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February 15, 2022

Legendary Weapons of China

Shi ba ban wu yi / Sap bat bun mo ngai
Lau Kar-leung - 1982
88 Films BD Regions A/B

First, an editorial decision - while the film is credited to director's Mandarin name of Liu Chia-liang, I will be referring to him with the better known Cantonese name. Also, the actors will be referred to by the names more familiar to western viewers.

David West, author of a book on martial arts films, offers the best key in understanding Legendary Weapons in his brief video supplement. The film was produced at a time just before Shaw Brothers Studios was not only rampling down production of martial arts films but also tapering off theatrical film production in general. Lau Kar-leung made a film that could be read simultaneously as a historical commentary on how martial arts and nationalism were no match for European guns during the Boxer Rebellion, and also a deconstruction and satire of a genre that Lau played a major role in creating.

The rambling plot is about a trio of martial arts disciples who seek out a kung fu master accused of being a traitor for disbanding his group of spiritual boxers. There is no straight line, but rather a series of diversions and detours leading up the final showdown of brother against brother. Parts of the film serve as showcases for the talents of Gordon Liu, Kara Wai, Hsiao Ho and especially Alexander Fu Sheng. Lau stars as the reclusive martial arts master with his real life brother, Lau Kar-wing, as brother and nemesis. Alexander Fu Sheng gets to play against his more typical screen heroism as a street performer and conman who gets into a sword fight that included him spilling his obviously fake intestines, stopping to stuff them back in his stomach before resuming his battle.

Lau opens the film with his stars and stunt crew performing on an empty black stage. The demonstrations of various weapons and the fight choreography are filmed with shots held long enough to see various complex movements all done without the benefit of editing. As in the fight scenes within the main narrative, the shots here are primarily full or medium shots, somewhat analogous to how Fred Astaire would have his dance scenes filmed. Compare this to traditional Hollywood films where sword fighting was often broken down to three strokes per shot, or the more contemporary films with action filmed and edited in a series of very brief shots. Lau was 47 years old when he directed and starred in this film, with his brother ten years younger. The final fight scene with the two using the various legendary weapons is impressive not because of the weaponry but the sheer physicality of the two brothers.

Aside from David West's supplement, this new blu-ray comes with three commentary tracks, plus two additional videos by French videographer/interviewer Frederic Ambroisine. I listened to two of the commentaries. The first, from Mike Leeder and Arne Venema is a casual conversation that covers the careers of the director, and some members of the cast and crew. One of the more interesting points brought up was that the Shaw Brothers films of the time were all post-dubbed into both Mandarin and Cantonese versions, and that even the Hong Kong based actors did not always use their own voices in the films. The blu-ray comes with English and Cantonese language tracks. Leeder and Venema mention their disbelief that Kara Wai would pass as a young man as she does in most of the film. My own view is that Wai's role is part of a tradition that includes the various versions of Mulan and Chinese opera stories like The Love Eterne with women disguised as men, where what the audience sees is secondary to the viewpoint of the characters. Frank Djeng does double duty with two commentaries. One is with martial artist and actor Michael Worth. I listened to the second with Djeng providing more cultural context to the story as well as the history of the Shaw Brothers.

Fred Ambroisine's 2004 interview with Associate Producer Titus Ho is enlightening regarding the production methods at the Shaw Brothers Studios during their peak. While Mona Fong was the one getting the main credit, there would be six producers who would be directly responsible for a slate of about forty films per year. Also shooting schedules could run as long as three or four months. Also from 2004 is Ambroisine's interview with Gordon Liu. Usually an intimidating presence on screen. Liu, speaking about his career comes across as warm, even cuddly. A personal admission here - I do not know if it made the final cut, but I have corresponded with Ambroisine since meeting him at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy in 2014, and participated in a video greeting to Liu.

The blu-ray is sources from a high definition remaster from the original 35mm negative, with new English subtitles. The first pressing also include booklet notes by Andrew Graves plus a full-sized poster.

Posted by Peter Nellhaus at February 15, 2022 05:46 AM