In CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS, the Wong Fei-hung legend meets the great master of kung fu moviemaking Lau Kar-leung. The result is a classic, low on mindless violence and high on energy and forms that delves into the very heart and soul of Shaolin kung fu.
For the man who introduced Shaolin kung fu to moviegoers in films like MEN FROM THE MONESTARY, and eventually THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, it seems a given that Lau Kar-leung would turn his attention to Wong Fei-hung. Wong is the most famous folk hero in Southern Chinese history who was featured in a long-running film serial that ran from the mid-1950s up until 1970. Lau actually started out in filmmaking as a stuntman on the series. Wong was also a famous practitioner of Hung Gar kung fu who could trace his martial ancestry straight back to Shaolin, as could Master Lau.
Not unlike Jackie Chan’s comical portrayal in DRUNKEN MASTER, Gordon Liu plays a young and inexperienced Fei-hung who is dismissed by his father Wong Kai-ying as too emotional to be worthy of carrying on his father’s martial heritage. This is all but proven when Fei-hung slips in among his father’s kung fu schoolmates who enter a “Pao” competition. Vaguely similar to the contest seen at the start of DRAGON LORD, color-coded teams of contestants battle to gain possession of batons that will reward them with a Pao, essentially gaudy displays that act as trophies to reside in their schools until next year’s competition.
Despite his enthusiasm, Fei-hung’s lack of kung fu training causes his friend (Wong Yu) to be injured and his father’s school to lose the competition. Lucky for Fei-hung, Officer Yuen Ching (Lau Kar-wing) sees potential in him and convinces Kai-ying’s Master Luk Ah-choy (Chen Kuan-tai) to train the lad. But just as the two leave for two years of training in seclusion, Yuen Ching is killed while attempting to arrest a wanted criminal named Yan Er-fu (Lau Kar-leung). Fei-hung learns Hung Fist style kung fu, including the Eight Diagram Pole technique and returns home to challenge Yuen Ching’s killer and to lead his school in the Pao competition.
This is a wonderful Wong Fei-hung story with Lau delivering clear and precise kung fu training and sparring. Some viewers may feel put off by an emphasis on the less combat-oriented competitions and Lau’s message of non-violence, but this would be a shame. As also explored in the wuxia epic HERO, the ability to avert violence is the highest level of skill a martial artist can attain. Unlike your average screen hero, Wong Fei-hung has always represented this ideal, especially in the old serials. Even Jet Li’s portrayal in the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series at least presented Fei-hung as a reluctant fighter who always stayed above his enemies morally.
In CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS, Liu goes through an important transformation during his training, both physically and spiritually to learn that winning your enemy’s heart is more important than tearing it out and stomping on it. Lau’s depiction of this learning in action is a little too idealistic for today’s jaded audiences and shows his biggest fault, a tendency to make exaggerated caricatures of his heroes. But there is a truth here that is refreshing to see amid all the revenge-seeking screen heroes who clog the genre.
Lau’s choreography is excellent, even in the chaotic brawling that takes place during the competitions. Lau ably handles group skirmishes and one-on-one fights with his usual inventiveness and proficiency. Chen Kuan-tai seems a bit young for his role, even through the aging makeup, yet his screen mastery of Hung Gar is evident and can be seen even better in EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN where he played Hung Hei-gwun, the founder of Hung Gar.
Gordon Liu is also excellent in his role, highlighted by his use of the pole which predates his more elaborate performance of similar techniques in THE EIGHT DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER. Part of his training involves circling increasingly smaller clay bowls with the tip of his pole in an effort to not break them. What’s really nice with this and all of the other training is that Lau takes it all seriously. Training doesn’t involve some of the more ridiculous (and admittedly fun) gimmicks that Chang Cheh stuck to with his Venoms films such as running across spear tips or doing one-finger push-ups with giant boulders on one’s back. But it’s all still interesting because Lau gives Gordon Liu’s physical exertion meaning that is also grounded in reality. The wooden dummy scene is also worth mentioning as Lau drops a clue that this piece of training equipment often used in Wing Chun is probably what accounted for the “wooden men” legend of Shaolin temple, rather than the silly robot-like characters as seen in BEST OF SHAOLIN KUNG FU (1976).
Lau himself plays the film’s only real villain, although Kong Do and Fung Hak-on both give Gordon Liu and company a fair amount of trouble as rival school members. The film builds up to a kung fu climax when Liu faces off against Lau, first with pole and spear. It’s shorter than some of Lau’s other final matches, but involves some great strategy and long takes involving complex routines. A final Pao competition follows and is a little anti-climatic. However, any chance to see an old school kung fu movie end with something other than a lead baddie getting dealt a death blow is a welcome change. It does end with Lau’s trademark, comic freeze frame though.
If for no other reason, CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS is required viewing simply to see Lau Kar-leung in his prime direct a version of Wong Fei-hung. He did so again in 1994 when Jackie Chan reprised the role for DRUNKEN MASTER 2, although only in part as Lau left midway through over creative differences and sadly threw away his abilities on the hastily-constructed and disappointing DRUNKEN MASTER 3.
by Mark PollardRelated Topics:
Genre: Kung Fu • Lau Kar-leung • Shaw Brothers
- danmye
