Twin Blades of Doom

As swordplay movies moved from cutting edge cinema to an over-saturated cliche, other genres withered and died. And directors who’d made their careers in these newly-extinct genre either had to change with the times or fade into obsolescence.

Doe Chin, who had spent over 20 years directing and writing romantic dramas and comedies, ended his classic-studded career with Twin Blades of Doom, a film that is neither romantic, funny or good.

I’m not suggesting that directors should be restricted to a genre. Every artist should have the freedom to explore. But considering the rigorous contract system in place at Shaw Brothers, I doubt that Doe Chin directed this film out of a strong desire to make wuxia films. Most likely a swordplay film needed to be made, and Doe was without a project. Thus Twin Blades of Doom was born.

A thoroughly standard wuxia story buried under dozens of layers of dead ends and plot twists, Twin Blades of Doom fails to generate much interest at any level. Even the romance between its leads, Chang (Ling Yun) and Yin-erh (Cheng Lee), fizzles. Despite Doe Chin’s previous experience with romantic films, there’s not much he can do with a script as muddle-headed as this one.

Sadly, Doe Chin never even got to finish Twin Blades of Doom. He died of stomach cancer before completing the film. Maybe he could have made the transition from romances to wuxia, given a better script and more time. Instead, all we have the rather ill-fitting eulogy, Twin Blades of Doom.

Twin Blades of Doom
Dir: Doe Chin/Yue Feng
Released: January 1, 1969