Da di fei ying

BIG LAND, FLYING EAGLES is somewhat out of the ordinary for a martial arts movie in that it's set for the most part in a desert. There are some interesting shots that feature a sun so prominent that one feels one could almost reach out and touch it; it also drives home the idea that this is a blazing hot landscape- which is why our hero, Fang, is shown killing (by hand, in some uncomfortably graphic shots) several eagles and drinking their blood. (One can't help but be reminded of the water barons in Frank Herbert's DUNE, who wear a ring per x number of litres of water they own.) Ling Yun (wearing what appears to be Margaret Hamilton's witch hat from THE WIZARD OF OZ) appears and reappears throughout the movie to aid Fang, but the fight scenes are relatively sparse until the last twenty minutes or so of the movie. Another interesting thing that happens is when a small house is pulled apart by a band of desert-dwelling brigands looking for gold. BIG LAND, FLYING EAGLES reminded me more than a little of ASHES OF TIME (though by no means as accomplished).