Shatter

Hammer helped define the gothic vampire genre, for which we should be thankful, but they also found need to dabble in other fields with mixed results. Shatter did not have the most inspired mixture and doesn't stand the test of time very well. Perpetually grouchy killer for hire Stuart Whitman fails goes to Hong Kong where he fails to collect from disreputable banker Anton Diffring. Corrupt government official Peter Cushing has his men beat the pulp out of Whitman, who stumbles off to a massage parlor where kung fu master Lung Ti treats him to a freebie from adorable Li-Li Li (whose name sounds like the refrain to a doo-wop song). Whitman finds his apartment blown up so he takes refuge at his new friends' dojo. He slips underground for a while but gets attacked at a martial arts invitational won by understated Ti. Without questioning the moral validity of his instincts, they help him in his quest to extort a mil from Diffring. International affairs gets somewhat sticky from here, and the bullets fly freely until the predictable climax. Carreras tries his best to present Whitman as a then-prevalent philosopher killer, but the weak introspective sequences that show Whitman roaming around his apartment fail to do the trick. The apparently sensitive regret he feels for his victims comes off as a brooding doom with little real emotion backing it up. Shatter's intolerance for international culture makes a few unexpected peeps from its veneer of acceptance. Snooty references to eating snakes evidence a discomfort with the behavior of a foreign country. The background story sets this attitude in stone: Whitman's being tracked down for getting involved with political affairs in Badawi, a corrupt puppet country in Africa in which brothers contentedly murder brothers for money and power. Such situations may perhaps at time truly occur, but the same can be found in Shakespeare with less disapproval asked of the audience. The degree of acceptance present can be seen as a sense of tragedy, completely disconnected with the random slaying of evil black or Asian characters. I don't mean to push the point, but I found it odd that both major black characters were played no-name Yemi Ajibade in an otherwise internationally well-known cast. Cult director Monte Hellman apparently assisted Carreras, far more experienced as a producer, but did not receive credit. Writer Don Houghton produced the other Shaw/Hammer co-production, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires and also takes credit for the awful but amusing Dracula AD 1972. Scenes allegedly shot in Badawi, a country that does not exist, were probably done in Hong Kong.

An African dictator is assasinated by a secret serviceman unbeknownst that he was hired by a mob rather than his government. He goes to Hong Kong to collect his fee and finds that the mob, his own government, and the African nation are all after him. Stuart Whitman plays the very tired looking Mr. Shatter. He looks like Jack Riley playing Mr. Carlin on the Bob Newhart Show! He meets up with a couple kung fu fighters, one a young man who is the best fighter in Asia and the other a young girl who falls in love with Whitman's lack of charm and exhausted looks. The film has some great fight scenes and the young kung fu expert Lung Ti is an exceptional martial arts expert. Despite the film's obvious flaws, it is a pretty good action-thriller. The acting takes a back seat to the martial arts and the great scenery of a bustling Hong Kong. Peter Cushing has a small role as a British secret service agent and his cameo is the best thing in the film. The role gives Cushing a great part as a rather sadistic, sharp-tounged man with a great sense of ironic humour. He chews his lines with obvious relish(must have been happy he got the free trip to Hong Kong when he heard he was going to be billed below Stuart Whitman in a film named Shatter!). Whitman is also bested by Anton Diffring as the banker for the mob and Whitman's chief nemesis. Diffring had a way playing men of low moral character. Hammer worked with the Shaw Brothers(they produced numerous martial arts films) and came out with a pretty entertaining film. Though not nearly as exciting or innovative as The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, Shatter still delivers some punch...and flying feet!

The other Hammer / Shaw Brothers collaboration, Shatter's conception predates The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, as it was originally pitched as a Canadian co-production before being confined to a shelf for a few years and then resurrected as part of the collaboration deal. Rather than a period drama as both companies were used to producing, Shatter sees the action transported to contemporary Hong Kong and it's used to great effect, even if it amounts to nothing more than a lot of glorious eye candy. The film ran into many problems during production and this is evident in the finished product, the editing is off by a beat, it doesn't go anywhere very fast and isn't helped by a mediocre script. Stuart Whitman doesn't care about his role, an entirely one-note performance, but he's carried by the indomitable Peter Cushing who always gives 100%, remaining a joyous presence in this otherwise substandard kung fu exploitation. Ti Lung is the actual star here even if he struggles with his English dialogue, the same problem befalls Lily Li. In the end, the novelty value of Shatter probably makes this more of interest to Shaw fans than Hammer fans; although I enjoyed the film, like Golden Vampires, it just left me wanting more from its initial promise, ultimately coming across as incredibly sloppy and rather underwhelming.

I have a long association with SHATTER going back to the mid 1970s when it was one of those films that instead of going straight to DVD, went straight to cable. In the early days of HBO where it was known as CALL HIM MR SHATTER, the movie was a late night fixture airing after more respectable viewers had gone to bed. I remember thinking at the time what an oddball cinematic exercise it was to mix a film noir plot (doublecrossed hit man seeks revenge) with martial arts (or kung-fu as Americans used to say) activity.

And what were stalwarts Peter Cushing and Anton Diffring doing in this East-West hodgepodge? Surely this wasn't a Hammer production? Indeed it was. In fact it was Cushing's last role for the company where he had been a mainstay since starring in CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN 17 years earlier and he makes the most of his brief appearances as an amoral police official.

SHATTER was the second and last collaboration of Hammer with Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers after the notorious but hard to dislike LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES. Both movies were made in 1974 and while LEGEND proceeded fairly smoothly and wound up making money, SHATTER was a troubled production and didn't recoup its meager budget which is why it went to cable so fast.

Cult American director Monte Hellman (TWO LANE BLACKTOP) started the film but was replaced halfway through after complaining about nearly everything (just listen to his commentary). Michael Carreras found himself directing another film where the director was unable to complete his assignment. World weary Stuart Whitman looks as if he'd rather be anywhere else but at least it's not THE MONSTER CLUB or DEMONOID. Not a good movie but it's not without some merit. The ending sums SHATTER up perfectly. For true Hammer aficionados only.

Shatter (1974) was the second time Shaw Brothers and Hammer Films worked together. This time around the results are not as wild and as entertaining as their previous collaboration (The Seven Golden Vampires) but it's worth your while.

Stuart Whitman plays your stereotypical all American actor (a type of role that would later be defined by two other great actors Scott Glenn and Fred Ward). He stars as Shatter, man of many skills. Like all people of his ilk, he has completed a job and all parties want him. Like all movie professionals he runs into the same problems (i.e. reneged contract, can't trust anybody, etc.). Peter Cushing guest stars as an English Special Agent as well as several Shaw Brothers' players (Lily Lee as the love interest and Ti Lung as Shatter's protectorate). Throw in Wei Lo (staff director of the Shaws) in a cameo and bit parts from Fung Hark-On and Lee Hoi Sang and viola! You have Shatter! Despite the lack of an interesting action direction (like Liu Chia Hua) the fight scenes are above average and they aptly showcase Ti Lung's skills (it's a shame that he never made it big time, his English wasn't bad and he has charisma).

Fun for all, recommended for Hammer Films fans and Shaw Brothers marks.