Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame never showed up on any of the Western NY movie screens so I had to buy the Blu-ray when it became available. As far as I can tell, this Detective Dee is loosely based on the Judge Dee of the Van Gulik books. Very loosely. We first meet Detective Dee in prison. He’s there because he spoke out against the Empress Wu. But when a series of deaths occur where people spontaneously burst into flame, the Empress is forced to turn to the greatest detective in China to solve the mysterious murders. Plenty of over-the-top martial arts conflicts punctuate the plot to uncover the conspiracy. The production values are very high especially in the giant Buddha statue. People bursting into flames, relentless action, hidden cities, secret plots, what’s not to like. GRADE: A-
I saw it at the theater and although I could see the skill and art in it, it just wasn’t my sort of movie. I may have liked a straight forward presentation of the Van Gulik books but martial arts leave me cold. And then there is the language barrier-which when there is so much going on above the subtitles, makes it difficult to keep up.
You’re right about a lot going on above the subtitles, Patti. The Van Gulik books are sedate compared to DETECTIVE DEE.
Sounds like my kind of movie. Gotta move it higher in the Netflix queue.
DETECTIVE DEE is your kind of movie, Bill. Plenty of action and spectacle! And, a clever plot.
Khigh Dhiegh (real name: Kenneth Dickerson), most famous for his role as Wo Fat on the original HAWAII FIVE-O, starred in a very good TV movie called JUDGE DEE AND THE MONASTERY MURDERS in 1974. Don’t know if it’s available on DVD but I remember it as being well worth watching.
I haven’t seen this one.
AMAZON doesn’t list it, Jeff, but I’ll keep looking for JUDGE DEE AND THE MONASTERY MURDERS.
Thanks to Patti for mentioning it’s subtitled. That will keep me from bothering with it, I just can’t handle subtitled films, I either watch but can’t understand the words or read but miss the pictures. Guess I’m insufficiently bimodal.
I watch nearly everything with CLOSED CAPTIONS on, Rick, so subtitles don’t bother me a bit. You would appreciate the spectacle in this movie.
I second Jeff Meyerson. Wish there had been more Judge Dee with Dhiegh 😎
We can hope for sequels, Bud.