Item #: 3475 Category: MARTIAL ARTS Format: VHS MPAA Rating: PG

Woolly Rating: 5/10 (118 votes)

MEMBER COMMENTS ON THIS VIDEO

Matt	Oct 26, 2001 @ 14:17:0

Lo Meng, Young Wang Yu, Lo Lieh
Crazy Shaolin Disciples 1985 (?) This is a crazy movie I got mainly because I'm a Lo Meng fan. Its not easy to describe this (kung fu swan song ?) Shaw flick. I've noticed it occasionally gets panned by those who are annoyed with too much silliness in their chop-socky, but I've also seen it get very high reviews. I can see why would swing either way with this one. I'll mix the 'good' with the 'bad' in this review: The gist of the story (best as I could figure) is that 'Fong Shih Yu' (played by Young Wang Yu) gets caught up in a Ching plot to steal the golden seal of the Hung Clan, who are themselves arguing over who should be in possession of it. Fong's mother sends him off to Shaolin to hide, and asks Hung Sze Kuan (Lo Meng, a clan member) to accompany her son. So off they go, with Chief Chih (Lo Lieh) hot on their trail. The movie begins and ends with some serious womping dished out by Lo Lieh - but is filled with Shaolin monk silliness for all the portion in-between!! But I didn't mind (too much), because there was a lot going on. The silliness is in the fighting between the temple's monks and the lay students (Fong Shih Yu and his buddies). They all bicker constantly, and the whole movie has the North vs the South thing going on. This is a movie starring nobody in particular but featuring extended cameos by all! One which I was pleased to see was that of Kuo Choi (!!), who plays a funny (and of course bald headed) senior monk. He shows up from time to time to help discipline the monks. A great scene is when he has all the new recruits (including Wang Yu and Lo Meng) strip naked and assume a martial posture- so that they can go beyond bodily identifications. When he asks "Now, don't you all feel care free?", they respond "maybe" and run off butt naked! HA! So there are lots of little moments where you can crack up, just don't expect anything really serious (until the end, when Lo Lieh puts the 'martial fear of god' in everyone! He looks like he's 20 again the way he's fighting. Hmmm, a double may have been used, but all to good effect). This movie can be found subtitled, but not widescreen- and it NEEDS to be in widescreen because reading this one is mega-tough. [hey, fans watch these several times anyway, so the Basic story will eventually sink in I figure] I like the mixed caste and seeing rare fights between guys like Lo Lieh and Lo Meng, or Lo Meng and Gordon Lui make it worth while [Oh yes, Gordon Lui is also in this movie, but doesn't appear until about a half hour- he's around but behind the scenes in this movie. Still, they gave him (and the monks in his charge) some great scenes.] The print is pretty decent and the sound is as well. Other cool points: The junior monks actually watch in amazement when there is a fight going on, as opposed to standing rigidly as if nothing were happening (which I see in most movies); I love the sequences involving Wong Yu and Lo Meng's entry to the temple- they have to fight of course, and I liked the way Lo Meng gets in especially [when he yells "Thank you master!!"]. A light hearted affair with some great martial personalities make this an enjoyable watch. The movie seems almost like a Shaw retrospective in that it tries to cover a lot of familiar ground (though not to its detriment). Worth viewing for sure. I give it 7 out of 10. Matt

• GOODBYE UNCLE TOM
Snuff Film... (Tim)

• TAMPOPO
Awesome... (CMH)

• ROMERO
... (Sue)

• VAMPIRES VS ZOMBIES
horrible... (beachmonkey)

• PULP FICTION (COL ED)
a thrill ride... (Alan Hall)

• PERFUME
KINKY, DISTURBING... (DKB)

• BLACK MASK 2: CITY IF MASKS
not bad... (Dedeals)

• ELVIS ON TOUR
Elvis in Concert. ... (elvisandmeatloaf@aol.com)

• BORN YESTERDAY
A great performance... (micca)

• WONDERWALL
Why this film dserves more than a one star rating.... (Eric)

• PIT STOP (LTBX)
... (pike)

• BEWARE OF A HOLY WHORE
... (pike)

• BIG BAD MAMA
... ()

• GOODBYE UNCLE TOM
MISUNDERSTOOD... (Caribba)

• MONKEY KUNG FU
the best... (melo70)

• PANTERA 3 WATCH IT GO
WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... (leo)

• HOUSE OF STRANGERS
FINE 1949 NOIR/DRAMA... (DKB)

• KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
LOCALLY SHOT DRAMA... (DKB)

• GOODBYE UNCLE TOM
a genius reality check 4 our race we may live in the white mans land & call it hme bt in doing that we deny the truth of our being. All brown skin people nomatta hw light r african rayalty ... (lady swirl)