The Snake, The Tiger, The Crane (Taiwan 1981)

Rating: *
Alternate Title: Emperor Of Shaolin Kung Fu
Review Date: 3/22/10
Cast: Nancy Yen, Carter Wong, cameo by Lo Lieh

A nonsensical swordplay period piece with an equally nonsensical title. With his palace about to be overrun by bandits, the Chinese emperor cuts off his daughter's arm and commits suicide. The injured princess (Nancy Yen) manages to escape and is nursed back to health at a Buddhist convent. The nuns beg her to stay and embrace Buddhism, but the princess craves revenge and instead sets out to kill the usurper. Throughout the course of the film, she convinces several people to help her, and they all end up dead. Eventually, the stress and anguish become too much for her to bear and she loses her mind. A kind butcher (Carter Wong) takes pity on the crazy girl and decides to marry her, if only to fulfill his mother's last dying wish. Then he sets out to kill the nasty bad guy as well. Pretty much a complete waste of time and talent.