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THE
MEN
FROM THE MONASTERY
AKA:
Disciples Of Death
Year:
1974 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
This
film yet again brings together two underrated luminaries of
world cinema. Firstly there's Fu Sheng who, although a big
star before his death, never drew the world-wide appreciation
his acting skills deserved. Then there's director Chang Cheh
who seems to have been overlooked by just about every supposed
film expert in the west; at his best though, there is little
to separate him from the great Akira Kurasowa. 'Men From The
Monastery' shows star and director near the top of their
respective professions and stands as an expertly crafted
kung-fu drama.
The
narrative is cleverly divided into four interconnecting
stories which detail the various battles between the Chinese
patriots and the heinous Manchu oppressors. In the first
segment, legendary patriot Fong Sai Yuk (Fu Sheng) completes a
number of tests in order to prove he is ready to leave Shaolin
temple. With these successfully completed, Fong enters the
outside world and is drawn into a battle to fight a local town
bully. Thus the segment ends with Fong defeating his foe.
The
second story introduces fellow patriot Hu Hui Chen as he
enters Shaolin temple in order to learn the skills necessary
to avenge his father's murder. The third then brings Hung Hsi
Kwan into the forefront as he prepares to finally battle
against the Manchus after years of training. Finally, the
concluding quarter unifies the characters as they face their
mutual enemies in a bloody final fight. Therefore, the men
from the monastery earn their title in the finale.
The
division of the narrative is further proof of how Chang Cheh
was not just content with the run-of-the-mill stereotypes of
the genre - he was willing to expand and play with the generic
conventions. The common themes he deals with are once more
evident as the film shows the importance of loyalty,
brotherhood - something that would later be utilised by
directors like John Woo - and the need for heroes to stand up.
Cheh also plays with different techniques of camera filtering
during the film's final battle; when one of the heroes dies,
the whole screen switches into monochrome or red. These
numerous touches mean that once more Chang Cheh delivers a
multi-layered kung-fu drama that is ripe with excellent
characterisation and well-choreographed action. Fu Sheng gives
another knockout performance as the famous Chinese patriot
Fong Sai Yuk and he is joined by a cast of Shaw Brothers'
regulars.
If
you haven't seen a Chang Cheh film and have yet to appreciate
one of Hong Kong's most important directors, 'Men From The
Monastery' is a good film to start and a fine showcase for
Chang Cheh, Fu Sheng and numerous others.
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