High-Octane
Summary
Modeled after Yojimbo as so many other similar action films are (think A Fistful of Dollars, Django, The Warrior and the Sorceress, Omega Doom, and Last Man Standing, to name a handful), The Kung Fu Instructor is highly formulaic but effective with tons of fighting, simplistic plotting, and mostly enclosed studio sets, giving the film a homey and familiar feeling, which basically amounts to comfort food for the action junkie.
Plot: A tough martial arts teacher plays both sides of the street where two factions are always at war.
Review: A town is divided right down the middle, and each faction sticks to their side, with nary an infraction tolerated. Even the peons and vegetable merchants must adhere to the border, or severe consequences are doled out. For example: An old fruit cart salesman trips and falls, spilling his potatoes all over the street, crossing the border with his clumsiness, resulting in the “bad” faction (basically a bunch of thugs) threatening to chop off the poor dude’s leg for his mistake, which causes a street brawl. You don’t cross the line, it’s really that simple. When a “good” martial arts teacher (whose weapon of choice is a bo staff) called Wang Tang (Ti Lung) kills a guy, the “bad” faction takes him in, but holds the crime over on him, agreeing to harbor him on their side as long as he teaches their thugs how to improve their fighting skills. Tang knows that he’s being used, and that his skills will be mined for bettering the thugs in their endless conflict against the “good” faction, which is true, and he makes a break for it and switches sides. He spends time in hiding, taking on a pupil whom he imparts much of his fighting knowledge (to the point that the young fighter sleepwalks and sleepfights), which is good for them both as they make a good team. When the two factions clash again, Tang’s skills will come in handy in a big way for the good faction, as they’ll need all the help they can get when the big brawl takes place.
Modeled after Yojimbo as so many other similar action films are (think A Fistful of Dollars, Django, The Warrior and the Sorceress, Omega Doom, and Last Man Standing, to name a handful), The Kung Fu Instructor is highly formulaic but effective with tons of fighting, simplistic plotting, and mostly enclosed studio sets, giving the film a homey and familiar feeling, which basically amounts to comfort food for the action junkie. It’s as basic as they come, but that’s not a bad thing, especially if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Director Sun Chung gives this Shaw Brothers picture all the skull cracking, wrist snapping action it needs to be a good time at the movies.
88 Films presents The Kung Fu Instructor in a sharp HD transfer, looking snappy and appealing, and the package is attractively put together with a rad slipcover, collector’s art cards, a reversible sleeve, the trailer, and a stills gallery.