Friday, April 3, 2009

Heads For Sale! Strange chop socky



So I have not bought kung Fu movies in a awhile, outside of signed hardcover books and old Sci-fi pulp novels Kung Fu DVD’s are about the only thing I collect anymore. So for my birthday this year I bought myself three movies. I know big spender.

So I have access to renting great Kung Fu movies here in town at movie madness, so if I’m buying movies it’s because they are ones that are hard to find. First up was an old Shaw brothers classic from 1972 called ‘Heads for Sale.’

The director went on two years alter to make the classic film King Boxer(AKA Five Fingers of Death). I first heard of Heads for Sale on a commentary track for King Boxer. The commentators on the track were Quentin Tarintino and NY times Movie reviewer Elvis Mitchell. Both of whom have fantastic taste in martial arts cinema.

At one point they talked about what a strange Kung Fu movie Heads for Sale was. They compared it to Deadly China doll and Lady Snowblood which are women’s revenge films. This one stars Chiao Chiao who is best known for her role in the one armed swordsman (rare role for a woman in a Chang Cheh film).

While this is a great chop socky masterpiece for sure there was not as many decapitations as I expected. The plot is ultra strange and is best seen. It’s not exactly a revenge film. Chiao’s charter falls in love with a swordsmen but his family rejects hers. So she goes on sword wielding rampage. Her lover ends up getting arrested and she starts decapitating the people who jailed him.

Yep. That is the plot. Does it make a lot of sense. Not the point. Great movie check it out. Worth the $14 buck to buy from HK flix if you like chop socky.

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