The Boxer From Shantung/Ma Yong Zhen

This was one of those classic movies I had only read about. When it finally came out on dvd i had to have it. I was not disappointed. Chen Kuan Tai plays Ma Yung-Cheng who works a labourer with his best friend and sleeps at a hostel for poor workers. He is also good at kung fu which gets him involved with a lot of unsavoury characters along the way. He gains respect after defeating a Russian fighter and wishes to be like Tan Wei (played by David Chiang), a gang boss who like Ma started with nothing and now is one of the top bosses in town. Ma's and Tan's involvement with the "Four Champions" leads Ma to a bloody and brutal final confrontation with the "Four Champions", their Boss and ALL their henchmen. What follows is a protracted battle with knives, axes, feet, fists and furniture as Ma battles for his life and to get revenge for the death of his friend Tan. Don't expect a happy ending. The choreography was very good and different to Shaws later MA style. It seemed to have a grittier edge and the ferocity of Chen Kuan Tai in action is a sight to behold. Recommended