Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Duel of Fists Blu-ray Movie Review

Duel of Fists is an essential gem from Shaw Brothers. Produced by Run Run Shaw (Disciples of the 36th Chamber, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), Duel of Fists is a incredible achievement in the genre. One of the biggest box-office hits of 1971. The second-biggest hit at the box-office after Bruce Lee’s landmark classic The Big Boss. Notable not only for its box- office, Duel of Fists is one of the first martial arts films to feature the kung-fu art of Muay Thai.

Fan Ko (David Chiang) is a Chinese boxer who sets forth on a mission to find and rejoin his long-lost brother – who may be a skilled Thai boxer, Wen Lieh (Ti Lung). Setting forth on a mission in Bangkok, the two brothers must find each other and team up to take on their enemies – a deadly organized crime syndicate. As the stakes are heightened, the stakes ramp up in and outside of the boxing ring.

The lead performances by David Chiang and Ti Lung are excellent. There are a lot of wonderful things to praise about these strong leading performances. Chiang and Lung are both fantastic actors who have incredible charisma. The performances are entertaining and the action is a nice highlight, too.

The supporting cast of characters in Duel of Fists includes Hu Yu-Lan (Li Ching), Mai Dai (Pawana Chanajit), Chung Pao aka 'The Cannon' (Ku Feng), Milar (Canong Daech), Chiang Jen, 'Giant' (Sing Chen), Misai (Chung Wang), Fan Ko's Father (Miao Ching), Old Drunken Fighter (Chih-Ching Yang), and Uncle Chen (Tang Ti). The cast of supporting actors do a good job with the production. These cast members provide worthwhile performances.  

The cinematography by Mu-To Kung (The Shaolin Avengers, The Brave Archer) is a visual highlight of the production. Kung is a talented cinematographer. There is so much wonder and joy. The cinematography shines. The visual splendor is enormous and the cinematographic approach helps to bring out the best elements of the production.

Duel of Fists also features solid art direction by Johnson Tsao (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Godfather from Canton). The art direction is well-rounded and there is a lot to appreciate about the production. The location of Bangkok, Thailand makes for an excellent locale for the production, too. The artistry enhances the film in spades.

The costumes designed by Chi Li (Heroes Two, Five Shaolin Masters) add to the charms of the feature-film. The costuming enhances the tone and production sensibility. Li is a gifted costumer and leading and supporting cast members both have worthwhile costume designs.

The action in Duel of Fists is integral to the filmmaking. The stunts coordinated by Tang Chia (Shaolin Intruders, To Kill a Mastermind) and Chia-Liang Liu (The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, The Shadow Boxing) are exceptional. As one the first martial arts films to ever highlight the Muay Thai martial arts form, Duel of Fists features Muay Thai stunts coordinated by Canong Daech. The stunts are top-notch throughout the film. The action scenes are first-rate and there are a lot of good moments to highlight the superb choreography.

Edited by Ting-Hung Kuo (Heroes Among Heroes, Shaolin Temple), Duel of Fists flows well and has a great pace. Kuo is a talented editor and someone with a great sensibility for filmmaking flourishes. Exceptional. The editing is sharp and the action scenes are showcased well by the editor.  

The score composed by Yung-Yu Chen (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Delightful Forest) is a joy and adds much wonderment to the filmmaking. Chen is a talented composer. The music brings out the best in the action music and the dramatic moments in the feature-film.

Written by Kuang Ni (Five Elements Ninjas, Ambitious Kung Fu Girl), Duel of Fists is well-done. The script is charming and entertaining. The lead characters are well-drawn out. The storyline is fun and the idea behind it is a perfect concept for a fun Shaw Brothers production. Genre fans will appreciate the fun outing.

Directed by Cheh Chang (Vengeance!, Five Deadly Venoms), Duel of Fists is a fun blockbuster classic by Chang. The classic gem has a great sense of style and the filmmaking is top-notch throughout. There is plenty to appreciate about Duel of Fists. Duel of Fists is a showstopper and the action locale adds a lot to the film, too. A must-see for fans of Chang, Lung, and Chiang.

Duel of Fists Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Duel of Fists is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition transfer is pleasing overall. Color reproduction on the release is excellent. The transfer has nice detail – even though there is some DNR and digital manipulation of the image at times. Even so, the print is in excellent shape. The scan is free from any egregious issues with print damage or wear. The transfer looks quite good for most of the presentation. It is a solid encode by Shout.

Duel of Fists Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The lossless audio sounds quite pleasing. The soundtrack is crisp and robust. The score is well reproduced throughout. Dialogue is reproduced well and sounds clear throughout. The sound-staging is handled well. The English subtitles are free from problematic issues with spelling and grammar.

Duel of Fists Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Ian Jane

An Alluring Aesthetic – Andrew Heskins discusses Chang Cheh's masterwork (HD, 15:01)

Celestial Trailer (SD, 1:01)

Still Gallery (HD, 1:09)

Duel of Fists Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Duel of Fists is a classic action-adventure with fun performances by stars Ti Lung and David Chiang. The actors provide great charisma and charm to the production. The directing by Cheh Chang is top-notch and the film is a spectacle from beginning to end. The release provides an audio commentary and a noteworthy featurette. Highly recommended.