The Blonde Hair Monster (1962) Director: Wong Fung Cast: Connie Chan, Yu So-chow, Tso Tat-wah, Sek Kin Publisher: Garry’s Trading Co.; Format: VCD English subtitles: No Full credits and synopsis from the HKFA online catalog While the success of The Black Rose in 1965 undoubtedly paved the way for Connie Chan’s transition from swordplay films to contemporary action movies and for her iconic role as “Nui Sat Sau” (Lady Bond), Connie actually made her modern action debut three years earlier in The Blonde Hair Monster. Just fifteen-years-old at the time, she steals the show with her spunky performance as the sidekick of female crimefighter Wong Ang (played by Yu So-chow). The character of Wong Ang the Flying Heroine Bandit first appeared on the pages of pulp novels in 1940s Shanghai. Created by writer Siu Ping, an intelligence worker during the Sino-Japanese War, these stories portrayed the social injustice and inequities of the era and gave the people a hero who fought on their behalf. During the 50s, while new politically correct folk heroes were being created for the recently established People’s Republic of China, the heroine Wong Ang found a new home in Hong Kong (perhaps after traveling south with the mass exodus of refugees fleeing the civil war and subsequent Communist victory). Fueled by overpopulation and a scarcity of resources and services, corruption and crime were just as prevalent in Hong Kong as they had been in Shanghai. As a result, the Wong Ang novels resonated with the people and became one of the best-selling series in 1950s Hong Kong. Wong Ang first appeared on the silver screen in 1959, with reigning martial-arts queen Yu So Chow in the leading role. Her two sidekicks were played by veteran Wu Lizhu (who got her start making swordplay and patriotic action films in 1930s Shanghai) and Yam Yin (who played in the Wong Fei-hung films of the 50s). The trio made three more Wong Ang films together; and Yu and Yam made two others without Wu, including this one: The Breakthrough (1961). Quick to cash in on the films’ popularity, the Shaw Brothers also released their own version, Oriole the Heroine (1960), starring Au Ka-wai. The Blonde Hair Monster was the last hurrah of the Wong Ang film craze. Yu So-chow reprises her role as the people’s heroine, but the real star this time around is young Connie Chan, clearly on the cusp of becoming the next martial-arts queen. Connie is at her spunky best here, whether she is beating up tough guy Lau Kar-leung and shoving a popsicle into his shirt pocket or whether she is helping herself to a banana while Yu So-chow is questioning a suspect. The final fight scene is definitely the highlight of the film. You can see why Connie earned the respect of Sek Kin for being able to give and take a punch. It’s wonderful to see the two of them at the beginning of their prolific partnership as onscreen adversaries. The rest of the film is an entertaining mashup of ghosts, monsters, evil scientists, rape, revenge, filial betrayal, and family secrets. More like a double cheeseburger than filet mignon, The Blonde Hair Monster is 100% B-grade pulp. It’s not recommend for refined palates, but if you enjoyed a more recent Hong Kong film about three fighting femmes, do yourself a favor and check out the original “Heroic Trio.” Reviewed by Dave Wells The “Heroic Trio”: Yu So-chow, Connie Chan, and Chan Ho-kau as heroine Wong Ang and her sidekicks. Ghosts, monsters, and evil scientists... oh my! Connie and Sek Kin in their sixth film together, the start of a long career of kicking each other’s butts. Just fifteen-years-old, Connie is ready to inherit the crown from reigning martial-arts queen Yu So-chow.