The Boxer from Shantung

Cult Cuts Volume 26 #4/4: The Boxer from Shantung (1972) (8/10): Another Shaw Brothers offering but this time I'm finally dipping my toes into their Martial Arts Films. The Boxer from Shantung is a great example of a violent, martial arts action film done right. It's got exquisite fight sequences and choreography that when combined with the fantastic set pieces that these fights take place in and destroy is just a thing of extraordinary brutality. The story goes as follows, The Boxer leaves his life of poverty in Shantung in seek fortune in Shanghai but finds himself entangled in a world of corruption, gang warfare and evil and all he has to defend himself is his claim to fame, his fists. It's a simplistic plot but it never had to be anything complex, just enough to get us through to what we're really here for, action and lots of it. It's a great big bloody mess and I mean that in the best way possible, the final confrontation is just The Boxer versus a whole gang of men and they have knives and axes, he may not prevail but boy does he give them a run for their money. Axes go through the floorboards people smashed into tables and through the handrails of stairs, he doesn't mess around. It's unfortunate that practically all of the Shaw Brothers Films are unavailable to the general public, yes many are getting physical releases but they are very expensive, however there are some that are available to stream and they are well worth your time if you enjoy martial arts.

source: The Boxer from Shantung

Ma (Chen Kuan Tai) settles in at a local flop house where he's befriended by a "little hillbilly" named Xiao. Ere long, our hero begins to pine for some of the better things in life- and, when he sees Tan (David Chiang) being treated like royalty, he decides that THAT's the way to go. Not unlike DUEL OF THE IRON FIST, THE BOXER FROM SHANGTUNG is a Triad movie loaded with hatchet-wielding hatchet men (led, in this case, by Ku Feng as Boss Yang). Along the way to becoming Tan's man in the area, Ma defeats a Russian wrestler. When Tan is ambushed and murdered, Ma sends Xiao packing and sets out to avenge his idol. As in many of Chang Cheh's movies, women are left sidelined watching the action (or seen leaving town, as in this case). While I've seen no trailers proudly proclaiming "No women in this one!", they might just as well have done one: Ma seems FAR more interested in Tan than the young lady who pines for him in the movie. Chang Cheh (thankfully) milks the gory finale for all it's worth (even literally bringing down the Green Lotus Teahouse, the way Jackie Chan would in THE LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER). Another ten for Chang Cheh.

This is basically a kung fu Scarface type of story. Chen Kuan Tai gets an "Introducing" credit in what I believe to be his first starring role. He was great, and gets even better in future movies. David Chiang has a key role and as always was the coolest guy on screen. The version I saw was uncut, which is my favorite word for movies, though it did feel a bit long. I don't think anything was worth cutting out though. I feel sorry for those stuck with a version shorter by a half hour. My favorite supporting actor of the era, Ku Feng, was in this too, but if I told you I watched 2 Shaw Brothers movies today and he was in both... well, this shouldn't be a surprise. That guy worked his ass off and the odds of such an occurrence are quite high!

Boxer from Shantung is pretty much what you'd get if you made Goodfellas as a Chinese martial arts film. Ma Yongzhen (Chen Kuan-tai) is poor country boy who moves to Shanghai to seek his fortune. Unfortunately, the times are tough and oftentimes he and his friends don't even have enough money for a roof over their heads. But after meeting a legendary crime lord Tan Si (David Chiang), Ma realizes that the only way to move forward in this city of poverty and misery is to do so through illegal means. Boxer from Shantung elevates itself above most of its peers by the virtue of its fight scenes. Chen is a fantastic, fully-trained martial artist, whose various moves and stunts are beautiful to watch. I also like the fact that unlike in so many other martial arts films, the main character is not invincible. Fitting for a gangster film. The last fight scene is actually pretty brutal to watch because of this, but all the more awesome for it. Definitely one of the best fight scenes I've seen in my life and worth the price of admission by itself. What keeps the film from being a masterpiece is the fact that the story is rather bland. It starts out well enough and the ending is fantastic, but the middle part lost me pretty quickly. It felt like the film was simply going through the motions to get to the good part. It's by no means awful and you still get a lot of good fights, but the characters themselves don't become as dear to you as they should. Still, it's a film you see to watch people kung fu fighting. And for that it is a very good film. If you're looking a captivating story and fleshed-out characters, this is not your film, but I think you already knew that walking in.

This 1970's Shaw Brothers studio epic from legendary director Chang Cheh still seems to be as increasingly watchable to this day. Chen Kuan Tai stars as Ma Yong Zhen, a street urchin in 1930's Shanghai who gets by washing carriages for the upper-class. But he desires more, he wants to have his own power, wealth and status in the city of Shanghai. After a couple of errands with the Four Dragon's gang, Ma gets the recognition he yearns for and is seen as a saviour to the poor and begins his parade by taking over districts in Shanghai. Soon the power and status he has craved for begins to crumble the inner-happiness he has longed for. The film has proved to be very influential to this day, as John Woo was assistant director and the Four Dragon's gang was also used in Stephen Chow's 'Kung Fu Hustle' (but known as the Axe Gang), the finale of Ryo Seung Wan's 'City of Violence' also bears resemblance to the finale of 'Ma Yong Zhen'. Chen proves to be a worthy lead as his appearance and performance comes as very empathetic and proves quite adequately in fight sequences. Chang Cheh regular David Chiang plays a small role but sadly shows very little martial arts skills. The fights are somewhat average, if not very bloody but the story line, the central performances, the cinematography and the music score make this film stand out as an evergreen classic. What drew me into this film was it's cool and slick opening sequence (kind of like Chang Cheh's 'Vengeance') it creates the atmosphere of mystery, danger, rage and excitement. All I can say is if you can see a worthy version of this movie (sadly there's no DVD released in the UK yet) go and see it. But I'm sure other DVD distributors in other countries have released the full uncut version of this classic.

Pre-Venom Mob martial arts film from director Cheh Chang finds the film's hero working his way out of poverty by traveling to Shanghai, only to find himself drawn into the criminal underworld. The Shanghai underworld looks pretty much like every other Shaw Brothers backlot set and the story and characters are not particularly compelling, but the fight sequences are excellent, particularly a wildly bloody finale, where the hero battles the main villain's minions with a hatchet lodged in his side!

Another glorious drama from the Shaw Brothers studio, following a similar story to their many others, with the noticeable change of setting: instead of ancient China we're here introduced to the 1920s Shanghai backdrop for the classic tale of one man's rise and fall in the power stakes. Imagine this a kind of Chinese SCARFACE; its morals of the power of corruption, the falsity of greed, and its story structure are all very similar. Unfortunately it's a lengthy film that can't quite retain interest throughout all of its scenes, meaning I had to watch it in a number of goes to follow the story. And although the kung fu fights are adequate for the most part, they are hardly classic examples of choreography, with a few exceptions (the battle with the Russian fighter is a great one for example). The thing that holds this film together remarkably well are the performances. Chen Kuan Tai (EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN) is excellent as the lead, a dedicated, ruthless but humane young man, and he proves to be a worthwhile hero. John Cheung (SNAKE IN THE MONKEY'S SHADOW) provides support as his loyal friend and servant, whilst Shaw Brothers hero David Chiang excels in his more minor turn as a boss. The villains are a remarkable bunch, consisting of the vicious 'Four Champions', and their performances are also excellent (as is the usual for a Shaw Brothers movie). The most memorable thing by far in this film is the thirty-minute finale, in which a mortally wounded Chen Kuan Tai attempts to get revenge on those who caused his death and also the death of his friend. The result is a real bloodbath of a fight, with violent director Chang Cheh really making use of the crimson gore with endless blood spurts and slimy torsos. Watching this finale is a real test, as you can almost feel Tai's pain thanks to his strong acting. In fact the film is worth watching for this tour-de-force climax alone.

'Ma yong zhen' or 'Boxer from Shantung' in the dubbed videocassette version I viewed is a long film but engrossing, showing the rise of Ma Yung Chen from lowly labourer to gang boss. The film has a strange melancholy air, ending with some of the characters fleeing from Shanghai as war approaches. The music has also a sad feel to it. Avarice is the main driving force of most of the characters as they go about their business but over all there is a doomed air. Kuan Tai Chen who plays Ma Yung Chen (very well) has a pleasant appealing smile but there is something sad in him too. His yearning to be somebody is touching. He is plausible in the fight scenes too, particularly the tremendous gory fight at the end, which seems to go on endlessly like a nightmare you can't wake up from. David Chiang as usual is great, though not on the screen long enough. The 'four champions' in the film include the Shaw Brothers regular Feng Ku who is always good value. I believe John Woo worked as an assistant director on the film and is a fan of the director, Cheh Chang. Compare the end of this film with the end of Woo's 'The Killer'. There is a lot of combat in this film but it sits well with the narrative and the characters. Some martial art films are all fighting and no plot but 'Boxer from Shantung' has both in equally good measures.

Ma Yongzhen (Chen Kuan-tai) is a poor man who comes to a city. It's the typical Rags to Riches story, but from Shaw Bros. And it involves plenty of martial arts action, blood, revenge and real drama. The main character is motivated to be wealthy and get out of poverty, but how does he do it, is the question to this epic story. That is pretty much the gist of the plot. It's a man's movie where quest for money, revenge, vengeance and redemption comes into play. It's a bit of a gangster film, mixed with Martial arts and it works. I found this to be one of the best Shaw Bros. Movie, plot and acting. It's touching and it's a remembered epic imo. It is 2 hrs long, but it doesn't feel that way since it is so well scripted. It has deeper meaning, friendship, loyalty and respect being some of the themes. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. My score reflects what I think of the film....it is near perfect and a 10 out of 10 for me. It is heart wrenching and memorable.