One-Armed Swordsman and Bao Chou!

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The drive from our Bedok kampong house to watch movies in Katong was always looked forward to, with Katong being such a destination point for our family – and the 3 theatres of Palace, Roxy and Odeon Katong being top of mind in this story. But because they don’t really showcase English language films, which our father being Peranakan tended to prefer watching, the family don’t find ourselves patronising them too much. However the exception was made in 1967 when the “One-Armed Swordsman” was released into theatres. This blockbuster movie was a much-watch in those days, with Wang Yu in the starring role. So memorable was this film that this 6-year writer (then) still recalls the wide-angled scene where the hero was on his knees in a canyon, with just one arm and screaming ‘Bao Chou!’ (Revenge!) 报仇, reverberating across the cinemascope screen!


1967 movie poster

Additional Photo credit - A century of cinemas, movies and blockbusters


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