Joseph Kuo's SWORDSMAN OF ALL SWORDSMEN
Details
THE SWORDSMAN OF ALL SWORDSMEN (1968)
4K Restoration!
Directed by: Joseph Kuo
Starring: Tien Peng, Polly Shang-kuan, Chiang Nan
This screening is presented by Proctors & NYC's Subway Cinema as part of a series titled Flying Sword Heroes: Gravity-Defying Tales from Taiwan. This series will run from August 14-24 and all screenings are FREE of charge (tickets must be reserved online or at the Proctors box office).
Taiwan’s Joseph Kuo owned the ‘70s kung fu movie scene with classics such as films 18 Bronzemen and Mystery of Chess Boxing, but before he dominated kung fu, Kuo made sword-slinging wuxia and they’re some of the best films in the genre. Released 57 years ago, Swordsman of All Swordsmen is newly digitally restored and has been the centerpiece of Kuo retrospectives playing all around the world because it’s just that good.
Running a breakneck 85 minutes, the film begins with Tsai Ying-jie (Tien Peng) setting out to kill the 5 martial arts masters who murdered his parents. He’s spent 20 years preparing for this moment, so he’s understandably bummed when things go awry almost immediately and he winds up owing his life to Flying Swallow (Polly Shang-kuan) whose father orchestrated the murder of his parents, and Black Dragon (Chiang Nan) who tells Tsai that he owes him a duel to the death once vengeance is served.
Bloody, brutal, and full of thorny moral conundrums that can only be solved by killer chopsticks and razor-blade-lined hats, this flick was such a huge hit it spawned two sequels featuring the Tsai Ying-jie character, including The Ghost Hill, the crazy climax to the trilogy that we are excited to share on another date. Not rated. 85 minutes.
Saturday, August 16 at 4:30pm
(also screening Saturday, August 23 at 7pm)
Joseph Kuo's SWORDSMAN OF ALL SWORDSMEN