Few genre films have achieved the cult status that ‘The Crippled Masters’ has and, thanks to a lovely remastered release from Film Masters, it can finally reach a wider audience. But like so many cult films, it’s a small matter of whether the years have been kind to it.
Two fighters, initially hated rivals, are brought together after both run afoul of the same local game boss. The first is severely beaten and loses his arms while the second, part of the villain’s horde before being double-crossed, has acid poured on his legs. As a reluctant team, the pair try to exist in a very prejudiced world while also being aware that their nemesis is still looking for them. They are eventually protected by a peculiar master who teaches them how to defend themselves, but these new skills are still no match for the antagonists…until a surprise ally joins their fight.
It’s been pointed out, ad nauseam, that ‘The Crippled Masters’ is a film that would never be made today. Many have added that it shouldn’t have been made in 1980 – does it exploit its stars or empower them? I’m sure there’s no real consensus on this, but personally I thought it was the latter; from the first frames of the credit sequence until the end, I was in awe at the skills of Shun Chun-Chuen and Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming. It was genuinely humbling seeing their aptitude and the choreography highlights their skill; it has to adapt to their limitations but it is done well enough for it to look slick and smart. The rest of the film is cheap and derivative, but when the two stars are on screen the story gets the needed emotional backbone – especially as their treatment for a good portion of the film is very difficult to watch.
This is a cheap kung-fu film that relies on what the makers thought might be a lucrative gimmick; I’m not deluded enough to think ‘The Crippled Masters’ was intended to champion disabled rights. And yet, it manages to be more than just a sideshow, probably despite the intention of the producers.
Film Masters recently released ‘The Crippled Masters’ on Blu-ray and DVD, and you can order it now from Amazon.com.
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