Sunday, May 3, 2009

BATTLE WIZARD (1977)

Starring:
Danny Lee, Han Chiang, Tao Chiang, Lu Chin, Norman Chu, Ping Ha, Li Jen Ho, Teresa Hsia Ping, Pei Chi Huang, Ling Ling Hung, Eddy Ko, Tien Ni, Lin Chen Chi.
Writer: Ni Kuang
Director: Hsueh Li Pao
Cinematographer: Ting Pan Yuan
Music: Yung-Yu Chen
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Original Title: Tian long ba bu

i'd never heard of this at all before, until it showed up for rental at Netflix. it's a period fantasy piece with some nifty effects, lots of fighting (the end battle is pretty cool) and some monsters as well! there's this one shot, where our heroes are on a horse with a demon running after them in pursuit, and the demon is running quickly while the horse is at normal speed. i'd never quite seen an effect like that.

i really enjoyed it, overall. it's a little slow getting started, but when it does- bang! and it's about 73 minutes long!