Shaolin firebrands Fang Shih-yu, Hung Hsi-kuan, and Hu Huei-chien are as famous in Asia as the Three Musketeers are in America and Europe. So when the “godfather of the kung-fu film” Chang Cheh decided to tell their stories with Alexander Fu Sheng, Chen Kuan-tai, and Chi Kuan-chun in the roles, it was cause for celebration. The resulting film is one of the most lauded and beloved in the director’s filmography, and remains a highlight in all the stars’ careers. Each hero is given his own story, but when they all come together in a final, day-long battle with hundreds of troops, the effect is unforgettable. Although known and loved by American fans as Disciples Of Death, that cropped, dubbed, edited version cannot compare to this magnificent original.
