The Worst Film Ever

A Masterpiece!

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Ma (Chun Kuan Chi) happens along just as Hsao, caught cheating in a gambling den, is getting the stuffing beaten out of him. Ma rescues the rascal (who has just a small patch of hair on his head) and the two form an uneasy alliance. Hsao, a kleptomaniac, causes trouble wherever the two go. He even convinces Ma to help him sell snake oil to the local villagers (in this case, pills that promise amazing physical prowess). When they are waylaid by bandits led by Li Wah, the beautiful Miss Li (whom they somehow mistake for a man) helps them fend off the gang. Hsao realizes that Miss Li is indeed a female, but s/he moves on before Ma can make the deduction. At one point, Miss Li trains the bungling Hsao and these scenes are genuinely funny (not to mention exceptionally well choreographed and executed). Ma invents his own brand of Kung Fu, "Horse Boxing." Ma meets his "uncle," a remarkably spry old "cripple" who is really one of the legendary Four Tigers. All told, CRAZY HORSE AND INTELLIGENT MONKEY is one of the better Martial Arts movies I've seen as of late. Recommended.

Where did I find this DVD? It is widescreen but the resolution is no better than "VHS", still there is good lighting and color. It is English dubbed but slips into subtitles at times. Some scenes are obviously missing 2-3 second film sequences. I mention all this because when I find a good martial arts movie I prefer to own a legitimate copy out of respect to the talent but sometimes I can't be sure. All that said, this is definitely a good martial arts movie. There is an interesting plot of mystery where things are not what they appear to be. Unfortunately when the truth is revealed it is always by explanation rather than demonstration. Still, the storyline is good so it's not just a series of fights loosely tied together. The fights are good and plenty. Kuan Chun Chi,the lead, was a Shaw Brothers veteran of many great films including the Shaolin Temple series. Candy Wen Xue-Er adds her skills and pretty face. All in all, this movie has all the mandatory requirements - a good story, good fights and training sequences, comic relief sidekick, pretty kung fu girl initially mistaken for a man, moustached villain, and long last fight. I am rating this a 7 for fans of the genre and adding this to my list of unknown but must see and worthy of a remake movies.