When it comes to hardcore, old school kung fu with great action and without excessive gimmicks or lame storylines to get in the way THE SEVEN GRANDMASTERS is hard to beat. Although sharing the production standards of some inferior movies, this one is virtually non-stop fu masterfully choreographed by Corey Yuen Kwai and Yuen Cheung-yan, with incredible performances by all.
The plot is basically a traveling version of an arena-style competition. This allows for wall-to-wall fights in picturesque outdoor locales. Jack Long in one of his finest roles plays Shang Kuan-cheng, an aging grandmaster of Pai Mei kung fu who is joined by his daughter (Nancy Yen) and his three students as they travel across China challenging the top seven grandmasters. This includes Monkey Fist and Mantis Fist masters. It’s a cordial affair meant only to prove his reputation as the best of the best.
On the advice of a mysterious stranger, a young man named Hsia Hsiao-ying (Lee I-min) begins doggedly tagging along in hopes of becoming Kuan-cheng’s student so that he can avenge his father’s murder. Hsiao-ying becomes the old man’s top pupil, but the two are destined to cross fists when Kuan-cheng himself is pegged as the murderer.
According to kung fu movie aficionado Linn Haynes (who wrote liner notes for the Media Blasters release) this film is based on the life of a real Pai Mei kung fu expert named Cheung Lai-chun who fought and bested top mainland kung fu experts in the mid-1940s at the age of 66. Genre fans may recognize “Pai Mei” as the name of Gordon Liu’s character in KILL BILL, or traditionally as one of five elder monks of Shaolin Temple who is most often portrayed in film as a white-browed traitor who aided the Manchu in destroying the temple.
Cheung Lai-chun was apparently a martial descendent of Pai Mei. His style of kung fu is still practiced today. Although highly fictional in its portrayal and even its setting, THE SEVEN GRANDMASTERS definitely has its roots planted firmly in reality which helps it to be a cut above your standard genre film. It also helps that Joseph Kuo, one of the top independent kung fu directors is in charge.
Now the man chiefly responsible for the action is Corey Yuen who deserves a lot of respect. Not only has he toiled for years as a lowly stunt actor before rising to become one of the top action filmmakers in Asia and Hollywood, he has also crafted some of the finest old school kung fu ever committed to film and at a time when the likes of Sammo Hung and Lau Kar-leung were also at their peak. THE SEVEN GRANDMASTERS is probably the best example of this apart from NINJA IN THE DRAGON’S DEN which featured more ambitious and unusual action sequences, but lacked the tight focus on unrelenting kung fu that this film offers.
Having worked on Ng See-yuen’s excellent SECRET RIVALS 2 with Yuen Wo-ping as choreographer, Corey seemingly borrows from the experience. This can be seen in the advanced acrobatics, legwork, locked-limb maneuvers, and a distinctive tandem flip where one fighter rolls backwards and his opponent rolls forwards over him. Yuen’s choreography seamlessly blends traditional kung fu with opera-style acrobatics and more fantastic moves like ground sliding and flipping onto an opponent’s shoulders. It’s all shot nicely with a balanced mix of cuts, close-ups, measured undercranking, and zooms.
On the widescreen print, the camera work also perfectly frames each fight without leaving dead space which can be a challenge in films with limited sets and few cast members.
With seven main fighters to tussle with, Jack Long has plenty of opportunities to show off his skills. He’s one of the more well-rounded kung fu stars of his day and is a joy to watch. Credit also goes to his opponents for matching him and providing such interesting fights. Each of the seven main duels are entertaining, but a few are outright brilliant.
Chin Yuet-sang as the Monkey Fist expert is incredibly dynamic and seems to just float around Jack. Corey Yuen himself plays a weapons expert and the least-friendly of the grandmasters. His weapons sparring with Jack may be sped up, but it’s precise and intricate to the point where it’s amazing that neither of them lost an eye while shooting. Alan Chui plays the leading villain and he remains inconspicuous until the end, but has a memorable fight against Lee I-min who seems to be cast as the token Jackie Chan clone, but easily stands out on the strength of his own skills. The finishing move in this last fight is spectacular, but painful to watch.
There is no significant flaw with SEVEN GRANDMASTERS. A bigger budget could have allowed the crew to shoot on big sets and have fancier costumes or more extras, but none of it is needed. This film is about the moment when two or more screen fighters make magic by perfectly executing coordinated combat that looks complex, effortless, dangerous, and very cool – all at the same time. And that moment is repeated over and over again in this film, making it a must-see kung fu classic.
by Mark PollardRelated Topics:
Genre: Kung Fu • Genre: Shapes • Joseph Kuo • Seven Grandmasters (1978)
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