Dirty Ho

This review is based on the version I watched on Prime Video.

Firstly, the dubbing is absolutely atrocious. I always prefer to watch these movies in the original language with subtitles, but this option wasn't available and I had to settle for the excruciating American dubbing.

The over the top sound effects in some scenes was very cringey, and so this movie mainly suffers on the audio alone.

The other negative point was the abrupt ending, as it would have been nice to have an explanation for the assassination attempts on Wang. I was originally going to rate this a 7 for these 3 points, but thought I'd be generous as the film makers can't be blamed for the dubbing.

I had no expectations on this movie and hadn't heard of it before doing a search for Gordon Liu movies, and I wasn't disappointed. The story isn't ground breaking, but it is rather deep for a movie of it's genre, but the movie really excels in the fight sequences.

The fighting is beautifully choreographed, and the subtle style used throughout is impressive, impeccably timed and entertaining to watch. As the movie progressed, I realised a striking similarity to moves later used by Jackie Chan in his movies (not that he copied the moves but there's definitely similarity).

If anyone thinks that martial arts films are unsubtle escapism, with violence and little else, then Dirty Ho is a shining example of what they can be. Even from the point of view of the fight sequences, the two 'disguised' fights whilst drinking wine and admiring antiques are as well choreographed as any fights before and since.

However, the nature of the relationship between the Prince and Ho is very deliberate and complex. The Prince, a Manchu, and thus regarded with a great deal of suspicion (if not outright hostility) by southern Chinese, is throughout the film the model of a good Confucian, knowledgeable about all manner of fine art, wine and antiques. Ho is uncouth, rude and violent towards him, yet the superior (and distinctly Chinese) virtue of the Prince ultimately convinces him to serve him.

This is not only a obvious difference from a majority of Hong Kong films, in which the Manchu dynasty tends to be portrayed in a very negative light, as foreign, barbaric invaders, Dirty Ho provides a balance, indeed in some ways in represents the way the Manchu (Qing) dynasty, initially a foreign and, to the Chinese, barbaric people, soon was assimilated to become more Chinese than the Chinese.

And besides that, it is a fantasticly crafted martial arts film, with all the usual training sequences and an absolutely brilliant stylised fight sequence during the opening credits.

Felt like it was more concerned with comedy than action, and either the comedy didn't translate well or I'm just a bit out of it, because I didn't really understand a lot of the humour here (what I'm assuming was meant to be funny, that is).

If anyone knows what was up with those scenes where people were sort of sparring while conversing and also trying to make it look like they weren't fighting, I'd love to know. I just didn't get what was going on, truly.

Some of the more traditional martial arts scenes were satisfying, though. The last 20 minutes were particularly great (it even did the normal speed to slow motion back to normal speed technique decades before Zack Snyder popularised it).

Not bad overall, but I'm a little sad I didn't completely get or appreciate what it was going for at points.

This is one of the films that sears itself into your mind forever unless kung fu films are a real turn off. Even when it was only watchable in poorly centered TV prints the brilliance of the action shined thru. Filmed towards the end of the golden age of the Shaw Brothers Studios, Dirty Ho rates as the top of the genre. The way the fights are choreographed is mesmerizing and I have spent hours rewinding the scenes to see exactly how the director orchestrated the camera and actors. It incredible how the movement progresses. I defy anyone to come up with something as subtle yet outrageous as the wine scene or the antique scene. The scenes in "House of Flying Daggers" are quite impressive but everything is computer assisted exaggeration. Here the only tricks are what could be done with editing and camera movement (O.K. maybe a few wires). You can see that most of the work is being done by the highly talented actors.

When this is re-released, buy it!

Funny kung fu comedy with Gordon Liu as a lover of fine antiques, good wine, and is hiding a secret. He wants to show Dirty Ho (Yue Wong) the error of his ways. I have to say, the antagonism between the two is great in the beginning and I enjoyed scenes with the two of them together. Good chemistry.

Gordon Liu has some really weird, but very cool to watch, fight scenes which include wine cups and antique vases!! His fight with Johnny Wang is definitely worth watching. Towards the end, it's all action and the double attacks of Liu and Wong work well together. So for some laughs and lots of kicks, watch this one! And Gordon with a moustache, what more could you want??