Originally released in much longer form in 1971, this old-school Wuxia film enjoyed only meager success until it was picked-up by the American company Ellman Films in 1973, shortened and re-dubbed to the extent that it’s almost a completely different film. The original filmmakers probably weren’t pleased, but Fearless Fighters was a big hit for its new owners. Exotic weapons and quasi-superhuman feats are the name of the game as a treacherous Clan leader steals gold from the government and squares off with a group of heroes he has victimized. I haven’t seen the long original, so I can’t compare, but it seems clear that the American producers accomplished their goal in transforming it into a completely action-oriented Kung Fu flick. It’s not polished like the contemporaneous films of the Shaw Brothers studio, but its rough edges give it its own appeal that’s fun for grindhouse fans.
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