To Kill A Mastermind (1979) review

 

TO KILL A MASTERMIND 1979

Teng Wei Hao (Fan Tao), Yuen Wah (Hsi Chao), Wang Lung Wei (Peng Shih Hao), Shi Gang (Liang Ying), Yuen Pin (Ho Ming Tien), Lo Sheng (Lu Yi Fei), Lo Chun (Liang Chieh), Meng Ting Ke (Chuan Pao Pao), Ku Feng (Chou Tung Lou), Liu Hui Ling (Ms. Ying), Ai Fei (Guan Jie), To Lung (Huang Chang), Lin Zhi Tai (Lo Hsiang Tai), Hsiao Yu Ming (Peng Shi Ji), Jaime Luk Kim Ming (Martyr Group Member)

 

Directed by Sun Chung

The Short Version: Sun Chung's action-packed mystery thriller was an inspired, if failed, attempt to transform new trainees--including a disco dancer, a construction worker and a male model with a black belt in Karate--into new action stars in 1979. Heroism gets in the back seat while a rogues gallery of martial miscreants take the wheel. Spies integrated within their ranks use deception to foment distrust, leading to the villains literally killing each other off in what is basically a Wuxia/Kung Fu version of THE THING. I Kuang's script is exciting, if stitched together using plot points from other works. Meanwhile, Tang Chia's action design is among the man's best work of his career. TO KILL A MASTERMIND is a vastly enjoyable, hidden gem on the resume of one of HK cinemas criminally underrated directors.

 

“Abide by the five elements… enshrined by the sun and moon… my partner lies in the tiger’s den… waiting to kill the mastermind with me”.

 

 

After eight years of failed attempts to annihilate the dreaded Seven Evils syndicate and to expose the identity of their mysterious leader, Minister Yang Chen Yu, under orders of the Imperial Court, hatches a new plan to destroy them from within. Clans of gallant fighters come together to topple the Evils once and for all, awaiting the right time while an unknown informer masquerading  as one of the killers turns them against one another from the inside. Unbeknownst to the heroes, the true leader of the Seven Evils, whoever he is, may have the last laugh on them all. 

 

In October of 1978, Sun Chung began filming his 20th Shaw Brothers production. Originally titled 'The Culprit', it was an action thriller about a criminal organization operated by an unknown leader being brought down from within after one, maybe more, informers infiltrate the organization. The title was then changed to 'Seven Untouchables’. Director Sun Chung was fascinated by the story, attracted to the potential for building suspense in keeping viewers wondering who was good and who was evil. Finally, its Chinese title became SEVEN EVILS with an English export title of TO KILL A MASTERMIND; that moniker being a reference to a code phrase for spies to recognize each other.

 

This article is both a new review of the movie (you can read our old review with promotional materials HERE) and a lengthy piece detailing the production history of this action-packed, and unjustly overlooked movie before, during, and after its release.

 

Also that year in 1978, director Sun was enjoying his biggest box office to date with THE AVENGING EAGLE, his most successful film up to that point upon his return to Swordplay cinema a year earlier with 1977s JUDGMENT OF AN ASSASSIN. Director Sun first explored the Wuxia Universe in 1972s wildly entertaining THE DEVIL'S MIRROR; a film he was proud of but brought to tears over, upon sitting in an empty theater on the night of its debut.

 

THE SEXY KILLER (1976) was Sun's first hit movie in Hong Kong, but it was THE AVENGING EAGLE (1978) that solidified him as one of the then British colony's best martial arts action filmmakers. In release for 14 days, Sun's searing tale of redemption and revenge made HK$2,028,480. It ranked 12th for the years domestic releases. It was also one of only two Shaw productions to make more than HK$2 million that year; the other being THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN. His previous Wuxia picture, THE PROUD YOUTH (1978), based on a famous novel that was made as the SWORDSMAN trilogy in the 90s, had been a hit as well. 

 

With these back-to-back hits, and THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD set for release in April of 1979, interest in what Sun would choose as his next project was high. The success of THE AVENGING EAGLE was due to the pairing of Ti Lung and Alexander Fu Sheng playing characters of opposing viewpoints but with the same goal. They played the same type of roles costarring again in THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD. This was yet another epic Wuxia drama that ended up making HK$2.7 million.

For TO KILL A MASTERMIND, though, director Sun Chung would go a different route.

 

The venerable director Chang Cheh had an uncanny ability for spotting talent and giving them opportunities that lead to thriving careers as actors and directors. In August of '78, Chang's THE FIVE VENOMS was released in HK and was a surprise success considering the six main leads were unknowns; all of whom were being formally introduced to an audience for the first time. Some of them had been visible from a co-star turn or supporting role, but in FIVE VENOMS, all six were carrying the picture themselves. It was #14 for the year, making HK$1,814,609 in 13 days of release.

 

Inspired by Cheh's talent-spotting abilities, Sun Chung decided that for his next picture, he would create some new stars of his own. He felt that audiences had become more astute in not only appreciating an actors skills, but also a directors. The shooting of TKAM would be a test of this theory that audiences, if nothing else, would want to see a film based on Sun Chung’s name value alone.

There was another reason Sun Chung wanted to transform unknowns into stars. On his previous pictures where he worked with big names, director Sun had to contend with scheduling conflicts with his actors. Back then, actors would be working on as many as three to five movies at once. So a film may shut down for several days or even longer depending on the importance of one of the other productions.

Of the 60 graduates from Shaw's Actor's Training Academy in 1978, director Sun personally chose 7 to be his leading actors in TO KILL A MASTERMIND. He added Yuen Wah and Yuen Bun, both of whom had been in the industry for years as stuntmen. He'd already directed Yuen Bun, a future award-winning action choreographer; he was among the Eagles fighting Ti Lung at the beginning of THE AVENGING EAGLE. 

 

Upon selection, the new faces were sent to intern with director Chang Cheh to both observe and act as gophers, performing basic tasks like serving coffee and getting anything that's needed inside the studio. Industry types thought it was a bold move to shoot with so many inexperienced actors, but also a risky one. The director was confident in this project, even though he was unsure how the end result would turn out.

 

 

Sun Chung had originally planned on using established stars Ti Lung, Fu Sheng, Yueh Hua, and Chen Hui Min as the major players in TO KILL A MASTERMIND. Noting the heavy amount of twists and double-dealing in the plot, he concluded that audiences were familiar with those stars and would expect them to play a certain part; using unknowns would only add to the suspense of not knowing what side a particular character was on. In November of 1979, just before the film hit theaters, Sun Chung remarked, "By using new faces, these actors have not yet established the perception of good and evil in the minds of the audience. When patrons go to see TO KILL A MASTERMIND, they're not going to know how the film ends".

 

Reporters drew comparisons to Chang Cheh's new, 4th generation of actors (CRIPPLED AVENGERS began filming the same month) and those of Liu Chia Liang’s class, curious if director Sun would form a group of regular actors of his own. Sun Chung had no such plans, other than to enhance his own career and help create new stars that would move on to work with other directors. Despite using mostly new actors, he did believe his movie could at least make a million dollars at the box office.

 

By early 1979, it became clear that TO KILL A MASTERMIND would take more time than originally anticipated; one reason being there were so many lead performers that had little to no experience in front of the camera. Sun Chung felt each actor needed their own specific look that was easier to match to the character in the script. Director Sun spent hours photographing each of them separately and together, in a variety of costumes and weapons till he found the look he felt suited each individual.

Filming lasted for one hundred working days, which was an inordinate amount of time. The first twenty days were reportedly excessively taxing on director Sun in getting the new actors comfortable with both the camera and taking direction. Moreover, the problem of training 7 new performers in timing, posture and expressing themselves wasn’t the only issue preventing a smooth shoot.

Shortly into filming, one of the main cast, Mai Te Lo (playing Iron Leg Chuan Pao Pao of the Seven Evils), won Hong Kong's first ever Disco Dancing Competition; and had a chance to participate in an even bigger competition. Mai was inspired by SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977), and like Tony Manero, Mai had to dance. He decided his dancing skills and disco's popularity was the way to go, so he tried to get director Sun to allow him to participate in these dancing contests. Sun Chung told him he couldn’t spare him and that he needed to do what he signed up for. So the next day Mai didn’t show up at the studio. He broke his contract and refused to fulfill his obligation. Mai had signed a two-year contract and once he broke the deal so soon after he signed it, a lawsuit for breach of contract was expected but never came. After negotiations failed, Sun Chung recast the part with bit actor Meng Ting Ke (Mang Ding Goh). Of course, this meant every scene with Mai in it had to be reshot... well, most of them.

 

 

Due to the magic of film restoration, one five-minute sequence features multiple shots of Mai Te Lo in costume that made it into the finished film (see above pic standing outside). It begins roughly at the 39 minute mark when the gang are doing away with another of their chiefs, believing him to be the informer. Mai is present in the background, and twice in a medium shot, although he's slightly hidden in darkness (see insert: Mai is at the left). 

 

 

There's one insert shot of Mai's replacement, Meng Ting Ke, delivering a line of dialog (see insert image). Director Sun likely figured nobody would notice Mai (see above pic in middle background) since there were no clear closeups of him in the sequence and it would save time on having to re-shoot the entire segment. If he was originally participating in this action scene, those shots were not re-filmed.

When a dancing career didn't pan out, Mai did return to Shaw Brothers a few months later to star in DISCO BUMPKINS (1980), a musical comedy that capitalized on his popularity and dancing skills. This film was already being prepared for him before he split to hit the dance floor; so when he returned to the studio, the project was waiting on him.

 

Having studied a variety of martial arts styles since he was a small boy and having won a few judo competitions, Mai became a background player in several of Chang Cheh's and Sun's films upon signing with Shaw's company after he graduated from their Actor’s Training Academy. He'd already been given direction by Sun Chung as a prison guard in THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD. After DISCO BUMPKINS, Mai embarked on a string of Kung Fu pictures mostly for revered filmmaker and martial artist, Liu Chia Liang (Lau Kar Leung). Some of these are MY YOUNG AUNTIE (1981), THE MARTIAL CLUB (1981) and THE LADY IS THE BOSS (1983).

Regarding Liu Chia Liang and his stable of actors, Mai wasn't the only one to end up making movies almost exclusively for him. Actress Hui Ying Hung was originally cast in TO KILL A MASTERMIND as a character named You Ju. Presumably it was one of the brothel women under the employ of Ms. Ying played by Liu Hui Ling (see insert: Liu at far right). She'd played a minor role of that kind in Sun Chung's THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD released in 1979. She was removed from the MASTERMIND roster and given four films--DIRTY HO, TIGRESS OF SHAOLIN, MAD MONKEY KUNG FU, and CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS.

The TKAM shoot may have been excessively stressful for Sun Chung, but a few things happened during filming that were bright spots for him. GODFATHER’S FURY (1978), a Triad movie Sun Chung directed that was co-produced with independent writer, producer and director Chung Kuo Jen, had been a hit in 1978. It made HK$1,172,149 in seven days of release. Sun Chung seemed somewhat embarrassed by the film, noting he completed it in a total of 14 days; Chung Kuo Jen was known for getting his films done quickly. However, Run Run Shaw was amazed at the level of quality Sun Chung and his crew achieved, telling the director it was one of the best gangster pictures he’d ever seen, comparing it to THE GODFATHER (1972). Run Run Shaw was so impressed with the film, it was among the company’s re-releases in 1979; barely a year after its original release, and just ahead of TKAM. Today, GODFATHER’S FURY is the rarest of Sun Chung’s action films.

By 1979, Sun Chung had been in Hong Kong for eight years. While the talks with Robert Mak were ongoing to get him back to the studio, director Sun decided to go home. He had been working longer hours than usual on TKAM and collapsed due to exhaustion, so time off was definitely warranted. He and his family took a 15-day vacation to return to his hometown of Kaohsiung in Taiwan to visit his family and to see how everything had changed in those eight years.  When he returned to HK, he immediately went back to shooting TO KILL A MASTERMIND. He was also vocal about Mai quitting: “As long as Mai comes back to finish filming, he won’t be held responsible for the delays. I don’t understand why he’s dealing with such a simple matter in such a complicated way”.

 

As for the cast, there were actually nine newcomers--seven were playing antagonists and two were protagonists. The seven villains, though, had the grander focus placed on them.

 

A familiar face to Shaw Brothers movie fans, Lin Zhi Tai initially signed a three-year contract with Shaw's, first appearing in Chang Cheh movies in background roles. Sun Chung's intriguing Kung Fu Whodunit afforded him his first supporting part even though his total screentime doesn't amount to much. Off-screen, Lin Zhi Tai was a Mantis Kung Fu practitioner. On-screen, his roles remained more or less this size for at least the duration of his Shaw tenure. 

 

He would frequently flip-flop between Chang Cheh and Sun Chung productions; although his parts in the former's movies gave him more camera time than the latter. He was Lu Feng's first victim at the beginning of THE MAGNIFICENT RUFFIANS (1979), the first of the Ten Tigers students killed at the beginning of TEN TIGERS OF KWANG TUNG (1980) and was run through with a trident that was then pulled out of his back while removing the mask of one of the three evil chiefs in MASKED AVENGERS (1981).

 

Hsiao Yu Ming (see insert: Hsiao at left) was among the nine new faces, and one of the few good guys. His part isn't a sizable one, going by what made it to the screen. Hsiao was picked up by Chang Cheh for use as an extra in CRIPPLED AVENGERS (1978) where he got a couple lines of dialog talking to Yang Hsiung about Wang Lung Wei's broken chain weapon. He studied Hung Gar with Chang Cheh discovery Chi Kuan Chun, Wei Pai (the Snake in THE FIVE VENOMS) and TKAM newcomer Shi Gang.

 

Director Chang regularly used him although the size of his roles never rose above the supporting cast. One of his larger parts was in the re-shoots for Chang's TEN TIGERS OF KWANG TUNG (1980) when it began filming again in January of 1980; and the Alliance fighter who takes a great deal of damage battling the Wood Element in FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS (1982).

The above-mentioned Meng Ting Ke (or Mang Ding Goh in Cantonese), the actor that replaced Mai Te Lo (or Robert Mak as he later became known) in the role of Iron Legs Shuan Jia Bao, had been a bit player for several years. He reportedly didn’t have a martial arts background but did learn various styles like White Crane and Eagle Claw for filming purposes. Sun Chung had worked with him on 1978s GODFATHER’S FURY so TO KILL A MASTERMIND was his biggest role up to that point. 

 

He was friends with FURY’s producer Chung Kuo Jen. He put Meng in a costarring role in VICE SQUAD 633 (1979), a co-production with Golden Harvest. If you're a fan of these films, you may remember Meng as a prison guard detailing to villain Kuan Feng about the half-medal that passed hands at the beginning of Lo Mar’s MONKEY KUNG FU (1979); another film with inexperienced actors turned lead performers.

 

Like his elder brother Lo Mang, the Toad in THE FIVE VENOMS (1978), 23 year-old Lo Chun was a Mantis boxer and was taught by Lo Mang himself. Playing the Seven Evils Chief with the Iron Rings, Lo Chun only featured in a few movies before quitting the business almost as quickly as he'd signed on. 

 

The 21 year-old Lo Sheng, who plays Lu Yi Fei, the Iron Flywheel Chief in the gang, is Lo Chun's brother, and another younger brother to Lo Mang. Sheng worked with their father in his construction business before being coaxed into trying his hand at acting. They saw the success Lo Mang had attained and thought they could do the same for themselves.

Both brothers appeared in the same movies together; and both quit their five-year contracts barely a year into them. Without giving it much of a chance, they felt the industry held no prospects for them. The original plan was to stick it out for the five years and if they hadn’t gotten anywhere by the contract expiration, they’d go back to their previous lives. Sadly, the biggest roles the two brothers had in the five films they appeared in was TO KILL A MASTERMIND.

 

Both Lo Chun and Lo Sheng make background appearances in three other Sun Chung movies. Likely going from lead status to essentially being extras had a devastating effect on them. They’d hoped to do a film with their older brother, Lo Mang, but outside of playing two sons of the Tian Nan Tigers who are crippled by Lu Feng in CRIPPLED AVENGERS (1978), they never appeared onscreen with their older brother.

 

The aforementioned Shi Gang as Chief #3 of the Seven Evils saw his role changed from what was originally written. In the beginning he had sleeve arrows in addition to those hidden on his back; but the sleeve missiles were discarded for unknown reasons. Akin to his co-stars, this was his biggest role, and it's one of the major parts in the film. He was the tallest man of the new roster at 5'10" tall. 

 

Shi Gang was also an electrician and TV repairman before entering the movie business; for the brief time it was. He had a brief but pivotal role in a flashback sequence in Chang Cheh’s darkest film, MASKED AVENGERS (1981). Liu Chia Liang gave him some minor roles with dialog and an occasional fight scene. One of his last parts was playing one of the Tartar Generals in the classic THE EIGHT DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (1984) where Shi is almost unrecognizable wearing heavy facial hair appliances.

 

Finally, finishing out the new roster is Teng Wei Hao. Arguably the most versatile of the cast-members, he was a black belt in Karate before joining Shaw's organization. This was another obstacle to get over—training a new actor in the more fluid and graceful maneuvering of Chinese-style action versus the harder, forward motion of Japanese martial arts. With his darker complexion, Teng worked as a model in advertisements and fashion shows. Unfortunately, he never took off as an action star. Aside from a few other substantive roles, TKAM was the biggest one of his career. However, Teng himself felt he was lucky getting this opportunity even though he believed his time in the industry was going to be short--which it was.

 

As Fan Tao, the #8 chief of the Seven Evils, he's imposing in his fight scenes using twin knives. With his wild eyes, facial stubble, flowing black cape and intimidating body language, he's like a Chinese Count Dracula. The stubble was Sun Chung's idea to help his character stand out even more. Teng was interested in all aspects of filming and was always watching the filming when he wasn't required in front of the camera. 

 

He had this to say about his first leading role and working for director Sun Chung: "We were all fortunate to meet director Sun Chung. Without him, we may not have gotten this chance he's given us with this film. He taught us acting, taught us how to move, how to come in and out of frame, performing close-up shots, facial expressions and timing. It took a lot of energy and effort. When it comes to acting, we are all still immature. It's undeniable. There were times I fumbled my lines. There were times I moved relatively slow and my reaction time was not fast enough. Director Sun would curse loudly and scold us which got our attention. As for myself, he still had the patience to work with me in how to perform in front of the camera. He is a first class teacher and I will always remember my time working for him".

Wang Lung Wei was certainly not a newcomer. He'd become famous for playing villains, first appearing onscreen in Chang Cheh's superb SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS (1974), followed by FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS (1974), then MARCO POLO (1975). A few months before TKAM was released to theaters, Wang was in the dressing room reading a magazine joked to a reporter, "I never expected that after so many years of filming, the company would market me as a newcomer". Wang was another Chinese martial artist who trained in the Japanese arts. In TKAM, Wang plays Peng Shih Hao, the highest ranking chief next to the mysterious Supreme Leader of the syndicate.

 

The role of Yuen Wah as the #2 Chief Hsi Chao is one of the biggest acting roles he had, and the most prominent up to that time. He's impressive in every scene he's in. Under Sun Chung's guidance, Yuen Wah shows an ease at playing villains. He has a stand-out fighting sequence late in the movie that spans multiple sets. Unlike the other cast members, Yuen's character is made up of characteristics from two personas from Sun's THE AVENGING EAGLE. He wears a skullcap with the long hair dangling beneath the metal headband like Wang Lung Wei wore in that movie; and he uses one of the metal Eagle Claw gauntlets Ku Feng wore at the end of the film.

 

Yuen's first major role as an actor was in Li Pai Ling’s THE SUPREME SWORDSMAN (1984), known then as THE EAGLE’S SWORD when it began filming in late 1978. Prior to switching over to acting, he made a good living as a stuntman and stand-in. Yuen had changed his contract from a stuntman to an actor contract.  It was Ti Lung who encouraged him to do so. It wasn't unusual for the elder actor brothers that came before like Ti Lung and Chen Kuan Tai to help bring up the next generation. 

 

Yuen Wah was working on other films too, and was sometimes known to pull a 24 hour shift, and still did stand-in work. In his day, he was probably the best acrobat in the HK film industry. He was famous for being Bruce Lee's stand-in, and for many others, including female stars like Connie Chan Po Chu. Despite the easily agitated evil chief he plays in TKAM, Yuen was a quiet and reserved man.

 

There was a period of downtime where the new-to-acting actor was asked about shooting TKAM and the length of time it was taking. He said, "It's been nearly 60 working days so far. I don't know when it will be finished because there are too many directors working on new films using the same studios. These days, most of the productions use the studio factories on a rotating basis. The main set for SEVEN EVILS has been dismantled for the time being. We are on standby so other directors can finish their work". 

Yuen Pin (or Yuen Bun) was the older brother to Yuen Wah. Both men had great faces for villainy. If you're a fan, you'll have already seen Yuen Pin in dozens of Kung Fu and Swordplay movies playing minor characters. THE AVENGING EAGLE was his first speaking role. He's only in the beginning, but Sun Chung would expand his screentime for TKAM by making Yuen Pin one of the main characters. Playing the #4 chief Ho Ming Tien, he uses a trick sword that has multiple blades sheathed within the main sword. It's actually a modified blade using the same scabbard that Ti Lung used in Sun Chung's THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD (1979). 

 

Yuen Wah and Yuen Pin were part of the Seven Little Fortunes, an opera troupe made up of a much larger class of child actors who performed on stage and screen. This was the original Yuen Clan, as the seven (and others) were all trained by master Yu Zhan Yuan (Yu Jim Yuen in Cantonese) and took the name of “Yuen” while under his tutelage. Jackie Chan was among the seven (as was Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao) whom were all trained by master Yu. 

 

In the same 1979 interview quoted above, Yuen Wah was asked about the Seven Little Fortune members that had become big stars... "I'm very happy for [Sammo and Jackie]. We all grew up in very difficult times, and no one's success or failure is a matter of luck. It's that everyone's circumstances are different. I am honored to have outstanding brothers like Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan".

 

However, it was the second Yuen Clan that propelled Jackie Chan to superstardom in 1978; changing the face of the industry from one of a serious, stoic visage to a clumsy and funny face. There had been transformative years in the HK film industry throughout the 1970s, but the year of '78 was a far-reaching change that altered martial arts moviemaking. Both Yuen clans were integral in this cinematic change. It was the year that signaled the beginning of the end for the traditional Kung Fu film.

 

This second Yuen Clan were an actual family of actors and stuntmen fathered by Yuen Siu Tien, an actor who’d been in the business for decades. Others like Yuen Woo Ping, Yuen Cheung Yan and Yuen Shun Yee had been in Shaw Brothers since the 60s as extras, stuntmen and action choreographers. But in 1978, all that changed. Movies with serious plot lines like TKAM were losing favor with audiences. People wanted to laugh and it didn’t matter how shoddy the production was so long as there was plentiful humor.

 

The success of two independently produced Kung Fu films, SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW and DRUNKEN MASTER, were as much a shock as the failure of Sun’s movie. The two pictures directed by Yuen Woo Ping were top ten hits in 1978. The former was the #7 hit of the year, playing for 15 days and making HK$2,708,740. The latter was an even bigger success, amassing HK$6,763,793 in 30 days of release. The irony was the star of these two films was Jackie Chan—the headliner of over half a dozen back to back disasters between 1976 and 1978. This was a level of financial failure that would’ve bankrupted most independent companies. Yuen Woo Ping, a former stuntman and choreographer directing for the first time, took a chance on Chan while producer Ng See Yuen was rolling the dice funding a movie starring that same young man who made a multitude of movies few went to see. 

 

Sun Chung was making a similar gamble, but with a large number of unknown faces. Yuen's two Jackie Chan pictures in comparison had less to lose, what with there being virtually no sets to build and barely a budget to go around. Something else to take note of is the #1 hit of 1978, a Hui Brothers comedy co-produced with Golden Harvest called THE CONTRACT. It made HK$7,823.090 in 21 days of release. This was further indication that comedy had become a genre trend that wasn't going away anytime soon.

Regardless of what some might think of Kung Fu comedies, these cheaply made productions that couldn’t always afford scriptwriters, set decorators, and even the fees required to get the films into theaters, had taken over the action film market… for the time being.

 

As for TKAM, the film was released in November of 1979 to mediocre business--failing to even breach the million dollar mark that would have made it a moderate success for the time. With the rise of the Kung Fu comedy in 1978, even more people were going to the movies as there were more family-friendly films to see. This resulted in more films making the long-coveted HK$1 million prize in revenue that categorized a hit film.  

 

Sun Chung's experiment had failed and, for his next Swordplay project, was back to using established names for his motion pictures; and the box office increased. TKAM possibly did better business in other markets like Singapore and Taiwan. Director Sun wouldn't attempt this sort of gamble again. It appears one of the biggest reason for TKAM's failure was due to the genres new trend towards comedy in 1978.

 

The newcomers of TKAM never broke out as stars; they either quit the business, or went back to being bit players (with an occasional major role) and action choreographers where, in the case of Yuen Wah and Yuen Pin, they continued to find great success. Yuen Wah, though, wanted to do more work in front of the camera and his star gradually grew well into the 1980s and into the 1990s. Audiences weren't willing to give them a chance. It didn't matter how good the story or production values were.

 

I Kuang’s script goes deep in creating an actual mystery with a wide range of characters. Director Sun succeeded in doing what he sought out to do even if his efforts weren't rewarded with a hit film. There’s even three masked men added to the roster to keep you guessing whether or not one of them is the prime leader of the Seven Evils. Apparently Sun Chung wasn't confident in the script as it was written because he added new fight scenes to cover up whatever shortcomings he felt were there.

What the script doesn’t do well is depicting the Seven Evils as wicked as their reputation purports. We see them kill people and we hear about how ruthless they are; but we never see them do much to make the audience feel they’re as fearsome as we're told. For the largest part of the running time, we see the plans of the Seven Evils constantly foiled. Granted, this “by design”  inner turmoil is what brings them down, but had we spent some time seeing them laying waste to their opposition, these later scenes of their downfall would have greater resonance. 

 

To compare it to its predecessor, TKAM is the reverse of THE AVENGING EAGLE in that, unlike the latter title, we spend most of the movie with the villains as opposed to the men hunting them. Moreover, it's missing the dramatic punch of EAGLE but perfectly balances plot with plentiful action.

 

When the Shaw restorations were being released in the early 2000s, anticipation was high to finally see TO KILL A MASTERMIND in a restored format. The only version available at the time was a terrible quality bootleg. Unfortunately, TKAM never came out on DVD or VCD during the five-year licensing period that IVL had with Celestial Pictures. The film did turn up on the ZiiEagle Box, a hard drive containing all 549 remastered Shaw Brothers titles and some 60-70 additional titles that had only been partially cleaned up. TKAM was among these titles exclusive to the box. Several years later, the film was fully remastered in 4K and had aired on Chinese television. Now, after all these years, we finally have a blu-ray presentation to enjoy at home.

 

As it is, TKAM is simply a hugely entertaining, Wuxia-Kung Fu hybrid with a good storyline centered almost entirely around the main villains. Tang Chia's choreography is varied with grounded fist vs feet action and moments where armed combatants leap high into the air or fly across the screen to avoid enemy attacks. It's a nice mix of Wuxia extravagance and complex Kung Fu maneuvering. In May of 1979, Tang was working 20 hour days on films for Sun Chung and Chu Yuan. He had done this schedule for the past four years due to an obsessive diligence in maintaining his level of quality in the choreography. He was asked about taking a break and his response was "I can't take a break right now. I have to watch the crew". 

 

Tang had a great work ethic that didn't go unnoticed with Run Run Shaw. He'd been trying to get Tang to become a director for some time and he turned down the offer again in 1979. He finally agreed to direct in 1982, his first film as a director being SHAOLIN PRINCE (1983). His brother Huang Pei Chi, who often collaborated with him on films, has a cameo appearance at the beginning (see insert: Huang in the center). TO KILL A MASTERMIND has some of Tang's best work. Director Sun carried the biggest load in teaching the new actors, but it was also Tang Chia (as well as both directors of photography Tsao An Chun and Lan Nai Tsai) helping out as they all not only had to learn to act in front of the camera, but fight in front of it, too.

 

 

It was a huge disappointment for director Sun Chung to watch his heavily promoted film die in theaters after a few back to back successes. GODFATHER'S FURY, THE AVENGING EAGLE, THE PROUD YOUTH, THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD and THE KUNG FU INSTRUCTOR were all profitable--ranging between HK$1-HK$3 million. Possibly had it come out a couple of years earlier, or even earlier in 1978, it might have gotten more attention from filmgoers. Fortunately for fans, the MASTERMIND isn't remaining unknown any longer.

 

This review is representative of the 88 Films blu-ray. Specs and extras: new HD transfer from the original negative; 1080p 2:35.1 anamorphic widescreen; still gallery; limited edition slipcase and reversible artwork; running time: 01:39:00

 

The Lady Assassin (1983) review

 

THE LADY ASSASSIN 1983 aka APOCALYPSE IN THE QING PALACE  aka REVELATION IN THE QING PALACE

Liu Hsueh Hua (Lu Si Niang), Tony Liu Yung (Yong Zheng), Mok Siu Chung (14th Prince), Norman Tsui Siu Keung (Tsang Jing), Jason Pai Piao (Nian Geng Yao), Sun Chien (Gan Fung Chi), Yuan Te (Bai Tai Guan), Johnny Wang Lung Wei (Lord Loong Foh Do), Ku Feng (Lu Liu Liang), Yang Tsing Tsing (Jade), Daisy Cheung King Yu (Pearl), Kuan Feng (Lord Chang Tieh Yu), Huang Mei Mei (Lu's Daughter), Ching Miao (Emperor Kang Si), Tony Lu Chin Ku (Ninja)

Directed by Lu Chin Ku

The Short Version: Tony Lu Chin Ku’s lavish tale of court intrigue, betrayal and revenge is one of the best swordplay films you’ve never seen. It was largely ignored during its original release due to a rise in modern day stunt action and romantic comedies; and with an increase in television series production quality, you could see the same kind of Swordplay action at  home for free. The plot of THE LADY ASSASSIN has been told many times before and since, and it's told particularly well in director Lu's melding of folk tale with the historical. Stylish, bloody, violent and packed with drama and tragedy, THE LADY ASSASSIN closes its curtain with the single greatest final shot in movie history.

The emperor is near death and among his sons, the choice of successor is between the 4th and 14th princes. Feeling his father will choose his youngest to succeed him, the 4th prince tries to buy off his younger brothers ally and bodyguard, the honorable swordsman Tsang Jing. When this fails, the 4th Prince meets Nian Geng Yao, an arrogant soldier who defeats him in a fight. When Nian Geng Yao learns this commoner he’s beaten is actually the 4th Prince, he becomes his loyal subordinate. Now Prince Four has his own trusted confidant. There is still the matter of Prince Four being chosen. 

 

 

He learns of a noble scholar named Lu Liu Liang who may be able to help him. Fiercely anti-Qing, Prince Four promises Lu and his equally righteous family of Han’s that should he become emperor, he promises to implement equal treatment under the law between Han and Manchu. The only way to ensure the 4th Prince ascends the throne is to alter the imperial decree. Lu’s niece, Lu Si Niang, is tasked with stealing the document, hidden somewhere within the “Just and Open” chamber of the palace. She succeeds and her uncle doctors the decree to now state the throne will go to Prince Four instead of the intended 14th Prince. 

 

Adopting the name Yong Zheng, the new Qing emperor quickly angers the Han’s that helped him by not keeping his promise. Instead, he tries to eliminate them and any others who threaten his reign of Manchurian hegemony.

 

The story of Emperor Yong Zheng and especially of Lu Si Niang has been told many times in both film and television. Just to name a few of them, the character of Lady Lu was originally the focal point of director Cheng Kang’s THE FLYING GUILLOTINE II (1978) when he started the film in January of 1976 before leaving the project due a series of problems you can read about HERE. A grim and gloomy television series from 1980 titled DYNASTY told the story over the course of 57 episodes. THE REBELLIOUS REIGN, a 1980 movie production, told the story from the POV of Nian Geng Yao, played by Pai Piao in LADY ASSASSIN. Tsui Siu Keung also stars as the 4th Prince in this independent production. Then there was another TV series, a different and much more upbeat one in 1984 titled THE LEGEND OF LU SI NIANG that ran for 25 episodes. 

 

Director Liu Chia Liang made a comedic, and heavily modified version of the story in 1979 under the title of DIRTY HO. He used the throne usurpation largely as a backdrop for Kung Fu comedy vignettes. And then there’s director Lu’s hyper-kinetic, tragedy-fueled, blood-soaked sword-slinger THE LADY ASSASSIN, shot in the summer of 1982 and released in January of 1983…. One of the classiest films of its kind you’ve never seen.

The following is a review of the film via the new bluray from 88 Films; and an article detailing the making of this woefully underrated dramatic thriller--what led up to it, the shooting of it, and its release.

When you look at director Lu Chin Ku’s independently made Kung Fu films and those he made at Shaw Brothers, you’ll see a noticeable difference. So much so that it might not dawn on you that the same man who directed THE BLACK DRAGON (1974) and TIGER OVER WALL (1980) also directed HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD (1983). Lu Chin Ku started his career as an actor; but by 1973, he knew being a leading man wasn't in his future so he turned to directing movies. His directing style was different from everyone else making martial arts films at Shaw Studio. His dizzying photographic style by way of DP Ma Chin Hsing was accentuated by super-cranked wirework and action choreography by Yuan Te, Pan Chien Chun and Chung Wing.

Director Lu wasn't entirely satisfied with his first film for Shaw Brothers, that being THE MASTER (1980); so he altered his methods for his next two pictures. This led to the executives at Shaw’s being puzzled by the approach director Lu took on those two films--THE AMBITIOUS KUNG FU GIRL (1981) and LOVER’S BLADES (1982). These were two Wuxia comedies made in an unorthodox fashion. The settings were ancient times but used modern diction and a playful, youth rebellion aesthetic; they weren’t the typical mannered swordplay the company normally made. Director Lu preferred making more serious films but the taste of the audience still leaned heavily towards the comical. He had other scripts he’d written but company executives rejected them. It was much easier to get a script to screen with comedy in it than one without it.

Frustrated with this situation, Tony left the company for several months and made an independent comedy horror film called TOOTHLESS VAMPIRES. While he was away from Shaw’s, Lu's LOVER’S BLADES was a big hit in Singapore. So Shaw Brothers convinced him to come back. With the bump he got from LOVER’S BLADES Singapore profits, director Lu got the go-ahead to do a drama-heavy picture, which he preferred to lighter fare. So he dropped a half-finished movie he was also dissatisfied with and headed back to Shaw Studio. 

He had a dark project he was especially passionate about but he wasn’t done writing it, so an adaptation of possibly the most popular version of how Yong Zheng became emperor in 1722 was up to bat. Aside from a script supervisor, no scriptwriter is credited, but director Lu wrote his version himself. Along the way some changes and additions were made.

As was normal procedure for Chinese language movies back then, not all the roles were cast when filming began. Most of the characters were taken from history but two central to the plot are never referred to by name in the film; those being the 4th (named Yin Zhen) and 14th (named Yin Ti) sons of the Kang Si Emperor. Tony Lu’s script is faithful to the historical figures despite some not living at the same time as others; although in interviews, he points out that this popular version of the story is an unofficial historical account. 

There was certainly plenty of treachery, avarice and debauchery in the official record, but the folklore that has never been substantiated is what is often the subject of numerous motion pictures. Two examples of unverifiable facts is that Yin Zhen, the fourth prince, altered his fathers will to name himself as new emperor by having the character for “14th Prince” doctored to instead list the “4th Prince” as successor. This is a widely circulated story and does lend itself some credence considering that Yong Zheng did indeed ban and or censor any writings on his becoming emperor and anything remotely anti-Qing.

 

The other is that Lu Liu Liang’s granddaughter Lu Si Niang (his niece in this movie) exacted revenge on Yong Zheng by assassinating him. This revenge is enacted in the movie, and done in spectacular fashion as it is in the unofficial record; wherein Lu Si Niang was said to have broken into the palace and killed Yong Zheng with her sword. 

 

As portrayed in the film, Liu Hsueh Hua is fantastic as Lu Si Niang. She was one of the most beautiful actresses employed at Shaw Studio during the company's last few years of theatrical operation. She turned a lot of heads in the horror film HELL HAS NO BOUNDARY (1982), where she’s seen puking up a mouth full of wheat worms. When she got the notice to star in THE LADY ASSASSIN, she let it be known she wasn’t fond of doing period-set motion pictures. But her interest was piqued while reading Wuxia novels in the interim. 

Any young actress who would stuff their mouth full of wriggling worms would surely throw themselves into a martial arts role, and that’s exactly what Liu Hsueh Hua did.

 

Liu wanted to do as much of the action as she could. She probably wished she hadn’t on some days; such as when she narrowly avoided serious injury while performing wire stunts in the palace sequences. Sometimes she’d be hanging in midair with nothing but a two inch wooden perch to stand on while waiting to be pulled around the set. 

 

On one occasion she was up in the air and the pulley and or the rig itself malfunctioned, sending her plummeting to the studio floor. To ensure there were no broken bones, filming stopped so she could be taken to the doctor. Upon her return to the set, it was back into the harness again. This time she was pulled up higher than before—up to the rafters just below the studio lights. This is a 30-40 foot high indoor set. Now she's being spun around and around in different directions vertically and horizontally; with each passing second she's hoping the harness doesn't break or some other mechanical snafu. 

 

Shortly before filming was finished, she spoke of this incident, stating, “I was scared out of my mind. Everyone on the ground were as scared as I was. They were telling me not to move while I was spinning. They were afraid that if I moved my head or my body at all I might hit a beam or one of the lamps, they had me so high up in the air. They finally let me down and after all this time thinking how brave I am I started crying and telling them ‘I won’t shoot anymore, I won’t shoot anymore’”.

She did compliment director Lu and how much fun it was working with him and his team. Director Lu kept a light and jovial set with a lot of energy in his directions. This translated to the screen. Liu Hsueh Hua would work on Lu's next movie, HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD (1983); and again on THE BASTARD SWORDSMAN (1983) and RETURN OF THE BASTARD SWORDSMAN (1984).

The revered scholar Lu Liu Liang, played by workaholic actor and award-winner Ku Feng in the film, wasn’t even alive when Yong Zheng took power. Lu’s anti-Qing writings did inspire the real life Tsang Jing to try and overthrow the Emperor, resulting in Lu and some of his family members being exhumed and their remains violated in some grotesque fashion. For director Lu's film version, Lu Liu Liang occupies the same time as Yong Zheng and is humiliated by him while living,

 

Tony Liu Yung and Jason Pai Piao essay the roles of the 4th Prince and Nian Geng Yao respectively. The depiction of both men is probably the most accurate segments of the film in relation to their historical counterparts. Probably the one major difference is that Nian was already a rising military figure in the Kang Si Emperor's militia before he became the trusted right-hand man to Yong Zheng (for a time, anyway). 

 

Liu Yung was a fantastic actor who rose to prominence in 1976 when his starring role in EMPEROR CHIEN LUNG was a top ten hit. Aside from an occasional run-in with the law, he was regularly in the news for his various romances that seemed as normal as any other. It was when he married Tai Liang Chun in 1983 that domestic abuse and violence came to the surface, tarnishing an otherwise impressive career by an equally impressive actor.

 

As for Pai Piao, he was close friends with director Lu, going back to their days as contract actors first at major studio Cathay then at the independent film company, Yang Tze Films in the early 1970s (You can read about them HERE). A military commander with many titles to his credit, Nian Geng Yao's story was intended to have been brought to the screen in 1973 starring Bruce Lee as Nian in what was to have been his first of potentially two Shaw Brothers productions. Unfortunately, the mega-star died before he could bring the project to fruition.

Director Lu had been shooting for five days before the role of Tsang Jing (Hui Jing in the mandarin version) was finalized. There were two actors being considered—both former employees of Shaw Brothers—David Chiang and Norman Tsui Siu Keung. David played the same character on the 1980 ATV series, the aforementioned DYNASTY. Norman had just finished DUEL TO THE DEATH (1983) at Golden Harvest, the directorial debut of former Shaw Brothers choreographer and actor Ching Siu Tung. David Chiang’s star was fading by 1982 and Tsui’s was rising after he became a major player upon his leading role in the hit series TRANSFORMATION OF THE CELESTIAL SILKWORM, aka REINCARNATED, from 1979. It was made into a movie by Shaw Brothers in 1983 as THE BASTARD SWORDSMAN and directed by Tony Lu Chin Ku. 

Shaw executives negotiated terms with both actors and went with Norman Tsui who was the best choice, after all. He’d been a graduate of Shaw’s actor training academy in 1973 but didn’t get roles of substance till his contract was almost up. It wasn’t till he signed with RTV that he became a big star and his movie career quickly gained steam thereafter. He had a reputation for being an unruly actor in that he may show up late to the set or possibly even disappear altogether. He was also a flamboyant womanizer and philanderer, and his movie roles sometimes reflected this lifestyle. His interpretation of Tsang Jing in THE LADY ASSASSIN is superb and one of his best acting turns. 

 

Wang Lung Wei plays Lord Long, a General Commandant to the 4th Prince who is blackmailed into participating in the plot. Loong Fu Do (Long Ko Do in the mandarin version) is accurately portrayed in the non-action sequences. When seven of Kang Si's sons were assembled to hear the reading of the will just before the emperor died, Lord Long read the document aloud, which is depicted onscreen. Lord Long disappears an hour into the movie; explained in a line of dialog that his health is declining.

A new character is then introduced, Chang Ting Yu. Like the main and supporting characters, Chang Ting Yu was a real life court official. Unlike Long Ko Doh, who was Manchu, Chang was Han Chinese. We learn nothing about him in the movie; he just appears and has a few fight scenes till Lord Long shows up again. Played by Kuan Feng, an underrated martial arts actor, the character of Chang Ting Yu wasn’t in the original script. 

 

Wang Lung Wei was working on other films and as often happened back then, a production would either shut down for several days till an actor returned, or shoot around them if possible. Instead of shutting down, director Lu wrote in the new character and changed other scenes involving Lord Long, including how he exited the movie. Lord Long was originally written to have been killed by Tsang Jing. This was changed to Tsang being mortally wounded by both Lord Long and Lord Chang during a setup when Tsang believes he’s rescuing Lu Liu Liang from execution. This scene is the last we see of Long and Chang; leaving both their fates unknown.

 

The ninjas weren’t in the original treatment either. Tony Lu sometimes took small roles in films he directed and he did the same while at Shaw Brothers. His role as the Ninja is probably the biggest and most memorable of his Shaw era. He has a couple of lines and cuts a formidable presence with his long hair and pale complexion. Lu as the Ninja steals the show for the handful of scenes he’s in during the last 20 minutes.

 

Also among the cast are Yuan Te and Sun Chien as the two male guardians to Lu Si Niang. Director Lu tried to make Yuan a star in THE MASTER (1980), and then cast him opposite Michelle Yim (Jackie Chan's girlfriend at the time) in THE AMBITIOUS KUNG FU GIRL (1981) but he didn't catch on. He found greater success as an action choreographer, winning for Best Action Design on the Jet Li film FONG SAI YUK (1994). Sun Chien was formerly of Chang Cheh's camp, the Scorpion in THE FIVE VENOMS (1978). A Taekwondo specialist from Taiwan, he never made it as a leading actor. He left director Chang's group in late 1979 after appearing in TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN (1980) and embarked on a string of supporting roles like the one he plays here.

 

The largest of the indoor sets is a three-story recreation of the Palace of Heavenly Purity—translated in the movie as the “Just and Open Hall”. In real life, it was where the Kang Si Emperor resided; although the 4th Prince, who took the era name of Yong Zheng upon taking power, only used this enormous room for meetings with his cabinet members and for banquets. The emperors will was also hidden in this room and that’s recreated in the film via some swordplay style MISSION IMPOSSIBLE stealth maneuvers. The wildly over the top finale takes place on this huge set as well. Undercranking to speed up action scenes had been in use for years. Director Lu turned it up to a 1990s level of velocity.

Lu Chin Ku took longer shooting this film compared to his previous Shaw pictures. The film was intended for the international market as opposed to being largely for the local Hong Kong and other southeast Asian territories. The Shaw Brothers had wanted to break into the American market for nearly two decades and periodically made attempts to do so. They’d recently co-produced BLADE RUNNER (1982) and wanted attention paid to any of their more auspicious productions, of which THE LADY ASSASSIN was one. Some of the studios renovated and newly built sets looked magnificent, giving this film a unique look that set it apart from other Shaw pictures of the day. 

 

Unfortunately, Chinese martial arts movies still had a negative stigma attached to them. As polished a movie as THE LADY ASSASSIN is, it likely wouldn’t have stood up with films like RETURN OF THE JEDI, OCTOPUSSY, JAWS 3D and SUPERMAN III. Meanwhile, Golden Harvest had its own co-production with Warner Brothers out in American theaters in 1983 with HIGH ROAD TO CHINA starring Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong.

Filming on THE LADY ASSASSIN lasted for 80 working days. This was double the usual Shaw production. Director Lu had intended to take even longer as there were aspects of the script he wanted to elaborate on and improve things in other areas. The film appears to have had exposition shaved off in favor of action. Shortly before the film was released, the final plotline referred to a character named Doctor Er Feng who lived in an isolated mountain hut where Tsang Jing hides out to recover. Lord Chang tracks him there, and this leads into the scene where he's ambushed by Chang and his archers.

Lu Chin Ku’s average box office was a consistent HK$2 million. That wasn’t the case with THE LADY ASSASSIN. When it was released in January of 1983, it died a swift death at the box office, being removed from circulation after only five days. Director Lu was devastated. The studio executives were stunned. They thought they at least had a modest success on their hands, but the box office was a shockingly low HK$900,000. Critics were impressed by the production, noting the meticulous sets and costumes. The performances were strong across the board but the audience simply didn’t turn out.

By this time in 1983, television productions had greatly improved and people in Hong Kong could stay home and watch a television series with comparable production values for free. A week after LADY ASSASSIN disappeared from theaters, a TVB series called LEGEND OF THE UNKNOWNS aired for 20 episodes. This series took place prior to Emperor Kang Si’s feuding sons vying for the throne.

 

THE LADY ASSASSIN's disastrous box office run was a wake-up call for Shaw executives. They had come to grips with their inability to keep up with current trends and adapt to them. Their martial arts films were hot sellers overseas and it’s what kept them going. In America, these films ruled television, although THE LADY ASSASSIN was missing in action there too. It wasn't till bootleg copies began circulating in the early 1990s that fans got to see this hidden gem.

Lu Chin Ku’s visual feast may have died in Hong Kong theaters but it thrived in Taiwan where it was a big hit. Swordplay films were still major attractions for Taiwanese audiences and ASSASSIN’s success for Shaw in that market allowed director Lu to soon be able to make his passion project… a story about a revered soldier who suffers enormous pain and strife while trying to clear his name. This script is what eventually became SECRET SERVICE OF THE IMPERIAL COURT (1984), one of the most powerfully dramatic Shaw Brothers films.

 

The new blu-ray presentation of THE LADY ASSASSIN looks amazing. The audio track, though, uses the same altered track created for the Hong Kong DVD release with the added music to give your stereo system something to do. You can still hear the original music in the background; and if you've never seen the movie before, you probably won't notice. Even so, the picture quality is a stunner, with all the attention paid to the sets and costumes enhancing what is one of the most polished and visually satisfying Shaw Brothers productions. THE LADY ASSASSIN missed her time to shine back in 1983; now she's got a second chance in 2025.

 

This review is representative of the 88 Films bluray. Specs and extras: limited edition slipcover with double-sided poster; reversible artwork; new HD transfer from the original negative in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen 1080p; interview with fight choreographer Poon Kin Kwan; trailer; stills gallery; running time: 01:30:33