Chang Cheh directed a few films for the Shaw Brothers studio that dealt with troubled or outcast youths, and a Hong Kong society that had very little patience with them. He was influenced by Hollywood and Japanese cinema especially the James Dean's films and directors such as Seijun Suzuki. His "juvenile delinquent" period was from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s.
Young People was one of such films but this one was much lighthearted in nature. There's 3 boys…
This starts off with so much promise that unfortunately fizzles out in the bizarre third act and ends up limping towards the end.
The casting is the strongest aspect of this film. Too bad that there's not enough of Aubrey Plaza and a bit too much of Molly Shannon. I enjoyed seeing Debby Ryan in a non Disney role plus you got Zach Woods at his best.
I do agree that it seems that they went to Italy to make a movie and have a vacation at the same time. I would have done the same thing too though...
2021 Asian Cinema Challenge
Week 47 Theme: Made by Shaw Brothers Studios
Current Progress: 13/52
The Boxer's Omen is one of the more renown Shaw Brothers Studios Horror films partly due to the fact that the uncut version of the film was unavailable legally in the West for the longest time. It was somewhat of a holy grail to find and watch this uncut version as it was only found in bootlegs of a VHS source.
Fortunately, that's no longer…
