Disciples of Shaolin (1975) User Reviews

We've seen this story before, but not done nearly as well.

[thesubstream · 8/10 · 16 October 2009]

The Shaw Bros. studio made between 3.6 and 4.35 trillion films during the "golden age" of Kung Fu cinema. Technically speaking, that's a lot. Do you need to see them all? Probably not... in fact, as with any other genre, there are plenty of klunkers that no one's ever heard of and that you should probably avoid, at all costs. One-offs. Weird ones. Among the more recommended titles, though, among the classics that are so good they deserve multiple viewings, you'll start to see familiar faces and recognizable story lines repeatedly pop up. And, depending on the production period, familiar fighting styles too.

If you watch more than a handful of these films certain titles like Disciples of Shaolin will stand out even more as films of mighty significance. Disciples not only stars the immensely popular Alexander Fu Sheng, but it's also one of the last collaborations between director Chang Cheh and star choreographer (and accomplished Kung Fu film director in his own right) Lau Kar Leung, whose Southern Shaolin Hung Fist fighting style dominated many Shaw Bros. films in the mid 70's. Disciples of Shaolin shows off Fu Sheng's impressive ability to fight with real… well… personality, well-developed characterization and truckloads of charisma, and it just happens to also be a classic, archetypal display of some of the best hand-to-hand Kung Fu you'll see in a mid-70's Shaw Bros. flick.

The storyline is all familiar Kung Fu stuff: Guan (Fu Sheng), a young, naive, happy-go-lucky country boy with no shoes (who happens to be an unstoppable Kung Fu master (of course)), moves in with his older, wiser brother, a humble worker at the top textile factory in the big city. But the textile industry in this town is cut-throat... a rival firm owned by the evil Ha Ha Bu starts poaching staff from the top firm, and many fights break out (If you're looking for work in textiles, it really helps if you know Kung Fu). The story definitely plods forward in predictable fashion, but the unique thing here is how stylishly it does so. Much care is given to underscore this clichéed country-mouse tale with motifs representing class struggle and status: Guan, hoping to make it in the big city thinks he's got it made when he finally earns a new pair of shoes. But as he climbs the corporate ladder (using his unstoppable Kung Fu style) he's rewarded beyond his wildest dreams by his corrupt boss. The shoes and later, a gold watch, symbols of Guan's increasingly cumbersome success, effectively give the story a rich-ish texture you don't often see in these movies. Even the corrupt boss, completely out of touch with his workers, lovingly keeps pet crickets, which he cares about more than those who fight and die in the name of his textile business. It's such a nice, subtle bit of characterization that does a huge service to the overall story, and makes it seem like it's actually about something other than world class Kung Fu fighting.

Before becoming a huge star, Alexander Fu Sheng trained with Lau Kar Leung for 6 months, and they then made a bunch of movies working closely together. Disciples of Shaolin, if nothing else, serves as a document of the heights that a great master/student team can reach. Fu Sheng, an instantly likable, undeniably capable leading man is so good at both acting AND fighting, that he's able to do both at the same time. He's skilled enough to expertly pull off Kar Leung's impressive Hung Fist style in such a way that his character, a mischievous, bright-eyed prankster, actually comes through in his fighting. He spends many fights in this film taking on dozens of Ha Ha Bu's goons at once, all the while sporting a sneaky grin. If you're like me, you will that grin'll be contagious. He's an absolute delight to watch. It's no surprise that Fu Sheng was as huge a star as he was, as he really does bring something special to the table, and it's on full display in Disciples of Shaolin.

This film is awesome and on top of everything else, it's got a kickass 70's soundtrack! I give it a well-deserved four clenched fists out of five.

A real thematic depth

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 29 April 2022]

Despite the title this has nothing to do with Shaolin other than the style used by one of the heroes. Instead it has that classic kung fu backdrop, the textile mill, for a story of greed and business rivalry. Those expecting a lot from Chi Kuan Chuan will be disappointed by his tiny role but Alexander Fu Sheng shines as the arrogant young hero in what is one of his very best roles. The action is good but not great, done better elsewhere, but it's the depth and thematic exploration of materialism that makes this film particularly interesting, the ending resembling a Shakespearian tragedy.

No shaolin

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 9 December 2021]

Guan Feng-yi (Alexander Fu Sheng) and Huang Han (Chi Kuan-chun) are a yin-yang of heroes. Where Guan Feng-yi is an impulsive young man ready to fight at any time, Huang Han is dignified and given to deep thought. The Chinese title - The Hung Boxing Kid - makes more sense as this isn't really a shaolin movie. It really resembles two other movies that Chang Cheh directed for Shaw Brothers, The Boxer from Shantung and The Chinatown Kid.

Together, the heroes protect a textile mill from a rival mill owned by a ruthless Manchurian lord. However, the lure of money and power may be too much for one of our leads. While Guan Feng-yi once only wanted shoes for his feet, he soon learns that the world can pay him so much more.

The really crazy thing about this movie is how many Italian movies it takes its soundtrack from. There's Gianni Ferrio's "Crescendo Trionfale," "Step by Step," "Anonima Assassini" from La Poliziotta; Claudio Mattone's "Celio in Amore," "Tema di Nico, pt. 4," "Arioso," "Cugini Carnali" and "Tema di Nico" from Cugini Carnali; and Ennio Morricone's "Alone in the Night" and "Anger and Sorrow" from Death Rides a Horse.

Fu Sheng excels in rags-to-riches kung fu tale

[BrianDanaCamp · 8 September 2001]

Despite the title and its inclusion in Chang Cheh's Shaolin series, THE INVINCIBLE ONE (aka DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN, 1975) has little to do with Shaolin Temple, nor do the main actors, Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan-Chun, play the roles they normally played in the Shaolin films (Fong Si Yu and Hu Wei Chien, respectively). Instead, the film focuses on a poor, wandering kung fu fighter who gets a job in a textile factory and works his way up to become the boss's right hand man, although he alienates his longtime friend (and secret kung fu teacher) who got him the job in the first place.

Director Chang Cheh liked rise-and-fall stories (see also BOXER FROM SHANTUNG and CHINATOWN KID) and this one enables him to give a strong, multi-faceted part to his regular star Alexander Fu Sheng in the role of a poverty-stricken villager who, more than anything else, values a good pair of shoes.

There are not as many major fights in the film as fans would like, although there are brief skirmishes sprinkled throughout. Fu Sheng really doesn't let loose until the two big fights at the end. The villains are played by Chiang Tao and Fung Hak On, two capable and reliable players, although Fu Sheng deserved a more formidable class of opponent, like the ones he faced in SHAO LIN MARTIAL ARTS, FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH, and SHAOLIN AVENGERS. The major flaw in this film is the absence of co-star Chi Kuan-Chun from any of the fights until the very end.

This is a minor entry in the Shaolin series, although it does have an interesting story and gives the superb Fu Sheng a chance to shine as an actor. It was shot in Taiwan and offers a badly patched-together soundtrack of cues ripped off from Italian film scores. In the tape reviewed, scenes of extreme bloodshed in the final fight were printed in black-and-white. The film was remade in Hong Kong in 1993 as THE BAREFOOTED KID.

ADDENDUM (4/1/17): I re-watched this film on the R3 DVD edition from Celestial Pictures, the first time I've seen the film in years and the first time I've seen it in widescreen and in its original language (Mandarin) with English subs. In re-reading my original review, I seem to have given short shrift to the film's superbly staged fight scenes. Fu Sheng is excellent in these scenes, on par with the best of his work. While there are long stretches without any action, there are certainly enough fight scenes to satisfy fans of the actor. The fights were all choreographed by Liu Chia Liang (aka Lau Kar Leung), who would later direct Fu Sheng in three films himself, including 8 DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (1984), the film Fu Sheng was making when he died in 1983.

Are we crickets or are we men?

[ckormos1 · 7/10 · 7 February 2020]

Would you believe this movie has nothing to do with Shaolin? That's no surprise to fans of the genre. Fans will also recognize the set of the silk mill that was trashed in a previous movie, 1974 "Men from the Monastery". Fans will certainly recognize Alex Fu Sheng. A better title for the movie would be his name. Alex costarred in some of Chang Cheh's Shaolin temple movies but here the movie is all about him.

His fate becomes linked with a fighting cricket. They share the same name and more.

The fights in this movie have both quantity and quality. Some might say the story runs a bit long. There is a montage after the final death. This seems to be over the top to anyone watching it today. Consider though, in the movie's theatrical release the ladies in the audience would have been brought to tears by that scene. One weird fact about these Shaw Brothers martial arts movies from the 1970s is that the audience was typically filled with middle aged married women. They were there for the beefcake. (The "Chippendales" show was far in the future!)

Real action choreography goes beyond a good fight to watch. The action should advance the story or reveal character. When the audience sees Alex fight in this movie they also see his character being revealed.

This movie is above average and mandatory viewing for all fans of martial arts movies of the golden age from 1967 to 1984.

You could do a lot worse

[petersgow · 9/10 · 21 August 2007]

Despite the fact that there really aren't the major set piece fights of the Shaolin movies, this is one of the better Shaw bros flicks. It actually has a point, that can be related to even to this day, of workers being exploited by an unfeeling boss. The owner of the factory the hero works in cares more for his fighting insects than the hero. As the story plays out, however unintentional, we see the Manchu villain cares more for his thugs then the heroes employer cares about his workers. Another good reason to see this particular movie is that it was the late Fu Sheng's favorite role/character. Virtually forgotten, at the time in Hong Kong, Fu Sheng was the biggest star in action movies going. Anyway, for $ 7.99, the VCD or DVD is well worth the price to get a glimpse of the HK James Dean at his best, at least in the acting department. For cool fights, though, you may want to see out "5 shaolin master", "ShaoLin Temple" or "Heroes Two".

Kung fu's 99%...

[poe426 · 9/10 · 28 February 2012]

Kuan Fung Yi (Alexander Fu Sheng) is a hot-headed mill worker who wants more out of life than a dawn to dusk shift... You know, some of those little perks the 1% enjoy- like shoes... Take it from a former factory worker: it's dehumanizing; one is little more than a cog in a machine (a replaceable cog, as the owners never tire of pointing out to workers). Fung's death is shown in black and white- no doubt to appease the censors at the time of the movie's release (and, not unlike the red-tinted sequences in Chang Che's HEROES TWO, these scenes feel oddly out of place). Just how disinterested is his boss in Fung's welfare? When he's told that Fung has died, the boss rushes to check on his fighting cricket (which he had named after Fung). Let that be a lesson to anyone who thinks the 1% really care.

The worst of Chang Cheh: ridiculous

[norbert-plan-618-715813 · 2/10 · 23 October 2022]

This film is the compilation of the worst of Chang Cheh. We find there a catastrophic direction of actor with actors who grimace or who pass their time to sneer. We find the decorations in cardboard or so of a visual poverty of the path type with grasses at the edge. We find there a ridiculous music which overplays. We also find there an uninteresting and ridiculous dramatic scheme that makes the film smile, but not on purpose.

The film is not devoid of interest if we only consider the fights. Rather, they're pretty dry and a lot of fun with the ridiculous sound that's added to every hit between the movement hisses and the cannon shots every time the characters are supposed to touch each other.

The story is silly to say the least and above all mixes a slew of characters, each one more stupid than the other, including the main hero, Fu Sheng, devoid of acting talent.

Like many of Chang Cheh's films, the men very quickly find themselves shirtless. And the female characters are stooges without much interest.

FOR A PAIR OF SHOES

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 8/10 · 3 May 2022]

88 Films once more offers a fantastic example of Chinese martial arts movie with the released of DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN. Though the Shaolin temple is nowhere to be seen in the film two students are. It is there story that is the focus of the film.

Guan (Alexander Fu Sheng) arrives in town with nothing but an old pair of worn out shoes to his name. Unable to find work he reaches out to his old friend Wang Hon (Chi Kuan-Chun) who takes him in and gets him a job at the textile factory where he works. Guan is a bit naïve and clueless about how things run in the big city which will play into his story as the film move forward.

Getting into a fight with the group sent by a rival textile mill to disrupt their business, Guan comes out on top to the cheers of his co-workers. But Wang knows once his skills are seen he will be in danger. The head of the textile mill congratulates Guan and puts him in charge of teaching his workers, promoting him and rewarding him with a new pair of shoes.

Guan see this as a stepping stone to bigger things in spite of Wang's warnings. He continues to move up the ladder and at times plays off one mill against the other. He continues to have gifts heaped upon him but can he truly trust those who employ him? And will all of this lead to a greater life or simply one with more luxuries but no meaning?

Directed by famed director Chang Cheh this films is a joy to watch. The fighting sequences are some of the best put to film. This shouldn't come as a surprise since the Lau Kar Leung was the fight choreographer for the film. Leung would go on to become a director himself overseeing many of the classics in the genre.

In addition to that is the performance by Fu Sheng who rose quickly to stardom and was sadly taken away at age 28 in a car crash. His ability to combine an innocence and sense of humor with his martial arts skills always made him stand out. It shows often in his role here.

The final sequence of the film features an all-out bloodbath of a battle. So intense was it that at the time it was shot in black and white to appease the censors. Today it wouldn't be bothered with that. It does make for one of the most brutal fight sequences on film.

As they've shown already 88 Films has released this with a spectacular version beginning with a restored HD print of the film. Extras include a limited edition slipcase with brand new artwork from R. P. "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien, a double-sided A3 foldout poster, extensive booklet notes "The Visceral Arts Cinema of Chang Chech" by Matthew Edwards, "International Bright Young Thing: A Look Back on THE DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN and Its Charismatic Star Alexander Fu Sheng" by Andres Graves, an article by Kung Fu Bob, an audio commentary track with film journalist and author Samm Deighan, an audio commentary track with Asian cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, "Jamie Luk at Shaw Brothers" an interview with actor/director Jamie Luk by Frédéric Ambroisine, the original trailer and a reversible sleeve with brand new artwork by R. P. "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien along with the original Hong Kong poster artwork.

Once more if you are a fan of martial arts films or action films this is one to add to your collection.