Lady Whirlwind / Hapkido

The best cinematic martial artists are those who can look convincingly pissed off on camera.  No, really.  Witness the success of Bruce Lee, whose orgasmic anger after every punch made him an international superstar.  Sonny Chiba?  Same angry skill set.  And that’s what makes Angela Mao such a thrill to watch, combining undeniable feminine appeal with a serious case of resting-bitch-face.  No one has ever looked more beautiful when they’re angry!

Known in the US mostly for her brief role in Enter the Dragon (1973), Angelo Mao’s real kung-fu coming out party, Hapkido (1972), pairs her with up-and-coming fight choreographer Sammo Hung in a non-stop series of fight sequences that proved once and for all it didn’t take a Y-chromosome to kick ass.  It’s paired  with another Mao film from the same year, Lady Whirlwind (1972), on a stellar new double-feature set from Arrow Films that blows away the old out of print Shout Factory DVD.

 

Hapkido builds off the all-out dojo attack scene from Bruce Lee’s The Big Boss, every fight featuring a dozen of more combatants going at it; fists flying, limbs snapping and, in one truly inspired moment, pony tails cracking.  Sammo Hung’s naturally chubby charisma is a sight to behold, moving with a speed and grace that seems impossible with his bulk.  Fans will recognize Carter Wong, the third musketeer in their trio, from John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. Hapkido’s plot may be nothing more than a rehash of the tense Chinese / Japanese relations dealt with far more dramatically in Lee’s film, but it’s just as thrilling to watch.

 

Lady Whirlwind takes even greater advantage of Mao’s hair-trigger temper, setting her on a quest for vengeance against the man who abandoned her pregnant sister.  But her target (played by Shaw Brothers regular Chang Yi) has reformed and is on his own mission of revenge.  Granting a temporary truce, the two team up to combine forces against the gang tormenting a nearby village.

 

Once again, the fights come fast and furious with a particular spaghetti western influence popping up from the opening credits.  There’s a melodramatic edge to the story that keeps Mao offscreen for far too long - and Chang Yi’s third-act rebirth as a Tai Chi master comes out of left field – but director Huang Feng stages most of this one outdoors, giving it a uniquely epic vibe.  

 

The new 2K restorations on Arrow’s set are nothing short of breaktaking.  There are a few different dub tracks to choose from – along with the original Mandarin – plus a bevy of commentary tracks from Asian cinema experts.  Extras include new filmed interviews with Angela Mao (who still looks terrific), archival sit-downs, featurette, alternate credit sequences and an illustrated collector’s booklets.  After re-introducing Shaw Brothers to the HD generation, Arrow has done another bang up job with rival studio Golden Harvest.  Can’t wait to see what’s next!

 

 

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