I haven't seen many Hong Kong kung-fu classics, but watching this somewhat demented zero-to-hero pic has certainly perked my curiosity about a genre I know little about but which, on this evidence, offers delirious pleasures.After an abstract credits sequence showing human bodies in mortal combat, the film begins with a kind of prologue in which a master practitioner of the snake style of kung-fu is beaten by a master of the monkey-style. The snake-master begs his vanquisher to kill him, but the monkey-master spares his life. Snake tells monkey that he will regret this...Years later, a rube of a fishmonger's assistant yearns to study the drunken-style of kung-fu at a local school. After being beaten up by a couple of arrogant sons of a local feudal lord, the fishmonger begs the drunken-master to teach him, but instead is taken on as a skivvy. He clandestinely practises the moves he sees being taught, and soon proves himself more adept that the official students. He gets his revenge by beating the sons, and drags his master into the fray when their father seeks redress. The rich man hires two snake experts to teach the drunken-master a deadly lesson, and one of the snake experts is the master from the prologue.The monkey-master is also involved, as he is now living in the same village as a hermit who befriends the hero. When the snake-assassins have killed both drunken-master and monkey-master, the novice learns to combine the monkey-style and drunken-style in a way which proves fatal to his foes.The film is basically a string of fight sequences, linked by this flimsy story-line. In their way, the fights are equivalent to musical numbers in musicals and sex sequences in pornography - in fact, the careful choreography of the fights and the eroticism of the young male flesh in Snake in the Monkey's Shadow makes the comparison to these two genres very apt. Yet the most striking sequence doesn't involve human combat - there's a truly nail-biting fight between a tethered monkey and a hissing snake which is prolonged, vicious and chilling, not least when you think of how the animals in question must have suffered to get it on screen.Animal cruelty, campy dialogue, paper-thin & polarised characterisation, unfunny slapstick and eye-popping set pieces strung together in a flimsy storyline - Snake in the Monkey's Shadow is classic exploitation fare. It's kinetic displays of human and animal flesh contorted into extraordinary shapes and stretched to the limits of endurance, all with kinetic fury, makes the film a text-book example of what popular cinema is all about, for better or worse.

Before CGI, wire-fu and bullet-time could make anyone a Kung Fu fighter, and before Jet Li and Jackie headed west to find fame and fortune in Hollywood, martial arts movies were a different kettle of fish.The heroes were always poor, the baddies always had evil laughs, the master had grey hair (preferably long and paired with impressive eyebrows), someone nearly always inexplicably had a red nose or a hairy mole, and every move had a terrific sound effect.Snake in the Monkey's Shadow is the daddy of old school kung-fu and, although missing a red-nosed or hairy moled character, it pretty much has all you would want from a film of this nature.The film opens with a great scene where we are introduced to Khoo, a master of monkey style, and the evil Shao, a snake style fighter. The two fight in a forest and Shao is defeated, but swears revenge. The action here is great, with Khoo leaping from tree to tree and Shao's moves accompanied by snake hisses.Three years later, Khoo is befriended by a young man, Liang, who is learning drunken style from his master, Ho (who has grey hair, but average sized eyebrows). Liang beats two bullies in a fight, so their father hires two experts in snake style kung fu (yup, nasty Shao and his equally nasty friend) to attack Ho's school. Ho is killed and Liang is injured.Liang goes to Khoo, who teaches him monkey style kung fu. Soon enough Shao and his buddy turn up to fight Khoo, and despite Liang helping, Khoo is killed. Liang swears revenge.Liang witnesses Khoo's monkey fighting a snake, and develops his own unique style - drunken monkey kung fu! He is now ready for a final deadly showdown.All of the action is great - some really acrobatic stuff from all involved - and it makes you realise how crap wire-fu really is. This is pure martial arts, unaided by modern technology.And, although I usually prefer my foreign films subtitled, the dubbing on this one only makes it better! Movie purists should be aware that many modern prints of this film are missing one vital scene - the monkey killing the snake is cut (I understand why, but it does ruin a pivotal moment in the film).This film is perfect for a night in with a few mates and some beers. Don't miss it!

Be prepared to be converted to being a life long fan of monkey kung fu movies after seeing this movie! This is the *granddaddy* of monkey kung fu movies! Prepare to have your world rocked with movie coolness monkey kung fu style! One of the all time most entertaining movies ever made! This is what kung fu movies are supposed to be... highly entertaining, jaw dropping edge of your seat fight sequences and great humor.I had the chance to see this fine movie as the 4th Annual Tarantino Film Festival. When Tarantino introduced the movie he showed off his monkey kung fu and drunken style kung fu skills which were dead on. Though I will note that in the version shown at this fest it shows about a 2 minute sequence involving a monkey fight a snake, which is crucial to the plot towards the end... which on most video versions of this movie is completely cut out which pretty much renders the end of the movie sorta confusing and disjointed. So if you do look for this film be sure and look for the uncut complete version of it with the full monkey fighting the snake sequence. There are various movie places out there that sell the uncut version. If you watch a edited version of this movie you will probably scratch your head and wonder why anyone would rave about this movie... you know the slightest of cuts to a movie in any length at crucial points in the movie can have the hugest effect on it... and this is one of those cases.From the opening scenes of someone jumping from tree to tree monkey kung fu style I was hooked with this movie. The movie gets you involved from beginning to end. The good guys in the movie are all fight monkey kung fu style with some mixing in some drunken style, which makes for a super super cool combination. The bad guys all fight snake fist style which makes for an awesome adversary in fighting techniques.I can say I haven't seen an audience so into a movie and so full of joy afterwards since I first saw the movie The Matrix. This is like one of those ultimate kung fu movies that fires and hits on all cylinders. Many of us have seen so many bad kung fu movies we forget there are those gems like this one that revitalizes you, takes you to movie paradise... that magical feeling you get when you walk out of a movie that makes you remember why you love movies in the first place. The climax and final fight sequence in the uncut version of this film is one of the best fight sequences I've seen in any movie. You are literally almost on your feet or at the edge of your seat with your arms and legs reacting with kung fu moves to what is happening on the screen as you root for the good guy.I have become the hugest fan of monkey kung fu movies after seeing this movie and I'm sure anyone out there that sees this movie will want to run out and rent or buy every monkey kung fu movie they can find... though there aren't too many movies in any genre quite as entertaining and cool as this one. Hopefully the fine folks at Criterion will someday turn this into their fine collection of DVD releases.

I saw this movie with a large audience at a film festival recently and it nearly blew the roof off the place. It's a perfect example of an entertaining film, without a single unnecessary scene. Of course the fight scenes (the reason you're watching a kung fu flick in the first place) are great. This film has a real sense of humor and a great pace; it could be useful for converting new fans to the whole genre.