A late correction: Though I bring up his character, Fan Da-pei, before any other in the film, I somehow pulled off the impressive feat of neglecting to mention the actor’s name. Well, his name is Yueh Hua, and he’s central to not only my essay on Come Drink With Me, spurred by Arrow Video’s recent Blu-ray release, but to the film itself. Sorry Yueh!
I am not, however, sorry for singling out Come Drink With Me as the underloved masterpiece in the great King Hu’s body of work. People love it plenty; people also don’t give it a second though before Hu’s other masterpieces, A Touch of Zen and Dragon Inn, and someone’s gotta make the wrong things right. That someone? Me.
You can read the full piece over at Paste Magazine.
A Constant Visual Feast 