Chang Cheh's second-rarest film - Go West to Subdue Demons - surfaces

[Stephe]

I ordered Go West to Subdue Demons on DVD from YesAsia, which is listed

as being unsubtitled and in PAL format, because I assumed that it was

the rare 1992 Chang Cheh film, Journey to the West, but when it arrived,

I found that not only is it in NTSC format, but it's subtitled in Chinese

and English!

They are white burned-in titles. The logo of the DVD company appears at

the top left of the screen about every ten minutes, but the movie is

letterboxed (not very wide, but much like in Chang Cheh's other

1987-1993 movies).

The DVD is not advertised as being subtitled, but this was the case with

the Slaughter in Xian VCD, too.

Go West to Subdue Demons (DVD) (China Version) DVD Region All

[listed as being in PAL format and Region All]

http://www.yesasia.com/us/go-west-to-subdue-demons-dvd-china-version/1020624899-0-0-0-en/info.html

Lao Dian Ying Jing Dian Zhen Cang - Xi Xing Ping Yao (China Version) [DVD]

[listed as being in PAL format and Region 6]

http://www.buyoyo.com/buyoyo/eng/ProductDisplay.do?prrfnbr=11370602

Until now -- not counting Tiger Boy -- this was the rarest of all Chang

Cheh's films.

Chang Cheh left Shaw Brothers after 1983's WEIRD MAN, then made five

independent films with ex-Shaws actors. These include:

ATTACK OF THE GOD OF JOY (1983) (aka ASSAULT OF THE JOYFUL GODDESS,

aka ATTACK OF THE JOYFUL GODDESS, aka THE GHOST [aka Attack of the Venoms in the USA])

THE DEMONS [aka THE NINE DEMONS] (1983)

DEATH RING (1984)

SHANGHAI 13 (1984)

THE WARRIOR (1985) (aka THE DANCING WARRIOR [aka Venom Warrior in the USA])

After this, he formed a four-man troupe of Peking Opera trained actors to

star in his last six films. These actors were Dung Chi-Wa [Tung Chi Hua],

Do Yuk-Ming [Tu Yu Ming], Muk Laap-San [Mu Li-Xin], and Chui Siu-Kin

[Hsu Shao Jen]. The films were:

ACROSS THE RIVER (1987)

GREAT SHANGHAI 1937 (1987)

SLAUGHTER IN XIAN (1989) (aka XIAN MASSACRE, aka SLAUGHTER IN XI'AN)

JOURNEY TO THE WEST (1992) (aka JOURNEY TO SUBDUE THE DEVILS)

HIDDEN HERO (1993)

NINJA IN ANCIENT CHINA (1993) (aka THE MAGIC KID [aka SHEN TONG?])

Until only a few years ago, Ninja in Ancient China and Journey to Subdue

the Devils were the two rarest, but now both are available in subtitled

form.

Journey to Subdue the Devils recalls the earlier Chang Cheh film CHILD

IN RED [aka THE FANTASTIC MAGIC BABY] (1975) in that the title character

of that film appears, and is played by Muk Laap-San [Mu Li-Xin], while

the Monkey King (who also appears in CHILD IN RED) is played by Dung

Chi-Wa [Tung Chi Hua]. Do Yuk-Ming [Tu Yu Ming] plays a general in

league with the Monkey. Also, the fiery chariot shoes that appeared in

Chang Cheh's 1974 NA CHA THE GREAT appear near the end of Journey to

Subdue the Devils where the Monkey fights the Child in Red. A fairy

with a metal ring is in the film, but I don't know enough about the

Monkey King legends to know whether or not he is Na Cha. The Child in

Red employs a group of children reminiscent of the nine demon children

Chang Cheh's 1983 THE DEMONS.

Two conspiracies are presented in the film. One is the doing of a goat

goblin, and the other is the doing of Princess Iron Fan. As is usual

with Chang Cheh, the final 15 minutes are one long breathless fight

scene, but this fight is very theatrical, like a combination of the

endings of CHILD IN RED and ATTACK OF THE GOD OF JOY. Lots of

characters and magic!

[HAZ]

Thanks for thsi info & welcome to the boards!!

h

[Iron Boat]

Yes very good info

[kaleyboy]

I think I have that movie under the title: Monkey Goes West (New Venoms) or is that another movie?

[odioustrident]

I think I have that movie under the title: Monkey Goes West (New Venoms) or is that another movie?

I think they are the same film; it also goes under the title Adventure in the Western Kingdom (something like that). I haven't seen Great Shanghai 1937 or Across the River, but this was the best New Venoms action I've been exposed to.

[Stephe]

I think I have that movie under the title: Monkey Goes West (New Venoms) or is that another movie?

Where did you get that? Could you give any specifics of the release?

I was not aware that the film had ever been on VHS nor DVD until the

Go West to Subdue Demons DVD surfaced.

[Stephe]

I think they are the same film; it also goes under the title Adventure in the Western Kingdom (something like that).

I haven't seen Great Shanghai 1937 or Across the River, but this was the best New Venoms action I've been exposed to.

Where did you hear about the title Adventure in the Western Kingdom?

That title is new to me.

[Stephe]

Oho! A quick googling gave me this:

adventure in the western kingdom

[from two-thirds of the way into the film]

adventure in the western kingdom

[from the end of the film]

This is indeed the same film as Go West to Subdue Demons.

[HAZ]

I wonder how many other films from that series have englsih subs?

[odioustrident]

If you are talking about the 6 "New Venoms" films listed above, each seems to have a subtitled print. Not 100% sure about Great Shanghai 1937, but definitely the rest.

At least a couple of these guys starred in a film called The Conquest, but I have only seen it listed in FLK. Does anyone know if this one is available subbed?

[bigrogie]

If you are talking about the 6 "New Venoms" films listed above, each seems to have a subtitled print. Not 100% sure about Great Shanghai 1937, but definitely the rest.

I have a WS subbed print of Great Shanghai 1937.

[BaronK]

Stephe, thanks a lot for finding those clips.

[gfanikf]

I have a WS subbed print of Great Shanghai 1937.

I think a bunch come from Universe LDs.

One way tell if this title is the same as Journey to the West is if you can see street lamps early on.

[Stephe]

Somebody uploaded the first five minutes of the film to YouTube, and

the image quality is vastly superior to the clips linked to here previously.

Check it out:

Go West to Subdue Demons (西行平妖)(1991) Intro

Stephe

[teako170]

I believe that's fiol who uploaded that.

http://mainlandoldschoolmovies.blogspot.com/2011/03/go-west-to-subdue-demons-1991.html

[fiol]

yep thats my video

[One Armed Boxer]

I got through watching this one recently, and it was great to see Chang Cheh revisiting the tale of 'Journey to the West' in the twilight of his career, possible his best work from the late 80's/early 90's era! Check out my full review over at COF - 

https://cityonfire.com/journey-to-the-west-go-west-to-subdue-demons-aka-adventure-in-the-western-kingdom-1991-review/

[monk]

i have seen the last 6 baby venom films on laser disc