Feng hou

In "Mad Monkey Kung Fu," Liu Chia-liang temporarily veered away from his successful Shaolin formula to experiment with the animal-style slapstick that had made Jackie Chan an overnight sensation. It's not a bad film (and it's fun to see Liu taking on a starring role for the first time), but it lacks the gravity of "Executioners from Shaolin" and "The Thirty-Sixth Chamber of Shaolin"...and suffers from script inconsistencies and odd pacing, to boot.

Chen (Liu) is a talented opera performer with a weakness for liquor. Local tycoon and all-around jerk Tuan (Lo Lieh) frames Chen for rape, taking Chen's sister (Kara Hui) as his concubine and breaking Chen's hands so that he no longer poses a threat. Chen becomes a street performer and is befriended by a young man known only as Monkey (Hsiao Ho). Hot-headed and a little simple, Monkey is always getting into trouble with a gang of thugs, so Chen teaches him how to defend himself. It turns out that the thugs work for Tuan, and when Monkey gives them a sound beating, he also incurs Tuan's wrath. Chen is finally obliged to intervene despite his apparently ruined hands.

The production values are top-notch (they always were in Shaw Brothers films), and the martial arts choreography is of course flawless, but Ni Kuang's script is noticeably disjointed. Chen's whole existence is upended in one overly busy fifteen-minute scene, after which Tuan's character disappears from the film for an extended period. Implausibly, Chen does not attempt to remain in contact with his sister and seems to have no idea that the thugs harassing him and Monkey are Tuan's men (though it's fairly obvious all along). Finally, events veer from the comic to the tragic and back again with a dizzying lack of warning, making "Mad Monkey Kung Fu" a schizophrenic viewing experience. See it for the fights, especially the climactic confrontation at Tuan's brothel. Objectively speaking, this is not Liu Chia-liang's greatest moment; subjectively, your rating will depend on your tolerance level for traditional Chinese comedy and capering monkey impersonations.

This is a must see flick for any martial artist or just fan of the genre. Liang is the best director and choreographer of this time period.....probably still to date. Bruce Lee's fight choreography even pales when compared to Liang.

Feng Hou, or Mad Monkey Kung Fu as its English title is known, is deceptively well crafted. On the surface, a classic master and student Kung Fu story well known to those familiar with Shaw brothers films and Kung Fu cinema in general, but underneath the incredible martial display, athleticism, and humour of the film lies an incredible meditation on succumbing to one's vices, pride, and the inevitable fall that follows.

Lau Kar Leung needs no introduction, as one of the finest martial artists and martial arts choreographers, he also directs this film in addition to playing one the leads, the crippled Kung Fu master Chen. Lo Lien also puts on an exceptional performance as the conniving and thoroughly evil, Tuan. Another staple actor of Shaw brothers films, Hsiao Ho, shines in a rare performance as a lead as the eponymous Monkey. His acrobatics and good natured performance as the outsider, Monkey is amazing and endearing.

I generally dislike comedy in my kung fu, and prefer straight up revenge tales. Mad Monkey Kung Fu, strangely enough, combines both, but ultimately is more comedic than I would like.

That's not to say Chia-Liang Liu's direction isn't as good as ever, his choreographies mind-blowing and the kung fu on display impressive. My only gripe with the film, and the reason I largely didn't enjoy it, is that everything is utterly silly. I guess the monkey style kung fu is inherently silly, in and off itself, but Little Monkey's fights with Lo Lieh's thugs are more circus fare, complete with grimaces and silly quirks, than straight up kung fu.

What I DID like where the training scenes, where Master Chan trains Little Monkey (played over the top, and given his role, right on the money, by Hou Hsiao) in the ways of the monkey fu, . It's still very much played for laughs but pleasantly so.

Anyways, overall good performances by Hsiao, Lo Lieh and the foxy Kara Hiu (unfortunately in a short role), great choreographies as usual by Chia-Liang Liu, but too light-hearted for my tastes.

But this is a great martial arts film. Liu Chia Liang ranks second to none as a fight choreographer, only Sammo Hung at his best compares. This is immediately clear from his proud exhibition of technique -rather than flashy camera angles etc. - during fights. The direction is tightly controlled to not only excite the viewer by the speed and movement but to awe her with the precise skill displayed. This film benefits also from Liu's participation in front of the camera. Liu's performance at the banquet scene with which the film opens is one of the high points in kung fu movie history. Liu is supported by the beautiful and talented Hui Ying Hung (of My Young Auntie fame) and 'Hsiao Hou' whose acrobatics are breathtaking, and preferable to any amount of wirework As for the plot , this film follows the not uncommon theme of revenge, but with character and moral development along the way, and a most fitting resolution. The humour in this is also of the best. If you only watch one kung fu film ever, this would be a good choice- it has it all.