In which Philip Kwok has to wear one of the most ridiculous-looking (possibly) knitted caps throughout the entire film! Whatever it is, it’s horrible.
House of Traps might be for “Venom” completists only. Oh, sure, if you can follow the twisting plot you’ll get side-switching, hidden identities, lots of discussions about the jade items incriminating the true intentions of an evil prince, and the hunt for a conniving rat but, at times, all the talk, talk, talk is a bit mind-numbing as Sun Chien stands off to the side.
Directed by Chang Cheh, House of Traps is highlighted by the athleticism on display here and, given Cheh’s fetish with the male form, we also get a whole lot of flashy costumes and chests on display as skilled fighters are assembled for their chance to get inside the house of traps and steal the treasures therewithin . . .
. . . if they can survive!
Unfortunately, the film - even with new subtitles - is widely uneven - providing a lot of dialogue while the audience has to figure out just what the hell is going on - but, as is the Venom tradition, the action scenes - including the weapons!!! - are not to be missed as we get a house with spikes in its floors, a steel staircase which opens and closes (slicing off feet), and spear-tipped nets which spell death for those unfortunate enough to get caught in them!
Complete with amped up gore (including a scene in which the contents of one man’s stomach are dug through) and a horror house full of traps, it seems producers Mona Fong and Run Run Shaw had their fingers on the pulse of the public, offering a martial arts movie which combines horror elements in it with a centerpiece that still delights the viewer. 
Once again, the production elements and the martial arts action (when it happens) are off the charts. It’s the story which suffers here, proving to be a bit too convoluted as Lu Feng, Phillip Kwok, Sun Chien, and Chiang Sheng work to suss out the rat in Prince Xiang Yang’s attempt to take out the Emperor.
Or something like that. Honestly, though, you’re just going to care about the trap house. It’s the true star here, even if this is the last time the “Venoms” would all be working together.
Perhaps it helps that the titular House of Traps is used a minimal amount of times throughout this flick. But, with a charged opening which has Lu Feng, working for a corrupt government, stealing a jade trinket in the proverbial house of traps, we see just how deadly it is!
Bring it on!
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - December 19, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 12-discset
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
It started with The Five Venoms, the internationally loved kung fu thriller. It continues through more than a dozen bloody good films featuring the same actors in different roles. House Of Traps is considered the last official "Venoms" movie, but what a film it is. There's one plasma-spurting attack after another as heroes and rogues alike try to solve the secrets of a hell house. The core Venoms themselves choreograph the gory fun in this fond farewell to their worldwide film series sensation.
Video
House of Traps arrives on Blu-ray from Shout Factory sporting an HD remaster sourced from the original 35mm camera negatives and looks wonderful. Interiors are strong. Colors pop throughout, but it is the blood effects - burning bright in the transfer - which seal the deal on this one. It’s full of great atmosphere thanks to the quick-footed script and looks visually eye-popping due to the 1080- upgrade. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p. Blacks are solid and shadows maintain their lines. Even the costumes are noted stitch by stitch.
Audio
Fans get a Mandarin Mono DTS-HD track with new subtitle translations and an English Dubbed DTS-HD track with SDH subtitles.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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See below for the breakdown of this release.
Special Features:
Loaded with plenty of satisfying supplemental items, this release slaps with a lot of martial arts madness!
- NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
- NEW “A Confined Conversation” – An Interview With Veteran Shaw Actor Chu Ke
- NEW “A New Generation Of Gore” – An Interview With Academic Leon Hunt, Author Of Kung Fu Cult Masters
- Celestial Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Runtime: 86 mins
Director: Yuen Chor; Ying Wong
Writer: Yuen Chor
Cast: Tung-Shing Yee; Helen Poon; Kuan-Chung Ku
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: November 26, 1981 (Hong Kong)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: December 19, 2023
Synopsis: Young swordsman Lung Fei encounters strange omens portending the death of his fiancee Ting Tzu-chu. His enquiries with the help of Chief Constable Tieh Hu reveal an astounding story.
