The Crippled Masters (1979)

"One without arms, one without legs.
If you two combine together you could beat Lin Chang Cao." - Old Master

Two crippled men seek revenge against an evil crime lord.
Starring: Sung-Chuan Shen, Chao-Ming Kang, Chen Mu Chuan, Chiu Ho, Wei Ho

Link to IMDB

Lin Chang Cao is the evil master of a crime ring, and the movie begins as he orders one of his men, Tang, to chop off the arms of a guy named Lee Ho as punishment for an unknown transgression. Lee Ho survives, but he is exiled to wander from village to village as a beggar, trying to find food and shelter.
He eventually comes across a farm where he can work, and this is where Lee Ho starts to get his strength back and learn how to live with his disability. Meanwhile, Tang has done something to anger the cruel Lin Chang Cao, and he burns Tang's legs with acid until they are nothing more than small, shriveled appendages.

"Those against me, like you, die!" - Lin Chang Cao

      Lee Ho                                  Tang                              Lin Chang Cao

Fate brings Lee Ho and Tang together, and since both men are broken and angry they try to kill each other, but then an old kung fu master intervenes. The old man offers to train them so that they can learn how to fight as one, and together they can get their revenge against Lin Chang Cao. You know what that means... Epic training montage!

Old Master                             Mr. Pao

Lee Ho and Tang make a great team and their skills begin to rival that of any other fighter, and they're going to need to be the best if they want revenge because an assassin named Mr. Pao has arrived on the scene, and he's working for the bad guys.

They unite as one !

This is a pretty entertaining kung fu movie, and not only do you get plenty of well choreographed fights, most of them have the added uniqueness of being a showcase for the superb skills of the two disabled actors. Instead of simply relying on cheap exploitative tactics, the movie becomes something more inventive and genuine.

The movie also has a melodramatic sense of humour, which adds laughs without becoming too silly. Unfortunately, there's not much story to follow, but the movie does deliver on action, fun and a great sense of accomplishment as we watch two wounded men become heroes.


Be sure not to miss:
- Hiding in a basket.
- Tang does some impressive butt slams.
- Lin Chang Cao has a metal hump on his back, and oddly enough he uses it in battle for defense.

Internet review:
"If you see one movie, EVER, let it be this." - broaf

Should I watch it?
Essential viewing for kung-fu fans.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

The Crippled Masters gets...