Challenge of the Masters

Lau Kar-leung's 1976 Hong Kong film covers the training of the young Wong Fei-hung. When his family's kung fu school is beaten up by a rival, Fei-hung goes to his father's master and begins again from the start. What distinguishes it is that fighting is treated as a discipline rather than a spectacle. The training sequences run long and the reason for each technique is explained; Lau Kar-leung's family connection to this school's lineage shows in the detail of the texture. Gordon Liu plays Wong Fei-hung and Chen Kuan-tai the master. Although it is a Shaw Brothers production, the narrative does not simply exalt revenge; the master's real lesson is when not to fight. Who it's for: those who like classic Hong Kong martial arts cinema and choreography grounded in real technique. Who it's not for: viewers looking for fast, modern cutting; the film holds its scenes in long takes.