1969 ‘鐵手無情’ Directed by Chang Cheh
this is one of the few films where godfather of kung fu film; chang cheh headlined lo lieh as the leading hero. three years before lo would become the shaw brothers first international star in king boxer. here he plays a dedicated chief constable for the tsang chou village. he falls in love with the blind daughter of a bandit who is wrecking havoc. joining him in all the action and emotion are award winning actor ku feng and future superstar david chiang.
Even by 1969, Chang Cheh has established himself as 'the' cornerstone of creative foundations for the Shaw Brothers and had delivered a handful of dynamic and effective films. The Invincible Fist belongs with these iconic films. While it doesn't run with the darker subtexts of its plotting and characters quite like its remake would (the also very impressive Killer Constable from 1980), the film still manages to be a strong film that tells the tale of a single minded hero, played with a more stoic performance by Lo Lieh, trying to unravel a series of violent robberies. The film hits all the Shaw keys, gimmicky villains and outrageous wuxia moments of heroism, but its the rather unique love story that…
I liked the final battle. That it was between two men who had both already received serious, potentially mortal, wounds was interesting. More interesting were the weapons involved: a crutch vs. an umbrella. There was also rather more emotional weight to it than the Shaws sometimes have in their big showdown showstoppers. Also, a denouement, which is unusual for them but fits here. Lo Lieh is always worth a watch, but it's the last ten minutes of this that save it from being a forgettable, mid-level production. Which is to say, of course, that all I'll remember about it is the last ten minutes plus David Chiang's death (spoiler!), but that's enough.
Enjoyable minimalist early film from Chang Cheh. It will quickly become clear to anyone who's seen the excellent Killer Constable (1980) that it was actually a remake of this, albeit one which expanded on the plot and is generally better all round, thanks to a larger budget.
Still, there are plenty of unusual weapons in this one such as the projectile shooting "Golden Abacus" or the main villain's bladed umbrella which make it interesting enough, as well as some decent one-against-many fight scenes mainly featuring Lo Lieh or David Chiang. Worth a watch for any fans of early Cheh or Killer Constable.
I liked the final battle. That it was between two men who had both already received serious, potentially mortal, wounds was interesting. More interesting were the weapons involved: a crutch vs. an umbrella. There was also rather more emotional weight to it than the Shaws sometimes have in their big showdown showstoppers. Also, a denouement, which is unusual for them but fits here. Lo Lieh is always worth a watch, but it's the last ten minutes of this that save it from being a forgettable, mid-level production. Which is to say, of course, that all I'll remember about it is the last ten minutes plus David Chiang's death (spoiler!), but that's enough.
Not a very engaging or interesting story behind this one, but it’s made up with the spotlight on superb camera & fight choreography.
It does help when a Shaw film has a good amount of blood in it... me likeeeee blood 🤓
Lo Lieh again. Cops vs. robbers. The head robber has a blind daughter that just kills the film's momentum. Goose shaped knives. One of the longer 'we are both really wounded' fights I've seen.
Even by 1969, Chang Cheh has established himself as 'the' cornerstone of creative foundations for the Shaw Brothers and had delivered a handful of dynamic and effective films. The Invincible Fist belongs with these iconic films. While it doesn't run with the darker subtexts of its plotting and characters quite like its remake would (the also very impressive Killer Constable from 1980), the film still manages to be a strong film that tells the tale of a single minded hero, played with a more stoic performance by Lo Lieh, trying to unravel a series of violent robberies. The film hits all the Shaw keys, gimmicky villains and outrageous wuxia moments of heroism, but its the rather unique love story that…
Enjoyable minimalist early film from Chang Cheh. It will quickly become clear to anyone who's seen the excellent Killer Constable (1980) that it was actually a remake of this, albeit one which expanded on the plot and is generally better all round, thanks to a larger budget.
Still, there are plenty of unusual weapons in this one such as the projectile shooting "Golden Abacus" or the main villain's bladed umbrella which make it interesting enough, as well as some decent one-against-many fight scenes mainly featuring Lo Lieh or David Chiang. Worth a watch for any fans of early Cheh or Killer Constable.
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