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Two Champions Of Shaolin

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    Ian Jane
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  • Two Champions Of Shaolin

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    Released by: Well Go Usa
    Released on: 7/15/08
    Director: Chang Cheh
    Cast: Lo Meng, Wang Li, Sun Chen, Chiang Sheng, Candy Wen
    Year: 1978

    The Movie:

    Written and directed by the late, great Chang Cheh, Two Champions Of Shaolin isn't the most original martial arts film in terms of plot or in terms of story but that doesn't mean it isn't a whole lot of fun.

    The movie takes place in the Ching Dynasty and it follows two of the most famous martial arts clans in history - the Wu-Tang Clan and the Shaolin Clan. During the Ching Dynasty the clans were at war as the Shaolins opposed those in power whereas the Wu-Tang were rabid supporters. Enter Tung Chien-chin (Lo Meng), a young man who travels to Guangzou to find a fellow martial arts master named Wu Hui-kan (Chaing Sheng) to enlist his help in a mission meant to strike at the heart of the Ching government.

    When Tung arrives in Guangzou, he gets into it with a Wu-Tang member named Li De-chung (Yu Tai-ping) and Tung is injured. A woman named Chin Pi-erh (Yang Tsing-tsing) nurses him back to health and her brother, Chin Tai-lai (Sun Chien) figures out how to defeat Li and his deadly flying knives. When Tung and Wu inadvertently run into one another, they decide to team up and stop Li, who knows just exactly what the two of them are plotting. But what Tung and Wu don't realize is that Li's friends and family are just as determined to enforce the Ching government's wishes as Li was, so there's going to be a whole lot more bad guys to deal with than just ol' Mister Flying Knives…

    Colorful, flamboyant and wonderfully bloody, Two Champions Of Shaolin is quite fast paced and chock full of impressive fight scenes. Plenty of nifty weapons battles are included, as is a great scene involving some Monkey Style tactics. There are twists and turns aplenty here to keep the plot interesting even if they aren't always needed and the constant onslaught of oddball characters ensures that there's never a dull moment in the picture.

    The film is well shot and has a nice score to compliment the action, but it's the fight scenes here that make the picture worthwhile. The plot isn't particularly original or unique but some of the fight scenes are and they're the main reason that this one stands out from the countless other period martial arts films churned out by the Shaw Brothers studio during their heyday. A romantic subplot tries to add some depth to the story but really only serves to slow things down a little bit here and there. That said, by the time the finale rolls around, you won't care - it ends just like it should and this film, among many others, stands as a testament to Chang Cheh's talents as a director.

    Video/Audio/Extras:

    Two Champions Of Shaolin is presented in its original 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio in a transfer that is, aside from the fact that it's interlaced, quite attractive. Colors look nice and natural and while shadow detail is a bit wonky and a couple of scenes approach softness, overall the picture is stable and clean. Black levels look good, there aren't any major problems with print damage and mpeg compression artifacts and edge enhancement are never problematic.

    Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound options are supplied in both English and Chinese with removable subtitles provided in both languages. Rears aren't used as effectively as they could have been and it would have been nice to have the original mono mix supplied as an option but the audio sounds decent enough. There aren't any problems with hiss or distortion and both mixes sound pretty clean though at times you'll probably notice some odd reverb.

    Save for a static menu and chapter selection, the only extra feature on this release is the film's original theatrical trailer (presented in anamorphic widescreen, sadly with no English subtitles).

    The Final Word:

    An acrobatic and bloody Chang Cheh/Venoms collaboration, Two Champions Of Shaolin proves to be an entertaining and exciting martial arts film well worth watching.
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