Bring Back the Dead

"A mother. A son.

A timeless tale of loss and grieve, 

a mother's love, and letting go...."

I have to admit that I haven't really been following the cinema scene in Singapore, but I have been quite interested in the exploits of director Lee Thean-Jeen.

To be fair, TJ is a veteran of the television scene in Singapore. This is the man who brought us the groundbreaking legal drama The Pupil, followed more recently by the very excellent Code of Law. And if anyone can remember far back enough, he gave us Chase as well.

When it comes to English dramas in Singapore, I can only describe TJ's contributions as 'pushing boundaries', 'setting standards', 'raising the bar', and whatever other superlatives I can think of to describe taking Singapore television to 'the next level'.

Once upon a time, we only dreamt of somehow bringing the standards of acclaimed crime dramas like Law and Order, and CSI to Singapore. But TJ handed that to us on a platter with The Pupil and Code of Law. Lucky us.

But as anyone in the industry will know, translating TV success to the big screen is a completely different kettle of fish. TJ is no stranger to the film industry though, having already helmed the successful 2011 vehicle Homecoming.

And now we have Bring Back the Dead, TJ's latest outing as a film director. As one of the most promising directors in Singapore today, how will he fare on the exacting stage of Singapore cinema?

Jessica Liu as a grieving mother who must come to terms with the loss of her son.

Liu Ling Ling as the perennial wise ah soh.

Taiwan actor Jacko Chiang - a handsome coupling with Jessica

He's not blind really - water just gets in his eyes....

Bring Back the Dead is a chilling horror film starring Jessica Liu as a young mother Jia En who has lost her little son Xiao Le in a tragic accident. Somehow she decides to enlist the help of a former caregiver and a suspiciously blind / not-blind / pretending-to-be-blind? medium to bring back the spirit of her dead son.

Needless to say, she gets back more than she bargains for. Let the shocks and scares ensue.

And they certainly do, in a measured, but escalating fashion. One thing the movie does very well is to deliver on what really matters in a horror film - the horror. Audiences can expect a ride that oscillates between slow, rising dread and outright shocking violence as Jessica's character Jia En finds herself dealing with an increasingly volatile and capricious spirit.

Is that her son or not? We know how children can be - is it just a case of a frightened spirit crying for attention? Or is there more than meets the eye?

As can be expected of a Lee Thean-Jeen movie, the film is beautifully shot and composed. Nearly every opening to a scene is meticulously and creatively framed. And at the centre of it all, is the very beautiful and elegantly vulnerable Jessica Liu.

I too have high hopes for Jessica Liu. She is one of those actresses with a unique screen presence that sets her apart from her peers. Here, she acquits herself well as a grieving mother trying to come to terms with her tragic loss. Her character could be better developed, but that's hardly her fault.

Which unfortunately, brings us to the film's one drawback. There are almost no surprises. Okay, in terms of shock value and scares - they work and they should blow your mind. But when it comes to narrative flow, the storyline is rather too predictable. Even the obligatory horror twist comes across as more of a tired cliche.

Bring Back the Dead nonetheless delivers as I mentioned earlier, where it really matters. As a horror film, it is sure to jolt you in your seat. As a dramatic story, the premise of a grieving mother pining for her lost son is a timeless tale that certainly brought a tear to my eye at the very end.

Moometer Reading:
Moo-o..?!

Exclamations for:

! Outstanding Actress: I don't want to end up gushing too much over Jessica Liu like some lovelorn schoolboy, but I wish nothing but the best for her career. This is probably one of her first forays into film, and I certainly hope she succeeds in stepping out of the shadow of television and onto the wider, international stage.

Query for:

? Predictable Storyline: If I were to look at the onscreen developments more critically, I certainly would think it can be done better. This is not to do with the script, but rather how the scenes are set up for the reveals later on. To be fair, this is particularly a challenge within the horror genre, where subtlety can sometimes be lost on an audience.

Un Coeur En Hiver

A Heart in Winter - a Romance in Facade....

"In speaking, one risks sounding stupid. Not speaking, one may appear intelligent."

"Maybe one is simply afraid...."

One of my favourite lines in the film, it underlines the relationship between Stephane and Camille as they try to meander a path towards a chance for love - unfortunately never as one, always in twain....

And thus it begins. A violin maker, Stephane (Daniel Auteuil), is introduced to his partner's new muse and girlfriend, upcoming violinist Camille (Emmanuelle Béart).

From a professional relationship tending to the strings on Camille's violin, the emotionless and reticent Stephane slowly and unwittingly draws the beautiful Camille into a web not of flame, but of an empty black hole.

All the passion in the world cannot ignite poor Stephane's cold, cold heart, and it is Camille's that is left ultimately shattered - not because Stephane would not receive her love - he does not know how....

The immaculate, the beautiful Emmanuelle Béart as Camille - enchantée....

And Daniel Auteuil is Stephane, the emotionless heart in winter....

André Dussollier plays Maxime, the butler to Stephane's and Camille's romance. 

I seem to have a thing for romantic films with unfulfilled, or unrequited love. The 1992 film, A Heart in Winter, has now topped the list with a tour de force in non-romance and no-end-result.

Not that it matters as it is the process, not the consequence, that engages us. The looks each gives the other, the distant pining, the expressionless Stephane and the emotionally frustrated Camille....

The story may be touted as a love triangle, but make no mistake about it, even if André Dussollier performs well as Stephane's business partner and Camille's initial love interest, the film is about Stephane and Camille. 


The silence, the tension, the seemingly impassable void between them; the storm that brews when they do try to connect - the world just stops spinning and centres on Stephane and Camille whenever they are in the same room. 

First Attraction

Then, a walk in the rain....

And the last hurrah.

If you fancy a light-hearted romp of a romance, then this is certainly not the film for you. But if you can appreciate a story with intricate emotions, played out over the music of Maurice Ravel; and if you allow it to breathe - like a glass of very fine wine - then it might just simply take your breath away.

As it did mine.

Alone again, naturally....

Moometer Reading:
Moo-oo-o..!!!

Exclamations for:

! Outstanding Actor: Some might argue that it is easy to play a role where little expression is needed. But it is the conveyance of an emotion in such little breadth of expression that takes a master to accomplish. Daniel Auteuil here does this exceedingly well - although if you were to ask me - I have no idea why. He just does....
! Outstanding Actress: But the kudos go to the ever lovely Emmanuelle Béart. She is the opposite of Auteuil. The way she juggles her feelings of desire, frustration, her own coolness, her slight smiles, her concentration in music, those soulful eyes, those lips, the warmth and passion she exudes, et al - it is simply beautiful to watch. I will freely admit I am somewhat biased in my adulation for Béart, but how can I help myself?
! Outstanding Chemistry: The entire film makes or breaks on the chemistry between Auteuil and Béart, so this is certainly worth a shout. Never have I seen such romantic tension between two characters who never really do make out. An excruciating, yet exhilarating, experience....

Top 10 Samurai Films

After sitting (and at times sleeping) through a bunch of notable and classic Samurai films, including the disappointing Lone Wolf and Cub series, it finally dawned on me - that if a Takashi Miike (who created the sensational Ichi The Killer) fails to make the grade - then I basically do have a respectable top ten after all.

First off - absolutely no prizes for guessing which comes out top. It's a no contest - no other film even comes close. The good news though is that the rest of the spots are up for grabs.

In order to compile this list, I had to make a conscious decision to exclude films with ninja, and by extension, fantasy (or supernatural) themes or elements. So no super ninja powers, demons or chi sweeping blades etc. Dazzling swordplay is still okay though.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the Top 10 List of Samurai Films that I have had the pleasure of viewing:

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#10. Red Sun (1972)

Director: Terence Young

Starring: Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Ursula Andress, Alain Delon

Probably no spot has been more fiercely contested than the #10, and this will certainly prove to be controversial.

It was my original intention to exclude The Last Samurai from the Top 10 list, but due to the scarcity of suitable candidates, the nauseating Dances With Wolves parody had indeed occupied this spot in the final drafts.

So how came this Western, and can it even count as a Samurai film? Well it has one samurai in it, played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune no less. More importantly, the film also serves to give a better representation of the samurai, so to me it qualifies - kind of....

But did you see the rest of the cast list? Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Alain Delon - the list dazzles. What strikes the cord however, is that the film takes the best known traits of both cowboy and samurai (stereotypical as they may be), and meshes them together to create an intriguing and satisfying chemistry between the two leads (Bronson and Mifune).

To be honest, it feels a bit like a slap in the face for The Last Samurai to be unseated by Red Sun. As epic a production  as The Last Samurai may be (and it isn't a bad film), you can't run away from the poster boy portrayal of Tom Cruise, and the stiff, politically correct relationship between Cruise's character and Ken Watanabe's character. All these actually make an otherwise breathtaking movie actually DIFFICULT to watch.

Ultimately, Red Sun makes the list, and I'm proud to say that it's not because I purposely want The Last Samurai out, but because to put simply - it is a better film.

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#9. The Sword of Doom (1966)

Director: Kihachi Okamoto

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshiro Mifune

This is one of the few latter films I watched that I feel qualifies for the Top 10.

The story of an amoral swordsman's descent to insanity always has its attraction in the media. 

Originally conceived as the first part of a trilogy to follow the novel of the same name by Kaizan Nakazato, I am nonetheless quite relieved that the producers stopped at one. Not because it is bad, but because I frankly want the depravity to stop.

The anti-hero Ryunosuke Tsukue is not necessarily evil - but he is unfeeling, cruel, nihilistic and remorseless. It's not even that he is selfish - he just simply does not care - for others, for society or even for himself.

Couple that with his unparalleled swordsmanship, and you have a killer who will slay both friend and foe without compunction.

The opening scene itself underlines his character and is probably worth the price of the ticket alone. The cliffhanger ending on the hand provides a cathartic conclusion that is open to interpretation (and that never made sequel).

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#8. Ran (1985)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Mieko Harada

When I first laid hands on a collection of Akira Kurosawa films, I failed to catch Ran even though it was among the collection, namely because the film lacked subtitles. I only caught the film many years later, as I was experiencing samurai entropy from all those research I was making to compile this list.

(Ironically this meant that Ran was never part of my very first Top 10 - see my Top 10 Wuxia post)

I suspect that is why Kurosawa's most expensive film ends up on a modest #8, even though it was critically acclaimed and actually won an Academy Award for Costume Design.

I will readily admit that I found Kurosawa's (semi-accidental) adaptation of King Lear to be rather tedious to watch. Nonetheless, the sweeping epic, colour and cinematography more than make up for the film's plodding and convoluted plot. And even in spite of that, Kurosawa's direction shines through with poignant detail - best exemplified by the array of his character's - Hidetora's clown, Lady Sue's blind brother etc.

And at the centre of it all is Tatsuya Nakadai's portrayal of the emancipated, old warlord Hidetora wandering the fields of chaos like a ghost, bereft and betrayed - by his children. 

To say that Nakadai's performance is haunting and symbolic of the film (and even of Kurosawa) itself,  is well - nothing more needs to be said really.

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#7. Taboo (1999)

Director: Nagisa Oshima

Starring: Ryuhei Matsuda, Tadanobu Asano, Takeshi Kitano, Shinji Takeda

A gay Samurai film? What will they think of next?

In truth however, Taboo, or Gohatto (in Japanese), is a powerful film with an impressive cast and intriguing storyline, led by the veteran Takeshi Kitano, and introducing the then 15-year-old Ryuhei Matsuda (I hadn't known that!) as the effeminate and good looking samurai who, unwittingly or otherwise, brings chaos to the fearsome Shinsengumi. 

The ensemble cast is excellent, portraying several historical Shinsengumi members, plus the few fictional ones, with panache and finesse. Nowhere I think, have the members of elite police group from the Tokugawa Shogunate era, been better or more humanely portrayed. There is good humour, camaraderie, chemistry, even rivalry amongst members, plus the odd buffoonery or two.

Taboo succeeds in providing a rather realistic and engaging view of the Shinsengumi while reflecting on the histories that affected the group. And of course there is the exploration of the inherent homosexuality and illicit passions within - explained as a result of male dominance in the Shinsengumi - much like seamen out at sea.

This insightful look at sexuality in the feudal era of Japan reveals a surprising open-mindedness and tolerance, even jokingly, from the Shinsengumi leadership, though as demonstrated in the ending - only up to a point.

A must watch for any who crave a different perspective to the way of the Samurai in that era.

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#6. Kagemusha (1980)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki

Most lists would not place this film ahead of Ran, but there are a few things that made Kagemusha more enjoyable for me.

First is the idea of a "Shadow Warrior", a man who is made to be a double for a dying warlord, is a concept that is immediately both interesting and intriguing.

Then there is the performance of Tatsuya Nakadai, playing dual roles. Of note is his portrayal of the thief who grows to immerse himself into the role of the warlord that he is forced to play, even coming to care and make the ultimate sacrifice for the clan. You can tell that Kurosawa instructed Nakadai to mimic Toshiro Mifune, but Nakadai plays his part very well. He may never be a Mifune, but at least in Kagemusha he hardly looks out of place.

Ultimately for me, Ran as a story falls behind Kagemusha because it appears to be more formulaic. Audiences will root for the thief in Kagemusha simply because the story is less predictable and because the thief grows a heart along the way.

We do empathise with Hidetora in Ran, but when we can tell what is going to happen even at the end, then it is going to be that harder for the story to strike a chord.

Compare that with the Kagemusha's final futile charge, I grief and despair with the character, knowing full well  that he could easily have turned away from it all - but chose not to.

The final moments from Ran and Kagemusha are both equally sad, but it is Kagemusha and that brave sacrifice that earns the film this spot for me.

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#5. The Twilight Samurai (2002)

Director: Yoji Yamada

Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa

What do you call a film that flies in the face of traditional Samurai films? Genius.

With a grand total of just two fight scenes, one could hardly call this a swashbuckling samurai action film. Instead, it tells the story of a humble samurai, struggling to care for his family after the loss of his wife to illness.

The film portrays the life of the samurai in an era when their swords are no longer needed.

Hiroyuki Sanada plays the impoverished and unkempt samurai who disappears at sunset after each working day, leading his colleagues to nickname him the Twilight Samurai.

The film takes a look at the samurai in a changing era, but really, it is also a story of a man who only yearns for a simple life with his family - and a budding childhood love.

But even as times are changing, the strict samurai code and conservative traditions can get in the way of true happiness. A quiet love story - where less is said, and more is shown.

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#4. Harakiri (1962)

Director: Masaki Kobayashi

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Mikuni, Shima Iwashita, Akira Ishihama

Westerners call it Hara Kiri, the Japanese would call it Seppuku, depending entirely on the order in which the two Japanese characters are read.

But this is not about linguistics - it's about an instant classic - one that rivals a Kurosawa even at its peak.

To the untrained viewer, the pace is slow. The narrative however, slowly draws you in.

An ageing ronin (wandering samurai) recounts his tale in front of a clan of samurai, with whom he has requested a seppuku ceremony (effectively an assisted suicide). But all is not as it seems, and the tale unravels into an explosive conclusion.

This is not simply a tale of samurai sword fighting, but also an outside look at samurai culture and the sometimes harsh and unrelenting nature of honour and traditions.

Tatsuya Nakadai delivers another impeccable performance. I hadn't really heard of him but he has already made quite a few appearances on this list. Can he actually be better than the great Toshiro?

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#3. Rashomon (1950)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki

The answer of course to the last question is "NO".

And here is the reason why. The performance of Toshiro Mifune in Rashomen is groundbreaking, both for his career and also for the way future films portray their heroes. Mifune was said to have studied footage of lions in the wild in order to perfect his acting for this role.

His wild, often animalistic acting style paved the way for acclaimed performances in films like Yojimbo or Sanjuro, and even Tatsuya Nakadai pretty much emulated Mifune in Kagemusha.

But Rashomen is not simply about Mifune. If there ever was a film that showcased the perfect balance and partnership between Kurosawa and Mifune - then this was it.

Rashomen not only featured the raw & immense talent of Mifune, but also set a new standard for cinema in its unconventional storytelling and use of filming techniques.

A crime is committed, and all the parties involved recount the events of the crime from their point of view - except that their stories are all different from the other, leading to the confusion as to what actually represents the truth.

This plot device became so famous, it came to be known as the Rashomen Effect. One well known film that adopted a similar approach is Zhang Yimou's Hero. And there are others.

Interestingly enough, this film is a rare mention amongst other samurai film lists, even though it is one of Kurosawa's best known works - albeit in the West. And to be fair - it is not so much about the samurai as it is about the plot line - but for me it qualifies well enough....

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#2. When the Last Sword is Drawn (2003)

Director: Yojiro Takita

Starring: Kiichi Nakai, Koichi Sato

Among the modern samurai films, critics will probably point to the famous samurai trilogy by Yoji Yamada as the benchmark of samurai films. But here is one that also portrays the samurai of the period in a similar light to what Yamada has done. Perhaps lesser known than the masterful Twilight Samurai, but for me, even more touching and heartbreaking.

To be honest though, When the Last Sword is Drawn is probably not as well made as it could have been. There are quite a few flaws that detract from the overall experience. Certainly it is not as visually inspiring or beautiful as Twilight Samurai.

It also employs the device of parallel timelines to tell a story of yesteryear. It's not that it is particularly confusing as such devices can be. But the execution feels tired, cliched, and ultimately, probably unnecessary.

Nonetheless, the story of a money grubbing samurai who joins the Shinsengumi, and how it slowly unfolds to reveal a man of incredible loyalty and patriotism (if not honour), willing to sacrifice his all for family and country - this is a story that is at once unlikely, yet incredibly heartwarming and sadly, tragic.

In many ways, I think a good story can make up for slightly inferior production value, and this is one example that outlines this clearly. I am not saying this film is poorly made - far from it - rather I would say, this is one film that does not rely on artistry to tell a gripping tale.

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#1. Seven Samurai (1954)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Isao Kimura, Yoshio Inaba, Daisuke Kato, Minoru Chiaki, Seiji Miyaguchi

Were you seriously expecting anything else?

This film is so iconic, it has set the standard for a genre of film that features a motley collection of heroes. The Magnificent Seven; Seven Swords; Ocean's Eleven; and even in animated films like A Bug's Life - plus so many, many more - have been modeled after Seven Samurai.

It's not even funny - it's like a textbook for film students.

The wise leader; the complementary advisor; the reliable soldier; the brooding genius; the funny man; the young apprentice; and the big buffoon. Do you recognise these archetypes in the film and who played what?

A village finds itself threatened by bandits, and sends representatives into town to hire some samurai to defend its land and crops. Seven samurai sign up - and the rest is history.

Masterful performances from Takashi Shimura (another Kurosawa veteran) and Toshiro Mifune, who easily steals the show as the loudmouthed samurai with the big sword. But as with all films of this genre, the film also relies on the interplay between the seven heroes, and also the villagers who hire them.

If you have to watch only one samurai film - this has to be it. No other film even comes close - really.

Les Diables (The Devils)

Les Diables: They're no angels....

I didn't think there would be a better film than City of God that juxtaposes children with violence/sex, but here it is - Les Diables (2002).

A disturbing but emotional film, Les Diables follows the brother & sister pair of Joseph and Chloe in an Of Mice And Men like journey to find the elusive dream home that Chloe is able to piece together from broken coloured glass.

Be warned. This is not a feel good film. There are themes of violence, nudity and incest, but that is not the end of it....

The clincher - the two leads are children, underaged and barely hitting puberty. Chloe is autistic and completely incapable of caring for herself, while Joseph is fiercely protective of his sister - to their own detriment. Abandoned from young, they have been continually outcast from a society that fails to treat them with the respect and care that they need.

In consequence, they have wandered from place to place, children's home to children's home - never staying long because the adults cannot understand that Joseph simply will not be kept apart from his sister, and vice versa.

Vincent Rottiers as Joseph; Adele Haenel as Chloe.

Hell hath no fury like a boy on a rampage.

Autistic and in heat.

It is heart wrenching to see how, in a huge and frightening world, how alone the two children are and how much mistrust they have in the adults and society around them. If only they would place their trust in someone!

These are the archetypal 'wild childs' - the 'Devils' that make the film's name.

Homeless, uncontrollable and fearful of social contact, they become a 'Bonnie & Clyde' style wrecking ball, descending into petty crime and anarchy - yet all the while we are painfully aware that it is part of their survival instincts rather than childish willfulness.

Couple that with Chloe's growing sexuality and her discovery for the pleasures of 'touch', plus Joseph's own dim notion of what it means to get too close to one's sister, and we have a controversial and potentially explosive European film.

Innocence lost?

And just what are you thinking, you damn perverts?

Will they ever find a place they can call home?

While not particularly strong in terms of production quality, plus the presence of some incredulously laughable scenes, such as the riot caused by a gang of children - what truly makes Les Diables arresting is the performance of the two leads, Vincent Rottiers as Joseph and Adele Haenal as Chloe. In particular, director Christophe Ruggia's treatment and portrayal of autism is simply oh so poignant and believable.

The film may be violent, but it is not a film about violence. It is about two children trying to find their way in life, trying to survive the harsh realities, all the while still maintaining the innocence that they bear as children.

The final scene may be a little predictable, but it is nonetheless deeply meaningful, and we are left wondering if they have truly at last found the peace and home that they are looking for....

Moometer Reading:

Moo-ooo..?!!

Exclamation for:

! Outstanding Lead Actor: It is a great pity that Adele Haenel was the one to receive the plaudits for her portrayal of an autistic girl, which she admittedly deserves, but in my opinion the true outstanding performer is Vincent Rottiers. In any other setting he would play a cuddly little boy, but here he delivers an out of the world performance as a boy filled with rage and mistrust, yet tentative, fearful and loving (of his sister) at the same time. And there is innocence as well, when his character shares a moment with his sister. His range of emotions are so complete - it is practically the most mature performance I have ever seen coming from a child less than 14 years old. Never mind Hollywood, Vincent Rottiers has set the standard for child actors everywhere.

! Outstanding Direction / Lead Actress: How should I put it? I wouldn't say that Christophe Ruggia has made an outstanding performance as a director. However, when it comes to Adele Haenel's portrayal of an autistic girl, which is yet another out of the world performance, there I have to give credit to the direction. Adele undoubtedly acted very well, and she has gone on to achieve some fame for herself, but her range of expressions are not as complicated as her co-actor. It really isn't that tough to act silly you know. But here, Christophe's own experience dealing with autism I suspect is a huge influence. The portrayal is superb beyond measure. Truly realistic and more so, the portrayal of Chloe's budding sexuality. And I don't mean this in a suggestive way. Indeed, as an adult, you'll be truly alarmed at how Chloe expresses herself, and yet you'll sense that this really is how an autistic child behaves. You have to watch the film to see what I mean. 

Query for:

? Incredulous Riot: When Joseph needs to enter a mental institution to save Chloe, he finds an old ally from a previous children's home, who activates an entire gang of children to break into the institution. Yeah right. What can I say? Viva la France!

Top 10 Chinese Wuxia Films

I had been wanting to do a Top 10 FEATURE article. Indeed, my original idea was to do a Top 10 Samurai Film list, then realised that I hadn't watched quite enough Samurai films yet. At least not enough to ensure the list wouldn't be dominated by Akira Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune. I suspect it still would eventually, but until then, it will have to be kept in cold storage for now.

Instead, I have decided to start off with a list that would for me be easiest to compile - that of the wuxia genre.

Actually, it's not quite as easy even if I've watched a fair few. But it is one of my favourite genres nonetheless, so it's as good a place to start as any.

The reason why it is not so easy is because I have to make a clear distinction between wuxia and the wider martial arts genre. The problem was that, prior to the 1980s, martial arts choreography in wuxia films were not very different from the general martial arts films. This made it difficult to draw the line especially as most martial arts films were in a kind of period setting.

The special effects of flying, internal energy and explosions only became more visual and prevalent from 1980s on, with director Tsui Hark especially setting the trend with his trademark special effects style.

Wuxia started off as literature, and had been around for centuries. As such, I found myself struggling to decide if films like Jackie Chan's Drunken Fist could be termed as wuxia, which I would of course normally disagree with.

In order to provide the necessary distinction, I came up with a set of rules that a wuxia film should generally adhere to. A wuxia film doesn't necessarily have to adhere to ALL the rules, but at least enough of them to be able to retain the wuxia element in the film.

Rule #1:

There should be an element of fantasy to the martial arts displayed in wuxia films. Although most of these martial arts are grounded in real life martial arts skills, these should be much more exaggerated. Things like using qinggong to fly, dianxue (finger) techniques to immobilise or kill, internal energies to deliver mighty blows and even explosions. For films made before the 'flying' renaissance (pre-1980s), these could be signified by the descriptions of fantastic martial manuals or the use of somersaults and giant leaps over buildings (albeit low ones). This rule thus excludes many of Jackie Chan's kungfu films like Drunken Fist & Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, since the martial arts in those films are simply based on real life kungfu skills, and are not particularly fantastic.

Rule #2:

The wuxia film should take place in a period or historical setting. There may be a few that come very close to modern setting, and thus may be considered an exception. A Man Called Hero is a film set in America close to a modern setting. For this reason, any film set before the world war or in the Manchu Dynasty and before can still qualify as wuxia, though the closer to modern setting, the less likely. So a film like Dragon Tiger Gate (not to be confused with Dragon Gate Inn) cannot be considered wuxia, despite its fantastic martial choreography.

Rule #3:

This rule is a little complex. The characters in a wuxia film should attain a sort of mystical, mythical or legendary heroic (or villainous) status. The story should also as far as possible, take place in the world of Jianghu rather than in the courts or in a war setting. The heroes generally bear no allegiance to the courts (so the Three Kingdoms Classics cannot be termed wuxia), but instead would be affiliated to pugilistic sects and clans or are just simply wandering swordsmen or xiake. There is however a whole subgenre pertaining to court intrigues and starring police constables in lead roles (the recent Detective Dee for example). The reason for this rule is to exclude overly comedic and slapstick films (unless they are spoofs) such as those of Stephen Chow. Kungfu Hustle is thus excluded mainly because of the comedy slapstick, as well as its closeness to the modern setting. Likewise the Flirting Scholar, though Royal Tramp & The Mad Monk can still qualify.

Ultimately however, I had to judge on a film by film basis, giving weightage on the wuxianess of a film depending on the above 3 rules.

A notable exclusion to the genre is Tsui Hark's Once Upon A Time in China series. It no doubt comes close and is of course subjective; but I simply couldn't think of it as wuxia. Huang Feihong is no doubt a legendary Chinese figure. The martial arts displayed in the series is fantastic (Feihong's flying No Shadow Kick). The main problem, I think, is that he's a historical figure. While it is okay to weave wuxia elements around historical figures and events, these should be a backdrop and not the focal point. Put it this way - there have been several Huang Feihong films made over the decades - can all of them be termed wuxia? The wuxia genre has its grounding in literature, so the general basis is that wuxia has to be fantasy fiction.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the Top 10 List of Chinese Wuxia Films that I have had the pleasure of viewing:

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#10. Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983)

Director: Tsui hark

Starring: Yuen Biao, Adam Cheng, Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia, Samo Hung

Back in those days, Tsui Hark was one of the most innovative special effects directors in Hong Kong. Zu Warriors was one of his first forays into the wuxia genre, a genre in which he would go on to become a trend setter in the use of special effects and wirefu. Here, he effectively combined wuxia with Western special effects technology of the time to create a wonderful fantasy epic of good versus evil.

Though ahead of its time, Tsui Hark somehow got stuck to the 80s-90s mindset, and could never really take the step up into modern CGI technology of today. His CGI heavy The Legend of Zu, a remake of this film, was a failure. His obsession with special effects, which gained him fame early on, seems to now hinder him as he more often than not neglects the storyline in favour of increasingly cheesy effects.

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#9. Snake & Crane Arts Of Shaolin (1978)

Director: Chen Chi Hwa

Starring: Jackie Chan, Nora Miao

I have to admit that this makes the list almost purely because of Jackie Chan, whom I idolised when I was younger. This film was made before Jackie Chan gained fame as a martial arts comedian.

Nonetheless, I found the storyline, about a mysterious but charming pugilist seeking a mysterious villain by using a top martial arts manual as a lure, to be highly palatable. The ensemble cast of characters is also quite first rate. It doesn't hurt either that the film also stars the very beautiful Nora Miao, in one of her rare pairings with Jackie Chan.

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#8. Seven Swords (2005)

Director: Tsui Hark

Starring: Charlie Yeung, Leon Lai, Donnie Yen, Kim So-yeon

Seven Swords is a good example of how Tsui Hark can still make a good film if he didn't have to worry about CGI (less said about that the better). With an obvious nod towards Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, here is a good ol' swash buckler featuring seven heroes and their seven unique & fantastical blades.

Good stunt and martial choreography, almost imperceptible wirefu and minus the cheesy effects & explosions of the 90s (that made him famous to begin with) - Tsui Hark stuck to the basics, improving on his strengths while eliminating his weaknesses (those cheesy effects). What he basically did here was to update the wuxia film genre for the new millenium. And for that he is thanked.

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#7. Come Drink With Me (1966)

Director: King Hu

Starring: Cheng Pei Pei, Yueh Hwa, Chan Hung-Lit

Quite possibly the Citizen Kane of wuxia, this film is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, Hong Kong film ever made. Starring the legendary Cheng Pei Pei, who was chosen for the role due to her being a ballet dancer - this film was all about the grace and beauty in martial arts & stunts.

The film became a major influence to martial arts films over the next decades and even up to the modern day, as you will see later.

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#6. House Of Flying Daggers (2004)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau, Aniki Jin

This film highlights an oft understated subgenre in wuxia, where the main leads Andy Lau & Aniki Jin play police constables in the imperial court. In the context of the general wuxia world, their status would actually be considered quite lowly - and it shows. Though competent in martial arts, Aniki Jin's and Ziyi's characters tend to struggle against top exponents from both the imperial court and the titular House of Flying Daggers, a secret rebel organisation against the waning Tang Dynasty. This however, gives a thrilling edge to the exquisite fight scenes, where you'll never know who will come out tops.

Director Zhang Yimou is well known for his vivid use of colours, and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. His combination of colour and fight sequences, especially the fight scenes in the bamboo forest, make for some of the most beautiful fight scenes around. Indeed, I wonder if it doesn't deserve a higher ranking on this list - but for now, it stays at #6.

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#5. The Swordsman (1990)

Producer: Tsui Hark

Starring: Samuel Hui, Cecilia Yip, Sharla Cheung Man, Jacky Cheung

I suspect I'm going to be rapped for choosing this over Swordsman II. It is true that Jet Li relaunched his career with the sequel to this film based on Louis Cha's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. I would maintain however that Samuel Hui is the best ever Linghu Chong I've ever seen. Chow Yun Fatt, Steve Ma Jingtao & of course Jet Li have variously played the character on TV and film, but it was only Samuel Hui who I felt totally captured the essence of the charismatic & carefree wanderer.

But of course Sam's not the only reason for the film to be on this list. The Swordsman pretty much set the trend for wuxia films in the 90s, with the kind of explosive (literally) special effects and wirefu that wowed audiences throughout Asia. Though somewhat dated in today's context (and thus cheesy), the film holds fond memories for me as it was what introduced the wuxia film genre to me.

If you noticed above, Tsui Hark is listed as the Producer for this film rather than Director. This is because King Hu was originally the director, but in an apparent fallout, he left the project and it was finally wrapped by Tsui Hark.

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#4. Ashes Of Time (1994)

Director: Wong Kar-wai

Starring: Leslie Cheung, Lin Ching Hsia, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Jacky Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau

When famous arthouse auteur Wong Kar-wai turns his attention to wuxia, this is the intriguing result. A film with probably too little 'wuxia' in it, and is better said to be an allegory to love, loneliness & love lost.

More poetic than actually bearing anything resembling a plotline (typical of Wong's films), this story based very loosely on 4 top pugilists from Louis Cha's famed Condor Trilogy, is nonetheless a hypnotic piece of art - to be appreciated rather than to be enjoyed.

Fight scenes are few and often quick and blurry. Normal wuxia fans might well find the pace too slow for their liking. But when you take a look at the impressive cast list - literally a who's who of the Hong Kong industry at the time, then you'll have an idea of the high regard with which Wong Kar-wai is held.

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#3. Hero (2002)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Donnie Yen, Chen Daoming

After the unprecedented success in the introduction of the wuxia genre to the United States, director Zhang Yimou followed up with this beautifully made epic of a nameless hero and the stories behind his quest to assassinate the infamous King of Qin.

With more than a hint of Rashomon (Kurosawa again!), Zhang made full use of lush backdrops in different but vivid colour themes (one for each version of essentially the same tale). The result is a cinematographic truimph to behold - a truly spectacular tour de force.

Fight scenes are poetry in motion, with heroes gliding over water or dueling with their minds - all amidst lush sceneries and colour.

Indeed, this film should perhaps have placed just a little higher on this list had it not been for the rather obvious underlying political message - to accept violence and rulership over liberty for the greater good. This film was made in China with government support. And however Zhang may distance himself from criticism, it seems incredible to make a film that would venerate a cruel tyrant in China's history, even if he did unify China.

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#2. The Storm Riders (1998)

Director: Andrew Lau

Starring: Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Sonny Chiba

I thought long and hard about this one - 3 weeks in fact - while this article stewed in the vault.

As a film from the last millennium, it is perhaps not as visually beautiful as others we have seen in this past decade. But The Storm Riders is not about beauty in sword fighting - scarcely.

Like The Swordsman, this film based on the popular comic series Fengyun (Wind & Cloud), set a new trend in wuxia or even martial art films. And yet strangely enough, I have yet to see a subsequent wuxia film that has bettered The Storm Riders in terms of actually blending CGI with live action stunts.

That is the crux I think. The Storm Riders practically brought the comic book wuxia genre to live, and was a complete revelation at the time. Imagine seeing the stunts & moves from the comic book being replicated almost faithfully on screen. It was just amazing. And as I said earlier, the blend of CGI and live action is very credible, almost unnoticeable. Unfortunately, this cannot be said of any subsequent Asian film with CGI elements, where the CGI either looks unreal or just completely fail to blend with the rest the film.

To be fair, the 2009 sequel The Storm Warriors should have been technically better, but here the story and execution sucked - so as you can see, CGI is not the only consideration.

All said, had Hero not been so politically nauseating, then The Storm Riders might only have hit #3.

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#1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Director: Lee Ang

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen

Those already familiar with wuxia films might scoff at this choice for numero uno. Indeed there have apparently been many in Asia who have shrugged off this film, because apparently - there is nothing new here that wuxia fandom hadn't already seen.

Not me. This film may have introduced the world to the wuxia genre, but it is much more than that. Perhaps wuxia fans have come to equate the genre with explosive action and spectacular special effects (and why not indeed - see #2), but here, Lee Ang has reinvented the genre, drawing from the staple wuxia films of the pre-80s (Come Drink With Me was a heavy influence), creating a beautifully crafted film that highlights the best wuxia elements from over the generations passed.

Perhaps part of its success stems from the fact that the film was designed as an introduction to wuxia, and as such the excellent martial arts choreography from Yuen Wo-Ping, who also worked on The Matrix, had to be more realistic while being representative of wuxia. The result is a breathtaking series of martial arts sequences featuring different 'levels' of wuxia - from the rough and tumble of the teahouse sequence (featuring a whole host of exotic Chinese weapons), to the fantastical flying sequences over a bamboo forest (which a professor of mine admitted to being a little over the top).

But perhaps the best fight scenes are between the closely matched characters played by Michelle Yeoh and the sensual Zhang Ziyi. If in Hero, we had poetry in motion, then here we have a vivid and vibrant dance to the matching soundtrack of energetic drumbeats. A truly spectacular display that additionally, makes the best use of wirefu techniques I have ever seen.

And yet, when it comes down to it, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not simply a martial arts flick. What truly elevates the film to the level it is at for me - is the underlying story. This is no swashbuckling whack-them-up. The story is beauty & grace - a classic. A hero's journey - except it is a heroine.

Ultimately, the film is about a blossoming young woman who steps out from her aristocratic comforts into the world of Jianghu, and the discovery of how her innocence and willfulness will affect the lives of those around her. There is no real antagonist, though there may be the archetypal villain. It is illuminating perhaps that the villain, played by Cheng Pei Pei, would confess at the end that her goal all along was to kill her protege, the young heroine - all because of a perceived betrayal.

Be it story, choreography or cinematography, Lee Ang has undoubtedly created a masterpiece.