with Hai To in the tavern and note how it bears a bit of resemblance to the setting for the fight scene with Gogo in 'Kill Bill Vol.1'. If you haven't seen this movie, STOP SLEEPING and see it. If you have, you know you can't go wrong watching it again.

The Big Boss (Táng Shān Dà Xiōng, 1971)

Next up here is the film that made the late Bruce Lee a smash motion picture icon in Asia, 'The Big Boss'! For a good deal of martial arts movie fans, this flick was their first exposure to the genre as well as another look at Asian cinema. I remember sitting in my living room afterschool watching a VHS copy, the CBS-Fox version. (More on that later.)It was a box-office triumph for Lee and Golden Harvest, becoming the biggest grossing movie in Hong Kong ever at that time until Fists of Fury a mere year later. The film also stars James Tien and Maria Yi along with Nora Miao & was directed by Lo Wei. There's a lot associated with this film and Lee itself which I'll get to...

The movie opens up with Cheng Chao An(Lee) and his uncle arriving at a town in Thailand from China so that Cheng can find work with his cousins in an ice factory. After a meal at a roadside noodle cart they meet up with Hsu Chien (Tien) who beats up some thugs harassing the noodle seller (Miao) and his little cousin selling rice cakes. Cheng promised his mother that he wouldn't fight, but soon finds himself in a battle between the workers at the ice factory and management. Things get even worse when two of his cousins disappear after making a discovery during a minor accident. Then Hsu Chien disappears, Cheng becomes the new foreman and more conflict ensues until a final showdown with The Big Boss, Hsiao Mi.

'The Big Boss' is a damn good film. It is a testament to Bruce Lee's magnetism because this picture originally was written up for James Tien. When Lee turned down a low-ball contract offer from the Shaw Studios, Golden Harvest(founded by former Shaw execs Raymond Chow & Leonard Ho)stepped forth with a two-picture deal. It's been said that Tien harbored a bit of resentment at the situation. There's a good flow here. The plot is straightforward and lends itself to some real rambunctious fight scenes. Which leads me into my next point, which is the sheer force of these scenes. Part of the appeal of 'The Big Boss' was that it emphasized and utilized kung fu on a hand-to-hand basis in a new way on film. Most audiences in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia were used to martial arts films as a mixture of weapons plus hand-to-hand style. They hadn't been thrilled like this since seeing films of the legendary Kwan Tak Hing as the hero Wong Fei-Hung. This film though was somewhat different because of the violence of the scenes and it impacted how 'The Big Boss' was first seen depending where you were. There were three cuts of the film due in part to a violence crackdown by Hong Kong film censors, the original Mandarin cut, the English dubbed prints for international release, and the Cantonese cut. Grisly scenes were cut out, such as someone's torso being cut in half by a saw, and of course the infamous moment where Cheng cuts someone to the fat meat with a handsaw. Also note the final fight with Boss Mi, and Bruce's coup de grace, full of dripping blood.

The differences in film prints also wreaked havoc with the music. The Cantonese print features a lot of stock music and unlicensed music from none other than Pink Floyd along with cues from Jospeh Koo, the studio's music director. You even have a track from King Crimson in there as well. It wasn't until 2005 that Peter Thomas was found to have done the tunes for the international print. He was brought in to do so along with the re-dubbing of new English voices.(If you check out the Media Asia release, you'll see the distinct change when Cheng is sitting by the riverside before the last battle.) The Mandarin version features the music done by Wang Fu Ling, and is similar to some sounds from Shaw films.

I can't end this without taking note of some of the wild stuff in the film we've all cracked up at. How many times have you yelled, 'Hsu Chiennnnnnnn!!!'? Also, as foul as it is, you KNOW you laughed when the little man got snuffed for the rice cakes. Also, when Cheng has dinner with the foreman? You see that they're drinking Hennessy straight with no chaser. And when he gets down with Miss Wu Man in the brothel only to bump into Chiao Mei WHO DOES HOOKER'S LAUNDRY outside?!! Man...and the fight scenes are tinged with comedy too. (Side note - the woman that played Wu Man, Malalene? It was her first ever movie. She went on to do three more films in Thailand, all 'adult' ones. Ahem.)'The Big Boss' is one of movies I'll watch anytime, and I have. And I'm sure some of you out there will be doing the same.

Snake In The Eagle's Shadow (Se Ying Diu Dau, 1978)

Right now, we're going to talk about the great Jackie Chan in one of the films that made him a box office star on the rise, 'Snake In The Eagle's Shadow'. The film also stars Hwang Jang Lee and Yuen Siu Tien, beloved worldwide as the original 'Ol'Dirty Bastard' or Sam Seed. This is also the first picture ever directed by Tien's own son. His name? Yuen Woo Ping. Thought that might ring a bell for you.

The film opens with a standoff on a lonely hill. Shang Kuang Yin(Lee) has tracked down another member of the rival Snake Fist clan, who he has sworn to eradicate as the master of the Eagle Claw. He dispatches him in short order, but not before finding out there are a few others left, especially Pai Chang Tin. We then find ourselves at a kung fu school watching orphan Chien Fu(Chan)being picked on by the teachers and students. He's basically a walking punching bag. Enter Pai Chang Tin(Tien), a beggar looking for a place to stay. He and Chien Fu become friends, and Chien hides him in the school. When the old man sees him being bullied, he teaches the orphan the Snake style footwork to help him avoid attacks. Chien Fu defends himself, but is hurt again. He finds Pai, now in another hiding spot and asks for help. The old beggar agrees, so long as Chien doesn't call him sifuor 'master'. A attack by the Mantis school on Chien Fu's school leads to a brawl, and Chien Fu defeats the Mantis master. But in the process, Shang Kuang Yin observes and sees something familiar which leads to a final showdown...

'Snake In The Eagle's Shadow' is a MUST-SEE film for any martial arts film afficionado. We get to see Jackie Chan at the beginning of his stardom in a vehicle that firmly placed him there. Prior to this, Chan was under contract with famous director Lo Wei, who was trying to make him the next Bruce Lee. (An example of this was New Fists of Fury.Heh.)Producer Ng See Yuen saw Chan's potential when he cast him in Drunken Master, which proved to be a smash hit. 'Snake In the Eagle's Shadow' has some terrific action scenes all around. A lil bit of trivia for the gamers out there: the training scenes from this flick got recreated for supercop Lei Wulong's ending movie scenes in 'Tekken 3'. Chan's final fight with Hwang Jang Lee is nothing short of thrilling. It even cost Jackie a tooth; see if you can spot the gap in his teeth in the final fight. Yuen Siu Tien is excellent as the old beggar, with a few classic comedic lines here and there. You've even got a missionary in the picture with a, 'suspect' sword. You'll see what I'm talking about. Hwang Jang Lee plays the baddie role well, right down to the silk Hammer pants. Put 'Snake In The Eagle's Shadow' on your viewing queue as soon as possible.

Station identification #1

What's happening? This is just a little quickie post to say two things. First, I've been getting great feedback on Hai! Karate from different folks and I'm glad that people are digging this blog. I'm going to make a concerted effort to keep it going for you. Thanks so much! And second, I'm getting set to also include some movies some of you may NEVER have seen or heard of. Which is totally okay 'cause I think you should see them if possible and because they're that dope. Expect some ninja flicks, some samurai gangster flicks...we're just getting started!! As an example, the still above is my man Ken Takakura from 'The Yakuza' in 1974. So, stay tuned!

The Angry Guest (Nyn Haak, 1972)

Okay folks, the next flick up for review here on Hai!Karate is 'The Angry Guest', featuring the star tandem of Ti Lung and David Chiang reprising their roles in the sequel to 'Duel of Fists'. Call it bowing to the success at the Hong Kong box office, or the Shaw Studios' penchant for churning out movies at a high rate in a year, but it's remarkable that they had these two films released so close together.

'The Angry Guest' gives you a quick recap of the first film in the opening credit montage. Fan Ke(Chiang) and Wen Lieh (Lung), having reunited, are back in Hong Kong with Fan Ke back at his construction site and Wen Lieh teaching at the school. Qianreng, or the big boss Giant who was vanquished at the end of 'Duel Of Fists', is in a Thai prison but escapes. He does so and is informed that HIS boss in Tokyo wants the brothers to join his organization and that they're going to kidnap Wen Lien's girlfriend(Ching Li) to force their hand. Qianreng seeks his own revenge, and the brothers soon find themselves caught up in drama that takes them from Hong Kong to Tokyo and back again until the final showdown.

Chang Cheh this time around basically makes this a film that delivers on action and more action. But he does so with a plot that almost goes all over the place and stays there. Don't be surprised if you find yourself lost watching this. You also have to suspend some belief watching this; I still don't understand how a man with a ginormous steel cane is popping in and murking folks and GETTING AWAY clean like he was Jesse Owens. Plus, Chang Cheh himself fills in as the big baddie in Tokyo. Right down to the rotting teeth in his mug. Seriously, you'll see that mess for yourself. That said, there's a lot to enjoy in 'The Angry Guest'. Ti Lung and David Chiang are at their charismatic & ass- kicking high here. This film also marks the first time Japanese martial artist star Yakasaki Kurata would work with the Shaw Brothers, here playing a conniving villain. You also get to see Bolo Yeung in a prominent role here, still swole up but with a low cut. As usual with a Chang Cheh picture, romance isn't a factor so Ching Li and Fong Yan-Ji who plays Akiko, the Japanese judo fighter and love interest(sort of) of Fan Ke don't factor too much except for an unfortunate scene near the end of the flick. All in all, 'The Angry Guest' is a brisk sequel, one that fits in with its predecessor even if it takes time to follow along.

The Drug Connection (Du Hou Mi Shi, 1976)

Next flick up for grabs here at Hai!Karate is a little number known as 'The Drug Connection' from the Shaw Brothers Studio. Funny thing is, you won't see it marketed under that name. Instead, you will note that the poster above calls it 'The Sexy Killer.' Why? For a couple of reasons, which I'll break down real quick. 'The Drug Connection' stars actress Cheng Ping, whose career was exemplified by playing roles of tough and attractive women who didn't mind baring flesh here and there, sometimes in 'sexploitation'roles.

Cheng Ping plays Wan Fei, a nurse who finds out that her sister has been seduced into crippling heroin addiction and thusly, the world of sex trafficking. She desperately wants revenge, against the advice of her policeman friend(Yueh Wah) so she decides to get justice her own way in vicious, bloody style by posing as a high-end escort in order to infiltrate the mob in Hong Kong. If all of this sounds really familiar, it should: this is, in effect a wholesale remake of the smash hit 'Coffy' with Pam Grier done three years earlier.

The thing is, 'The Drug Connection', takes a good deal from 'Coffy', but there are distinct differences between the two films in delivery. Like the movie title disparity for example. Shaw knew that they needed audiences for this picture, and that sex sells. So they let 'The Sexy Killer' title stick to this movie as a reference point. Also, this film has a LOT more in the way of action, and of course, nudity and soft-core sex which was the studio's other profit-generating genre of film at that time. Just peep the opening scenes where Wan Fei's sister gets turned out. When I first saw it, I thought it was gonna be straight sleaze out of the gate. Cheng isn't Pam Grier, no, but she's got enough sex appeal and enough of a mean streak for this role. Possibly more. But her acting is nowhere near Pam's here. Also, being a 'Coffy' remake, 'The Drug Connection' does suffer from director Su Cheng's wild angles, as if he was on a bristol cream bender with the cinematographer in the editing room. It is an unabashed exploitation flick with a good dose of kung fu all around, especially with the big boss and an S&M episode that is going to make you rub your eyes. 'The Drug Connection' is a bowl of sex, up and down acting, outlandish scenes and bloodshed with an anti-drug message. I think. And a nutty credit scene!!