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Duel to the Death

Original title: Xian si jue
  • 1983
  • R
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Duel to the Death (1983)
The best sword master from China vs the best sword master from Japan. Who will win?
Play trailer3:15
1 Video
36 Photos
WuxiaActionComedyDramaFantasyRomance

The best sword master from China vs the best sword master from Japan. Who will win?The best sword master from China vs the best sword master from Japan. Who will win?The best sword master from China vs the best sword master from Japan. Who will win?

  • Director
    • Siu-Tung Ching
  • Writers
    • Siu-Tung Ching
    • David Lai
    • Manfred Wong
  • Stars
    • Norman Chu
    • Damian Lau
    • Flora Chong-Leen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    2.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Siu-Tung Ching
    • Writers
      • Siu-Tung Ching
      • David Lai
      • Manfred Wong
    • Stars
      • Norman Chu
      • Damian Lau
      • Flora Chong-Leen
    • 30User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 3:15
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos36

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    Top cast24

    Edit
    Norman Chu
    Norman Chu
    • Hashimoto
    Damian Lau
    Damian Lau
    • Ching Wan
    Flora Chong-Leen
    Flora Chong-Leen
    • Sheng Nan
    • (as Flora Cheung)
    Paul Chang Chung
    Paul Chang Chung
    • Master Han
    Mang-Ha Cheng
    Mang-Ha Cheng
    • Puppeteer's Wife
    Hsiu-hsien Chiang
    Shan Chin
    Shan Chin
    • Mr. Fok
    Shou-fu Chin
    Kwok-Choi Hon
    Kwok-Choi Hon
    • Ching Wan's Sifu
    Lueng Shing Hung
    Eddy Ko
    Eddy Ko
    • Kenji
    Yeong-moon Kwon
    • Shaolin Abbot
    • (as Yeong-Mun Kwon)
    Chi-Ho Lau
    Yat Fan Lau
    Yat Fan Lau
    • Sketch Artist
    Shing-Hung Leung
    Chris Kin-Sang Li
    Chris Kin-Sang Li
      Huang-Hsi Liu
      • Hashimoto's Samurai Classmate
      Long Mang
      • Swordsman
      • Director
        • Siu-Tung Ching
      • Writers
        • Siu-Tung Ching
        • David Lai
        • Manfred Wong
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The English subtitles on the 2021 Blu-ray release by Eureka uses names for the Japanese characters that are different from those on previous releases of the film. Norman Chu's character, previously known as "Hashimoto", is here referred to as "Miyamoto Ichiro"; and the character played by Eddy Ko, previously known as "Kenji", is here called "Kaneda". According to the audio commentary by Frank Djeng, the translated names used on previous editions were incorrect, and the new edition's replacement names are more accurate.
      • Goofs
        Wires are noticeably visible in some shots during the final battle.
      • Quotes

        Ching Wan: Don't you sometimes feel sad for us martial artists? If we're incompetent, then we can easily get killed. But if we're good, then either we challenge other masters or we ourselves keep getting challenged and can never have peace.

        Hashimoto: Do you regret it?

        Ching Wan: I don't regret the life I've chosen. Do you?

        Hashimoto: Neither do I.

      • Alternate versions
        UK VHS versions of this film were cut by 5 seconds to remove all shots of shuriken (ninja throwing stars), as these were on the no-no weapons list of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) at the time. When resubmitted to the BBFC in 2004 under revised guidelines in which shuriken were no longer a problem, the film was passed uncut for the UK DVD release.
      • Connections
        Featured in The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)

      User reviews30

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      10/10

      Great japan/china martial and philosophy confrontation !!

      This is one of the five best swordplay movies I have ever seen as it includes the contrast between two oriental countries: China and Japan.The story is summarized by: The greatest warrior of Japan comes to China to obtain a ''Duel to the death'' against China's greatest warrior: and this story leads to a series of superb sword confrontations showing each country's style of swordfighting. Ching siu-Tung does not only emphasizes on the action but also includes some nice elements that will become his trademark in terms of visual effects and camerawork. This one is a must-see for his many esthetic qualities and for the breathtaking swordfights!! 9.5/10
      • Ash-89
      • Apr 18, 1999
      • Permalink

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      FAQ15

      • How long is Duel to the Death?Powered by Alexa

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • January 13, 1983 (Hong Kong)
      • Country of origin
        • Hong Kong
      • Language
        • Cantonese
      • Also known as
        • Das Todesduell der Shaolin
      • Production company
        • Golden Harvest Company
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 26 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 2.35 : 1

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