Challenge of the Masters (1976) - full transcript

Slow moving kung fu flick that focuses more on plot than martial arts what a novelty! Basic story of the village kung fu chump who leaves his village and does the horse stance for two years under the supervision of a grand master. Having conditioned his legs and fought endlessly with a wooden coat rack, our hero is ready to return to his village and take on the bad guys.

In a duel, gradually merging force
with mercy,

combined with Qi Gong,
can the foe be controlled

Hard

Soft

Enforce

Direct

Inhale

Restrain

Thrust

Suppress

Pao' tradition has been in Guangdong
for a long time



At festival, there's bound to be a
scramble for 'Paos'

It was said whoever grabbed 'Pao'
in competition

...wouldn't only claim to be the best
in martial arts

but also acquire fame, money
and good fortune

A winner could keep that 'Pao'
until the next year

...and then start competing again

The gods would be honoured with
a sumptuous feast

The crowd has gathered early this year

Yes, a greater turnout than last

Put it over there

Go away...

Make way...

Hey, move this 'Pao' aside

Ours was put here in the first place



...why do we have to move it

Get lost

Don't move!

You're being unreasonable

I don't know what is reasonable

Stop fighting

Don't you know rules of the game?

There should be no fighting

or you'll be disqualified

Last year they got one...

from who knows where;
they must be dreaming

...to hope for another one this year

We'll know when we've fought for it

Get your master Lu Ah Tsai
to compete with us

...or ask him to go to hell

Ask his senior Hung Xi Guan to come out

Hung Xi Guan!

Stop quarreling

Place your respective 'Pao' properly

Move it over there

Let's go

Go

Put it over there

Step aside...

I've got it

Huang Fei Hung, please go back

Fists have no eyes

and we might accidentally injure you

That's it... Right!

You're no martial artist

why do you hang out with us?

Go...

I may not necessarily lose
when it comes to fighting

Your father's skills are good

And if you're injured...

we'll take the blame for it

Do you guys agree?

Yes, please go back...

Stop it

You're bullying Ah Hung again

He's wrong in the first place

He's wrong...

Ah Hung, go back first

No one is bullying me, no one dares

I don't want your help

The contestants this year

...are more than last year

You're no martial artist, why do you care?

Ah Hung, say hello to uncle Cheng

Uncle Cheng

What, been fighting again?

What skills have I to fight with others!

How rude of you to speak to
your father like this!

Let it go, he's just a kid

Get out

Go quickly

Please sit!

I really don't understand

With your excellent skills
you have no pupils

It makes sense to be cautious

but don't you even trust your own son

You wouldn't know,
this kid has a strong temper

He'll surely cause trouble
if he knew kung fu

Come... teach me kung fu

Young Master, I'm busy now

Rubbish! Come on, teach me kung fu

What?

Teach me kung fu

I'll make a laughing stock of myself

That's better than knowing nothing at all

Your father is Huang Chi Ying

Your great uncle is Luk Ah Tsai

Who in Guangzhou dares to cross you

Why do you need to learn kung fu?

It's easy to learn a few tricks

To learn real kung fu means a lot of pain

Do I look like someone who would shy away?

Your father will not teach you kung fu

...no matter who reasons with him

I have a plan

I gurantee your father will teach you
kung fu

What is it?

You go and pick a fight outside

then have people carry you back
a few times

When he sees his son injured

...he'll be ready to teach you

Damn you

If I'm beaten up outside...

I'll surely be beaten up much worse

...by father when I return

Then I don't know what to do

Go... go!

Go!

Uncle Ho

You've come

Please take a seat over there

Please sit

Uncle Ho, for the competition this time

please teach us more devastating
techniques

I'm just afraid that master

...won't agree

As long as we can win and gain face
for him

...he wouldn't care how we won

Alright then

As to the details of the techniques...

I'll tell you when we get back

I have to go now

What's with uncle Ho?

Come here

I tell you

It's better that teacher be angry with us

...than step on uncle Ho

Once I heard master tell uncle Ho

...not to use the Sharp Kick,

or even the Mei Far spear at will;

But when I asked teacher...

the existence of such skills was denied

I got a good scolding, too

Have you asked uncle Ho?

No, teacher has instructed me not to even
mention them

He only told me those two skills

...are real deadly

Is teacher Lu in?

I don't know

Why are you staring at me?

I thought you were his pupil

but you aren't

I wish I were

Sorry

Is teacher Lu in?

Yes

Arise... don't stand on ceremony

Your teacher has been a
distant acquaintance

No need to be formal. Please be seated

Please be seated

Have some tea

Master Lu, I would like to know...

if there is someone discreet in Guangzhou

...who knows the Sharp Kick
and Mei Fa Spear

These two techniques...

are the deadliest in northern style
kung fu

I haven't noticed

You...

I am pursuing a robber

Someone said he got to Guangzhou
a year ago

...but I have never been able to find him

It's difficult to say

There are hundreds of
martial arts schools here

And tens of thousands of martial artists

If one or two were hiding among them

...it's difficult to find them

When I came...

I saw a young man in the alley

I thought he was your pupil

He has keen eyes and is agile;

a real talent for martial arts

What did this person in the alley

...say to you?

Let go

I'm asking you

I'd rather not answer

Let's see about that

Come on, speak up

Ah Hung, stop it... stop fighting

Break it off

Sir, for the sake of his father

...let him go

Who is his father?

Huang Chi Ying

What's up?

I haven't seen you for a year

Didn't imagine your Qi Gong
to be so good!

I admire you. Come, please sit

Have some tea

Please

How has your business been?

I've already...

What is it?

Losing temper again

Who is it?

My kid

Your kid

Congratulations

He will be great

Stop kidding, he doesn't know
about business

I was referring to kung fu

I have never taught him kung fu

Master Pang, my pupils often fight

If they lose it is my fault

They don't learn properly

But your pupils...

shouldn't have injured my pupils
that seriously

I'm asking master Lin Tao Cheung
to judge this matter

Master Pang, please speak

You said yourself
your pupils don't learn well

...what else is there to say!

Master Pang, your pupils often
cause trouble

Stop...

Who has been injured?

No one

Then be careful

If they run into my pupils, move aside

...and don't invite injuries

People may fear you and Lu Ah Tsai

...but I won't be scared

Master Tang, let's go.
It's a waste of time

Stop it

Stop

You two get lost

Brother Ho

Brother Pang, sorry

Yeung Chung, Ren Leung, come here

In few days there will be
a 'Pao' competition

I'll make some arrangements

...such that those connected to Lu

will not grab any 'Pao'

Good

How many sons does Huang have?

One, Huang Fei Hung

Only one

What a joke

He knows no kung fu

...but has a tough neck

His kind will never plea

Ah Hung

Brother Hang

What are you doing?

I...

Come... let's go

I...

What's with you today?

You've always been snappy

As you call me brother

so I'll take care of your problems

You move ahead first

Right, let's go first...

I want to go with you to the competition

No, no

You think that's a mere game

but if you're not good one could lose life

Let me go and watch at least,
I'll not participate

No

You said you would help me

I should have gone to brother Cheung

It's useless even if you ask your father

Ah Hung, come

Come

Let's go

Tsang Hang

Look, a much larger crowd than last year

Indeed

What are you looking at?

Nothing much

Let's begin

Quiet, please

Friends and relatives

Those who aren't involved
in the 'Pao' competition

...please move away

Let me now go through

...our rules this year

Please listen

Good...

Let the game begin

Ah Hung

Ah Hung

Stop fighting

Right, let's collect our 'Pao'

Go, go...

Don't chase!

Throwing up blood?

Move away everyone

Uncle Chi

Make way

Father

Don't move

Two of his ribs are almost broken

Brother Cheung

Get lost

Hang, follow me to get some medicine

Yes

Sau Lien

Soak some ointment on him, don't rub

Help him lie down, don't move him

Yes

Come, help him in

Be careful

Ah Hung, you...

It's all my fault

I've brought shame to everyone

and Brother Lin got wounded because of me

Look

If I really fight...

I won't be your match

Ah Hung, since uncle Chi will not
teach you kung fu

...have you tried Master Lu?

I stand at his door everyday

...for long periods

But I haven't dared to ask

The 'Pao' competition is pretty dangerous

Yet without knowing kung fu
you went for it

Why do you lack courage now?

Sau Lien sister, thank you

I was right

The future of Hung School

...rests with him!

Don't let praises go to his head

I know about what happened today

I...

Stop

Young men will always be what they are

When you learn kung fu

...you'll be disciplined

Ah Hung

I'll take you as my pupil

Right, parent and child under
the same tutor;

That's a good thing

...and will be praised by posterity

Yuan Ching, go and fetch Chi Ying

but don't tell him what it is about yet

Yes

How will you thank me?

I was joking, you wait for your dad

Uncle Yuan

Don't worry, your father should be happy

He won't object

I am not referring to this

Uncle Yuan, when you were here

...I was also in the alley

Then someone grabbed me...

and asked if you were looking for
Master Lu

He seemed tense

Who was it?

I know him

He is the sworn brother of Pang

...named Ho Fu

Ho Fu

Isn't that he?

Looks like him

Uncle Yuen, this man...

Mind your own business

Get on with your training

You're just a kid

Don't bother with these things

It's all because of Ah Hung

Chi Ying, I've recently acquired
a new pupil

Congratulations

Where's little brother?

Although he is my pupil...

he's however not your little brother

It's little sister

Bullshit

Come out

Dad

It's you, Master... he...

If you haven't had the time
to teach him, I will

Let's see if my skills are still good

This must be a plot of Yuan's

In a few days, I'll take him
to the village...

and train him for two years.
Can you bear with that?

Come here

Thank you, teacher

Everyone

Please be quiet

This year, we've won two 'Paos'

Lin Tao Cheung didn't get anything and...

have been barred from entering
competition for 2 years

Everyone in Guangzhou

...will say that our Master is great

Help yourself

What's the matter?

Nothing, somebody's looking for me

I'll go and have a look

Come on, everyone

Yuan Ching

Yan Er-Fu, you are good at hiding

You are good in finding

Your men...

in Shiu Hing jail await you

If you want to get me...

come with me to the forest

Officer Yuan, your sword skills
have improved a lot

Your Mei Fa Spear is not bad either

Qi Gong

Did you think that with 1 year's
training in Qi Gong

...you could withstand my Sharp Kick?!

Don't cause more trouble because of
'Pao' contest

Chi Ying, where's Yuan Ching?

Master, Yuan Ching lighted a fire

We'll have to trouble you again

But there's no sign of him

Alright, you all go back

Dad

Yes

When I see Yuan Ching,
I'll thank him for you

I don't know how to thank him

You might actually hate him
for training you too hard

Brother, who is my father...

such that I am so useless?

How can you speak about your father
like that?

Fei Hung, let's go

Ah Hung is in luck

Master Lu will teach him personally

Master

Master

What's the matter?

Dead!

Ah Lung, your wife's dead

Your wife is dead

Your wife is dead!

I don't even have a wife

Ah Lung, what's the matter?

Master, Master Yuan is dead

Yuan is really dead!

Master, the officer said that...

He died in the forest

Uncle Chi, who did this?

The person he was looking for

That person knows the Sharp Kick

But with his kung fu...

even if he got kicked,
shouldn't have died like this

But he...

Something's wrong

We're good friends

After the autopsy, I'll bury him

Alright

Unicorn Steps

Squat down and lean forward

Advance

Jump kick

Left kick

You can't take it anymore

Master, I'm alright

That's it. We'll continue with the
training tomorrow

Master, what's this for?

This has been taken from the Shaolin...

wooden men alley

You are not qualified for
this training yet

Master, that's easy

Wasn't it easy to pass...

the wooden men alley in Shaolin?

Master, let me try

Alright

Master, is that correct?

Again

Master...

You just attack but forget to defend

Stop

Master...

Tiger and crane moves of Hung style

It assumes the power and ferocity
of a tiger

Look at you

it doesn't look like Tiger Fist at all;
it's Cat Fist

You should never have the intention
to hurt others

...but you should always be brave

If you don't have such courage...

how can you be good with Tiger Fist?!

I've got it

You still don't get it

I get it

Let me ask you. If Yuan was killed...

and the killer's kung fu is
better than yours;

...what are you going to do?

Master, why are you unnecessarily

...cursing Uncle Yuan?

Three months ago,
when we left Guangzhou...

he was struck by the Sharp Kick

...and died in the forest!

No, Uncle Yuan wouldn't die

Who killed him?

Get up

Master, I just want to go back
and ask father

...about Uncle Yuan's death

Master

I know who killed Uncle Yuan

Who?

I'm not telling you

I won't let you go

I want to personally avenge uncle Yuan

Just as well

Wait till your kung fu is better

When will my kung fu be good?

There's no end to kung fu

When you fight with me from now on...

I'll use one hand. Until you can make
this pouch drop

...then you're ready

Do weapons count?

What weapons?

The stick

You do realize that our school lays...

emphasis on the fist and the stick

The stick is 7 feet long;

The power is lodged within 3 inches
at the head

You must use the stick to draw circles

...to train your eyes and reflex

such that you can attack
and defend at will

If your skills are no good,
and you make a mistake...

5 days into training and yet you break
so many dishes

Master, how long have you trained
at the stick?

From dishes to bowls;

And then to wine bowls

I spent ten months

Your uncle Hung Xi Guan only did eight

He is so talented

I only trained for 5 days...

Strike the drums

Yes

Stop

We won't have the lion dance this year

Why...

Master Lu is not here

Uncle Chi has gone to see to his affairs

So what's your concern?

Pang and his men...

are always looking for trouble

My wound has just healed

So we won't have the lion dance this year

We might have to bow to others

...for forgiveness

Shut up!

Don't you remember what Master Lu

...told you when he left?

Don't cause any trouble, pack up

Fine, what's the big deal

What are you doing?

You have overstepped your boundary

Isn't this too much?

Too much?

You couldn't even grab one 'Pao'

Even if you were shameless

you wouldn't dare to do the lion dance

What's with Lin Tao Cheung?
Can't even get up!

Don't touch me

Right, don't touch him

You should...

Fight

Don't fight

Come here

Who asked you to fight

Look, they're scared

We've put them in their place

Stop

Brother

It's no use even calling for
the Grand Master

Go

Go

Perform the lion dance

Follow me

Come back

Wishing master good health

Master, come

Alright

Not bad, not bad

Master, there's still a long way to go

Ah Hung

Kung fu cannot be learned
in a couple of years

You may feel you've learnt something
after 2 years;

But after 20 years...

you'll realize you still have
a long way to go

Then you acknowledge you are not
so good after all

and that's the beginning of success

Stop

Ah Hung, remember what I've told you

I have devoted...

a lot of time in practising with pole

Ten months

How about you?

Nine months. I've lived up to
your expectation

In these past months

...why haven't you ambushed me?

Master, the more I learn...

the more I know I can't depend on luck

Before I'm totally ready...

it will be futile to try my skills

He is smart in learning

Deadly Thrust

Again

Ah Hung

Master

You haven't seen your father for 2 years

Don't you want to go home?

No

I can never force you to use both hands

You fear that forcing me to use both hands

...will make you feel bad;

Would make you feel I'm old and useless!

Teacher, that's not what I meant

I know that's what you are thinking

Ah Hung, I took you as my pupil

I was hoping you would glorify the school

Would I feel bad?

I would be only too happy

Ah Hung, not only you realise that
in Kung Fu

...there's no place for luck;

But you also care for others' feelings

This is the moral discipline of
martial arts

It's more valuable than your
advancement in kung fu

With your Kung Fu
when you defeat someone...

you conquer him physically

But when you think for others...

and you are just and reasonable;

You capture his heart

This is the quintessence of kung fu

More forgiveness, less aggression'

Ah Hung, you must remember this

Yes

Master, I'll remember that

Get up

Ah Hung, I don't feel old at all, come

Master...

Master

Yuan Ching should rest in peace

What are you looking at?
Don't you recognize me?

Yes, but you look different

Nonsense

Ah Lung...

go to Pang's martial arts school for me

Right, I should settle everything
with them

In the past 2 years, they've made me
very angry

Who says I'm looking for a fight

Don't let anyone know that...

you're looking for Ho Fu

When you see Ho Fu

...just tell him:

Something has happened in the forest

Someone is waiting for him in the forest

Something happened there

Someone is waiting for him in the forest

C'mon hurry, but don't mention my name

And don't speak about it to anyone

Who is it? Come out

You are...

I'm one of the pupils of...

Master Yuan, who died under your feet

It's just you alone?!

Yes

And I haven't told anyone

You want to...

You are the robber whom Officer Yuan
chased after

I have to send you to prison for him

Good!

The 8 diagram pole

Residue of Shaolin

Come and arrest me

More forgiveness, less aggression'

Ah Hung, remember these words

Master, Uncle Ho has been arrested

Stop

Is it real?

Yes

Uncle Ho's name is not Ho

He is called Yan Er-Fu;

...and he's a murderer and robber

Master, we have no knowledge
of this at all

...but don't worry

I'll ask my dad to take care of
everything

No need

I admire his kung fu

That's why I addressed him as 'brother'

He hasn't committed any crime here

I don't think I'll get involved

Officer Yuan who died in the forest
2 years ago

...was actually killed by him

He has been arrested in the forest today;

but with his kung fu,
who could fight him!

Huang Fei Hung

Ah Hung, you're never at home

and there's no sign of you

There'll be 'Pao' competition
in a few days

I should help brother Cheung this year

...to win

There's not much going on with Pang

The officials have confirmed
Yan's identity

What does he have to say?

Well, it's unlikely he'll defend a robber

Of course Pang would not do that

But I know him;

...he hates your guts!

Ah Hung, it's difficult to defend
against treachery

I also heard something that...

they'll pick on us
in this year's competition

But we're not scared

Pang will recruit anyone as his pupil

He is head-strong, opinionated
and defensive

There's nothing more to it

He's pretty good at martial arts

As things have come to this situation;

To make him lose one more time

...will generate more hatred in him

Ah Hung, have you thought about this?

I hope you haven't let it out to anyone

No

The people at the smith's wouldn't know
who ordered it

Close the door

Come over here

This is the iron ruler

...used mainly for hitting the shin

Be quick and forceful

Use it against all those related to
Lu Ah Tsai

Yeung Chung, come over here

You lead a team using the iron ruler

...to fight Huang Fei Hung

Ren Leung, you lead another group
against Lin

I'll make sure they won't get
any 'Pao' this year

You...

Give it to me

Sesame oil

Please be quiet

Can I have your attention please

All those who are not participants
in the contest

...please stand aside

Please listen to the rules for the contest

First, don't cause trouble or a fight

Second, no hidden weapons

Third, no undue criticisms

or hurting others intentionally

4th, no grabbing of 'Pao'
which have been taken

Offenders will be forbidden...

to take part in the contest for 3 years

Now start

Form two circles

Everyone, go

Take it

Charge

Roll forward

Don't fight...

Brother

Take it

Tsang Hang

I've got it, I've got it

I've got the 'Pao'

I've got the 'Pao'

Go!...

I've got the 'Pao'

If you can conquer their hearts

...that will be real victory

If he loses one more time...

it'd just cause more resentment

Ah Hung, have you thought about this?

Don't fight

Please

The worid of martial arts is like a
one big family

No need for formalities, please

Please

Your son is righteous and magnanimous

Master Pang, don't praise him too much

Master Pang ought to teach him more

I've always reminded them:

Martial artists should have
moral discipline'

Master Pang, do you agree?

Absolutely

Did you hear what Uncle Chi said?

This time it's my idea that...

our pupils should carry a hidden weapon

Don't mention this again

No, I have to punish myself

Master Pang...