Chun Fang - Das blutige Geheimnis

In a quiet town nestled amidst mist-shrouded hills, two Kung-Fu masters vie for supremacy. Their battleground? Not the martial arts arena, but the eerie world of lantern craftsmanship. Directed by the enigmatic Chung Sun, Human Lanterns weaves a tale of obsession, betrayal, and gruesome artistry.

Master Lung (played by Tony Liu Yong) and Master Tan (Chen Kuan Tai) are town braggarts, each scheming to outshine the other. Tan unveils a human-sized lantern that captivates the simple folk, while Lung seeks an even grander creation. His quest leads him to Chun Fang (Lo Lieh), a former love rival turned master lantern maker. But Chun Fang's conditions are ominous: Lung must never visit his workshop.

The film's opening credits reveal a warehouse adorned with human remains atop a blood-soaked grinder. The macabre truth emerges: these gruesome trophies become the lanterns that illuminate the town. Skin peeled from victims' bodies, bones sculpted into delicate frames-the lanterns cast an otherworldly glow, fueled by suffering.

As more women vanish, the town trembles. The mysterious hermit hired by Tan adds to the intrigue. His lanterns, infused with secrets and darkness, lure unsuspecting souls. The brothel's madam, the prostitute, and the townsfolk-all are drawn into this dance of shadows and blades.

Human Lanterns teeters between horror and martial arts, its brutality tempered by censorship. The missing scenes-where skin meets blade-leave us craving the uncut version. Yet, the film's eerie ambiance and twisted creativity linger. It's a flawed gem, like a tarnished lantern casting both light and shadow.

Chung Sun's vision is a chiaroscuro nightmare, where beauty and horror entwine. Watch it for the unsettling visuals, the clash of egos, and the haunting lanterns. But beware: once you glimpse their glow, you'll forever question what lies beneath the surface.🌓 🔪🌟🌕🌺🔮🌓

Do we have the nameless individual that tricks two others to fight each other? Does that sound like a famous western with Clint Eastwood? Which also was copied ... well let's not go down that road. Especially because while there may be parallels, there also quite a few differences here too.

I've seen my share of Shaw Brothers movies, but I can't remember seeing this one. This is quite out there, with a character being a mixture of monkey and demon, with the evil mindset of a ... human (a bad human that is of course). Add to that horror some good old fashioned stunts and flying lessons ... and voila you got yourself a movie that might not be everyones cup of tea (if you're easily offended, don't even bother, there are quite a few scenes that are far from political correct), but works for those who love these movies ... and if you're one of them, you won't mind certain flaws as much as others do

"Ren pi deng long," translated as "Human Lanterns," is a 1982 Shaw Brothers production that throws martial arts action into a blender with disturbing horror elements. The result is a bizarre concoction - a campy, uneven film that will leave you scratching your head while occasionally offering bursts of entertainment.

The plot revolves around a wealthy man, Lung Shu Ai, who desires a unique lantern for a festival. He hires the skilled craftsman Chao Fang, unaware of the simmering resentment Chao holds for Lung. This resentment stems from a past betrayal, and Chao decides to craft his revenge in a particularly gruesome way - by using human skin for the lanterns.

The fight choreography is decent for the era, featuring Shaw Brothers staples like lightning-fast kicks and acrobatic displays. However, the special effects haven't aged well, with the "human skin" looking more like cheap plastic. The real draw (or turn-off, depending on your taste) is the horror element. The film doesn't shy away from showing the skinning process, albeit with a level of camp that lessens the impact.

The acting is a mixed bag. The lead villain, Chao Fang, chews the scenery with gusto, bordering on parody at times. The hero, played with stoicism by Lieh Lo, provides a more grounded counterpoint. The narrative unfolds in a predictable manner, with the mystery of the lantern maker's identity revealed fairly early.

"Human Lanterns" is a film that thrives on its outrageous premise. It's undeniably exploitation cinema, pushing boundaries for the sake of shock value. If you're looking for a well-crafted horror film or a top-tier martial arts flick, you'll likely be disappointed. But for those seeking a cheesy, bizarre cinematic experience, "Human Lanterns" offers a campy thrill ride with some impressive fight sequences sprinkled in.

Chung Sun, who directed, amongst many other films, the superb "The Sexy Killer" (see review), is unable to make the elements gel in "Human Lanterns" aka "Human Skin Lanterns". Personally, I have always loved the idea of using human skin to make lanterns, so this film was an eagerly awaited one by me. Unfortunately, there's too little skinning and too much martial arts in this. In fact, the skinning scenes (there are two), while well done, feel like they belong in a different movie altogether. This is a strange effort to make a martial arts fantasy and cross it with a Hammer-style horror plot. It doesn't work. That said, "Human Lanterns" is still a sumptuously photographed and designed period piece. The Shaw's certainly spent big on its sets, cast and special effects. It's a shame they didn't focus more on the horror promised in the title. Disappointing horror. Satisfactory period-fu epic.

Hammer horror meets wuxia. It makes about as much sense tonally as it sounds. Storywise, it's a barely coherent morality play about pride and greed that comes across like an excuse to string together some swordplay, some reasonably nasty flaying scenes, and very pretty setpieces. It is a great looking movie, I have to admit--the use of lighting is otherworldly. Sun Chung was easily one of the best directors Shaw Bros ever had, but when he wasn't doing cookie cutter martial arts stuff, he was seriously wasted on misguided crap (let's face it) like this.

There's something really "off" about how simultaneously Asian and European this movie feels. My instincts tell me it's not supposed to exist. Dramatically it never really takes off, but it's interesting enough in the context of "what were they thinking?" curio.