LOVERS BLADES is by all accounts one of the rarest Shaw Brothers productions and for whatever reason it doesn't feel like a Shaw at all. It doesn't have the usual sets or choreography you expect to find; this felt more like a traditional Taiwanese cheapie to me, an independent production rather than a studio picture. Although Shaw regulars Kara Hui and Johnny Wang Lung Wei are present in the cast, it's very much an unremarkable production with a bit of romance, a bit of rivalry, and a whole lot of remarkably unremarkable fight scenes to not recommend. Wang Lung Wei is the big bad guy whom all the others must (eventually) team up to fight, but we're mired in fart gags and annoying characterisation here; this is definitely one that lacks the usual Shaw "magic".
2 Reviews
Enjoy the bootleg and buy the Bluray if it ever comes out
ckormos129 July 2017
It starts with four idiots try to rob an escort company. Next to the inn and we meet a scholar, an old guy, the escorts, their boss is guarding ying-yang swords, Kara, and a sword fighting couple. Next day the escort is back on the road. The old guy is Johny and seems a thief at first. The boss loses the swords to the couple though.
Kara and the scholar end up with the blades and the secret. The man uses the left, the girl the right, and if they are in love their power is supreme.
There are a lot of colorful characters in this movie but initially no clear cut hero or villain. In fact there does not even seem to be a plot until the scholar says to Kara, "It seems fate has brought us together". That is the beginning of the Chinese love story plot. The Western love story plot is: boy meets girl, they break up, they get back together, they break up for good, they get back together (usually at the airport). The Chinese love story involves fate. It is fate to meet, they separate, and if they meet again it must be fate so they are true loves.
There are more plot twists before the ending though and a lot of explaining to do.
I suspected to find the Grandmaster, Liu Chia-Liang as the action director but no, I found his students. He taught his students well. The fights are all excellent with a full range of weapons and objects that were never intended to be used as weapons. The comedy is the cherry on top.
Only a hard core fan will be able to dig up a copy of this Shaw Brothers movie. To my knowledge it has never been released on DVD but you can find a copy if you know where to look. The copy is good quality video and widescreen with dual Chinese and English hard subtitles. There is a bit missing from the subtitles but at least they are accurate. I suspect there might be a total minute or two of the movie missing also.
I rate this 8 out of 10 and one of the top martial arts movies of 1982. It deserves a Bluray release and I would buy one but I'm happy with the bootleg.
Kara and the scholar end up with the blades and the secret. The man uses the left, the girl the right, and if they are in love their power is supreme.
There are a lot of colorful characters in this movie but initially no clear cut hero or villain. In fact there does not even seem to be a plot until the scholar says to Kara, "It seems fate has brought us together". That is the beginning of the Chinese love story plot. The Western love story plot is: boy meets girl, they break up, they get back together, they break up for good, they get back together (usually at the airport). The Chinese love story involves fate. It is fate to meet, they separate, and if they meet again it must be fate so they are true loves.
There are more plot twists before the ending though and a lot of explaining to do.
I suspected to find the Grandmaster, Liu Chia-Liang as the action director but no, I found his students. He taught his students well. The fights are all excellent with a full range of weapons and objects that were never intended to be used as weapons. The comedy is the cherry on top.
Only a hard core fan will be able to dig up a copy of this Shaw Brothers movie. To my knowledge it has never been released on DVD but you can find a copy if you know where to look. The copy is good quality video and widescreen with dual Chinese and English hard subtitles. There is a bit missing from the subtitles but at least they are accurate. I suspect there might be a total minute or two of the movie missing also.
I rate this 8 out of 10 and one of the top martial arts movies of 1982. It deserves a Bluray release and I would buy one but I'm happy with the bootleg.
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