88 Films have not limited themselves to the works of only 1 or 2 directors when it comes to their Asian Collection, films featuring the classic martial arts films from the Shaw Brothers Studios. The amount of films that came from that studio could not have been carried by 1 or 2. This time around they give us the work of director Mar Lo aka John Law whose output might not have equaled some of his contemporaries but whose work remains solid.
MONKEY KUNG FU (also known as STROKE OF DEATH) opens with small time crook Ching (Siu-Tung Ching) arrested and tossed into prison. Ching is young and cocky and thinks of himself as the toughest guy in prison due to his martial arts skills. The problem is they are nothing compared to those of an elderly one eyed fellow prisoner Ma Siu Tien who teaches him better. The two become friends and just before he is about to be executed, the man gives a medallion to Ching telling him to find the man with the other half.
Working on a chain gang and connected to fellow prisoner Zhou (Hau Chiu-Sing) circumstances provide them with a chance to escape. They do so only to be followed by the members of an evil clan determined to recover the medallion that Ching possesses. Ching and Zhou escape, find a way to break their chains and go their separate ways. When the clan members return the pair are reunited and fight their way out. After doing so Zhou reveals that he has the other half of the medallion. Joined together they discover it provides the location of a manuscript that will teach them the Gibbon Style technique, sought after by the evil clan. The two men train and an eventual showdown with the evil clan is inevitable.
So many others have noted that the plot of this film is thinner than most. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t jam packed with plenty of action. In addition to that the film has numerous comedic moments as well, most popular among fans the sequence where Ching is beaten up by a bevy of beauties in a brothel after he fails to have the funds he owes there.
Nearly every review I’ve seen of this film references Jackie Chan and his early comedic martial arts films while talking about this film. Perhaps I’ve not seen enough of those to feel the same. I found this film to be its own entity, its own film without that connection. Siu-Tung Ching does a great job in the role of a young man who thinks he knows it all only to learn better. And Hau Chiu-Sing complements him as the more serious character. Together they work amazingly well.
While the plot might be thing the action sequences here are fantastic. They fill up much of the screen time and do so with acrobatic ease in all of the performers as well as fight sequences that are dazzling. Even the sequence in the brothel displays skills one would not associate with that location.
88 Films once again provides plenty of extras alongside the release in beautiful HD remaster from the original 35mm negative. These include a slipcase with brand new artwork by R.P. “Kung Fu Bob” O’Brien, booklet notes by Andrew Graves, a double sided foldout poster, an audio commentary track by Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast On Fire Network, “Stunting Around” an interview with choreographer Tony Leung Siu-hung, the original trailer and a reversible sleeve with brand new artwork by R.P. “Kung Fu Bob” O’Brien and the original Hong Kong poster artwork.
88 Films is giving Arrow a run for
their money when it comes to releasing these classic Chinese martial arts
films. As good as they are let’s hope they continue doing so.
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