The Iron Fisted Monk

Sammo Hung had appeared in over 80 credited roles before making his debut as a director with 1977’s The Iron Fisted Monk.  So it was safe to say he knew what he was doing.  But, truth be told, he plays it rather safe in his first outing behind the camera, delivering a formulaic mix of action and hit-or-miss comedy that dips into uncomfortable territory with an extended rape scene in the Hong Kong cut.

Yet another Shaolin revenge story, Sammo stars as Husker (or Husky Joe in the English dub), a rebellious student anxious to get outside the temple walls and collect his pound of flesh from the Manchus who killed his master.  But he’s inadvertently blamed for the death of a Manchu thug working for a serial rapist which puts him in the crosshairs for a political bloodbath!

 

Monk’s story is even more scattershot than usual with fight scenes wedged in between long stretches of male bonding and clumsy flashbacks.  As a director, Hung seems a bit narratively distracted.  But his onscreen work it up to its usual high standards, especially the tag-team finale that showcases his deceptively nimble acrobatics.  It’s a whopper of a sequence that has each performer catching their second and third wind.

 

But ‘70s kung fu also had a habit of using shock tactics to appease the crowd, and Monk includes a graphically uncomfortable rape scene that lingers far longer than it should.  It’s not unprecedented, but it seems out of place with Hung’s penchant for silly comedy.  Chalk it up to a learning experience for a man who would become one of Hong Kong’s premiere action directors.

 

Arrow Video’s 2K restoration is a treat to view on Blu-ray with the original export dub (first time ever in the US), newer 5.1 dub or original Cantonese and Mandarin audio.  Extras include an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, archival interviews with Sammo Hung and Casanova Wong plus a fold-out poster and collector’s booklet.