CHIVALRY OF CONSPIRACY: a LUK SIU FUNG movie.

[Ken Cheng]

If you're a fan of Gu Long or old school martial arts/wuxia movies of the 1970s, I recommend CHIVALRY OF CONSPIRACY, a late 1970s film that brings the 1970s TVB adaptations of the LUK SIU FUNG saga to a startlingly brutal end.

This film features the television series cast (e.g. Damian Lau as Luk Siu Fung; Wong Yeun Sun as Sai Mun Chui Sheut, Wong Wan Choi as Fa Mun Lau, Cecilia Wong as Sheun Sau Ching, Lo Hoi Pang as the Honest Monk, etc.) reprising their roles one last time. The action picks up just a few months after the events of LUK SIU FUNG III (TVB series based on THE HAUNTED VILLA novel). Apparently, not everything we saw at the end of that series was as we initially believed. A mysterious new evil power has emerged in wulin, and it's targeting Luk Siu Fung and his closest friends and wulin's most powerful heroes for elimination, one-by-one.

Though not directly adapted from any Gu Long novel, CHIVALRY OF CONSPIRACY would definitely have been a great coda to the LUK SIU FUNG novel series. Several startling developments are revealed in this film, and we see the demise of several major characters from the saga.

Action choreography was excellent. Wong Yeun Sun, who played Sai Mun Chui Sheut both in this film and the TVB series that preceded it, also directed the film and he maintained a frenetic pace. Overall, if you liked the 1970s TVB LUK SIU FUNG series, you'll love this film: it plays like a long, higher budgeted, *great* episode from the series.

All three parts are now available on YouTube.

[king liyar]

Will definitely check out. May be going off topic, but I just saw 70s Saw brothers classic "Avenging Eagles" and I really liked the choreography, especially toward the ending. It was evident that they did put lot of effort in it.. Other movies I liked in terms of action sequences are five deadly venoms, five element ninjas and few others. But are there any other recommendations ?? Which films have the best choreography in your opinion ?? I am talking about 70s/ 80s classics..

[Ken Cheng]

Will definitely check out. May be going off topic, but I just saw 70s Saw brothers classic "Avenging Eagles" and I really liked the choreography, especially toward the ending. It was evident that they did put lot of effort in it.. Other movies I liked in terms of action sequences are five deadly venoms, five element ninjas and few others. But are there any other recommendations ?? Which films have the best choreography in your opinion ?? I am talking about 70s/ 80s classics..

I don't think you can go wrong with the 1970s/early 1980s Shaw Brothers classics. That was great *old school* martial arts choreography - no wirefu, no stupid CGI. Personal favorites might include Alex Fu's BRAVE ARCHER series (e.g. LOCH) and the 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (also known in the West as MASTER KILLER).

CHIVALRY OF CONSPIRACY was excellent in terms of both martial arts choreography and storyline. Damian Lau and Wong Yeun Sun get great workouts as Luk Siu Fung and Sai Mun Chui Sheut, with extended battle sequences for which the TV series didn't have sufficient time. Also, there's a real "Twilight of the Gods" or "Ragnarok" feel to the movie. If you'd followed the 1970s TVB LUK SIU FUNG series, the movie felt very much like the heroes' last stand...an apocalyptic final encounter against an enemy more powerful and deadly than any other they'd ever faced.

[wkeej]

I don't think you can go wrong with the 1970s/early 1980s Shaw Brothers classics. That was great *old school* martial arts choreography - no wirefu, no stupid CGI. Personal favorites might include Alex Fu's BRAVE ARCHER series (e.g. LOCH) and the 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (also known in the West as MASTER KILLER).

CHIVALRY OF CONSPIRACY was excellent in terms of both martial arts choreography and storyline. Damian Lau and Wong Yeun Sun get great workouts as Luk Siu Fung and Sai Mun Chui Sheut, with extended battle sequences for which the TV series didn't have sufficient time. Also, there's a real "Twilight of the Gods" or "Ragnarok" feel to the movie. If you'd followed the 1970s TVB LUK SIU FUNG series, the movie felt very much like the heroes' last stand...an apocalyptic final encounter against an enemy more powerful and deadly than any other they'd ever faced.

Yes, I remember 36 Chambers of Shaolin. An old wuxia movie I like is "South Fist, North Leg, Fire Smoke King" (direct translation from the Chinese name).

[Ian Liew]

Is this the one where they douse Fa Mun Lau in oil so he can't hear his enemies, and trick Honest monk into leaping on little floating planks in the lake before pulling them all under him? I always wondered where my memories of those scenes came from.

[Ken Cheng]

Is this the one where they douse Fa Mun Lau in oil so he can't hear his enemies, and trick Honest monk into leaping on little floating planks in the lake before pulling them all under him? I always wondered where my memories of those scenes came from.

This is the one. It was a very entertaining movie...it had all the feel of the 1970s TVB LUK SIU FUNG series (same actors in the same roles, after all, and using the same costumes and props), but with a much bigger budget and much better cinematic production values (many great outdoor scenes instead of cheesy studio shots). The fates of many of the familiar characters were gripping too. This film could have been titled, LUK SIU FUNG: THE END. It had that apocalyptic sense to it because so much of what had been set up since the first series was coming to a shocking and unexpected end.

[Ken Cheng]

Watched this again in its entirety the other night. It doesn't totally jive in all continuity aspects with the TVB series starring the same cast (though for the most part, it tries), but it's still a fabulous (though dark) coda to the LUK SIU FUNG saga.

[Ken Cheng]

Just watched this film again and man, it never gets old. This is seriously one of the most underrated wuxia movies of the 1970s. Gu Long himself would have been quite proud of the way this movie ended the LUK SIU FUNG saga.

[BlackRaven]

I would watch this in a heartbeat if I could make out the english subs, your description makes it very tempting.

I saw the 2 Shaw movies that adapted Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword, and they were excellent! Particularly the first one.

If you guys like Gu Long adaptations, A Warrior's Tragedy recounts the tale of Bordertown Wanderer very well. I like the scenes involving Lu XiaoJia.

Also, probably for the first time ever, there will be a movie about the duel between Xie XiaoFeng and Yan Shisan!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Master_(film)

I'm so looking forward to that one. One of the directors is Derek Yee who played a very good Ah Fei in the 1978 Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword Shaw adaptation. I hope his passion for Gu Long novels carries over to his directing!

[Ken Cheng]

I would watch this in a heartbeat if I could make out the english subs, your description makes it very tempting.

How is your Mandarin? Mine is lousy, but I understand enough of it to know what's going on.

The action scenes alone are worth watching, and the story is surprisingly good (if flawed in parts) as well.

[Christos200]

I like 70's Kung Fu movies, especially Shaw Brothers, so I will give it a try.

Personal favorites might include Alex Fu's BRAVE ARCHER series (e.g. LOCH)

I also recommend this to every fan of 70's Wuxia movies. The movies were awesome. In fact, it was the Brave Archer films that first introduced me to Jin Yong novels.

[Ian Liew]

Also, probably for the first time ever, there will be a movie about the duel between Xie XiaoFeng and Yan Shisan!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Master_(film)

I'm so looking forward to that one. One of the directors is Derek Yee who played a very good Ah Fei in the 1978 Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword Shaw adaptation. I hope his passion for Gu Long novels carries over to his directing!

Derek Yee himself acted in the Shaw brothers version of that story, and played Xie Xiaofeng. It was excellent, and although the way he killed Yan Shisan wasn't quite the same as in the novel, it was quite an innovative way to do it, and novel in its own way.

[BlackRaven]

How is your Mandarin? Mine is lousy, but I understand enough of it to know what's going on.

The action scenes alone are worth watching, and the story is surprisingly good (if flawed in parts) as well.

I can't understand Mandarin, but I might try to watch it eventually and piece together the story. Sounds like it might still be worth it.

Derek Yee himself acted in the Shaw brothers version of that story, and played Xie Xiaofeng. It was excellent, and although the way he killed Yan Shisan wasn't quite the same as in the novel, it was quite an innovative way to do it, and novel in its own way.

I didn't know of this movie until your post. It's now on my must watch list.

[Ian Liew]

I didn't know of this movie until your post. It's now on my must watch list.

One of my favourite things about that movie is that they got Lo Lieh and Ti Lung to reprise their signature Shaw Brother roles as a retired Fu Hongxue and Han Dang, guest starring as inn customers who Xie Xiaofeng meets while trying to avoid using the sword again. I'm pretty sure the novel doesn't include these two characters, but I got a warm fuzzy feeling just seeing their scenes!

[Ken Cheng]

One of my favourite things about that movie is that they got Lo Lieh and Ti Lung to reprise their signature Shaw Brother roles as a retired Fu Hongxue and Han Dang, guest starring as inn customers who Xie Xiaofeng meets while trying to avoid using the sword again. I'm pretty sure the novel doesn't include these two characters, but I got a warm fuzzy feeling just seeing their scenes!

Lo Lit and Dik Lung...man, those two guys were some old school bada$$es.

[Ian Liew]

Lo Lit and Dik Lung...man, those two guys were some old school bada$$es.

They were! Ti Lung's Fu Hongxue is so cool, with a sad feel about it, although in this movie the burden has long been lifted, and he's enjoying his life as a woodcutter. I was surprised they included Lo Lieh, for even though his Han Dang was very cool, he was only a minor character from Meteor Butterfly Sword. Nevertheless was a really fun scene when they appeared, almost like some Shaw Brothers centenary programme or something.