Movie Review: Killer Clans (1976) directed by Chor Yuen, (Chinese title “Liu xing hu die jian”)
Meng Hsin-Wan (Tsung Wa) is a top assassin of the Chinese underworld, working out of a brothel the madam of which is his boss. There’s another assassin on the premises, but he’s become an alcoholic since a certain incident three years ago and is considered unreliable. And reliability is needed for Meng’s next assignment, taking down Master Sun (Ku Feng), “Uncle” of the powerful Jung Society. His job is made both easier and more complicated by the Jung Society being in a power struggle with the upstart Roc Society. This being the underworld, both societies have spies in the other camp…and elsewhere. Meng will have to tread carefully if he is to accomplish his mission and stay alive!
This relatively complex Shaw Brothers movie is loosely based on a novel by Gu Long, and then was even more loosely remade as Butterfly and Sword in the 1990s.
Meng’s emotional journey becomes more complex when he falls in love with the beautiful hermit of Butterfly Forest, who turns out to be Master Sun’s estranged daughter.
Good: Lush production values, spectacular fight scenes that don’t go on too long, plenty of plot twists. We’re reminded several times that there are spies everywhere, and that Master Sun is prepared for almost any contingency. The real villain of the story comes almost as a surprise.
Less good: Master Sun’s daughter Hsiao Tieh is treated by the story as a prize to be won.
Odd: This is one of those gangster films that avoids having the gangsters having the criminals depicted as committing crime to make money. Outside some of the Roc Society men committing rape early in the movie, all their on-screen activity is killing other underworld gangsters. You might even think Master Sun was a good guy except for people committing murder and suicide out of loyalty to him.
Content note: Lots of martial arts violence, most lethal, usually not overboard with the gore. Suicide. Death of children. Rape. A closeup of a needle being removed from a wound. Female toplessness. Onscreen sex (covered.) Alcohol abuse. Between all that and a complex plot that might confuse younger viewers, I’d say late teens at minimum.
Overall: A movie for kung fu fans that rewards people who pay attention during the non-fight scenes. Some of the content might make it rough going for some viewers, but very enjoyable for those who can handle it.
