Beardy directs Master Killer in ‘Blood Relations’

Production has begun on BLOOD RELATIONS, a period martial arts movie from director and veteran kung fu movie and TV star Leung Kar-yan (LEGEND OF A FIGHTER), aka “Beardy,” who is teaming up onscreen with fellow screen fighting legend Gordon Liu, star of THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (aka MASTER KILLER).

BLOOD RELATIONS is a patriotic story set in the early 1900s Republican period when China was facing Japanese invasion. Tycoon Qin Ling (Leung), a philanthropic but unassuming person, is being extorted by the Japanese. Qin Ling refuses to comply. As head of the household, to ensure the safety of his family and his servants, and to foil the scheme of the Japanese, Qin Ling disperses his family and wealth, and dismisses his servants. However, the Japanese send martial arts exponents to massacre his entire family. His youngest son, Qin Yun, who’s actually not related to him by blood, returns from studies abroad, and trains hard in martial arts to defeat the Japanese, eventually realizing the kind intentions of his father.

(Courtesy of Wu-Jing.org)

Leung says that Liu will play an anti-Japanese guerilla and that he and Liu with both have several fight scenes.

“BLOOD RELATIONS is a 100% action film,” said Leung, “With authentic martial arts sequences, not just empty poses.”

Also starring is Leung’s son Leung Ho-yee, Yin Dan-dan and Wu Tian-ze.

The film marks the beginning of a series of traditional kung fu movies from Leung and Liu, in part to expose computer-obsessed youth to traditional Chinese kung fu and culture.

Leung Kar-yan and Gordon Liu previously worked together early in their careers at Shaw Brothers as supporting actors in Chang Cheh’s SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS and FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS. Liu went on to become the star protégé of action director Lau Kar-leung, starring in some of the most successful kung fu movies of the 1970s and early ’80s including HEROES OF THE EAST and THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN. Leung left Shaw Brothers but forged a successful career as a kung fu star alongside Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yasuaki Kurata, and Lau’s brother Kar-wing in genre classics such as ODD COUPLE, DREADNAUGHT and Yuen Woo-ping’s kung fu masterpiece LEGEND OF A FIGHTER.

Leung and Liu were last seen together on the big screen back in supporting roles in several martial arts films of the 1990s including CRYSTAL HUNT and KUNG FU SCHOLAR.

Liu recently appeared in Akshay Kumar’s Bollywood kung fu-comedy CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA. In addition to planning more kung fu films with Leung, Liu is working on a movie that features Choi Lee Fut kung fu.

Source: QQ, Xi-An Evening News via Wu-Jing.org

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