The Lady Assassin
directed by Tony Lou Chun-Ku
starring Leanne Lau, Norman Chu
88 Films
The films made by famed Hong Kong film studio Shaw Brothers in the early 1980s were an odd lot. They came out during a transitional time for the industry, both financially and creatively. The overseas box office was contracting, the influx of films from the west was changing audience’s tastes, and a young crop of filmmakers was ushering in the Hong Kong New Wave. The Lady Assassin, released in 1983, clearly leans into the hyperkinetic action and surreal flair of the new wave, while utilizing all the perks of a large studio — notably sets, costumes, and seasoned technical crews. The film has been sadly neglected over the years, probably due to not fitting in nicely with the standard Shaw fare, but luckily 88 Films is all about giving new life to martial arts films beyond the standard canon, bringing us this delightful mix of kung fu and Wuxia swordplay with lots of palace intrigue.
For a film titled The Lady Assassin, the titular lady is not the protagonist, as much of the plot revolves around two minor Qing dynasty princes who are jockeying for position and power, as well as those in their orbit hoping to back the right prince and ride their coattails to the upper realms of power. This is certainly a plot that could be an epic historical drama, and at times the plot does get in the way of the story, but the film doesn’t bog down, and unleashes some eclectic swordplay action set pieces and a spectacular throne room battle that starts over the top and just keeps going. Sometimes martial arts films can feel a bit locked down from a visual sense, but here, director Tony Lou Chun-Ku lets loose with a highly mobile camera, impressive wire work, and insane stunts, culminating in one of the all-time greatest freeze-frame endings ever, which I will not spoil here. Fans of the weirder side of the genre will not be disappointed.
This 88 Films release looks fantastic. It is so nice to see film studios that seem to actually value their film archives the way Shaw Brothers does. It has at times been frustrating, as in the past the archivists were reticent to release lesser-known titles, but the gates have opened in recent years, and some terrific films are being seen for the first time in decades. Sadly, this disc is a bare-bones release, but it is a terrific film from the end of Shaw Brothers’ golden era.
