Decapitations! Impalements! It’s time to let the limbs fly!
Early on, it really feels like this wuxia is going to deliver something altogether different as a martial arts film. There are a bunch of early highlights as the crimson charm gang is confronted among crypts, corpses, and a skull which seems to float into existence, but this tale of revenge - with many training montages - gets way too convoluted for its own good. It’s not a total fail, though, as the trifecta at the center of this storm gets their deserved revenge. There are also plenty of cool action scenes - including a brutal inn attack with Ivy Ling Po flying from one side of the inn to the other - which make this entry into wuxia fame an interesting watch.
But it is also notably different, too.
It seems that the Shaw Brothers, knowing that big changes needed to happen in the genre, started to experiment with the wuxia formula. This one has a lot going for it, but it is also a bit too meandering and less-focused than it ought to be, which makes it an interesting experiment as the fantastical gives way to gritty kung-fu.
Complete with a one-armed swordwoman with a retractable blade and a date-stamped ‘70s boob shot early on, this Shaw Brothers production is an interesting effort in Shaw Brothers history as it links two branches of martial arts. The Crimson Charm is part of Shout’s Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol 2, a spectacular box set which comprises 12 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers' library, featuring some of their greatest stars Cheng Pei-pei (Come Drink With Me), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Sammo Hung (Wheels On Meals), Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), and David Chiang (The Boxer From Shantung). Many of these films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
While The Crimson Charm, written and directed by Huang Feng and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, features some wonderfully realized weapons and dramatic set pieces - which include the supernatural and the natural elements (with snow being a great one) while one revenge-seeker trains by catching birds in the air - the film is fairly straight-forward in its tale of revenge as noble swordsman and a one-armed swordswoman go up against the vicious Crimson Charm gang for the death of Master Yu.
We just have to get there, you know? And that’s when the film sorta loses some of its footing as lots of details and characters are weaved into its fabric. Some early trimming could have possibly made this film more of a straight shot, but it seems the intent was to throw everything at the screen and see what sticks for the audience and what falls.
The thieves might not be much of a threat, but there are many of them. They are also hiding (or saving for the very last battle) their evil lord (Ku Feng) whose tiger shirt is as threatening as a model on a runway, but that finale - which sees Chang Yi and and James Nam Seok-Hoon team up with Ivy Ling Po - is pretty damn cool. I mean, they take every last member out and then go after the big baddie with acrobatic skills.
For fans of the Shaw Brothers, this one is a must-see, but others be warned. This one is a bit lightweight.
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - August 15, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 12-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Huang Feng both writes and directs this "Martial Arts World" thriller of a noble swordsman and a one-armed swordswoman up against the vicious Crimson Charm gang of thieves and cutthroats. The lovely and lethal Ivy Ling Po teams with the amazing Chang I for a classic tale of good versus evil in which the best man and one-armed woman wins.
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Crimson Charm, from Shout Factory, gets its hands bloody and never once rinses its fists as beauty is birthed in this same blood, all with its audience in mind. The poetry on display comes through in the lush fields, the crispness of the interiors and the haunting exteriors, and the sudden violence which echoes throughout the film, including its big finale. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p.
Audio
The 2.0 LPCM Mandarin Soundtrack with newly translated English Subtitles is front-loaded entertainment and it is sufficient for your Chop Socky experience.
Supplements:
Get ready for some informative supplemental items with these bonus features!
Commentary:
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Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog) provides the commentary for this release.
Special Features:
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NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)
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Celestial Trailer
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Original Theatrical Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 100 mins
Director: Feng Huang
Writer: Ching-Yun Chu-KoFeng Huang
Cast: Ivy Ling Po; Yi Chang; Szu Shih
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: July 16, 1971
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 15, 2023
Synopsis: The tale of a noble swordsman and a one-armed swordswoman who find themselves up against the evil Crimson Charm gang of thieves and thugs.
