Angela Mao double feature

This action-packed Double Feature sees the extraordinary talents of Taiwanese-born martial arts superstar Angela Mao (the female answer to Bruce Lee) and director Huang Feng (‘The Shaolin Plot’) combined for two high octane films – presented on 2K restored Blu-ray format. The 2-disc ANGELA MAO set features the movies ‘Hapkido’ and ‘Lady Whirlwind’ and in both films, Angela gets ample support from Hong Kong action regulars Sammo Hung, Carter Wong, Bai Ying and Chang Yi.

HAPKIDO (1972): Released in the West under its alternative titles LADY KUNG FU, the story is set at the beginning of the 1930s in Japanese occupied Korea. It’s a sunny day and three Chinese martial arts students are enjoying a day in the park. They are Kao Yu Ying (Angela Mao), ‘Older Brother’ Kao Chang (Carter Wong) and ‘Younger Brother’ Fan Wei (Sammo Hung – here billed as Kam-bo Hung) although Kao and Fan are not Yu Ying’s real brothers, it’s merely a name given to them in the martial arts school where they study the ancient technique of Hapkido. The relaxing atmosphere promptly ends when a gang of Japanese troublemakers begin pestering the picnickers, one in particular pesters Yu Ying who at first tries to ignore his lecherous comments but seconds later she and ‘Younger Brother’ Fan Wei find themselves in an almighty kerfuffle ending with some high kicks. Unfortunately, the event leads to the three students being expelled from the Hapkido school, as fighting against the Japanese oppressors is against regulations, although the wise Hapkido teacher understands their motives. Attempting to find a compromise, he ‘promotes’ them to the status of ‘7th degree black belt of Hapkido’ holders before sending the three back to their Chinese homeland, to be more precise to Guangzhou where they are to open their own Hapkido martial arts school and teach the technique to anyone interested. Initially things run well and ‘Older Brother’ Kao introduces himself to the other local martial arts schools who pledge their support, however, he fails to make a visit to the Black Bear school as it is Japanese and thus the enemy. It doesn’t take long before trouble arises when two members of the Black Bear gang cause havoc in a local restaurant and Younger Brother Fan, who has the word ‘Forbearance’ inked on the inside of his palm as a constant reminder to tame his hot-headed temper, doesn’t hesitate to side with the locals and beat the two gang members badly. Naturally, this will have consequences and sure enough, Toyoda Yaguma (Goro Kumon) – the principle teacher (complete with Hitler moustache) of the Black Bear school and a downright baddie, sends his main man Chou Ba-tien (Bai Ying) and some others to the Hapkido Eagle school with orders to intimidate the students and force them to either stop teaching a Korean fighting technique (only Japanese techniques are allowed) or get the hell out of Guangzhou… Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact the pupils at the Black Bear school are ‘only’ ‘5th degree black belt’ holders, championing their own, Japanese technique… Suffice to say, Yu Ying, Kao Chang and Fan Wei decide to stay and continue to teach Hapkido, leading to non-stop explosive action scenes interspersed with brutal violence and a climax which sees Yu Ying in an almighty showdown against the leaders of the Black Bear school, with a little help from ‘Head Brother’ who has just arrived in the city…. Angela Mao is mighty impressive and really holds her own, it’s good to see a female martial arts star kicking ass big time! Sammo Hung as the more hot-headed and impulsive ‘Young Brother’ Fan Wei and Carter Wong as the more restrained and ‘diplomatic’ Kao make perfect casting as far as opposite poles go while Bai Ying makes for a particularly loathsome villain. The film toppled Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’ in the American cinemas for a while though god knows how ‘Hapkido’ fared in Japanese cinemas what with its strong anti-Japanese sentiments and pretty much every Japanese character being portrayed as a truly rotten egg.

The second feature, LADY WHIRLWIND (1972) sees Sammo Hung in a rather atypical role as a baddie (dig those mean looking sideburns) while Chang Yi, often portraying baddies, is the good guy… well, almost. In the centre of it all, how else could it not be, is Angela Mao kicking her way through the action. The film begins at an isolated beach and we witness a bunch a Japanese mobsters led by Tung Ku (yes, Bai Ying again) kicking the c**p out of Ling Shish-hua (Chang Yi), following Ling’s decision to leave the gang and thus the world of drug trafficking. Left for dead, a guardian angel in the shape of Hsuang Hsuang (Oh Kyung-Ah) nurses him back to health – she’s the romantic interest and keeps him hidden in an isolated cottage in the countryside. We then make the acquaintance of Miss Tien (Angelo Mao) who has just won loads of money in the local gambling hall – one of many dens of iniquities run by brothel madam Tiao Ta Niang (Liu Ah-Na), her henchman Tung Ku (Bai Ying) and her somewhat inept brother (Sammo Hung) who wastes no time in attempting to steal the money Miss Tien had just won… Bad move as the fearsome Miss fights and kicks her way through the gambling hall before leaving Sammo (his character doesn’t seem to have name here) badly injured and humiliated, incurring the wrath of his ruthless sister Madame Brothelkeeper. The real reason why Miss Tien has arrived in town, however, is not in order to win at gambling but she’s actually looking for Ling Shi-hua with the intent of killing him. Here then comes the backstory which goes something like this: some years ago Ling was in a relationship with Miss Tien’s sister who fell pregnant but Ling left her, leading to the poor woman committing suicide. As we find out a little later, Ling isn’t quite as bad as he seems to be because he had his reason for leaving Miss Tien’s sister (perhaps at that time he had already fallen in with the bad crowd led by Tung Ku and was protective of his then pregnant girlfriend, perhaps there was another reason – we don’t actually find out). Whatever his reasons, Miss Tien isn’t interested in an explanation - she’s only interested in avenging her sister. Meanwhile, Tiao isn’t at all pleased that her brother (Sammo) has been beaten and humiliated by a woman and dispatches some of her henchmen with orders to capture Miss Tien, preferably alive. Just when the innocent Hsuang happens to be in a bar the henchmen arrive and – in a case of mistaken identity – order her to come along with them. She immediately thinks the order has something to do with what’s been going on between the gang and Ling and assumes word must have got around he survived the attack on the beach. Fearing that Tung Ku will try everything to trace his whereabouts she lies that Ling is dead. This piece of conversation is overheard by Miss Tien who also happens to be in the bar hiding above the gallery. A woman’s instinct is seldom wrong or so the saying goes and – sensing that Hsuang had been lying to the gangsters – follows her along a country road where she spots the isolated cottage and Ling! After a fierce verbal confrontation, which leaves Hsuang confused over Ling’s true character, Miss Tien is willing to compromise: she won’t avenge her sister by killing Ling outright but will grant him a few days time so he can dispatch of local kingpin Tung Ku first and thus destroy the evil that holds sway over the town.

He then goes to confront the baddies and is matched against a supreme Judo master where he is badly beaten before being taken to the forest to buried up to the neck… but is rescued by Miss Tieng. Later Ling stumbles across an injured old man who had been bitten by a poisonous snake and saves his live in the nick of time. As a sign of gratitude, the old man happens to be a master of the so-called ‘Tai Chi palm technique’ and teaches Ling the tricks of the trade. Now Ling heads to town again with a mission but – unbeknownst to him – is secretly followed not only by a worried Hsuang but also by Miss Tieng who wants to ensure that ringleader Tung Ku won’t be able to kill Ling, after all, that is a privilege reserved only for her… Will it really end badly for Ling? Not quite, though it does end badly for some of the characters (who deserve it anyway). Although LADY WHIRWIND also sports plenty of action, the plot is more fleshed out than in HAPKIDO due to a combination of martial arts, melodrama and a love story though just like its predecessor some familiar faces turn up again. ‘Lady Whirlwind’ is also more sombre in tone and it’s not as if ‘Hapkido’ has much comedy relief on offer.

There’s Special Features thrown in and the first print-run of ANGELA MAO (2000 copies) will be presented in a Limited Edition O-card slipcase complete with reversible poster and Collector’s booklet.