FATED CALAMITY (OGRE GATE)

This is just a quick option I am thinking of using in an upcoming campaign where my players want to start their own sect. Most fated elements are random in Ogre Gate, and that generally works, but this is meant as something to have the whole group establish at session zero as a way of steering the campaign in a direction the group wants. Essentially you have everyone agree on a fated calamity for the party during session zero. This can be specific or broad. For example, if the party is all under the same Sifu, the fated Calamity could be that the Sifu will die in a battle with an enemy sect. To be clear this isn't an event that must happen, it is an event that Heaven wants to happen. In Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate, fate is a force, and so the way to handle it is through modifiers. In the example of the Sifu fated to die fighting an enemy sect, it might mean opponents get a d10 bonus against him in combat when they are from a rival organization (or it might even mean he gets a bonus because this will encourage him to be more and more reckless). The final mechanical expression is up to the GM but this section from the WHOG rulebook explains the principles: 

This is really just an implementation of the idea from the rulebook, specifically to session zero. But the idea of it is to help with the party's overall purpose as a group. A Sifu fated to die, could help a party that is ultimately seeking to build their own sect (left over Sifus can be a complication in Ogre Gate). But that is just one example. It could be any pivotal event that clarifies the direction the party wants to eventually go in session zero (whether that is to eventually become bandit leaders, pirates, rebel against the empire, etc). 

IN THE LINE OF DUTY 3

Cynthia Khan was made to star in In the Line of Duty. This is true in a literal sense as her stage name is a combination of Michelle Yeoh's former stage name, Michelle Khan, and Cynthia Rothrock's name, who were the two stars of franchises first film, Yes, Madame! 

The series has a pretty confusing history, and it wasn't even really a proper franchise initially. The second film, Royal Warriors, also starred Michelle Yeoh, and did not include Cynthia Rothrock. But by the time In the Line of Duty 3 was released, it seems to have become an officially continuous franchise, and Michelle Yeoh had departed as she retired from acting that year when she married producer Dickson Poon. While this retirement would end in 1992 after the couples' divorce, they needed a new star to helm the series. So Cynthia Khan, who had a dancing background like Yeoh, was brought in to play the lead. It should be noted that in the first two films, Michelle Yeoh didn't play the same character. In Royal Warriors she was Michelle Yip and in Yes Madame! she was Senior Inspector Ng. But Cynthia Khan, perhaps because with this movie it became a proper franchise, plays the role of Inspector Yeung Lai-Ching, going forward in the series. 

I don't want to bog down this review with thorny details concerning its home video release and foreign release, but it gets pretty messy and anyone familiar with movies in the series will understand how so. They have all gone under a number of different names, which is not unusual (for example I remember watching Swordsman II, as Legend of the Swordsman, having no idea it was a sequel to anything). Here though the names crisscross, films get put out of order (Royal Warriors was often billed as the first movie, Yes, Madame! was sometimes billed as the second, even though it came first and In the Line of Duty 3 was sometimes called Yes, Madame 2.). 

Often called a bullet ballet series, I think of In the Line of Duty films as belonging to the Girls with Guns subgenre. In the Line of Duty 3 sometimes gets a bit overlooked. It isn't unloved but it is often not as well regarded as the first two films or the fourth. But I think it is a very interesting installment. And it is one that left a lingering impression. 

Perhaps some of this is due to the weirdness. But I think it really has to do with how well Cynthia Khan fits into the series, and her explosive introduction. Michelle Yeoh's absence weighs heavy and the way Cynthia Khan steps in and takes over, breathes fresh life into it. There is also something oddly dark about this one. All of the films in the series have a certain tone. Yet for me In the Line of Duty 3, stands out and left me with so many questions. 

One example is the Duo Robbers, played by Michiko Nishiwaki  and Stuart Ong. Not only are they ruthless terrorists, but also a blood thirsty and passionate couple whose political extremism is only outdone by their lovemaking antics (which are bizarrely athletic). And there is a strange subplot about a vague illness afflicting Stewart Ong's Nakamura Genji. They don't really specific the disease, but given the year, plus the fact that Michiko Nishiwaki's character, drinks his blood as they talk about dying together, always suggested to me it was HIV/AIDS. The symptoms don't especially line up, but I wouldn't expect precise medically accurate symptoms in a film like this. And maybe they never really determined what it was. But that reading to me, would explain a lot of Nakamura Genji's angst. 

Michiko Nishiwaki is crazy in this movie, in every way possible. And a great physical performer. By the end of the movie she is simply out for revenge and that is when she is at her most frightening. She has the right look, and the physique to pull off this kind of role. She is a great counterweight to the hero. 

But the standout here is Cynthia Khan, whose performance is perfect for the role. I particularly like her kicks. It is fairly easy to do a convincing punch, but executing kicks on camera takes athleticism. And we get this right at the start of the film in a tremendous sequence where a traffic citation spirals out of control and she is forced to rip the side of her skirt to allow room for serious kicking. It is a terrific moment where the film seems to announce its intentions to the audience. 

There is also the way bystanders are killed, and how this is addressed within the movie itself, rather than just forgotten about. It is a movie that kills characters you might not expect to do. And the violent action is very kinetic, feeling gritty despite its very stylized approach. An example of this is when a named bad guy gets his head ground open by an industrial drill. And some characters are casually killed without any real confirmation of their demise. 

If you haven't seen Yes, Madame! or Royal Warriors, definitely check those out, but the rest of the series is well worth watching too. In the Line of Duty 4 is also a great watch, and brings Donnie Yen into the franchise. I should be doing a short review of that one as well in the future. 

LADY WITH A SWORD REVIEW

You can check out my review of Lady with a Sword over at easternKicks. This was quite a good movie. It starts out with a terrible crime committed against a woman coming from mourning her murdered father, and her son joins up with his aunt to get revenge. What is cool about it is the way the revenge plot unfolds and how it becomes about a complicated family in turmoil. And the fight sequences are all excellent. I think it is definitely worth checking out and the new 88 Films Blu-ray looks great. 

Also I have more reviews coming up at easternKicks so be on the lookout for them. You can check out my review of The Black Tavern HERE. 

Lady with a Sword is 1971 Shaw Brothers film directed by Kao Pao-Shu, starring Lily Ho. 

THE MIGHTY STEEL SWORD OF THE HAN FAMILY (RBRB)

Lo Lieh finds the sword's use limited
against wooden weapons

This is a new potential top ten weapon for Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades. It is inspired by the sword in Swordswomen Three, a 1970 film directed by Shen Chiang and starring Essie Lin Chia, Shen Yi, Violet Pan Ying-Zi, Chang Yi, and Lo Lieh. 

You can check out my review of it HERE. 

THE MIGHTY STEEL SWORD OF THE HAN FAMILY
Requirements: 2 ranks in Internal Martial Arts or suffer -3d10 to use

This wide blade does Internal Arts + 3d10 damage and 3 extra wounds. Its greatest power is its ability to draw any metallic weapons. When unsheathed roll opposed Internal Arts against Muscle of all wielding weapons made of metal in a 200 foot area. On a Success these are drawn to directly to the Mighty Steel Sword's blade, where they are magnetized (it is an Internal Arts roll TN 6 or Muscle TN 10 to remove them). On a Total Success, those disarmed also take normal damage from their own weapons. Due to the minor action required, the sword can even be drawn as a counter (whether the wielder has an appropriate counter or not: simply roll opposed Internal Martial arts against Muscle to prevent attacks by metal weapons). 

SWORDSWOMEN THREE (1970)

This is a casual review of the film Swordswomen Three. 

Swordswomen Three is a 1970 film directed and written by Shen Chiang, that stars Essie Lin Chia, Shen Yi, Lo Lieh, Chang Yi, and Violet Pan Ying-Zi. Shen Chiang was a notable a writer who penned the Temple of the Red Lotus Trilogy and films like The Thundering Sword (1967). He also directed Lady of the Law (1971/1975) and Infernal Street (1973).

The movie centers on a sword, a powerful item that is magnetized to yank weapons from the hands of the wielder's enemies. Chu Tien-Hsing, played by Lo Lieh, seeks to become leader of the martial world by stealing the sword from a woman he is engaged to marry, because she and her two sisters are tasked with guarding it. When he takes the weapon, they must track him down before he is able to cause chaos among the clans. 

While it is ostensibly about three Swordswomen, for me the real breakout heroine is Essie Lin Chia. If she were a Golden Girl, she would be Dorothy: she is wiser and more cautious than the others, but also has an edge to her personality. She seems to be the most skilled fighter in the group and to me she felt like the main protagonist of the film. She is very cunning, and takes initiative to infiltrate Lo Lieh's clan and get back the sword. I particularly liked the evolution of her relationship with a group of men called the Three Bullies. Initially they just seem like run-of-the mill martial world tough guys, but we discover there is more beneath the surface. I was especially impressed with Essie Lin Chia's command of this role. Her character has a will of iron and there is just something about the way she carries herself that made me believe every move. 

Another sister, Han Yu-Mei played by Shen Yi, had a romantic storyline with Lo Lieh's Chu Tien-Hsing that also gave the movie more depth. Lo Lieh, is about as bad as they come here (in terms of wickedness) and so naturally any reciprocation on his end is purely out of self-interest. But Shen Yi's character has real feelings and she appears to be the more sensitive of the sisters, so I liked seeing her figure out a way to get the sword back from him after he takes it (her approach is much less inventive and aggressive than Essie Lin Chia's Han Lan-Mei. 

The third sister is played by Violet Pan Ying-Zi, who is beautiful and has a lot of on-camera charisma but less to do in the movie. People might remember her as the woman who cut off Jimmy Wang Yu's arm in the One-Armed Swordsman. She also had major television roles in the 80s, starring as Xiaolongu in the 1984 Return of Condor Heroes Taiwanese  series. Here I felt she could have been given more. But I say this cautiously because it is possible a nuance of the story escaped me on a single viewing. 

Lo Lieh as the supremely ambitious Chu Tien-Hsing is simply great. While he certainly has bigger and more recognizable villain roles, he is very entertaining in Swordswomen Three. The man just knows how to play someone who wants to rule the marital world, and doesn't care who needs to die for him to rise to the top. His story is also a bit more interesting than usual because he initially meets with failure in his efforts and this is one of the things that prompts him to seek the sword. 

Another character I loved is the disfigured female master called Shadowless. She conceals herself with a hood and kills or blinds anyone who sees her face. I frankly wish we got more of her. Shadowless is very intriguing and I liked the disfigured look under the hood. It appears she is given free reign within the sect, as either Lo Lieh's number two or someone he both trusts and fears. 

The fight sequences are great. The martial arts direction was by Tong Kai and Lau Kar-Leung so it is very solid. There is ample lightness martial arts, complete with wires (which pays off in the final sequence). And we get a lot of internal martial arts, as using the the mighty steel sword can only be used by someone skilled in it. I particularly liked the final battle in the bamboo forest where the hero uses the surrounding terrain against Lo Lieh. This is a movie whose action is firmly embedded in the wuxia genre. 

I should say this is not a slick, super modern looking wuxia film. It isn't quite into that swashbuckling mold of some of the 60s and early 70s Shaw Brothers, but it does have a somewhat old fashioned look about it. More in the presentation of the story than in the action. I think this works though. I didn't mind when things slowed down for example and we spent time with the characters at the inn (and it wasn't wasted because it was used to help us understand the different personalities of two of the sisters). In fact I would say this movie appears deceptively dated, but if you give it a chance, you will see there is plenty of interesting and exciting stuff going on. 

What really sells the movie for me are the fights and the colorful characters. I also quite enjoyed how the film balanced having a large cast, but not losing sight of the story. And while it is a fairly straight forward tale about a a ruffian who wants to dominate the martial world by controlling a powerful sword, the drama among the characters gives it more layers. And I don't really mind movies about figures seeking to rise. They work well for the genre.  

I give it a 3.5 out of 5, but this is only based on a single viewing, and I've found I tend to rate things higher the second or third time I watch them. This is one I would actually like to revisit. I only had time for a single watch and wanted to get my initial thoughts out, but I would like to do a more in depth review of it when I have more time. It is available as part of the Shaw Brothers Collection Volume 6 from Shout! Factory, and comes with a commentary track by James Mudge (which I have not yet had a chance to check out but am looking forward to). The character names are different in the subs than in this review (I used the names on the Hong Kong Movie Database credits page). 

THE BLACK TAVERN REVIEW

My review of The Black Tavern is up at easternKicks. You can check it out HERE. 

This is an amazing movie. I had a lot to say about it. If you like movies like The Hateful Eight, this is definitely one to check out. Also it is an outstanding performance by Ku Feng, who passed away recently. 

The basic premise is a group of bandits all descend on the same inn, in search of the same big score they know will pass through because they heard a traveling singer spread rumors about it. It is filled with tension, and has some of the best fight choreography you will ever see from this era. 

But see my full review at easternKicks (I should have more coming up there too in the weeks ahead). 

THE YOUNG AVENGER (1972)

This is another casual review where I give my first impressions of a film right after watching it. 

The Young Avenger is a 1972 wuxia film directed by Griffin Yueh Feng, starring Shih Szu (Bao Zhu), Yueh Hua (Chen Shi Lun) and Fan Mei-Sheng (Liu Tuo). Griffin Yueh Feng had a long career going back to the 1930s and directed movies like The Dragon Creek (1967) and The Bells of Death (1968).

The film is about a young woman whose father is killed by a hunchback named Liu Tuo, revenge for the death of his own brother. Liu Tuo narrowly escapes and vows to return in ten years to complete his revenge. Against the wishes of her aunt, her dying father sends young Bao Zhu to study with her fourth uncle, a Mad Monk living at a distant temple. Her father was part of a quartet of heroes who included the monk and the Third Bother Iron Fan. After Bao Zhu is sent to the temple to train, her aunt's son, Chen Shi Lun begins studying under Third Brother. This backstory sets the stage for the events of the film following Bao Zhu's return to their village ten years later. She re-unites with Shi Lun and they band together with the villagers to contend with the Hunchback and his men. 

There is something old-fashioned about The Young Avenger, despite being released in 1972. This is probably due to Griffin Yueh Feng being such a veteran director. I had a similar feeling when I saw The Dragon Creek. Here the movie, though clearly a wuxia film, reminded me of the old westerns. While I wouldn't say it is a great film, it is a good saturday martial arts movie. It almost has a hang-out feel because it is largely about the build up to the arrival of Liu Tuo. 

While there are plenty of fights, there aren't an overwhelming number of them. There is a nice opening sequence, that is actually rather mysterious when you get to the rest of the film. I won't spoil it, but I will say it only raises questions. Once the opening is through it flashes back to Bao Zhu's childhood and we get the duel between Liu Tuo and her father, Li Kui. The fight is decent, but its primary function is to illustrate what a terrible person Liu Tuo is. There is another fight when Bao Zhu is on her way back into town, this one considerably better than the first in my opinion, in which she takes on a number of bandits. It is peppered with a few more minor fights but culminates with a large-scale skirmish between the villagers and Liu Tuo's men, and a final showdown with Liu Tuo himself. 

Liu Tuo deserves some mention here. He is played by Fan Mei-Sheng, who normally plays  minor roles in just about every Shaw Brothers film you have seen. He is instantly recognizable. But this part is large and important to the plot. I think he is well cast for this type of bad guy. Liu Tuo is extremely unlikable and untrustworthy, and constantly engaged in needless deception. He isn't a fun villain, but he is a villain you enjoy watching get what's coming to him. 

Shih Szu is good in this role. There is a bit of range to it, including elements of family drama. I have a review of The Black Tavern coming out elsewhere. She was in that as well and it came out the same year. I do think her physical performance in that movie was a bit stronger than in this one, but she is still very goodie The Young Avenger (The Black Tavern is a very high bar). I should say she also has a very cool sword. It has no guard and fits seamlessly into its sheath, so looks like a plain shaft of bamboo. It is a weapon design that has been in countless movies over the decades. I am not sure if I have seen it before this one, but this is definitely one of the earlier appearances for me. I was wondering about the cinema history of this weapon as I watched the movie. 

Black and white still

Yueh Hua is also quite good. I like him as the student of Iron Fan. He is scholarly and uses a metal fan like his master, which serves as a nice contrast to the swords in the film. And his physical performance is solid. 

Something I liked about The Young Avenger was it created a sense of a larger martial world. This is usually a plus for me when a movie can hint at this. We see this in the beginning as we learn about Bao Zhu's father and his sworn brothers. 

Ultimately though this is about a town fending off martial bullies. And I think it is pretty effective here. I liked how it got into the tactics the town used to martial resources and defend itself. This is the one area where I think the movie would have a lot of value for gamers. You get a real sense of what a small town's defenses would look like. 

By no means is this my favorite film, and I wouldn't tell people to rush out and watch it, but I think it deserves 3 out of 5 stars. 

The Young Avenger is available in Blu-ray on the Shout! Factory Shaw Brothers Classics Volume Six boxed set. The blu-ray is very nice quality and it has a commentary track from James Mudge of easternKicks. Full disclosure, I have written reviews for easternKicks, but I quite like his commentary tracks. I waited until after I wrote this review to listen to the commentary for The Young Avenger (just so I could commit all my thoughts without alteration or adjustment based on information in the track). It is very informative and engages with the film a lot. I recommend Volume Six in general as it has a number of great movies, including Finger of Doom, The Black Tavern and Duel for Gold.