Challenge of the Masters (1976) Liu A-Cai yu Huang Fei-Hong (original title)

Director:

Chia-Liang Liu

Writer:

Kuang Ni (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 May 1976 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

Teenager Wong Fei-hung is sent to train in the art of hung gar kung fu from his father's teacher, Luk Ah-choy. With training complete, Wong must fight an assassin and regain the honor of his school.

Plot Keywords:

Kung Fu | Martial Arts | Kicked To Death | Revenge | Stick Fight

Cast

Kuan Tai Chen	...	Luk Ah Choy
Chia Hui Liu	...	Huang Fei Hung
Yue Wong	...	Lin Tu-chiang
Lily Li	...	Ho Hsiu-lien
Tao Chiang	...	Kuo Jen-liang
Yang Chiang	...	Huang Chi-ying
Chia Yung Liu	...	Yuen Ching
Kang-Yeh Cheng	...	Tseng Hsing
Hark-On Fung	...	Yang Chung (as Ko-An Fung)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Billy Chan
Lung Chan
John Cheung
Yuet Sang Chin
Kam Kong Chow
Kara Hui
Ricky Hui	...	Lung
Ching-Ying Lam
Sau Kei Lee
Peng-fei Li
Ke Ming Lin
Chia-Liang Liu	...	Chen Erh-fu
John Lui
Te-Lo Mai		(as Robert Mak)
Lao Shen
Chung Tien Shih	...	Peng Yun-kang
Wilson Tong
Eric Tsang
Lung Wei Wang
Biao Yuen

Directed by
Chia-Liang Liu

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kuang Ni		screenplay

Film Editing by
David Wu

Art Direction by
Johnson Tsao

Makeup Department
Yen-Lien Peng	....	hair stylist
Hsu-Ching Wu	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Chi Hsieh	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pa-Ching Huang	....	assistant director
Ma Lan	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Yung-Hua Wang	....	sound recordist

Stunts
Chia-Liang Liu	....	stunt coordinator

Other crew
Wen-chuan Chen	....	script supervisor
Chia-Liang Liu	....	kung fu instructor
Cheng Peng	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Shaw Brothers

Distributors

• Audi Film (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• World Northal (1980) (USA) (dubbed)

Also Known As:

"Liu A-Cai yu Huang Fei-Hong" - Hong Kong (original title)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:95 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Company:

Shaw Brothers

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Night Patrol (1984)

Correction!

Just need to point out that one of the other reviewers here has made a mistake. He's clearly thinking of "Challenge of the Ninja" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080172/ ) not "Challenge of the Masters".

"Ninja" is the one with Gordon Liu (Liu Chia- Hui) marrying the Japanese girl and having to fight her relatives to prove whether Chinese or Japanese Martial Arts are best. It's especially memorable for the superb Chinese Sword vs Katana battle, still one of the great duels of Hong Kong movies, 25 years on.

Not as polished as later films by Chia-Liang Liu, "Challenge of the Masters" is still a pretty slick accomplishment when gauged against other contemporary Hong Kong films. Though shot in 1976, the movie looks as though it were made 5-10 years later. There's no doubt that the young Chia Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) is a star in the making. As always, his physical presence is arresting, his technical skills second-to-none and, heck, he's just plain likable.

His mentor Chia-Liang Liu does a reasonable job with the direction, but it's the fight choreography that shines here. His one-on-one fight with his protégé Chia Hui Liu in the bamboo forest at the three-quarter point is just excellent, and the interesting theme of martial arts binding its exponents together in brotherhood, is a refreshing change from all the revenge dramas that were coming out of Hong Kong (mostly from Chang Cheh, it would seem) at the time.