Buddha Killer - Die Panther im Tempel der Shaolin

THE BUDDHA ASSASSINATOR is a small-scale, made-in-Taiwan kung fu film with a fairly intriguing plot, some top-drawer fight scenes, and engaging performances by a trio of great, if underrated performers. It may not have as many fights as we would like and the training scenes are a bit rushed but the action is always extremely well-staged and builds up to an extended final battle between two of the stars.

Mang Hoi plays a lowly student at a Buddhist temple who saves the life of a visiting prince when he spots an assassin disguised as a monk. The prince (Hwang Jang Lee) takes Mang under his wing and teaches him "Lo Han"-style kung fu (which includes some "sleeping fist" positions). However, the prince's motives soon take a darker turn. It turns out that Mang's only close relatives are part of the plot to kill the prince and Mang is eventually forced to hide out with his uncle, a "crazy monk" who teaches him Buddhist Fist. Only then can he take on the prince in a furious, extended 10-minute match at the end.

Mang Hoi was short and wiry and acrobatic, but had a round, cherubic baby face which lent itself to comic moments. (He later served as one of Sammo Hung's repertory company in the star-director's 1980s action comedies.) Mang effectively conveyed the plight of a young, hapless novice who gets thrust into good fortune by chance and then has to learn enough kung fu to fight for his life against the long-limbed, high-kicking Hwang Jang Lee. The actor also fought Hwang in HELL'S WINDSTAFF (1979).

Hwang Jang Lee (DRAGON'S CLAWS) was always a great villain in Taiwan-based kung fu films and is quite formidable here, looking regal in his princely garb and bestowing a knowing, imperious smile on all around him yet capable of turning on his young charge with sudden fury. Lung Fei, always a reliable kung fu villain (RETURN OF THE CHINESE BOXER), plays Hwang's chief lieutenant.

The often under-used Chien Yuet San specialized in eccentric characters (such as "Granddad" in THUNDERING MANTIS) and here he's the shabby vagabond "crazy monk" who finds himself the target of the prince's wrath when it's learned the monk is a master of Buddhist Fist, a rival style.

Basically, the small but accomplished cast and assured direction (by Tung Kan Wu) make an otherwise average kung fu tale sparkle just a little brighter.

The narrator explains how the rivalry between Buddha Fist practitioners and Lohan Fist became a political Ming versus Ching thing. The rebels plan to kill the Manchu prince when he visits the temple.

At the temple, Mang Hoi does his chores and gets bullied. His friend, the crazy old monk, Chin Yuet-Sang (see him in "Kung Fu vs Yoga"), is warned to make himself scarce during the visit. Hwang Jang-Lee, the prince, arrives and Mang Hoi saves his life by calling out "Assassin!"

The prince rewards him and he goes back to the temple as a big shot over those who bullied him previously. The prince asks for a kung fu demonstration. Then we go to a casino for some reason and Mang Hoi gets into a fight and crazy monk comes to his rescue. Crazy monk decides Mang Hoi needs to learn Lohan Fist to defeat the prince who wants to destroy Shaolin temple.

At about 35 minutes in there is a fabulous stunt off the balcony. I can imagine how filming this scene went. Corey Yuen says to the stunt men, "I need a guy to jump off that balcony." Nobody volunteers. Corey says, "Don't worry, I'll put down some padding." One guy says, "Okay, I'll do it." Corey says, "Great, okay, the rest of you stunt men are the padding!"

Mang Hoi is a very talented martial artist with strong acrobatic skills. Due to his short stature and baby face (I think he looks like a ten year old Biao Yuen) he was not leading man material. This is likely his biggest role. Nevertheless many other action directors appreciated his skills and he continues to be in movies until today. Also, as an action director, his list of 30 some credits doesn't have a stinker on it.

The copy is wide screen and good enough resolution for a modern television and has English dubbing by the A-team of voice overs. There are a few sections that are not dubbed for some reason. After watching this I start thinking "lost classic" and "needs a high definition restoration". Dream on!. I rate it above average and recommend it for all.

BUDDHA ASSASSINATOR is another fun kung fu training film in the same vein as DRUNKEN MASTER and SLEEPING FIST, albeit with a slightly more developed villain. The film sees the young and bumbling Hoi Mang playing a lowly servant who unwittingly saves the life of his master, a powerful lord, from assassins. From that point in he is taken under his master's wing and taught the ways of kung fu, but there is more to the situation than meets the eye.

Although this is obviously a low budget film, it's pretty well paced and has plenty of incident to keep it moving along. There are the usual fight scenes played for laughs, lowbrow humour, and political intrigue thrown into the mix. A drunken beggar type character shows up in support, while the ubiquitous Hwang Jang Lee is typically excellent as the powerful villain of the piece.

The biggest surprise is seeing Hoi Mang in a leading role. Mang is a guy who keeps popping up in many of the Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung movies of the 1980s, usually in small roles, so seeing him as the lead was a real surprise. The second surprise is that he can actually fight! For somebody to hold their own against Hwang Jang is an impressive feat in itself, and the final fight in this film is quite wonderful, as you'd expect: funny, frenetic, and exciting; I was crying tears of laughter at some of the antics during the climax.

The Buddha Assassinator is part of the Shaolin Dolemite Kung Fu series. The original Dolemite films starred Rudy Ray Moore with a blend of humor, clumsy kung fu, and recycled one liners. Moore does not star in The Buddha Assassinator, but he presents the film in ornate and bad-ass fashion as only he can. The film goes nowhere with its plot, and it seems as if the director was trying to poke fun of traditional Eastern Kung Fu film making (just like Woody Allen). With Asian Kung Fu masters saying things like, "I'm gonna jack you up" and "Uncle, your feet smell" only add to the film's perverse comical fashion. The fight sequences are a step down from even films made by the Eastern Heroes film company, and on a different planet than those of Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba. Anyhow, this film is great for midnight viewing and nonstop laughter.