Naked Killer: Director's Cut (1992)

Directed by Clarence Fok Yiu Leung

Produced by Wong Jing

Starring Chingmy Yau Suk Ching, Carrie Ng Kar Lai, Simon Yam Tat Wah, Kelly Yiu Wai, Svenwara Madoka, Ken Lo Wai Kwong, Dick Lau Tik Chi

Could I really resist yet another write-up of my favourite Category III film (after "Sex & Zen", that is), given yet another opportunity to do so? I think not. Thankfully, this time around, it's to the tune of eight additional minutes, as Megastar Distribution have finally gone back to Media Asia's archives and restored the film to Clarence Fok's original vision. Oh, I'm sorry, can you hear me smiling from the other side of the Atlantic? My apologies…J

When the film opens, a series of brutal sex murders have rocked Hong Kong, the victims gruesomely crippled and their sex organs mutilated. Anti-Triad Bureau detective Tinam (Yam) is convinced that they are the work of a lone female assassin, his superiors are not as easily swayed due to the ferocity of the killings. Tinam's purportedly ludicrous assumption is written off due to his ailing psychological profile, mentally scarred from killing his own brother in a triad bust gone wrong. His superiors demote him to the Anti-Vice squad for his own good.

Then Kitty (Yau) walks into his life, and things promise never to be the same. Kitty is one tough little lady, when Tinam first happens across her she metes out justice to a hairdresser who has wronged a friend by taking a pair of scissors to his nether regions. Her courtship games with him are cut abruptly short when further scissor-happy antics (this time the man who murdered her father) land her on the wrong side of the law. She is taken under the motherly wing of Sister Cindy (Yiu), a professional killer, who sees great promise in her feisty, cold-blooded nature. With a new identity, she becomes Cindy's protégé.

Soon, a hit on a high level Yakuza figure brings down the wrath of the Japanese, with the sultry pair the fresh targets of a fevered revenge plot. The Japanese turn to Cindy's former student Princess (Ng), a cold-blooded lesbian killer unable to love, who knows her former teacher's methods with almost obsessive vigour. With lover Baby (Madoka) in tow, Princess engineers her master's demise, with view to the sexual conquest of her new student. In the course of his investigation, Tinam is once again reunited with Kitty, but the flame of love rekindled may just guide them into Princess' hands with devastating consequences.

At the time (1992), Paul Verhoeven's massively over-rated "Basic Instinct" was box-office champ in Hong Kong cinemas, and writer/producer Wong Jing rushed this project into theatres to capitalise on that film's success. Ultimately, "Naked Killer" has gone on to become an international cult classic in its own right, and viewing it nearly ten years later it's not hard to see why. The talent behind the camera is just as breath taking as that in front of it. Director Clarence Fok has never crafted a finer creation than this, its beautifully honed elements coming together like some wild erotic dream. The most staggering facet of this production is that it has not dated one iota in the last decade. The sartorial elegance of its costume design captures a timeless quality, and the Art Direction & Set design create an aura of exuberant elegance that is simply sumptuous.

Wong's script borrows heavily from its progenitor, but is diverse in a uniquely Asian fashion, manifesting a more engaging motif than Verhoeven's trashy thriller with breathless ease. Thankfully, there is precious little of Wong's usual slapstick and lowbrow humour present, barring the now restored "severed penis" joke (which is pretty disgusting). Fok's ever-present slick visual eye composes scene after gorgeous scene rich in striking beauty. A serial killer sex film that is magnificently beautiful to behold? You better believe it! Director of Photography William Yim keeps the film awash in colour, visual splendor and soft focus imagery that is delicious to watch. Even Lau Shung Fung's martial arts & action choreography is a rapturous joy to be involved in. This is one film where the sum total of its parts adds up to much more than one film should be allowed to contain.

A special mention should also go out to Carrie Ng as Princess, as she dominates every inch of screen time she is given. Once the "ugly duckling" who could muster up little but roles in television soaps, this was the film that broke her as a major actress. The following year (1993) her determination paid off and she was awarded Best Actress at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards for her tour-de-force performance in Fok's other Cat III classic "Remains Of A Woman" (some one please release this film on disc!). Through striking costuming, and a combination of smoldering sensuality juxtaposed with a devilish ice-cold intensity, her performance never fails to reduce me to a quivering wreck. The girls definitely have it all over the guys in this flick!

I don't care what anybody says, Megastar's disc looks stunning! This is without a word of a lie, probably the best you will ever see "Naked Killer" look (unless some highbrow US or UK distributor picks up this Director's Cut and puts it out in an anamorphic transfer…oh, hang on, the UK's Hong Kong Legends have already promised one!). Colours are wonderfully rich and the image displays a sharpness of unusual clarity for a Hong Kong disc. None of the usual artifacts present in Chinese discs were detectable anywhere in this transfer. There were very minor (read: blink and you'll miss them) artifacts (some scratches, the odd line and a couple of dust marks) present in the film source itself, but these were so insignificant as to be completely unnoticeable (unless you're a trainspotter and looking for them!). One thing that will raise a smile or two is the optional subtitles, as they closely mirror the theatrical translations. Hearing Simon Yam mutter the word "fuck" (as only Yam can do it) on a number of occasions, then have the subtitles translate it as "damn" had me in fits of laughter I can't describe.

The less said about the Dolby 5.1 remix, the better though as, although it's not as awful as Megastar's 5.1 track on their "Robotrix" disc, it wavers between undefined and gimmicky with alarming regularity. It does, however, do sterling justice to Lowell Lo's slinky, French-tinged score (probably his best since "The Killer"). The only thing I can actually fault Megastar for is their sneaky marketing ploy of releasing the Cantonese and English dubs as separate discs (!), when surely both language tracks could have been accommodated on the one. Oh well, it looks incredible, sounds okay, and is fully uncut, so I guess I can't complain too much. Extras are limited to the original trailer (dealt with further below), cast & crew biographies, and trailers for other Megastar titles. I did love the animated menu screen on this disc, but they say small things amuse small minds…(it's nothing special, just quirky, that's all)

I really can't recommend this film enough, as it truly is one of the finest Category III films to ever escape the auditoriums of Hong Kong and make its mark on the international cinema circuit. Neither Yam nor Yau deliver anything less than average, sometimes cartoonish, performances, but this is the only minor complaint I can level at this production. For me it is one of those rare animals that I would rate as a bonafide masterpiece of cinema, it is simply that good. Megastar have offered us the opportunity of finally seeing the film restored to its full glory, improving and expanding upon the original 88 minute release version. There is a little more gore, no additional sex, but some serious fleshing out of characters for those that have only ever seen the original. If you can appreciate the notion of cinema as an art form, then this will make a sterling addition to your DVD collection. It certainly takes pride of place in mine.

*As a footnote I feel compelled to clear up a long perpetuated myth about this film and its trailer, as the conjecture has gone on far too long. Many fans have made mention of the fact that the trailer features footage not found in any of the film's differing versions, and there is good reason that this came to pass. The body of the theatrical trailer was actually shot separately to the main feature by Fok and his crew with the cast (rock video style), with highlights from the movie later edited into the piece. It's really a sort of extended teaser if you like. So there you have it, the myth is dispelled, and the lesson endeth here. J

Review by M.C.Thomason

© 2001, Icon In Black Media