The Master (1984) User Reviews

Formulaic but watchable

[HaemovoreRex · 4/10 · 22 September 2009]

Ah the early 1980's......how I miss them! The era embodied a sort of innocence which dissipated towards the end of the decade and has sadly yet to return. Who can forget the fads of the time; In music we 'bopped' along to the sounds of New Romantics, pioneering synth pop acts and additionally were blessed with a wonderful array of 'big hair' heavy metal bands. On TV we enjoyed such classics as Knight Rider, Airwolf and the incomparable, The A-Team and in cinemas we were treated to probably the best decade for horror and action movies......yes, the eighties....ah, they were the days.

There was actually another craze that swept the western world during the early part of the decade also; What was it you may ask? Why it was Ninja Mania! We just couldn't get enough of these enigmatic stealth assassins in fact. The public obsession first began proper when the Cannon Film Group released the Sho Kosugi outing, Enter the Ninja in 1984. Kosugi himself went on to a semblance of super stardom literally overnight - this despite the fact that he was actually playing the films main villain! Such was the mystique and allure that these historical figures exuded on screen. Needless to say, more ninja flicks were swiftly put into production by a plethora of film companies, each trying to out do the last and cash in on the publics apparent insatiable fixation on all things connected to the ninja. It was inevitable of course that these seemingly semi-mystical beings would break out into other entertainment mediums also. This they did in the form of numerous comic books, novels, toys, games and in the instance reviewed here, a television series starring veteran actor, Lee Van Cleef and as it happens, the by this time living legend, Sho Kosugi.

The plot concerned Cleef's character returning from Japan where he had spent years studying the ninja arts, in order to find his estranged daughter. Also along for the ride was the token wise cracking side kick (as was a somewhat unfortunate trend of the eighties....) who becomes Cleef's new student. Unfortunately, our veteran ninja is also being hotly pursued by a fellow ninja from his clan (Kosugi) who is incessantly intent on sending him to the great beyond.

Despite ninja mania in full swing at the time, the show curiously lasted for only one season before disappearing as quickly as......um.......well, a ninja in fact.

Whilst mildly enjoyable in its own right, it has to be said that the series was unfortunately hampered by its incredibly formulaic treatment. As with the vast majority of eighties TV shows, the plot was never more ambitious than to set our heroes (who just like in every other eighties show), travelling around from place to place helping out those in trouble (invariably a sexy, feisty female) from evil property developers and the like. Every now and then to spice things up, Kosugi puts in an appearance and it's no coincidence that these episodes are the best of the series which sans his presence is somewhat pedestrian at best.

For a bit of nostalgia or else those still desperate for a fix of anything ninja related the series is probably worth a look as long as you don't set your expectations too high.

Lovably lame

[servo-9 · 3/10 · 8 February 1999]

Lee van Cleef and Timothy van Patten make lovably lame main characters in this silly "movie" spliced together from two episodes of a 1980's TV series. David MacCallum shows up as an extremely unthreatening international terrorist/kidnapper, and George Lazenby is a cut-price secret agent whose tuxedo seems to be surgically attached to his skin. We're expected to believe that elderly Lee is capable of executing acrobatic somersaults and climbing sheer walls. Tim registers mild annoyance when his mentor and best friend Lee appears to have been buried in a shallow grave.

Guilty Pleasure for Ninja lovers

[AlanTES · 5/10 · 26 February 2001]

This movie was simply a combination of the first 2 episodes of a short-lived TV series called "The Master".

I must admit my bias in this review because I vividly remember this TV show when it first aired in the mid-80's, and, like any other 11 year-old child, I LOVED it. (I think it even came on right after the A-Team, but I could be wrong). Anyway, when I was that age, I had a 6-month long fetish with Ninja movies, or any thing with Sho Kosugi or Michael Dudikoff. To this day, I still enjoy whenever I can catch one of the "Enter the Ninja" or "American Ninja" movies; just because I can look back at what influenced me as a child.

This movie / TV show was a pretty lame attempt at capitalizing on the relative success of those movies. Unless you really enjoy the "Ninja" type movies, you will not enjoy this flick, except to make fun of it. In fact, even Ninja enthusiasts will have to admit this is pretty lame.

However, as a guilty pleasure, this movie does its job. Trust me... you will feel very guilty after watching it.

Lighten UP! unbelievable, ridiculous, inane but SO MUCH FUN!!!

[jake-87 · 5 May 2003]

I remember the series well... An, the memories.. only back then I

didn't realize how preposterous the whole thing was - Van Cleef looked more like a 90 pound weakling than a NINJA . He looked old and tired... But I LOVED him... VanPatten was the one miscast... NO Chemistry!! Be sure to see the last episode (If you can find any of them, I did on VHS)... The Master is back on an old West movie location, and feels right at home.. in fact he says so.. nice touch to end the series... Now that i'm old too, I wish I could move like the Master but then... that was a stunt double... Van Cleef you hombre.. rest in peace... you didn't seen at all out of place as a Ninja master but then... I never saw you as a old west Cowboy first! I loved this series!! Look

on VHS

Master Ninja II: The Next Day

[zmaturin · 1/10 · 13 December 2002]

Max Keller, the unintelligable, custom-van-drivin', gerbil-totin', dirt-bike-racin', light-aircraft-pilotin', young-gal-smoochin' hero of "Master Ninja I" is back, in another film that bares a striking simularity to the television show "The Master". "For a Few Dollars More" star Lee Van Cleef is back too as Max's Ninja instructor, who drops about thirty pounds everytime he dons his ninja robes. This time they battle corrupt fish canners who have killed several union organizers without reprisal, then lend a hand to some tense hostage negotiations.

This installment of the venerable series is star studded (compared with the last one, who's star power consisted of Clu Gulager and Claude Akin's butt). Joining Max and The Master are Crystal Bernhard (TV's "Wings"), George Lazenby ("Who Saw Her Die"), David McCallum (TV's "The Man From Uncle"), and Monte Markham (TV's "Campus Cops"). OOOO!

Timothy Van Patten applied his experience of starring in "The Master" to his later career, directing episodes of "Touched by an Angel" and "The Sopranos". Lee Van Cleef died.

If you enjoyed this, perhaps you'd like "Master Ninja III", "Master Ninja IV", "Master Ninja V", "Master Ninja VI", "Master Ninja VII", or "Three Ninjas Kick Back".

I think if you watch this while drunk it might actually be good

[reb-warrior · 3/10 · 9 March 2023]

This show is just silly. Taking up a spot in the 80's where they did a lot of not good action things that never lasted. The "master" is an american ninja in search of his daughter. He teams up with Max. A guy whose job... I don't know what it is. Lol.

I think there was a fascination during the time period in pop culture with martial arts and ninjas. Maybe a little earlier than this. Anyway this is what this is riding on. I recall liking this as a young teen. But now, omg, it's pretty awful.

They travel from one small town to another. Have lots of bar room brawls with a lot of different rednecks. Mainly Max. Then the Master steps in and uses his ninja power. Lol.

There is some ok action. Max does most of the talking. He's very talky-talk. The actor decent enough for what the role called for. Lee Van Cleef was ok at the stoic Master. But man, the concept of the series and execution of it storywise wasn't that great.

The only thing it's good for now is a good laugh, and maybe seeing some of the guest stars, such as Demi Moore in the first episode. It's pretty funny looking back in time at the clothes, the hair, the context, the music.

I think if you're drunk you might really like this and think it's really good. Ha ha. 3/10.

The best TV show repackaged into a film starring Timothy Van Patten AND Lee Van Cleef ever!

[zmaturin · 1/10 · 27 February 1999]

This "film" is a brilliant piece of art that has been over looked by film critics and historians for years. The directors ingeniously combined two episodes of a mid-80s action series ("The Master") to create a wonderful portrait of the rebellious "Max", a street-smart young rebel who teams up with pro-ninja Lee Van Cleef. In the film's first hour the team helps defend super-stars Demi Moore and Claude Akins' air field, and then in the second hour they help out some striking canners.

This method of combining almost two different stories into one was obviously the inspiration for Roberto Begnini's brilliant "Life is Beautiful". Watch these two works back to back and you'll see what I mean: Their stories are structured the same way, and the lead characters (crafty, dashing heroes who bend the rules to what's right) are strikingly similar.

Of course, I could be talking crap. I don't know.

Master Disaster II

[icehole4 · 2/10 · 23 January 2002]

Lee Van Cleef and George Lazenby try their best at saving this turkey, but fail. This is more episodes from the short-lived series "The Master" which aired on NBC. Here Crystal Bernard plays a motorcycle racing woman who organizes a union at a place where they want to keep unions out. (After Happy Days and before striking gold with Wings, Crystal appeared in several stinkers, most notably this and It's a Living.) The whole thing is very contrived and pretty bad. Avoid this one if possible.

Hi... yuck!

[geminiredblue · 2/10 · 28 October 2011]

Let it be known that I simply love martial arts movies. Anything with ninjas, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal and of course Chuck Norris. Yes, growing up I watched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles... the originals made in the 80s no less! And yes, I stood in line and sat in theaters to watch their films. A craze overtook American in the 80s, Ninja Fever. And in the midst of that period, this television series emerged. *Sigh* Sadly, it's not all that good. Like most series that don't do well, in a desperate move the makers slammed two pilots together and released it as a movie called MASTER NINJA. And that is where MST3K entered the picture. Their comments are brilliant as we watch the annoying, whining Timothy Van Patten (anyone notice his little lisp?) and Lee Van Cleef (wasted in the role) battle it out with ninjas, corporate monsters and share unfunny banter. Also in the first half, look for a young gravelly-voiced Demi Moore. A lot of the special martial arts stuff is so fake and it's obvious that Lee Van Cleef had stunt doubles. Plus the storyline is so incoherent that things soon get confusing. So what is there to like? Henry, the hamster! He's so darn cute!! Only see this if you want a good laugh, in the company of Mike and the Bots, or your own brood!

Brings Back Good Memories

[upirons · 6/10 · 7 August 2007]

I remember my excitement, as an 11 year old at the time, when I learned that "The Master" TV series was going to come out on TV. At the time I was really into Bruce Lee movies and just about any Kung Fu/Ninja related movie or show I could find. Of course the same year saw the release of "The Karate Kid" so this was just a great year if you were a fan of martial arts.

Unfortunately this series didn't live up to the hype. But for me, it still holds a place in my heart because it happens to be the very first show that I ever taped with a VCR - a beta-max no less! I remember watching parts of that first episode over and over again as I marveled over my newfound ability to rewind and replay video.

All these years later I can see that the show has no real legacy and was cancelled after just 13 episodes. If you watch this movie, it is really just the first 2 episodes of the series.

Lame even for a 15 year old!

[mm-39 · 4/10 · 8 November 2018]

The Master was to tap into the 80's Chuck Norris martial art trend. Lame lame lame! Lame even for a 14 year old. Back in the day at Junior high some of my friends, enemies, cohorts etc loved this show. I watched a couple of shows. What worked Well: The master Lee Van Cleef is creditable as the wise old master. The Ninja's who are out to get the master for breaking the code is a cool story-line. The intro/narrations etc is good. What does not work: The apprentice ninja wanna be is un like able, but a good drifter. Many 80's shows had a formulated car chases, town bad guys, attractive female in trouble, and a action show down, which is too predictable. Over the top martial arts, Ninja stunts and thin story line is just too much. The looking for lost daughter is too much like looking for lost mother Kung Foo story-line with flash backs etc. Kung Foo was better, but maybe I should re watch The Master. 4 stars. Yes there was a Ninja craze like all things macho back in the 80's

As a kid, I have to admit I like the series.

[billy_w71 · 9/10 · 4 June 2006]

I am groaning as I write this but during the early '80s with all the ninja craze as as a kid who practiced and loved karate, I loved this show. I never knew who Lee Van Cleef was prior to this TV show but my father did. He remember Lee in all the spaghetti westerns and would laugh that the villain of the cowboys was a good guy ninja now.

You have to wince at some of the shows you liked as a kid but, you know, thats what makes the memories of your childhood so amusing if your lucky.

Now, I am older and a father, and I appreciate actors like Lee more than the pinheads in Hollywood making $20 million + a picture. Actors like Lee kept us entertained and made guys like Clint Eastwood ("For a Few Dollars More") and Kurt Russell ("Escape From New York") look so good.

When he died in '89 it gave me pause. He deserves to be remembered and I won't forget this weird funny show he did that kept me glued to the screen with all it's oddball fantasy.

The 13-year old boy in me gives this a 9 star rating and a 10 star rating for the beady-eyed, hawk-nosed actor who played the lead.

Rest-in-Peace, Lee, you are remembered.

memorable

[parachute-4 · 7/10 · 11 February 2008]

Top stuff. I've only ever seen episode 1 but I'm always on the lookout for the others. I loved the bit where Van Patten tried to use the approved "sleeper touch" technique to subdoo a baddie, and it didn't work !

Van Cleef's arrow-catching stunt was very impressive, and he handled that scene and a lot of other equally unlikely frames like the true pro that he was. Keeping a straight face through the takes must have been hard work at times for a guy who had worked with directors the caliber of Fred Zinnemann and Sergio Leone.

Demi Moore would likely prefer that her appearance in this B-grader remained largely forgotten, but we all have to start somewhere, and the show was probably a lot of fun to make.

R. B.

A show made during the ninja craze!

[Aaron1375 · 3/10 · 11 January 2012]

This show was made during the mid 1980s, a time when there was a bit of a ninja craze in the country. Granted, not all that super big as there were a few movies here and there and nothing that would really be considered a blockbuster by today's or even back then standards. This was also a time when a plethora of action shows came on the airwaves too. You had shows that were fairly successful like A-team, Knight Rider and Greatest American Hero and then you had a lot of action shows that kind of had like one season like Automan, Manimal and Tales of the Golden Monkey. This show falls in the latter category featuring an old actor in Lee Van Cleef portraying a ninja master and his sidekick pal played by Timothy Van Patton who had a van and a pet gerbil. Not exactly a great formula as Van Cleef had a bit of a gut and was moving around poorly trying to make us think that he was a ninja. They basically had Sho Kosugi in a ninja costume with a Van Cleef voice over whenever a difficult stunt had to be done. The show would feature quite a few older stars in it playing bit parts. They had Dave McCallum, Clu Gulager and even one time James Bond George Lazenby to name a few. Then they had a young Crystal Benard of the show Wings fame and a young Demi Moore as well. So the show had a lot of decent actors, it was just a rather poor concept.

I saw this show as two repackaged movies that were lampooned on the show Mystery Science Theater 3000. They were done by that video company that did this often with television shows and older movies where they basically have a completely unrelated opening title sequence before the show, uh, movie begins. The first film titled Master Ninja I, featured I am guessing the first episode of the show for sure. We get introduced to Max (Van Patton) and the master ninja (Van Cleef) as they try and help out a daughter and her father's airport from a corrupt businessman and the local sheriff. Sounds a bit like A-team especially when you factor in the next portion of the show features them trying to help out a man and his two daughters that own a club that is being harassed by a gang. Neither show is really related and the reason the main characters go around from town to town is to search for the master's daughter that he did not know he had.

The second movie, Master Ninja II, features about the same premise as Master Ninja I, only without all the introductions. The first portion of the film sees them get involved with a union labor dispute in a cannery and is rather stupid as a union dispute does not really scream ninja in any way, shape or form. Yet, Max and the master probably had more trouble with these standard goons than they did with the ninjas that terrorized the club or the businessman who had local law enforcement under his command! The second portion of this film, was comprised of a terrorist type organization kidnapping some people at a party and the master must go in to rescue them! He had less trouble with these gun wielding assassins than he did just some guys who worked at a cannery also, go figure.

So both of these 'movies' made for funny episodes of MST3K, but then I always enjoy the television movies that they did during their run. The first one sort of blended together okay, though it was obvious it was two unrelated plots, but the second 'film' just did not go together in any shape or form. You go from helping a girl set up a union to terrorist raiding a party and taking hostages. You can tell they tried with the show, but the ninja craze was not really big enough to warrant a whole show, just a spot movie here or there would have sufficed. It basically uses the same formula as the A-team, with the main characters going from town to town and doing good deeds, but did not quite have the scale of the more known and popular show. Though I wonder if the master ever found his daughter or if it was another case of a show being cancelled with the central premise never being resolved?

For fans of Van Clief and indiscriminate fans of anything 'ninja-oriented'

[lemon_magic · 2 January 2006]

I thought that the first couple of episodes of "The Master" (later released as "Master Ninja I') had some nice moments. Lee Van Clief may have been far too old, flabby, and frail to physically convince the audience that he could be a ninja master (amazing how "he" lost his gut whenever the stunt double stood in for him in the black ninja costume) but he did project a certain old school machismo and he could always deliver a good line. Yes, Demi Moore stuck out like a sore thumb in episode 1, and the wheelchair chick and the dancer from episode two delivered some of the worst lines in the history of television, but still...There were some decent stunts (for a TV series) and some energetic sword fights and a few decent attempts at wry East-meets-West humor. It was never 'great' the way "The Fugitive" was great, but it didn't actively suck...at first. And episode 2 had one great line (even though Van Patten flubbed it): "I knew the Master would find a way to get me up on a tightrope sooner or later." Given the situation, it was pretty funny.

The problem lay in the fact that a) the producers rapidly ran out of ideas after the first few episodes, reducing the show to a buddy version of "Then Came Bronson", and b) Timothy Van Patten's mush-mouthed delivery and frozen faced acting got old quick and c) there was very little chemistry between the two lead actors. Anyone who wasn't a male adolescent with an obsession with martial arts would find very little to interest them, especially since the series producers watered down the 'ninja' content extensively - they seemed to be trying to increase the series' appeal to American audiences, but they only alienated that core element who was only watching the show for the ninja action in the first place.

Especially annoying was the fact that Van Patten was supposed to be some kind of "Tiger Beat" teen-idol and had a different love interest in every episode, but the lack of chemistry between him and his female of the week was apparent even to a blind man. To be fair to Van Patten, the writers put him in some incredibly contrived situations and gave him some very dopey dialog to convey his hipness...I'm not sure Cary Grant could have pulled off some of those scenes.

Although I spend a lot of time thinking about and practicing martial arts, I gave up on this series by episode 4, and every time I checked in on it for a minute or two (as the season wore on) I found even less to keep me going back. It looks like everyone else agreed, and the show sank without a trace. Too bad...but the series was a day late (to cash in on Bruce Lee) and a dollar short (wasn't willing to live up to the potential of its concept).

ah, 80s TV!!

[InzyWimzy · 2/10 · 10 December 2000]

i must say, the action sequences in this had me laughing. Did Van Cleef really have to break the slot machines, bar glasses, and roof support to prove his point? Plus, seeing Demi Moore in this humiliating story was great. Van Patten has the martial nuances of Jeff Speakman. I just waited for the end of this watch us walk on jump ropes horrid tale of boredom, lunacy, and pure gibberish!

Flat and uninspiring

[idhi-62618 · 4/10 · 5 April 2021]

For some odd reason, I had fond memories of watching this American TV series when shown on the ITV network in Britain during the spring of 1986. I have recently purchased the series on DVD but the only impressive thing was the fact that it had been restored in HD. It's odd how your perception can change over time as the revisit of this after 35 years turned out to be disappointing.

The show's main weakness seemed to be a lack of originality in the scripts. Most episodes were tiringly predictable: McAllister and his protege Keller would turn up in the nick of time to rescue a damsel in distress, and martial arts sequences were abundant throughout as the good guys did battle with the baddies and always won. I think this series could have done with a rewrite as it appeared to be no different than many of the other action series that made their appearance in the 1980s. I also thought that Van Patten didn't come across convincingly and that perhaps the show would have benefited from someone a few years older. The fact that it only ran to 13 episodes is also no big surprise. Halfway through watching the DVD box set I had the distinct impression that even if this had been allowed to go further it would have struggled for new and innovative storylines.

Return of Cleef and Peon Patten

[InzyWimzy · 2/10 · 30 January 2001]

Now, why wasn't this series a huge hit on TV?? I kid you of course!! This actionless trife involves a corrupt boss who really hates the ideas of unions in his factory. Fortunately, our do gooders come to save the day. The second half involves a hostage crisis and terrorists with bad fake European accents. See Lee Van Cleef scales a 70 foot wall (well, his stunt double did). Also, George "I was James Bond once" Lazenby makes an appearance.

The scene with Lee stroking a gerbil...that was priceless.

Demi Moore & Van Cleef Helped this Pic

[whpratt1 · 1/10 · 27 August 2006]

Found this film under Cinema Classics and was very disappointed with the entire film or TV Series film which lasted with only two episodes. The only reason this film might have interested the film viewers was Demi Moore who is a daughter to The Master (Lee Van Cleet) and was missing from her dad for many years. The Master enlists the help of a young man (Timothy Van Patten) whom he trains in the martial arts so the both of them will be prepared to defeat the kidnappers. However, The Master and Timothy are unaware that a deadly group of Ninja assassins are on their trail. Demi Moore made a few brief appearances and gave a few quick kisses to Timothy, there was some action, but nothing to write home to mom about.

Clarence Thomas, Annie Lennox and a lousy attempt at martial arts

[lee_eisenberg · 2/10 · 17 February 2017]

I understand that "The Master" was a short-lived TV show in 1984, featuring Lee Van Cleef as a martial arts master. Well, everything about it is corny. In fact, the only reason why people nowadays would know about it is because Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank subjected Joel, Servo and Crow to it on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". The trio commented on the scenes where a stunt double got used for Lee Van Cleef, and Timothy Van Patten's muffled speech. Among the referenced people were Martha Graham, Anwar Sadat, Bil Keane and Gloria Vanderbilt. They even referenced "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

So, the series is too weird to enjoy, but you're sure to enjoy MST3K's riff.

PS: Robert Clouse is best known as the director of "Enter the Dragon", while Timothy Van Patten went on to direct episodes of notable serials in the 21st century (among them "Sex and the City", "Boardwalk Empire" and "Game of Thrones").

Full of childhood memories

[Kurohashi · 7/10 · 30 June 2006]

I remembered that show from when I was a small kid. After each episodes, some friends and I played ninja outside in the woods near their house.

I remembered key scenes like when The Master plays dead on the hotel room floor and I remembered Max's van.

I recently got the series on DVD from Ebay. What a ride! It was as I remembered. A great show full of adventures. Typical of many shows from the 80's it involved the heroes dropping on some trouble or someone in danger in a random town...

If you have the 80's nostalgia or are a ninja movie fan, I recommend seeing this show.

Highly underrated

[Habakeebala · 10/10 · 4 August 2002]

This entry into the series has to be the best out of 1-5. It is absolutely stunning and action-packed. In the first part of this "movie" comprised of episodes 9 and 10 from the 1980's action series, "The Master," that dynamic ninja duo of Max Keller (Timothy Van Patten) and John Peter McAllister (Lee Van Cleef), find themselves in a pickle as McAllister, aka The Master, is framed for attempted murder of an old war buddy of his, now an intelligence officer. In the second half, they must confront a dangerous man in search of the legendary Java Tiger, an artifact worth $8 million, which is said to be hidden in a cave on a remote Hawaiian island. All in all, this is a truly amazing installment into the already incredible Master Ninja series. But it is best to watch the other installments first, so you can appreciate the evolution the characters go through, especially Max Keller's as The Master's pupil. It's a shame the series didn't make it past one season, I guess it was just too good.

cheesy but not too bad (and it has Sho Kosugi!)

[captrose · 21 February 2000]

I remember this series quite well. Back in the 80s when the US underwent a "ninja" phase, this came out. Lee Van Cleef is an American trained as a ninja who decides to leave "the family". Sho Kosugi (a real life kick butt martial artist) goes after him. Cleef comes to America and meets up with Tim Van Patten who joins up as his apprentice, hence, the title. It's kind of cheesy, but not as bad as it could have been. A lot of the "wandering do-gooders" a la "The Incredible Hulk" and "Scooby Doo". I remember watching this on Friday nights and enjoying the heck out of it.

Decent ninja series from the 80's

[raven118 · 27 September 2001]

This Master aired on NBC in 1984 during the ninja craze of the 80's. It only lasted thirteen episodes. It starred Lee Van Cleef and Timothy Van Patten. Van Cleef plays John Peter McAlister, a ninja who comes to America from Japan searching for his long-lost daughter. Once in America, he meets Max Keller, played by Timothy Van Patten, who teams up with McAlister to help find his daughter. Along the way, the duo travel in an A-Team-like van and engage in various adventures while helping those in need. McAlister also teaches Keller the finer points of ninjitsu in his spare time. The Master takes place in various cities across America, however, it was shot entirely in Los Angeles, CA. Sho Kosugi also appears in a handful of episodes as Okasa, an evil ninja hunting McAlister.

While I enjoyed this series, the casting was questionable. Lee Van Cleef was a fine actor, but he was totally miscast in this series. He was in no shape to do any of the fighting required for this series. He is quite obviously stunt doubled by Sho Kosugi(wearing a skull cap!) in almost all of the fight scenes. Van Patten is also stunt doubled in some of the fight scenes.

This series was released as a series of seven videos with the name Master Ninja.

If you enjoy ninja flicks or martial arts in general, give this a try.

P.S. Look for a pre-Striptease Demi Moore in the first episode.

Worth a look at on a rainy day.

[Rob_Taylor · 17 December 2002]

This series will always live on in my memory despite my not having seen it for a number of years. Sho Kosugi was well cast as the ninja bad guy. It is such a shame that he never became a greater star, but such is life. However, the casting of Lee Van Cleef as the good ninja was just pitifully unrealistic. Whilst a fine actor, it required too much of a suspension of disbelief to believe he could do any of the martial arts maneauvers he was supposed to. He was just plain too old.

That said, I have many a fond memory of this series. No doubt, were I to watch them again now I would find many of the episodes cringe-inducing (just like some of the original Star Trek series). But still worth a look at on a rainy day.