So you've got that urge to watch a good, old Shaw Bros. picture, but you can't make up your mind between a period kung-fu movie and a modern actioner... or maybe a fantasy thing ... or maybe a light love story. Well, if you don't mind a somewhat disjointed story told jarringly and a psychedelic edge to the cheesier-than-usual effects, then this movie might be for you. It's at least three movies -- one each involving heaven, earth and hell -- rolled (roughly) into one, with a musical interlude featuring Alexander Fu Sheng and his lovely wife Jenny. Certainly you don't have to settle on any one actor for this viewing selection, as just about everyone turns up in it -- though they're not always sure why. There are a couple of good action scenes and a couple of flashes of comedy, maybe even on purpose. The strangest thing about this film is that you kind of have to watch it through once you start because you're kind of enjoying it. So it's one of Chang Cheh's weirder contributions; it's still a Chang Cheh film!
6 Reviews
Kung Fu- The Musical...?
poe42623 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Ever find yourself twiddling your thumbs, or stretched out flat on your back just staring at the cracks in the ceiling and wondering what Life's really all about? I do and, just to break the routine, I decided to give HEAVEN AND HELL a look. What appears at first to be a cross between ROMEO AND JULIET and WEST SIDE STORY by way of HERCULES IN THE UNDERWORLD and every kung fu movie ever made, finally settles into a very theatrical underworld romp. David Chiang makes a cameo early on, but is quickly lost in the shuffle. At several points, HEAVEN AND HELL threatens to become an out and out musical (people lapse suddenly into song, and some mercifully brief dance numbers break out, but quickly subside). There is a series of very well done flashbacks showing how our five venoms- uh, heroes- came to be in Hell (though it's never explained why they ended up There, as all were innocent victims) before a series of long but much-needed martial arts slugfests with the Denizens of the Underworld. Fast forward to the good stuff, and you'll be okay.
Shaw Brothers Classics: Heaven and Hell.
Captain_Couth18 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Heaven and Hell (1980) was a strange film from director Chang Cheh and Shaw Brothers in general. Comedies and fantasies were becoming popular in Hong Kong. The straight forward kung-fu films were falling out of favor with the viewing public. So a time for change was needed at Shaw Brothers. Many of their productions were turning to more light hearted fare (Wong Jing was becoming a rising star as a film maker in the Shaw Brothers company). Chang Cheh released this weird hybrid film onto the public. Heaven and Hell!!
The movie takes place in three different sections. The first part takes place in heaven. David Chiang plays a spirit who wants to return to the land of the living. Part two takes place on Earth with Alexander Fu and his bride Jenny Tsang. The final part takes place in hell as several spirits who were supposed to go to heaven accidentally wind up in hell. In order to leave they have to fight there way out. The spirits of the damned have to live out their sins and vices for the rest of their lives.
A bizarre film that'll even be weirder to those who know nothing about Asian and Chinese culture. But if you know a little then you'll get the film. Fun stuff from the usual dark and gritty Chang Cheh. What's even more eerier is the fact that this was one of Alexander Fu's last films. His life would be cut short from a tragic auto accident. Even though he's dead and gone, he'll live forever through cinema!
Restored by Celestial Pictures to it's original glory.
The movie takes place in three different sections. The first part takes place in heaven. David Chiang plays a spirit who wants to return to the land of the living. Part two takes place on Earth with Alexander Fu and his bride Jenny Tsang. The final part takes place in hell as several spirits who were supposed to go to heaven accidentally wind up in hell. In order to leave they have to fight there way out. The spirits of the damned have to live out their sins and vices for the rest of their lives.
A bizarre film that'll even be weirder to those who know nothing about Asian and Chinese culture. But if you know a little then you'll get the film. Fun stuff from the usual dark and gritty Chang Cheh. What's even more eerier is the fact that this was one of Alexander Fu's last films. His life would be cut short from a tragic auto accident. Even though he's dead and gone, he'll live forever through cinema!
Restored by Celestial Pictures to it's original glory.
You've got to see this to believe it!
planktonrules1 December 2012
The martial arts action in "Shaolin Hellgate" is awfully good--you cannot deny that. The kicking, punching and swordplay are all at the high level you'd expect from a Shaw Brothers film. However,...you won't believe this film!!! It is bizarre and my describing it to you won't do the film justice....but I'll try.
The film starts off in Heaven--but probably not the sort of Heaven you'd envisioned. Two heavenly beings are in love but are apparently not allowed to be (wow...Heaven sucks in this film) and try to run away with each other. But, they are pursued and almost caught until a sympathetic heavenly being helps them. They are now on Earth--reincarnated. Okay. Well, the film then soon switches to Hell--where it remains for about 90% of the movie. And this Hell is a fascinating place--sort of like if Bosch, Salvador Dali and the Marquis de Sade came up with Hell. There, you'll see all kinds of crazy tortures. Some are pretty gruesome (after all, it IS Hell) and some are pretty funny (such as the gossips). There, our two lovers want to escape and they call upon the Buddha of Mercy to hear their pleas. He not only gives them a chance but helps them find several warriors who were unfairly dispatched to the Netherworld--and the team fights their way back to Earth! As you probably noticed from the plot, this is no ordinary martial arts film! It's got some silly moments (what is with the big tongues?!) but it always is exciting and worth watching. Strange but worth your time.
The film starts off in Heaven--but probably not the sort of Heaven you'd envisioned. Two heavenly beings are in love but are apparently not allowed to be (wow...Heaven sucks in this film) and try to run away with each other. But, they are pursued and almost caught until a sympathetic heavenly being helps them. They are now on Earth--reincarnated. Okay. Well, the film then soon switches to Hell--where it remains for about 90% of the movie. And this Hell is a fascinating place--sort of like if Bosch, Salvador Dali and the Marquis de Sade came up with Hell. There, you'll see all kinds of crazy tortures. Some are pretty gruesome (after all, it IS Hell) and some are pretty funny (such as the gossips). There, our two lovers want to escape and they call upon the Buddha of Mercy to hear their pleas. He not only gives them a chance but helps them find several warriors who were unfairly dispatched to the Netherworld--and the team fights their way back to Earth! As you probably noticed from the plot, this is no ordinary martial arts film! It's got some silly moments (what is with the big tongues?!) but it always is exciting and worth watching. Strange but worth your time.
Such a trip from Heaven to Hell
raul-pekander13 June 2019
This film is quite something, it has basically three scenarios: Heaven, Earth and Hell.Mostly the film is set up in Hell. The execution might be little off for some viewers but I can see it as more of an anthology or tree films put together. At first, you get some fighting that is choreographed like dance, it is quite fascinating to see how well it plays out with many actors fighting each other. As the story progresses, the style shifts to more surreal. In the Hell part, it is already fantasy and it gets quite imaginative for its depiction of Hell: demons, torture, dark humor, magic,...all the good stuff but different from our view on Hell in the West. The effects are a bit cheezy but I like that style, personally I like it. It looks like we are looking a theather play so those of you wish realistic sets might not like this film. Then again, how many Shaw Brothers fantasy films do have the most realistic sets? It is a part of the appeal.
To conclude: If you are a fan of Shaw Brothers that have strong fantasy presence like I am, you would propably like this film. It is so weird that it makes it entertaining. You get little of drama, romance, fantasy, action and an added psychedelic atmosphere: all in one, what not to like? Bon voyage!
To conclude: If you are a fan of Shaw Brothers that have strong fantasy presence like I am, you would propably like this film. It is so weird that it makes it entertaining. You get little of drama, romance, fantasy, action and an added psychedelic atmosphere: all in one, what not to like? Bon voyage!
Heaven, Hell
BandSAboutMovies1 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Heaven and Hell has it all. Director Chang Cheh. Nearly all of the Venom Mob. Angels and humans falling in love. A battle between heaven and hell. The martial arts you demand and also the weirdness you hope is coming too as the Venoms escape a hell that looks like a combination of Hong Kong and Mario Bava but somehow more neon and all the fog in the world.
Yi-Min Li 's character gets kicked out of Heaven for helping David Chiang and Maggie Li fall in love and sent down to Earth as a Hong Kong cab driver who is killed when he can't stop connecting lonely hearts like Alexander Fu Sheng and Jenny Tseng. He then gets sent to gambler's hell, a place where he should not be, and the demons just sigh as if to let us know that there is no worse job than working in the punishing world of fire.
The Buddha of Mercy shows up and helps him assemble three of the four Venoms, who all share exactly how they ended up in Hell, and then they fight their way out in battles that are impossibly perfect and have a sheer joy of punches and kicks despite being in the eternal despair of souls. They must face the men that killed them on Earth, now demons, and make their way to be reincarnated.
This movie started shooting in 1975 and saw stops and starts along the way, as well as the money running out. There are also musical numbers. I can only imagine that serious martial arts fans hate this as they wanted fight scenes and instead, they got an exploration of the many levels of the afterworld.
Basically if Alejandro Jodorowsky got hired by Shaw Brothers, this would have been the film he made.
Yi-Min Li 's character gets kicked out of Heaven for helping David Chiang and Maggie Li fall in love and sent down to Earth as a Hong Kong cab driver who is killed when he can't stop connecting lonely hearts like Alexander Fu Sheng and Jenny Tseng. He then gets sent to gambler's hell, a place where he should not be, and the demons just sigh as if to let us know that there is no worse job than working in the punishing world of fire.
The Buddha of Mercy shows up and helps him assemble three of the four Venoms, who all share exactly how they ended up in Hell, and then they fight their way out in battles that are impossibly perfect and have a sheer joy of punches and kicks despite being in the eternal despair of souls. They must face the men that killed them on Earth, now demons, and make their way to be reincarnated.
This movie started shooting in 1975 and saw stops and starts along the way, as well as the money running out. There are also musical numbers. I can only imagine that serious martial arts fans hate this as they wanted fight scenes and instead, they got an exploration of the many levels of the afterworld.
Basically if Alejandro Jodorowsky got hired by Shaw Brothers, this would have been the film he made.
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