The Fugitive aka Wang ming tu (Tseng-chai Chang, 1972)

[Banjo]

Leone/sw fanatics check this out:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFFzJpu_Ljc

Just watched this movie in full and its the most blatant stab at a spaghetti western i've seen from the Shaw Brothers  .Its absolutely brilliant, easily the best kung fu western i've seen and if it was Italian in origin i'd say it would sit comfortably in the top 20 at the very least.

The story is similar to Carlo Lizzani's HILLS RUN RED in that two bank robbers split,one taking the loot and running while the other takes the can in jail.The robber with the loot changes his identity setting himself up in a life of luxury as a corrupt patriarch running a town.The robber in jail(Lo Lieu) is betrayed by his partner by being left to rot and is further double crossed once he does manage to escape.

All the sw elements are here in this tale of revenge with wind swept landscapes and sound effects,bloody shoot-outs with Great Silence-like automatic pistols,crushed and broken gun hands,the obligatory final duel and to accompany this is huges chunks of Morricones music from ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST,a bit of DUCK YOU SUCKER amongst other excellent tracks.And with all the usual Shaw Brother kung fu brilliance i'm not hesistating in rating this film a well deserved 10 out of 10.          

[Dust Devil]

That video was deleted from YT, but I couldn't find anything (at all) about this movie on the net Banjo, could it be that's not the correct title(s)?

[Arizona Colt]

It's the International title for the film. It was originally titled THE DESPERADO.

http://www.coolasscinema.com/2009/01/fugitive-1972-review.html

Also, the film was released in 1972.

[Dust Devil]

It's the International title for the film. It was originally titled THE DESPERADO.

http://www.coolasscinema.com/2009/01/fugitive-1972-review.html

Also, the film was released in 1972.

Aha, the year of the release was wrong and the name of the director slightly misspelled. You'd think Google was beyond such trivialities by now. I've fixed it, it's all right now. Thanks AC!

[Arizona Colt]

Also, the director's surname is 'Chang'. Family name's are first in Chinese.

The director did some interesting action pictures. One that didn't get released, but looks very unusual from several old HK movie magazines i have is REDBEARD (1971). He also won 2 Golden Horse awards (the HK version of an Oscar) for a couple of his movies, FROM THE HIGHWAY (1970; the reason Shaw signed him) and HEROES OF THE EASTERN SKY from 1977.