BLOODY FIGHT is written and directed by the multi-talented Ng Tien Tsu (aka Ng Tin Chi). Ng Tien Tsu also wrote and directed such early martial arts dramas as THE BOOK, THE SWORD, AND THE SPIRIT (1966), THE ROARING LION (1972), and TIGER’S CLAW (1974). This movie also benefits from the multi-layered action direction of Chan Siu Pang. Pang was an accomplished actor, fight choreographer, and director who gave us SHAOLIN DEATH SQUADS, THE MYSTERIOUS HEROES, and THE MAGNIFICENT. BLOODY FIGHT has a great cast including Hong Kong film veteran Alan Tang (THE INVINCIBLE IRON PALM, BLOOD FINGERS, and IRON BULL), Eddy Ko (AVENGING EAGLE, THUNDERING MANTIS, DUEL TO THE DEATH), Fong Yau (TEN MAGNIFICENT KILLERS, CRACK SHADOW BOXER, IRON FINGER), Tan Ching (VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE, SWORDSMAN AND ENCHANTRESS, WRATH OF THE SWORD), Pai Ying (36 KILLERS, LADY WHIRLWIND, THE VALIANT ONES), and the great Chen Kuan Tai (EXECUTIONERS OF DEATH, IRON MONKEY, SHAOLIN KING BOXER
) in an early role before he hit the big time with the Shaw Brothers. Crash Cinema only released one DVD in the year 2000, and that was BLOODY FIGHT.

A Japanese boxer, Chen Chang (Fong Yao) and his two disciples (one played by Chen Kuan Tai) challenge the Chinese martial arts school of old Master Tien. Chen’s disciples beat the proud students of Master Tien, prompting the old one himself to emerge from his school and face the arrogant attackers. Chen wants to pit his Japanese boxing techniques against Master Tien’s Kung Fu. When the Master agrees, Chen adds an additional stipulation that the fight is to the death. Master Tien is not happy, but accepts because he’s in front of not only his students, but his daughter Chi Ling as well. Master Tien and Chen go toe-to-toe until the cunning Japanese boxer gets the upper hand. Master Tien is fatally wounded, and on his deathbed he orders Chi Ling to leave the school and seek out his brother, who is even more superior in the martial arts than he is. He makes Chi Ling promise to not seek revenge on the Japanese before he expires. Chi Ling goes searching for her uncle, and Chen and his men make Master Tien’s school their new home. At a nearby cantina, drunken patron Chi Shi How stands up to the Japanese men, and is quickly hailed as a hero by his neighbors. As soon as Chi Ling arrives at her Uncle’s, Chen and his men arrive, looking for trouble. The Uncle uses diplomacy to avoid starting a fight.

After the Japanese leave, Chi Ling informs her Uncle that Chen is responsible for the death of her father. He is angered and promises that they will eventually be sent back to Japan. He then introduces Chi Ling to his cadre of students and followers each of whom posses a formidable martial arts skill. She also meets and develops feelings for Tien Hwon (Alan Tang), the son of her Uncle. Chi Ling receives word that Chen and his fighters are returning to her uncle’s school to wipe him out, too. The students prepare and practice their special skills in preparation for the battle to come. Chen’s disciples lead the attack, but they are quickly defeated by force of numbers. This leaves Chen by himself to take on the Uncle. A great duel commences, and Chen finally gets put in his place. Rather than face defeat, Chen retreats. He makes it back to his headquarters at Master Tien’s place and recruits his own private army in anticipation of the conflict to come. The now-sober Chi Shi How teams with Tien Hwon to form a special 3-style mix of Kung Fu that exploits the weaknesses of Japanese boxing. The Uncle himself was victorious using this style, and he educates these two men on how to employ these forms. It takes the combined efforts of two men to make it work; one man is ineffective. Uncle lays out the challenge to the Japanese contingent. All the pieces are in place for the final showdown between Chinese martial arts and Japanese boxing. If the Chinese win, the Japanese will leave the area. If the Japanese win, Uncle will concede ownership of his school.

BLOODY FIGHT is a real surprise. It’s not a ‘hero’ movie, where the unbeatable protagonist fights solo against all odds (like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan). This is an ensemble piece, with a scope that matches the early Shaw Brothers productions. Ng Tin Chi is influenced by Spaghetti Westerns, which comes through in nearly every scene. The director includes some awesome scenes of the characters traveling through and fighting in some treacherous desert terrain that made me believe I was watching a Western movie (I was shocked that there was such landscapes in China that resembled the old west). BLOODY FIGHT is propelled by a thin revenge plot, as Chi Ling and her Uncle plan the defeat of the lead Japanese boxer. Neither of those two characters are directly involved in the final conflict however. That ultimate destruction of Chen falls into the hands of Tien Hwon and Chi Shi How. These two characters and Uncle’s other students have their own agenda. Its interesting how the script relates the character of Chi Shi How. At first he seems like a drunken guy with a big mouth. Then he actually demonstrates some fighting ability by dueling with the Japanese, but his skills not fully up to the task (Chi Shi How is not your typical drunken master stereotype ala Sam the Seed). When he first gets involved with Tien Hua and his father, there is resistance and distrust. Another other interesting things about the movie is that some guards are shown using guns, so that limits the unspecified time period of BLOODY FIGHT to the late 1800s-1900s

There are a few problems with BLOODY FIGHT through. First of all, every Japanese character in the movie is played by Chinese actors, and they all have Chinese names. While viewing this movie I came to the conclusion that these characters were not Japanese at all, but merely Chinese traitors who abandoned their own martial arts to learn superior fighting skills from the lead Japanese fighter (this was the only way to justify the Chinese names and appearances). My theory proved it could hold no water as the lead Japanese villain’s name is Chen Chang—but at least he is the only character that looks and dresses like a real Japanese Ninja type. Often when these movies get "Internationalized", the dubbers change the names of the characters, so this could explain the non-Japanese naming conventions. Another major flaw of BLOODY FIGHT is the fighting style of the Japanese characters. The Japanese fighters are all employing modified Kung Fu styles! There is no Karate, Ninjitsu, or Sword fighting in the entire movie. So those hoping to see a true comparison of Japanese vs. Chinese styles better stick with your video of SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA instead. BLOODY FIGHT features some great choreography from the always reliable Chan Siu Pang. His fight sequences are magnificent for the day (remember this is 1972 we are talking about here), but can’t hold up to the intricate, lightning fast choreography pioneered by Lau Kar-Leung or the Venoms stable. BLOODY FIGHT is aptly named as the movie features some truly graphic death sequences. The gory make-up effects for these scenes are surprisingly effective, and more convincing than those employed by Chang Cheh in his movies!