The Fate of Lee Khan backdrop
The Fate of Lee Khan logo
1973·Action·1h 45m
7.1
Lee Khan, a high official under Mongolian Emperor Yuan of the Yuan dynasty procures the battle map of the Chinese rebel Chu Yuan-Chang's army. Rebel spies, aided by treachery within Khan's ranks, strive to corner him in an inn.
Directed by King Hu
martial arts
wuxia

Cast

Tien Feng
Tien Feng
Lee Khan
Hsu Feng
Hsu Feng
Lee Wan-erh
Roy Chiao
Roy Chiao
Tsao Yu-kun
Pai Ying
Pai Ying
Wang Shih Cheng
Han Ying-Chieh
Han Ying-Chieh
Sha Yuan Shan
Li Li-Hua
Li Li-Hua
Wan Jen-mi
Angela Mao Ying
Angela Mao Ying
Hai Mu-tan
Hu Chin
Hu Chin
Shui Mi-tao
Helen Ma Hoi-Lun
Helen Ma Hoi-Lun
Yeh Li-Hsiang
Chiang Nan
Chiang Nan
Liu San-Hu
Wu Chia-Hsiang
Wu Chia-Hsiang
Tavern Manager Liu / Magistrate Ha
Shang-Kuan Yan-Erh
Shang-Kuan Yan-Erh
Waitress in Green Dress

Crew

King Hu
King Hu
Director
King Hu
King Hu
Writer
Wong Chung
Wong Chung
Writer
Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
Producer
King Hu
King Hu
Producer
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Martial Arts Choreographer

Popular Reviews

12 reviews
Charlie
Charlie
The Fate of Lee Khan
She fating on my Lee till I Khan??
She fating on my Lee till I Khan??
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angelo
angelo
The Fate of Lee Khan
I’m surprised that I was as much of a fan of this as I was. I was expecting an epic film that had constant fight sequences and fake blood galore. But what I got was a patient, riveting, secluded thriller. I could definitely tell that this wouldn’t be many people’s cup of tea as it’s a very slow burn.

The build up hardly gives you information and makes the viewer analyze the surroundings to really get a grasp of what’s happening. The whole plot is extremely subtle and you’re waiting for something to happen at many points but it still lures you into the environment.

I will say despite how strange this film continues itself with seemingly unproductive structure. There’s actually a sense of tension that’s constant. Tension plays a huge part in this film as there’s not much happening until the third act.

Observation seems to be key with this type of film and the different frames of this film are beautiful and well organized. I wish the fight scenes were better choreographed bc it’s miles behind the Shaw Brothers stuff. Some could see this as boring but for me it’s a mesmerizing piece of art.
I’m surprised that I was as much of a fan of this as I was. I was expecting an epic film that had constant fight sequences and fake blood galore. But what I got was a patient, riveting, secluded thriller. I could definitely tell that this wouldn’t be many people’s cup of tea as it’s a very slow burn.

The build up hardly gives you information and makes the viewer analyze the surroundings to really get a grasp of what’s happening. The whole plot is extremely subtle and you’re waiting for something to happen at many points but it still lures you into the environment.

I will say despite how strange this film continues itself with seemingly unproductive structure. There’s actually a sense of tension that’s constant. Tension plays a huge part in this film as there’s not much happening until the third act.

Observation seems to be key with this type of film and the different frames of this film are beautiful and well organized. I wish the fight scenes were better choreographed bc it’s miles behind the Shaw Brothers stuff. Some could see this as boring but for me it’s a mesmerizing piece of art.
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Bowl
Bowl
The Fate of Lee Khan
Sprang Inn.

The hat game is strong
Fur ones, straw ones, broad rims too
Forget the feathers
Sprang Inn.

The hat game is strong
Fur ones, straw ones, broad rims too
Forget the feathers
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Npu
Npu
The Fate of Lee Khan
I prefer the completely balls-out macho action of “The Valiant Ones” to the immaculate formalism of “The Fate of Lee Lhan”, but “Lee Khan” is still really good and is basically King Hu flexing his mastery of ensemble staging and storytelling. Even when the plot of this movie gets convoluted, we always know who the characters are and what side they are on. If this movie is about anything, it is a very enthusiastic defense of the pleasures of Chinese storytelling, which puts a lot of stock on virtues such as group dynamics, musicality of movement, historical intrigue, and more. Yet the reason “The Fate of Lee Khan” left me a little cold is that I have always preferred King Hu the aesthete over King Hu the formalist. To me, it’s always Hu’s more aesthetic impulses that take him to stranger and more wonderful lands, whereas as a formalist Hu is too slavish to traditional forms of storytelling here. It’s not until Hu’s next film “The Valiant Ones” where he is able to translate all those qualities of “Lee Khan” into a uniquely fatalistic vision of wuxia chivalry.
I prefer the completely balls-out macho action of “The Valiant Ones” to the immaculate formalism of “The Fate of Lee Lhan”, but “Lee Khan” is still really good and is basically King Hu flexing his mastery of ensemble staging and storytelling. Even when the plot of this movie gets convoluted, we always know who the characters are and what side they are on. If this movie is about anything, it is a very enthusiastic defense of the pleasures of Chinese storytelling, which puts a lot of stock on virtues such as group dynamics, musicality of movement, historical intrigue, and more. Yet the reason “The Fate of Lee Khan” left me a little cold is that I have always preferred King Hu the aesthete over King Hu the formalist. To me, it’s always Hu’s more aesthetic impulses that take him to stranger and more wonderful lands, whereas as a formalist Hu is too slavish to traditional forms of storytelling here. It’s not until Hu’s next film “The Valiant Ones” where he is able to translate all those qualities of “Lee Khan” into a uniquely fatalistic vision of wuxia chivalry.
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Gordon Freeman
Gordon Freeman
The Fate of Lee Khan
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