Cinema of Excess: Chang Cheh & His Films Part 7

OF SWORDS & GUNS IN WUXIA & THE EARLY REPUBLIC CHAPTER 3

The early 1970s, particularly 1971 and 1972, were incredibly busy for Hong Kong's biggest and bloodiest filmmaker. Having already deviated from the norm with a few experimental movies that yielded success and modest failure, Chang Cheh was back on track with a succession of big ticket bonanzas that would put him in good stead with audiences (and his employer) for several more years.

The staggering amount of movies Cheh would be working on would bewilder and befuddle the average film director. There was no one quite like Chang Cheh working in cinema at the time, and there hasn't been anyone like him since.

To have juggled as many movies of various sizes as he did between '71 and '72--not to mention doing preparatory work for soon to be mounted productions--it's nigh unbelievable that the man managed to wrangle the level of quality that he did.

Both David Chiang (then dubbed the Asian Movie King) and Ti Lung were the two powerhouse box office draws in Asia at the time. Ti Lung was the more muscular of the two with David Chiang being the wiry brains behind Ti's brawn. David's personality and his charisma clicked with Asian audiences and he often surpassed Ti Lung in popularity and in ticket sales.

Still, during the early 70s, both men worked best when they were together and their ever growing fanbase reflected that.

Ti Lung's first two solo outings, DEAD END (1969) and KING EAGLE (1971) failed to garner much notice regardless of the fact that the former was an unusual avant garde tragedy, and both featured Baby Queen Li Ching in co-starring roles.

Yet again, despite David Chiang receiving much critical drubbing for being too short, too thin and disorganized, he was still the strongest link in the Iron Triangle and the most popular of the two with fans.

But it must have been a bit disheartening to Ti Lung that his second solo feature, KING EAGLE, financially kowtowed to the film that debuted theatrically the following month in February--THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (1971); that film more than doubling the take of KING EAGLE, and featuring Ti Lung as a co-star, but in a lesser role compared with the main lead undertaken by David Chiang.

Director Chang's third film about a unilaterally challenged warrior of virtue seemed to have been born to spite the then offscreen problems the bad boy of kung fu, Jimmy Wang Yu was causing Run Run Shaw.

Desiring to do things his way without any restrictions, the trouble-making star brazenly broke his contract with Shaw Studio in March of 1970 and headed for the cheaper pastures of Taiwan (till Golden Harvest came a' knockin') where he immediately set about making movies like THE SWORD (1971) and THE BRAVE & THE EVIL (1971), two films he served as director on.

Unable to stop him making movies there, or in Japan (where Wang Yu capitalized on his famous single digit swordsman in ZATOICHI MEETS THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN), Shaw succeeded in keeping the hot-headed actor from making movies in Hong Kong till January of 1973.

For Chang Cheh to tackle a film with the words, "The New" in the title (the name of the swordsman is also different), it's almost like the studio was taunting Wang Yu; a notion that wasn't lost on Wang Yu as the actor made it his mission throughout the 1970s to attempt to undermine, or steal the thunder from whatever major production was being shot at Shaw's at the time.

He did this with his ONE ARMED BOXER (1971), a film that mimicked both Wang's directorial debut for Shaw's THE CHINESE BOXER (1969) and also Chang's ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967); FURIOUS SLAUGHTER (1972) was a cheap knock-off of Chang's huge hit THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972); ONE ARMED CHIVALRY FIGHTS AGAINST ONE ARMED CHIVALRY (1974) was again taking liberties with the single armed swordsman that made Wang Yu famous; and MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1976) which not only was a no budget carbon copy of Shaw's hit THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1975), but again with the one armed character.

THE WOMEN OF THE IRON TRIANGLE: CHING LI

This thin, yet elegant and enormously popular Lady of Shaw began acting at the age of six and joined Shaw Brothers in 1967 appearing in dramas and swordplay films. Possessing a lot of male admirers, Ching Li was often associated with men of wealth and repute. Onscreen, she co-starred in a few memorable roles opposite David Chiang and Ti Lung in Chang Cheh's DUEL OF FISTS and THE ANGRY GUEST where she played the girlfriend to Ti Lung's character. She also featured among the cast in Chang's pseudo war-kung fu film THE FOUR RIDERS (1972). But it was in THE ANONYMOUS HEROES in 1971 where Ching Li really shined in the action department out of her pentagonal set of Iron Triangle movies. She played the feisty girlfriend to David Chiang's character who aided them in covertly getting guns from her warlord father's military encampment to the Southern rebels. Her role as the promiscuous wife to Chen Kuan Tai's character in Cheh's splendid classic, THE BLOOD BROTHERS (1973) is a testament to her acting ability and cinematic legacy.


Chang Cheh's return to the brooding, tortured hero was a special production in other ways aside from supplanting the temperamental star with the more accessible David Chiang.

Shaw's purchased a plot of land for around $600,000. In addition, upwards of $400,000 was spent constructing the Tiger Mansion seen prominently throughout the film.

This stunning set and the bridge accompanying it was put to good use in numerous Shaw Brothers productions including some of the international co-productions with foreign companies.

Chang Cheh's spectacular tale of blood-letting and revenge (the film contains one of the most shockingly gruesome death scenes in Shaw Brothers history and that's saying a lot!) also scored a successful release in America in the wake of FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH (1972) and the Bruce Lee films.

National General Pictures retitled Cheh's movie with the odd moniker of TRIPLE IRONS when it was unleashed on theaters here in September of 1973. Amidst the glut of so many similar movies, the gore and bad English dubbing got more attention from critics than the actual storylines.

THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN definitely possesses a plot as well as the underlining themes of brotherhood among men; a topic indigenous to the directors oeuvre, particularly evident in his 1967-1976 period. This particular movie is one of the best representations of that form, even if the stylistically gory excess often takes precedence.

This movie also explores the isolation and loneliness experienced by those righteous, yet stubborn heroes who strive for fame, attain it, and then suffer devastating defeat through duplicitous methods. The hero must then endure great indignities (in this case it's not just his arm, but the loss of his one true friend, swordsman Fung [Ti Lung]; a young warrior who admires Lei Li's skill, or the skill he has left behind to be a crippled tavern worker) prior to facing insurmountable odds to accomplish his vengeful goals.

The two become friends, although Lei Li proclaims Fung is more like a brother. Having experienced severe depression through his defeat at the hands of a guileful villain masquerading as a nobleman, Lei warns Fung about a meeting with the evil Lung Er Zi (played to the hilt by Ku Feng).

However, Fung is just as steadfast to confront villainy and corruption as the now crippled Lei Li once was.

THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN is just one of many Chang Cheh movies emblematic of Jiang Hu, the dichotomy between good and evil; corruption and redemption; an honorable code of brotherhood among men. This maelstrom of masculinity would reach its apex with the release of THE WATER MARGIN in 1972, which is discussed a bit later.

That David Chiang's character has a girlfriend (played by Li Ching, who was betrothed to Ti Lung's character in HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL) is unimportant where the affairs of the martial world are concerned. Just like Wang Yu's Fang Gang in the previous movies, he leaves his family at home so as to realign the balance that has been upset by the antagonists. Restoring one's honor, and retribution for the death of a brother is of greater importance.

THE WOMEN OF THE IRON TRIANGLE: WANG PING

The gorgeous Sun Wang Ping joined Shaw's at the age of 19, much to her surprise; never dreaming that she would become an actress. Of the four major females starlets associated with the Iron Triangle, she is the least discussed, but arguably the most attractive. She co-starred in three films for Chang Cheh all starring David Chiang and Ti Lung. Always as the petite girlfriend to either man, she loved David Chiang in the award winningly dark VENGEANCE! in 1970 and to Ti Lung in the gruesomely violent THE DUEL in 1971. Her role in THE SINGING KILLER (1970) is also notable. She soon took on swordswoman roles in films like DUEL FOR GOLD (1971) and THE 14 AMAZONS (1972) for other directors before leaving Shaw's in 1972, but returned ten years later to much publicity appearing in the award winning Li Han Hsiang drama TIGER KILLER (1982).


THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN is also of importance in that the theme of the lone supreme swordsman, upon attaining success, realizes the forces of jealousy strive to destroy them; or they themselves are destroyed by their own blind ambitions, oblivious to the full strength of the forces at work around them. This was a first in Cheh's filmography, or at least the first time the subject was expounded upon in this manner.

Success is gauged by how badly you desire what you want out of life. And just like Cheh's entrepreneurial swordsmen, the success stories of those in this industrialized age are equally despised, reviled and coveted for their good business sense, ie their "good kung fu".

The aesthetics of Jiang Hu flows freely through many of Cheh's movies; almost as much, if not on par with the gore and splattered blood. This brotherhood is often mistaken for homosexuality, but it is not. If anything, it's chauvinistic, an attitude that seemed reflective of the directors own personality. The primarily male dominated expressiveness of the martial world is the directors trademark and one of several elements and innovations he put in place to change Hong Kong cinema forever.


There was another film of slightly lesser repute that was released at the close of the year. THE DEADLY DUO (1971) takes its cue from history; like some other of Chang Cheh's movies (one of the most famous examples being THE ASSASSIN from 1967).

At its core, THE DEADLY DUO is little more than a gore soaked 'Men On A Mission' movie. It's also a rather breezy 80 minutes in length. One gets the impression this was filler to satisfy the rabid cinematic needs of the HK audiences of the day.

There are no fragile significant others, nor any deceptive seductive female killers. The film was touted at the time as having an all male cast.

The plot is basically the Sung remnants making various attempts to rescue their prince from an impenetrable stronghold. Not just that, but also a treacherous bridge that is near impossible to cross. The bridge that was constructed for NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN was made an integral part of this pictures plot and also provides the film with one major flub.

The critical reception given THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (or more accurately, TRIPLE IRONS) in America is duly warranted in THE DEADLY DUO. The gore is the star of the show. Liu Chia Liang's choreography, as usual, is superlative. Furthermore, the amount of blood and various bladed implements severing limbs and entering bodily cavities is matched only by the gleefully gruesome excess of Cheh's ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS (1975).

Both Chiang and Ti Lung are on equal ground here, working extremely well off of one another. It's just the film itself isn't very good aside from the action and bloodletting.

As far as the two actors are concerned here, one doesn't outshine the other, but instead compliments one another. The level of competition between the two was likely the reason they both ended up directing and starring in their own pictures under the watchful eye of their mentor, Chang Cheh.

THE WOMEN OF THE IRON TRIANGLE: LILY LI

Lily Li is one of the most popular lethal ladies in HK action cinema. She joined Shaw Brothers early in the game in 1964 and eventually amassed an impressive list of film credits to her name with many of them fighting roles. She co-starred in only two movies with both of Chang Cheh's box office draws, but she became closely associated with David's movies often playing his girlfriend in such films as the epic THE HEROIC ONES (1970), the David solo outing THE WANDERING SWORDSMAN (1970) and the modern day delinquent picture also minus Ti Lung, FRIENDS (1974). She eventually did many more movies for other major directors both inside and outside of Shaw Brothers studio. Some of these include exploitation flicks like BLACK MAGIC (1975) and THE OILY MANIAC (1976) and amazing Liu Chia Liang movies such as EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN (1977) and 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (1984).

With swordplay movies waning, it was time for yet another change. A modern setting would be explored once more, but this time with a greater degree of financial success than before.

The director had won critical accolades and a Best Director award for the modern set VENGEANCE! in 1970. April of 1971 saw the release of a gory, knife-wielding gangster picture entitled THE DUEL; a film with another modern era setting. These two films took place during the Early Republic when the last days of the Qing dynasty crumbled after close to a 300 year rule from 1644 to 1912.


THE ANONYMOUS HEROES (1971) was the third such production. This was one of a few Cheh movies that resembled traditional westerns.

The story is about a couple of brash young men (and one girl) with nothing to lose joining the resistance against a local warlord. The plot is mostly light-hearted till the blood slinging finale when the heroes and heroine are surrounded by hundreds of rifle and bayonet bearing soldiers. This films plot line would later be refurbished into Chang's SHAOLIN RESCUERS released in 1979.


The picture is right exciting at times, but is hindered by a woefully poor sequence where a train is derailed into a lake! The behind the scenes photos displaying the miniature work looks nicely detailed, but the scale in which it is shot is on par with some of the poor quality work seen in the budget slashed Godzilla films made during the 1970s.

Location shooting took place in Thailand including the chase sequence involving the train. While the crew was there, location shooting for Chang's 'The Striking Fist', another film the director was making at the time, was undertaken encompassing twelve days before returning to Hong Kong.


Heavily promoted at the time, 'The Striking Fist' was yet another departure and grand innovation from the mind of Chang Cheh. This movie was also a modern day affair; a style of picture that was becoming increasingly popular with HK audiences of the day.

This production highlighted the heretofore unseen sights of Thai kickboxing (Ti Lung studied Thai boxing during filming), a brutal art of fighting. Cast for local flavor was Thai actress Parwarna (Liu Lan Ying) and former professional Thai boxer, Canong Daech. Having retired at 26 (reportedly the age limit for the sport over there at the time) Daech assisted on the picture for the action scenes.

By the time shooting had wrapped in mid July 1971, the picture had taken on the title of DUEL OF FISTS. It was another 'Iron Triangle' movie, with both David Chiang and Ti Lung sharing the screen together again.

THE WOMEN OF THE IRON TRIANGLE: LI CHING

Hong Kong's 'Baby Queen' is possibly the most popular actress to be associated with the Iron Triangle. Signing on with Shaw's in 1964, she quickly became an international media darling and massive box office draw in a long string of musicals and dramas. She eventually gravitated to action pictures amassing four such movies with Chang's popular double team. Having been out of commission for several months while shooting Cheng Kang's KILLERS FIVE (1969), Li's heavily hyped return was on Chang's seminal sleeper DEAD END (1969), Ti Lung's big acting debut. She followed that up with a role as the sword wielding girlfriend to Ti Lung's character in HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL (1969). She took a passive turn in the classic THE NEW ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN in 1971, but picked up a weapon again for Cheh's segment in the anthology TRILOGY OF SWORDSMANSHIP (1972). A short time later, she made headlines upon appearing in more risque fare and eventually retired from cinema in the early 1980s.


The gamble of integrating a Thai gimmick into the film paid off handsomely as the picture grossed nearly $HK2 million upon its release in October of '71. It was also in October that Shaw Brothers went public on the HK Stock Exchange. DUEL OF FISTS was yet another box office success added to the directors plate of moneymakers from 1971.

Apparently, the Shaw's had a good feeling about this production since a sequel was mounted after DUEL OF FISTS wrapped. Titled 'The Annoyed Guest', this even more colorful sequel took the action and location shooting to Japan in August of 1971.

Chang Cheh himself was touted in promotional materials as playing the title character. In the film, he plays a Japanese crime boss heading a syndicate in Tokyo. It turns out he was pulling the strings of the Big Boss in Thailand played by Chen Sing last seen in DUEL OF FISTS.

David Chiang and Ti Lung reprise their roles, this time heading to Japan to rescue a kidnapped girlfriend.

Highlights are the frequent and elaborately bloody action scenes and the plethora of 70s fashion. Shaw Brothers 70s productions are unmistakable for their garish set design, particularly in their modern day set movies and this one is no different.

Chang Cheh's importing of foreign talent was used to a greater extent for this movie; Yasuaki Kurata being the prime example. Cheh would use him on another picture and Kurata would quickly become a familiar face in HK kung fu movies.

Korean actress, Fan Jen-tzu was also on hand here as a Japanese fighter. She also acted in Ho Meng Hua's THE BLACK ENFORCER (1972), which shot on location in Korea back in 1969.


THE DEADLY DUO was Chang Cheh's last release of 1971. 1972 promised an even greater slate of productions with a noticeable return to swordplay features.

1972 was also a banner year for the Shaw movie moguls who likewise had an impressive number of films set to go into production throughout the year.

In addition to the films discussed here, Chang Cheh, one of Hong Kong's most powerful filmmakers, also had other pictures he was working on towards the latter half of the year. Some of these were among the biggest movies of his career as well as productions of prestige that could only have been mounted by Shaw Brothers during this time period.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The Cinema of Excess: Chang Cheh & His Films Part 6

Behind the scenes on THE HEROIC ONES (1970)

OF SWORDS AND GUNS IN WUXIA & THE EARLY REPUBLIC CHAPTER 2


The late 60s were banner years for the "million dollar director" Chang Cheh. Granted, other directors such as Lo Wei and Ho Meng Hua were also given this name, but its application to the Shanghai native was more significant. Cheh had single-handedly altered the perception of Hong Kong cinema virtually over-night with his generously violent scenes of bloodletting and human suffering married to the masculine machinations of the order of Chinese chivalrous knights. Having directed more or less the entirety of THE BUTTERFLY CHALICE (shot in 1963 and released in 1965), initially tapped to helm THE KNIGHT OF KNIGHTS (1966), directed the B/W experiment TIGER BOY (1966) and explored the Wuxia realm with the likes of THE MAGNIFICENT TRIO (1966) and TRAIL OF THE BROKEN BLADE (1966), Chang Cheh finally found his niche in 1967 with THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN. More moneymakers and innovations would follow.

Promo shots for THE INVINCIBLE FIST (1969)

With three back-to-back hits on his hands, Cheh's intriguing 1969 Eastern with a touch of western--THE INVINCIBLE FIST (see Chang Cheh part 5 for more on this movie) was the only Shaw swordplay to be entered into the 15th Annual Asian Film Festival. It was also the directors return to the genre after wrapping up the modern settings of the failed experiments THE SINGING THIEF and DEAD END. An ambitious production, it made a meager impression at the Hong Kong box office. Another Cheh picture, THE FLYING DAGGER (1969), shot concurrently with THE GOLDEN SWALLOW (1968), also floundered. An auspicious lead role for Lo Lieh and a notable supporting role for David Chiang, this was the first and last starring role for Lo in a Chang Cheh film having previously shared the screen with Wang Yu in both MAGNIFICENT TRIO and GOLDEN SWALLOW and Cheng Pei pei in that latter production as well as in THE FLYING DAGGER. Lo Lieh of course, would go on to garner even more notoriety over the next couple of years.

15th Annual Asian Film Festival Awards ceremony for entry film DEAD END (1969)

With a proliferation of similar swordplays bombarding theaters, Cheh began intermittently dabbling in modern day theatrics with the artistic flourishes of the aforementioned DEAD END (1969), the second of two Chang films to be entered into the above mentioned film festival. DEAD END was a tragic melodrama in the style of James Dean movies such as REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) and other similar Juvenile Delinquency pictures--a genre Cheh would experiment with over the course of the next few years (see Chang Cheh part 4). This first starring role for genre vet Ti Lung was a modern day drama feature that contained elements not too far removed from the tragic heroes of the Martial World the director had become famous for.

Behind the scenes of THE SINGING THIEF (1969); Below: Lo Lieh meets singing sensation Jimmy Lin Chong

Having problems with censors and another troubled, if peculiar modern day crime comedy by the name of THE SINGING THIEF (1969) under-performing in Hong Kong, Cheh had momentarily hit a 'Dead End' and retreated back to the safety of his martial homeland--the Wuxia universe. After the veritable failure of THE INVINCIBLE FIST, though, Chang remained undaunted carrying on behind the scenes much like his virtuous swordsmen in front of the camera.

Chang Cheh (right) on set of RETURN OF ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN

Armed with sword swinging titles such as RETURN OF THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN, HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL and THE WANDERING SWORDSMAN in production with a whole other slew of sword clanging tales of blood and vengeance in pre-production, 1969 was a busy year for the enterprising director and would only get bigger over the next couple of years. RETURN OF THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN wasn't of the same caliber of the genre defining first film, but it piled on the action and gore drenched spectacle to an alarming degree. Having to trim a number of scenes of violence, what this sequel lacked in exposition it made up for in escapist entertainment. Gone are the brooding scenes of Jimmy Wang Yu's Fang Gang coming to grips with his loss of his arm and his dedication and loyalty to not only his master, but to perfecting his skills. For the sequel, it's basically one fight filled bloodfest after another brimming with outrageous creativity that strains the level of believability, but nothing that isn't indigenous to the Wuxia universe.

RETURN OF THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (1969)

Both Ti Lung and David Chiang turn up briefly and it would only be a matter of months before they were taking the Asian box office by storm. RETURN brought in good returns for the Shaw Brothers and Wang Yu eventually got to direct his own movie before the hot headed actor abruptly jumped ship to the competition at Golden Harvest (see Shaw Brothers & Kung Fu Cinema Part 2). Armed with his box office clout, Wang Yu made a string of (mostly) bad movies built around characters he played at Shaws, or moneymaking bonanzas produced by his former boss. A replacement was quickly required to fill the gap left by the controversial star so the Shaw's entrusted Chang Cheh and his uncanny ability to spot potential talent. He found it in Shaw stuntman David Chiang and former Southern Drama student Ti Lung. Combined with director Chang Cheh, these three were known as 'The Iron Triangle' and together this indomitable set of 'Triple Irons' were a force to be reckoned with. However, when separated, neither actor fared very well.

poster for THE WANDERING SWORDSMAN (1970)

Interestingly enough, both actors tried their luck as a single (although some of these solo efforts were released afterward) before being paired up in HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL (1969). After THE INVINCIBLE FIST (1969) was finished, Cheh began work on THE WANDERING SWORDSMAN (1970), a solo vehicle for David Chiang, co-starring with Lily Li, an actress he was often associated with onscreen. KING EAGLE was also put into production, but that picture was built solely around Ti Lung. Shaws baby queen, the immensely popular Li Ching, was his co-star. Both films were built around the typical Chang Cheh righteous hero, but with some differences that reflected the strengths of the lead actors. David Chiang was a ROBIN HOOD styled character for his introductory lead role, a swordsman who helps the downtrodden and ultimately seeks redemption when his stubbornness leads to deception by villains when he's fooled into snatching a consignment of treasure.


This was familiar territory for the director and his brand of heroism--present an affable yet stoic personality whose righteousness and implacable attitude leads to eventual tragedy. While it's not a wholly worthwhile picture, it's a standard swordplay with an indelible performance by David Chiang which would become de rigueur for the actors onscreen mannerisms. It, like Ti Lung's solo outing in KING EAGLE, featured a few stand out moments mostly dominated by spectacularly gory heroism, but little else to differentiate themselves from other similar movies of the day. With KING EAGLE (production began right after DEAD END was completed, but not released till 1971) in the can, the director embarked on the profitable partnership of the two actors, a bond that would formulate a lasting friendship for many years and many memorable movies.

Since both Ti Lung and David Chiang were unproven commodities at that moment, Li Ching is showcased as the centerpiece of this poster.

HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL (1969) was a special film within the directors repertoire. It was the first motion picture pairing of David Chiang and Ti Lung in lead roles as well as adding Li Ching to the mix. It also featured a reasonably engulfing plot that was spearheaded by David Chiang's honorable swordsman, Luo Yi. As would become common practice, Ti Lung would often suffer being placed in the "back seat" in his movies with David Chiang. It wasn't intentional, but one of the directors numerous brainstorms was to put the strengths of his performers to their maximum capacity. In this case, David Chiang was the better, more charismatic actor while Ti Lung was the more masculine, rugged performer. Both worked off of each other incredibly well and it only became more evident with each succeeding movie the two did together.

Behind the scenes on HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL (1969)

There's a bit of a love triangle here between Siang Ding (Ti Lung), Yun Piao (Li Ching) and the mysterious knight in clouded armor Luo Yi (David Chiang). John (David) Chiang essayed a similar role in 1971's THE DUEL, a film that was later remade by Chang Cheh as FLAG OF IRON (1980). There's some obvious innuendo that Siang's betrothed harbors feelings for the more complicated character of Luo, the typically stoic, yet tragic Chang Cheh hero. As per many of the directors movies, this angle isn't explored with any depth, but is nonetheless there shuffled between scenes of slow motion bloodletting. Still, such male and female romanticism is clearly evident in many of the directors films predominantly in the formative years between 1966 through 1970 and sporadically up to 1973.

Shooting HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL

Aside from a brooding performance from David Chiang, his character is one step up from the dogmatic knight in that he has an affectionate relationship with his trusted horse. There's a somewhat touching scene where an almost starving Luo begrudgingly sells his horse so that he and his loyal equine can eat. The film is also notable for showcasing the enormous pagoda on the Shaw back lot, here representing the villains lair--each succeeding level housing various thugs brandishing assorted weaponry. Bruce Lee no doubt saw this movie and incorporated the pagoda plot device into his GAME OF DEATH (1977). The 100 foot construct was built specifically for this production and cost HK70,000 dollars. The studio got a lot of mileage out of this incredible set incorporating it in many more movies.

Taking a break during the shooting of VENGEANCE! (1970)

With this latest swordplay a big hit, the inspired director had the idea of bringing the knight errant into the 20th century and with it, his star pupils. The result yielded an award winning production, but just shy of another million dollar success at the HK box office. The film was VENGEANCE! (1970), a picture that has went on to accumulate a certain degree of respectability emboldened by the participation of John Woo as an assistant director. The plot is standard revenge fare, but told with a meticulous flair by Chang Cheh. While he became known for his smirkingly mischievous roles, David Chiang downplays his roguish image for a more solemn, melancholic aura as Guan Hsiao Lou, the younger brother of an opera performer who died unjustly at the hands of a malicious gangster.

Notice Chen Kuan Tai and Pai Piao to the right of this scene from VENGEANCE! (1970)

The modernity of updating the lone swordsman with knives and guns was a novel concept and Cheh treats the material in much the same fashion an artist would treat a great painting. VENGEANCE! is a work of art--of moving pictures with broad red brushstrokes throughout. Watching the film one can easily see just how influential Chang Cheh's style was on John Woo. There's relatively little difference between the two filmmakers with Woo adopting many of his teachers techniques and innovations which became increasingly apparent in his later works. But where John Woo had Chow Yun Fat, Chang Cheh had David Chiang and Ti Lung among a handful of others that became equally famous.

Awards ceremony with winners from VENGEANCE!, actor David Chiang and director Chang Cheh

It should be noted that while Ti Lung preceded his frequent co-star, it was David Chiang who caused critics and audiences alike to take notice to his acting abilities despite his slight build. Ti Lung took a supporting role here as the doomed elder brother. The film won two awards at the 16th Annual Asian Film Festival--Best Actor for David Chiang and Best Director for Chang Cheh. From here on out, most if not all of the pairs movies had David top billed and Ti Lung second. Something similar took place in the directors THE SINGING KILLER (1970), a non musical retelling of Cheh's lively THE SINGING THIEF (1969).

lunch break during filming of THE DUEL (1971)

During production, promotional materials attest to a much larger role for Ti Lung, but in the finished film his screen time amounts to little more than a brief cameo during the opening dance club scene. Interestingly enough, David Chiang explained his comfortability in portraying a musician, yet onscreen, he seems anything but comfortable. He does show off some flamboyant costumes and engages in some raw, but slick fight scenes. This film acts as something of a bridge between the directors action pictures and his series of rebellious youth movies. Nonetheless, THE SINGING KILLER fared much better at the box office than its similar counterpart did.

The Iron Triangle on the set of THE DUEL (1971)

There were two other movies in production during the early part of 1970--one was another modern day-early Republic Era gangster picture and the other was a sprawling period piece. The former was THE DUEL (1971), one of the directors more brutally gruesome pictures which began production in 1970. Following the template laid down by the more singularly focused VENGEANCE! (1970), THE DUEL is more expansive as an updated approach to the Wuxia conventions. Only here, the heroes are more anti heroic, but still righteous. This is also one of the earliest examples that glorified Triad organizations. Ti Lung's character also sports a tattoo spread across his chest. This was during a time when such a body modification was often associated with gangsterism, yet he's the good guy. The plot of THE DUEL is a convoluted scenario about rival gangs and the resulting treachery. If you've seen the directors later venom movie FLAG OF IRON (1980), then you have an idea what the storyline entails. It's virtually identical only instead of the acrobatic maneuvers of the latter film, there's wildly gory knife battles with dozens of combatants onscreen at one time. Both 'Iron Triangle' actors are given ample opportunity to shine here in this violent and successful effort from Chang Cheh.

The massive exhibit for THE HEROIC ONES (1970)

One of the biggest movies of the year as well as one of the directors biggest spectacles of his career was the enormous and expensive production of THE HEROIC ONES (1970). A very famous film in Asia, it's still remembered today. It's distinguished for several reasons one of them being the bloated budget of HK2.5million. Unheard of at the time, a gala exhibit showcasing the many props, costumes and even severed body parts and blood jelly used in the film were showcased. Not only that, but a documentary detailing the arduous production was also part of the show. In another bit of movie mogul magic, Shaw Brothers had a 'Heroic Ones' basketball game between the Shaws stable of stars involved in Cheh's picture and the camp at TVB several days before the films release.

Note Bolo Yeung among the players at top

All the key components that made up the Chang Cheh formula were on hand here and the expansiveness of the script allowed for a greater number of characters and a good deal of honor and treachery to boot. This majestic two hour epic had amazing battle sequences for the time period and Cheh's trusted chief choreographer, Liu Chia Liang had his work cut out for him. Hundreds of extras and teams of horses were required for the many wine guzzling 'Heroic Ones' and the armies under their guidance. The enormity of what was then called a "super production" cropped up on Cheh's filming slate with regularity up to 1977 when changing audience trends and high production costs made such expensive endeavors almost obsolete without the participation of a partner studio. But by then, Chang Cheh had lost much of his box office clout. However, during the early 70s he reigned supreme and was a force to be reckoned with for several more years.


Shaw Brothers movies dominated the Hong Kong box office in 1970 and two of the directors films were in the top five, those being THE HEROIC ONES and THE SINGING KILLER. Showing a striking assured hand at maintaining a tight ship on the set of such a huge picture, the enterprising director would soon be undertaking his ultimate ideological epic in late 1971. The fact that Chang would be shooting multiple big budget and opulent pictures simultaneously made his abilities all the more impressive for the amount of quality he was able to procure on what was undoubtedly a hugely hectic schedule. The year 1971 and especially 1972 would prove among the busiest ever for the visionary filmmaker.

TO BE CONTINUED in PART 7....