Lion Vs Lion (1981)
Directors - Hsu Hsia, Chien Yueh-sheng
DVD Released by : Celestial Pictures
Player reviewed with :Citizen JDVD 3820
Receiver reviewed with : N/A
 
Features:
Cantonese/Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 Soundtrack
English, Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia, and Bahasa Indonesia Subtitles
Enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs
New Trailer
Behind the scenes, New Releases, Colour Stills, Original Poster, Biography and Filmography
Running Time : 104 mins.
Region 3
The Qing (Ching) Emperor is displeased when his Manchurian champion is defeated by a Han kung-fu boxer during a martial arts match. Determined to annihilate the Han rebels of the Heaven Earth Society, the child Emperor makes an interesting declaration. Those who may have wondered why the Chinese adopted the long braid during the Qing dynasty may be surprised by the answer here. Lion Vs Lion (aka Roar of the Lion) is a breath of fresh air. Eschewing the typical fight for revenge, fight for honour, or fight to be the best plot of most kung fu films, this is a story about something more practical, how to make a living.

Lo Meng in a surprising lead role plays the upright and honest officer Yue. Too honest in fact. He bungles an attempted bribery meant for his corrupt Qing judge. Passed over for promotion as a Han, Yue is quickly framed and fired. Returning home in shame he bumps into (literally) Ah Cun played by Wang Yu, a clever con man out to make a fast buck (not unlike the character he plays in Challenge of the Gamesters). After fleecing his boss, Cun's next target is poor Yue. Hoping to take advantage of Yue's honest nature, Cun masquerades as local celebrity, but Yue may be brighter than he looks. And so begins one of the more interesting buddy partnerships seen in a martial arts flick.

Eventually, they find themselves caught up between Imperial spies and Heaven Earth rebels. Perhaps taking a break from playing the bad guy (Return to the 36th Chamber, the Master) Wang Lung-wei gives strong support as Bill Zhu, the respectable master of a kung-fu school, but secretly a liaison for Han revolutionaries such as beautiful TV star Yang Pan-pan, perfect as the enigmatic and calculating Red Lady. Set against a backdrop of espionage and revolution, Lion Vs Lion has all the trappings of an epic, but aside from some intrigue concerning the search for the Hero Chart by the Red Lady, Bill Zhu, and masked assassin Chien Yueh-sheng, very little political conspiracy is seen. This is really about two simple men trying to make their way in a difficult world.

One way to make money as a martial artist is to win the Taipin Strip. This is the title match between the little seen Northern Lion and the more common Southern style Lion. Those who are new to lion dancing sequences are in for a real treat. Although some have commented that it is a bit long, there is only the one lion dance fight in the whole film and it very well done. The action is fun to watch and easy to follow, but what really shines through is the performance and artistry of the lions themselves. The skilled hand and footwork is impressive, but rarely have the lions been given such character and comic expressiveness. Far more believable than most rubber movie monsters, the lions are so enchanting that one truly understands why the Chinese culture has adored them for so long.

The other fights in the film are just as enjoyable. The old-school choreography moves fairly fast and Lo Meng is athletic and muscular. Battling mostly against groups, he moves with authority and really sends those bodies flying. There is more than one brawl in tea house to look forward to and keep an eye open for a humourous fight with a giant shaver. Yang Pan-pan doesn't fight a lot, but she looks decent enough when she makes her own moves. Veterans Wang Lung-wei and Chien Yueh-sheng have a great match-up with some nice weapon exchanges near the end, rounding out the on-screen mischief.
Those familiar with Shaw releases from Celestial have already come to expect a bright picture with a digitally clean print. Contrast is fine and colours are vibrant, but sharpness and detail has sometimes been an issue. Initial releases were letterboxed, and then later switched to anamorphic, but the limited resolution of Celestial's restorations resulted in a softer picture. Recent releases however have dramatically improved and Lion Vs lion looks markedly better. Although not as good as a newer Hollywood film, this anamorphic transfer is still excellent with no compression problems and a sharp and detailed picture.
Choose between Cantonese or Mandarin Dolby digital 5.1 soundtracks. The Cantonese mix is fine with clear dialogue and no distortion or noise. Liberal use of Shaw library effects and adequate music, the action is a little punchy, but unremarkable overall.

Player generated subtitles are timed well and easy to read. The English is good and although not everything written on-screen is translated, most plot related signs are translated.

Standard set of extras from Celestial of late: a new trailer, other releases, photos and poster art, and some somewhat informative biographies for all the main players.

Directed, written by and starring Chien Yueh-sheng, and co-directed with Hsu Hsia, they have come up another great Shaw picture. Terrific martial arts combined with a story that's dramatic and funny, the film even toys with the clichés of honour and brotherhood. If you expect a typical ending, you'll be surprised. This is the first time I've seen it since 1981 and till this day, the final image and lesson learned is still something that sticks with me. A genuine unsung classic.

-Leon Ho

Reviewed 01/15/2003