Tou tiao hao han (1971)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Min-hsiung Wu

Writer:

William C.F. Lo (writer)

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

Kung Fu Masters! Devil Weapons! The Ultimate in Martial Arts!

Plot:

To Pa and several members of his Eagle Claw Fighting Clan are repulsed, in their attempt to rob government gold...

Plot Keywords:

Fighting | Smuggler | Martial Arts | Kung Fu

Cast

Yuen Yi	...	Lei Peng
Ching Ching Chang	...	Mu Lan
Ming Hsia Wu	...	Lady Tieh
Min-hsiung Wu	...	To Pa
Hung Lieh Chen	...	The Killer (as Chen Hung Lieh)
Chi Ma	...	Chen Chen Chow, the Lightning Whipper
Ming Chiang	...	Chen (as Chiang Ming)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shao Chun Chang
Yi-fei Chang
Chien-nan Cheng
Yu Hsin Chen
Ching Feng Chiang
Wan Hsi Chin
Yun Fei
Chiang Han
Su Han
Yang Hsiang
Chun Huang
Fei Lung Huang
Tai-tung Kang
Hung Kuan
Tsai-yun Kuo
Ma Tien Long
Chin Lung Su
Chih Wei Tang
Chau Hung Wang
Fei Sung Wu
Lieh Yang
Tsai-shing Yang
Chung Yen

Also Known As:

A Real Man (Taiwan)
Fearless Fighters (International: English title)

Runtime:

USA:83 min

Country:

Hong Kong | Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | USA:R

Company:

Sun Wah Motion Picture Company

Quotes:

To Pa: Great! Just great! Great Kung-Fu! Your technique is matchless!
The Loner, AKA One Man Army: My skills are not worthy of such praise.
To Pa: Indeed they are!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 8 (2002) (V)

This is the greatest Kung-Fu movie ever, and a possible life-altering experience for all who see it.

Fearless Fighters is one of the best times I've ever had watching a Hong Kong chop-socky flick. Everything in this film is massively over-the-top, from the hundred-foot leaps straight up that the actors so effortlessly perform to the fight scenes where lone warriors sometimes kill up to ten opponents at the exact same time. The really funny thing about Fearless Fighters is that none of the actors in the movie seem to know Kung-Fu at all! There's none of the brilliantly choreographed fight sequences we're used to seeing in Kung-Fu movies- the actors look like they're pretending the whole time, while flying through the air, jumping over lakes, using outlandish weapons- it's hilarious. Also of note is the English dubbing- it's excellent. NOT as far as the acting goes, mind you (it's TERRIBLE), but the lip-synching is almost flawless...very impressive. The story involves The Eagle Claw fighting clan, lead by To Pa, one of the most fearsome screen villains of recent memory. To Pa and the Eagle Claw clan robs the Almighty Imperial Lightning Whip (who looks exactly like Ming the Merciless) of government gold meant to aid the poor, tragically killing the Lightning Whip in the process. Lei Pong, the film's honorable hero (and follow member the Eagle Claw clan), attempts to stop the theft, and in turn is framed for the crime and jailed. Meanwhile, the Lightning Whip's children, Mulan and Chen Yi Chung, seek to wack to fool who offed their pops. First they suspect Lei Pong, but after a daring jailbreak, Lei's honor, good looks and charisma wins over the Lightning Whip's children as allies, and the true culprit is revealed- the bloodthirsty To Pa! In an effort to kill the one man who can stop his evil plans, To Pa uses his ill-gotten gains to hire an army of freaks and weirdos, including such colorful characters as the Soul Pickers (Flying Sparrow and the Solar Ray- you HAVE to see these guys), the Sword of all Swords, the Dragon Raiser brothers, some wacko with a blond wig and Tiger Claws, and the infamous Loner, also known as...One Man Army. This guy is so totally evil, and with his Deadly Twin Sword, he is one baaad man! The resulting conflicts between Lei Pong and company with To Pa's minions are among the most ridiculous ever filmed! The amateurish, yet outlandishly overstated fighting combined with high-flying antics (complete with some really poor cable work) and horrible stunt jobs make for some gut-busting good times, right on up to the earth-shattering ending. This film is a must see, not only for fans of martial arts movies, but anyone interested in opening up their minds to a higher plane of existence, as seeing Fearless Fighters may very well change your life! Oh, an on a personal note: The actor who portrays To Pa has the best delivery of the phrase "mince-meat" I've ever heard.