User Reviews

GOLD SNATCHERS is a 1973 Hong Kong kung fu film that came out right at the beginning of the genre's popularity. It stars Chen Sing as the film's hero, a man who comes into possession of some buried gold only to have it fall into the greedy hands of his own stepbrother, as played by Lung Fei. The rest of the film is a battle of the fists between the two brothers as each attempts to put the other in his place.

Chen Sing was best known for his villainous turns in various Shaw Brothers films during this era. The dark, scowling actor was typecast as a henchmen more often than I care to say, so it's a delight to see him get the chance to play the good guy for a change and he runs away with it. I can imagine fewer delights than seeing the floppy-haired Sing working his way through various thugs in his fight for justice. Lung Fei was another familiar face from action cinema and he makes his villain impactful and full of menace.

GOLD SNATCHERS has a simple story and plenty of action to recommend it. The direction is well thought out and the staging nice, utilising appealing locations for the various battles; the bridge fight is a stand out. Even Yasuaki Kurata shows up to kick backside at one point. The climactic cart race is good fun in a low rent BEN HUR kind of way and the constant action means that this film is never boring, unlike so many of the cheapies made during these early years.

Most of this story you will learn in the first 20 minutes of this film.

In the beginning we find Ma Kei waiting for Chan Sing being released from prison. They ride to the grave of Chan Sings mother (stepmother) to fulfill her dying wishes and dig up a chest of gold to donate to the orphanage. Some thugs show up , distract Chan, snatch the gold and make off with it. Chan searches for it and finds that its all been set up by his brother (stepbrother) Lung Fei.

Like I said, all of this you find out soon so i'll leave the bits and pieces, action and the rest for you to watch and find out. I must admit though, that Lung Fei is a real dikhead in this one and makes you want to reach through the screen and....

Anyway... the video I have is called "Chen Sing - Der Superhammer" which is the dubbed (English) German version. I was surprised to find the video and dubbing quality much better than I expected.

A decent flick for 1973 as far as I was concerned.