Di san lei da dou

So you've got that urge to watch a good, old Shaw Bros. picture, but you can't make up your mind between a period kung-fu movie and a modern actioner... or maybe a fantasy thing ... or maybe a light love story. Well, if you don't mind a somewhat disjointed story told jarringly and a psychedelic edge to the cheesier-than-usual effects, then this movie might be for you. It's at least three movies -- one each involving heaven, earth and hell -- rolled (roughly) into one, with a musical interlude featuring Alexander Fu Sheng and his lovely wife Jenny. Certainly you don't have to settle on any one actor for this viewing selection, as just about everyone turns up in it -- though they're not always sure why. There are a couple of good action scenes and a couple of flashes of comedy, maybe even on purpose. The strangest thing about this film is that you kind of have to watch it through once you start because you're kind of enjoying it. So it's one of Chang Cheh's weirder contributions; it's still a Chang Cheh film!

The martial arts action in "Shaolin Hellgate" is awfully good--you cannot deny that. The kicking, punching and swordplay are all at the high level you'd expect from a Shaw Brothers film. However,...you won't believe this film!!! It is bizarre and my describing it to you won't do the film justice....but I'll try.

The film starts off in Heaven--but probably not the sort of Heaven you'd envisioned. Two heavenly beings are in love but are apparently not allowed to be (wow...Heaven sucks in this film) and try to run away with each other. But, they are pursued and almost caught until a sympathetic heavenly being helps them. They are now on Earth--reincarnated. Okay. Well, the film then soon switches to Hell--where it remains for about 90% of the movie. And this Hell is a fascinating place--sort of like if Bosch, Salvador Dali and the Marquis de Sade came up with Hell. There, you'll see all kinds of crazy tortures. Some are pretty gruesome (after all, it IS Hell) and some are pretty funny (such as the gossips). There, our two lovers want to escape and they call upon the Buddha of Mercy to hear their pleas. He not only gives them a chance but helps them find several warriors who were unfairly dispatched to the Netherworld--and the team fights their way back to Earth! As you probably noticed from the plot, this is no ordinary martial arts film! It's got some silly moments (what is with the big tongues?!) but it always is exciting and worth watching. Strange but worth your time.

This film is quite something, it has basically three scenarios: Heaven, Earth and Hell.Mostly the film is set up in Hell. The execution might be little off for some viewers but I can see it as more of an anthology or tree films put together. At first, you get some fighting that is choreographed like dance, it is quite fascinating to see how well it plays out with many actors fighting each other. As the story progresses, the style shifts to more surreal. In the Hell part, it is already fantasy and it gets quite imaginative for its depiction of Hell: demons, torture, dark humor, magic,...all the good stuff but different from our view on Hell in the West. The effects are a bit cheezy but I like that style, personally I like it. It looks like we are looking a theather play so those of you wish realistic sets might not like this film. Then again, how many Shaw Brothers fantasy films do have the most realistic sets? It is a part of the appeal.

To conclude: If you are a fan of Shaw Brothers that have strong fantasy presence like I am, you would propably like this film. It is so weird that it makes it entertaining. You get little of drama, romance, fantasy, action and an added psychedelic atmosphere: all in one, what not to like? Bon voyage!