Disciples of Shaolin (1975) Hong quan xiao zi (original title)

Director:

Cheh Chang

Writers:

Cheh Chang
Kuang Ni

Release Date:

28 June 1975 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

The Ultimate in Kung Fu...only 1 Fighter will Live!

Plot Keywords:

Class Struggle | Textile Mill | Fighting | Rags To Riches | Cricket The Insect

Cast

Sheng Fu	...	Kuan Fung Yi
Kuan-Chun Chi	...	Huang Han
Ming Li Chen	...	Hsiao Ying
Ching Ping Wang	...	Chu Hung
Ti Lu	...	Boss Ho
Tao Chiang	...	Ka Hebu
Hark-On Fung	...	Lun Ying Tu
Chiang Han	...	Chief Tan Da-Pao
Shou-Li Fan	...	Foreman Chen Cheng
Li Hui	...	Old Yang
Stephan Yip	...	Ying's brother (as Yeh Tien Hsing)
Fai Wong Lam	...	Hsing Fa mill attendant
Jamie Luk	...	Hsing Fa mill attendant (as Lu Chien Ming)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shao Chun Chang	...	Foreman Li Chia
Yi-Hsiung Chi
Ha Huang
Hung Kwan
Fat Tsui
Jo-Ping Wang
Yung Sheng Wang
Shu Tong Wong
Brandy Yuen
Shun-Yee Yuen

Directed by
Cheh Chang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Cheh Chang
Kuang Ni

Produced by
Keng Chu	....	executive producer
Shih Wei Peng	....	executive producer
Chien Ching Tung	....	assistant producer

Original Music by
Yung-Yu Chen

Cinematography by
Mu-To Kung

Film Editing by
Ting Hung Kuo

Art Direction by
Yi Ku		(as Ku I)

Costume Design by
Yung Huang
Chi Li

Makeup Department
Yu-Chen Chu	....	makeup artist
Yi-chen Yu	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hsiao Pei Chou	....	assistant director
Shou-Li Fan	....	assistant director
Yueh-ling Wu	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chieh-Fu Ho	....	props

Stunts
Chia-Liang Liu	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tsou Lin Au	....	lighting technician (as Ou Tso-Lin)
Te-li Hsu	....	assistant camera
Ying-Chuan Kuan	....	lighting technician

Production Companies

• Chang's Film Company
• Shaw Brothers

Distributors

• Shaw Brothers (1975) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Hong quan xiao zi" - Hong Kong (original title)
"Invincible One" - USA (dubbed version)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:106 min

Country:

Hong Kong | Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12 | Argentina:18 | West Germany:18 (cut version)

Company:

Chang's Film Company

Movie Connections:

Featured in Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong (2003) (TV)

Fu Sheng excels in rags-to-riches kung fu tale

Despite the title and its inclusion in Chang Cheh's Shaolin series, THE INVINCIBLE ONE (aka DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN, 1975) has little to do with Shaolin Temple, nor do the main actors, Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan-Chun, play the roles they normally played in the Shaolin films (Fong Si Yu and Hu Wei Chien, respectively). Instead, the film focuses on a poor, wandering kung fu fighter who gets a job in a textile factory and works his way up to become the boss's right hand man, although he alienates his longtime friend (and secret kung fu teacher) who got him the job in the first place.

Director Chang Cheh liked rise-and-fall stories (see also BOXER FROM SHANTUNG and CHINATOWN KID) and this one enables him to give a strong, multi-faceted part to his regular star Alexander Fu Sheng in the role of a poverty-stricken villager who, more than anything else, values a good pair of shoes.

There are not as many major fights in the film as fans would like, although there are brief skirmishes sprinkled throughout. Fu Sheng really doesn't let loose until the two big fights at the end. The villains are played by Chiang Tao and Fung Hak On, two capable and reliable players, although Fu Sheng deserved a more formidable class of opponent, like the ones he faced in SHAO LIN MARTIAL ARTS, FIVE MASTERS OF DEATH, and SHAOLIN AVENGERS. The major flaw in this film is the absence of co-star Chi Kuan-Chun from any of the fights until the very end.

This is a minor entry in the Shaolin series, although it does have an interesting story and gives the superb Fu Sheng a chance to shine as an actor. It was shot in Taiwan and offers a badly patched-together soundtrack of cues ripped off from Italian film scores. In the tape reviewed, scenes of extreme bloodshed in the final fight were printed in black-and-white. The film was remade in Hong Kong in 1993 as THE BAREFOOTED KID.