Overview: Revenge is and has always been one of the most popular and prolific themes in Hong Kong cinema, from classic wuxia epics to kung fu movies and heroic bloodshed films. During the 1970s, Shaw Brothers Studio was the largest production company operating in Hong Kong and the king of the vengeance tale.

Presented here are two of the studio’s most interesting and underrated takes on the revenge story: The Eunuch and The Deadly Knives (aka Fists of Vengeance).

A wuxia pian written by the legendary Lo Wei (Fist of Fury) and directed by Teddy Yip (The Black Tavern), The Eunuch begins as the eponymous eunuch Gui De-hai (Pai Ying, The Valiant Ones) survives an attempt on his life ordered by the Emperor (Lo Wei himself). After killing the Emperor and his family in cold blood, Gui notices that the Prince is missing - and sets out to complete his revenge mission.

Then, Ching Li (Four Riders) and Ling Yun (Killer Clans) star in the kung fu film The Deadly Knives as young lovers Guan Yue-hua and Yan Zi-fei, whose relationship is tested when Yan’s family comes under threat by Japanese thugs led by Ogawa (Ching Miao, The Shadow Boxer). He becomes determined to avenge their honor - even if that means taking on Guan’s corrupt father.

The Eunuch and The Deadly Knives were made just as the wuxia film was giving way to the kung fu movie in the wake of Bruce Lee’s international success and provide a fascinating insight into how the theme of revenge was retooled as one genre superseded another. Eureka Classics presents both films on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world.

Blu-ray Verdict: First up on this most glorious double-feature is The Eunuch from 1971. Eunuch Gui Dehai avoids assassination and extracts a most bloody revenge on the royal family. This revenge extends to the absent Prince and the Eunuch sends out men to find and kill him. Fortunately for Prince Chuchin, a fake kidnapping and cry for help draws him after the Leisurely Old Man of the Green Bamboo Forest (a legendary pole fighter) and thus he is under his wing when Gui’s men come.

At the same time Gui is having a surprise as his father turns up after 20 years to tell him he has a daughter. Knowing that such information would hurt his standing even though it occurred before his castration, Gui kills his father and seeks to have the girl killed too so that the secret may be hidden.

Fortunately for Yanyan, she is rescued by the Old Lady of Green Bamboo Forest (herself no slouch with the bamboo pole). Husband and wife come together with their new students and set about helping train them up to take revenge - although what that actually means may be different for each of the two students.

In truth, this film is not on the same level as Teddy Yip Wing-Cho underrated The Black Tavern but is an entertaining one thanks to Pai Ying as the title character. It has a more than decent plot with some twists and turns along with some nice swordplay choreography adds to the fun. It also has appearances by Lo Wei and Sammo Hung, which is never a bad thing.

Then we next get The Deadly Knives (aka Fists of Vengeance) from 1972 where Yan Zi Fei and Guan Yue Hua are returning home in love and plan to tell their parents but once they arrive back they find that there is a conflict between the two families.

Guan Fun Lin is working with Master Ogawa to assist the Japanese in taking possession of the Yan family’s forest - by fair means or foul. With Master Yan refusing to sell, Ogama continues his plotting, using deceit, betrayal and ultimately bloody violence to get what he wants.

While in the midst of a Romeo & Juliet-type situation, a young man’s family sees their forest stolen from them by the jerk head Japanese, thanks to a scheme by bribed government officials and jilted lovers. After successfully stealing the land, the Japanese continue to be murderous dickholes about the whole situation and so the young man (Ling Yun) must fight back … with deadly knives!

This early 70’s Shaw Brothers tale seems like it’s going to be classier than most but nope, it has far too many uncomfortable moments to keep on screen as long as they deem necessary, in my humble opinion.

I mean, it is totally unnecessary for the plot alone justifies enough revenge avenging as it is. Perhaps audiences’ tolerance for evil wrong doing was greater back then, but here those unfiltered, unjustifiable moments are too much, albeit the final five minutes are in a far more justifiably satisfying style of revenge [aka a bleak brutal escalation towards Cheh-tier levels of vicious sword brawls!]

In closing, the lead characters carry the tropey drama of the film’s first half so well that I slipped into its patterns without complaint and have to admit stayed comfortably there, but then came all the aforementioned, and unnecessary cinematic moments.

Bonus Features:
Limited edition of 2000 copies
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju)
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on both films in this set by writer and film critic James Oliver
1080p HD presentations of both films
Original Mandarin audio tracks
Optional English dub for The Deadly Knives | Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
New audio commentary on The Eunuch by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
New audio commentary on The Deadly Knives by Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)

www.eurekavideo.co.uk