Aka - King of Kings of Swords

Joseph Kuo was still in his wuxia phase when he directed this in 1969 (1970 according to HKMDB). Kung fu films had not yet taken over the martial arts landscape as it was to in a few years when Kuo followed suit.  This is a fine example of wuxia with lengthy and numerous sword duels, some fine trampoline and wire work and a decent if standard revenge plot of kill the man who killed my father. The intriguing aspect of this is that there is no real villain except perhaps the ones seeking revenge and that seems to be the theme of the film. Revenge in the end will destroy you. Most of these revenge films end on a note of satisfaction when the villain is killed and everybody goes home happy. Not really the case here. Kuo has a good budget to work with and uses it for some large fighting scenes and an opening scene that has a grand feel to it with many extras all costumed up.


It is that time of year when the King has to choose the head of his escorts. This is done tournament style with a series of sword duels but for the most part the life of the defeated man is spared. Shih is declared the victor as his wife and two children look on. It may seem an odd event to bring your tiny children to as people are sometimes killed. And there is not even any popcorn. But then a man comes riding in demanding to challenge Shih. Shih agrees and is killed by this man whose straw hat has covered his face the entire time. He is called Thunder Sword and after being declared the winner declines and rides away. Of course, the boy and girl swear vengeance even though the father's last words are that it was a fair fight. They are separated and brought up in different monasteries.


Jump ahead twenty years and Ku Chung (Peter Yang-kwan - who had a career of five decades) is now a man in a hurry. To kill. Pretty much anyone who he thinks is Thunder Sword. Usually, their dying words are "I am not Thunder Sword". Oops. Wrong again. Mistakes happen. The duels are all fine with the flashing and clashing of swords until Ku Chung delivers the death blow. You get a bit of a reputation when you keep killing the wrong person and when he goes to get his sword sharpened by The Devil Blacksmith (Ma Chi), Master Shih tries to guide him to a better place.


For a guy with that nickname, he is actually a man of peace. Into this comes a master martial artist who is clearly a woman under her male attire. There is one of those classic inn scenes so indebted to King Hu that displays her skills. Unless you are a dope, you know this has to be his sister played by Chang Ching-ching (One-Armed Swordswoman). She too is hunting for the killer of her father. Very traditional without any weird weapons or strange opponents - just sword fights to the death.

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