''Death Duel'' () is a 1977 Hong Kong ''

wuxia ( , literally "martial arts and chivalry") is a genre of Chinese literature, Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fantasy literature, its popularity ha ...

'' film directed by

Chor Yuen Chor Yuen (), born Cheung Po-kin (; 8 October 1934 – 21 February 2022), was a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and actor. Chor is credited with over 120 films as director, over 70 films as a writer and over 40 films as an actor. Early ...

under the

Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shang ...

banner. The film stars

Derek Yee Derek Yee Tung-sing () is a Hong Kong filmmaker and former actor. Early life Yee was born Yee Tung-sing in Hong Kong on 28 December 1957, the son of Yee Kwong (), a film producer from Tianjin, Tientsin (Tianjin), and Hung Wei (), an actress of ...

(whose role as the third master launched his career), Ling Yun, and marked the debut of

Candice Yu Candice Yu (Yu On On; born Yu De Ying; 22 October 1959) is a Hong Kong film actress and occasional singer best known for her films with Shaw Brothers Studio of the 1970s and 1980s. She was the first wife of Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat. Film c ...

for Shaw Studio where she plays a prostitute. The film based on the Gu Long's novel of the same name. It was remade in 2016 as '' Sword Master'', directed by Derek Yee.

Plot

The Third Master is considered to be the greatest sword master of the day but he leaves his clan when he sees the wrongs of his father and the greed of his fiancé. Ending up as the lowest at a brothel and living as Useless An, he cannot shake his past. He tries to protect a lowly prostitute and her poor but happy family but only brings them sorrow. His greatest rival, sick from years of abuse to his body and soul and thinking the third dead, begins digging his own grave in the same town. In trying to help he brings an evil army to the town.

Cast

as Third Master Chi * Ling Yun as Yen Shih-san *

as Hsiao Li *

Ku Feng Chan Sze-man (3 July 1930 – 27 March 2025), better known by his stage name Ku Feng, was a Hong Kong actor. Background Feng studied in Beijing, and appeared in hundreds of films, many of which were produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio S ...

as Miao Tzu, Hsiao Li's brother * Ouyang Sha-fei as Hsiao Li's mother * Chen Ping as Mu-yung Chiu-ti *

David Chiang use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinat ...

as Mu-yung Chien-lung *

Norman Chui Norman Chui Siu-keung (16 October 1950 – 1 September 2024) was a Hong Kong actor. He was best known for portraying heroic protagonists in many martial arts films from the 1970s to 1980s and later portraying villainous roles in the 1990s. Chui ...

as Mu-yung family swordsman *Ku Kuan-chung as one of the Yu Mien brothers *Ngai Fei as one of the Yu Mien brothers *Gam Lau as Mrs Han *

Fan Mei-sheng Fan Mei-sheng (; born 13 September 1942) also known as Fan Mui-sang, is a prolific Hong Kong Cantonese actor. Fan Mei-sheng started acting in movies from 1964; his first movie was ''The Story of Sue San''. He made his name in Shaw Brothers St ...

as Mute *

Teresa Ha Teresa Ha () (October 6, 1937 – August 5, 2019) was a former Chinese television and film actress from Hong Kong. Ha is credited with over 260 films. Career In 1956, Ha started her acting career in Hong Kong films. Ha first appeared in The Soul ...

as Mute's wife *Yeung Chi-hing as Chief Yang *Lam Fai-wong as Yang Wu *Liu Wai as Chief Yang's assistant *Ching Miao as Keeper Shih Wang-sun *Shum Lo as ferryman for Divine Sword Mansion * Yueh Hua as 'Tu Lang Chun' Chou Yu-feng *

Ti Lung Tommy Tam Fu-wing (, born 19 August 1946), known professionally by his stage name Ti Lung (), is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist known for his numerous starring roles in a string of Shaw Brothers Studio's films, particularly '' The Duel'', '' ...

as Fu Hung-hsueh *

Lo Lieh Wong Lap Tat (June 29, 1939 – November 2, 2002), better known by his stage name Lo Lieh, was an Indonesian-born Hong Kong martial artist and film actor. Lo was perhaps best known as Chao Chih-Hao in the 1972 martial arts film ''King Boxer'' ...

as Han Tang *Nancy Yen as Yu Cheng *Chan Si-gai as girl bullied at tavern *Lau Luk-wa as teacher at tavern *Lau Wai-ling as Ms. Hua / clothes shop boss *

Wang Lung-wei Wang Lung-wei (born 1949) is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, director, producer, and action choreographer, who has starred in over 80 kung fu films, mainly for Shaw Brothers Studios. Wang's first Shaw Brothers film role was as Yu Pi in the 197 ...

as Tien Hu (Yang's guest) *Wong Pau-gei as Tien Hu's brother (Yang's guest) *Jamie Luk as Tien Hu's brother (Yang's guest) * Chan Shen as Leader of Hei Sha Clan *

Corey Yuen Corey Yuen Kwai (; 15 February 1951 – 2022) was a Hong Kong film director, film producer, action choreographer, and actor. Yuen attended the China Drama Academy and was one of the Seven Little Fortunes. In Hong Kong, he worked on several ...

as Japanese in Hei Sha Clan *Tino Wong as Japanese in Hei Sha Clan *Ng Yuen-fan as Taoist in Hei Sha Clan / chestnut seller *Tai Gwan-tak as Monk in Hei Sha Clan *Hsu Hsia as Member of Hei Sha Clan *Chui Fat as Member of Hei Sha Clan / Yen's challenger *Kong Chuen as Member of Hei Sha Clan / Chiu-ti's man *Ng Hong-sang as Leader of 4 Swift Swords *Wong Chi-keung as One of 4 Swift Swords *Chik Ngai-hung as One of 4 Swift Swords *Lau Jun-fai as One of 4 Swift Swords/chestnut seller's *Alan Chan as one of 8 Spirit Catchers * Yuen Shun-yi as one of 8 Spirit Catchers *Hao Li-jen as tavern boss *Wang Han-chen as bully at tavern * Lo Wai as bully's thug at tavern *

Yuen Biao Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 July 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one o ...

as bully's thug at tavern *Lee Hang, as bully's thug at tavern *Tang Tak-cheung as bully's thug at tavern *

Alan Chui Chung-San Chui Chung-San (often known as Shu Zhong Xin, Tsui Chung-San, Hsu Zhong-Xin or Alan Hsu; 16 August 1954 – 2 November 2022) was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director ...

as Yen's challenger at Maple Wood *San Kuai as Yen's challenger at Maple Wood / Chief Yan *

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 195 ...

as whoremonger who stabs Chi *Fung Ging-man as collies supervisor *Ting Tung as collie *Sai Gwa-pau as mourner/whoremonger *Wong Kung-miu as mourner *Tam Ying as mourner *Cheung Sek-au as brothel worker * Mama Hung as brothel worker *Gam Tin-chue as waiter *Brandy Yuen as extra *

Man Man Man Man is an American experimental rock band from Philadelphia currently based in Los Angeles. Lead singer, songwriter, and lyricist Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner) is accompanied by a group of multi-instrumentalist musicians and vocalists. Histo ...

as townsfolk

Reception

Paul of hkcinema.com gave the film four out of five stars, writing, "Death Duel is one of the latter wuxia films featuring the enchanting direction of Chor Yuen." Reviewer Andrew Saroch of fareastfilms.com gave the film four out of five stars, writing, "Death Duel is a bleak, nihilistic swordplay film that embodies all of the qualities that one expects from a Chor Yuen adaptation of a Gu Long story."

References

External links

* *
''Death Duel''
on

Hong Kong Cinemagic Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, was 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 we ...

{{Chor Yuen 1977 action films 1977 films Hong Kong martial arts films Wuxia films Films based on works by Gu Long Films directed by Chor Yuen 1970s Hong Kong films 1970s Cantonese-language films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links