horseboxingkiller
Joined Jan 2022
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Reviews48
horseboxingkiller's rating
My review and appreciation for Queen Bee is admittedly somewhat biased and skewed by my obsession with Lu I-Chan!
I first watched the original Taiwanese version of Queen Bee (i.e not the more common, crappy Filmark version with added Ninjas) around 15 years ago and instantly fell in love with the film - and its sizzling lead, Lu I-Chan. The most accessible version of the Taiwanese cut doing the rounds was/is without subtitles, so although the film was great fun, some finer plot details were missed.
At the beginning of 2023, I managed to acquire a rough, washed-out print but with burnt-in English subtitles, so I was finally able to fill in the missing plot points after all these years.
Lu I-Chan plays Yea Ping/Queen Bee, whose sister is raped (and consequently commits suicide) on the eve of her wedding. Yea Ping goes to a local godfather-esque character named 'Second Master' (O Chun Hung) for help.
Second Master eventually takes Yea Ping under his wing as his adopted daughter, renames her 'Queen Bee' and converts her into a total fighting and gambling bad ass.
From this point on, Queen Bee sets out to get her revenge on the scum that led to her sister's death, whilst getting into some gang-related scraps along the way.
The revenge element doesn't kick in until around the 40th minute mark but, when it does, it's a real joy to watch Lu I-Chan in a variety of great outfits, brandishing a shotgun, katana or throwing darts to dish out her ice cold brand of justice.
If you enjoy this one, check out the other Chester Wong & Lu I-chan collaboratins like the sequel Queen Bee's Revenge (released the same year), Mad Rose, The Imprisoned and The Outlaw (all 1982)
I first watched the original Taiwanese version of Queen Bee (i.e not the more common, crappy Filmark version with added Ninjas) around 15 years ago and instantly fell in love with the film - and its sizzling lead, Lu I-Chan. The most accessible version of the Taiwanese cut doing the rounds was/is without subtitles, so although the film was great fun, some finer plot details were missed.
At the beginning of 2023, I managed to acquire a rough, washed-out print but with burnt-in English subtitles, so I was finally able to fill in the missing plot points after all these years.
Lu I-Chan plays Yea Ping/Queen Bee, whose sister is raped (and consequently commits suicide) on the eve of her wedding. Yea Ping goes to a local godfather-esque character named 'Second Master' (O Chun Hung) for help.
Second Master eventually takes Yea Ping under his wing as his adopted daughter, renames her 'Queen Bee' and converts her into a total fighting and gambling bad ass.
From this point on, Queen Bee sets out to get her revenge on the scum that led to her sister's death, whilst getting into some gang-related scraps along the way.
The revenge element doesn't kick in until around the 40th minute mark but, when it does, it's a real joy to watch Lu I-Chan in a variety of great outfits, brandishing a shotgun, katana or throwing darts to dish out her ice cold brand of justice.
If you enjoy this one, check out the other Chester Wong & Lu I-chan collaboratins like the sequel Queen Bee's Revenge (released the same year), Mad Rose, The Imprisoned and The Outlaw (all 1982)
Another one of many Cetin Inanc & Cuneyt Arkin collaborations, 'Dev Kani' isn't quite as wild and trashy as their other efforts but still manages to deliver towards the end of the film for those with some patience.
Arkin plays Murat, a war hero, who has become something of an alcoholic and vagabond since returning home. He eventually begins to reconnect with people from his past, mainly his mechanic friend (Huseyin Peyda) and his old flame who has now become a stripper (Leyla Somer).
In parallel to this, a heroin epidemic has taken control of the city and the commissioner (Erol Tas) is tasked with cleaning up the city and taking down the main drug boss. As Murat has no ties or family and showed great courage during the war, the commissioner blackmails him into taking a mission to wipe out the drug trade and all those involved.
'Dev Kani' takes quite a while to get going, in fact, it's almost 50-60 mins until we get to see Arkin in action which consists of the usual acrobatic trampoline bouncing, blasting and karate chopping his way through baddie scum.
Along the way we get a tame but easy-on-the-eye strip tease show, some amusing over-acting from caged junkies in prison cells, a dash of underage rape and a memorable bleached blonde villain sporting some shades straight out of Buggles 'Video Killed..' video.
As usual, the HD versions on Youtube are butchered (as of Dec 2023). The German Kalkavan VHS (which this review is based on) runs approx 16 mins longer with all the good stuff fully intact.
Arkin plays Murat, a war hero, who has become something of an alcoholic and vagabond since returning home. He eventually begins to reconnect with people from his past, mainly his mechanic friend (Huseyin Peyda) and his old flame who has now become a stripper (Leyla Somer).
In parallel to this, a heroin epidemic has taken control of the city and the commissioner (Erol Tas) is tasked with cleaning up the city and taking down the main drug boss. As Murat has no ties or family and showed great courage during the war, the commissioner blackmails him into taking a mission to wipe out the drug trade and all those involved.
'Dev Kani' takes quite a while to get going, in fact, it's almost 50-60 mins until we get to see Arkin in action which consists of the usual acrobatic trampoline bouncing, blasting and karate chopping his way through baddie scum.
Along the way we get a tame but easy-on-the-eye strip tease show, some amusing over-acting from caged junkies in prison cells, a dash of underage rape and a memorable bleached blonde villain sporting some shades straight out of Buggles 'Video Killed..' video.
As usual, the HD versions on Youtube are butchered (as of Dec 2023). The German Kalkavan VHS (which this review is based on) runs approx 16 mins longer with all the good stuff fully intact.
