Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Queen of Kung Fu Angela Mao and King of Taekwondo Jhoon Rhee join forces in this action-packed Hong Kong classic! In Japanese occupied Korea, resistance leader Lee (Rhee) is captured by the Japanese occupying forces. To rescue him, his pupil Jin (Carter Wong, The Skyhawk) must get help from a Hapkido expert (Mao). Together they fight their way through an army of Japanese villains played by a number of genre favourites including Hwang In-shik (Way of the Dragon), Kenji Kazama (The Streetfighter) and Sammo Hung (The Millionaires Express). Eureka Classics is proud to present When Taekwondo Strikes on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a brand new 2K restoration. (95 Mins)

 

Hong Kong Heroes UK DVD Synopsis: Bruce Lee encouraged his friend Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee to appear in this his only movie with Angela Mao, the original Queen of Kung Fu. Freedom fighter Lee (Jhoon Rhee) and his pupil Jin (Carter Wong:Big Trouble in Little China), attempts to get a list of its members to their contacts in China without the Japanese getting their hand on it. Jin is chased into a church by the Japanese, luckily a priest hides him but for doing so he is imprisoned. Lee gets help from Hapkido expert Wan (Angela Mao: Enter The Dragon) to free the priest, but in doing so Lee himself if captured. Jin and Wan and the priest's niece, Mary flee to China, where they mount a rescue plan, which leads to a series of breath taking fights between the Japanese leaders Wong In Sik (Way Of The Dragon), Kenji Kazama and featuring Sammo Hung (Enter The Dragon) and Biao Yuen as Japanese villains. This martial arts classic movie has more fight scenes than you can shake a fist at! (91 Mins)

 

Fortune Star/Legendary Collection HK VCD Synopsis: During the period when Korea was occupied by Japan, Bansan Karate House, one of the secret organizations was set up in order to crackdown the Korean patriots. Lee Cheng Tung, a Taekwondo grand master who was the leader of the patriots planed to rebuild their country. He operated from a Catholic church disguised as the gardener. Mary, a priest's niece, became a Taekwondo student. One day, a Korean patriot, Kim Cheng Chuh tried to hide in the church with Bansan's Tairo Inuyama in hot pursuit. Inuyama found out that Lee in the church and tortured him. Fortunately,Mary drove the Japanese away. However, the priest was being caught. In order to rescue the priest, Huang Li-chun, a Chinese girl who was an Akido master-hand came to the aid of the Korean patriots. Huang and Kim flee to northeast China to continue the fight. Later on, Lee was caught as a bait to catch them all resistance leaders. Learning about this, Huang, Kim and Mary attacked Bansan's Liaoyang headquarters and rescued Lee. Then they joined forces to shoot down the enemy. (91 Mins)

 

Views: Also known as Sting Of The Dragon Masters, Taekwondo Heroes and Kickmaster, When Taekwondo Strikes is packed with a top cast of early 70s kung fu legends, and is still as entertaining today as it was 50 years ago. Set in Korea, When Taekwondo Strikes is a martial arts cinematic classic that tells the tale of a small band of rebels who are out to stop the occupying Japanese forces during World War 2. After a having a fight with some Japanese thugs, a Korean nationalist is chased into a church where he is hidden by his teacher who is acting as the church gardener. But as a result, the priest is taken prisoner and tortured. The gardener, who is actually the leader of the resistance fighters, attempts to rescue the priest but is also taken prisoner by the Japanese and badly beaten. Now, a trio of young fighters – who include the young nationalist, the priest's high-kicking niece, and a Chinese mistress of Hapkido, must band together to save their master!

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To today's audience, this early Golden Harvest title may feel that it comes with a pretty standard plot – highlighting ruthless Japanese fighters oppressing the people of China or Korea; a storyline that became incredibly popular after the huge success of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury just a year before. So it's probably worth noting that, no doubt using his superstar status as the biggest name of the still fairly new studio, Bruce Lee was probably the first person to get the ball rolling on this film after speaking to producer Raymond Chow about making a Taekwondo movie with his old friend, Jhoon Rhee, as the leading man. The martial-artists had met less than a decade earlier at a Long Beach karate event, quickly going on to become good friends and training partners. Setting up his schools in the US, Rhee soon became known as the 'Father of American Taekwondo' – respected by millions for his teachings and high-kicking skills over 4 decades before passing in 2018 at the age of 86...

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Based on a story by Jhoon Rhee, who actually grew up in Korea during the Japanese occupation, When Taekwondo Strikes gave him the chance to show his skills to the world although being his first ever movie, apart from a very brief role in Bruce's Fist of Fury, Golden Harvest still wanted to play it safe by placing him alongside their new trio stars such as the brilliant Carter Wong, the amazing Sammo Hung, and the beautiful Angela Mao Ying. Interestingly, the latter two would both guest star in Bruce Lee's legendary Enter The Dragon which was shot around the same time as this, elsewhere in Hong Kong. In fact, they would only be 2 of 16 productions that Golden Harvest studios would produce in 1973 alongside films such as Jimmy Wang Yu's Seaman No.7, A Man Called Tiger, The Tattooed Dragon, and epic Beach Of The War Gods as well as many others. Of course, 1973 would forever be remembered as the year Bruce Lee died, with many film titles from every Hong Kong studio failing to light-up the box office while the country was mourning the loss of the little dragon. Naturally, When Taekwondo Strikes would be one such title – also proving to be Jhoon Rhee's first and last film project with the man quickly departing from the industry after the loss of his good friend.

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Although she had made her debut in the 1968 Taiwanese flick, The Eight Bandits, Angela Mao Ying quickly became the original poster girl for the new Golden Harvest studios, starring in at least 6 features before this and quickly become a box-office sensation. Aside from Lo Wei's Invincible Eight and her appearance in Enter The Dragon, the rest had been under the watchful eye of Huang Feng and Sammo Hung which included the fantastic and similarly themed, Hapkido. In fact, to some degree, When Taekwondo Strikes almost plays like its sequel to it, with Hapkido being made just a year before with Angela Mao, Sammo Hung, and Carter Wong sharing the screen once again. While they played different characters, both films are set during the same time period with Mao Ying's character here being recognised as a master of Hapkido. Of course, the trio would work together many, many times over the years, and fast became favourites for kung fu movie fans around the world. Once more, the film was directed by the brilliant Huang Feng, an actor, writer, and director who first started in the industry with a role in The Dog Murderer in 1952. Not too long after that, Huang would start delivering script after script as well as working as an assistant director through to 1971 where he would then make his directorial debut with the fantastic Angela Mao wuxia adventure, The Angry River and would he would quickly prove to be influential in the early development of Golden Harvest. While working as the assistant director on The Iron Buddha just a year before, Huang got to see a young Sammo hung work his magic as the action choreographer – bringing him onto The Angry River as an action-director and bit-player, which would set in place their extensive working relationship through to the late 70s on titles such as The Fast Sword, Bandits From Shantung, Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido, Stoner, The Shaolin Plot, and more.

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Of course, the legendary Sammo Hung had already been in the business for over a decade by the time this came about since making his debut as a child actor in 1961's Education Of Love, and fast became a respected player in the world of film entertainment as a fight choreographer, actor, and stuntman respectively. Here, Sammo stands out as a menacing Japanese fighter who gets in on the action more than a few times as well as doubling up his duties as the fight-director alongside Chan Chuen who also appears with him. The great Carter Wong, who had only just made his debut in the aforementioned Hapkido the previous year, returns to co-star in a supporting role. With only Back Alley Princess and The Opium Trail in between the two films, its clear that Wong was still finding his feet although very quickly went on to become a fan favourite for many and starred in a host of kung-fu classics over the years – not to mention score a memorable turn in John Carpenters epic Big Trouble In Little China. The popular Chin Yuet Sang lights up the screen as another crazed Japanese troublemaker, gaining his introduction in the beginning and hanging around for most of the story. Often remembered for his role as Sleeping Wizard in John Woo's Last Hurrah For Chivalry, Chin appeared in well over 100 films as well as choreographing for many and directing 5 of his own including Lion Vs Lion, Hocus Pocus, and Ghost Lover. Korean super-kicker Hwang In Sik – recognisable for his roles in classics such as Way Of The Dragon, The Young Master, Dragon Lord, and A Fistful Of Talons – stars in another bad guy role, also returning with the cast of Hapkido and going on to work with them in titles such as The Skyhawk, Stoner, The Association, and The Tournament. Director Huang Feng also appears as the Lieutenant of the Japanese army and, along with the aforementioned main actors of the show, stars alongside many recognisable faces such as Chan Chuen, Wilson Tong, and Alan Chui, with Peter Chan, Billy Chan, Yuen Biao, and Lam Ching Ying often appearing in the background or as stunt doubles. Prolific Korean actor Kim Ki Joo also co-stars, as does Japanese actor and martial artist Kenji Kazuma. And finally, Golden Harvest producer Andre Morgan makes his acting debut as the suffering French priest along with American 'Jhoon Rhee black-belt student' Ann Winton, who stars as his ass-kicking, no-nonsense niece and pretty much steals the show at the same time...

 

Heavily cut for its original UK release to remove brutality such as the whipping of the priest, kicks to the head, chain attacks, and more, When Taekwondo Strikes doesn't really stand out as anything too different or too special from this era of Hong Kong film-making, but thanks to its great cast, neat direction, and constant stream of powerful martial arts action, will forever be seen as a genuine classic of kung fu cinema – and now looks the best it ever has thanks to this new stunningly restored Blu-ray release from Eureka Video!

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Overall: While perhaps a little typical by today's standards, When Taekwondo Strikes still shines as an early Golden Harvest classic and absolutely entertains!

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Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Samm Deighan, Feature Length Documentary – The Best Of The Martial Arts Films (1990), Interview with Billy Chan, Trailers

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Hong Kong Heroes DVD Extras: Trailer, Stills Gallery

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