''Opium and the Kung-Fu Master'' is a 1984 Hong Kong

martial arts film Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expres ...

directed by Tang Chia, who also serves as one of the film's action directors, and stars

Ti Lung Ti Lung (born 19 August 1946) is a Hong Kong actor, known for his numerous starring roles in a string of Shaw Brothers Studio's films, particularly '' The Blood Brothers'', '' The Avenging Eagle'', ''Clans of Intrigue'', '' The Duel'', ''The Senti ...

as the titular protagonist.

Plot

Master Tit-kiu Sam (

), the leader of the

Ten Tigers of Canton Ten Tigers of Canton or Ten Tigers of GuangdongKim, Sun-Jin. Tuttle Dictionary of the Martial Arts of Korea, China & Japan. 996(1996). Tuttle publishing. Korea. . refers to a group of ten Chinese martial artists from Guangdong Province lived arou ...

, is the chief coach of China's militia. At that time, the opium ban was in use, but public sale of opium was widely available. Many bureaucrats were taking opium, a trend that Tit followed. As Tit takes opium, his physical skills were declining. Seeing how Tit's skills are declining, opium store owner Wing Fung (

Chen Kuan-tai Chen Kuan-tai (born 24 September 1945) is a martial artist and Hong Kong martial arts film star. Background A former fireman, he won a world's kungfu Championship in 1969. He has primarily appeared in Shaw Brothers productions, and was one of th ...

) challenges Tit to a public duel. Tit struggles to fight Wing and was in serious danger until his disciple Lo Kwa-sei (Robert Mak) steps in to rescue him before dying from his injuries. Seeing his disciple killed by Wing, Tit vows to seek revenge.

Cast

as Tit-kiu-sam *Robert Mak as Lo Kwa-sei *

Leanne Liu Liu Sue-Hua, also known as Leanne Liu, is a Golden Bell Award-winning Hong Kong actress. She first starred in Shaw Brothers films in Hong Kong, but moved to Taiwan in the 1980s to focus on her television career. She is particularly famous for ap ...

as Siu-chui *

as Wing Fung *

Philip Ko Phillip Ko-Fei (June 18, 1949 – March 30, 2017) was a Hong Kong film actor, filmmaker and stunt coordinator. He directed the movies ''Angel on Fire'', ''Magkasangga 2000'', ''Kakambal ko sa tapang'' and ''Romano Sagrado: Talim sa Dilim''. Fil ...

as Golden Cat *Koo Koon-chung as Mok Tim *Alan Chan as Tai-kau *Lee Hoi-sang as Instructor Cheng Wang *Yue Tau-wan as Wong On *Tang Chia as Master Yee-sing *

Chan Shen Chan Shen (11 March 1940 - 26 April 1984) was a Taiwanese-born Hong Kong film actor. He is best known for his roles as gangsters or villains in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1970s. Already an established film actor in Taiwan, he entered the Ho ...

as Mr. Lo *Kwan Fung as Fire Unicorn *Ho Wai-han as Fat Girl *Lui Hui as Sau's mother *Chan Yuet-yue as Lan *Cheung Kwok-wa as Cat's hired rascal *

Elvis Tsui Elvis Tsui Kam-kong (born October 12, 1961) is a Hong Kong actor and artist. Tsui is primarily known for his roles in erotic films and martial arts films, where he's more often cast as villains. Some of the famous characters he has portrayed repe ...

as Cat's hired rascal *Kong Chuen as Kwa-sei's worker *Stephen Chan as Kwa-sei's worker *Ailen Sit as Kwa-sei's worker *Wong Wai-tong as Kwa-sei's worker *Jacky Yeung as Kwa-sei's worker *Ho Wing-cheung as Kwa-sei's worker *Fei Kin as Kwa-sei's worker *Lee Yiu-king as Kwa-sei's worker *Wong Chi-ming as Cheng Wang's man *Yuen Bun as Cheng Wang's man *Ma Hon-yuen as Cheng Wang's man *Wong Chi-keung as Cheng Wang's man *Lee Hang as Cheng Wang's man *

Yuen Wah Yuen Wah (born Yung Kai-chi; 2 September 1952) is a Hong Kong action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series. Early life Born Yung Kai-chi on 2 September 1950 ...

as Cheng Wang's man *Ng Yuen-fan as Cheng Wang's man *Wong Pau-kei as Cheng Wang's man *Ling Chi-hung as Cheng Wang's man *Lung Ying as Cheng Wang's man *Ngai Tim-choi as Cheng Wang's man *Kong Long as Mr. Lo's servant *Ting Tung as Villager *Cheung Sek-au as Villager *Wong Ching-ho as Villager *Wang Han-chen as Villager *Cheung Chok-chow as Villager *Yeung Chi-hing as Villager *Ling Hon as Villager *Fong Yue as Villager *Cheng Miu as Villager *Fung Ming as Villager *Shum Lo as Villager *Ho Pak-kwong as Villager *Gam Tin-chue as Villager *Sai Gwa-pau as Villager *Wong Kung-miu as Villager *Wong Wa as Boatman *Chan Hung as Master Mo's servant *Lam Wai *Wong Chue-Kwong *Chan Shiu-wa as Wing Fung's thug

Critical reception

Adam Tyner of ''

DVD Talk DVD Talk is a home video news and review website launched in 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman. History Kleinman founded the site in January 1999 in Beaverton, Oregon. Besides news and reviews, it features information on hidden DVD features known as ...

'' rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and writes "''Opium and the Kung-Fu Master'' is outstanding, bolstered by an onslaught of startling action sequences and a remarkably effective undercurrent of addiction". Sylvia Rorem of ''

Hong Kong Cinemagic Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, is a bilingual ( French and English) website providing a repository for information about Chinese language films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and the people who created them. The websi ...

'' gave the film a positive review and writes: "''Opium and the Kung Fu Master'' is not simply a light piece of chop socky entertainment. While it is not a life-changing film, it is a solid, quality kung fu drama that can stand up to repeated viewings".

References

External links

* *
Opium and the Kung-Fu Master
' at

*{{IMDb title, 0087623 1984 films 1980s action thriller films 1984 martial arts films Hong Kong action thriller films Hong Kong martial arts films Kung fu films Wushu films Cantonese-language films Shaw Brothers Studio films Films set in Guangdong Films shot in Hong Kong Films about opium 1980s Hong Kong films