Killer Clans (1976)

"A friend's weapon is the most fatal"

“Killers are like meteors. They appear in brilliance and vanish in no time. And they don’t have names.” Based on Gu Long’s book “Meteor, Butterfly, Sword”, Killer Clans tells the story of love and treachery between competing clans and even friends.

Meng Sheng Wen and his blood brother, Yeh Hsiang, were cared for by the brothel owner Sister Ko. Ko receives assassination assignments after intimacy with a mysterious stranger, which she passes on to Meng as Yeh has lost his confidence and become a drunkard. Meng’s assignment is to kill Sun Yu the leader of the prosperous Longmen Clan. On one of his trips, he meets the beautiful Hsiao Tieh in the Butterfly Forest. She has a formidable father who does not tolerate swordsmen coveting his daughter. As Meng moves in closer on his target, it soon becomes apparent that he is not the only one with the wise and crafty Sun Yu in his sights, both enemies and friends alike will stop at nothing to bring the leader down and gain what is his.

Killer Clans is a Shaw Brothers classic. The sets and costumes were luxurious and there were numerous outdoor shots in picturesque scenery. The cast was stacked with SB actors, most of which did not last long as the body count was incredibly high. Double crosses, even triple crosses abounded. You know times were tough when the only man Sun Yu was able to trust was the man sent to kill him! My only quibble with the story is one that I often have with these older martial arts movies-their need to have bare breasted women and sexual assault.

Ku Feng was the highlight of this film as the Longmen Clan leader---caring, ruthless, adept, and shrewd, his backup plans had backup plans. Tsung Hua isn’t one of my favorites, but as the story often focused more on Sun Yu, not much was asked of him but to look grim. Yueh Hua played against type which was fine with me as it pushed him harder. One of my favorites, Lo Lieh, had a small role as Sun Yu’s supreme protector with a serrated round blade hiding in his hat.

The sword fights were actually choreographed well and not super slow as most were during this time, not nearly as fast as in the modern era, but still entertaining. The first time I watched this I wasn’t impressed with the swordplay but after watching, let’s just say, several martial arts movies since then, I’ve gained an appreciation for this film’s fight choreography. It also helped that I watched a restored copy this time and not a grainier version. Most of the well-known stuntmen actors from the 1970's could be seen jumping, flipping, diving, falling, and taking a beating as the story progressed.

Killer Clans was an action-packed tale of deceit, greed, and love. For anyone who enjoys old martial arts movies, it’s a must.

14 March 2024

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