SHANGHAI 13
(上海灘十三太保)
dir. Chang Cheh, 1984
Hong Kong/Taiwan. 87 min.
In Mandarin with English subtitles.

THURSDAY, MAY 2 – 10 PM
SATURDAY, MAY 11 – MIDNIGHT
TUESDAY, MAY 14 – 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 26 – 5 PM

In the wake of the occupation of Nanking, a young junior minister, Mr. Gao, uncovers a traitorous plot by the local puppet government to hand over control of China to the Japanese without a fight. After stealing a document naming the defectors, Gao seeks the help of an local honorable crime boss to deliver the document to Hong Kong and expose the conspirators, putting him at odds with gangsters and government officials alike. Gao’s protection is entrusted to the “13 Rascals”, a mysterious cabal of warriors whose personal allegiances may not be entirely what they seem.

The closest thing that exists to a Chang Cheh Reunion Special. An action-packed, deliriously-paced series of setpieces featuring a Murderers’ Row of Chang collaborators from throughout his career: From Jimmy Wang Yu, star of Chang’s earliest Shaw productions, including their mutual breakout ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967)… to Chang’s 70s “Iron Triangle” proteges Ti Lung and David Chiang… to veteran Shaw performers Danny Lee, Wang Chung, and Chan Sing… up through Venom Mob-sters Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, and newcomer Ricky Cheng. Each pops in for just a scene or two as Gao is ushered from location-to-location and rascal-to-rascal, yet each makes an absolute meal out of their allotted screentime, showcasing some of the most hard-hitting and inventive fight sequences in a career full of them.