It starts with a demonstration of the style over the opening credits. The style looks stupid and I'm wondering why I'm watching this movie. Oh yes, Sek Kin is in it. Shortly after "Enter the Dragon" it seems he just needs another paycheck. This is a bizarre little movie that keeps me wondering how or why it ever got made. The soldiers enter the town and start doing bad things just for the sake of being bad. I can't get past the fact that none of their uniforms fit. Each is about ten sizes too large. Then the "hero" is attacked for the crime of not wanting to join the army. It's a slow moving downward spiral for the hero and everyone in his life leading to imprisonment and death yet he just keeps a stiff upper lip and practices that stupid monkey style. That's because other than pretending to be a monkey the man cannot act at all. I decide to treat this as watching a documentary about monkey style. The fights are just a bunch of arms and legs flailing around so it's actually good there are few. Finally I get my moment at about the 51 minute mark and see Sek Kin doing a three section staff kata. At age 61 he was excellent. Ultimately the only reason to watch this movie was the reason I picked it up, to see Sek Kin fight. That moment did not come until the end fight. Was it his best fight ever? No, but the guy was 61 and never used a stunt double, it was him in every sequence. So fast forward to Sek Kin in action and skip the rest.
3 Reviews
Routine but watchable basher
Leofwine_draca31 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
SHAOLIN MONKEY FIST is one of the earliest films to feature a fighter skilled in the 'monkey kung fu' technique, which here involves him scrambling around and waving his arms about with little in the way of technique. Still, this Hong Kong-lensed martial arts film isn't too bad, and at least it has plenty of (slightly routine) action to take your mind off the simplicity of the story. The bad guys are a bunch of soldiers who arrive in a small town, wreak havoc, and force hero Chen Hsiu Chung to join with them against his will. There are two recognisable baddies on display here: the first is former Shaw star Tien Feng, who appeared in tons of action films over the decades. The second is Shih Kien, still riding high after the mega success of ENTER THE DRAGON, and invariably playing the main baddie.
Monkey Fist (1974)
jddog13025 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Starring Chan Sau-Chung, Gang Jun-Fat, Sek Kin and Tien Feng. The lead role is played by Chan Sau Chung (a real life monkey fist master).
Monkey Fist is based on the true story of Master Koo Sai, who developed a monkey style of fighting while imprisoned. This is about a Chinese patriot called "Comrade Chan" (Chan Sau-Chung) that is arrested by a corrupt government official named Chow Li Ming (Sek Kin) for not wanting to join the army. Chan finds his friend master "Kang" (Tien Feng) in a martial arts school who hides him and even turns his school over to him while away on business. It is while Kang is gone that Chan is arrested when he defends a student who's luck has run out gambling.
The crime lord Chow Li Ming controls the town, hates Kang's school and uses Chan's arrest as a way to hurt Kang by getting Chan charged with life in prison and demanding Kang pay for the damages to his club. Kang goes broke paying off officials to get Chans sentence reduced to 8 years and eventually loses his school. While Chan is locked up in prison, he watches a monkey out of his window and teaches himself a new monkey style Kung Fu. Chan finally gets out and finds that Kang has passed. Chan sets out to form a new school in tribute to Kang, to train and get revenge against Chow Li Ming. Of coarse Ming finds out that they are trying to open a gym and brings out his thugs to stop them. Let the battle begin (and its pretty good).
My copy was a typical tape transfer with the usual worn out, faded color, soft sound with some specks and spots. Not too bad for a typical 70s low budget Fu flick.
Monkey Fist is based on the true story of Master Koo Sai, who developed a monkey style of fighting while imprisoned. This is about a Chinese patriot called "Comrade Chan" (Chan Sau-Chung) that is arrested by a corrupt government official named Chow Li Ming (Sek Kin) for not wanting to join the army. Chan finds his friend master "Kang" (Tien Feng) in a martial arts school who hides him and even turns his school over to him while away on business. It is while Kang is gone that Chan is arrested when he defends a student who's luck has run out gambling.
The crime lord Chow Li Ming controls the town, hates Kang's school and uses Chan's arrest as a way to hurt Kang by getting Chan charged with life in prison and demanding Kang pay for the damages to his club. Kang goes broke paying off officials to get Chans sentence reduced to 8 years and eventually loses his school. While Chan is locked up in prison, he watches a monkey out of his window and teaches himself a new monkey style Kung Fu. Chan finally gets out and finds that Kang has passed. Chan sets out to form a new school in tribute to Kang, to train and get revenge against Chow Li Ming. Of coarse Ming finds out that they are trying to open a gym and brings out his thugs to stop them. Let the battle begin (and its pretty good).
My copy was a typical tape transfer with the usual worn out, faded color, soft sound with some specks and spots. Not too bad for a typical 70s low budget Fu flick.
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