King Hu’s masterwork is guaranteed to out-Marvel any of the major blockbusters on this summer’s release schedule. Hearken back to 1457 AD, a time when hard-hearted eunuchs governed China. The country's most powerful undercover operations have been divided in two: the Imperial Guard, dressed in white, and their black-clad counterparts, the East Espionage Chamber. The pre-credit beheading of falsely accused General Yu at the hands of Eastern Agency leader Zhao Shao Qin, followed by the swift exile of Yu’s two children, sets in motion this ineffably entertaining action-adventure romp. Fearing revenge, Qin orders his troops to ambush the pair the minute they arrive at the titular lodge. While Qin’s troops camp out awaiting the arrival of the Yus, Xiao Shaozi (Chun Shih), a mysterious swordsman with lightning fast reflexes, appears – he uses chopsticks to corral a flying dagger and can land a tossed bowl of hot noodle soup on a dime. He is soon joined by more comic relief, in the form of two brother and sister warriors and a pair of eunuchs castrated by an impudent asthmatic blonde gladiator, against whom the five wage their climactic battle.Hu relies on precision editing, rapid movement, and, of course, ingenuity to pull off the in-camera effects (and cover the budgetary seams). It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a film that pays this much attention to cutting on movement; contemporary audiences will discover an oasis of layered resourcefulness in Hu’s cinematic sleight of hand. (1967) — Scott Marks
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