The Age of Commercialism

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The "say what you see" title hides the quality of this low rent and relatively unknown Hong Kong kung fu film which is far better than expected given the budget, or lack thereof. Ostensibly a vehicle for low rent star Don Wong, BANDITS, PROSTITUTES AND SILVER features an intricate storyline that offers far more characterisation than one would expect from a stock kung fu movie. Okay, so that also means that the first half of the film is relatively slow and action-free, but how often do you get a film like this with proper character motivations?Wong plays a romantic character who just so happens to fall in love with a prostitute employed by a cruel brothel owner. He wants to set her free but to do so he needs a large amount of ready cash, cash which he doesn't have available, so he agrees to steal a shipment of silver on behalf of some criminals. All goes straightforward until a wide-ranging bandit gang get involved, all desperate to get their hands on the loot, and a master villain shows up with murder in mind.Although Wong is the listed protagonist in this film he's actually outshone by the supporting players; there are no less than three luminaries present here and all are more than welcome. First up is Angela Mao in a rare villainous turn as a fighter with some wicked spinning blade boots; she burns up the screen as always. Second we get the inimitable Phillip Ko as the bald-headed bandit leader, always a favourite of mine alongside the likes of Dick Wei and Chen Sing. Best of all is Lo Lieh in one of his stock master villain roles, but at least he gets an interesting chain necklace weapon here, a little like the flying blade he used in THE DRAGON MISSILE. Add in plentiful action, some gore, a wagon chase, and a bratty kung fu-fighting kid, and you have the ingredients of an entertaining movie.

This Taiwanese kung fu drama is a cut above standard genre fare in every respect, from the script and performances to the fight choreography. Directed by Kao Pao-shu (who co-wrote the screenplay with Shaw Brothers regular Ni Kuang), "Bandits, Prostitutes and Silver" stars Don Wong Tao as a carriage driver who wants to buy his girlfriend out of a life of prostitution. Thwarted at every turn, he finally resorts to crime, helping a notorious bandit (Wen Chiang-lung, who delivers the film's single finest performance) to commit highway robbery. Getting his hands on a chest of silver doesn't solve Wong Tao's problems, however: it makes him a target for other thieves, led by Angela Mao Ying, and eventually forces him to cross paths with arch-villain Lo Lieh. (Lo's secret weapon is a head-chopper on a chain, similar but not identical to the flying guillotine made famous in other kung fu flicks. This film is too good for such stale gimmicks, but it's got one anyhow.) The odds mount against Wong Tao, and he finds the world in which he lives to be stonily indifferent to his adversity. A few years earlier, Kao Pao-shu had shown her flair for (in the context of Chinese martial arts movies) surprisingly mature storytelling with "Blood of the Dragon", and "Bandits, Prostitutes and Silver" is twice as good. Even the film's desperate, flailing theme music underscores the tragic futility of the hero's struggle. If you're looking for something on a par with Chang Cheh's "Blood Brothers", this is it.

Don Wong Tao stars as a carriage driver who is in love with a prostitute. He needs $120 to buy her out of the brothel, so he decides to accept an offer to rob some silver. Now he has a bunch of bandits after him including Phillip Ko fei and Angela Mao Ying. Also after him is a corrupt government official played by Lo Lieh. This movie is a bit darker than most and has a fantastic finish.The fighting is above average, and Lo Lieh is much better in the action department than he usually is. He uses a really cool weapon that is a chain with a handcuff type thing on the end that can lock onto people's neck, arms and legs.Also starring is Man Kong Lung and Wong Hap and they look good in their fights.The Crash DVD has a decent widescreen print and the English dub sounds good.

it was good how they set up the robbery and the fighting. there is also something that makes you feel bad for shang yee. it is the thought of how he was treated for stealing when all he wanted was his girl shaochoi but it ends up being a fight over money a rep. very good