tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post6745106345159984486..comments2023-05-20T07:11:52.364-07:00Comments on Fang Shih-yu and the "Trivia Wing" of the Shaolin Temple!: Men From the Monastery (1974), starring Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan-chi and Chen Kuan-tai. Directed by Chang Cheh.R.A.M.'67http://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-4643179688572234872010-10-08T20:53:16.721-07:002010-10-08T20:53:16.721-07:00Thank you Fang Go! That makes me feel better!Thank you Fang Go! That makes me feel better!achillesgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205640762395962293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-81033405464608556982010-10-08T19:56:52.111-07:002010-10-08T19:56:52.111-07:00achillesgirl, I like your reviews and your blog be...<b>achillesgirl</b>, I like your reviews and your blog because they convey your own personality and <i>"voice"</i> wonderfully! In turn, I've come to like the <i>PERSON</i> who's written them, as a result!<br /><br />We all have our <i>"blah"</i> moments with writing, as <b>Glenn</b> and I can attest. Any little <i>"breather"</i> you can take from writing should keep the chance of <i>"burnout"</i> at bay! <br /><br />Keep up the good fight, my good lady, knowing you have Brother Fang on your side!<br /><br />Have a good evening--<br /><br />Fang Go ;o)R.A.M.'67https://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-45660748986284400262010-10-08T16:22:00.351-07:002010-10-08T16:22:00.351-07:00Oh yeah, I feel that EVERY Chang Cheh (and Lau Kar...Oh yeah, I feel that EVERY Chang Cheh (and Lau Kar Leung) Shaolin Cycle movie is worth the $$. Heroically heroic heroism at its finest! <br /><br />I hope you ACTUALLY like my reviews; I feel pretty tired of writing them and don't feel inspired at all right now. :( I hope I get over that soon cause I kinda gotta do it.achillesgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205640762395962293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-23216110987728121672010-10-05T07:43:50.246-07:002010-10-05T07:43:50.246-07:00This was one of my earliest IVL purchases, achille...This was one of my earliest IVL purchases, <b>achillesgirl</b>, and as far as I'm concerned, it was worth every penny spent!<br /><br /><i>Love</i> all your <b>HKC</b> reviews, by the way! ;o)R.A.M.'67https://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-81991845034928573652010-10-04T20:42:48.915-07:002010-10-04T20:42:48.915-07:00Always a pleasure to share the Shaw love!Always a pleasure to share the Shaw love!achillesgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205640762395962293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-31589543693083139982010-10-03T14:27:33.815-07:002010-10-03T14:27:33.815-07:00You are on the mark, achillesgirl!
Though Fang w...You are on the mark, <b>achillesgirl</b>! <br /><br />Though Fang was the one thread running throughout (most of) <b>MFtM</b>, his ultimate fate was muted by how the story was plotted. This would explain why <b>Chang Cheh</b> made it the focus of <b>The Shaolin Avengers</b>.<br /><br />Thanks for reading the review, my good lady! ;o)R.A.M.'67https://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-86773726466062116052010-10-03T13:21:14.640-07:002010-10-03T13:21:14.640-07:00I like all the Chang Shaolin Cycle movies for many...I like all the Chang Shaolin Cycle movies for many reasons but I think the reason a lot of people don't give MFTM a good write up is because of the plot "discontinuity". Stories that suddenly drop a protagonist and pick up another are not usually successful because it cuts off viewer sympathy. <br /><br />Yes, the three guys' stories weave back together for the final confrontation but a sudden protagonist switch is always hard for people. Even more so if they are not familiar with the various Shaolin legends. This is I think why, for example, Executioners deflates for Western audiences - the protagonist dies and his son's revenge just doesn't hold the same level of meaning for Westerners. <br /><br />All that said, of course I like MFTM! Prime Chang-style kung fu fightin'!achillesgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205640762395962293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-84687943866688325062010-10-01T21:02:49.134-07:002010-10-01T21:02:49.134-07:00Ah! I forgot about the Flying Guillotine 2 "f...Ah! I forgot about the <b>Flying Guillotine 2</b> <i>"falling-out"!</i> Thanks for that memory jog!<br /><br />How about that <b>MFtM</b> ending? <b>Fu Sheng</b> <i>"pulls"</i> out the sword, it goes in the air, and it lands in the ground so near his foot! I wonder if that was caught in one take?<br /><br />I Know Wei mostly did exploitation pictures for Shaw, and he mostly played bad guys. Of what I've seen him do, he's an okay actor.<br /><br /><b>Shaolin Temple</b> is a blast! The fight between <b>Kuo Chui</b> and <b>Lu Feng</b> near the end is a delirious spectacle!R.A.M.'67https://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-19904481118473220052010-10-01T20:36:31.250-07:002010-10-01T20:36:31.250-07:00Chen Kuan Tai abruptly left Shaw Brothers during t...Chen Kuan Tai abruptly left Shaw Brothers during the production of FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 so this may have had something to do with why he wasn't in SHAOLIN TEMPLE. He wasn't really required, though, as the character is barely in the film. Frankie Wei wasn't the star that Chen was, either. Chen's first movie returning to the studio was CRIPPLED AVENGERS.<br /><br />I don't remember, that was way back in the early 80's. I only remember the pole fight and the ending which was still in B/W. I also remember there was LOTS of lines in the version shown, too. The Warner VHS has Fu Sheng's death in color while the HK cut it's in red. This was normal, though as HK had a slightly stronger cut than other Asian territories and the international versions were always the most brutal.venoms5https://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-69051233938705788372010-10-01T20:13:09.874-07:002010-10-01T20:13:09.874-07:00This one is, indeed, for Fu Sheng fans, above all ...This one is, indeed, for <b>Fu Sheng</b> fans, above all else.<br /><br />The Hung segment seemed more of a lead-in to part four than it was geared for <b>Chen Kuan-tai</b>! Any idea if <b>CKT</b> had any friction with Cheh at some point? Maybe that would explain why <b>Frankie Wei</b> was cast as Hung in <b>Shaolin Temple</b>; Hung was barely in that one, but casting Wei comes off like a slap in the face to <b>CKT</b>! Thank goodness for <b>LKL</b> and <b>Executioners from Shaolin</b>!<br /><br /><b>The Shaolin Avengers</b> mostly improves on the stuff covered first in <b>MFtM</b>. I prefer the pole-fighting scene in the latter, and <b>Fu Sheng's</b> final scene is more <i>nasty</i> in that, too! <br /><br />How much was cut out of the <b>BBF</b> version of <b>MFtM</b>?R.A.M.'67https://www.blogger.com/profile/12817535165296807817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013834191197749232.post-60319672449172953682010-10-01T19:26:29.368-07:002010-10-01T19:26:29.368-07:00As you might know, Fang, I'm not the biggest f...As you might know, Fang, I'm not the biggest fan of this movie. I do like how both this and HEROES TWO exist concurrently with one another and the chapters of the film are a novel approach. <br /><br />But they would be far more interesting if they weren't virtually identical with one another. The Chi Kuan Chun segment seemed to drag and was terribly repetitive. Years later, the abominable QT would adopt a similar chapter style to some of his movies.<br /><br />The ending was the only thing redeemable about this one for me. I used to not like SHAOLIN AVENGERS and preferred MFTM, but now, the reverse holds true. I thought the flashback approach held during a big battle was a brilliant approach for that film. Not counting DISCIPLES OF SHAOLIN and NEW SHAOLIN BOXERS, the best of this series for me are SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS, SHAOLIN AVENGERS and SHAOLIN TEMPLE.<br /><br />MFTM does have its share of fans, though. I first saw it on the Black Belt Feature under its DISCIPLES OF DEATH moniker.venoms5https://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com