1976 • Hong Kong • Directed by Chor Yuen

As all wuxia and kung-fu fans know, action is supreme but a good story helps keep things moving. Gu Long, the most famous marital arts novelist, provides The Magic Blade with just the right plot to give the brilliant swordplay an interesting context, and director Chor Yuen, an acknowledged master of the genre, provides the style to make this one shine above its kung-fu competitors. Of course, having martial arts superstars Ti Lung and Lo Lieh as the heroes doesn’t hurt. They play rival swordsmen in imperial China who battle it out with a power-hungry villain for possession of the Peacock Dart, a secret weapon which must never fall into the wrong hands. But that is precisely what happens, and the rivals must unite to wrest the magic blade from their common enemy. There are plenty of brilliantly choreographed fights, leading up to a final showdown that stands out as a highpoint in kung-fu cinema. This is the Mandarin version.