Human Lanterns

This is it: one of the most talked about cult films ever made - a maniacal masterpiece of the macabre, the martial arts, and the just plain weird. Shaw's first international star, Lo Lieh, stars as the insane swordsman who makes Chinese lamps from - yes - the skin of his enemies' sisters, mistresses, and wives! Although insanely conceived, it is beautifully filmed and unashamedly performed by a first-rate cast of sext starlets and kung fu favorites. Swordplay, savagery and blood-chilling thrills reign supreme in this outrageous mixture of martial arts and the macabre from Shaw Brothers! Tan Fu (Chen Kuan-tai) and Lung Shuai (Liu Yung) are two wealthy people in a small town scheming against each other in pursuit of fame. To compete in an upcoming lantern festival, Lung is recommended by an aged lantern maker (Wang Ching-ho) to contact another maker Chao Chun-fang (Lo Lieh), a retired swordsman humiliated and beaten by Lung years ago. Chao promises to help while plotting vengeance against him. Meanwhile, Tan’s sister Ching Hua (Lin Hsiu-chun) and famous courtesan Yen Chu (Linda Chu), who was once wooed by Tan and Lung, are kidnapped. Suspecting Lung to be responsible, Tan informs Chief Constable Pan Te (Sun Chien) against Lung and then hires Kuei Szeu-Yi (Lo Meng) to kill him. While Kuei is attacking Lung, Lung’s wife (Tanny Tien Ni) is abducted. As their misunderstanding deepens, Lung challenges Tan. When the two are locked in fierce combat, a masked man, who later turns out to be Chao, appears and inflicts injury upon them.A rumor about human-made lanterns brings Lung to Chao’s secret workshop where he not only sees on display many beautiful lanterns of bright luster but also discovers the peeled body of his missing wife. He then finds himself under attack by Chao, who now claims responsibility for everything as a means to avenge an old wrong. As the two are desperately fighting against each other, the wounded Tan and Chief Constable Pan arrive. Tan is badly beaten and succumbs to his wound. Lung and Pan pursue Chao but a fire accidentally breaks out killing Chao.