The martial arts film genre has given us stars like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, and countless others. Lost in the shuffle is Alexander Fu Sheng, star of the 1975 kung fu epic Disciples of Shaolin.
Fu Sheng had a brief but momentous run of films before his untimely death in 1983, and Disciples of Shaolin demonstrates his great acting and martial arts abilities. He plays Kuan, a martial arts prodigy who takes a job at a textile factory. He soon learns of the Manchu clan running a rival textile mill. This is a driving point behind most of the action, as workers from the two mills are constantly fighting each other.
Director Chang Cheh delivers a high-octane film under the guidance of the Shaw Brothers studio system, who gave us such martial arts classics as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, King Boxer, and Executioners from Shaolin. Yes, the film has flaws, especially an ending that seems rushed and tacked on. Those looking for character development and a believable plot (who could guess that TWO textile mills would be full of adept kung fu fighters) won’t find it here. But for devotees of the genre, Disciples of Shaolin packs a genuine punch.