Getting the chance to recently see a restored print of the wonderful The Swordsman of all Swordsmen (also reviewed),I was pleased to see another obscure Taiwan Action film being shown at the HOME cinema in Manchester. Being lucky to get hold of a ticket to the packed screening, after accidentally booking for the upcoming showing of A Call Called Dragon, I got set to meet a iron mistress.
View on the film:
For what would become his third credit, director Tsun-Shou Sung brings a Western atmosphere to the Action scenes, via sharp angles pinned upwards, which surround the Tartar invaders and the fighting rebels with a bright blue skyline.
Closely working with editor Chin-Chen Wang, Sung stages the Wuxia Action set-pieces with a fantastic, colourful stylish flourish, drawing the camera with scatter-gun whip-pans on tightly choreographed fighting moves,which land on jagged close-ups to each last gasp taken, after being inflicted with a deadly finishing move.
Opening with the title character leading the charge,the screenplay by Shih-Ching Yang (one of only ten he wrote), struggles to keep the fuse lit across the entire run time, due to attempts to build detailed outlines of the relationships between each of the rebels and the invaders, (which also touches on a allegorical side, in the rebels fighting back at those who have invaded the island) becoming disjointed, due to it pushing the main warrior further to the back of the group, and also bringing a stop/start mood to the most striking elements,from poisoning fears to disagreement mutterings being raised within the groups,as the mistress irons outs the invaders.
View on the film:
For what would become his third credit, director Tsun-Shou Sung brings a Western atmosphere to the Action scenes, via sharp angles pinned upwards, which surround the Tartar invaders and the fighting rebels with a bright blue skyline.
Closely working with editor Chin-Chen Wang, Sung stages the Wuxia Action set-pieces with a fantastic, colourful stylish flourish, drawing the camera with scatter-gun whip-pans on tightly choreographed fighting moves,which land on jagged close-ups to each last gasp taken, after being inflicted with a deadly finishing move.
Opening with the title character leading the charge,the screenplay by Shih-Ching Yang (one of only ten he wrote), struggles to keep the fuse lit across the entire run time, due to attempts to build detailed outlines of the relationships between each of the rebels and the invaders, (which also touches on a allegorical side, in the rebels fighting back at those who have invaded the island) becoming disjointed, due to it pushing the main warrior further to the back of the group, and also bringing a stop/start mood to the most striking elements,from poisoning fears to disagreement mutterings being raised within the groups,as the mistress irons outs the invaders.