Listening to Bey Logan's detailed audio commentary for the incredible Full Contact (1992-also reviewed) I was shocked to learn that the film unexpectedly failed at the box office,and became not only the end of a era for film maker Ringo Lam, but also finished big budgets being given to movies in the Heroic Bloodshed genre.
Planning a "Auteurs in '94" viewing week,I took a look at the output of Hong Kong from the year,and was intrigued to spot a work from Lam,which led to me seeing paradise burn.
View on the film:
Returning from a two year break with the first departure he had made from Heroic Bloodshed since his directing debut Esprit D'amour (1983-also reviewed) directing auteur Ringo Lam takes the distinctive, hard-knuckle, on the street fights of his Action past, and twirls them into spectacular Wire-Fu.
Although the movie would sadly end up being the second biggest flop at the box office he had in a row, Lam makes the continued expansion of his recurring themes and motifs into a smash hit, spanning his ultra-stylised whip-pans into fluid swords and spears chopping horses in half and decapitation of warriors held in the pit, all pinned by Lam's expertly held crisp tracking shots on Sai-yuk's Wire-Fu battles to take down Elder Kung.
Bathing Yuk before battle (a recurring image in his films) Lam bathes the audience in dazzling, bright colours which even turn paint into a weapon for one set-piece (!)thanks to the burning reds and oranges splattered on the caves of the Red Lotus Temple, fittingly turning it into a living cave, thunderous lines of red run across the sadistic face of Kung.
Continuing to work with Lam, Yin Nam is here joined by co-writer Wan Choi Wong making his last script credits with one which combines Lam's recurring themes with a supernatural flourish. Giving Chinese folk legend character Sai-yuk a modern battle warrior status, the writers superbly tie Lam's theme of bloodshed heroism to Sai-yuk attempting to take all Kung can throw at him in order to free fellow prisoners and save his love Tou-Tou from being held as Kung's sex slave.
At first appearing to be united with Kung in dishing out torment, Chun Lam makes her lone film appearance as Brooke (bit of a odd name for this historical setting!)a great turn, continuing Lam's theme of lustful femme fatales, who in this case actually has a change of heart. Chained up by Kung as his slave, Carman Lee gives a terrific turn as Tou-Tou, whose screams for Sai-yuk's survival are hardened by Lee into a brave push back against Kung. Completed with a evil cackle,Wong Kam-kong gives a excellent End of Level Boss boo-hiss turn as Kung, while Willie Chi makes his debut as Sai-yuk, who Chi has brimming with a never say die optimism of saving the burning paradise.
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