Shaolin & Wu Tang
Director: Liu Chia-hui
Year: 1983
Rating: 7.5
Aka
- Shaolin vs Wu Tang
This 1983 martial arts film isn't from the
Shaw Brothers but it certainly feels like it is with a plethora of Shaw actors
and Lau Kar-leung overlooking the project as Executive Producer. It very
much has his fingerprints over it. He puts his student Gordon Liu Chia-hui
at the helm and then choreographs the action. The film carries his philosophy
as well - his belief that martial arts should not be used for violence but
as a tool for learning and self-discipline. Not that this doesn't have a
fair amount of intricate complex martial arts as is his trademark - but the
ending will likely disappoint many when the big bloody fight does not materialize.
Instead, there is an understanding of the true meaning of martial arts. Interesting,
though admittedly I was looking for a huge kill count.
It begins with one of those preludes during
the opening credits that are beautiful to watch - a demonstration of martial
arts forms and athleticism - but that has nothing to do with the film that
follows. There is an enmity between the heads of two martial arts schools
- Shaolin and Wu Tang - each with their own secret moves - Wu Tang owning
the 8-Divine Sword combination and Shaolin having the Chin Kang Fist. Both
deadly. What the two masters don't realize is that their two prize students,
Chun Kit (Gordon) of the Shaolin and Chao (Adam Cheng) of the Wu Tang's are
good friends - even spending evenings in the company of women at a place
of entertainment. And Chun's sister Yan Ling (Ida Chan) is in love with Chao.
But there is a snake in the grass - a Manchu
Prince (Johnny Wang) wants to learn both the 8-Divine Sword and the Chin
Kang Fist and puts a devious plan together. He sets up Chao to be put in
a prison - in a cell with many insane ladies - one being Yue Lam (Ching Li)
who helps Chao when she can. Chun Kit and his sister break his friend out
of prison - but that is all part of the plan. Poor Gordon has to go to the
Shaolin Temple for more training and torture while Adam goes to his Wu Tang
Temple for more training. The Prince demands that the Shaolin fight the Wu
Tang so that he can see which technique is better - and sure enough Shaolin
Temple chooses Chun Kit and Wu Tang picks Chao. When they realize who their
opponent is, they smile - and that was the message of the film. They are
brothers by martial arts.
Some other Shaw faces in this - Ching Miao,
Chan Shen and Lee Hoi-sang. There is only one large scale fight that is nicely
done but quite a few smaller ones that are well choreographed with great
timing. I don't know why this was filmed outside of the Shaw Brothers since
Leung and Gordon and the other Shaw actors were still doing work for the
studio. Adam Cheng though had never been strongly associated with Shaw (Cat
vs Rat the year before for Leung) and his classic The Sword directed by Patrick
Tam was considered an important film in the New Wave. In this same year he
was in Zu: The Warriors from the Magic Mountain. Ching Li - daughter of Ching
Miao btw - was at the end of her successful career at Shaw and this was to
be her last film.
