Shatter, an international contract killer, has been assigned to assassinate the President of a small African country and collect his fee from a bank in the Far East. On arrival in Hong Kong his life is threatened and when the bank denies all knowledge of payment arrangements, he realises he has been drawn into a dangerous game where there are no rules. Amongst the players are the Mafia and several foreign intelligence services and the stakes being played for are deadly.
Acting
Peter Cushing elevating paycheck material with pure dignity.
Stunts
Ti Lung's fight choreography salvaging the entire production.
Production
Genuine 1974 Hong Kong location shooting, no backlot fakery.
Director
Michael Carreras
Stuart Whitman
Shatter
Ti Lung
Tai Pah / Tai Kung
Lily Li
Mai Mee
Peter Cushing
Paul Rattwood
Anton Diffring
Hans Leber
Ko Hung
Japanese karate fighter
Keung Hon
Korean taekwondo fighter
Lau Nga-Ying
Hans Leber's Girl
Lee Hoi-Sang
Referee Hanson Lee
Huang Pei-Chih
Hans Leber's Bodyguard
Lau Kar-Wing
Hans Leber's Bodyguard
Wong Mei
Hans Leber's Bodyguard
Chui Fat
Hans Leber's Bodyguard
Tang Tak-Cheung
Hans Leber's Bodyguard
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Monte Hellman was brought in to finish the film after Carreras fell ill, though neither director wanted their name on it. It's the only time Hellman worked with Shaw Brothers talent.
This represents the dying gasp of Hammer Films' attempt to pivot into martial arts cinema following Bruce Lee's global explosion, co-produced with Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers in a desperate bid for relevance.
HK
GB
