Human Lanterns (DVD - 1982)

When a mutual love for a prostitute spurs an intense rivalry between Master Lung and Master Tan, two skilled competitors in a lantern-based martial arts contest, Lung commissions the help of Chao Chun Fung, a lantern maker still bitter about being scarred by Lung during a previously held contest. Realizing the opportunity to destroy Lung and Tan alike, the insane Chao agrees to help, but his choice of material for the lanterns he makes is rather unseemly: he uses human skin of a variety that is rather important to both competitors. This Shaw Brothers production is a bit unusual in the way it combines elements of horror with traditional wuxia fantasy-style martial arts--also found in later films such as CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and HERO. Also, thanks to director Sun Chung--a rumored perfectionist--it is also atypically gorgeous for being produced by the notoriously quick and mechanical Hong Kong studio. minimize