1979 ‘Jin bei tong’ Directed by Chang Cheh
Jin bei tong opens with a group of escort/guards preparing to move a shipment of gold from the local government to an area stricken by famine... one of the very few Venom films where all six Venom actors are present within a single film.
Die 5 Kampfmaschinen der Shaolin, 金臂童, Kid with the Golden Arms, the Kid With the Golden Arm
Boy and I threw in this perennial favorite for a weekend watch. For some reason, this time I really focused on how damn weird the twist is.
SPOILERS IF YOU CARE, TRUST ME, THIS SHIT HARDLY MATTERS
————————-
Sun Chien, who has been playing Yang, the leader of the team of heroic escorts, is revealed at the end to be secretly evil (which, if you’re paying any attention, is super obvious), and the double of the real Yang, who is … also evil and also played by Sun Chien. Philip Kwok, as the protagonist Hai To, figured out something was up because fake Yang is supposed to be a great swordsman but clearly isn’t. The real Yang, however, is also…
Glorious kung fu nonsense directed by Chang Cheh. While it isn't as strong as his Five Element Ninjas or (my personal favourite) Vengeance!, it's still loads of fun. There is a character in this who endlessly drinks jugs of wine and is near invulnerable because of it. It's wonderful.
Watching Kung Fu on Netflix is my new favourite pastime! I find the simple plots and characters, short runtimes, exotic locations and endlessly impressive movements comfort me while I sip tea and chow Rum & Raisin ice cream on my big-ass bean bag. Very pleasant.
While entertaining, the misleadingly titled Kid With The Golden Arm is nothing to write home to mummy about. The same crew from Five Venoms, dapper up and generally try to trick and kick each other to death with the fight between Silver Spear and Little Axe the highlight!
Personally, I would imagine those afficted by famine would prefer food over gold! But you don't fight friends for salad right?
This has one of the coolest titles of any Shaw Brothers movie, but it's sort of a waste because it really doesn't fit the plot. As Chang Cheh joints go, I'd call it average, although that obviously puts it in pretty high standing, and this does have some pretty cool gimmicks. Have to say though, in these late night kung fu marathon scenarios I think Lau Kar-leung's intricate and exciting action scenes are better suited than Cheh's heroic bloodshed.
Boasting a higher quantity of action than most of Shaw Brothers films, Kid with the Golden Arm may not be one of Chang Cheh's very best efforts but it is still a superb little martial arts movie that is simply a lot of fun. This one has maybe the best cast of his works with a lot of the Venom Mob present and the film is packed with countless badass characters who all get their own scenes, styles, and weapons to shine. As is standard with all of Chang Cheh's movies, the action is obviously top-notch and very energetic, something that's made even better because there's a lot of it throughout and because the film itself is also very short…
It was not the plan to see another Shaw Brothers movie already; however, it was due to a messageboard discussion that I was inspired to. The same person who plugged the movie Sword Stained with Royal Blood-and I then explained it did not work for me-made sure that at least I liked Five Deadly Venoms and this motion picture. Then came the awkward moment of me explaining that while I did like the former, the latter hadn't been viewed yet. Thus, for his sake if nothing else this was a task I wanted to accomplish. As it was only 82 minutes long, why not spend Saturday night w/ another Chang Cheh film?
Much to my relief, this movie was more…
Golden Arm never uses weapons. He claims he doesn't need them, and that using his bare arms is best. And, he's probably right.
-Iron Feet
After watching a string of Liu Chia-liang Shaw Bros Kung Fu films I had almost forgotten how bloody violent his contemporary Chang Cheh is, especially when he has his Venom Mob in tow. It's a universe where getting impaled by a spear is no guarantee that the fight is over.
I've had the poster for this for about 15 years, but I've never seen the film until now. It's another one with the Venoms, but this time a load of gold is destined for good causes and a gang of four want to steal it. They all have super cool names, such as, Brass Head, Iron Robe, Silver Spear and, of course, Golden Arm.
The fight scenes are mostly okay, except the final two, which are pretty special, with plenty of fast kicks and flips. I wasn't exactly sure who all the characters were and the crisp version on Amazon Prime looked great, but showed up a lot of dodgy facial hair. I liked it but it didn't wow me!
Another stellar Shaw Bros. production. Great fights, some bloody action, and crazy choreography. Pretty much wall to wall combat. Fuckin' loved it.
5 Directors x 5 Unseen Films - Round I: Film #22
52 Years in 52 Weeks 2019: Film #14
Your sword's good, I'll admit. Still, if you should lose it... you're finished. But my arms, they always stay with me.
Another quality Chang Cheh joint full of gimmicky weapons, grotesque death scenes and manly melodrama.
There was a time when I had high expectations of life. I had visions of being an international man of mystery, jet-setting around the world, tramping through the mountains of central Asia to find Nazi gold in the depths of ruined Zoroastrian temples, that kind of thing. I’d probably have a doctorate in philosophy and be the world’s leading authority in either Cartesian dualism or Kantian ethics (maybe both).
These days, just plop me down on the couch, give me bottle of Cognac and a straw and whack on a Shaw Brothers movie, and that’ll be me sorted.
I’m no expert, but I understand Kid With the Golden Arm is generally considered top-tier Shaw Bros, and who am I to…
