SHAOLIN INVINCIBLES (1978)
This is a pretty good kung fu movie from Taiwan, featuring a familiar story of children becoming martial arts masters to take revenge on the villain who killed their family. The fight scenes and acting are very good, especially for this era, and showcase the skills of the stars Judy Lee (aka Chia Ling) and Carter Wong (Big Trouble In Little China).
But what really sets this film apart from other kung fu films is the villains. Specifically, two wizards with long, prehensile tongues, and two gorillas trained as kung fu masters!
The gorillas are also nigh-invincible, the only vulnerable part of their body being at the very top of their head. Getting at that spot is almost impossible, though, given how great these apes are at fighting.
Do not let these guys anywhere near your ice cream cone!
The only thing that makes the gorilla not as menacing as they could be are the costumes. These ill-fitting abominations look like they came right off the rack of the local Spirit Halloween pop-up store. And it doesn't help that the zippers are clearly visible, as well as the sneakers and hands of the stuntmen wearing the costumes.
Nevertheless, this one is a real hoot to watch! I had the DVD when it was first released in the States about 20 years ago, but I loaned it to someone who didn't believe me that such a film existed, and they promptly lost it (I'm looking at you, Fernandez!). And now it seems it's out-of-print.
One of these days I'll have to shop eBay for another DVD (I've seen them for less than $10), or the BluRay (under $30) which I've read is of good quality, and includes another film, Seven To One.
In the meantime, here's a snippet of a fight with the gorillas to whet your appetite. Enjoy!
