An ambitious, intricately structured tale that begins as a ghost story in a sleepy town outside Peking, Hu goes on to audaciously blend elements from the political thriller, the martial arts genre (the film also blazed a trail for Bruce Lee), and Japanese samurai movies to create a highly lyrical and spiritual Ming Dynasty epic. Moreover, the film boasts some of the most impressively choreographed and imaginative action sequences ever committed to celluloid.

Beautifully performed throughout (the feisty, combative heroine Hsu Feng presents a refreshing vision of female empowerment), "A Touch Of Zen" has acquired a legendary status that entirely befits its visionary daring and its utterly transcendant beauty.

REVIEW:
A Touch of Zen is a stunning and poetic film that further established the standard for the wuxia or swordplay genre after King Hu's landmark film, Come Drink with Me was made for Shaw Brothers in 1966. It's long and slow at times, yet beautifully shot and builds up to one of the best and most effective action finales, period.

The film plays out in two acts and even appears to have been originally released as two films. Part One begins with an introduction to Ku Shen Chai (Shih Jun), a scholar with few ambitions who lives with his mother on an abandoned estate, part of which is rumored to be haunted. He meets a mysterious man named Ouyang Nin (Tin Peng), a stranger to the village who who is revealed to be an officer looking for two wanted criminals named Yang Hui Ching (Hsu Feng) and General Shih (Pai Ying). These two are trying to escape from the grasp of a corrupt high official named Eunuch Wei after Hui Ching's father had attempted to warn the Emperor of Wei's crimes. The two hide out on the abandoned estate where Shen Chai awkwardly courts the woman with his mother's aid. As Nin's men close in, Shen Chai vows to aid them by putting his knowledge of military strategy to use in defeating the enemy's superior numbers. The story reaches a mid-climax in a bamboo forest as our heroes engage Ouyang and his men, reducing their numbers piecemeal. This is the famous scene that supposedly inspired Ang Lee's "balancing on bamboo" moment in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Hu's scene actually plays out very differently, but is no less striking.

Part Two begins by replaying the struggle in the bamboo forest. This leads to a second memorable encounter on the estate as Shen Chai effectively uses the ground's reputation as being haunted to upset the attacking troops and unleash a series of deadly traps. In a "morning after" scene, Hu brilliantly displays Shen Chai's near madness as his obsession with his own cleverness gives way to revulsion when he suddenly chooses to see the victims of his traps. The film switches gears at this point when Hui Ching and Shih journey back to Shaolin Temple where they had been previously hiding for two years. Shen Chai searches for Hui Ching, but he is rejected by her when she chooses to become a nun. She does leave behind their infant son as a gift to his mother, which allows the family name to continue.

Although the movie might have easily ended here, a final struggle remains. A warrant is out for the arrest of Shen Chai, who escapes after Hui Ching and General Shih intervene. Eunuch Wei's chief commander, Hsu (Han Ying Chieh) challenges the pair with his two sons, one of whom is played by a young Sammo Hung. Thus begins an incredible battle that culminates in a brilliant stand-off between Hsu and Shaolin's Abbot Hui Yuan (Roy Chiao Hung).

There are two main aspects of this film that make it a masterpiece. One, is director King Hu's ability to get into the minds of his characters and effectively expose the viewer to the same experience. For instance, through the use of artful editing, character development and good acting, you understand the awe and fear that Shen Chai experiences. Even more effectively, you see the villains as more than just pure evil. They experience doubt and awe and Hu plays on this to create a surprising reversal at the end. This leads to Hu's second aspect of genius which is the tightly strung reverence with which the Shaolin monks are held in. This is not to say that they are portrayed in a realistic light, but their martial abilities are given a spiritually serene tint unlike what you have likely seen in films subsequently. Veteran actor Roy Chiao's performances as Abbot Hui is in my mind the ultimate manifestation of Shaolin martial power. Sure he fights, but it is his show of restraint, piety and calm that are his most impressive qualities. This is the crux of the film's message which is highlighted in the closing shots.

There are a couple of things that I do not care for. The shear length is daunting and a good portion of the running time, especially in the first third of the film is taken up by extended scenes that could have been trimmed. Also, Hsu Feng's character remains intentionally cold and distant throughout the film. Subsequently, her relationship with Shen Chai lacks the immediacy or emotional depth that I would have preferred.

Just about everything else on the film is well done. The cinematography, lighting and editing is excellent. It takes nearly an hour for the action to kick in, but it gets progressively more exciting from there and the choreography is very impressive for the era. Aptly titled, A Touch of Zen is a potent film that has aged well and although clearly an inspiration to modern filmmakers, it still contains a depth rarely if ever tapped in martial arts cinema.

First of all, the film is gorgeous and full of vivid colors, lush scenery, and breathtaking cinematography. If only I had a better copy of the tape! The subtitles are clear and legible, but unfortunately rather sparse, leaving about 30-40% of the dialog untranslated. As you would expect from a three hour long epic, the pacing is slow, but Hu's deft direction and charismatic characters keep you constantly interested in what's going on. The combat sequences are fair to good, focussing more on the dramatic struggle than the actual physical execution. Roy Chiao gets the "ultimate bad-ass" award for his unflinching performance and shows us the true essence of Shaolin kung fu years before the genre would become popular. But the highlight of the film is watching Hsu Feng, whose intensity and piercing glare tears the screen apart. She is superb and embodies every aspect of female empowerment. Her swordplay and kung fu is also quite good and she literally owns the film. Good stuff, but a tad too long.