Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Directed by Ta Huang (Chinese Hercules) and released at the height of the 1970s kung fu craze, Shaolin Boxers offers a rare leading role to James Tien – who more often played supporting roles in films such as Fist of Fury, The Iron-Fisted Monk and The Magnificent Bodyguards – in an action-packed narrative that charges him with rescuing innocents from forces of corruption and evil. In Fuquan, the people are terrified of the local Security Chief, He Rong (Chu Mu, The Invincible Iron Palm), who gained his position by bribing the referee in an annual martial arts tournament held between four villages. In order to wrestle control from this band of tyrants, Lin Zhi-gang (Tien) – a student of the Dragon Village Shaolin school – enters the competition to prove his dominance and free the villagers from their obligation to pay for He’s protection. But He Rong does not intend on relinquishing power so easily, and teams up with Lei Biao (Li Min-lang, The Shadow Boxer) – a mysterious kung fu adept with shaky morality – to ensure that Lin does not emerge victorious. Released at a time when audiences all over the world clamoured for kung fu cinema in the aftermath of Bruce Lee’s breakout films The Big Boss, Fist of Fury and – above all – Enter the Dragon, Shaolin Boxers is a slice of martial arts mayhem that draws upon all the most enduring elements of the Hong Kong action film. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a new 2K restoration. (78 Mins)

 

Shout Factory US Blu-ray Synopsis: An accomplished master of the Shaolin school takes on all comers in a martial arts tournament in order to save his village, which is under the thumb of an evil security squad. James Tien stars. (78 Mins)

 

Joy Sales HK VCD Synopsis: In a prosperous village in Fukien, the security squad is controlled by Ho Yung, who secures his position by bribing the referee in their annual martial arts tournament. On the other hand, Chuan Tai, master of the Shaolin school, is anxious to win the tournament so that the villagers could be relieved of the heavy security fees to Ho. Although Ho ears up Chuan's school and makes Chuan seriously wounded, Chuan still encourages his students to persist in their course... (78 Mins)

 

Views: Cliched on many levels, coming across more like a smaller studio production rather than one from Golden Harvest, Shaolin Boxers is (seemingly) the only directorial effort from Huang Ta. The film follows Master Chuan and his disciples who enter a tournament against a clan led by the feared Ho Yung. If they win, Master Chuan can help the local villagers by gaining control and putting a stop to Ho Yung's evil ways! While Shaolin Boxers may dedicate almost 60% of it's short running time to fight action, there just seems to be something incredibly slow and generic about the whole thing...

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Written by Huang Tien, who would later go onto write Clan Of The White Lotus (1980) – his only other credit – Shaolin Boxers certainly won't go down in the history books as a Golden Harvest classic alongside the likes of Hapkido (1972), Broken Oath (1977), The Shaolin Plot (1977), or any number of Wang Yu and Bruce Lee titles. But was it really a Golden Harvest production? While it would later be released by the famed studio, Shaolin Boxers was actually made under the banner of Jia's Motion Picture Company as their third feature after Bus Stop (1971) and Snake Queen (1972). Interestingly, this is the same company that would go on to make The Fearless Duo (1979) with Yuen Qiu and Lau Kar Yung, Young Hero (1980) with Hwang Jang Lee, Kwon Yeong Moon, and Tino Wong, Godfrey Ho's Dragon The Young Master (1981) with Dragon Lee and Yuen Qiu, the little seen Avenging Trio (1989) starring Gordon Liu and Leung Kar Yan, which was directed by Yuen Qiu, and feisty femme fatale flicks like Devil Hunters (1989), The Dragon Fighter (1990), and Kickboxer's Tears (1992) – but hey, we've all gotta start somewhere right?

 

The kung-fu star that never was, James Tien Chun, leads the way (oddly) and, apart from his deadpan look and stiff movements, doesn't do a terrible job. It's just that he's not really the most charismatic actor on the planet. Although he had starred in well over 25 films by this stage, including Shaw Brothers titles such as The Golden Sword (1969), Brothers Five (1970), A Taste Of Cold Steel (1970), and The Iron Buddha (1970), as well as Golden Harvest movies The Invincible Eight (1971), The Blade Spares None (1971), The Big Boss (1971), Fist Of Fury (1971), and A Man Called Tiger (1973) among many others, Tien really wasn't destined to be leading man material. Of course, his career would go onto be quite prolific through to his final role in Sammo Hung's Blade Of Fury in 1993, of which he also worked on as an assistant director, and he did work alongside every major Golden Harvest star at the time (and then some), but I can't help but feel that had someone with a little more zing been in his role here, then Shaolin Boxers may have been seen in a different light altogether.

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Co-starring with James are a host of familiar faces such as Lee Tin Ying, who starred alongside him in The Iron Buddha (1970), A Man Called Tiger (1973) and Seaman No.7 (1973) before this. Leung Tin stars as Master Chuan Tai while regular bad guy Li Min Lang, appears as the menacing Big Boss Lei Biao. Starring in over 170 films between 1961 and 2008 including The Eight Immortals (1970), Iron Bodyguard (1973), Secret Of The Shaolin Poles (1977), and Shaolin vs Lama (1984) as well as Jackie Chan classics such as Shaolin Wooden Men (1976), Snake & Crane Arts Of Shaolin (1978) and Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu (1978). Late comedy actor Hon Kwok Choi co-stars as one of Tien's kung-fu brothers, getting to deliver some laughs and fight action along the way. Fan-favourite Mars makes an appearance, while the great Chin Yuet Sang shows up as one of the tournament fighters. Eagle eyed viewers should also keep an eye out for future stars such as Yeung Wah, Billy Chan, King Lee, and Tony Ching Siu Tung who served as the main fight-director of the show...

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While only his fourth project in the role of choreographer after working on Shaw Brothers films Lady Of The Law (1971) and The 14 Amazons (1972), as well as The Rats (1973) for Goldig Films, Ching provides a host of fight action – although minus the visual flair he would later be known for about a decade later. Delivered in more of a basher style, the fights are enjoyable enough yet seem slightly hindered by the performers themselves. Aside from that, mediocre camerawork and a mundane score don't really ramp things up (which could have helped). Still, at a time when Golden Harvest and other studios were racing to find the next Bruce Lee, and Shaw Brothers were still firing out hit after hit, I guess it was a case of 'anything goes'. While far from perfect, and not to be confused with Chang Cheh's New Shaolin Boxers that came out in 1976, Shaolin Boxers isn't a completely terrible movie, but probably just one for true fans of classic kung-fu cinema of the 70s. James works with what he's got, but it's quite clear that he was no leading man!

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Overall: Far from being hailed as a classic, Shaolin Boxers is still worth a watch if only to see James Tien in one of his few leading man roles!

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Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Interview with Wayne Wong, Trailer

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Shout Factory Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng, Trailer, Image Gallery

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Watch my unboxing video for the Eureka Video release HERE

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