|
Starring
:
David
Chiang
Lo
Lieh
Chan
Wai Man
Dick
Wei
Chan
Ping
Karen
Yip
Action
:
Tong
Gaai
Producer
:
Run
Run Shaw
Director
:
Ho
Meng Hua
|
SHAOLIN
HAND LOCK (1978)
A.K.A.
- Shaolin Handlock
Reviewed
by Scott Napier
Director
Ho Meng Hua directs this entertaining 70's flick giving David
Chiang the lead role and Shaw's No 1 villain... LO LIEH as of
course, the villain! While filmed in a contemporary setting,
Ho retains the 'spirit' of the period Kung Fu revenge plot
which I'm always delighted to see no matter how many times the
plot is used, you always find something new!
Li
Bai (Dick Wei) is the creator and master of the 'Shi Zi
So Hou Shou' (which basically is a ' Throat Locking Hand',
otherwise known as 'Shaolin Hand Lock') who passes down the
skill to his children 'Ching Yang' (David Chiang) and Meng
Ping (Chan Ping ). However, an old friend 'Fang Yun Biao'
visits Li Bai and manages to kill him by attacking the skills
only weakness and unknowingly, also kills his two other
students to whom he believed were Li Bai's children. After his
children find out of the murder, Ching Yang sets out to avenge
his father. Travelling to Thailand to kill Fang and
before that, gives him information of who hired him - the rich
benevolent 'Lin Hao' (Lo Lieh). In the process, he attracts
Lin Hao into accepting him as a bodyguard by stealing and
retaining in custody gold that belonged to Lin Hao. While
suspected by other guards, Lin Hao remains in a difficult
situation to find out if Li Bai's siblings are still alive and
what Ching Yang is really there for...
Throughout
the 70's, A number of Shaw films have related to Shaolin but
this technique that is used throughout has no relation despite
the English title. On to David Chiang who gives an average
performance but as we can see is isn't very suited as a
martial artist on-screen, I guess he just doesn't have the
charisma to fill the gap that we require. In particular, this
is apparent in 'Five
Shaolin Masters' but instead is better suited in the
violent bloodshed genre 'Vengeance'
but I don't like this genre at all! However, with the help of
the usual but entertaining revenge plot and a period timeline
in a contemporary setting, I really enjoy watching this.
A
modern or a traditional setting... definitely a mixture but I
really recommend you seek this entertaining flick as it
contains all you could possibly ask for in this genre, except
for the 'Throat Hand Lock' but overall then you will be in for
a treat, especially those who like seeing the late great Lo
Lieh in a villainess role!
Rating:
 
|
