Shaolin Heroes, The (1980)

The Shaolin Heroes represents Shaw Brothers filmmaking without the studio. It’s an independent production mostly made up of cast and crew from Shaw Brothers, but minus the studio’s backing. More significantly, its prison-themed story is a minor departure from the studio’s usual formula and in a rare instance, features top independent kung fu star Dorian Tan suitably pitted against mainstream superstar Ti Lung.

Ti Lung is Kao Fei-yang, a former Shaolin disciple, who has apparently become a traitor to their cause by joining the Qing government’s efforts to wipe out potential revolutionaries, including any martial artists not working for the government. Through his pained expressions and subtle hesitance, it quickly becomes clear that Kao has something else in mind as he rounds up his old comrades and puts them in prison. Under the watchful eye of a shrewd senior Qing official (Michael Chan), Kao begins torturing the Shaolin men with methods that are actually making them stronger and more skilled. Unfortunately, they don’t realise this, save for one simple-minded disciple, and their hatred for Kao grows by the day, especially as their numbers diminish. Faced with nothing but the certainty of more torture and eventual death, the remaining prisoners make a desperate attempt to escape just as Kao’s real intentions are uncovered.

This is an interesting production. Wu Ma, who has been a recognizable fixture in Hong Kong cinema for forty years in front of and behind the camera, has never been a great filmmaker. Yet, as director and co-star on this production, he shows an interest in taking the played-out Qing versus Ming set up in a more dramatic direction and does so reasonably well considering the overwhelming demand for brainless kung fu action at the time. Ti Lung and David Chiang deserve credit for using their star power and affiliation with Chang Cheh’s Taiwanese-based film company to raise the focus on character development , social awareness and drama in genre filmmaking through several productions in the mid-’70s. Seemingly inspired by one of these, The Condemned (1976), Wu centers the drama within the tight confines of a prison complex and pays greater attention to Ti Lung’s internal conflict. And like The Condemned, Wu gives Choi Wang a welcome opportunity to transcend his thuggish stereotyping to play a hero.

The film is really an ensemble piece, with sizable roles filled by a number of leading talents including the lovely Si Si as a Qing princess, who is the only person to see through Ti Lung’s subterfuge. Danny Lee and Wong Chung get their time in and Wu casts himself as a prisoner who cracks under the strain he’s subjected to. But the performances that give the film its real substance come from Ti Lung, Dorian Tan and Michael Chan.

Tan is one of the genre’s greatest screen kickers and Taekwondo exponents. It’s a stroke of genius to pit him against Ti Lung, who is well known for his on and off screen skills in the art of Wing Chun. We end up with the classic battle of Southern fists versus Northern kicks on several occasions as Tan and Ti lock horns in some terrific fights. Tan is also able to match Ti in terms of his noble bearing. The only thing better is to pit Ti against someone with an equally-commanding presence and similar upper body skills. Michael Chan fits this role perfectly and their climatic battle is the film’s greatest highlight. They begin with fierce open-hand sparring and finish by pitting halberd against the pudao, a short staff with a long, wide blade at the end.

Another memorable scene is where Ti tries to hide an assassin’s attempt to kill him during a dance performance in the official’s presence. There is some clever choreography here that also adds to the tension.

In addition to showing off his Wing Chun skills, Ti Lung really gets a lot of room to show off his acting talent as he frets over the situation he has created. I don’t really buy the fact that he must remain isolated in his efforts by alienating all of his friends, but it makes for more drama and highlights the film’s theme of defining true heroism from a Chinese perspective. Wu really drives this home in the film’s dramatic ending.

The basic story structure of this film is quite strong and I’d love to see a remake of some kind that could smooth over the film’s rough spots. As I think of it, Hero actually has a few similarities in its structure. Ti Lung is like Nameless, a man who has outwardly betrayed his friends, but only for the sake of their collective cause. The two also make sacrifices for an ideal, which is to rid their country of a tyrannical enemy. However, the difference is that Ti Lung remains true to his belief, while Jet Li’s character is swayed by a greater realization. And in a way, the more modest ending to this film is actually more powerful than what we see in Hero. The reason being that Ti Lung’s conflict is on a more personal and fundamental level where his relationship with his former friends is brought to the fore, whereas Jet Li’s critical relationships are somewhat lost in the visual spectacle and less-well defined themes.

The Shaolin Heroes is a modest film that pales next to bigger and better product at SB featuring many of the same stars. Production standards, particularly the lighting and sets, are inferior. The prison set is decent though and shot well enough. With everyone’s level of experience, the acting and kung fu action are respectable. Robert Tai is a quality action director, who offers up clean and precise action scenes without resorting to a lot of gimmicks found in cheaper productions like reverse shots and undercranking to “enhance” the fighters’ abilities. In addition, it’s nice to see Wu trying out something a little different with the story, even if it is somewhat contrived. But that’s the nature and beauty of classic Hong Kong cinema, where most everything is exaggerated to unrealistic proportions. In most cases, I wouldn’t have it any other way.