Duel to the Death (1983)

Duel to the Death is a 1983 Hong Kong wuxia film starring Norman Chui and Damian Lau. It is the directorial debut of Ching Siu-tung. In 2014, Time Out polled several film critics, directors, actors and stunt actors to list their top action films; Duel to the Death was listed at 92nd place on this list. In the publication’s subsequent list, published in 2020, the film was listed in the 100th position.

Plot

In the 16th century, during the Ming dynasty era, every ten years the greatest swordsman from Japan faces the greatest swordsman from China in a duel to the death for their nation’s honor. As a duel approaches, Chinese champion Ching Wan (Damian Lau) and Japanese champion Hashimoto[a] (Norman Chui) uncover a plot to rig the fight. Ching Wan, known as “Lord of the Sword”, is a peaceful and contemplative martial artist who has trained with Shaolin monks as well as a mischievous hermit.

By contrast, Hashimoto is a pitiless yet honorable samurai. One night after drinking with his compatriots Hashimoto is engaged by a masked assassin, after a brief but intense clash Hashimoto wins but realizes he inadvertently killed his sensei; his master using his death to cement the Samurai’s resolve as a final lesson before the duel. Throughout the days leading up to the duel, ninja led by a Japanese official under orders by the Shogun of Japan collude with the Chinese wardens to kidnap famous fighters and sabotage the duel for Hashimoto so

that Japan may study and improve upon their martial arts; as well as that the head of a famous Chinese sword school can credit his students as champions of China upon Hashimoto’s death. The honorable samurai, however, does not go along with the plan, Hashimoto instead wants a fair duel. Ching Wan as well rebuffs his Chinese compatriots, telling them that they are only pawns in the Shogun’s plan.

Spiritual Kung Fu (1978) Biography, Plot, Box office, Trailer

Cast:

Norman Chui as Hashimoto
Damian Lau as Bo Ching-wan
Flora Cheong-Leen as Sing Lam
Paul Chang Chung as Master Han
Eddy Ko as Kenji
Hon Gwok-choi as Bo Ching-wan’s master
Gam San as Mr. Fok