Marsahll Kao, is in fact not a traitor, but secretly he has hatched a plan to keep Shaolin alive. He is utterly alone, refusing to possibly spoil his ploy by revealing it to the rogue Ching Patriots or his fellow captured Shaolin brothers. Instead he plays the part of a turncoat, fighting his former friends for the Emperors amusement, and putting his brothers though various forms of torture while asking them to become members of the Ming Dynasty. But, the torture is his way of training his brothers, strengthening them, even though they curse at him and don’t realize his intentions. Marshal Kao’s scheme puts a heavy burden on his soul, and his sympathies do not go unnoticed by some members of the Ming inner circle. Will Kao be able to keep up his plan? And, as the rebels begin to make their move against the Mings, will either side ever see Kao’s true intentions and where his heart lies before it is too late?

THE FILM
The Heroes (1980, aka The Shaolin Heroes, Story of Chivalry and The Unforgiven of Shaolin) has one of the better plots in kung fu filmdom. A man alone, with a plan so secretive, he cannot even tell those he is trying to help, is looked upon as a traitor, and must act as a friend to an enemy he despises. Even as he witnesses his brothers being beaten and murdered, he has to constantly pretend he is ruthless, a backstabber, and hide any remorse or sympathy for his friends. The film shows his motivation, how he is able to keep up his ruse, by using flashbacks to his days in the Shaolin temple where the Abbot teaches them to hide their pain, take ridicule and scorn, and how “A hero is one how sacrifices himself for others.” And, that is something this martial melodrama tragedy does all too well.

In addition to its huge cast of noteworthy names, this is a pretty large scaled independent production, with big sets and colorful costumes. The film was directed by Wu Ma, who also co-stars as a prisoner, and is a classic figure in HK cinema history for his direction of such films as Shaolin Deadly Kicks, Dead and the Deadlyand Just Heroes as well as his large list of acting roles. The action direction was supervised by Robert Tai (Brave Archer, Invincible Shaolin, Thundering Mantis and Five Deadly Venoms). Ti Lung is probably best known for his breakthrough dramatic performance in A Better Tomorrow but this film is from his days as one of the best martial actors in the business, acting in such films as Duel of the Iron Fists, Seven Blows of the Dragon and Avenging Eagle. I have to say, this is one of my favorite Ti Lung performances, especially in the final scenes. Other notable names include big kicker Tien Tao Liang (Hand of Death, Duel of the Devils, Shaolin Invincibles) as a Shaolin Brother, Michael Chan (Mysterious Footworks, Revenge of the Patriots, Chinese Super Ninjas) as the Ming Emperor, and a small role for Danny Lee (The Killer, Dr. Lamb, Rich and Famous, Iron Bodyguards) as a Ching rebel.

Although there are some choppy editing stumbles, considering it is an independent and the fast production of these films, its expected and forgivable. The pacing of the actual story is very tight and includes some great sequences, particularly the assassination attempt by the rebels on Marshal Kao. It involves a celebration in which they have placed one of their assassins in a group of dancing girls, and as she dances she tries to kill Kao. As she and Kao fight, keeping it a secret from the others, its almost reminiscent of a James Bond sequence- trying to maintain the subterfuge that nothing is going on as she tries to stab him and he defends himself, making it all part of the dance sequence. The fighting is what I call “ground fighting” (meaning no crazy acrobatics, wire or trampoline work, or supernatural fu- just two guys, hand to hand, feet to feet). Ti Lung’s strong arm kung fu is put to good use, and its a real refreshing change of pace from all the modern fast editing, over the top fights. Sometimes its nice to pop in a movie like this and actually see every move two fighters are making, and not have their prowess amplified (or hidden) by editing tricks and other enhancement. Plus, the film has a great fifteen minute finale, culminating with Marshall Kao and the Emperor fighting the jail courtyard, while the Shaolin Brothers escape from their cells fighting their way out, and the Ching patriots attack the compound form the outside.

THE DVD
Tai Seng Video presents one of the better (dare I say “high class?”) films in their Martial Arts Theater line. Modestly priced with commentary.
Picture: Pretty fair Ocean Shores video master. There is the wear and tear kung fu fans would expect, with some softness, dirt, waviness, washed out color, and contrast problems, but overall its just your average run of the mill kung fu transfer. There are certainly far worse transfers out there, but this one wont leave you jumping for joy.
Sound: 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono English dub. Rather reverb heavy audio track. Particularly in the fights, which are loud and echo drenched like an old Ultraman episode, but apparently the film dub drops off in the fights, and we are hearing the original audio track, so it was intended to be that over the top.
Extras: 8 Chapters--- Tai Seng trailers for their Martial Arts Theater line, plus The Assassin, Deadful Melody, The Duel, Dragon Inn, Running Out of Time, Armageddon, Body Weapon, and Fist Power--- Commentary by Ric Meyers, of Inside Kung Fu magazine. Meyers does a pretty good job, and deserves credit for research (a daunting task in the world of kung fu film), even if he can get annoying in his delivery. He is up front about the Ocean Shores video master, pointing out the logo, and then, for those that don’t know, gives a nice rundown the story of kung fu distribution and Ocean Shores history with distributing kung fu films. Although it is a bit mannered, Meyers reads from notes telling us Ching Dynasty history, and gives background info on the numerous notable names on the film. Unfortunately, as he spouts the long family tree history of certain stars, Meyers often gets lost in his notes and loses his place in the film. Not surprisingly, at one point, Meyers acknowledges that he is lost and has gotten carried away listing filmographies of the stars (for example: he notes the producer was Kao Fei, who stared in, my favorite, Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, which gets him talking about Pole Fighters infamous finale). The other personal peeve I have is that, in a few spots, he jokingly points out flaws in the logic, or that a actor doesn’t know how to fight, or the cheap set design. This sort of mocking would be fine in a less serious feature like Miracle Fighters, Jade Claw, or Enter the Fat Dragon, but in Heroes it only damages the suspension of disbelief in a good, no-nonsense martial arts drama. It is an annoying contradiction that, early on in the track, Meyers points out how these films were derided by critics and looked down upon as cheap and silly, but then Meyers himself falls prey to the same (although, in his case its more innocent) behavior by taking jabs at the film. But, I guess personal peeves aside, Meyers does an fair job, and his commentary is an okay side benefit to a great kung fu film.

Before Wu Ma achieved mainstream success with action comedies like MR. BOO MEETS POM POM, KICKBOXER (1993), and FOX LEGEND, he toiled in the Hong Kong film industry for years, lending his considerable talent to the Shaw Brothers studios (having directed 7 BLOWS OF THE DRAGON 1 & 2, MANCHU BOXER, and WRATH OF THE SWORD) and later various independents. Even with his eventual departure from the Shaw Brothers in the late seventies, his independent Kung Fu productions continued the epic scope and themes of brotherhood and sacrifice he established with his stint at the Shaw studios. For his 1980 film, THE HEROES, Wu Ma recruited many Shaw Brothers stars including his close friend Ti Lung, Chan Hui Man (CHINESE SUPER NINJAS, BLOODED TREASURY FIGHT, THE EIGHT ESCORTS), Shih Szu (THE AVENGING EAGLE, THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES, THE REVENGER), ‘Flashlegs’ Dorian Tan Tao Liang (CHALLENGE OF DEATH, THE EIGHT ESCORTS, THE BOXER’S ADVENTURE) and future Hong Kong superstar Danny Lee, star of about a million cop dramas. Wu Ma also casts himself in the film as a helpless Shaolin prisoner. THE HEROES is one of the higher quality Kung Fu sagas to emerge from Tai Seng’s Martial Arts Theater collection.

Ti Lung is Kao Fei Ying, a former Shaolin leader who abandoned his temple to take up residency with the Ching Dynasty. The Ching Emperor (Chan Hui Man), intent on destroying the Shaolin Temple once and for all, gives Kao the rank of Marshall, and uses Kao’s considerable talents to strike a fatal blow to the oppressed people of ancient China. However, Kao has not really abandoned his people or his faith—he is attempting to ingratiate himself into the Ching hierarchy, so he can position himself to assassinate the Emperor when the time is right. But in order to fulfill his self-appointed mission, Kao must convince the Chings that he is a true turncoat. He does this by bullying, killing, and torturing his Shaolin brothers to the point they brand him a traitor. The Emperor gives the command to wipe out all the Shaolin Temples in the land, and Kao himself leads the Ching soldiers against his compatriots. After the slaughter of many Shaolin followers and the death of the chief Abbot, the remaining members are rounded up like cattle. The Emperor plans to execute the survivors, but Kao intervenes on their part; insisting that he must torture them instead. The proud Shaolin prisoner Brother Chao (Tan Tao Liang) takes an oath to avenge his fallen comrades by killing Kao. The prisoners are sent to a torture dungeon in the catacombs where Kao begins to inflict pain on them. The Emperor’s daughter, Princess Shui Lang (Shih Tzu) takes a keen interest in Kao when she observes him engaged in artistic endeavors after a tough day in the torture dungeon. She ponders what kind of man Kao really is. Meanwhile, members of the Ming Rebellion (who sympathize with the Shaolin) amass, and prepare to map out a plan to strike back at the Emperor.

Kao tries to maintain his illuson by torturing his brothers and demanding that they become soldiers for the Ching Army. Finally, one prisoner comes forth and declares he wants to join the Ching and live rather than die with his brothers. Kao rewards the traitor by killing him in cold blood. This act is noticed by others in the Royal Court, who question Kao’s motives. Princess Shui Lang continues to keep tabs on him. At the prodding of these Ching officials, The Emperor finally confronts Kao about his intentions. The Emperor forces him to face off with Brother Chao. They fight a savage battle, and Brother Chao nearly defeats Kao until the guards intervene. Kao hesitates to deliver the death blow, until he is forced to kill Brother Chao to maintain his deception. Princess Shui Lang takes a romantic interest in Kao. When the Ming underground discover the death of Brother Chao, they prepare to launch an assault against the Chings. Some prisoners in the Ching dungeons escape, and soon a revolt takes place. While this is occurring, the Emperor once again levels charges at Kao. This time Kao finally comes clean and warns the Emperor of his eventual downfall. But this Emperor is a true warlord, who is well-versed in Kung Fu. Kao and the Emperor begin their battle, as the Ching soldiers try to defend against the rioting prisoners. Suddenly, the Ming Revolutionaries attack! This final struggle is a no-win situation for Kao, as he must defeat his Ching adversaries—yet the revolutionaries have branded him a traitor, and seek to end his life...

Wu Ma really hit his peak around the same time as Lau Kar Wing (the late seventies) and this film benefits from his masterful directorial ability. THE HEROES also benefits from having a multi-layered script by screenwriter I. Kuang, who wrote hundreds of the best Shaw Brothers movies. They say that Kuang has the midas touch, and I have to agree. His script is not only highly political, but also deals with the themes of brotherhood, honor, and especially sacrifice. In flashbacks, a young Ti Lung listens intently as the wise Shaolin Abbot lectures him on nobility and sacrifice. THE HEROES is basically one long undercover movie, with Ti Lung attempting to keep the facade going. He is a man with a mission, and being considered a traitor to complete his mission is a small price to pay. But we as the audience wonder how soon he will crack. Once suspicion is cast upon him, he is forced to brutally murders his own comrades. We wonder just how far he will go. At the same, there are the subplots about the worsening conditions in the prison (triggering the eventual revolt) and the Ming uprising. Classic Kuang stuff to be sure. The only one area where Kuang’s talent falters is in the way he depicts women. His scripts always contain throwaway roles for women that never culminate in a fight nor a closed story arc. For instance, the gorgeous Shih Tzu is a capable actress, and quite a skilled fighter. She is wasted as Ti Lung’s love interest, Princess Shui Lang. Tzu injects some nobility into her role, but the relationship goes absolutely nowhere, and the character is quickly forgotten when all hell breaks loose at the conclusion of THE HEROES.

THE HEROES also features a great cast, creative Kung Fu choreography, and a high level of violence. Ti Lung excels as Kao Fei Ying in one of his best non-Shaw Bros. role. The whole undercover angle, which Ti Lung pulls off brilliantly, would be ineffective in less capable hands. Chen Hui Man is regal and cunning as the Ching Emperor who is also the greatest fighter in his own army. Tan Tao Liang gives one of his best performances as the tormented inmate, Brother Chao. His heroic death scene in the film is reason enough to see this film. Danny Lee had not yet matured into the actor he would eventually become, but he holds his own as a brooding Ming revolutionary who plots to overthrow the Ching. THE HEROES contains some supreme martial arts choreography, which Ric Meyers notes as ‘too slow’ in the audio commentary. On the contrary, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The fighting in the film is conducted in real-time, and is very natural and believable. It is not flashy nor over-choreographed like a Jackie Chan film. This is the way it should be. Wu Ma studied at the altar of Chang Cheh, and he fills THE HEROES full of violence and bloodshed. There is also a strong exploitation element as well, with things like torture scenes and corpses strewn everywhere. Ma combines his strong directorial skills with some great camera work to ensure that this is superior than your average zoom-fest. THE HEROES is at times a very bleak movie, and Ma should be congratulated for instilling much emotion into the plot.

SIGHT
Any movie from 1979 suffers from discoloration, blemishes, grain, etc, and THE HEROES is no exception. The source element used for this DVD is a full frame Ocean Shores video master, which has surely seen better days. That being said, this is one of Tai Seng’s better DVD authoring jobs and the inconsistencies can be attributed to the pan n’ scan process. THE HEROES is a movie with high production values and superior costume and set designs. Much of this is lost in the full frame presentation, but thankfully whoever panned and scanned this captured all the Kung Fu action in the center of the frame. THE HEROES was filmed in mostly artificially lighted soundstages, and as a result the movie has a dark look to match its tone. There are times when the colors come bursting through, giving us a quick glimpse at the sumptuous visuals THE HEROES has to offer (I’d love to see this in widescreen). The detail level is hampered by the picture quality, but damn the fight scenes look good, and I’m sure that’s what Kung Fu fans are most concerned with. The black levels appear to need further calibration. Film grain is a huge problem, especially in the interior dungeons sets.

SOUND
The sound on Tai Seng’s disc is Dolby Digital Mono 2.0. The frequency levels exhibit a broad range of highs and lows, and the sound is crisp and clear. There is no hiss, background noise, or other audio anomalies evident in the soundtrack. THE HEROES is mainly dialog driven with the expected martial arts sound effects (such as kicks, chops, clanging staffs and swords, etc.). The English dialog is fairly dramatic and actually supports the tragic elements. THE HEROES also boasts an original score, that ranges from authentic period music, to synthesizer riffs, to pseudo-Spaghetti Western themes. The sound elements blend together equally for an overall pleasing acoustic experience that VHS tape cannot match.

FEATURES
The disc also includes audio commentary with author Ric Meyers. He recites the history of the Shaw Brothers studios and the bad politics they employed. Meyers gives in depth history on every important person connected with this film, including Ti Lung, Wu Ma, Chen Hui Man, Tan Tao Liang, Shih Tzu, Danny Lee, and even screenplay writer supreme I Kuang. As usual Meyers does a lot of name dropping, but I notice his commentaries get better with each release. He also provides info on the secondary cast members and bit players. Meyers states that the elaborate sets seen in THE HEROES were on loan from the Shaw Brothers studio.

There are also English language trailers for these Tai Seng special edition DVDs (all trailers are widescreen with Dolby Digital Mono sound): RUNNING OUT OF TIME