Fan Ko (David Chiang) is aspiring engineer as well as a Kung Fu expert. His dying master sends him to Thailand to look for his long lost half brother. These two men have never seen each other before and therefore one would not recognize each other. Fan Ko’s master can only identify the man (who is a successful Thai Boxer) with special tattoo markings. Unfortunately, this makes things rather difficult for Fan Ko, as every single fighter in Thailand is adorned with tattoos. Meanwhile, Wen Lieh (Ti Lung) a native champion Thai Boxer struggles with the corrupt boxing commission. Wen Lieh tries his best to win his matches, even though the local crimeboss, Mr. Xu, makes it his mission to see Wen Lieh defeated in battle. With the emotional support of his girlfriend Yu Lan (Ching Li), the heroic Thai Boxer faces match after match and must endure the sadistic behavior of Mr. Xu’s oppressive syndicate. When the crime boss hires top Thai Boxer, Cannon (Ku Feng), to take out Wen Lieh, only the intervention of Kung Fu expert Fan Ko can save him. Together Wen Lieh and Fen Ko must overcome Cannon and his superiors if they are to survive.

You’d think that with all the talent attached to DUEL OF FISTS, it’d be a must-see for martial arts fans. However, this movie is just too boring and uneventful to hold my attention. Sure, David Chiang and Ti Lung deliver superb performances, but its going to take more than just characterization to make DUEL OF FISTS work. The movie does get points for the realistic depiction’s of Muay Thai style fighting glimpsed in DUEL OF FISTS, and the sumptuous cinematography of the stunning Thailand landscapes. Yet the movie gets bogged down in the ridiculous art-deco conventions such as the 1970s style clothing. David Chiang’s wardrobe literally changes with every shot. The kickboxing matches are accompanied by some horrible sounding traditional Thai music which really grates the nerves. The fights are short and poorly spaced out throughout DUEL OF FISTS. Even the presence of the mighty Ku Feng and the ravishing Ching Li can’t save this one. Why it was such a success is beyond me. I attribute it to the fact that DUEL OF FISTS is the first film to expose Chinese audiences to Muay Thai boxing. Chang Cheh is known for his dark, nihilistic perspectives, and here DUEL OF FISTS is essentially a Disney movie (with no daring or grim moments that Chang Cheh is famous for).

Celestial presents DUEL OF FISTS in the original 2.35.1 Shawscope ratio, with NO 16x9 enhancement. Keeping in mind the 1971 vintage of the movie, Celestial performs another standout restoration job. The DVD transfer delineates all the picture information without any loss of film-like quality. Chang Cheh makes excellent use of the crowded interior sequences and the expansive Thai exteriors looks quite beautiful, with bursting bright hues such as the reds, oranges, and greens. The modern costuming is equally colorful, but highly distracting. Tang Chia’s and Liu Chia Liang’s choreography is restricted mostly to in-the-ring exhibitions of authentic Thai boxing. Flesh tones are full and blacks are deep. The easy-to-read subtitles are presented below the black letterboxed area. Outside of some film grain, this is another outstanding effort from Celestial.

Celestial tosses out the original mono soundtrack in favor of a souped up Dolby Digital 2.0 remix. Purists beware, but listening these old classics in an all-encompassing sound field with true stereo separation is a pleasing acoustical experience. The soundfield for DUEL OF FISTS brims with cars engines, the sounds of fighting, the terrible Thai musical accompaniments.. The disc includes the original Mandarin dubbed dialog track, which is crystal clear fidelity. The score is by Shaw Brothers ace composer, Chen Yung Yu. So while its disappointing that the original mono track is missing option, the sound field is nothing short of outstanding. Just next time Celestial, be sure to include the original optional mono soundtrack

From the Special Features section, you can access the Photo Gallery, Poster Art, Production Notes, and Bios for Chang Cheh, David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Ching Li. Also included are remastered original language widescreen trailers for these recent Celestial DVD releases: DUEL OF FISTS, IRON BODYGUARD, and NA CHA THE GREAT. There is also an interview with an Asian actor Shaun Tam, better know as Ti Lung Jr. This young man reminisces about the production of DUEL OF FISTS by talking about his father’s recollections. Shaun Tam talks about the on-site filming of DUEL OF FISTS in Thailand, and also discusses how his father got his start in the HK film industry. Surprisingly, he speaks in English.

Though the film has all the components in place to qualify for a classic martial arts film, DUEL OF FISTS will disappoint Shaw Brothers who have grown accustomed to the period martial arts epics. The only reason to see this film is for the acting performances of Ti Lung, Ku Feng, and David Chiang. DUEL OF FISTS is just a limp affair not worthy of all the talent attached to the production. Celestial presents another colorful transfer, and the interview with Ti Lung’s son is the highlight of the Special Features section.