Mysterious Heroes (HK 1979)

Rating: **
Alternate Title: Wu Tang Swordsman (Xenon re-issue)
Cast: Carter Wong, Polly Shang Kwan, cameo by Philip Ko

A pan and scan nightmare with horrible domestic re-packaging ("Wu Tang Swordsman?" Come on now...). A famous master swordsman has been imprisoned by a nasty baron, and Carter Wong and his sister (Polly Shang Kwan) are searching the countryside for him in order to free him, and then challenge him for his famous "green crusted sword." Uh-huh. After several plot complications and a lot of fighting (and even worse dubbing), our heroes persevere, but the old master runs off with his nun teacher to repent his sins and the green crusted sword is destroyed so that it won't bring disaster to anyone else. What a bizarre ending - the old master just walks away and we end on a freeze frame of Wong and Kwan calling after him. A very young and skinny Philip Ko shows up briefly to deliver some kung fu goodness, but gets wasted fairly quickly. Carter Wong and the old master exhibit some great kung fu and sword work, but Ms. Kwan looks like she's pulling her punches too much. She's cute and fun to watch (a little too much pouting though), but her fighting lacks energy and vitality in this film. The film also shamelessly lifts music from "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" (1974), like several other kung fu movies of the period did. Strange.