Product Details

• Actors: Chen Kwan Tai, Wang Lung Wai, Yuen Tak
• Directors: Tony Liu
• Format: Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: Cantonese, English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Tokyo Shock
• DVD Release Date: May 13, 2008
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00151QYGC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,744 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

MASTER - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally..., July 9, 2008

By 

Michael W. Jaworski "jawsomatic" (Fairfield, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Master (DVD)

I remember first seeing this in the mid-80s as a kid on Channel 5's now-defunct "Drive-In Movie" under the title "3 Evil Masters". Under any title, this is a classic from the latter-days of the Shaw Brothers. This is arguably the best movie director Lu Chun-Ku has done. Hsu "King of Sticks" Hsia's choreography, along with his "Five Superfighters", is absolutely amazing. Not only are Chen Kuan-Tai & Wang Lung-Wei in top form (their fight near the end of the movie is a definite highlight for me), but Yuan Tak (a.k.a. Chiang Lin) is amazing. He ought to be though, he was one of the "Seven Little Fortunes" along with Jackie Chan, Samo Hung & Yuan Biao. His climatic end fights with each of the "3 Evils" are incredible.

Great supporting performances by Candy Wen Hsueh-Erh, Lin Hui-Huang, Liu Hok-Nien, Wang Ching-Ho & Ching "knife-thrower" Chu; look for him in a crazy, "jiggly" brothel scene (cut from TV prints, 'natch). There's also great music here; I know it's stock music, but Eddie H. Wang (as usual) picked out the best tracks. Great story, awesome old-school fu, incredible acting & impressive directing.

Tokyo Shock/Media Blasters did a fantastic job with the transfer, some people are complaining that it's not enhanced for 16:9 televisions. Look, before this version came out I had to settle for a bootleg, pan & scan, edited VHS copy of this classic. Now, there's this remastered, widescreen, uncut DVD complete with subtitles or a decent English dub, so stop complaining and buy this. I read that Media Blasters has three more Shaw classics in the works; Chang Cheh's "Deadly Duo" & Lau Kar-Leung's "Challenge of the Masters" & "Martial Club", can't wait. It was great to see my old friend, Tom Fardy, in the "special thanks" list at the end. It was touching to see the dedication to the late Linn Haynes, who unfortunately couldn't grace this DVD with the same excellent commentary he did with "Heroes Two" due to his untimely passing from this world. Rest in peace.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a blade in the braid and a pile of tile, September 9, 2008

By 

Mantis (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Master (DVD)

The great Chen Kuan Tai ("Heroes Two", "Executioners From Shaolin") plays Chin Tien Yun, the title character in this nifty little Shaw Brothers classic. After he is injured by 3 nefarious fighters, he comes into the care of young kung fu student Kao Chien (Yuen Tak). After he feels better, he realizes that the boy's master (Lau Hok Nin) isn't doing a very good job at martial instruction and teaches the lad a thing or two. Meanwhile, the bad guys are searching the nearby town for clues to his whereabouts.

Though some of the fights are a little slow, most of them are excellent. I don't know that Chen Kuan Tai's kung fu has ever looked this solid. Johnny Wang Lung Wei ("Return of the Master Killer", "Instructors of Death") is great as the main bad guy who sports the obligatory white wig. I didn't recognize his two cohorts, but they both do a great job. Yuen Tak is also more than capable of handling his role, even when it requires a little cross-dressing. Which reminds me that this movie has some nudity and a fair amount of blood. Not for the kiddies.

Now for the drawbacks: A lame sense of humor (standard issue); a couple of annoying and sycophantic characters; a musical score that ranges from excellent to completely absurd; and Yuen Tak's immense improvement in fighting techniques just by punching ceramic tiles in a bucket of water. If you can get past these things, you're in for a treat. Those of us who love old school kung fu movies have learned to deal with, and eventually even appreciate, the genre's less desirable proclivities.

I love owning legitimate Shaw Brothers' releases, this one courtesy of Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock. Celestial's beautiful remastering job (as per usual) and widescreen presentation is more than adequate for my modest television set. The English dub is pretty good, and the sound can also be heard in Mandarin and Cantonese. Special features are limited to a couple of trailers (including one for "Heroes Two") and a brief, informative interview with Chen Kuan Tai. RECOMMENDED.

1980. aka: 3 Evil Masters

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chen Kuan Tai Shines Very Brightly Here..., September 1, 2008

By 

David Brown III "vengeanceofhumanlanterns" (gloucester, MA. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Master (DVD)

It's a shame Chen Kuan Tai wasn't the main star of this film, but what scenes he does grace are superb. As morgoth alludes to in regards to the opening scene fighting, he's dead on. Simply outstanding choreographing in the beginning of this film. Chen Kuan Tai (Iron Monkey 77 The Killer Constable and Shaolin King Boxer)was in reality King Boxer of South East Asia (monkey style and deflecting elbow were his specialties) when he was discovered by Shaws Brothers and this film showcases some of his abilities. Great film. A must own for any Chen Kuan Tai fan.