The Swordsman of All Swordsmen (1968)

Part of Flying Sword Heroes: Gravity-Defying Tales from Taiwan Film Festival 

Digital Restoration!
Directed by: Joseph Kuo
Starring: Tien Peng, Polly Shang-kuan, Chiang Nan

Taiwan’s Joseph Kuo owned the ‘70s kung fu movie scene with classics such as films “18 Bronzemen” and “Mystery of Chess Boxing,” but before he dominated kung fu, Kuo made sword-slinging wuxia and they’re some of the best films in the genre. Released 57 years ago, “Swordsman of All Swordsmen” is newly digitally restored and has been the centerpiece of Kuo retrospectives playing all around the world because it’s just that good.

Running a breakneck 85 minutes, the film begins with Tsai Ying-jie (Tien Peng) setting out to kill the five martial arts masters who murdered his parents. He’s spent 20 years preparing for this moment, so he’s understandably bummed when things go awry almost immediately and he winds up owing his life to Flying Swallow (Polly Shang-kuan) whose father orchestrated the murder of his parents, and Black Dragon (Chiang Nan) who tells Tsai that he owes him a duel to the death once vengeance is served.

Bloody, brutal, and full of thorny moral conundrums that can only be solved by killer chopsticks and razor-blade-lined hats, this flick was such a huge hit it spawned two sequels featuring the Tsai Ying-jie character, including “The Ghost Hill,” the crazy climax to the trilogy that we are excited to share on another date.

4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23
FREE Admission (tickets must be reserved in advance online, or at the Box Office)