The Lucid Nightmare: Tina Chin-Fei

Saturday, November 30, 2013

i SPY ASIASPY: Summons to Death

Summons to Death
Director: Wei Lo
Year 1967

Summons to Death is a wonderfully 60's spytastic extravaganza brought to us by the legendary Shaw Brothers. Bound in swinger style and brimming with vibrant audacity, this interesting Asiaspy flick plunges its audience straight into outlandish adventures filled with equally wild characters. Super charged with a stellar cast and set against some of the most picturesque locales, Summons to Death is an outstanding adventure flick with a wicked espionage attitude.

The film follows super swinger secret agent Teng Lei, AKA The Owl, and circus acrobat Mei Li as they are stuck together on a dangerous hunt to recover a lost pirate treasure. Armed with one half of a treasure map and their wits, the two set off on a wild goose chase filled with ruthless pirates, vicious gangsters, and deadly women. Can Teng and Mei work together, or will the lure of the treasure be too much for their unlikely truce.

Tang Ching takes on the role of Teng Lei, the suave secret agent who's got a way with the ladies. Introduced in truly grand style, Teng lounges around his psychedelic bachelor pad showcasing some of the most unusual furnishings this side of a Derek Flint flick. Ching takes the role with stride as he effortlessly embodies the cool and skillful agent, injecting a most essential tongue and cheek attitude to the film. Being no stranger to the genre, seeing that he starred in Interpol 009 and Angel Strikes Again, Ching has a grand time with the proceedings, lapping up every single ridiculous moment.

Pairing up with Ching is Tina Chin Fei as Mei Li, the baby-faced sister of the fearsome gangster Brother Gin. Another Asiaspy alum, Fei has had a number of memorable roles in the genre, including Temptress of a Thousand Faces and Interpol 009, where she also co-starred along side Tang Ching. In Summons to Death, Fei plays a painfully sweet character who knows how to hold her own. She's also a great contrast against the other female member of the cast, Fanny Fan. Sultry, deceptive, and all around venomous, Fan plays Ying Nian, a unscrupulous nightclub singer with a sadistic side. Another vet of the genre, Fan appeared in Angel with the Iron Fists and she also had a small role in The Golden Buddha, but with Summons to Death she is really given ample opportunities to shine. Soaking up the scenery and looking absolutely stunning in various stages of dress, she truly leaves her mark on the film, and makes it the better for it.

As for the overall feel of the film, it's just plain wacky fun. From agent Lei's psychedelic bachelor pad, to the pirates swanking ship, to a swinging nightclub, to Ying Nian's pink filled groovy bedroom, this film has got the goods on unusual and vibrant locations. Set across a wide array of locales, the production goes to great lengths in showcasing to its audience a plethora of picturesque visuals which truly capture the globetrotting nature of the spy genre. Pristine beaches, neon-caked streets, smoke-filled casinos, and idyllic islands are in abundance and director Wei Lo films it all in vivid style. Hyper realized and outstandingly robust, Summons to Death is a visual treat that keeps on giving.

Ridiculously camp, the film stays true to its era and tongue and cheek genre tendencies, as it forges into some outlandish territory. Agent Teng Lei gets into all sorts of wild situations, including a hypnotic seduction ordered out by the sultry Ying Nian who uses a poison filled kiss to control the mind of our hero. Of course that isn't the only memorable moment of the flick, as Teng Lei also has some morbid fun with a corpse at the morgue and even makes out with a statue in order to lock up his swanky bachelor pad. Weird doesn't even cover some of the moments of this film, but all of these oddities add up to one entertaining Asiaspy entry.

Summons to Death is insanely succinct in brining on the strangeness while thoroughly dishing out the goods on what makes this genre so damn fun to watch. An unbeatable secret agent, a string of gorgeous femme fatales, a gaggle of baddies, and an abundance of breathtaking locations and sets are delivered at a constant pace, and the energy of the production is top notch. Vibrantly displayed and lovingly represented, Summons to Death is without a doubt a beautiful rendition of the genre.

Tang Ching, Tina Chin Fei and Fanny Fan, all do a great job with the material given to them, and each one makes their own unique part stand out. Tang Ching especially takes on the challenge of Agent Teng Lei with a confident stride, never breaking out of his cool collective demeanor, not even for a second. Enjoyable to the last, Summons to Death is an off the rails adventure film with an espionage twist. As unrestrained as they come, this Asiaspy effort is one that truly embraces the wackiness of the genre. Amplifying the elements that make these types of films so much damn fun, Summons to Death successfully hits its mark as a 60's spy entry in which fun is held most important above all things. If you love the Asiaspy genre, then give this one a go. Summons to Death is one.....

Lose the top and then we'll talk.

What the hell is going on in this wacky place?!?!

You just keep making out with that wall pervert!

Have you seen these weirdos?

So I guess high fives are out of the question?

Dinner Time Staring Contest...... GO!

Go fish... bitch!

Deserted Beach Staring Contest..... GO!

Hello there!

My arm would feel a lot better if you took your clothes off.

Maybe someone should call an ambulance.

Zombie!!!!!

Now we're talking!

Raise your hands, raise your hands or I'll shoot.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

REVIEW: Temptress of a Thousand Faces

Temptress of a Thousand Faces
Director: Chang-hwa Jeong
Year 1969

Temptress of a Thousand Faces is an extremely fun Shaw Brothers production that leans towards the ridiculous with its 60’s spy-centric style and over the top antics which depict a master thief who can transform herself in to anyone she pleases. Steeped in campy moments, the film is a fun little crime caper that focuses more on comedy and spectacle over anything else. With a barrage of beautiful locations, elaborate sets, and ingeniously ludicrous plot devices, Temptress of a Thousand Faces is a Hong Kong feature that really delights in thrilling the audience while at the same time tickling their funny bone in the wackiest of ways.

The film follows the nefarious dealings of the mysterious Temptress of a Thousand Faces, a master thief who masquerades as different people in order to accomplish her many lucrative heists. Fed up with the unsuccessful attempts of bringing the Temptress to justice, police officer Chi Ying goes on air demanding that the Temptress turn herself in or face the harsh judgment of Chi Ying’s fists. Not taking kindly to Chi’s threats, the Temptress’ thugs pay Ying an unexpected visit. They kidnap her and drag her down to the Temptress’ elaborate underground lair, where she is intimated, tortured, and then set free, but this doesn’t deter Chi’s determination in trying to bring down the Temptress, far from it. If there’s one thing you don’t want to do it’s piss off a woman who can disguise herself as anyone, because wouldn’t you know it, the Temptress begins impersonating Chi during her latest heist and the nasty result lands the real Chi in hot water with her fellow police officers. Can Chi prove her innocence and finally succeed in bringing down this master thief, or will she just be another victim of identity-theft by the inexplicable Temptress of a Thousand Faces?

Tina Chin-Fei plays the role of Chi Ying, the stubborn and highly capable female police officer that will stop at nothing in order to bring the Temptress to justice. Tina is phenomenal in the role, playing both the vulnerable and ass-kicking portions of her character to perfection. Her athletic ability on screen is spectacular and she can really bring the pain when the time calls for it. There is also a great amount of femininity to her role, which is made all the more clear when she uses her good looks and sexual prowess to get her out of a jam. In the film, Chi Ying’s character is thwarted and captured numerous times by the Temptress, but in the most dire of moments, she never gives up and keeps continuing to pursue her query even if it means that she might ruin her reputation in the process. That kind of determination allows the audience to sympathize with her plight and cheer her on as she tries again and again to succeed in her impossible task. That uncompromising drive propels the film onward and at a break-neck pace, making the film an energized spectacle that rarely stops to take a breather. Tina Chin-Fei’s performance is the heart of the movie and you can feel it every step of the way.

The secondary player of the piece is Chi Ying’s boyfriend Yu Ta, played by Liang Chen. Yu Ta’s role in the film is an interesting one, because in an unusual turn of events, this male counterpart takes a backseat to his female co-star. In a series of situations within the story of the movie, Yu Ta is resorted to being the pacifist or spectator of many of the action oriented moments, only getting into the action once he goes undercover as a female thief in order to draw the Temptress out of hiding. Liang Chen does a great job with the role reversal and it looks like he had a blast with the cross-dressing portions of the movie. As the film rolls to a close and the big climactic action sequence begins bursting onto the scene, Chen begins to encapsulate the stereotypical spy mold as he gets down and dirty and starts to taking the bad guys out along side his action heroine girlfriend. Without a doubt, the role reversal of Liang Chen’s character is one of the highlights of the film and an excellent choice for turning the genre on its head and trying something different.

Another opportunity that comes along with the role reversal is the inclusion of an over-amplified femme fatale tone that just drowns the film in sexual tension and naughty atmosphere. This is not a risky film by any means and it is far from pornographic, but the filmmakers were very specific in making this film a cut above the rest when it came to beefing up the femme fatale aspects of the movie. Not only that, but they ingeniously mixed in a heavy dose of comedy to smooth over the more sexually centric portions so as to have it blend more within the context of the narrative. For instance, Chi Ying is placed under arrest after the Temptress disguised herself as Chi and went on a jewelry heist, and she is handcuffed in the back of a police van with a male officer escorting her to prison. Chi Ying wisely begins to flirt with the officer by showing off her legs and basically being one exceptionally good cock teaser. Well of course the bumbling cop falls for it and she gets a hold of his gun, takes him hostage, and high-tails it out of there. This moment is replicated again and again, allowing Chi Ying’s character to display both the sexual side of her persona along with the more physical and ass-kicking oriented one which brings us to the action portion of my write-up.

Action! Action! Action! There is plenty of heart stopping moments in this film and each actor handles these tremendously uplifting moments with surprising flair and expert athleticism. Just as her performance is sexually charged, Tina Chin-Fei especially gives an outstanding show when it comes to dealing out some punishment and there’s no shortage of that. She’s given some ample opportunities to showcase her fighting skills and emphatic gunplay, and each situation is as well executed as the next. Her character also displays some death-defying stunts, particularly in the rooftop scene where Chi Ying must escape her attackers by jumping from roof to roof until she must eventually shimmy down a drain pipe which stands at a dizzying height, far above the city streets below. Whether this sequence was done with a stunt man or not, the sequence is rather impressive and makes for an exciting moment in the film. As for the movie in general, there is enough action packed moments within its runtime to satisfy any cinema lover, and combined with the comedic aspects of the production this Hong Kong effort is truly an entertaining and obscure wonder.

At the end of the day though, the true star of Temptress of a Thousand Faces is the Temptress herself and her ability to transform into anyone. Played by a number of random actors, including Tina Chin-Fei herself, the Temptress is a tricky character indeed and one that is worthy of having their name in the title. Her cunning exploits are legendary and you’ll get a hoot out of all the wacky hijinks she gets herself into and out of on a regular basis, especially her devilish and maniacal plan of posing as Chi Ying and sleeping with her boyfriend. The bitch! This is definitely a film that pulls out all the tricks in delivering a movie that is highly memorable and outstandingly brought to life.

Temptress of a Thousand Faces is a fantastically enjoyable cinematic ride that throws out the conventions of the spy and crime genre, while implying a more sexually charged atmosphere filled with comedy and action. The film does a handful of things and it does them all right, allowing for the main characters of the piece to shine on unparalleled levels. Tina Chin-Fei and Liang Chen thrive in their respective roles, as they both take on the action and comedic portions of their roles with a headstrong attitude that ultimately infects the entire production.

With an extra emphasis on hard-hitting fights, death-defying stunts, and tense shoot-outs, Temptress of a Thousand Faces makes for a delightful smorgasbord of 60’s drenched entertainment that really places the viewer’s personal enjoyment at the top of its priority list. On top of that the film introduces a character that is as mysterious as she is engaging, through the wild exploits of the Temptress and her many faces. Her multi-faceted collection of disguises and the collection of actors that portray her are all wonderfully showcased and the inclusion of this plot device is entertaining as all hell. If you’re looking for a cinematic effort that is genuinely wacky and wholly memorable, then give Temptress of a Thousand Faces a try. You won’t be disappointed, but you will be stupefied by the craziness that occurs on screen. This flick is…..