The Kungfu Master 1994 ((install)) < Limited → >

Benny Chan brought a big-screen aesthetic to the small screen, with intense, beautifully choreographed battles.

For decades, this film has lived a quiet double life. To casual Western viewers, it was a shelf-filler at Blockbuster—a generic title lost in the sea of "Kung Fu" VHS tapes. To serious genre enthusiasts, however, is a critical missing link, representing the Taiwanese film industry’s ambitious, if uneven, attempt to rival the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. The Kungfu Master 1994

The climax of is legendary among collectors. In a 12-minute continuous sequence, Chen Feng subjects himself to a brutal training montage: being hit with bamboo rods, rolling on sharpened stakes, and finally allowing a horse to trample his torso. This isn't the acrobatic comedy of Jackie Chan; it is masochistic, sweat-drenched, and visceral. Benny Chan brought a big-screen aesthetic to the

In 2021, the US label MVD Visual (under their "Martial Arts Classics" line) released a restored 2K version. The release includes an interview with Billy Chow, recorded in Toronto, where he discusses the difficulty of the horse-trampling scene. "We had a vet on set," Chow recalls. "The horse was old. But I still felt my ribs bend." To serious genre enthusiasts, however, is a critical

Check Prime Video (MVD catalog) or purchase the Blu-ray from DiabolikDVD. Search strictly for "The Kungfu Master 1994" to avoid the re-edited 1996 version.