In
1982, the Shaw Brothers released two films based on the classic Chinese novel, The Seven Heroes and the Five Gallants. Cat vs. Rat starred Kara Hui, whereas
Chang Cheh’s version had no women roles whatsoever. It’s still fun anyway. Chang’s
House of Traps, fondly remembered as
the last time he assembled his so-called Venom Mob (from The Five Deadly Venoms), screens as part of the Quad’s upcoming
retrospective, Vengeance is His: Chang Cheh’s Martial Lore, co-presented by the New York Asian Film Festival.
It
is Kung Fu versus booby-traps and a rather nasty thief. Yan Chunmin is the
honest scholar crime-busting judge Bao Zheng has appointed Inspector General of
Xiangyang, the seat of rebellious Prince Zhao Jue’s power. The line between hero
and thief (or grifter) is rather porous throughout the film, as a con man
becomes the scholar’s protector and two thieves ostensibly aligned with the Prince
will eventually face-off against each in the climatic battle.
Along
the way, hidden allies will reveal themselves and the four surviving Gallant “Rats”
will rally to the loyalist cause after one of their brothers is killed in the
Prince’s titular “House of Traps.” It is there that the Prince stores several
significant stolen works of art as well as the dishonor roll of all who have sworn
allegiance to his uprising—sort of an early version of the NOC List.
Basically,
House of T is Kung Fu with a touch of
Rube Goldberg and some costumes worthy of Evel Knievel or Liberace (but
seriously, what’s with those knit bonnets?). It seems like a simple story, but
Chang and co-screenwriter Ni Kuang manage to complicate the heck out of it.
There is an unwieldly large cast of name characters, who are constantly coming
and going, like characters in a screwball farce. However, Philip Kwok and Lu Feng
certainly show off the martial arts chops the Venom Gang were famous for.
There
are plenty of fan-pleasing fight sequences, plus a few rather striking visuals.
However, what really sets the film apart is the goriness of the deaths inside
the Prince’s house of pain. Stuff happens there that is worthy of the Saw and Final Departure franchises, but Chang manages to keep the overall
tone brisk and upbeat. Sure, it is goofy and bloody, but it is still good clean
fun. Recommended for fans of the Shaws and the Venoms, House of Traps screens this Thursday (5/24), as part of Chang Cheh’s Martial Lore at the Quad.
