Shi wan jin shan

Elaborate sword fantasy out of Taiwan. Similar to many films from the Shaw studios especially the Yuen Chor epics from the late 1970's.

The film opens with a duel on a beach between two master swordsman. An elderly master looks on as the two battle. He stops the duel and proclaims one swordsman the winner and awards him the coveted Purple Light Sword making him the new Sword King. He returns home to show his sickly teacher the treasure but they are attacked by the weird minions of evil King Gold who wants to combine the power of the sword with his developing Fire Ball power. The Sword King loses the sword, his master is killed and is forced to join forces with his opponent from the duel to retrieve it. Along the way they are joined by the daughter of the Blind Master and later the Beggar Army.

The film is very colorful and the action is non-stop for the 90 minute length. The evil characters are very strange with all sorts of odd spiked weapons. One villain throws poison letters, King Gold has a spiked club instead of his left hand, plus he likes to bath in boiling oil. The powers possessed by the heroes are sometimes odd as well. Unfortunately as the film progresses the set bound action starts to take it's toll especially when the heroes have to pass thru the 10 gates of Hell Mountain, the fortress of King Gold. The budget runs out and it shows. The opening beach duel is very well shot and the only fight scene actually filmed outdoors. Some of the fights are sped up by cutting out every other frame which looks really strange.

Enjoyable and wacky. The sound effects are very funny at times. Not great but if you enjoy wuxia fantasy films this is a good example.