Why is Legend of a Fighter rarely mentioned as the best kung fu movie ever made?

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

I’ve always been curious about this.  To me, Legend of a Fighter is the best of the best formulaic kung fu movie.  It’s not my favorite, because it feels a bit like cheating to choose it.  Like choosing Michael Jordan as your favorite basketball player.  
 

it has all the stuff you’d expect from an old kung fu comedy.  Lots of fights, a student teacher relationship, training scenes, a stupid looking bucktooth guy…. But this one seems to do everything better than the rest.  The fight choreography is just as intricate as anything else, but crisper and faster.  It has its moments where it’s not the highest level choreography, but for the most part the fights are thrilling.  The student/teacher relationship is the best I’ve ever seen.  The comedy is slapstick at its finest.  Like watching the Three Stooges if they were amazing martial artists.  The dramatic scenes are done better than most movies not just kung fu movies.  And the end of the final fight had me sobbing uncontrollably.  
 

So what are your thoughts?  Is Legend of a Fighter overrated, underrated, or just one of the many hundreds of decent-good kung fu flicks and no need to single it out like it’s something special.  

Edited November 29, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[sym8]

5 minutes ago, Jizzmaster Jerry said:

I’ve always been curious about this.  To me, Legend of a Fighter is the best of the best formulaic kung fu movie.  It’s not my favorite, because it feels a bit like cheating to choose it.  Like choosing Michael Jordan as your favorite basketball player.  
 

it has all the stuff you’d expect from an old kung fu comedy.  Lots of fights, a student teacher relationship, training scenes, a stupid looking bucktooth guy…. But this one seems to do everything better than the rest.  The fight choreography is just as intricate as anything else, but crisper and faster.  It has its moments where it’s not the highest level choreography, but for the most part the fights are thrilling.  The student/teacher relationship is the best I’ve ever seen.  The comedy is slapstick at its finest.  Like watching the Three Stooges if they were amazing martial artists.  The dramatic scenes are done better than most movies not just kung fu movies.  And the end of the final fight had me sobbing uncontrollably.  
 

So what are your thoughts?  Is Legend of a Fighter overrated, underrated, or just one of the many hundreds of decent-good kung fu flicks and no need to single it out like it’s something special.  

A great film with fantastic choreography but I feel there’s no need to single it out because it’s something us Kung fu movie fans have seen many times from many different people.I’ve always felt to elevate a film to god like status it has to bring something we haven’t seen before.Jackie did it with Project A.He came from the Kung fu movie The Young Master to Project A where his fight choreography changed to something we hadn’t been seen before(and don’t forget the stunts and bicycle chase)He then did the same with Police Story, where instead of a being a kick ass fighting machine we get someone who struggles to beat his opponents and only through sheer will he wins the day.

[dionbrother]

Always felt LEGEND OF A FIGHTER was Yuen Woo Ping's best movie.  Unfortunately, it fell through the cracks in terms of availability on home video until HK Legends released a dvd in the 00s.  Being difficult to acquire in the 80s & 90s led to it being overlooked by the fandom. It isn't mentioned in the few 20th century books on the genre and I can't recall any fanzines giving it a review.  It's in my top three.

[Omni Dragon]

It's currently in 2nd place in the 'What's your favourite shape from the 1970s or 1980s directed by Yuen Woo-Ping? (Poll)' thread:

 

[Yggdrasil]

Only seen the HKL movie once and I remember ziltch about it. I would still buy it again if it was remastered and given new features.

[Graysman]

Iv'e put it a very close second to Beardy's other masterpiece.The victim, but that's just my opinion, either way you can't go wrong with these two classics.

[thundered mantis]

It's a fantastic movie. It deserves a proper remaster and an uncropped status.

It's really jarring maybe the three top shapes films from the era haven't ever been available uncropped to the public. Buddhist Fist, The Victim and Legend of a Fighter. It's a tragedy

 

[Cognoscente]

3 hours ago, thundered mantis said:

It's really jarring maybe the three top shapes films from the era haven't ever been available uncropped to the public. Buddhist Fist, The Victim and Legend of a Fighter. It's a tragedy

It's like someone's holding them hostage to get the highest bidder.

[DrNgor]

16 hours ago, dionbrother said:

Always felt LEGEND OF A FIGHTER was Yuen Woo Ping's best movie.  Unfortunately, it fell through the cracks in terms of availability on home video until HK Legends released a dvd in the 00s

Well, it was readily available on VHS as The Secret Master as part of the Wu Tang Secret Treasures collection. Probably not a good copy, but readily available nonetheless.

[dionbrother]

45 minutes ago, DrNgor said:

Well, it was readily available on VHS as The Secret Master as part of the Wu Tang Secret Treasures collection. Probably not a good copy, but readily available nonetheless.

The copy I bought in 1988 was released by World Video for the Chinatown market.  Cantonese with (unique for the time) "processed for video" English and Chinese subtitles. Even then, nobody talked about the movie except for the New York fans lucky enough to see it in Chinatown during its original release or as a video rental discovery.  It was a surprise when HKL restored and released it, and a disappointment when they claim they had to crop it because of damage to the original negative.

[Killer Meteor]

On 11/30/2022 at 3:18 PM, dionbrother said:

The copy I bought in 1988 was released by World Video for the Chinatown market.  Cantonese with (unique for the time) "processed for video" English and Chinese subtitles. Even then, nobody talked about the movie except for the New York fans lucky enough to see it in Chinatown during its original release or as a video rental discovery.  It was a surprise when HKL restored and released it, and a disappointment when they claim they had to crop it because of damage to the original negative.

I understand they cropped it (and the two Jackie Seasonal titles) because they felt their target teenage audience didn't like black bars!

[dionbrother]

11 hours ago, Killer Meteor said:

I understand they cropped it (and the two Jackie Seasonal titles) because they felt their target teenage audience didn't like black bars!

They told a distributor friend of mine that the negatives were in ratty shape so they "had" to zoombox.  Unless Eureka or Arrow gives us a restoration, guess we're stuck with that version.  I do have a full scoped lasedisc version in my archives. Did they do that with other releases at the time?  I think Soul Blade did that with DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS.  Might be time for a Seasonal Film festival this weekend.

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

It is unfortunate this movie hasn’t seen a really good release.  It’s not a super hard movie to find, and IMO the full screen and the partly wide versions are good enough.  I’d gladly buy a proper version from a company like Arrow or Pearl River.  But, at least it’s fared better than many other masterpieces like The Sword 1980, Shaolin vs Lama, The victim and countless others.  This is why I can’t get too excited about most of the Shaw Brothers box sets and single Shaw releases that have come out recently. And Jackie and Bruce and Jet and Sammo stuff that keeps getting a re release.  Where’s my deluxe  release of Invincible Super Chan? And Shaolin Traitor.  36 Deadly Styles.  Drunken Tai Chi.  Little Superman.  Daggers 8.  Kung Fu Zombie.  Writing Kung Fu.  I could go on forever but it’s a neglected genre and it always will be.  There are too many of these great movies.  These boutique labels get overwhelmed and just say fuck it, let’s just release a Jackie Chan movie.  And then maybe something from Yuen Woo Ping.  Then maybe something obscure like a Jimmy Wang Yu collection that doesn’t sell.  We just have to be happy with what we get.  We see it as lost treasure when it’s really lost crap.  Why dig up crap that people don’t want.  Sorry for the negativity, it hurts me to say this but it’s been proven that it’s a fight we can’t win.  

Edited December 3, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[sym8]

2 hours ago, Jizzmaster Jerry said:

Invincible Super Chan?

This doesn’t deserve to see the light of day ever😆

[dionbrother]

2 hours ago, Jizzmaster Jerry said:

It is unfortunate this movie hasn’t seen a really good release.  It’s not a super hard movie to find, and IMO the full screen and the partly wide versions are good enough.  I’d gladly buy a proper version from a company like Arrow or Pearl River.  But, at least it’s fared better than many other masterpieces like The Sword 1980, Shaolin vs Lama, The victim and countless others.  This is why I can’t get too excited about most of the Shaw Brothers box sets and single Shaw releases that have come out recently. And Jackie and Bruce and Jet and Sammo stuff that keeps getting a re release.  Where’s my deluxe  release of Invincible Super Chan? And Shaolin Traitor.  36 Deadly Styles.  Drunken Tai Chi.  Little Superman.  Daggers 8.  Kung Fu Zombie.  Writing Kung Fu.  I could go on forever but it’s a neglected genre and it always will be.  There are too many of these great movies.  These boutique labels get overwhelmed and just say fuck it, let’s just release a Jackie Chan movie.  And then maybe something from Yuen Woo Ping.  Then maybe something obscure like a Jimmy Wang Yu collection that doesn’t sell.  We just have to be happy with what we get.  We see it as lost treasure when it’s really lost crap.  Why dig up crap that people don’t want.  Sorry for the negativity, it hurts me to say this but it’s been proven that it’s a fight we can’t win.  

You can currently watch an HD version of THE SWORD on Amazon Prime's HI-YAAH! channel, in either English or Cantonese.  Been told by a reliable source that all Golden Harvest movies from 1980 and on have been licensed for blu ray.  Most of the independent stuff is owned by the likes of Charles Heung and others, and they're just waiting for an offer they like.  I'm told whoever has the Eternal Films library wants a lot of money for the rights.  Until these licensors become more realistic about the money that's made off these films, we do with what we have.

 

[Ninja Sinai]

What always puzzled me was how a HKL, a small label with a limited budget were able to require the rights to the seasonal movies AND also remaster them. 

However big labels today with big budgets can’t seem to do the same as what HKL did!!??

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

14 hours ago, sym8 said:

This doesn’t deserve to see the light of day ever😆

Super Chan is better than uh, some movies made in 1971.  Rage of the Master, and probably some others.  It has a great cast.  Martial arts superstar David Tong Wei, Lui Ming…. You get the point, it has a star studded cast.   It has some sort of charm to it that I love.  I think it’s the big epic feel that it gives, or tries to give.  It is a hard movie for me to watch though, because I think I’m missing 10-20 minutes of extreme violence on the Groundzero dvd.  
 

Edit- I just watched it again, and it is one of my favs.  Quite goofy, but also very badass.  In the swordplay genre from this era, Delightful Forest is the only movie I’d consider, maybe, better than Super Chan.  It’s one of those rare movies that I’d pay a ridiculous amount $40-50 to get my hands on a good uncut restored version from a company like Arrow or 88 films, or more likely AFGA/Something Weird Video.  You’re comment was meant as a joke, but I’m glad it made me question myself if it is a great movie.  It gets better every time I see it.  

Edited December 4, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

3 hours ago, dionbrother said:

You can currently watch an HD version of THE SWORD on Amazon Prime's HI-YAAH! channel, in either English or Cantonese.  Been told by a reliable source that all Golden Harvest movies from 1980 and on have been licensed for blu ray.  Most of the independent stuff is owned by the likes of Charles Heung and others, and they're just waiting for an offer they like.  I'm told whoever has the Eternal Films library wants a lot of money for the rights.  Until these licensors become more realistic about the money that's made off these films, we do with what we have.

 

It is nice to hold out hope, but I feel like I’m going to die eventually before we get a bunch of great releases of the lesser known independent movies.  But who knows, maybe they will start coming out 50 years from now and I can get the 100 year anniversary special editions.  It would be a nice gift to see them at age 90 right before I die.  
 

im fine with the Megastar DVD of The Sword.  But right off the bat in the first fight it seems like it’s missing some bits.  In particular the part where the guy cuts off his own head.  Does it look the same in the HD version?  

Edited December 4, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[Iron Head Rat]

On 11/30/2022 at 6:07 AM, Graysman said:

Iv'e put it a very close second to Beardy's other masterpiece.The victim, but that's just my opinion, either way you can't go wrong with these two classics.

Two absoulte superb films.. I've said it before, Beardy is great but Philip Ko Fei excels in Legend Of A Fighter

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

3 hours ago, Iron Head Rat said:

Two absoulte superb films.. I've said it before, Beardy is great but Philip Ko Fei excels in Legend Of A Fighter

Ko is in top shapes form here, but it’s the acting of Beardy, Yuen Yat Chor and Kurata that makes this such a special film for me.  It’s the dramatic moments that are most memorable.  Even the little things like Charlie Chan being present when beardy goes to face his final opponent.  Because we remember Chan entering the movie as a vicious villain, but leaving as a friend.  Woo Ping had shown that he can do drama well in SITES, Buddhist Fist, Mag Butcher and Dreadnaught, but Legend of a Fighter is his masterpiece.  

Edited December 4, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[thundered mantis]

On 12/3/2022 at 3:20 PM, dionbrother said:

I do have a full scoped lasedisc version in my archives.

Excuse me man. Do you mean yo do own a 2.35 uncropped version of Legend of A Fighter? I thought the Japan LD was fullscreen...

[dionbrother]

3 hours ago, thundered mantis said:

Excuse me man. Do you mean yo do own a 2.35 uncropped version of Legend of A Fighter? I thought the Japan LD was fullscreen...

Hong Kong Mei Ah laserdisc, IIRC.  They also released uncropped DRUNKEN MASTER, DANCE OF DRUNK MANTIS and SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW.  Because they had onscreen English and Chinese subs, were likely not sourced for HKL dvds

[Jizzmaster Jerry]

That’s pretty sweet.  I think you got us beat dionbrother.  The HKL dvd is fine, to me.  Comes with a couple interviews with Woo Ping and Beardy for added value.  Though it would have been nice if they could have at least mentioned Legend of a Fighter.  

Edited December 5, 2022 by Jizzmaster Jerry

[dionbrother]

HKL dvd is my go to version, since the laserdisc version is a tough watch on an HD tv.  If a good company ever does a proper blu, HKL will be proven liars.  I'll take a look at that Prime stream of THE SWORD tonight. 

[Killer Meteor]

I assume this is the laserdisc master.