Shaw Brothers - Magnificent Trio [DVD]

This DVD is the earliest Shaw Brothers film directed by Chang Cheh available stateside (legitimately), and it's an essential purchase for fans of the prolific director....After "Tiger Boy" ("One-Armed Swordsman" came two films later), Cheh oversaw a remake of the 1964 Japanese movie "Three Outlaw Samurai" ("Sanbiki No Samurai"), directed by Hideo Gosha. (It's another reminder of how Shaw filmmakers drew inspiration from Japanese cinema; they even hired Japanese cinematographers to enhance the looks of the films! "Three Outlaw Samurai" is also on DVD; however, it appears to be out-of-print, so a copy won't be easy to get. I haven't seen it, unfortunately! Anyone who has seen BOTH of these, PLEASE share your opinions in this forum!) Cheh also adapted the screenplay himself; this, too, would become a thing of the past as his workload increased, and he sought the use of (or collaborated with) other screenwriters. The end product succeeds despite the limits of the budget (mostly shot indoors); it's NO epic like "The Water Margin", but smaller in scale (storywise), though the events occur in the the background of a greater conflict. The "Trio" itself is well cast; Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh and Cheng Lei each get their moments to shine, be it from swordplay or by dramatics alone. (Without giving away plot points, I think the highly-underrated Lei has, arguably, the most interesting role here. Watch it, and you're bound to agree!) Compared to later Cheh films, the four ladies found in the cast (Margaret Tu Chuan, Chin Ping, Fanny Fan and Violet Pan Yingzi) contribute significantly to the storyline; they're NOT mere "red herrings" OR "eye candy"! (At the same time, some have pointed to Cheh's purported usage of symbolism that conveyed the notion the "old days" of Hong Kong action cinema--where the ladies STARRED--were changing. Look at the opening titles: the three female leads are given top billing, BUT it is the in-the-flesh "Trio" one sees FIRST! However it's interpeted, Cheh's theme of brotherhood--or "yang gang"--was beginning to be heard.) Add to this a fine supporting cast (including Ku Feng, Wu Ma, Tien Fang, Lee Wan Chung, even Unicorn Chan!), plus the fight choreography of Lau Kar Leung and Tong Gaai, and it all combines well in a movie that draws the viewer in with its EMOTIONAL content, not just the ACTION! If one plays this Image release, and follows it up with "The Five Venoms", they may be stupefied that these two classics--as different as night and day--were BOTH directed by Chang Cheh! Are his earlier films BETTER than his "Venoms" films? Take a look at "The Magnificent Trio", along with "One-Armed Swordsman", "Vengeance!", "The Heroic Ones" and "Disciples Of Shaolin" (e.g.); compare them with one's favorite "Venoms" flicks (viewer's choice), and one MIGHT be surprised at the conclusion they reach!...A rare "impulse" buy of mine that turned out to be money well INVESTED!...All the best, Brother Fang. (1/29/10 revision)

Another Shaw Brothers production, The Magnificent Trio, 1966, is a Martial Arts visionary to be seen, - a soldier stumbles into a plot of kidnapping and finds out the real reason why the townspeople are revolting against the greedy Govt. official who steals from them, which in turn the townspeople start a petition, to be handed over to the elite general, loaded with action and swordplay and magnificently restored and remastered, this film, The Magnificent Trio delivers the goods, starring, Jimmy Wang Yu,(Master Of The Flying Guillotine}, Lo Lieh {Five Fingers Of Death), and directed by the legendary Chang Cheh, 16x9 widescreen, original Mandarin with English subtitles, plus 16 Shaw Brothers trailers included, Image entertainment.