Hey Robert, the weapons look real and that's because they were, in fact Ku Feng chopped off one of Chen Kwan Tai's fingers in real life (as opposed to in the film). I think the lighting on the whole is just fantastic, but there was one fight scene that was too dark at the start. The theme music at the beginning was repurposed in 8 diagram pole fighter as one of the main themes. This happens a lot in Shaw movies, you hear music that is very familiar. I love the fact it makes you question morality, Chen Kwan Tai is like a wuxia Judge Dredd, following the law to the letter, no matter who gets hurt. He watches as all around him fall to uphold the law. Is he right? Do we empathise with him? No, probably not but that's whats great about the film, I felt more for Ku Feng who is just masterful and his daughter - man that fight in the rain? Brilliantly shot, just incredible. Its clever because as the plot unfolds, you realise that you have been cheering for the wrong team. I am a huge fan of Dragon missile because the action follows the main bad guy, it's obvious he is bad, this film is on another level. Power corrupts, you should try and track down "What price honesty?" I think this is top tier Shaw brothers, the more I watch it the more I love it.. Favourite Chen Kwan Tai film. You should watch the Korean cut, it changes everything.
Thanks for watching -- I intend to watch the movie 2x more times with the other commentaries from Frank & Brian just wanna pace myself out then watch the Korean cut - should be an interesting examination of the movie. Shame about the finger injury in real life - that kind of thing should never happen on set. I watched a few clips online from 'What price honesty' after you mentioned it - seems cool - maybe it'll end up in a Shout Factory collection in 2025 - who knows! And yes, Dragon Missile is fun - it's hard not to root for Lo Lieh!
It was Lee Chun Hwa that chopped off Chen’s finger. It was during the fight in total darkness that it happened. I covered it in detail on the comm track. It was one of a handful of things that caused the film to shut down during filming between 1978-1980. The films biggest blunder was losing the opening gold robbery sequence -the deletion of which messed up Ku Feng’s introduction late in the movie. Had the action sequence that opened the movie been left in, we’d already know who he was when we see him again returning home and discover he has a blind daughter. A lot of the music was taken from the original 1933 KING KONG.
@@venoms5 ohhh no wonder the music was great - taken from a classic! that's a shame about the lost Ku Feng footage -- I would have given it higher marks if it was not lost :)
This one got recommended to me on Shaw Brothers discussion lists back in the mid 2010s as a masterpiece, so I went in with high expectations. It mostly met them, partly because it's so brutal and partly because of the Dirty Harry/Judge Dredd (as Mitch mentions) dynamic of a "good cop" who has no heart. Curiously, it overlaps with 1969's Invincible Fist, another stylish movie where a law man faces off with the bandit father of a pretty blind girl... that's a pretty specific subgenre right there. Agreed on the fire scene. Even without kungfu powers, you probably could get through with some burns. A letdown action sequence for 1980. But overall, a solid film.
@@CoinOpTV I like both movies. But I will say that both do a pretty laughable representation of blindness. Both girls seem like they don't know the way around in their own homes, and don't recognize immediately that the lawman is not their father when they meet him. The Shaws do a much more believable job when it's the hero who is blind.
The Korean version is a chore to sit through but is fascinating for one viewing to see how awful it is in comparison to the original. Well, Kuei’s take on Chang Cheh’s original version as INVINCIBLE FIST.
As for Tony Rayns I don’t give a shit what he thinks the man is an idiot. Sure I like listening to him sometimes and would like to hear this commentary. But he’s put out factual information that was wrong. So what Tony Rayns says about the music is irrelevant.
@@MichaelWilliams-mo1vv Thanks for watching and your feedback but I learned a long time ago how broken the YT fair use system is which basically forced me to not show anything but my face and voice…. think of it like a podcast! 🤷🏻♂️
The Spirit of the Sword Review Shaw Brothers 1982 ruclips.net/video/xEr8DfsTJ8U/видео.htmlsi=SVqqVaRw81X5qiD6
Hey Robert, the weapons look real and that's because they were, in fact Ku Feng chopped off one of Chen Kwan Tai's fingers in real life (as opposed to in the film).
I think the lighting on the whole is just fantastic, but there was one fight scene that was too dark at the start.
The theme music at the beginning was repurposed in 8 diagram pole fighter as one of the main themes. This happens a lot in Shaw movies, you hear music that is very familiar.
I love the fact it makes you question morality, Chen Kwan Tai is like a wuxia Judge Dredd, following the law to the letter, no matter who gets hurt. He watches as all around him fall to uphold the law. Is he right? Do we empathise with him? No, probably not but that's whats great about the film, I felt more for Ku Feng who is just masterful and his daughter - man that fight in the rain? Brilliantly shot, just incredible.
Its clever because as the plot unfolds, you realise that you have been cheering for the wrong team. I am a huge fan of Dragon missile because the action follows the main bad guy, it's obvious he is bad, this film is on another level. Power corrupts, you should try and track down "What price honesty?"
I think this is top tier Shaw brothers, the more I watch it the more I love it.. Favourite Chen Kwan Tai film.
You should watch the Korean cut, it changes everything.
Thanks for watching -- I intend to watch the movie 2x more times with the other commentaries from Frank & Brian just wanna pace myself out then watch the Korean cut - should be an interesting examination of the movie. Shame about the finger injury in real life - that kind of thing should never happen on set.
I watched a few clips online from 'What price honesty' after you mentioned it - seems cool - maybe it'll end up in a Shout Factory collection in 2025 - who knows! And yes, Dragon Missile is fun - it's hard not to root for Lo Lieh!
The Korean cut is a masterclass on what editing does to story.
It was Lee Chun Hwa that chopped off Chen’s finger. It was during the fight in total darkness that it happened. I covered it in detail on the comm track. It was one of a handful of things that caused the film to shut down during filming between 1978-1980.
The films biggest blunder was losing the opening gold robbery sequence -the deletion of which messed up Ku Feng’s introduction late in the movie. Had the action sequence that opened the movie been left in, we’d already know who he was when we see him again returning home and discover he has a blind daughter.
A lot of the music was taken from the original 1933 KING KONG.
@@venoms5 ohhh no wonder the music was great - taken from a classic! that's a shame about the lost Ku Feng footage -- I would have given it higher marks if it was not lost :)
This one got recommended to me on Shaw Brothers discussion lists back in the mid 2010s as a masterpiece, so I went in with high expectations. It mostly met them, partly because it's so brutal and partly because of the Dirty Harry/Judge Dredd (as Mitch mentions) dynamic of a "good cop" who has no heart.
Curiously, it overlaps with 1969's Invincible Fist, another stylish movie where a law man faces off with the bandit father of a pretty blind girl... that's a pretty specific subgenre right there.
Agreed on the fire scene. Even without kungfu powers, you probably could get through with some burns. A letdown action sequence for 1980. But overall, a solid film.
@@paulthomas3247 thanks for watching - I enjoyed Invincible Fist also and see the similarities too!
@@CoinOpTV I like both movies. But I will say that both do a pretty laughable representation of blindness. Both girls seem like they don't know the way around in their own homes, and don't recognize immediately that the lawman is not their father when they meet him. The Shaws do a much more believable job when it's the hero who is blind.
The Korean version is a chore to sit through but is fascinating for one viewing to see how awful it is in comparison to the original. Well, Kuei’s take on Chang Cheh’s original version as INVINCIBLE FIST.
interesting -- i'm trying to pace myself on this movie since there are 3x commentaries - i should i popped on yours first!
As for Tony Rayns I don’t give a shit what he thinks the man is an idiot. Sure I like listening to him sometimes and would like to hear this commentary. But he’s put out factual information that was wrong. So what Tony Rayns says about the music is irrelevant.
Thanks for watching -- ahh well guess we'll see what the other commentary tracks are like when I revisit the disc!
I thought we'd see some clips of the movie lol. Imagine a review of a sculpture without photos of it.
@@MichaelWilliams-mo1vv Thanks for watching and your feedback but I learned a long time ago how broken the YT fair use system is which basically forced me to not show anything but my face and voice…. think of it like a podcast! 🤷🏻♂️