Heads for Sale is a 1970 Shaw Brothers wuxia martial arts film starring Lisa Chiao-chiao (who previously played the title character's Love Interest, Xiaoman, in One-Armed Swordsman) and Chan Leung. Somewhat a rarity for Lisa, whose roles are mostly as love interests and damsels who needed saving by the heroes, this time Lisa commandeers the lead role, as an asskicking Action Girl heroine who takes down hordes and hordes of mooks on her own.
Lisa Chiao plays Hua Bi-Lian, the daughter of a former swordsman and expert thief, Hua Chen-Fang, who had retired from a life of fighting and killing. While travelling around the city seeking adventures, and attempting to win over the heart of Luo Hongxun, a swordsman and legendary knight Hua Bi-Lian had feelings for, she ends up stumbling across an old enemy of her father, who is back seeking revenge.
And yes, people do lose their heads in this film. It's in the title (and the poster and DVD cover).
Contain Examples of:
- Action Girl: Hua Pi-Lian the wuxia swordswoman heroine. With a satisfyingly sizeable on-screen death count, to satisfy Shaw fans who enjoys seeing female wuxia swordswomen taking names.
- Arch-Enemy: Huang Lun considers the Hua family as his sworn enemies, because Hua Chen-Fang, father of Hua Bi-Lian, defeated him in a duel once and left a nasty scar on his cheek.
- Battle Couple: Hua Pi-Lien and Lu Hongxun at the end of the film, against legions upon legions of mooks.
- Decapitation Presentation: See the DVD cover above? This scene is taken directly from the movie itself, after Hua defeats the Co-Dragons and decide to show their heads to the public announcing the bandit boss' deaths.
- Expy: Hua Pi-Lian's preference of decapitating her victims and showing their heads in public seems a bit reminiscent of Cheng Pei-pei from The Jade Raksha. A musical cue from Cheng's movie is even recycled during the scene when Hua parades two decapitated heads in public.
- Eyepatch of Power: On the eldest Chu bandit brother.
- In a Single Bound: Hua Pi-Lian and Lu Hongxun can cover great distances and massive heights just by jumping. Notably, she escapes a horde of incoming mooks after killing the two Co-Dragons by leaping over a wall in one jump.
- Off with His Head!: Hua Bi-Lian's battle with Huang's Co-Dragons ends with her removing both of their craniums. And then showing it in a public square.
- Retired Badass: Hua Chen-Fang, the heroine's father, used to be a legend of sorts in the jiang hu, a Robin Hood-esque master thief who helps civilains, but he's retired and no longer kicking ass.
- Rope Bridge: The final battle between Hua Pi-Lien and Huang Lun after a lengthy chase culminates in both of them battling on a short rope bridge, over a gorge. It naturally ends with Hua Pi-Lien winning and sending Huang Lun falling to his death.
- Rugged Scar: Huang Lun the bandit leader sports a nasty-looking scar on his cheek
. - Sword Fight: Of course, including one between Hua Pi-Lian and Luo Hongxun, which ends with neither of them dead, as their Attack Hello.
- Title Drop: After killing Huang Lun's two Co-Dragons via decapitation, Hua Pi-Lian carries their heads with her in a crowded marketplace while shouting at the top of her voice, "Heads for Sale! Heads for Sale!"
- Wire Fu: The movie utilizes plenty of these stunts, being a typical wuxia, with Hua Pi-Lien leaping from corner to corner in numerous fight scenes.
- Wuxia
