A City Called Dragon is a superb film starring Hsu Feng before her star-making role in King Hu’s A Touch of Zen (1971). The director is Larry Tu Chong-Hsun, who was Hu’s assistant director on Dragon Gate Inn (1967) and Zen. Hsu Feng is young and lovely. The camera has already discovered the magic of her icy and intense glare, which registers that she may be momentarily thwarted but never subdued. (One can’t help but think of the better-known Meiko Kaji.) The rest of the cast is also extremely able. It’s a tight and suspenseful story with several twists.
The Hoker DVD is not perfect. The picture gets a little fuzzy toward the end. There are English subtitles but selecting these causes the bottom of the picture containing the burnt-in Chinese subs to disappear.
The Hoker DVD is not perfect. The picture gets a little fuzzy toward the end. There are English subtitles but selecting these causes the bottom of the picture containing the burnt-in Chinese subs to disappear.