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Cast:
Sammo
Hung
Lee
Hoi San
Kwan
Tak Hing
Fong
Hak On
Fan
Mei Sheng
Yuen
Biao
Action:
Yuen
Woo Ping
Sammo
Hung
Producer:
Raymond
Chow
Director:
Yuen
Woo Ping
Score:
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MAGNIFICENT
BUTCHER
AKA:
Lam Sai Wing
Year:
1979 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
A
combination of two of Hong Kong's legends, Sammo and Yuen Woo
Ping, was bound to produce something special. 'Magnificent
Butcher' certainly lives up to this promise and stands as one
of the greatest kung fu films ever.
Butcher
Wing (Sammo) is another of Wong Fei Hung's disciples, albeit
the most troublesome. Though good natured, everything he does
seems to back-fire. This is soon apparent when one of his
actions drives a wedge between his master's school and that of
the formidable Master Kao (Lee Hoi San). When Butcher Wing's
long-lost brother turns up with his wife and arouses the
jealousy of Kao's son Tai Hoi, the feud reaches new heights.
With Wong Fei Hung out of town, Tai Hoi frames Butcher Wing
with the murder of his distant relation and persuades his
father to tear Po Chi Lam apart with his Five Element Palm. Severely
injured, Wing is helped nursed back to health by Sam
the Seed and taught the next level of Hung boxing. A series of
incidents then brings about the ultimate confrontation: Wing's
Hung Fist against Kao's Five Element Palm.
This
film could be recommended alone for it's exceptional fight
action, but as you'd expect from this cast there's much more
on offer. Sammo is excellent as Butcher Wing bringing his
usual mixture of innocence, naivety and incredible physicality
to the role. Yuen Woo Ping directs this classic with the verve
and excitement we all associate with his name; he really
deserves a place in the Hong Kong cinema pantheon. Lee Hoi San
deserves special mention because this is perhaps his finest
hour. He's always played villains, but rarely ones with the
degree of depth that Master Kao has. An outstanding
film.
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