Guest morgoth Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 It was too bare for me. They could have done something so it would't have looked so cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rindge Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 I did not think the last set looked cheap at all. Well appointed - no, but that may have been a plus. For me the lack of decorations may have kept me focused on the fight. To be honest how could you focus on anything but the fight? The bodyguard was working double time to protect his boss. The boydguard had a cool suit on don't you htink - that did not look cheap. On my short list of all time greatest shaw films and one kuan tai's best ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest venomchamber Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 I feel the hall was intentionally kept sparse in an attempt to keep it realistic, as well as keeping the focus on the drama at hand and not be distracted by any ornamentations and/or decor. I believe it was 'cheap' in terms of being an inexpensive set only as it was basically an unfurnished set, and not deliberately impoverished due to any financial limitations. It is a superb wu-xia tragedy, perhaps one of the best and highly recommended. Cheers and Good Afternoon! 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest morgoth Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Wait a sec, how is it a wuxia? And I am not compaining about the final fight at all. I agee that Kuan Tai and Yuen Wah performed brilliantly, but in comparison to the sets for the other fights in the movie, the final set felt cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 but in comparison to the sets for the other fights in the movie, the final set felt cheap. You are a retard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest morgoth Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 So I am a retard because I can actually back up my opinions unlike you? I don't see why you feel the need to call me a retard just because you seem to disagree with me. Maybe you will learn to respond to people when you hit the age of 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Let me explain it to you... A-S-S-H-O-L-E Clear enough. :rollin With that said, I am now done with this foolishness. Morgoth, sorry your so intent on carrying on with this (apparent) vendetta, but you have to realize you can't control threads. People on this forum are going to say what they think, regardless of how you feel about it. This really never should have gone anywhere near this far. Let it go brother. No-ones making enemies with you. They have much more important things going on in their lives. With that now (hopefullly) made clear, I apologize for the extremely rude remarks I've made to you, despite whether or not they were justified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest morgoth Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I was asking you not to talk to me because all you were doing is harassing me. I probably went to far with Mark so i will just say that I am sorry to everyone for acting like an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vengeanceofhumanlanterns Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Apology entirely accepted brother. Don't think twice about it. We were only kidding with ya in the first place. I know I've had my turns at over-reacting to others opinions. Forum etiquette is somethiing we all have to relearn from time to time. I apologize for being so simple minded as to resorting too name calling as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 8, 2007 Member Share Posted December 8, 2007 KILLER CONSTABLE- 1979 aka KARATE EXTERMINATORS Act. ****/blood ****/Movie ***** Chen Kuan Tai, Ku Feng, Pai Piao, Chiang Tao, Yuen Wah ***SPOILERS AHEAD*** 2 million taels in gold has been stolen from a vault within the Forbidden City. The Empress wants the money returned within 10 days. Chief Constable Leng Tien Ying is hired to bring back the gold robbers, dead or alive; only Leng never brings anyone back alive. He assembles a team of officers to find the stolen gold. Over the course of the film, Liang's team is dwindled with traps and ambushes awaiting them at every turn. During a fierce and bloody battle in a swamp, the leader of the robbers reveals a major conspiracy which leads to a final and gruesome revenge. This is a very popular Shaw Brothers movie from the late 70s. It wasn't a massive hit in HK, as during the time of this films release, audiences were interested in kung fu comedies and not deadly serious and downbeat martial dramas. However, numerous rip-offs and similarly plotted films followed; mostly independents. In the US, it was a major cult film among fans. It is often considered to be Chen Kuan Tai's best role. Chen became a major star literally over night after starring in Chang Cheh's seminal 1972 picture, THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG. A film that had John Woo as an AD. Here, Chen plays the brutally cold hearted, but whole heartedly righteous royal constable Leng. His brother also is a constable. He detests his methods of always killing and never showing mercy to criminals. He tells him in a strong scene that he "...stinks of blood". In this scene Chen showcases in very minute facial movements that he does indeed have feelings but he believes if one shows kindness to these cruel and vicious criminals, it would be their undoing. He is told on several occasions that he has no heart, but in reality he cannot afford to let his emotions show. In several scenes in Chen's performance, it is apparent that he really doesn't want to kill men wantonly but he knows he must lest he be killed. Probably the most obvious instance of Leng revealing a less barbaric side involves his relationship with the old guard, Pao Chung. A stubbornly loyal and devout man who wishes to join his Captain on this dangerous mission. In fact, Leng is such a stoic character, all his men admire him totally and would give their lives for him such as the one officer whom Leng gives a dowry for his wedding but the man refuses and decides instead to help capture the villains as opposed to settling down to raise a family. Judging by bits of dialog, it is apparent that Pao Chung has joined Leng on many skirmishes and seems to understand him the best. A scene in which Pao is becoming ill from the treacherous weather encountered on their journey reveals Leng removing his cloak to blanket the old man to comfort him during his sleep. Such nuances are perfectly captured by director Kuei Chi Hung. During the time period the film is set, shortly after the Ming reprisals to dethrone the invading Manchu hordes had failed, the common people caught amidst all the turmoil and war were left homeless and starving. Many of these folk resorted to crime to survive. This point is mentioned by one of Liang's men who cannot understand Leng's methods and feels pity for those less fortunate. Only when the officers take shelter in a destroyed peasant village does he realize what kindness will get you. Emotion and the lack thereof is a constant theme in this film and there aren't really any true heroes to be found in the film save for the blind girl who figures in a scene that is strikingly similar to a scene in John Woo's THE KILLER (1989). In it, Leng is unwittingly in the house of his quarry occupied by his blind daughter. When the two swordsmen meet, they stand ready to kill each other with their weapons drawn whilst the blind girl stands confusingly between them unaware of what is truly transpiring around her. Throughout the pursuit, Leng's men are ultimately killed and Leng himself has been injured with each of the exceedingly deadly confrontations. One scene has Leng and his few remaining men facing off against a hired assassin (Pai Piao) who uses Butterfly Swords and also a hidden wrist weapon that fires Scorpion Darts laced with venom. One of his men is hit with one of the poison needles and Leng and the assassin fight atop a giant fog enshrouded sun dial. If Leng wins, he gets the antidote and the assassin's share of the gold. There are many great sets that are nearly always found in Shaw Brothers movies. Even in their lower tier B movies, there is always an element of quality in the set design that makes them appear more expensive than they really are. In almost every sequence found in KILLER CONSTABLE, the constant grim and gloomy atmosphere is hammered home in the form of lots and lots of rain, thunder and lightning and a great wind storm. One ominously gothic scene has Leng limp across a battlefield amidst many arrow riddled and sword slashed bodies surrounded in fog. He finds the body of his brother resting on his knees his sword propping him up in the mud. Upon reaching him, he touches his shoulder by which he then slumps over. He was dead for some time. Suddenly a great rain storm appears again flushing away the fog surrounding Leng who then maddeningly begins slashing his sword around him yelling "KILL!" after he has discovered the insidious plot. The finale features a bravura battle sequence filled with much blood splattering and limb severing that would appear prominently in CONAN THE BARBARIAN a couple of years later in a very similar fashion. Such scenes had been a mainstay in Shaw productions since the 60s but here, these scenes have more of a visceral impact than before. Usually, in past films precise editing techniques were used in scenes involving people slashed with swords or other implements but here there are no cut-aways. You seen the weapon or arrow enter the body. It's obvious on a couple of occasions that the performer is wearing a plate loaded with blood bags, but by seeing the act without the editing, it adds a level of gruesomeness and savagery that lends an additional level of realism. In addition to the marvelous Chen Kuan Tai, Ku Feng gives another great performance. However, I can't help but feel some scenes were dropped as his first scene seems to possess some sort of emotional reveal even though up until then, you haven't seen him yet. Possibly the flashback to the robbery may not have been a flashback at all but a scene shot earlier in the film? Chiang Tao gets to play probably his only good guy role I can think of not really counting his role as the grumpy and torturous father in KUNG FU ZOMBIE (1982). He also appeared in some of those awful Joseph Lai/Godfey Ho "ninja" movies such as NINJA: THE VIOLENT SORCERER (1987?) and THE GOLDEN NINJA WARRIOR (198?) which starred Richard Harrison. Yuen Wah has a somewhat brief but dynamic role as the chief guard to the lead Court Official. During the finale he proves a most worthy guardian as well as a dangerous swordsman. The only way Leng can get close to him is to let him be stabbed by his sword. Yuen's career is a long and illustrious one that stretches over hundreds of Shaw Brothers productions as well as their chief rival Golden Harvest. He usually plays minor roles or supporting villains, he did get a starring role in Kuei's attempt at a kung fu comedy, the middling COWARD BASTARD (1979) sharing the screen with the main star Meng Yuen Man. That film was another failed attempt by Shaw's to capitalize on the success of Jackie Chan's kung fu comedies that were fast growing in popularity after the release of DRUNKEN MASTER (1979). Director Hung was a specialist in showing depravity on screen and became a force to be reckoned with directing the horror outings HEX (1980), BEWITCHED (1981), CURSE OF EVIL (1982;a rarity that will hopefully see the light of DVD someday) and BOXER'S OMEN (1983) among others. He also handled gritty action movies such as THE DELINQUENT (1974), KILLERS ON WHEELS (1976;another rarity although I think a bootleg of this is around) and GODFATHER OF CANTON (1982). According to Chang Cheh's memoirs, Kuei was an unusual and often times brutal director whose methods somewhat mirrored the tone of his films. One of the most downbeat and depressing movies of any genre, KILLER CONSTABLE is probably Kuei's finest achievement and considering he was an acolyte of Chang's, this is as close to the venerable directors style a fan of Cheh could hope for. This type of film was also a popular style at Shaw's. Chang Cheh started the whole concept of showing the hero as vulnerable. You would never know if he would live or die and many times his heroes would die albeit very spectacularly in adrenaline fueled bloody finales. This concept became commonplace at Shaw's. After seeing dozens of movies I had only ever heard of, I began to wonder if it was a policy at Shaw's that happy endings were not allowed! The ending of KILLER CONSTABLE is one helluva doozy and you're a bit unprepared for it but a Korean version has an alternate ending. Also, I believe this film was a co-production between Shaw and Korea. An interesting note about this film is that the main characters are all Manchu's; the hated enemies of the Chinese after they invaded China in 1644. The thieves and robbers are actually the "good guys" for the most part. Even though Constable Leng is a righteous man, he is still a Manchu or Qing as they are also referred. Why this film was called KARATE EXTERMINATORS in the US is anyones guess. There is no Karate on display as most of the action is with swords. A Japanese choreographer was responsible for the action which resembles fights in Japanese movies. It was also called LIGHTNING KUNG FU. This title too, is misleading since there is no actual kung fu here either save for one character played by Korean super kicker Kwan Young Moon who has armor all over his body and uses his legs for fighting. There is lightning though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Morgoth Bauglir Posted December 8, 2007 Member Share Posted December 8, 2007 All I can do is clap my hands. You really break stuff down in your reviews. Don't be surprised if I steal your reviewing style;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 8, 2007 Member Share Posted December 8, 2007 No problem, friend:) We all learn something from each other. I was hoping to have me a website up and running soon with dozens of reviews of various genres but it's stalled at the moment. I posted a number of shorter versions of these and others on a different website and a few on IMDB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Iron_Jinon Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Just finished watching...amazing experience,that`s all I can say now:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Morgoth Bauglir Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 I like to post this pic every chance I get. this seems like a good thread to do it in:D Definitely my favorite Shaw Brothers movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 I'd like to see the Korean version which has a different ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Morgoth Bauglir Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Yeah somebody posted the pics one time. My eyes did this- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 I believe it was spannick who posted them. I saved them to my computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Morgoth Bauglir Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Post em! Please! I already saw em, but for fans of the movie they are so cool to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member oldeschool17 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 yeah post em. you can use this site to host em: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ is the alternate ending better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Morgoth Bauglir Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 Nice!! But I have to say, the real ending is better where the girl is waiting in the rain. I tend to like depressing endings more than happy ones. BTW- I haven't seen the Korean version, but I want to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 yeah post em. you can use this site to host em: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ is the alternate ending better? Thanks, oldschool17, but I already had them saved to imageshack. I've never seen the Korean version. I think it was spannick who originally posted these so he may have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member oldeschool17 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 thanks venom5 for posting those. Thats doesnt appear to be the same lady emperor from the beginning of the movie. This one seems younger and skinnier. Did they shoot alternative versions due to different countries censorship? Somebody needs to upload this alternate ending on youtube! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member venoms5 Posted December 17, 2007 Member Share Posted December 17, 2007 I believe this was a co-production between Shaw and Korea which would account for the different scenes. I think there were other co-pros but I couldn't tell you what they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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