Obsucrants

Death Duel --- Chor Yuen, 1977

Clans of Intrigue --- Chor Yuen, 1977

Killer Clans --- Chor Yuen, 1976

Swordsman and Enchantress --- Chor Yuen, 1978

Jade Tiger --- Chor Yuen, 1977

Shrouds, veils, and smokescreens --- nothing is seen unless perceived through these obscurities. Blurred, bright colors blot out the bulk of the screen. Artificial branches web the frame. The camera is placed in a cloak and dagger position. I’ve now seen eight Chor Yuen films and been enjoying them tremendously, but are these aesthetic strategies also common throughout other Shaw Brothers projects? I’ve dipped in some Liu Chia-Liang, Chang Cheh, and Kuei Chih-Hung (shame on you if you haven’t seen The Boxer’s Omen!) and since these directors used the same sets frequently it wouldn’t be surprising if they used the same strategies to alter the appearance of the sets --- however, I can’t recall precisely if they actually did this. Yet for Chor, along with the Shaw Brothers’ staples of lightning-quick zooms and rack focus, these strategies work as a visual counterpoint to his stories of disguises, switched alliances, undercover agents, secret weapons, and epic betrayals. The unbelievable twists and turns of his stories are as tangled as his beautiful visual sense.