Death Valley (1968)

As Good As It Gets

Blistering performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I totally agree with the other reviewer and applaud his concise summary of the story. I'd like to add some comments on the action. In 1968 the leading men swung swords and the stunt men flew in every direction. The leading men Yueh Hua and Chen Hung-Lieh were no martial artists and that was the way it was back then. Han Ying-Chieh, the action director, had a mere handful of films to his credit at that time. All three deserve the highest credit for the final action scenes in this movie. I counted no less than 36 moves in a single cut in the final fight. That was the actors, not stunt doubles. Fabulous. This movie was hard to find because of the title being the same as about 100 or so Westerns from the 1960's and when I finally got a copy I didn't expect much so it sat around too long before I watched it. I encourage all fans of the genre to acquire a valid copy of this movie and enjoy, enjoy!

Lo Wei's DEATH VALLEY gives us the beautiful Jien (Chao Ying), a conniving, would-be upwardly mobile young woman willing to do anything (and anyONE) to get what she wants out of life. She sets up her father, the elder Chiu, by having "intoxicating incense" blown into his bed chamber; when he leaps up to defend himself, Jien's lover Lau Yuen Hawk and friend kill the old man. She then sends Lau in search of Jin (Hung Chen), "The Cold-faced Killer." It turns out to be a trap (the message she instructs Lau to give Jin tells Jin to kill Lau). Meanwhile, Chiu Yu Long (Yueh Hua) is quietly uncovering clues to old man Chiu's murder. He befriends Er To Chi (WAY OF THE DRAGON, SNAKE AND CRANE SECRET) and they travel together. Lam, a sadistic killer, enters the picture. Yu is mistaken for Jin, is found out and is attacked; wounded, he moves in with Little Doggie and his blind grandmother. Lam kills Little Doggie and his grandmother (after stabbing the old woman and sadistically twisting the blade in her). Yu avenges them both. When Yu realizes that Jin has been sent to kill him by the Jezebel Jien, he challenges Jin to a duel to the death atop a peak in Death Valley. There's plenty of solid action throughout, and Lo Wei is at the top of his game in terms of direction. The players all do a great job selling the emotional highs and lows and the ending is satisfying. A solid ten.