Dragon Inn

The epitome of a 1960s wuxia movie. The storyline and characters in Dragon Inn are very simple, a triumph of Hu’s distinctive style. The action centres on the comings and goings of a small guesthouse, with particular attention paid to the props and set. As the film progresses, characters move in and out of the guesthouse and the fighting becomes increasingly intense. The scenes are precisely executed and varied, never once becoming repetitive, despite the close focus on the guesthouse.

Hu was an expert in creating special effects to show feats of superhuman ability, producing some fast, fierce, and truly jaw-dropping fight scenes. As a martial arts film, Dragon Inn far surpassed anything else in its era, elevating the martial arts genre to a status far beyond what it had ever achieved before.

Made possible by the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute

Part of the 25 Encounters programme to be released on IFFR Unleashed, Dragon Inn is also the closing film of IFFR's 51st edition