Deadly Melody (1994)

November 7, 2015

Deadly Melody (a.k.a. Deadful Melody, or its original title “Liu zhi qin mo”) is another of the wuxia movies of the 90’s.  Lots of flying and chi magic is used to good effect in this action packed movie by Ng Min Kan.  Deadly Melody has a great cast of actors and a straight forward, uncomplicated script.  A young security man must prove himself worthy by defending the one object wanted by all the masters of the Martials Arts world – the Magic Lyre!  Now I’ve watched a fair few martial arts movies but this one is the earliest one I’ve seen with a Magical Lyre.  It is apparently based on a book of the same name written by  Ni Kuang.  The only other movie I’ve seen with a Magical Lyre is Kung Fu Hustle.

I’m a big fan of Brigitte Lin movies and as in many of her later films she does the cross dressing as a man in this film.  She is a great performer and I seriously hope I can get access to some of her earlier films as she retired from the industry in the late 90’s.  As I’m on the subject of fandom Yeun Biao, Elvis Tsui, and the great Wu Ma are also in this film.

Brigitte Lin as Huang Xuemei

The shooting locations are all a bit the same so I can only assume the shooting locations were done in one local area but since the production values and action are so entertaining it really is only a small complaint.

Brigitte Lin (Zu: The Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Last Hero in China, Swordsman 2) as Huang Xuemei

Yuen Biao (Mr. Vampire 1 & 2, The Iceman Cometh, Hero, A Man Called Hero) as Lü Lin

Carina Lau (Project A II, The Eagle Shooting Heroes, Ashes of Time, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame) as Tan Yuehua

Zheng Shuang as He Qinghua.  This is the only wuxia or martial arts film she was in.

Wu Ma (Golden Swallow, Kung-Fu of Eight Drunkards, A Chinese Ghost Story, The Legendary Amazons) as Liehuo Laozu ‘Fire Master’

Elvis Tsui (New Tales of the Flying Fox, New Dragon Inn, Butterfly Sword) as Dongfang Bai

Siu Wing-Sang as Poisonous Witch Ha Ching Fa. I have no further information on her

David Lam Wai (Ten Tigers of Kwantung, Five Element Ninjas, A Chinese Ghost Story) as Ghost Master

Chung Fat (The Shaolin Plot, Zu: The Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Mr. Vampire Part 2) as Hon Suen

Directed by Ng Min Kan

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