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Reviews10
mancalleddog1's rating
Set in early 20th century (gonna say 1930s maybe?), another classically styled kung fu drama with a well rounded sense of humor and nice 'spy' felt music (by Chow Leung) that enhances the lovely, dreary cinematography.
It is well paced but this off beat espionage tale, involving the Red Lantern Bandits, feels like an extended chapter from an ongoing epic. The setting of a traveling opera (Beijing opera?) as the backdrop lends an air of mystery and suspense and this film really is pretty to look at depending on which video label you catch. Note to collectors: the video label is 'Facing All Death' (seems more like a series of titles than an actual distributor and the packaging resembles the old 'Saturn' titles) and the running time was 87 minutes.
It is well paced but this off beat espionage tale, involving the Red Lantern Bandits, feels like an extended chapter from an ongoing epic. The setting of a traveling opera (Beijing opera?) as the backdrop lends an air of mystery and suspense and this film really is pretty to look at depending on which video label you catch. Note to collectors: the video label is 'Facing All Death' (seems more like a series of titles than an actual distributor and the packaging resembles the old 'Saturn' titles) and the running time was 87 minutes.
Suitably filmed martial arts fantasy set during the Feudal wars in medieval Japan and concerning a shapeshifting sword fighter. This amusing 'mini feature' seems patterned after comic book fluff and resembles a cross between a kung fu flick and the fun Japanese cult series 'Ultra Man'.
I got this old video tape for Christmas back in the 1980s from my parents and was surprised to find it was an episode of a t.v. series from the early 70s. Despite really rank dubbing, this has a few things going for it: marauding skull ninjas (looking like they stepped out of 'He Man & The Masters Of The Universe'), sword swinging villain that looks like a poor cousin of 'The Thing' (from 'Fantastic Four') here called 'Mole Man', three likable nomadic war orphans (one of which is the lycanthropic 'Lion Maru') and a running time of 22 minutes. I can't find enough info on this series to tell what episode this might be but judging from the narration and the story, it's possible that this is the first one.
I got this old video tape for Christmas back in the 1980s from my parents and was surprised to find it was an episode of a t.v. series from the early 70s. Despite really rank dubbing, this has a few things going for it: marauding skull ninjas (looking like they stepped out of 'He Man & The Masters Of The Universe'), sword swinging villain that looks like a poor cousin of 'The Thing' (from 'Fantastic Four') here called 'Mole Man', three likable nomadic war orphans (one of which is the lycanthropic 'Lion Maru') and a running time of 22 minutes. I can't find enough info on this series to tell what episode this might be but judging from the narration and the story, it's possible that this is the first one.
Contemporary (1970s) setting doesn't improve standard melodrama involving smuggling circle. Film does have twist conclusion and some good kung fu action but also funky discotheque muzak (elevator versions of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and 'C.H.I.P.S.' Theme!!!) and a trite 'Death Wish' plot.
Dashes of Lee's 'Chinese Connection' & 'Fists Of Fury' with the classic style of the first ten minutes are the best thing about this bland actioner. Note to collectors: the tape had no video label distributor listed and the film had a running time of 92 minutes. Also the tape listed 1978 as the year of release.
Dashes of Lee's 'Chinese Connection' & 'Fists Of Fury' with the classic style of the first ten minutes are the best thing about this bland actioner. Note to collectors: the tape had no video label distributor listed and the film had a running time of 92 minutes. Also the tape listed 1978 as the year of release.