Human Lanterns (1982) User Reviews

Lanterns made of ... what?

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 30 January 2021]

Do we have the nameless individual that tricks two others to fight each other? Does that sound like a famous western with Clint Eastwood? Which also was copied ... well let's not go down that road. Especially because while there may be parallels, there also quite a few differences here too.

I've seen my share of Shaw Brothers movies, but I can't remember seeing this one. This is quite out there, with a character being a mixture of monkey and demon, with the evil mindset of a ... human (a bad human that is of course). Add to that horror some good old fashioned stunts and flying lessons ... and voila you got yourself a movie that might not be everyones cup of tea (if you're easily offended, don't even bother, there are quite a few scenes that are far from political correct), but works for those who love these movies ... and if you're one of them, you won't mind certain flaws as much as others do

Human Lanterns Shine Bright In The Dark Thriller Genre.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 8/10 · 27 July 2022]

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Human Lanterns; here's the breakdown of my ratings:

Story: 1.75 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.50 Acting: 1.75 Enjoyment: 1.75

TOTAL: 8.25 out of 10.00

The surprising element of this movie is the complex and stimulating unfolding drama. And, the bonus is the martial arts sequences, which are superb.

The writers, Kuang Ni and Chung Sun begin the story with a party. Master Tan Fu is showing off his latest conquest, Yen Chu, who was Master Lung Shu Ai's concubine. The Masters have been in a state of rivalry for many years, and this peacocking is merely another one-up-manship by Master Tan to embarrass Master Lung. But Lung has other ideas and proclaims that Tan will again be the loser in the township's lantern festival. Lung rushes to his customary lantern artist, only to find that the old man doesn't craft the beautiful beacons; he purely sells them. Once Lung's heard the seller's secret, he enquires about the artist's identity. From that moment forward, life takes a darker and more deadly path for the two masters, especially for Master Lung. The writers weave a dark, crooked road for our victims to walk down. The devious twists along the way will keep you engrossed. And the police's and victims' logical decisions and consequences towards each deviation create a powerful revenge story. Though you know the villain of the piece right from the beginning, it's a pleasure to watch the intricate plot unravel. I usually prefer whodunnits of this style. However, I profess that I loved the way the narrative's structured. It is a clever piece of writing.

Chung Sun is a man of many talents; he's as skilled behind the camera as he is pushing a pen. Human Lanterns is a beautifully lit and filmed slice of Chinese cinematography. I especially liked how the lights in the lantern makers workshop are not as bright as elsewhere - though the guy has more illumination than Blackpool and Las Vegas combined. There are lots of dark shadows, which emphasise the crafter's evil craftiness. Chung Sun is also an expert when capturing the fight sequences. Most of the time, he keeps the combatants in full frame and only uses close-ups to show off special moves, for example, Master Tan's Fan Steps at the party at the start of the movie. It is always best to see the action in full. But he also realises it's better to show certain details to add to the spectacular fight's credibility. And when the action takes place over different levels and locations, he gets imaginative with his shots.

The cast is excellent, both in their performance and fighting skills. Their talent adds to the strength of the story and your enjoyment of the picture.

If you like your Dark Thrillers with more than a dash of martial arts, or you like your Kung-Fu with a side order of an intriguing storyline, then Human Lanterns is the film for you. I would happily recommend this picture to all movie lovers worldwide - it is more than worthy of your time. I will be checking in on this beacon of illuminating excellent moviemaking again.

Blow out those candles and pop over to check out my Killer Thriller Chillers and The Game Is A Foot lists to see where I ranked Human Lanterns.

Take Care & Stay Well.

A Shaw Brothers cult classic.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 14 July 2017]

Wealthy rivals Master Lung (Tony Liu Yong) and Master Tan (Chen Kuan Tai) are always trying to outdo each other. When Tan makes his adversary lose face, by parading Lung's whore of choice Yen Chu (Linda Chu) in front of his wife (Ni Tien), Lung vows to even the score by beating his opponent at the village's forthcoming lantern festival, enlisting ex-love rival turned craftsman Chao Chun-Fang (Lo Lieh) to design and build a very special lantern.

What Lung doesn't realise is that Chun-Fang is still harbouring a serious grudge against him for winning the affection of Chin (Ni Tien), and has devised a gruesome plan to get revenge: dressing himself up in skull mask, Tina Turner wig, hairy clawed gloves and Ugg boots, he kidnaps the loved ones of both Lung and Tan. While the two men are locked in battle, convinced that each other is responsible for the missing women, Chun-Fang prepares his masterpiece, a set of lanterns using the skin of his helpless victims.

A heady mix of wuxia martial arts and grisly Grand Guignol horror, Shaw Bothers' Human Lanterns is well deserving of its cult status, the film delivering a delightfully macabre premise, a memorably manic villain in cackling loon Chun-Fang, lots of nasty violence (mostly against defenceless, pretty women), plenty of kung fu (with some great weapon work), and impressive visuals, director Chung Sun (The Avenging Eagle) making excellent use of atmospheric lighting and lavish sets (Chun-Fang's lair—an subterranean charnel house—is a marvel to behold).

While some of the wire-work is a little OTT for my taste, the majority of the fighting is of the high standard one would expect of Shaw Brothers, highlights being Lung (armed with a sword) versus Tan (equipped with a halberd), and the final fight at Chun-Fang's hideout, which includes a terrific moment where a whole building collapses beneath the feet of several stuntmen.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for having the cojones to kill off the most sympathetic character, Lung's wife.

Scooby Doo meets Wuxia

[dafrosts · 7/10 · 31 March 2018]

Master Lung Shu Ai (Lau Wing) and Master Tan Fu (Chen Kuan Tai) are well to do men who have nothing better to do than annoy each other with one-up-manships and aggravate the local constable, Sgt. Poon (Sun Chien), who's a bit of a Barney Fife type character.

The upcoming Lantern Festival is another chance for the affluent rivals to go at each other. Shu Ai looks up an old Swordsman rival, Chao Chun Fang (Lieh Lo), who is now a lantern designer. Fang agrees to create lanterns on the condition Shu Ai stays away until their completion.

Shu Ai's paramour at the local brothel disappears. She has been abducted by someone wearing a costume reminiscent of the Voodoo Doctor on Scooby Doo. The Voodoo creature even does a dance similar to the one on the cartoon. It's hard to take this creature seriously as a "scary" entity. The disappearance prompts Shu Ai and Tan Fu to point fingers at each other. Sgt. Poon's investigation is incredibly poor and he simply shrugs and calls it a mystery. He doesn't give up on the investigation, but it seems to done with the intensity of a child cleaning their bedroom.

Tan Fu's sister disappears the following day by the Voodoo creature. Tan Fu blames Shu Ai, prompting a juvenile contest at the local inn that put upon Sgt. Poon tries to halt with disastrous results. Shu Ai and Tan Fu are instructed to go home and wait for the police to finish their investigation. Neither is about to do as instructed.

A botched attempt on Shu Ai's life by hired assassin Kwai Sze Yin (Lo Meng), is a convenient distraction for the Voodoo creature to kidnap Shu Ai's wife. Shu Ai is enraged he was assaulted and his wife taken while Sgt Poon's men were mere feet from the front door of his home. Sgt Poon admits no one was guarding the back of the house.

Kwai Sze Yin's failure to kill Shu Ai, results in his own death at the hands of his employer, Tan Fu. Tan Fu doesn't want witnesses who can connect him to the hit on Shu Ai. Tan fu instructs his staff to take Kwai Sze Yin's body far from the estate to bury it. The staff are set upon by the Voodoo creature while carrying out Tan Fu's orders. They and Kwai Sze Yin are decapitated and their heads are hung in the Lantern District in town.

The Voodoo creature reveals himself to Su AI's wife to be Chao Chun Fang. he is out to avenge his disgrace in the swordsman's world at the hands of Shu Ai years earlier. He is abducting those close to Shu Ai and using their skin for the lanterns. There is an old tale that human skin makes the best material due to its elasticity.

Shu Ai suspects Chao Chun Fang is behind the abductions but says nothing to either Tan Fu or Sgt. Poon. He instead goes after Tan Fu in other of their ego driven challenges. Cha Chun Fang makes an appearance during the challenge and severely wounds Tan Fu. Shu Ai follows Chao Chun Fang back to his workshop where fight and talk about Chao Chun Fang's need for revenge. A severely depleted Tan Fu arrives in a wheelbarrow to aid in the fight. He dies shortly after the arrival of Sgt. Poon and other constables.

The finale fight is reminiscent of The House of Wax. The building collapses. A fire is started, which traps Shu Ai and Chao Chun Fang in the basement with no possible exit. Chao Chun Fang become engulfed in flames and grabs Shu Ai, igniting him into a fireball as well. Sgt. Poon and other constables are struggling to dig out an escape for Shu Ai.

The final scene is implausible given the events at the workshop. It seemed a "Happy Ending" was required to counter all the death and "horror". Shu Ai is sitting in his now nearly empty home. He has burns only on his left hand and left side of his face. Incredible considering how long his body was on fire. He instructs Sgt Poon to sell the house and contents to provide for the local poor. Shu Ai will spend the rest of his life roaming the countryside helping those in need.

I gave it a 7 more due to the cast than plot and fight scenes. Based on other reviews, I have seen the censured version of the story. Someday, I hope to see the full version.

The elements don't gel, and the skinning is in short supply

[fertilecelluloid · 28 December 2005]

Chung Sun, who directed, amongst many other films, the superb "The Sexy Killer" (see review), is unable to make the elements gel in "Human Lanterns" aka "Human Skin Lanterns". Personally, I have always loved the idea of using human skin to make lanterns, so this film was an eagerly awaited one by me. Unfortunately, there's too little skinning and too much martial arts in this. In fact, the skinning scenes (there are two), while well done, feel like they belong in a different movie altogether. This is a strange effort to make a martial arts fantasy and cross it with a Hammer-style horror plot. It doesn't work. That said, "Human Lanterns" is still a sumptuously photographed and designed period piece. The Shaw's certainly spent big on its sets, cast and special effects. It's a shame they didn't focus more on the horror promised in the title. Disappointing horror. Satisfactory period-fu epic.

hm

[shaolinstylin · 6/10 · 10 July 2012]

Hammer horror meets wuxia. It makes about as much sense tonally as it sounds. Storywise, it's a barely coherent morality play about pride and greed that comes across like an excuse to string together some swordplay, some reasonably nasty flaying scenes, and very pretty setpieces. It is a great looking movie, I have to admit--the use of lighting is otherworldly. Sun Chung was easily one of the best directors Shaw Bros ever had, but when he wasn't doing cookie cutter martial arts stuff, he was seriously wasted on misguided crap (let's face it) like this.

There's something really "off" about how simultaneously Asian and European this movie feels. My instincts tell me it's not supposed to exist. Dramatically it never really takes off, but it's interesting enough in the context of "what were they thinking?" curio.

Very Fine Morality Play Contained in a Sumptuous Film

[captainpass · 7/10 · 27 September 2020]

The English title is in many respects, unfortunate, as this is really a morality play dressed as a martial arts film with horror elements. The film begins by introducing us to "Master Tan" and "Master Lung," two wealthy, but otherwise uncharacterized, rivals. Master Tan displays a lantern that he had made for the lunar festival, with Master Lung responding that it is an object unworthy of esteem. Lung then decides that he should hire his former rival, Chao Fang (played by Lieh Lo of "Five Fingers of Death" fame) to craft an even better lantern. Fang agrees, but only on condition that Lung never return to his lair-like shop. Of importance to the story-line is the fact that Lung had, in the past, fought Fang, and scarred the latter's face. Lung, we are to note, is a man who believes his money can right all past wrongs.

From this "bargain" involving three men and their fragile "honor" come the horrors; for what this story is really about is Fang and his own place in the social order. The bargain gives him his own chance to avenge perceived wrongs, even as he crafts the handiwork that will allow Lung to one-up his competitor. From (relatively) small slights come disaster.

Of the story, I will say little else, as this is a movie that runs less on plot development than allowing a dynamic that has been set in motion early-on play itself out through a set of highly choreographed martial-arts routines. I will, however, comment on a few technical aspects that impressed me:

First, with the exception of a few sequences shot outdoors (one quite memorable, shot in a grove of tall trees), this is a studio-set movie that takes place in just a handful of locations. The sets are simply arresting and, in some cases, quite beautiful. The costumes, set design and lighting (and, yes, comparisons to Bava are warranted) are all very-well thought out and executed. None are meant to represent an "actual" places, but rather allegorical places: the peaceful, noble abodes of Tan and Lung; the boisterous market-place; the hellishly menacing, creepy shop of Fang--each is set in opposition to its counter-parts. (As with much of the Wuxia genre, the historical setting is not terribly important for the story-line. What matters are the character-types. That said, the Hanfu styles of dress indicate one possible time-period, but the appearance of the tiger hooks (used by the assassin character) bring us much closer to the present.)

Second, the lighting, camera work and editing are impressive. For example, the first time we meet the monkey-ghost character, the lighting frames the face in a way that was quite memorable for this viewer. Director Sun Chung also uses slow-motion and fast-motion techniques, particularly in the acrobatic martial-arts segments. But he also dabbles with soft focus shorts at times (mostly for the abodes of the two principal characters). There are many, many places where this is a sumptuous, beautiful film.

If I have a quibble, it is that the end of the film does not do justice to the careful pacing and style of what preceded it. There are quite a few veteran actors at work here (though it is Lo who steals every scene in which he is a part); I just wish the ending could have been written better. That said, a surprisingly good movie. I was not expecting it, quite honestly.

Uneasy mix of martial arts and explicit horror

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 7 September 2018]

HUMAN LANTERNS is one of the more notorious Shaw Brothers horror films, mixing as it does a typical martial arts plot (straight out of a Chor Yuen movie) with some nasty torture-porn style horror involving beautiful women being skinned alive and turned into the titular objects. There's a definite Ed Gein influence here, with Lo Lieh playing it way over the top as the outrageously nasty villain of the hour; great fun he is with it too. A shame, then, that the film is stuck with the obnoxious Tony Liu character for much of the running time, especially so when Chen Kuan Tai is slightly wasted in support. This uneasy effort mixes kung fu with horror in a way similar to that seen in KILLER CONSTABLE, although not quite as successfully. The set design and lighting is glorious and there's some genuine nastiness here, but the fights aren't quiet top tier and the plot does drag at times. It's still worth a look, though, especially during the extended, anything-goes climax.

A rather solid and gruesome kung-fu/horror hybrid

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 9/10 · 4 July 2019]

After being humiliated at a local ceremony, a lord seeks out an old rival who's a master lantern to put aside their differences to make a new lantern for an upcoming festival, but when several local women go missing all roads lead back to the strange method of making the lanterns he's attempting.

Overall, there's quite a lot to like with this one. One of the greatest aspects present is the breakneck story, which moves along at a great pace and keeping things interesting. Right away, we get the initial setup at the village banquet showing their disdain for each other and the desire to win the lantern contest, forcing him to turn to his arch-rival to win the competition. As well, the tyrannical control he has over the prostitutes in the brothel and the jealousy that governs his decisions plays into the continuing nature of the feud lasting throughout the film with each one looking to one-up and humiliate the other. Once they come to realize they've been set up and that everything has been turning them against each other, the story comes together with a surprisingly strong resolution. As well, when the film really lets loose with its grotesque elements, it becomes quite enjoyable. The first stalking in the brothel as well as the subsequent defleshing of the victim is exceptionally graphic and gruesome. The visual of the skin being sliced open and ripped from the still-alive victim in one piece creates an awfully striking visual, and when done in conjunction with the underground caverns and the various tools shown lying around to be utilized later on completes the grimy illusion. Likewise, the various interludes going back to the location showing how the pieces of stretched skin are being made into the lantern itself offers up the kind of unease associated with such a lair. Seeing the area dressed in entrails, dismembered body parts, drying skin pieces and bloodstained equipment creates a truly grotesque atmosphere alongside the graphic acts themselves. Another big positive is the mixture of horror and kung-fu in the film. Though not filled to the brim with such material as is to be expected, the fighting here comes off quite impressive and exciting. The inclusion of the killer's abilities in martial arts adds quite a lot to the abduction scenes as the sight of him dressed as a monkey complete with a skeletal animal mask take on a far more eerie quality than expected, especially the daytime ambush in the woods where the sight of that running around and flipping off tree-branches is quite creepy. The best, though, are the brawls which they continually find themselves in, and by taking place within eateries, the courtyards of their houses and out in the streets of the village the action carries along quite nicely. Even odd interstitial elements like fighting off assassins or seeing the killer take out a squad of random henchmen to set up their suspicions are rather fun, and the extended brawl at the end includes some really fine stunt-work and swordplay included in the hard-hitting fights. This creates a lot to really like in the film as there are some big problems here. The biggest issue is the central premise of the film in that there's no adequate explanation for the lantern festival to be the big comeuppance in their rivalry. Why he needs to commission a lantern to appear at the festival in order to get the last-laugh at him makes no sense, nor is there anything given as to what's going to happen if the true creator of the lantern is revealed. Being that this is the main driving point of the film as for why he and his rival put their differences aside to make the lantern for the festival, not making this piece make sense is all the more troubling. Likewise, the fact that the investigation should've lead the guards right to him without much difficulty speaks to a haphazard investigation method simply to keep the movie going. These elements do manage to bring the film down.

Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Violence, Language and Brief Nudity.

Old-fashioned mixture of kung fu and horror

[Libretio · 4/10 · 3 June 2005]

HUMAN LANTERNS (Ren Pi Deng Long)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Shawscope)

Sound format: Mono

A vengeful craftsman (Lo Lieh) sets two warring noblemen (Lau Wing and Chen Kuan-tai) against each other by abducting their loved ones and peeling their skin, which he uses to embellish a series of prize-winning lanterns.

Old-fashioned kung fu thriller with horror asides, distinguished by balletic fight scenes and expansive widescreen cinematography, in typical Shaw Brothers style. Ni Kuang's screenplay (co-written with director Suen Chung) is fairly detailed, and the pace is fast and furious throughout. But the film is weakened by pantomime performances and generic post-sync dialogue, and by an uneasy combination of martial arts mayhem and Hammer-style horror. Beautiful sets and costumes.

NB. The film played uncut on its original theatrical release, though most subsequent video prints have been censored, eliminating nudity and graphic violence. However, the UK DVD (issued by Momentum Asia in 2005) appears to be intact.

(Mandarin dialogue)

A supremely well-made, far-out spectacle of kung fu and horror!

[I_Ailurophile · 9/10 · 3 September 2023]

It's noteworthy from the very start that this meets all the high standards one expects of Hong Kong action flicks generally, and Shaw Brothers productions specifically. The sets are absolutely magnificent, overflowing with incredible detail, and whether the pieces are conventionally fetching or gnarly and horrific, I would love to be able to explore every inch of Ching-Shen Chen's art direction. Much the same unquestionably applies to the costume design, hair, makeup, and props and weapons - elements that, depending on the precise setting, vary between the typical imaginative, gorgeous aesthetics of any similar period fare, and grotesque, brutal, blood-soaked ugliness. The very premise lays the groundwork for the folks operating behind the scenes to just let their creativity run wild, and make no mistake, they unflinchingly embraced the horror-laden spirit with gusto. Even cinematographer An-Sung Tsao seems to rather let loose here, for while his work is active and dynamic in the first place, and very mindful when it comes to letting us see the action in any given scene, there are also plentiful instances here where the camerawork is pointedly exaggerated and playful in one way or another, all but flying off the proverbial handle. Even just in its basic visuals 'Human lanterns' is a splendid, exuberant ride of whimsy.

It makes that impression from the very start, and for as quickly as the feature moves forward, it never even gives us a chance to change our minds. This especially holds true as the picture blends two discrete genres that are rarely put together: the fluid, dazzling artistry and high-impact action of kung fu, and the nasty, visceral darkness of horror. All the many stunts, effects, and choreography that we get in both capacities are a supreme joy, conjured and executed with marvelous, captivating skill and intelligence - to excite, to thrill, and to repulse. With some sequences being given an extra edge of fancifulness (think of characters running on trees or flying through the air in 'Crouching tiger, hidden dragon') the effect is only magnified. And between the strong, pronounced acting of everyone in the cast, performances of personality and vigor, and the equally robust direction that ensures every moment is as vivid and vibrant as it can be, the unfailing result is a viewing experience that keeps us firmly locked in for the entirety of its ninety-odd minutes.

Especially earlier in the length, I do think there are times when the genre stylings are more deliberate in their dispensation, with dialogue filling these portions instead; at such times the pacing is ever so slightly curbed, to the movie's detriment. Yet such moments are few, and pale in comparison to the treasure trove of action and horror that we mostly get. Filmmaker Chung Sun and co-writer Kuang Ni penned a delicious screenplay with sharp, potent, and rather emphatic scene writing providing firm, flavorful definition to a narrative of proud and arrogant nobles, and the psychotic killer with a certain special trade. Granted, the connections between these threads are kind of thin, but the plot is all that it needs to be to set the stage for the spectacle of violence and madness; just as much to the point, 'Human lanterns' definitely knows what its intentions and strengths are, and it plays directly to them. The writing is but the canvas on which is painted the spectacle of violence and craftsmanship, and whether one is here for the kung fu, the horror, or all the wonderment we rightly assume of Shaw Brothers films, the entertainment and reward is outstanding.

As a matter of personal preference I can understand how this won't appeal to all comers. There are points that one could reasonably nitpick, and it bears repeating that the writing is surely chief among them. Yet whatever critiques one may lob at this 1982 title are easily outshone by the tremendous care and hard work that was poured into this from all involved The cast and crew turned in utterly fantastic contributions in every regard, and the all the genre elements, martial arts and nefarious doings alike, make for a rich, spellbinding tableau. In terms of neither aspect is the movie the peak of its respective genres, yet this is all-around tight and vicious, and fabulously fun and satisfying. For my money this is worth far more than whatever one might have to pay to watch it, and 'Human lanterns' is a far-out, rather brilliant slice of cinema that deserves much more recognition. If you have the chance to watch, I'm happy to give this my very high, hearty, and enthusiastic recommendation!

A Nutshell Review: Human Lanterns (DVD)

[DICK STEEL · 5/10 · 11 January 2008]

Human Lanterns is probably widely talked about as a cult martial arts film with some dabbling on the macabre. The opening credits show a warehouse with plenty of human remains atop a bloody grinder. In fact, it has all the ingredients of a torture porn flick, except that, horrors of horrors, this DVD edition comes censored! So gone are the scenes where the victim's skin are peeled off their bodies to make the titular lanterns, though there was a fleeting boob shot from afar that the censors seemed to have missed.

Anyway, the story is nothing remarkable, with two town braggers, Master Lung (Tony Liu Yong) and Master Tan (Chen Kuan Tai) at loggerheads and always scheming to be one up against the other. Tan shows off his latest human-sized lantern which gets the admiration of the simple townsfolk, and Lung decides to go one up on his rival. His search for a master lantern maker leads him to one time love rival Chun Fang (Lo Lieh), who agrees to make him the most stunning lanterns ever seen, with a condition that he never visits his workplace. Best of all, they celebrate their strange union by visiting the whorehouse. Hmm.

Also, a mysterious masked creature looking like an overgrown hairy ape with highly skilled kungfu start to terrorize the town, kidnapping young nubile females such as the #1 courtesan and the sister of Master Tan, and given the nature of the disappearance, the animosity between the two men deepen to a deadly duel. However, it doesn't take you a second to figure out just who the man is behind the creature, and there's some needless tension built up around this mystery which seemed a little waste of time. The "police" too turn out to be rather foolhardy and inept, with the sergeant always listening to the two rich men, allowing his investigations to be poisoned by ill opinions from each of them on the other. Talk about siding with those who are rich or in power.

While it can't be comparable to stuff we see today, for it's time I think the fight scenes were still interesting enough to engage audiences, given its myriad of weapons from swords to fans (and the creature's gloved claws), and stunts. In fact, the stunts and sets were really impressive for its climatic battle, and I thought there was no stinginess in creating multi- layered sets for the actors to ply their martial arts abilities. What seemed to be interesting here though, is not the choreographed martial arts display, but rather the portrayal of the women's role in cultures back then. They are treated like playthings, with zero say in the ways of the world, reduced to gossipy aunties, and helpless damsels in distress. In fact, Lung's wife had to even tolerate, and even approve of her husband's infidelity.

That said, Human Lanterns could have been a more entertaining watch, if not for the censoring of those crucial moments, making it like eating Char Kway Teow without the See Hum!

Blood, guts, fighting and fun

[BandSAboutMovies · 8/10 · 17 August 2022]

Master Lung Shu Ai (Tony Liu, The Way of the Dragon as well as two other Bruce Lee movies: The Big Boss, Fist of Fury) and Master Tan (Kuan Tai Chen, Crippled Avengers) are battling one another in every way possible, including Tan introducing Lung's wife Jin (Ni Tien, who was in several other Hong Kong horror hybrids like Corpse Mania, Black Magic and Hex) to Yen-chu (Linda Chu, Return of the Sentimental Swordsman), the prostitute that Long has just been with. Obviously, the only way they can settle their problems is by winning the village's lantern-making contest.

Lung needs help creating a lantern, so he turns to Chao Chun-fang (Lo Lieh, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) for help, the man whose face he once scarred and turned into a pariah. Lung promises great fame and money to Chao Chun-fang for his help and in return, the artist asks one thing: Never inquire as to when the lantern will be finished.

Lung and Tan continue sparring with one another as a series of murders begins in the village. Soon, the two men realize that they must join forces to stop the killer whose spree they have set in motion.

Beyond what you expect from Shaw Brothers - although this film has the sumptuous sets, high-flying martial arts and gorgeous visual look that they are known for - this film possesses scenes of great horror, like the stalk and slash scene at the beginning, with its visuals of skin being graphically removed with a hatchet in a slow, grueling moment of gore. Chao Chun-fang's dungeon studio is filled with even more frightening imagery, such as piles of bloody organs and body parts, as well as more stretched out and drying skin that he will soon place onto those aesthetically above-average artistic lanterns.

It's also amazing that this movie takes inspiration from slashers - perhaps in a collective unconsciousness way than outright theft - by having a near-invulnerable giggling killer with an incredibly awesome skull face. There's also a hint of Mario Bava amongst the martial arts and it's a cocktail of mixed influence that tastes absolutely refreshing.

Director and co-writer (with Kuang Ni) Sun Chung also made The Master Strikes Back, Notorious Eight and Old Man and the Kid. I loved this movie and am now hunting down his other films.

Didn't do it for me.

[Pedro-37 · 4/10 · 13 April 2003]

"Human Lanterns" mixes Wuxia-style martial arts and horror in a cultish but ultimately disappointing manner. The fights are well staged and surprisingly good for such a campy movie, but the horror elements felt way out of place. And they are far from scary.

The acting is over the top, the plot is weak and the direction awkward. I know that many think of this film as a cult movie, but this only proved to me that many times cult does not equal class. Personally, I'd rather rate this trash - an interesting mix but an ultimately disappointing view.

Rating: 4/10

Did not cut it for me (see what I did there?)

[selfdestructo · 4/10 · 31 December 2022]

I was intrigued by Human Lanterns for a few reasons. (1) It's a Kung fu movie with horror elements (I'm thinking, The Story of Ricky), (2) the colorful, almost surreal screen shots, and (3) 88 Films has done an edition of it (more on that later). They're always good for the wild and the wacky.

Oh man, where to start. You just can't win with a boring story. Disgraced guy in a monkey costume captures ladies and makes lampshades out of their skin. Pits two other guys against each other to distract everyone from his identity (yes, there is an unmasking at the end, a la Scooby-Doo). I had a really hard time staying awake during all the dull dialogue, detailing this yawner of a premise. Then there's the endless barrage of martial arts sequences, which (mostly) did nothing for me (sorry, folks). Maybe I'm not this movie's target audience. I don't know if this is a Kung fu trope or not, but they would stop mid-battle for a bunch of blathering exposition and/or speeches. Ludicrous. Then, back to hating each other.

I'm under the impression I saw a CENSORED version of this movie, which I'm sure also detracted from my enjoyment. 88 Films is a boutique label, specializing in genre films, so they have a right to charge a premium. Which really irked me, because the least they can do is release an uncut version. Hardly any of the highly-touted graphic violence or nudity. One of the extras is a trailer, where you can find graphic material nowhere to be found in the movie you just watched.

The good: The cinematography is spectacular. Done in this insane widescreen (Shawscope, 2.39:1), which is put to good, eye-popping use. Some battles are wall-to-wall! One elaborate battle they do a big, round, full tour of, which is awesome. Also, fairly extensive use of the fish-eye lens, which gives the film this bizarre, warped quality. Really enjoyed that. Very, very colorful period costumes and sets round out this amazing distraction from what is actually going on in the movie. Though I would be curious to see it in its uncut glory.