Opium and the Kung Fu Master is a 1984 Martial Arts Movie directed by Tang Chia, starring Ti Lung and Chen Kuan-tai. Produced by Shaw Brothers, this is the only film featuring the two actors, at the peak of their popularity near the mid-80s, where they get to pummel the snot out of each other.
Master Tieh Qiao-san (Lung), leader of the Ten Tigers of Canton and one of the most respected kung-fu practitioners of the Manchurian era, had fallen from grace during the peak of his power. A newly-established opium parlor owned by Master Rong (Chen), formerly one of the Ten Tigers but now a corrupt dealer of opium in charge of distributing drugs throughout Canton, convinced numerous locals, civilians and important officials alike, to indulge in the new drugs, and began overcharging the afflicted populace with his opium while having his underlings force civilians into trying his drugs as well. It's up to Master Tieh to regain his skills after going cold turkey, and pout an end to Master Rong's opium-dealing activities.
Troper and the Kung Fu Master:
- Addled Addict: Master Tieh, who fell from grace from being one of Kwangtung's top martial artists after having a taste of opium.
- Barehanded Blade Block: Another ability demonstrated by Master Tieh after recovering from his addiction, to prove he's finally able to fight back.
- Battle Amongst the Flames: Battling in a burning opium warehouse, halfway in the film.
- Big Bad: Master Rong is a corrupt martial arts leader who willingly took over the distribution of opium to the local populace, and is actively spreading the influence of drugs to the public.
- Descent into Addiction: The fate of Master Tieh prior to the events of the film; now a recovering addict, he's determined to wipe out the local opium den and their activities at all costs.
- Drugs Are Bad: The very main theme of the movie. The title itself states so!
- Dual Wielding: Master Rong favours using two double-sided shortspears in his fights. Master Tieh occasionally gets to use double swords as well.
- Duel to the Death: The film's climax, between the now-recovered Master Tieh, who had completely gotten over his addiction after a lengthy cold-turkey session and the villainous Master Rong. The hero Master Tieh wins, of course.
- Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting: Most named characters are kung fu experts.
- Genre Shift: The film starts off in a mostly light-hearted manner, but when Master Tieh starts losing control of his addiction and began suffering losses in kung fu duels, the movie starts getting more serious after that.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: Many of the fights in the film between named characters are dealt with fists, despite having weapons at the ready.
- Historical Badass Upgrade: Ti Lung's protagonist, Master Tieh, is based off a real-life kung-fu master
, but his fictional portrayal sees more brutal action and is much more active in the Manchurian Anti-Opium movement. The real-life kung fu master certainly did not kill a corrupt martial artist who's distributing opium to the populace after an epic 10-minute long fistfight, for starters. - Knight of Cerebus: Master Rong, who kills off Tieh's best disciple, Lu Ga-si, and the only person who still believes in him. The untimely death of Lu is enough to make Tieh finally snap out of his opium addiction and undergo a lengthy training session towards self-recovery.
- Martial Arts Staff: Another weapon Master Tieh use in a few fight scenes against mooks, as well as the finale to counter Master Rong's dual spears.
- Punched Across the Room: One of Master Tie's challengers, Master Fuk the "Fire Unicorn", can send random extras flying with a single palm strike. His first confrontation had him sending an unlucky redshirt flying horizontally for thirty meters until Master Tie managed to grab him in mid-air.
- Recovered Addict: Master Tieh, after a lengthy training session to permanently rid himself of his opium addiction, and returning to challenge Master Rong for a rematch.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: The final duel between Master Tieh and Master Rong, because the latter had killed the former's disciple, Lu Gua Si.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: In the final battle when Master Rong starts losing against Master Tieh, he immediately calls forth his backup - two Elite Mooks armed with shields large enough to cover their entire upper bodies, who puts up hell of a fight compared to his other underlings. For most of the fight, the two shield-carriers attempts to use their shields to pin Master Tieh in place so that their boss can find an opening to attack with his spears.
- Training Montage: Master Tieh training himself to fight... not for improving his skills, but for him to overcome his crippling addiction.
