Lo Wei had an eye for a star. After all he had already brought Bruce Lee to the world with films like The Big Boss and Fists Of Fury (aka The Chinese Connection). Lo Wei also had an ego, one so large that it would put many of the Hollywood elite to shame. Put it this way, Lo Wei once claimed to have taught Bruce Lee everything he knew about how to put fights on screen. Yeah, he had a nose for talent, but he wasn’t going to let that talent be bigger than him (something he would duplicate with Jackie Chan before his departure to Raymond Chow’s Golden Harvest… which is a whole sordid story in of itself and one that is well worth looking into).
However, by the time the 80s had rolled around, Lo Wei had seen one of his stars die and the other become a huge global phenomenon. Not to be outdone, he would make some savvy hires in terms of talent to continue making films under his Lo Wei Motion Picture Company, and one of the smartest moves was the hiring of the first family of Hong Kong Cinema, the Yeun Clan.
Headed by Yeun Siu Tien (most famous for his portrayal of Beggar So in the classic Drunken Master) and a number of his students that would adopt the name Yuen as a sign of respect for their master (Yuen Biao, Corey Yuen Kwai, Yeun Wah and Yuen Chau, who were all part of the Seven Little Fortunes with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung) and his son, Yuen Woo Ping, The Yuen Clan were the driving force behind the development of Hong Kong action cinema in the 70s and 80s, applying their talents for all the aspects of film making and a cornerstone of an industry that was about to go stratospheric.
This Eureka release of both Taoism Drunkard and The Young Taoism Fighter (paired together under the moniker “Two Taoist Tales”) is both celebratory and utterly confusing at the same time. These two films came at a very strange period for the Hong Kong movie industry, as it found itself having to modernise itself and move away from the more traditional aspects of Kung Fu cinema. The Shaw Brothers had dominated for several decades with their slick productions and factory of talent, but even they struggled to get with the times, and people wanted something new and fresh. This is where we find ourselves with both Taoism Drunkard and The Young Taoist Fighter. Two films caught between times, with ideas far beyond what had come before but under the restraint of traditional expectations.
Be forewarned those with a sensitivity towards animal cruelty, you may wish to give these a miss, as there are several snakes, tortoises and chickens “sacrificed” for the purpose of the film, and whilst the “farm boy” in me is as not upset by these actions, I can appreciate that many would have an alternative view on this matter.
Both films in this collection have their problems (outside of the aforementioned), they seem unfocused, they lack structure and the necessary tools to know when something should be dropped or edited out, thus making both films very uneven, but as is the case with many Kung Fu movie – it’s the action that brings us to the table, and oh boy do they deliver. From fighting jars to vindictive masters, the action is exquisite and unique in the way that only the Yuen Clan can deliver. You may spend ten minutes scratching your head wondering what is going on, but all of that washes away as soon as the fights start.
Eureka Entertainment once again deliver a plethora of extras, from commentaries with the likes of Frank Djeng, Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, along with an interview with Yuen Cheung Yan and critic James Mudge, Two Taoist Tales delivers on so many levels and yet confuses on so many others, but as a slice of where Hong Kong cinema was at this time, there is nothing quite like these two films.
Two Taoism Tales is out now on Eureka Blu Ray
Ben’s Archive – Two Taoist Tales (1984 & 86) Taoism Drunkard & The Young Taoism Fighter
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