Clan of the White Lotus (1980)

CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS is one of few movies directed by prolific kung fu movie star Lo Lieh. It’s also a loose sequel of sorts to Lau Kar-leung’s EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN, where Lau backs up his longtime associate with his usual high-quality martial arts direction. But aside from some inventive and well shot kung fu training sequences and technique, highlighted by Gordon Liu’s use of embroidery kung fu, this movie covers the same ground all over again to lesser effect.

The film opens dramatically with the death of famous screen villain and White Lotus clan leader Pai Mei (aka Priest White Brows) at the hands of second-generation Southern Shaolin lay students Hung Wen-tin (Gordon Liu) and Wu Ah-biu (Lee King-chue). Liu takes over Wong Yu’s role from EXECUTIONERS as the son of famed Shaolin folk hero and Hung Gar master Hung Hei-kwun. Following this event, Ah-biu and other students of Shaolin are arrested by Qing official Ko Chun-chung (Johnny Wang), the nephew of Pai Mei’s brother and successo, known only as the new chief of White Lotus (Lo Lieh). Although he’s technically not playing the same character, Lo Lieh basically is Pai Mei in just about every way. This mirrors a similar technique used previously by filmmaker Ng See-yuen when he set out making a sequel for his indie kung fu hit THE SECRET RIVALS. He needed to basically revive the original villain, played by Korean superkicker Hwang Jang-lee, so he just brought him back as a revenge-seeking twin brother.

Getting back to WHITE LOTUS, public disfavor leads the government to release the patriots but Ko secretly orders them to be killed upon their release. The only one to escape an ambush is Ah-biu, who returns home to his pregnant wife Mei-ha (Kara Hui), her sister Siu-ching (Yeung Jing-jing) and Wen-tin. But Ko’s men, led by the White Lotus chief soon catch up with him. A battle wages that leaves Ah-biu dead, Wen-tin and Mei-ha running for their lives, and Siu-ching making a last stand to cover their escape.

From here on, the film more or less follows the plot of EXECUTIONERS as the couple go into hiding while Wen-tin begins developing new kung fu techniques in order to beat the White Lotus chief and get revenge for the death Au-biu.

What sets this movie apart is a further departure from reality in the hero’s development of kung fu. In EXECUTIONERS, the central martial theme was the historical mergence of two Shaolin kung fu techniques, the hard and offensive Tiger Claw and the soft and defensive Crane Fist. Although the circumstances were likely fictional, this did become the basis for real Tiger Crane kung fu, which is in practice to this day. In contrast, Lo’s film presages Lau’s RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN with a wholly invented technique.

Embroidery kung fu sounds silly but with Lau backing up its execution onscreen, it’s humorous, entertaining and makes sense, in theory. More on that in a moment. The early kung fu action is pretty generic stuff yet Lo Lieh has a very clear vision for his character that is not only unique and well stated but very cool. He builds on the Pai Mei legend by creating a Wudang student, not only with a single hidden weak spot but the ability to channel his chi in order to evade blows by riding the force they generate like a seagull in an updraft. Subsequently, no matter how forceful his strikes are, Liu can never get a firm hit on Lo, that is until Kara Hui comes forth with the revelation that her less forceful “woman’s kung fu” is the answer. Using lightweight paper dummies, Liu begins training to eliminate the wind his Tiger and Crane strikes create. He had earlier combined these two techniques, much like his father did prior. After a nearly fatal confrontation where he’s inflicted with Lo’s “Hundred Steps Soul Catching Fist,” Liu realizes his new skills are not enough. The answer comes from the acupuncture treatment he receives to cure Lo’s pressure point-strangling blow. This is further developed by Hui’s insistence that as part of his training to develop a softer touch, he perform traditionally feminine chores including embroidery. The way in which Liu applies this technique to Lo in the end as he pulls forth needles from his queue is a definite high point.

Lo Lieh and Lau make great use of slow motion and wind machines to emphasize the esoteric nature of these techniques. With his white-browed glare, stylish robes and an array of slick moves, Lo becomes one of kung fu cinema’s most colorful and effective villains. He performs a couple moves, backed up by his badass charisma, that are absolutely fantastic. The best sees him coolly walking through a direct sword attack with hands casually held behind his back. He then proceeds to take the sword away with the ease one would have in plucking a leaf from a tree. It’s a scene that has to be seen more than once to fully register. This isn’t the only time great sword-versus-open hand sparring occurs. Lau and his stunt actors push this unbelievable circumstance to the extreme on numerous occasions. It’s a great opportunity to thoroughly examine how Hong Kong stuntmen perform complex swordplay without actually stabbing each other, which even with blunt props is dangerous. You might notice how they roll weapons over bodies or swing just ahead or behind in coordinated attacks. This may seem like an action spoiler that takes away from the realism of a fight, but it also shows the depth to which these performers go to provide more than just a couple quick killing strokes as is generally the case in Japanese chambara movies.

A pre-finale treat appears when Liu belts out some wicked rope dart attacks against twin tai chi swordsmen. His opponents’ gimmicks are attaching their swords to their scabbards with the hilt “sheathed.” This basically turns the swords into long weapons, much like a kwan dao. Needless to say, it’s a futile gesture on their part as no length of weapon can stop Liu from fluidly wrapping his chained weapon around his body and into theirs.

Johnny Wang has had some great fights with Liu in his day and he doesn’t disappoint here, even though no specific techniques are emphasized. Both use hard styles for very fast sparring. This provides a nice contrast to Lo’s more drawn out, soft techniques. As her character is pregnant through at least half of the movie, Kara Hui is less front and center with her action, but still gets to show off some good moves and some impressive dexterity. It’s newcomer Yeung Jing-jing who steals the show early on with her wushu-inspired sword work and aerial spinning.

I wish I could get as jazzed about the story as I do with the action. Lo Lieh shows little interest in adding anything to the routine revenge-seeking plot. Huang Tien’s script plays like a remake of EXECUTIONERS, complete with the hero’s multiple visits to the villain’s temple lair to give battle until he finally figures out how to win. There is the comic element in Lam Fai-wong’s scabby, boney, pasty-faced, and generally annoying character becoming Liu’s test punching bag. Liu and Hui are unable to have any sort of romantic relationship, perhaps due to their shared loyalty to Ah-biu. There is sadly no chemistry among any of the actors that goes behind the superficial. Additionally, the pacing is a little sluggish midway through and the film lacks interesting supporting characters.

CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS has enough going for it to be an enjoyable watch by genre fans but it doesn’t fit into the essentials category. Potential viewers should first see EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN for a superior take on basically the same story. If that doesn’t satisfy your white-browed kung fu master fix, then check out this solid follow up.

Related Topics: acupuncture, Gordon Liu, Johnny Wang, Kara Hui, Lau Kar-Leung, Lo Lieh, Pai Mei, Shaw Brothers, Tiger Crane Fist, training, Videos