Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24668 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-04-17
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: Cantonese Chinese
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Special Features
Wide Screen
Cantonese
Region 2
Dolby Digital 2.0 Cantonese
Dolby Digital 2.0
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection
Original Theatrical Trailer
Digitally Remastered
English

Synopsis
Based on THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967), which is widely regarded as launching the craze for swordfighting movies in Hong Kong, BLADE is a violent epic employing fast edits and a dynamic camera, instead of the panoramic shots of the original. With half a name, half a sword, and half of a martial arts textbook, a martial arts protege with one arm transforms himself into a whirling dervish of a swordsman--more an anarchic force, rather than the graceful flying swordsmen of Hark's martial arts fantasies. An atmosphere of suffocation, repressed eroticism, and abject suffering dominates the film, which culminates in a climactic battle that martial arts cineastes will enjoy. There is very little that is heroic about the film; more often than not, people with good intentions are brutally slaughtered, while those who prey on the weak seem to constitute an endless horde. The bleakness of the film recalls the mood of A BETTER TOMORROW, which Hark produced. Like ASHES OF TIME, which was released just one year before Hark's film, THE BLADE verges on the philosophical, with an untrustworthy narrator who is not quite sure what is happening around her.

Customer Reviews

BELIEVE IN THE BLADE
Tsui Hark's the Blade is one of the finest films to come out of Hong Kong in the 90's. It is more than just a remake of the Shaw Brother's classic The One Armed Swordsman. He has taken a simple story of a man seeking revenge for his fathers' death, turned it into a drama about emotionally and physically damaged people fighting for survival in a brutal and lawless world.The feel of the movie has more in common with the works of Kurosawa, Kenji Misumi and Sergio Leone, than your average Hong Kong flick. It does indeed run like Spaghetti Western on acid. The flavour of the film is highly naturalistic from the acting to the sets and costumes. This world is hot, sweaty and dirty. Tsui Hark turns the martial arts genre on its head. There is no humour, which suits the grim tone of the film. The swords are not the usual stamped metal type so often seen but vicious looking forged weapons with terrifying edges. The villain, who we are told can "fly", does not fly about wirefu style. "Flying" refers to his spin top style of fighting and his habit of bungi jumping off buildings. All the characters are either mad or emotional wrecks. There is a constant blur between good and evil. Under Tsui Hark's direction, you empathise so much with On (Chiu Chuek), half a man with half a sword, that come the final battle, you utterly believe that this man is invincible. Full credit to Xiong Xin-Xin, who plays the tattooed villain, he is genuinely frightening and loathsome. The final ten minutes will leave you breathless, as this is probably the most violent and explosive example of swordplay ever committed to celluloid. THIS FILM IS UNIQUE- IT IS A MUST SEE!

Review of the DVD, not the film.
In posting this review I hope to get your attention. Firstly, the one star is for the quality of the DVD, not the film. I have owned two copies of this and have found the picture quality and sound to be atrocious. I originally took it back to the shop for a replacement because I thought it was faulty. I recently purchased it again and it is just the same. Can anyone help? Have I been unlucky?
The film itself is amazing, one of Hark's best. If I could get a decent print I would be over the moon, so beware.

Must be seen
What can I say? A Martial Arts film but from a different angle. I myself would never have believed the things that can be thought of for such films.
Theres a difference to this from others Ive seen as extra thought has been added to it and it follows an unusual path. Its amazing what fight scenes can be like with only one hand and a broken sword. An exciting action packed film with no seconds of boredom. This film lingered in my mind and Im sure I will want to watch it again in future! If you do not like blood scenes, dont bother or get a bucket ready. But personally I would do the latter as you would miss out on an excellent film.