The Tseng family is one of the most noble and respected clans in a small village in Tibet. The patriarch of the Tseng family wants to marry off his daughter, Ching Lan, into the Kao clan. However, the cunning and deceitful eldest brother Kao Chu only wants his younger sibling Kao I-Fan to marry Lan so he can gain access to the Tseng family’s considerable wealth and power.
The box art for director Huang Feng’s “The Himalayan” suggests a slightly different movie than the one that actually appears on screen. While the description isn’t entirely inaccurate — the film does eventually become a revenge story — there is far more going on than the packaging suggests.
“The Himalayan” begins with a convoluted setup. Much of the opening stretch focuses on Kao Chu (Chan Sing), a ruthlessly ambitious man who has set his sights on the territory controlled by Tseng Ching Lan’s (Angela Mao) father. When his brother becomes betrothed to Ching Lan, Kao sees his political dreams coming within reach. Unfortunately for him, his brother wants nothing to do with the arrangement, since he is already in love with another woman. After a series of betrayals, Kao, now Ching Lan’s brother-in-law, accuses her of adultery and murder, forcing her to flee into the hills with Hsu Chin Kang (Dorian Tan). Together, they prepare for revenge by learning an ancient martial art.
For those expecting a straight-up action film, the political intrigue that takes up much of the run time may feel like filler to wade through before the film gets to the good stuff. However, I found the backstabbing and narrative twists more intriguing than the fight sequences. Although Angela Mao is positioned as the star, I’d argue this is more Chan Sing’s film than anyone else’s. His character is the driving force behind nearly everything that happens, and Sing plays his villainy perfectly. By the end of the movie, you’ll absolutely hate Kao Chu, making it easy to root for Mao and Tan’s quest for vengeance during the final fight.
Still, this film didn’t completely win me over. The setup is messy and occasionally difficult to follow. Some elements feel underdeveloped, while others appear to be missing entirely. Sammo Hung choreographs the fight sequences, and having now watched a few of these early Golden Harvest movies, it is interesting to see his progression. The fights feel more fluid here, even if they still come across as slightly stagey.
“The Himalayan” is released as a limited edition Blu-ray™ Disc by 88 Films. The transfer features a new 2K restoration from the original negative and offers the option to view the film with either the original Mandarin mono or an English dub. For the most part, the transfer looks fantastic. Towards the beginning, there are a few shots with an odd flare or discoloration. I suspect this is baked into the photography rather than introduced by the restoration. Otherwise, I noticed no anomalies while viewing the film. Watching with the Mandarin mono track, the soundtrack is clean and clear.
Extras include an audio commentary by Frank Djeng and Michael Worth, an interview with actor Dorian Tan, English opening and closing credits, the trailer, and an image gallery. Tan’s interview suggests the film went through some rewrites between what was originally presented to the actors and what ultimately ended up on screen. The limited edition also includes a sturdy slipcover and a double-sided fold-out poster.
While I’m not a huge fan of these early Golden Harvest films, it is great seeing them released with such care by 88 Films. The presentation here is strong, offering fans and newcomers an excellent viewing experience.
Now available on Limited Edition Blu-ray™ from 88 FILMS
10k
20k
1.5k
2.2k