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Showing posts with label Chor Yuen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chor Yuen. Show all posts

Saturday, June 23, 2018

THE ENCHANTRESS DISCUSSION

On the latest Wuxia Weekend podcast we talk about Chor Yuen's The Enchantress, a 1983 film that blends wuxia and ghosts to interesting effect. It is about a ghost named Shui Tianjiao, who was killed when her husband joined forces with her enemies in a sect war 18-years ago. Now she uses her daughter (born shortly before her death) to get revenge on the entire martial world. 

While everyone enjoyed the movie, opinions differed on how good it was. Most of us agreed the strength of the film was its atmosphere and ghostly special effects. The story is good when you understand it, but it could have used more screen time (with perhaps less screen time being dedicated to the near-30 minute final battle). Still it is a very nice mixture of supernatural and martial arts, where it fully commits to both. There are lots of characters, lots of fights, and some very interesting spooky moments. 

Unfortunately The Enchantress is difficult to obtain these days (I've only ever been able to find it on VCD). So if you want to watch it, you might have to search around for a good deal. We do recommend it if you like Chor Yuen and want to see his take on Ghosts and Wuxia together. However, if you are not as familiar with Chor Yuen, you might want to start with some of his other films like Death Duel, Web of Death, Magic Blade, Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan or Duel for Gold

Friday, December 1, 2017

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN DISCUSSION

Lady Cao Feng and I talk about the Chor Yuen classic Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan. Starring Lily Ho Li-Li, Yueh Hua,  and Betty Pei Ti. In Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan a woman named Ai Nu is abducted by Lady Chun and forced to work as a prostitute at her Four Seasons Brothel. Raped, imprisoned and made to witness the brutal murder of a kind would-be-rescuer, she submits to Lady Chun's advances and becomes a courtesan so she can murder the men who raped her and get revenge against the woman who forced her into prostitution. Racy for its day, the film blends eroticism, lesbianism, mystery and swordplay. Many consider it one of Chor Yuen's greatest films. I have to say, watching it again, I was struck by how well it was filmed and how everything is patiently laid out and brought together in the end. 

If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend viewing the movie. The final fight scene in particular is very well done and there are moments in it that are truly surprising and exceptional. 

Here is the podcast discussion. Note that it contains both spoilers and discussion about rape (which is part of the plot in the film). 

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

DEATH DUEL DISCUSSION

This week I talked with Lady Cao Feng and Kenny about the Chor Yuen classic Death Duel. This film stars Derek Yee and is based on the Gu Long Novel Sword of the Third Young Master. It was also recently remade in the Derek Yee Directed Sword Master