The Butterfly

"I'm wearing a mask because I may have to kill you"

Dynamite Shaolin Heroes was a strange title for this Korean kung fu flick. There was no dynamite (darn!) and nothing related to Shaolin. I tend to steer clear of Korean martial arts movies from this era as much as I can because the quality was commonly low and that’s saying something for this genre. Usually, only Lo Lieh or Hwang Jang Lee can lure me in. To my surprise, DSH was watchable.

The Ming rebels are hiding the two surviving princes hoping their government can be re-established. There is a list of Ming rebels, not just any list, but a list written in blood. The evil strawberry blonde Viceroy is determined to get his hands on that list. Kang is helping the rebels and arranging a marriage for his daughter to an “idiot,” who is not only incapable of protecting her, but also annoying. Another man desires to marry the daughter but she turns him down flat because he used to be a killer. Fortunately, whenever a lone rebel or the fiancée is attacked a basket-headed fighter comes to the rescue! He never kills anyone meaning the bad guys keep attacking and killing the supporting good guys. But suddenly, he begins to kill the attacking bad guys led by the Viceroy. Holy doppelgänger Batman! Now there are two heroic basketheads. One who kills and one who doesn’t. Who could they possibly be?

Lo Lieh played the Killer and a man hopelessly in love with the female lead. Kwon Yeong Moon was the incapable fiancé and Not Killer. In real life, Kwon would go on to train Sylvester Stallone and Muhammed Ali in taekwondo. The moves were fast with lots of flipping and rolling around on the ground, often with characters doing the gymnastics in synch. While the moves may have been faster than other kung fu flicks from this time period the kicks and hits often missed by a mile (km).

Godfrey Ho directed this film, he of the cut and splice movies with ninjas added to random existing films. Here he had two heroes who were both in love with the girl. Oh, and there was a prince and the rebel list to protect. I was generous with my score because the basic concept of the competing basketheaded heroes was at least a stab at originality. The acting was acceptable even though Kwon did not strike me as leading man material. The version I saw was badly cropped, faded and dubbed with British accents. With films in this shape, it’s usually better for them to be dubbed because the white subs often run off the screen and are rarely legible on the light background.

While Dynamite Shaolin Heroes wasn’t a great film, for a 1978 Korean kung fu film it was above average. As always, I grade these on a curve, and for this Lo Lieh film I was extra generous.

24 March 2025

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"Let others do the dirty work while you sit here and reap the rewards"

Last Hurrah for Chivalry was one of John Woo’s early directorial efforts. He used a traditional kung fu theme of revenge and turned it into a film about friendship and loyalty. The cast was strong and for a 1979 film in this genre was quite engaging.

Kao Pang’s wedding reception is interrupted by Pak Chung Tong, his father’s arch nemesis. In short order nearly everyone is killed except for Kao and his two trusted servants who all escape out the backdoor. Kao’s sifu takes care of him and gives him the name of the famous swordsman, The Divine Blade aka Chang San. Chang has given up the sword but Kao deviously manipulates him into picking it up again. Coincidentally, Tsing Yi, a great swordsman but failed assassin keeps running into Chang and develops his own grudge against Pak. The two swordsmen form a bond and attack Pak for different reasons, neither of which may be legitimate.

John Woo was an assistant director to Chang Cheh in several films. Much like Chang’s films, the blood ran freely and the body count was high. Wai Pak (Snake Venom) played the congenial, if hot-tempered Chang San, who was willing to risk his life to help a new friend. Damian Lau as Tsing Yi used his sword for money and had no attachments to people even though the local courtesan was deeply in love with him. Lau Kong's duplicitous Kao Pang came across as a smooth snake in the grass before he became unhinged. Lee Hoi Sang was thoroughly believable as the fierce baddie who struck fear into men’s hearts. At 38 Lee was tight. Most of his scenes were without a shirt and his workout routine was definitely effective.

Fung Hak On’s fight choreography was quite creative with limited use of wires until the final fights. He also played the assassin Pray. “Pray and accept your fate!” His fight with Wai Pak was intense but dragged on for too long. Most of the bloody skirmishes were with swords with kung fu thrown in for good measure. While many of the fights had the traditional 1970s rhythm, they moved quicker than the Five Venoms’ kung fu posing. Chin Yuet Sang’s Sleeping Buddha style required skill to implement even if it was done for a brief moment of lethal levity. One battle to the death took place by candlelight!

I liked how John Woo began the film with the traditional revenge trope and then quickly turned it on its head. Damian Lau and Wai Pak brought their characters’ bromance to life. Woo’s writing also made me care about Chang San and Tsing Yi. The betrayals and double crosses hurt and I cared about the characters’ outcome, especially in a film where the bodies were stacking up. It was a long and bloody road to discover who was truly chivalrous and who deserved no mercy.

Though I enjoyed The Last Hurrah for Chivalry it would still only be for fans of this style of film as the acting and fights are now dated. If you do watch old kung fu flicks, this Golden Harvest film has either been restored or well cared for, unusual for a non-Shaw Brothers film.

23 March 2025
Trigger warning: Bag of snakes! And hacking of said snakes.

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Just keeping riding, not worth a stop over

I started 18 Swirling Riders aka 18 Shaolin Riders because Lo Lieh was in it and I am on a mission to watch all of his films that are available. Otherwise, I would have dropped this film somewhere between the 20-40 minute mark.

There were numerous characters and no coherent story. A great deal of the fights took place in the dark meaning there was no way to tell who was doing what to whom. Because of the large cast and terrible storytelling, it was next to impossible to care about any of the characters or the characters never introduced who died off screen. Or the characters who died on screen of which there were many.

Chia Ling was criminally underused as was Lo Lieh. Wen Chiang Long dominated the screen as the stiff upper lip hero who had a habit of laughing maniacally at inappropriate moments. He was also a master of disguise and used old school Mission Impossible face masks and wigs to fool people. Don Wong Tao played “Paper Knife”, a mysterious fighter who always wore a black weimao to conceal his superhero identity. Chen Sing finally showed up an hour into the movie as the Big Bad or one of the Big Bads, Lo Lieh’s character just seemed to be in a bad mood that was only alleviated by robbing and killing people.

As near as I can tell, the Riders stole from the corrupt rich and gave to the poor. Chen Sing was mad at the Riders for stealing a knife he cared about years ago and vowed to kill all of them, including 1000 children in their care. Lo Lieh, yeah, I don’t know, he seemed to be upset that the riders foiled his robbery. But even then, it wasn’t them and the contraband wasn’t gold, it was a woman. I could see why everyone might have been confused as there were no air holes punched in the small chest she was transported in. She wanted the Riders to help her avenge her master because a knife or “the” knife or a paper knife had been used to kill him. The synopsis says that there was a mole in the riders, but I never did see one. Oh, and there was a carp painting that people were dying for because it revealed secret kung fu weapons shaped like fish.

The fights that I could see involved wire-fu, trampolines, and reverse filming. The sword fights were okay. Because it was filmed in Taiwan, they had to fight in the woods, at least they avoided the quarry. In this instance with less than spectacular flying through the trees scenes.

To sum up, unless you are in a ride or die contract like I am with Lo Lieh, I highly advise skipping this mess. I gave it a generous 5 because it was dubbed and maybe some of the story was lost in translation.

22 March 2025

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"I'll be Sanshiro Sugata, you be Higaki"

Throw Down was director Johnnie To’s homage to Kurosawa Akira’s Sanshiro Sugata. Gotta say, other than the judo connection, I didn’t see anything to tie the two films together. Sanshiro Sugata showed how the study of judo turned a young man’s life around as he learned discipline and honor. Throw Down was about hustlers’ and even gangsters’ love of judo.

Szeto To is a washed up judo champ who manages a night club. He is an inveterate gambler and alcoholic. In his spare time he attempts to steal money from a local gangster in order to pay back his debts. Mona is from Taiwan and is trying to make it big as a singer and/or actress. Completely broke and without much talent, she bulldozes Szeto into giving her a job at the club and eagerly helps him in his heist attempts. Tony arrives in town and challenges Szeto to a match, sticking around as a saxophone player for the club. Szeto’s old teacher wants him to take over his dojo and an old rival shows up desiring a rematch.

Everyone except for Mona was a judo expert in this film. With the exception of a barroom brawl, most of the fights were over quickly with a throw down. Lack of character development made it almost impossible to become emotionally invested in any of the characters. They also weren’t very likeable. Szeto was a loser with a capital “L”, someone who was set on self-destruct mode for a reason that only became apparent at the end of the film. Mona was desperate enough to debase herself and steal in order to make her dream become reality. And Tony only cared about trying out new techniques and fighting anyone around. None of the characters had much depth and there weren’t any emotional stakes. Even the bad guys weren’t very bad when it came to judo. There was no real conflict except within Szeto and because the audience was largely kept in the dark, he just came across as pathetic. The characters were only happy when they were competing in dojos, alleyways, the street, wherever they could talk someone into battling. Tony put up a sign for a judo tournament but only one minor character went to it off screen.

Where the film succeeded was in the cinematography. It looked good and the music was pleasant. The short fights also came across as realistic with the judo throwing and the grappling on the ground. At the end of Sanshiro Sugata, the final fight took place in the tall grass. Apparently, Johnnie To decided to have his final fight in even taller grass but with a less climactic ending. Sanshiro Sugata had an uplifting message about the discipline of judo leading to personal growth and respect for others. I suppose if you squint really hard, Throw Down had a message about getting up regardless of how many times you’re knocked down and to have something in your life you are passionate about. I just wish the characters had been more fleshed out so that I would have cared about whether they got up 1001 times.

15 March 2025

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Jeeja deserved better

Jeeja Chanthathanisa Tang was the only redeeming quality to This Girl Is Bad-Ass! If you love Thai slapstick comedies, you will probably like this film far more than me. It looked super low budget and the story made little sense. Watching Jeeja in action couldn’t make up for what this film lacked.

Jakkalan works for a specialty bike messenger company. She and her crew run afoul of two rival gang bosses they deliver packages for which culminates in a warehouse fight involving guns, martial arts, and an angry cobra.

The acting was terrible, the story a mess, and the comedy painfully cringe-worthy or just downright offensive. Jeeja was indeed a badass, but this movie was just bad.

14 March 2025
Trigger warning: Snake

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Counting crows

Ong Bak 3 was the last in the “trilogy” and easily the worst. It picked up where the second film left off, stalling out for over an hour before any real action took place. It also took the story in a different supernatural direction with a new villain.

Tien suffers cruelty after cruelty as Rajasena’s prisoner. He’s inexplicably saved and brought to Bua for healing. Coincidentally, his old friend Pim is there. In order to save Tien and reduce his bad karma from a previous life, the village creates an Ong Bak for merits. Tien slowly, very, very, slowly recovers and learns a new martial arts style based on Khon dancing. Meanwhile, the Crow Ghost is driving Rajasena insane with bizarre hallucinations so that he might seize power.

This movie was different in tone and style than Ong Bak 2. The first 20 minutes focused on Tien’s torture which was quite brutal. It went on way too long. While I don’t mind learning about Buddhism in a different genre of film, I really don’t want to spend a half hour watching Tien rehabilitating and learning to control his mind. Seventy minutes into a ninety-minute movie is too long a wait to see Tony show his stuff. With the exception of a fight during a vision, the rest were underwhelming. The acting was also much worse in this film. The Crow Ghost’s supernatural abilities were out of synch with OB2’s more realistic approach to revenge.

Rumor has it that Ong Bak 2 was over budget and too long so they made two films out of it. There was no reason this couldn’t have been one film by trimming the flashbacks in OB2 and drastically reducing the excruciating torture scenes and long-winded training montage in OB3. To say I’m disappointed in this film would be an understatement after enjoying OB2.

13 March 2025

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"They carry hell in their hearts"

The Law of Hell (1982) was a television remake of the 1971 film Inn of Evil which also starred Nakadai Tatsuya. This time he played the calm innkeeper/restaurateur Ikuzo instead of the emotionally volatile Sadashichi. There weren’t any real good guys in this film, to quote Ikuzo, “There are as many corrupt officials as there are corrupt merchants.”

On a little island surrounded by reedy swamp, stands the restaurant, The Anrakutei, run by world weary Ikuzo and his lovely daughter, Omitsu. Strangers are not welcome at the smuggling hub. Regulars---Sadashichi, Yohei, Masaji, Genzo, Senkichi, and Yoshiko---are barely civilized but devoted to Ikuzo. One night, a stranger insists on drinking in the bar, keeping to his sake and table for most of the film. Another stranger, Tomi, collapses and is cared for by Omitsu. Aside from their rough and deadly reputations, officials tend to steer clear of the island as the smugglers actually supply powerful daimyos. When Tomi wakes up his story will stir the latent humanity in each of the men which could lead them into danger…or salvation.

The production values for this film were not the highest. Most of the action took place in or around the restaurant. Nakadai can always be counted on for a strong performance and his Ikuzo was restrained with nary a twitch from the actor’s expressive eyes. Ryu Daisuke gave a strong performance as Sadashichi, the troubled swordsman with a dark past. An almost unrecognizable Yakusho Koji played the TB ridden smuggler Genzo.

Perhaps because of the relatively short running time, it felt like parts of the story were consolidated. The smugglers enjoyed relative security and then were suddenly thrust on a precipice with no way out. To be sure, the smugglers were no Boy Scouts. They relied on illegal activities and murder to get by. The officials were shown to be just as deadly and corrupt. The Law of Hell would have sunk into the murky waters if not for Nakadai’s screen presence whether as a concerned father or a ruthless leader. If you enjoy this type of old movie/tv special or are a Nakadai Tatsuya fan, it might be worth checking out.

12 March 2025

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"Even the sun sets at the end of the day"

The Heroes starred Ti Lung, Michael Chan, and Dorian “Flashlegs” Tan. The Shaolin Temple had once again been burned to the ground with Marshal Gao rounding up the kung fu practicing monks and throwing them in prison. All seemed lost yet everything was not as it seemed.

Marshal Gao under the orders of the emperor and Governor Pei Le arrests his former Shaolin brothers and burns the temple. He convinces Pei to let him “torture” the monks so that he can turn them to working for the Qing army. Pei’s henchmen don’t trust him and are always looking for ways to test him.

Ti Lung played the conflicted Gao who worked tirelessly to protect his former brothers and strengthen their training by “torturing” them. The only problem for him was that the Shaolin monks didn’t know what he was up to and loathed him. Ti did a good job of showing Gao's pain at hurting the people he cared about when he wasn’t gloating in public at their humiliation. This was definitely his movie and he carried it well. Michael Chan was always a good foil for Ti. Their fight was the highlight of the film. Despite often being chained, Dorian Tan was able to show off his fancy kicks in several fights. Director Wu Ma played the emotionally volatile Shaolin cook, Wu Shun. Tsai Hung had one of the bigger roles I’ve seen him in as the frequent target among the captured disciples. Shih Szu had a few nice scenes with Ti, as the person who saw through his bravado to the pain beneath. The Heroes had more story to it and emotional depth than the standard low budget Taiwanese flick which was a pleasant surprise.

The fights varied in quality. Robert Tai’s choreography bordered on kung fu posing, but was upgraded to kung fu dancing for the most part. Dorian flashed his kicks when given the opportunity. This time his handsome face was covered in dirt and straggling hair. Ti Lung and Michael Chan always had an entertaining fight chemistry, even when it wasn’t lightning fast.

Though filmed in Taiwan, The Heroes looked like it had a higher budget than usual. Many Taiwanese kung fu flicks were filmed in the woods and on other low budget sets. This film had proper sets though not of the Shaw Brothers quality. The story was a familiar retread of the fate of the Shaolin monks from the temple and the rebels during this time period. The film veered off from the familiar though by focusing on the imprisoned monks and Gao’s secret heroic acts. The question frequently asked was, “What is a hero?” Sometimes the only one who knew was the last person people would think it was. Though deeper than other martial arts films from this era, it would still only be for fans of the genre. Rated on a curve as usual.

4 March 2025

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"The simplest attack is the most effective"

Jet Li starred in Fist of Legend, a remake of Bruce Lee’s 1972 Fist of Fury. While no one could top Bruce’s lightning-fast moves or charisma, I quite enjoyed this film. Jet Li, Kurata Yasuaki, Chin Siu Ho, and Billy Chow were accomplished fighters in their own styles adding a level of realism to their battles aided by Yuen Woo Ping’s compelling fight choreography.

In 1937, Chen Zhen is studying engineering in Japan when he hears his sifu died during a duel. He leaves his Japanese girlfriend, Mitsuko, behind and catches the first ship out of town. After visiting his master’s memorial, he heads straight to the killer’s dojo and challenges him to a duel, after he defeats all of the students first, of course. He quickly determines that Akutagawa could never have beaten Master Hua Yuen Jia. In the process of clearing his master’s reputation, he runs afoul of General Fujita, a ruthless killing machine that has no use for the Chinese.

I almost rated this a 10 right off the bat for one reason, when Chen Zhen lived in Japan and was confronted during class by students from a nearby dojo, he dispatched them quickly and efficiently. No hitting someone 10 times with them barely feeling it. Chen Zhen went after their weak spots-shoulders, elbow joints, and knees. I cannot tell you how many martial arts films I’ve watched frustrated that the hero never hits his opponents in key anatomical places, but instead hits people dozens of times with ineffectual strikes. What also improved this scene was Kurata Yasuaki who played the students’ master, Fumio. He scolded them and told them to be thankful for the mercy their beater showed.

Yuen Woo Ping along with a couple of other Yuens choreographed the fights. The story may have been thin, but it provided plenty of opportunities for fists and kicks. There wasn’t a weak fight in the lot. Whether fighting a dojo full of offended students or one-on-one, the fights were fast, targeted, and entertaining to watch. A match between Chen Zhen and Fumio in an open field showcased different styles and a desire for understanding. The inevitable deadly brawl with Fujita was brutal and inventive. Jet Li was an accomplished fighter as were David Kurata and Billy Chow (Fujita). There was very little wire work and these guys put on a show. Nowadays, anyone can look like a fighter with wires, close-ups, editing, CGI, and slo-mo. This film was filled with people who knew what they were doing, adding authenticity with their speed and agility. The intricate choreography had me wondering how many hours were required to rehearse the complicated fights.

This story versus the original showed a more even-handed approach to both groups of people. As in Fist of Fury there was no sugar coating of the Japanese presence in China. Fujita was thoroughly evil as most Japanese characters were portrayed in these films. Instead of all of the Japanese being prejudiced and violent against the Chinese, there was Fumio who disapproved of Japan’s militaristic actions. Just a quick note to say, I loved that Kurata who was often relegated to villain roles was allowed to play a wise, old master here. Chen’s love interest was Japanese and though she was a good person she was rejected by both the Chinese and the Japanese. Master Huo had been betrayed by Chinese characters showing the universal flawed nature of people. The Japanese were absolutely demonstrated as being in the wrong for occupying Shanghai, but this time the approach had more nuance.

Fist of Legend was a thrilling martial arts film and packed with quality fights. For a 1994 kung fu film, the production values were high and the acting was not a letdown. Watching Jet Li in his prime without the overuse of wires was a treat. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a martial arts film this much. If you like these old films, you definitely should seek this one out to give a try. (As a reminder, my rating is based on comparisons to other martial arts films, not major studio productions.)

1 March 2025

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"You can't get hung up on morals, you'll just feel remorse"

Corporate espionage handled with all the finesse of the yakuza took place in The Black Test Car. Not lovers, families, or morals were more important than the mission to bring the Pioneer sports car into production and beat the competition. “It’s all about winning.”

Onoda leads the team to get the Pioneer sports car produced and keep its identity a secret. Much time and money has been invested in it, but he discovers that their larger rival, Yamato, may have placed a spy in their midst. His trusty sidekick, Asahina, is equally ambitious and loyal to the company. Their nemesis is Mawatari, an ex-spy who worked for the Imperial Army in Manchuria. Both companies employ dirty methods to steal information-bribery, blackmail, intimidation, prostitution, and outright theft. Nothing seems to be too low or too devious in their efforts to come out on top.

Rank capitalism and devotion to duty brought out the worst in all of the characters. Onoda made it clear from the beginning, that he would sacrifice anything or anyone for the Pioneer. Asahina started out much like his boss, even pressuring his girlfriend to prostitute herself to glean information from the duplicitous Mawatari. Takamatsu Hideo glided Onoda easily between devilishly charming and ruthlessly frightening. Tamiya Jiro’s Asahina walked the fine line between being blindly selfish to conflicted as he realized the harm he’d done to someone he loved. Asahina’s girlfriend, Masako, was poorly written. She was there for Asahina’s character growth and as a sexual object rather than a woman with any consistent actions.

Director Masumura Yasuzo made a stylish film with aggressive music reminiscent of Godzilla’s Ifukube Akira. The acting was stellar. My problem was that I had no one to root for. Both teams were reprehensible in their espionage and sabotage efforts. Asahina took steps to distance himself from the gangster methods that ruined and ended lives, yet I disliked him the most for his efforts to manipulate and pimp out the woman he claimed to love. The competition between the industrial spies may have been all about winning, but in the end, they were all losers to me.

"It's a rock, but it has more warmth than you."

25 February 2025
Trigger warnings: Sexual scenes, though no overt nudity, and one bordering on assault

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"Really, Raffy? He's straighter than a flagpole!"

P.S. I Love You, Bro was a short film in the #MakeYourMove series in the Philippines. It was a sweet meet-cute in a tea shop between a self-conscious young man and another man concerned about social pressures.

Raffy is intrigued by the handsome man who often sits at the table next to him in a popular tea chop. Plagued with doubt about the stranger, yet also intrigued, Raffy makes some awkward attempts to lower the barriers between them, not knowing if his interest is being returned.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, is not as easy in “non-traditional” relationships. The relationship might be legal, but protections from discrimination might not be. The short film/advertisement didn’t dwell on the negatives, instead focusing on the butterflies from liking someone new and the embarrassing moments that have flustered many a person when wanting to find a way to see if that romantic curiosity is returned. I may not like sugar in my tea, but P.S. I Love You, Bro was just the right amount of sweet to give me a smile in less than three minutes.

20 February 2025

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"Something shattered"

Misumi Kenji’s Ken aka Sword was a hotbed of emotions that played out in a kendo dojo. Desire, jealousy, hate, rivalry, and the need to be #1 came to a head when puritanical Kokubu and hedonistic Kagawa butt heads while training for the national kendo championship.

Kokubu Jiro is named captain of the university kendo team. His job is to train the team for the All Japan Student Kendo Championship. Jiro takes his job seriously, of course he takes everything seriously. Too seriously. No one truly understands the enigmatic kendo star. He lives a highly ascetic lifestyle, eschewing music, tv, girls, anything that would take his attention and drive away from kendo. Kagawa is the opposite. He smokes, sleeps around, and finds pleasure wherever he can. His only desire is to defeat Jiro, and to do that he tempts him with worldly pleasures. As Kokubu drives the students for the perfection he seeks, Kagawa sews seeds of doubt about Kokubu into them. Only Mibu is devoted to Jiro. When the team travels to a temple for summer training, the private match of wills for the hearts and minds of the students will have dire consequences.

I’m not sure if Kokubu Jiro’s rigid and obsessive behavior was held up as an example to be followed or a cautionary tale. Determined to instill the same rigorous mindset in the new recruits, Jiro never let his foot off them. He constantly drove them harder and harder. The younger competitors needed breathing room and time to relax and have fun, something the tightly wound character could not comprehend. Jiro had no vision for the future, only the present which he focused all of his energy on maximizing. Kokubu failed to realize his students required at least a modicum of praise for their dedication. As Kagawa’s influence over the kendokas strengthened, Jiro’s unrelenting sense of perfectionism took its toll on him.

Misumi constructed a highly pleasant film aesthetic. Though filmed in black and white, the movie was stunning and edited well. Whether this story was about the clash of traditional ideals and modern morality or about what truly makes a man, I have no idea, maybe a little of both. I also don’t know if Jiro’s tunnel vision for purity of spirit and sport was being idealized. The dojo fairly pulsed with repressed emotions, extreme competitiveness, and in two cases a strong homoerotic atmosphere. In Kobuku Jiro’s mind he left no room for imperfection or failure. Without the strength to accept fallibility in himself and others, Kobuku set himself up for a pain worse than defeat in a kendo competition.

15 January 2025
Trigger spoiler alert below:





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2 suicides

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"There's no joking in the army"

The “Iron Triangle” of Chang Cheh, Ti Lung, and David Chiang brought the pain in The Heroic Ones. This Shaw Brothers film was about as epic as they got for a 1970 martial arts film. Walled towns, plenty of outdoor scenery, treachery upon treachery, and pretty much every stuntman on the SB payroll made this movie a step up from so many of the throw away films from this era. It was also beautifully restored.

Near the end of the Tang Dynasty the emperor asked King Jin and his 13 General sons to rid him of the bandit usurper Huang Chao. Warlord Zhu Wen was also concerned about the bandit who had conquered Chang’an. King Jin sends nine of his sons to spy on Huang and assassinate him if possible. The 9 Generals are led by the youngest, Li Tsun Hsiao, which causes jealousy among two of the older brothers. Cracks in the brothers’ solidarity soon threatens them all.

The Heroic Ones was different from other Shaw Brothers productions in several ways. One of which was that it was not the Mings and Qings fighting but rather set much earlier in the Tang Dynasty. While there were two military antagonists, the primary drama, like a good old-fashioned Shakespeare or Greek tragedy, took place within the family. As this was a Chang Cheh film, there was no doubt going into it that there would be buckets of blood spilled and few, if any, of the brothers left standing. The man had a sadistic streak running through him. He outdid himself with one of the most gruesome deaths I've seen from this era. For another character’s death, someone said, “Your belly is open.” (Was disemboweled) I truly wanted the dying man who continued to fight to reply, “Do you honestly think I don’t already know that?” or “It’s just a flesh wound.”

I watched this movie for Ti Lung. But during this era when he and David Chiang made over 20 films together, in order to have Ti, I had to have the other. Chiang was enormously popular at the time, I just never saw the allure. I loved watching Ti Lung’s fierce fighting style, even when he was relegated to a supporting role. I’m always happy to see Ku Feng, although his character could be dimwitted at times as could Chiang’s. Eldest brother Chin Han also made questionable decisions that resulted in brothers being killed. The lone woman in the cast, Lily Li, had a brief appearance when the brothers needed a place to hideout.

The fights were well choreographed for 1970. There were a lot of swipe and flip, or swipe with stuntmen jumping off walls or into the water. Martial Arts Directors Tang Chia, Lau Kar Leung, and Lau Kar Wing staged large creative fights with no lack of blood though not as spurt happy as Chang’s later films would be.

The sets were enormous and well built. I’m not sure why the antagonists guarded their gates so heavily. The brothers tended to scale the fortress walls quite easily. Upon its introduction, there was no doubt that the Bridge of Peace would need to be renamed, The Bridge of Pieces. I cannot imagine how many costumes had to be made for the extras or dug up from other films. As a Shaw Brothers film there was no shortage of bare chests and furry vests and capes. Sadly, no silver lamé. Surprisingly, a young, thin Chan Sing was almost unrecognizable in his fancy costume which he didn’t remove for the entirety of the movie! There were also numerous spears wielded by both sides. One character was so committed to destroying King Jin that he burned down his own town! Whether a miniature or a set, the fire was realistic.

Most martial arts films from this time ran around 90 minutes. The Heroic Ones clocked in at 2 hours, too long for this kind of film. In all fairness, Chang Cheh and writer Ni Kuang kept the action and treachery cranked up enough to keep my attention, though I could have done with fewer banquet and dancing girls scenes. In nearly every way*, this old martial arts flick was slightly above average for the genre and time. Still only for fans of these old movies and graded on a curve.

13 January 2025
*Never go into these films expecting Bruce Lee level of fighting, he was the one and only or modern CGI and camera aided fighting scenes that anyone can do. There were numerous martial arts trained and acrobatic stuntmen to sell the action in these more balletic bloody battles.

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"Do you remember my hand?"

The film Eros contained three short films, the first of which was, The Hand by Wong Kar Wai. Wong Kar Wai is one of those mood directors like Zhang Yi Mou. I don’t always connect emotionally with Wong’s films while still appreciating his unique style. I’m always happy when one clicks with me, and this short erotic film starring Gong Li and Chang Chen did just that.

Xiao Zhang is a tailor apprentice whose first customer is the beautiful prostitute, Miss Hua. He hears her at work while he waits in the sitting room. Miss Hua recognizes that he’s never touched a woman before. Much as the title implies, she touches him, launching his career and an obsession. He begins to take her measurements by hand, literally, memorizing every line of her body. Zhang creates beautiful works of art for her to wear even as her source of income begins to wane.

WKW used many of his techniques-dim lighting, rain, reflections, and close-ups of his gorgeous actors. Gong Li as always was mesmerizing to watch. Chang Chen as the tailor in love with a woman he could never have was stunning. It was a WKW film so I was already braced for a heartbreaking story of unrequited love. And he didn’t fail to bring the angst and the pain. He also brought the erotica without showing much skin. Gong Li and Chang Chen turned up the heat to scorching merely being in proximity to each other.

The Hand was a feast for the eyes and senses. Short, with a shot straight to the heart, wrapped in WKW’s usual style, dripping with barely concealed longing and desire. If you are a fan of WKW’s work and don’t mind erotica, this is definitely a film to try.

11 January 2025

Trigger warnings: The introduction by sexual act with a hand, is the most graphic scene, though not overly so. There is a bare bottom. Sex was often alluded to, with sound effects for those who are sensitive to such things.

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"Water, water..."

Rhapsody in August was a bittersweet viewing for me. I’ve now watched all of Kurosawa Akira’s films where he was the writer and director. I have immensely enjoyed many of his films, this wasn’t one of them. While it was watchable, it lacked the bite and depth of previous films. Perhaps it was his age, perhaps it was writing without a partner. Whatever the reason, as he worked through the focal traumatic point of his generation, it came across historically evasive and heavy-handed.

Kane is the grandmother of four grandchildren. Her son and daughter have traveled to Hawaii to meet with her older brother. The children are staying with her while their parents are away. Kane has no desire to travel to Hawaii as she has no memory of the brother who immigrated in 1920 and made a fortune with pineapples. The grandchildren desperately want to go to Hawaii and are disappointed to be stuck with their grandmother in a house with no television. Kane is always looking backward to the bombing of Nagasaki where she lost her husband. She tells stories to the children who are both intrigued and frightened by them. With her husband’s memorial approaching she has no intention of leaving the country which causes the children to rethink their approach.

Women and children rarely figured prominently in Kurosawa’s films, here they took center stage. Some things never changed, the boys’ names were oft repeated while the girls’ names were scarcely mentioned. Much like the wife in Madadayo who never had a name even though the cat had one. The film fell upon the shoulders of the child actors with limited success. They went from acting like typical children upset to be without television to spouting adult social platitudes. The oldest girl, Tami according to the cast list, read off pages of exposition at the Nagasaki memorials from the Eastern bloc countries and at the school where the grandfather died. She opined how younger people had no memories of the fateful day’s event and no one bothered to learn even as crowds visited the memorials and school. Her opinions and history lessons seemed far beyond her years and felt completely out of place. Thrown into this mix was Richard Gere as the son of the wealthy brother who visited Kane and the children. Sympathetic to their suffering and acknowledging the tragic loss of the grandfather, he came and then left, awkwardly shoehorned in.

The ghost of the bombing was ever present in this film, especially for Kane who envisioned it as a great eye. For her the war never truly ended. The irony of the lost family living in Hawaii was never brought up when Kane blamed “war” for the bombing. In Kurosawa’s older films, the main character had to suffer and deal with painful challenges in order to grow and transform. Here, Kane is old and near the end of her life, ever reminiscing. Each generation had a different response to the bombing. Rather than a source of familial conflict the gap between the generations was easily bridged. The children who were largely unfamiliar with the bombing listened to Kane’s stories and visited the places she mentioned. Their parents who had known poverty as children and lived in the shadow of the bombing, were ever on the hunt to make a buck. All too eager to use the new wealthy relatives to improve their station.

Unlike his earlier films, Kurosawa fell into the tell don’t show trap where much of the action either occurred in the past or off screen such as a death and a family reunion. The bombing in this story happened in a historical vacuum, lacking any context and complexity. Perhaps because Kurosawa was near the end of his life and feeling more contemplative, so were his characters. Kane’s mind started running in reverse, driving her back to the day of the bombing. Steadily determined against the wind and rain to reach her destination and maybe this time change the ending. But only memories can run backward, time moves ever forward, with any luck carrying the lessons hard learned.

3 January 2025

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