(Taiwan 1976) 

Original Title: Ye Mao Ba Fan 野貓八翻

 

Directed by Lin Yi Hsui Produced by Arthur Tan, Shan Kwan Action by Wang Tai Lang Starring: Dan Dan Chi, Tao Hung Li, Chen Shen Lin, Ma Chin Ku, Ma Ju Feng, Min Ming, Tsia Hung Reviewing: Vengeance Video UK DVD Release Genres: Comedy / Traditional Kung-Fu

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Rating: 3.3 / 5

DVD Synopsis: The Rodent Posse: Rat, Mole and Vole are a ruthless group of killers who murder all those who stand in their way, a young girl manages to escape from their foul doings and is trained in the 8 Strikes of the Wildcat by a wise old master in order to defeat the rodents once and for all. DVD.com is proud to present for the first time on DVD this rare lost classic! (86 Mins)

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Views: Without a doubt, 8 Strikes of the Wildcat is an odd little movie! I honestly think the makers of the film were just taking the piss out of themselves and the kung-fu genre in general when they made this. From the crazy characters and their fighting styles to the wacky comedic scenes and random moments of mind control and techniques – you cannot watch this without laughing out loud a number of times. That said, it's still a pretty damn good kung-fu flick! Three kung-fu fighters who are collectively known as the Three Rats, are on the search for a two-part treasure map and are happy to kill anyone who gets in their way. After her father is killed by them, a young girl named Shao Wa seeks revenge for his death. But in order to defeat the Rats, she must learn the titular Eight Strikes of the Wild Cat from an old Kung Fu Master - while trying to evade his lovestruck assistant at the same time!

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Released in the UK by the cheap-ass Vengeance Video DVD label, 8 Strikes Of The Wildcat is presented in wonderful letterbox widescreen (although in VHS video quality) and is actually really well made. I found it to be wonderfully filmed, with great set pieces and some brilliantly choreographed fight scenes throughout. I'm actually surprised 8 Strikes Of The Wildcat doesn't appear on people's lists more often, and feels like an underrated gem lost among the tens-of-thousands of kung-fu titles available. The English dub just adds another level of hilarity to it all, but generally speaking this 40+ year old flick is quite an entertaining film overall. A lengthy and impressive end battle ties things up neatly, along with the film actually ending on a dramatic closing scene rather than giving us a screenshot of a final move or death. This was director Lin Yi Hsui's first film after getting a taste of the action working as an executive director on King Weng's Tiger Love, only a couple of years before. He didn't really stick around for long afterwards, only working on a handful of films until 1985 such as Elephant Wife, Famous Woman, and Ghost Chasers...

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The film stars Chi Dan Dan in one of her only two roles to date. This flexible girl is the one you see on every cover of the film, posing in the splits or cocking her leg in the air. A number of Taiwanese kung-fu stars appear alongside her such as Wang Tai Lang from films like Eagle Claw & Butterfly Palm, Phantom Kung-Fu, and Dance Of Death, as well as playing one of the ghosts in Jackie Chan's Spiritual Kung Fu. The great Tsai Hung, from classics such as One-Armed Boxer, Beach Of The War Gods, 72 Desperate Rebels, and Iron Neck Li, leads the Three Rats - one of which is Ma Chin Ku from 7 Grandmasters, Incredible Kung Fu Mission, and Cantonen Iron Kung Fu. Like his co-star before him, Ma is a highly recognisable actor who starred in over 120 films through to the early 90s. As well as acting as the assistant action director on the brilliant No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder, Ma worked as the martial arts director on a handful of titles such as the aforementioned Eagle Claw & Butterfly Palm, Struggle Through Death with John Liu, and I Revenge For My Son starring Eagle Lee and Philip Ko Fei. The third rat is played by Chen Shen Lin, an actor known from films such as Jackie Chan's New Fist Of Fury and Killer Meteors, The Face Behind The Mask, and Secret Of Chinese Kung Fu. Helping Chi find vengeance for her dad is Taiwanese heart-throb and actor Lee Tao Hung, the star of titles like Hong Kong Emmanuelle, The Red Phoenix, and Legend Of A Tycoon with Sibelle Hu. The kung-fu action is handled by no less than 3 choreographers. The first is Lin Wan Chang, a popular actor and choreographer who worked on films such as A Book Of Heroes, Golden Queens Commandos, Fantasy Mission Force (where he played the escaping prisoner), King Swindler, Island Of Fire, and Come Fly The Dragon - as well as many more with 8 Strikes Of The Wildcat being his first as a choreographer. Lin would also direct a handful of flicks over the years, including Kung Fu Kids 5 & 6, Young Kickboxer, and the fun but forgotten City Of Darkness starring Donnie Yen, Collin Chou, Billy Chow, and Kim Marie Penn. Actors Wong Chung Yung and Chen Hsiang assist - with 8 Strikes Of The Wildcat being their one and only credit as martial arts directors. Whereas Wong would only star in a small number of titles including The Wandering Monk and Six Directions Of Boxing, Chen appeared in almost 80 features from the early 70s including titles such as Return Of The 18 Bronzemen, Shaolin Wooden Men, Iron Neck Li, Kung Fu Zombie, and modern day flicks such as Sea Wolves 2, Requital, and City Of Darkness. Between them all, the team bring some well choreographed kung-fu battles to the screen that keep 8 Strikes Of The Wildcat exciting and fun for fans of old-school flicks.

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Overall: Funny, different, and full of great kung-fu - 8 Strikes of the Wildcat is worth the watch!

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DVD Extras: Available Now Artwork, Coming Soon Artwork, Bonus Fight