Customer Reviews

Duel to the Death

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just picked this title up at Circuit City for $6.99. Now, I've been wanting to get an older HK Kung Fu movie (for what it is) for a while now. I used to watch Kung Fu Theater every Saturday at 3:00pm on channel 5 (hehe) when I was really little. The only three I remember are Drunken Master, Jade Claw, and The Flying Guillotine. But they all had certain qualities that, while hokey, I had come to love about them: Bad audio Looping and dialog, The "Snap" sound effect during fights, bad Disco Music, confusing and overly-elaborate storylines, but best of all, over-the-top, reality-suspending action sequences.

Since those days, I have grown to love anime, Japanese fighting games, and modern kung fu flicks, (and Kill Bill, heh) and I had since forgotten about the old classics. My standards for Kung Fu action movies had even become elevated, requiring elements from the aforementioned modern media! Then I came across "The Flying Guillotine" at Best Buy a few months ago. The price was a bit too much so I didn't get it, but I was reminded of the classics and I wanted to get a proper cheapie Saturday Afternoon Cheesy Kung Fu Popcorn flick. What I got instead... was "DUEL TO THE DEATH"!!! It is SOOO much more!!!

This movie's got it all: Over-the-Top Action sequences... Check! Awesome, slightly muted, 70's style music... Check! Japan Vs. China... Check! Dual Evil Plots... Check! Bad Dialogue Looping... Check! The "Snap" sound during fist fights, as well as a host over other overdone Foley Sound Effects... Check! Big Haired, Big Eyebrowed, Big Sideburned Asian dudes as well as Old long bearded Masters, as well as Shaolin Monks... Check Check Check! Extremely Well done Wire Fu... Check! Samurai and Kabuki Warriors... Check! Ninjas?? Hmmm... Well let's see... Let's go down the list here... We've got Stealth Ninjas, Shuriken Ninjas, Kite Ninjas, Sand Ninjas, Tree Ninjas, Leaf Ninjas, Flying Freight Transport Ninjas, Giant Ninjas made up of several standard size Ninjas, NAKED Female Boobie Ninjas, EXPLODING Ninjas (Nothing, absolutely NOTHING under the Sun says Action like EXPLODING NINJAS!!), Vanishing Ninjas, Smoke shooting Ninjas, Samurai Ninjas, Yes, there's even a Jack-in-the-Box Ninja, Ninjas that get sliced in two, Ninjas that get sliced in half, revealing another ninja jumping out from inside the old Ninja, and last but not least, the Naked Female Boobie Ninja!!! Nope you can never go wrong with that! (Im not making any of this up either!)

The movie reeks of outstanding production values, which is unsusual for a Kung Fu movie from that era. Excellent visuals ABOUND, and not just in the scenery either, but just in the styles of the characters movements and the camera angles. For instance, our Japanese Samurai hero is the Lord of the Stance! He uses very handsome looking stances and has a couple of beautiful finishing move poses! It's like the movie is thanking you for watching it by constantly providing small bits of on-screen eye candy! This movie also has awesome special effects (for what they are, at least)!

This movie is flat out FUN! It even has a few humor sequences (the scene with the little samurai kids is pretty funny). There are also moments where you're going WHAAAAT???!!, hehehe. It rarely slows down, and when it does, you can count on some action sequences right around the corner. And the action sequences have a tendency to LITERALLY go way out of control. There is tremendous amount of buildup in some of the fights and things quickly become accelerated to the point that it actually loses control and crazy stuff starts to happen!! You feel as though you're at the mercy of an uncontrolled car or rollercoaster that's about to hit something... and then it does and then all hell breaks loose! It's at these points that the sequences are at their most over the top or their most violent! It really is something to experience! For Example:

[WARNING: MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS!!! The following sentence is only for those who have seen the movie.] Probably the most memorable scene of the movie was when the hero is fighting a foe, and things escalate, then all of a sudden the hero slices the foe's head off, it goes flying and gets impaled onto a tree branch right through the ears, and we zoom in on it long enough for this disembodied head-kabob thingie to actually SPEAK, saying: "Mark my words... You will DIE!", and then, of course, ultimately EXPLODING!! Now THAT's Cool!!! [END SPOILERS]

This is now my second favorite Kung Fu movie, second only to Fist of Legend. I would also reccomend watching it if you've watched (and liked) Kill Bill. For this is pretty much the movie Kill Bill was trying to be! Get it, pop up some popcorn on a lazy Saturday afternoon, open your mind and suspend all reality, and Enjoy this GEM!! IT'S GOT NAKED FEMALE NINJAS IN IT FOR GOODNESS SAKES!!!!

Sorry for the Long Review!

This film has everything: intrigue, suspense, swordplay, and flying Ninjas. Lots of flying ninjas. The film is actually very entertaining, and brings up some interesting philosophical issues about honor and dedication to country vs. family. By the way, did I mention the flying Ninjas?

This film is amazing. If you like kung fu/samurai flicks, this is the one to see. I thought "Swordsman II" was great, this I think, is better. This movie reminds me so much of the anime "Ninja Scroll". The cinematography is awesome. The fighting is superb, and the violence is incredible. It captures the essence of Shaolin kung fu and the Japanese samurai. Great sword play and an intriguing story. This is a gem. Now one of my favorite martial arts movies. Two thumbs up, way up.

As other reviewers have said here this film is riveting because considering it was done well before CGI was developed its special effects (though mostly wired) are very believable. The action is well choreographed and performed admirably by the main actors who are well known within the martial arts world. Definitely no pretending here! You will like this movie if you are a kung-fu buff who enjoys a little wire work. Jet Li beware!

This movie really has all you could ever ask for: ninjas, ninjas, and more ninjas! Now, I know you're sitting there thinking to yourself, "Wait a minute. Wouldn't all those ninjas get a little repetative at times?" Well, all you doubters can walk outside and get a big 'ol ninja star to the forehead for all I care, because it doesn't get repetative in the least. The reason for that is there is a wide variety of ninjas in "Duel to the Death." It's got flying ninjas, exploding ninjas, hang-gliding ninjas, giant ninjas, multiplying ninjas, naked ninjas, suicide bomber ninjas, librarian ninjas, ocean ninjas, sand ninjas, and so many more.

And, oh yeah, there's this little thing about the two greatest warriors from China and Japan fighting each other for the honor of their respective countries. But that's really just a side note to all the ninja antics going on.

So, if you're like me, then you'll love this movie because it's got so darn many.....wait for it....NINJAS!!! Rock on!!!

duel to the death is the greatest movie ever. why? because it is totally historically and politically incorrect. now, some of you might frown on that. oh well, this movie has ninjas flying on kites and people jumping off swords. but the most important thing about this movie is what it'll make you ask yourself. when you're through watching this movie you'll dig down into the depths of your soul to find the answer to this question: why did that guy stab himself in the foot?

I have promised myself not to buy any action movies produced before 1990 due to their slowness in fighting but this is one of the exceptions. The fighting scenes are swift, smooth and violent. The special effects are as good as any other Hong Kong top movies of today. It is amazing especially when this film was made in 1982. If you love sword fighting or Ninjas you will like this. The plot is so so.

I usually don't like kung fu type movies, but this has to be the best one I've ever seen! The special effects are absolutely top-notch for 1982, and they are very "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" like. Of course there are a few cheesy moments (wait until you see the talking head), but they do little to detract from the overall high production values of this movie. The dubbing isn't all that bad either.I strongly suggest checking this movie out if you liked CTHD, or even if you usually don't dig this kind of thing.

I like this movie a lot for several reasons. Let's start off with the DVD itself, it's good. The picture and sound are nice and widescreen is always the best. I like the subtitle and language options, stuff like that makes a difference with a movie like this. The movie itself has an intriguing story and cool characters (I liked the Japanese swordman the best). The swordfights and battle scenes are great, and so are the special effects (especially considering this was an early 80s release). And yes there are tons of ninjas, flying ninjas, and they are awesome. This is just a cool movie, with a good plot that keeps up the action right up until the duel to the death at the end. Worth buying, especially if you're into Chinese cinema like i am.

I have to say Fox, Columbia and Sony Picture Classics are among
the best distributors in kung fu cinema! The re-mastering for
Duel to the Death is excellent! The picture is very clear, the
subtitling is great, and in widescreen! Though one complaint,
the sound is a bit suspect! Hitting sounds look a bit off when
the fighters collide but I may be wrong! Movie is highly
recommended for wire fu fans and Ching Sui Tung fans!