A Touch of Zen (1970)

King Hu stood at a crossroads early in his career, just before the release of 1967’s Dragon Inn. He had left Hong Kong and the film industry he had just begun to break into, following his mentor Li Han-Hsiang to Taiwan at a time when there was no taiwanese film industry. To make matters worse, Li’s epic gamble Beauty of Beauties had just flopped, casting the entire future of their independent enterprise into doubt. Against all odds, Dragon Inn was a smash success, and set the template for King’s fantastical high-flying martial arts films to follow. On this episode we discuss his direct follow-up, a film that threatens to bend the genre beyond its breaking point, and we interrogate what works and what doesn’t about one of the most ambitious chinese films to date.

0:00 - J Brooks recaps the 60’s in film

3:30 - A Touch of Zen discussion

59:12 - Zach shares his top 5 albums to check out from 1970

Next week: Wanda (1970) by Barbara Loden

UnauthorizedPod.com for more. Hosted by Zachary Domes and J Brooks Young. Music by hetchy