The Face Behind the Mask (1974 film)

The Face Behind The Mask is a wuxia film directed by Chen Chi-hua.

Plot

Chin Tien Wei has been elected Chief of the after his three disciples eliminate the most feared fighters in the Martial World, namely: the "Militant Dragon and Tiger", the "Devil Stars" and the "Three Horrid Mice". However not everyone is pleased at Wei's appointment as Chief and many anonymous fighters and wizards are sent to upset his household, "The First family". Soon Chi Tien Wei realizes that there is a betrayer within his own house.

The Eunuch

The Eunuch is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Teddy Yip, and starring Pai Ying and Lisa Chiao Chiao.

The Emperor's Shadow

The Emperor's Shadow is a made in the People's Republic of China by the Xi'an Film Studio. It was directed by Zhou Xiaowen, with script written by Lu Wei. The film was the most expensive made in China at the time of its release.

Plot

Set in third century BC China, the story of ''Emperor's Shadow'' revolves around the relationship between Ying Zheng , king of Qin, and later First Emperor; and the musician Gao Jianli . The two grew up together in the same household but were separated after the former returns to his state of to become king. After reaching adulthood, King Zheng embarks on a series of wars to fulfill his plan of unifying China. He kidnaps Gao Jianli from a rival state to compose a powerful hymn for the new state. The two conflict over the new composition, the construction of grand public works, and King Zheng's daughter, Princess Yueyang .

Music and themes

The political use of music and of the arts in general is one of the major themes in the film. In one of the climaxes of the movie, the king states his belief that through music he can "control the minds and hearts of the people", echoing Mao Zedong's Yan'an talks of 1942. Music is perceived by the monarch as being as important as military power. Whereas his armies can conquer his rivals, he needs the arts to exert spiritual and ideological control. At the premiere of the film on 7 June 1996 in Beijing, director Zhou Xiaowen noted: "Chinese rulers have always wanted to control our spirit. But they cannot succeed in doing so."

Reception

After ''The Emperor's Shadow'' was released in five major Chinese cities, it was banned by state authorities without any clear reason being given. Eight months later permission was given for re-release.

The film has been criticised in China for its many historical inaccuracies. Chief among these is the distortion of the character of Gao Jianli. According to Sima Qian's ''Shi Ji'', Gao was a friend of the assassin Jing Ke, who fails in an attempt upon King Zheng's life. Other minor errors, mostly of academic interest, also contribute to the film's lack of historical authenticity. The director Zhou Xiaowen defended his film by saying that it was an exploration of ideas and values for the present day and was not intended as a strictly historical depiction of the First Emperor. In a 1999 interview, he said "I don't like history; I just like the buildings, the palaces, the dress."

The film influenced the creation of the 2006 opera "The First Emperor".

The Duel (film)

The Duel is a directed by Andrew Lau, of '''' fame. It is based on a wuxia novel by Gu Long. The film is known for its humorous take on the famous story as well as for its brilliant special effects.

Plot

The plot revolves around Nick Cheung's character "Dragon Nine" who is attempting to solve a mystery in the days before the world's two greatest martial artists are slated to fight a duel atop the roof of the Forbidden City. Though this film was made as a Lunar New Year project, which usually signifies a greater emphasis on fast-paced fun than on meticulous artistry, the film is nevertheless visually stunning and maintains a fairly coherent plot, thanks both to the talented cast and crew and to the strong source material.
As Dragon Nine investigates, a murder plot is exposed, causing many people to die, knowing too much about the plot. It is revealed that one of the martial artists, Cool Son, was the murderer.

The Deadly Duo

The Deadly Duo is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh, and starring David Chiang and Ti Lung.

The Crimson Charm

The Crimson Charm is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Huang Feng.

Plot

The film is the tale of a noble swordsman and a one-armed swordswoman who find themselves up against the evil Crimson Charm gang of thieves and thugs.

The Butterfly Murders

The Butterfly Murders is an wuxia film set in an unspecified time in China's past. It has elements of history and a murder mystery. Butterflies have apparently become a lethal weapon. Several rivals contend for a mysterious prize, using a variety of unusual weapons.

There is an apparent explanation near the end, though in the English version it is obscured by cryptic subtitles. But it seems that the butterflies were innocent after all - someone knew how to control them and used them as cover. The martial-arts experts were apparently working on something that looked remarkably like a , a superior weapon that would have changed history if the Chinese had developed it. But they get diverted into internal feuding and the implication is that the martial-arts experts kill each other off.

The film is not available on tape or DVD in the west, though there was a Hong Kong release.

The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple

The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple is a film serial directed by Zhang Shichuan. The film, adapted from the novel ''The Tale of the Extraordinary Swordsman'', focuses on the rescue of a commander held captive in a temple full of traps.

'''Burning of the Red Lotus Temple'' is the third and the longest major release, running 27 hours in total. The Mingxing Film Company production was released in 18 feature-length parts between 1928 and 1931.

The Blade (film)

The Blade is a 1995 wuxia film directed by Tsui Hark. The Hong Kong film is notable for its unusual style which includes dramatic close-ups, employment of color gels, frenetic camera use during the fight sequences and overall dark tone.

''The Blade'' is loosely based on Shaw Brothers' 1967 film ''The One-Armed Swordsman''.

Plot

Ding On is an orphaned worker at a blade factory called "Sharp Foundry", working alongside many others, including Iron Head . An old master, On's dead father's friend, runs the factory while his daughter, Ling, who narrates the film, is romantically interested in both On and Iron Head.
One day when out delivering the swords On and Iron Head witness a monk fending off a bunch of thugs, who later ambush and kill the monk in retaliation. Iron Head, furious, yells out the name of the factory, swearing revenge and taunting the thugs.
Later that day, On discovers that his father died while saving his master from Fei Lung , an infamous tattooed assassin who is rumored to be able to fly. Intent on seeking revenge, On takes his father's broken sword and goes off.
Ling goes after him, but gets assaulted by a local gang of bandits. On manages to save her, but loses his right arm in the process and ends up falling off a cliff.

He is later found and nursed back to health by a poor hermit-farmer girl he calls Blackie. Thinking himself now useless, he abandones his hopes for revenge, buries his father's sword and tries to live a normal life. Meanwhile, Ling and Iron Head set out to find On, with Ling all the while narrating her disallusionment with people and her ideals, becoming especially poignant after Iron Head "saves" a prostitute who he later takes advantage of.

Meanwhile, On endures ridicule for being a "cripple" while working in a diner, building up his frustration. He also spots the heavily tattooed man who he recognises as his fathers's assassin, but is unable to take action and is further frustrated. To add to his trouble, the house he lives in is assaulted by thugs who torch it and beat On mercilessly. Afterwards, while searching for food within the wreckage, Blackie finds a singed Kung Fu manual hidden there by her parents. On, excited, tries to learn the techniques described in it, but is unable to obtain a good sword and digs up his father's broken sword instead. Due to his injury and the book's incompleteness his efforts are futile at first, but when driven to rage by his frustration On suddenly makes a breakthrough, developing a devastating spinning technique allowing him to compensate for lack of an arm and his broken weapon.

The 14 Amazons

The 14 Amazons aka ''Shi si nu ying hao'' or ''Fourteen Amazons'' is a wuxia film by the Shaw Brothers Studio featuring a predominantly female cast. The film follows the legendary "Yang's army of females" during the Northern Sung's dynasty.

Plot

The Yang family, men and women, had served their country loyally for generations. During the war with Western Xia, General Yang Tsung Pao is ambushed and killed. His death leaves his only son, Yang Wen as the only male heir left to the Yang family. His widow, Mu Kuei Ying, the grand matriarch and the entire family set out to avenge his death and defend the country. Due to the interference of a corrupt official, Wang Ching, the Yangs were unable to have the Emperor's consent to use the imperial army.

Thus, they set off with whatever volunteer troops they could muster. Knowing of Mu Kuei Ying's reputation as a warrior and tactician, the King of Western Xia and his sons try various ways to stop her to no avail. They are outsmarted at the end as Kuei Ying, the Yang family and Song soldiers successfully storm their stronghold.

Cast

* Lisa Lu as the Grand matriarch
* Ivy Ling Po as Mu Kuei Ying
* Chen Yen Yen as Grandmother
* Ouyang Sha Fei as Chai Chau Chu
* Lily Ho as Yang Wen
* Li Ching as Tsou Lan
* Huang Chin Feng as Ma Sai Ying
* Tina Chin Fei as Tu Chin Ngo
* Yeh Ling Chih as Yang Chiu Mei
* Liu Wu Chih as Yang Chiu Lan
* Shu Pei Pei as Yang Pai Feng
* Ching Miao as Wang Ching
* Tien Feng as King of Western Xia
* Wang Hsieh as First Prince
* Nian Kung as Second Prince
* Tien Ching as Third Prince
* Chin Pei as Fourth Prince

Awards

11th Golden Horse Awards

* Honorable Mention For Drama
* Best Director - Cheng Kang
* Best Supporting Actress - Lisa Lu
* Best Sound Recording

19th Asian Film Festival

* Outstanding Female Lead Performance - Lily Ho

Sword Stained with Royal Blood (1982 film)

Sword Stained with Royal Blood is a wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring the Venom Mob, based on the Jin Yong novel ''Sword Stained with Royal Blood''. Formerly one of the rarest Venom martial arts films available, it has been digitally remastered and released by Celestial Pictures.

Plot

The story begins with the exile of a young boy who grows up to meet his destiny as a great warrior. After his father, a Han loyalist and hero, is betrayed by the Emperor and sentenced to death, Yuan Cheng-chih is spirited away to the reclusive master of the Lung Yau school of martial arts.
Having grown into a righteous young man of considerable martial skill, Cheng-chih sets out on his own. He discovers the hideout of a long-dead martial arts master known as Golden Snake Hsia Shiue-yi and lays claim to his buried martial arts manual, sword, and collection of darts. He also discovers the whereabouts of a lost treasure and instructions to deliver a portion of it to a certain woman.
Cheng-chih sets out to find her in order to honor the dead man's wishes and ends up meeting a spoiled and not-so-cleverly disguised young woman posing as a man named Wen Ching . It's enough to fool the naive Cheng-chih, who befriends Wen after she takes a liking to him. She brings him into her household, which is home to a wealthy clan of martial artists known for their mastery of the Five Element Array. Cheng-chih's stay grows unsettling, first when jealous quarreling sparked by his presence erupts between Wen and her male cousin. Things get a lot more complicated when a trio of angry martial artists storm the household and accuse Wen of theft. It turns out that they are members of Cheng-chih's school and just as the situation threatens to turn into a full-scale battle, he intercedes in order to find a peaceful solution. As a result of his intervention, Cheng-chih's skills draw the attention of the master of the house , who recognizes the kung fu techniques of his arch-enemy. As hidden truths about the Wen clan and their dark part are revealed through flashbacks, Cheng-chih finds himself forced to fight their infamous Five Element Array in order to complete his quest and escape in one piece.

Storm Rider Clash of the Evils

Storm Rider Clash of the Evils is an animated feature film directed by Dante Lam, based on the series ''Fung Wan'' by Ma Wing Shing. The film is produced by Puzzle Animation Studio Limited and Shanghai Media Group.

Plot

This is a sequel to the story featuring two legendary and adventurous characters, & . The Sword Worship Villa, the world's top sword maker, witnessed the bloody execution of its people due to allegations of conspiring to start a rebellion. The young master of the villa, Ao Jue, is the only survivor of the execution. In order to complete the “Jue” Sword, forged by generations of his family, Ao Jue swears to attack Tin Ha Wui and battle with & in order to obtain the blood of the Flame Kylin which can unleash the power of the sword. With 's blood containing the blood of the Flame Kylin, he becomes the prime target in Ao Jue's plan of completing the sword.

Cast

* - Richie Ren
* - Nicholas Tse
*Second Dream - Cecilia Han Xue

Production

The first trailer for the movie was released in 2006. It showed a battle between and in a forest. They eventually show their true powers and escalate the fight to greater heights. They are then shown clashing on top of the Great Wall of China. Characters that are so far confirmed to be in this movie are , , Duen Long, The Flame Kylin, Hung Ba, , Second Dream, Frost, Kong Chi, and Ao Jue.

The film was supposed to be released in the winter of 2006, but got pushed back to July 2008.

Seven Blows of the Dragon

Seven Blows of The Dragon Known also as "Sui woo juen" is a wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh, based on the Chinese novel ''Water Margin''.

Plot

The city rulers and government officials of the Sung Dynasty in 11th century China were so corrupt and oppressive that they inspired a group of men and women to band together as Chinese Robin Hoods - the honorable 108 mountain bandits who became outlaws by choice and rejecting the rule of corrupt officials. Despite being outlaws, they lived by a rigorous and scrupulous ethical code of conduct, pledged to end the repression of the evil government officials. Though they lived outside of the law, the 108 were greatly admired by the common people, for they alone had the courage and strength to challenge the government's corruption.

The leader of the 108, Heavenly King, is ambushed by the bodyguard of a highly placed Chinese official, Golden Spear. The 108 vow to avenge his death, with Black Whirlwind answering Heavenly King’s last request, that someone “pull out his heart.” The de facto leaders of the 108, Welcome Rain and Clever Star, decide given Golden Spear’s skill, that Golden Spear’s former classmate, Jade Dragon, would be the best person to assist them in their revenge. The 108 note that in addition to Jade Dragon, they would gain the services of Jade Dragon’s bodyguard, Young Dragon, who has no peer in martial arts. They send Clever Star and Black Whirlwind into the Northern Capitol to make contact with Jade Dragon. Disguised as a fortune teller with an idiot savant acolyte, Clever Star and Black Whirlwind tell Jade Dragon that a great calamity will befall him if he does not travel 1000 miles to the Southeast. Jade Dragon is skeptical of this advice and asks Young Dragon what he thinks. By this time, Young Dragon has recognized Black Whirlwind, and knowing of his hot temper provokes him into a fight. Black Whirlwind is quickly defeated and the two bandits are confined. Clever Star knows of Jade Dragon’s integrity and compassion, and uses reverse psychology on him, suggesting that he would be rewarded for turning them over to the authorities. Jade Dragon intends to let them go, but the steward of the household, who has been having an affair with Jade Dragon’s wife, sees reporting the presence of the bandits as a way to take Jade Dragon’s fortune and his wife for himself. Just as Clever Star and Black Whirlwind are leaving, General Wen comes to Jade Dragon’s house. Jade Dragon orders Young Dragon to escort them out the back. Jade Dragon confronts General Wen and refuses to be arrested, stating instead that he will go to see the governor himself. Of course, once he gets to the governor’s he is arrested. Young Dragon subsequently breaks Jade Dragon out of jail, but when he leaves him in a small hostel, to go for help, the authorities come and take Jade Dragon back into custody. Young Dragon attempts to rob two men on the road in order to get money to go to the mountains for help, but the men turn out to be Lion Claw and Fearless One of the mountain brothers. Lion Claw takes Young Dragon to the mountains to meet with the brothers, while Fearless One returns to the city to reconnoiter. Once in the city, Fearless One sees Jade Dragon about to be executed and he single-handedly intervenes, despite his cry that, “The mountain brothers have arrived!” He manages to stop the execution, temporarily freeing Jade Dragon and killing several of the city guards before being captured. When he and Jade Dragon are brought before the governor, The Fearless One demonstrates the meaning of his name by threatening the governor, the entire city and incapacitating yet another guard with the very chain that is holding him captive. Meanwhile, Young Dragon meets with the hierarchy of the 108 and they plan to covertly enter the city in order to stop the execution and free Jade Dragon and the Fearless One. The mountain brothers sneak into the city and take strategic positions around the execution site. When Jade Dragon and Fearless One are brought out by the guards, Black Whirlwind shouts, “The mountain brothers are all here!” The brothers attack the city guards, this time overcoming them. They march to Jade Dragon’s house where Magic Sword confronts Jade Dragon’s wife, telling her that her last day has come, and dragging her by her hair into the great hall of the house, where the brothers have assembled and Jade Dragon has been restored to his seat as ruler of the house to pass judgment on his unfaithful wife and his disloyal steward. Jade Dragon immediately kills the steward but hesitates when he sees the look of fear of imminent death on his wife’s face. Young Dragon implores him to finish his task, but he cannot, so Young Dragon kills her himself. Jade Dragon is unable to watch her death and averts his eyes. Justice having been served, the brothers begin their march out of the city, but as they leave, they find Golden Spear and his troops awaiting them. The troops of the mountain brothers have been standing by for such an event and the two forces clash in an immense battle. Golden Spear’s forces are routed, so Golden Spear throws down the gauntlet of personal challenge contending that he and his student’s skills are superior and that the mountain brothers can win only due to numerical superiority. Golden Spear’s five students enter individual combat with Leopard, Black Whirlwind, Tigress, Magic Sword and Fearless One. During these fights, Golden Spear challenges Jade Dragon. The brothers win all of their fights; the only casualty to the brothers is that Fearless One is non-fatally wounded. Jade Dragon is still fighting Golden Spear long after the five brothers have defeated Golden Spear’s students, and Clever Star observes that he could defeat him if he truly wants to but sentiment is getting in the way. Young Dragon leaps into the fray, but only throws Golden Spear around apparently feeling the death blow is not his, but Jade Dragon’s to administer. Again, Young Dragon begs him to administer the justice that Golden Spear deserves, but we never find out if Jade Dragon is going to deliver the fatal blow because Black Whirlwind, citing his promise to Heavenly King, attacks Golden Spear with two large battle axes, slicing his chest and stomach several times. Despite these grave wounds, Golden Spear remains alive. After his declaration that Jade Dragon is the leader of the mountain bandits, he stops everyone from approaching and states that he will die by his own hand. With a flipping motion, he plunges his own hands into his wounds and dies as he falls to the ground. The mountain brothers, seeing that their quest for vengeance is complete, ride back to their mountain lair.

Characters

Protagonists

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Sentimental Swordsman

The Sentimental Swordsman is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen and starring Ti Lung.

Plot

Due to his own extreme ideals, famed swordsman Li has lost everyone dear to him. After his life is saved by a rival swordsman, Li's overwhelming pride means he forsakes the woman he loves and lets her marry his saviour. Now resigned to traveling the country with his loyal aide , Li's only comfort is alcohol and the simple life he has now accepted. On one such journey, the lonely swordsman befriends the exceptionally skilled, yet secretive Fei who has his own pressures to contend with. Li then finds himself embroiled in a battle to own the highly-prized 'gold armour shirt' - a protective vest that can withstand any blow. As he discovers that many of the people he meets have a hidden agenda, Li realizes that Fei is the only man he can truly trust. This new friendship is put under test when the 'sentimental swordsman' is hunted down by numerous hired killers and framed for a series of crimes he didn't commit. The person behind Li's troubles proves to be elusive, though all the clues seem to point to the legendary 'Plum Blossom Bandit', a disguised figure whose identity has long proved elusive to the martial world.

Royal Tramp II

Royal Tramp II is a wuxia comedy film directed by Ching Siu-tung and Wong Jing. It is a sequel to ''Royal Tramp'', which was released the same year.

Cast

* Stephen Chow - Wei Xiaobao
* Brigitte Lin - Lone-er/Mr. Dragon No. One
* Chingmy Yau - Princess Jianning
* Michelle Reis
* Fennie Yuen
* Cheung Man - Lone-er
* Chan Pak-Cheung
* Vivian Chan
* Cheng Ka-Sung
* - Wu Sangui
* Damian Lau - Chen Jingnan
* Lan Law
* Ken Tong
* Wan Siu-Lun
* Yen Shi-Kwan

Raining in the Mountain

Raining in the Mountain is a 1979 Hong Kong/Taiwan film directed by King Hu.

The film tells the story of a Ming Dynasty monastery.

Cast

* Hsu Feng
* Sun Yueh
* Shih Chun
* Tien Feng
* Chen Hui Lou
* - Hui Ssu
* Tung Lin

Ode to Gallantry (film)

Ode To Gallantry is a Shaw Brothers film directed by Chang Cheh, starring the Venom Mob. Formerly one of the rarest Venom martial arts films available, it has been digitally remastered and released by Celestial Pictures. In this film, Kuo Chui plays a dual role.

Plot

The simple Bastard , played by Kuo Chui, stole a pancake because he was starving. But, turns out the pancake contains Xie Yanke's Black Iron Token, which is sort of a Wonka's Golden Ticket of the wuxia world, granting him any wish he might like to make to Xie, who would be obligated to fulfill it. Xie , for his part, is the terror of the Clans as he appears yearly demanding the Clans repay in blood for any heinous acts they committed through the year, which at times results in Xie culling an entire clan. The only way that a Clan can avoid the cull is for the Clan's leader to sacrifice for them.

Fearing Bastard might make him promise to stop his annual harvest of death, Xie spirits him away and trains him in martial arts so powerful that he is certain it will kill him. Instead, it makes him super-strong when he is rescued and his chi unblocked by a Clan that mistakes him for their villainous leader, Shi Zhongyu. They bring Bastard back and treat him as their boss, some realizing he is not Shi Zhongyu, but most hoping he will sacrifice himself to Xie should he come and demand blood from the Clan.

New One-Armed Swordsman

New One-Armed Swordsman is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring David Chiang. Chiang replaced Jimmy Wang Yu, the star of the two preceding films in the series, ''The One-Armed Swordsman'' and ''Return of the One-Armed Swordsman''. The film features Chang Cheh's usual brand of violent swordplay and bloody effects.

New Dragon Gate Inn

New Dragon Gate Inn , is a directed by Raymond Lee, starring , Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung and Donnie Yen and produced by Tsui Hark. It was released as Dragon Inn in North America.

The film is a remake of ''Dragon Gate Inn'' . ''New Dragon Gate Inn'' was shot as a standard wuxia , with fast-paced action including martial arts, swordfighting and black comedy set in Imperial China.

Synopsis

This is a set during the Ming Dynasty in the desert region of China.

Tsao Siu Yan is a power-crazed eunuch who rules his sector of China as if he were the Emperor and not a mere official. He has built up an elite army of skilled and horsemen who receive intensive training and powerful weapons. This ruthless body is known as the Dong Chang.

When elements of his administration plot against him and his despotic rule, Tsao comes down ruthlessly. One such plotter is defence minister Yang Yu Xuan who is executed along with his family. Tsao does spare two of the younger children in order to lure Yang's ally, rebel General Chow Wai-on , into a trap.

Escorted by a couple of rather poorly Dong Chang soldiers, the children are sent out into the desert. Rebels, led by Chow's lover, swordswoman Yau Mo-yan , arrive to free them, but are attacked by Dong Chang troops. Tsao later calls off the attack when he realises that Chow is not among the fighters.

The rebels and the children then proceed to the Dragon Gate Pass through which they will cross the border.

They reach the Dragon Gate Inn, which is a meeting place for brigands run by brigands. The innkeeper, the lively Jade , runs a sideline in which she seduces and murders her more plump guests, drops them down a chute to the kitchen and has them served as the meat in buns. Jade also keeps whatever money the customer has.

The cutting up is done by her cook Dao , an expert at stripping meat to the bones.

Mo-yan and her followers arrive at the inn. She is disguised as a man, but Jade is not fooled, claiming that only a woman would pass her without so much as a glance ! That night she confronts Mo-yan and the pair engage in a lively acrobatic fight with both women trying to remain clothed, while stripping the other.

Rebel leader Chow arrives and is re-united with Mo-yan. They plan to cross the border with the children but the bad weather delays their departure. Furthermore Jade takes a liking to Chow and resolves to get him for herself . Things are made even more complicated when Dong Chang officials led by Cha arrive at the inn posing as merchants.

The scene is set for a vicious battle of bodies and wits between both sides, with Jade trying to keep the peace and getting every advantage, monetary or otherwise, that she can get out of it. Meanwhile, the bulk of the Dong Chang forces, led by eunuch Tsao himself, are on their way to the inn.

Chow believes that, like most den of thieves, the inn has a secret passage through which his comrades can escape. Jade agrees to show them the passage if Chow will sleep with her. He agrees if they marry first. Jade, a practical girl, is rather surprised at having to marry for a one-night stand but proceeds anyway, with Cha acting as host for the wedding. The heart-broken Mo-yan drowns her sorrows in drink.

The growing tension inside the inn breaks out into open battle when Cha and his men realise that the rebels want to use the secret passage to escape. The fight that follows results in the deaths of all the Dong Chang at the inn and most of the rebels and brigand hosts. Mo-yan herself is seriously injured.

Tsao and his army arrives and lays siege to the inn. Inside there is only a handful of survivors: Jade the innkeeper, Dao the cook, Chow the rebel leader, Mo-yan his lover and the children. They escape through the passage, but a loose ribbon gives them away and Tsao himself sets off in pursuit.

There then ensues a vicious one-on-three battle amidst a desert storm as Tsao fights Jade, Chow and Mo-yan. Weakened by her wounds, Mo-yan perishes in quicksand. Just as Tsao is about to finish off Jade and Chow, Dao suddenly appears and takes him on with his carving knife. He carves away at Tsao, leaving the warlord with a skeletal arm and leg. Chow then moves in for the kill and Tsao is finished.

Chow and the children make their way to the border. Jade knows his heart will always be with Mo-yan. However she and Dao set off to rejoin Chow after burning down the infamous inn.

Credited Cast

* as ''Chow Wai-on''
* Brigitte Lin as ''Yau Mo-yan''
* Maggie Cheung as ''Jade King''
* Donnie Yen as ''Tsao Siu Yan''
* Lau Shun as ''Cha''
* Cheung-Yan Yuen as '' Iron''
* Xin Xin Xiong as ''Ngai''
* Yee Kwan Yan as ''Ho Fu''
* Lawrence Ng as ''Siu-Chuen''
* Ngai Chung Wai as Dao

New Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

New Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2004 film based on by Wang Du Lu. The film is composed of footage from a Taiwanese television series. The television series was filmed on direct video but was free of interlacing or compression errors despite the lower budget required to create scenes.

''New Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' is similar to Ang Lee's , but explains the story of the novel more deliberately due to its longer running time.

The DVD was released in a two CD-set which included bonus and original footage and a soundtrack.

Plot

Yuk Jiao Lung takes up kung fu with the former rebel master Jade Fox as a way to escape an undesirable arranged marriage, while simultaneously, sword master Li Mu Bai falls in love with Yu Shu Lien when she arrives to avenge the murder of her parents. When the Green Destiny Sword turns up stolen, and the notorious female thief Jade Fox arrives to finish the ordeal, the four become enmeshed in a tangle of adventure, vengeance, and betrayal.

Reception

Unlike ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'', which was accepted by most international consumers and became a broad success save for its Asian origins, New Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was considered low-budget and was criticized for its lack of quality and directing.

Many English reviewers noted it was poorer in comparison to the original, and that its similarities were few and far between, such as the fight scenes being animated strangely and its direct mode of film from its television series being sub-par.

However, some have endorsed its release and support its longer storyline, detailed costumes, and general adherence to the original source material.

Legend of the Liquid Sword

Legend of the Liquid Sword is a witten and directed by Wong Jing.

Cast

* Julian Cheung - The Prince
* Sharla Cheung Man - Jelly Fish
* Norman Chu - Lonely
* Aaron Kwok - Cho Lau Heung/Fragrant Chu
* Winnie Lau - Sweetie
* Loletta Lee - Batman's Lover
* Gordon Liu Chia Hui - The Monk
* Wan Siu-Lun - Hu/Metal Flower
* Wong Wan-Si - Sea Weed
* Chingmy Yau - Flowerless/Night Bloom
* Gloria Yip - Su Ronrong/Ron
* Anita Yuen - Red
* Fennie Yuen - Chung Yuan

Box Office

The film made little over three million dollars and closed after running only eight days.

DVD

Mei Ah Entertainment released a dual-subtitle DVD that they have since taken out of print. Xenon Pictures handled the U.S. release, imposing many cuts, including replacing the entire opening sequence with a card reading simply "Liquid Sword." The original burned-in subtitles are used.

Legend of the Fox

Legend of A Fox is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring the Venom Mob. Formerly one of the rarest Venom martial arts films available, it has been digitally remastered and released by Celestial Pictures.

Plot

Chin Siu Ho plays a young man who believes himself to be an orphan. Until one rainy night when he and three different men find themselves taking shelter from the storm in the same place. Here the man who raised him tells him at last the story of who his parents were. His father was a great swordsman trying to dispel rumors of a wrongdoing and return a lost sword to its rightful owner. Kuo Choi and Chiang Sheng are the parties that Lu Feng is trying to rectify things with. Through cowardly trickery on Chiang's part, a duel ensues and it all winds up with Lu's death. His son is taken to safety by a servant . Now with the truth told, Chin Siu Ho seeks out Kuo Choi's aid and seeks vengeance for the wrongful death of his father.

Last Hurrah for Chivalry

Last Hurrah for Chivalry is a wuxia film directed by John Woo, and starring Damian Lau and Wei Pai. The film is a precursor to Woo's Heroic bloodshed films.

Plot

''Last Hurrah for Chivalry'' is a story about two killers for hire. The two assassins are master swordsman with no allegiance. They later decided to help out a local merchant to seek out revenge against a kung fu master. The plot contains multiple twists of deception, and who to really trust. The story ultimately ends with who truly have honor. Most of the swordplay are fast paced using real physics.

Production

The movie is a tribute to John Woo's mentor, Chang Cheh. The stylish appeal also came from Akira Kurosawa influences. The main character Tsing Yi is an inspiration taken from the real-life assassin Jing Ke, who is historically remembered for his failed assassination attempt of emperor Qin Shi Huang. The year the movie was released is also the same year John Woo met Tsui Hark.

Cast

*Damian Lau - Tsing Yi / Greeno
*Wei Pai - Chang
*Hark-on Fung - Pray
*Kong Lau - Kao Pun / Master Kao
*Hoi San Lee - Pak Chun-Tong
*Chau Wa Ngai
*Kuo Sheng

Box office

Last Hurrah of Chivalry had mediocre box office numbers..

Killer Darts

Killer Darts is a 1968 Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Ho Meng-hua, and starring Yueh Hua and Chin Ping.

Plot

Liu WenLong's home is attacked by bandits led by Zhou Chao . Liu WenLong's wife was killed, but his son YüLang was saved by a faithful servant by hiding in a well. While tracking down the bandit, his disciple Hu ZiFeng attempted to rape a villager. Liu WenLong discovers the attempt and Hu escaped, but not before killing his victim with a Killer Dart stolen from Liu. Liu adopted YüChan the orphaned daughter of the victim and raised her together with his son, settling down and giving up the pursuit of vengeance.

YüLang and YüChan grew up together and fell in love. However, YüChan ran into Hu who led her to believe from the dart on her mother's body that it was Liu who killed her family.

Jade Warrior (film)

Jade Warrior is a - co-produced movie. It combines elements of the wuxia genre with Finnish Kalevala mythology. It was directed by Antti-Jussi Annila.

The movie opened in Finland on October 13, 2006 with 40 copies. The film debuted at #2, right after ''''. It opened in China on October 24 with 150 copies in 70 cities. Jade Warrior is the first Finnish movie to be released in movie theaters in China. In addition to China, the movie's international distribution rights have been sold to more than 30 countries.

Plot

Inspired by a well-known Finnish epic called '''', the story opens with a down-on-his luck wannabe blacksmith who gets dumped by his girlfriend. She tries to dispose of his collection of Asian artifacts and body carbon at an antique dealer, but this sets off a mythical series of events that holds the girlfriend back from leaving town. His body carbon causes a mythical chest to open and that causes the blacksmith to remember a past life where he was a half-Chinese half-"Far Northern" warrior, fated to battle a demon in China, threatening to enslave all of humankind.
The warrior was fated to be rewarded with Nirvana on dying in that lifetime if he killed the demon.The warrior is abetted — and then ultimately disheartened — by a female warrior who has captured his heart. The woman unexpectedly finds her lost lover who is the warrior's friend.
Thus the warrior uses a magical chest to imprison the demon and escape Nirvana. He then commits suicide to be reborn as the now wannabe blacksmith, who is being instructed by a now freed demon to build the Sampo, a machine that will open the gates to hell.The blacksmith's remembering and the sampo building are transposed to each other. Finally the blacksmith realises what he has done and knows his complete past life and, with his lady love now potentially returned to his side in a Finnish incarnation, he decides to fulfill his original quest and kill the demon. The movie involves enchanted boxes, spectacular sword fights, and supernatural events that come together — simultaneously — in an isolated cabin on the outskirts of Helsinki and in the rural mountains.

Cast

*Tommi Eronen - Kai/Sintai
*Markku Peltola - Berg
*Krista Kosonen - Ronja
*Zhang Jingchu - Pin Yu
*Elle Kull - Weckstr?m
*Taiseng Cheng - Demoni
*Hao Dang - Cho

Reviews

*''CineFantastico.com''
*''Cinematic Happenings Under Development''
*''The Hollywood Reporter''
*''Twitch Films''
* ''Up Against the Wall''

Soundtrack

According to the website, the soundtrack was released on October 11 2006.

Heroes Shed No Tears (1980 film)

Heroes Shed No Tears is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, and starring Alexander Fu Sheng and Derek Yee.

Plot

After his lengthy training nears completion, expert swordsman Gao is entrusted with an unusual mission by his elderly master. The task involves taking the fabled 'Teardrop Sword' down into the martial world and solving the petty squabbles of a few supremely skilled individuals, while also deciding the fate of the seemingly cursed weapon. Gao takes his master's words on-board, descends from his mountain retreat and prepares to meet the weird and wonderful pugilists he has heard so much about. Gao's arrival in town is noticed by the so-called 'Unbeatable' Sima Chaoqun and his fiendishly intelligent aide Zhao who decide to keep a close eye on the stranger as they prepare to host a lavish ceremony. Unfortunately for Sima, the celebration is disrupted by an assassination that leaves the whole of his clan rocked by the vicious attack. Gao insists that he has no involvement in the murder, but is happy to side with Sima's long-time enemy Zhumeng of 'Braveheart Hall' when the rival clan leader is ambushed by a troop of killers. Though the histories of both swordsmen is familiar to Gao thanks to his master's instruction, he is less sure of the enigmatic killer who continues to appear during the most intriguing moments.

Hero (2002 film)

Hero is a martial arts film, directed by Zhang Yimou with music by Tan Dun. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the movie is loosely based on the legendary Jing Ke.

A group of assassins: Flying Snow , Broken Sword , and Long Sky , have sworn to kill the , and Nameless comes to the royal capital to claim the reward offered for their defeat. The movie tells the story of his conversation with the King of Qin, and through a series of flashbacks depicts the journey he took to earn the honor of sitting before the emperor. Zhang Ziyi stars as Broken Sword's servant Moon .

''Hero'' was first released in China on October 24 2002. At that time, it was both the most expensive and the highest-grossing motion picture in . Miramax Films owned the market distribution rights, but had delayed the release of the film for nearly two years. It was finally by Quentin Tarantino to American theaters on August 27, .

Plot

In , the nameless prefect of a small jurisdiction arrives at the 's palace. Following a meticulous search for weapons, he is granted an audience with the King , who following an assassination attempt lives alone in his palace, always wearing his and forbidding visitors from coming within 100 paces of his throne. As Nameless kneels before the Emperor, he displays the weapons of legendary assassins Flying Snow , Broken Sword and Long Sky . The Emperor, impressed with Nameless having killed three of his most feared enemies, invites him to sit within ten paces of his throne and tell his story.

Nameless recalls approaching Sky at a Weiqi parlor where in front of witnesses, he dueled and slew the assassin. After retrieving Sky's spear, Nameless traveled to a small calligraphy school in the enemy state of . Here in the calligraphy school lovers Flying Snow and Broken Sword had their residence, as Nameless suspected. After commissioning a scroll from Broken Sword for the word "Sword," Nameless informed both Sword and Snow of Sky's death and of Sky's dying wish for Snow, his illicit mistress, to avenge him. In retaliation, the heartbroken Sword had sex with his servant, Moon , right before Snow's eyes, to make her suffer as he had. In a fit of silent rage, Snow killed Sword, which prompted Moon to try to avenge her Master by killing Snow. Snow at first refuses to fight Moon; however, after narrowly losing several hairs to Moon's blades, she decided that killing Moon would be exactly what Moon wanted. She allows Moon to accidentally impale herself on her blade. Before Moon died, however, she insightfully remarked that Snow was very "foolish" for losing her temper and killing Sword. The next day, her focus disrupted by the deaths of her close ones, Snow dueled and was killed by Nameless. Nameless' stories are illustrated by scenes dominated by red costuming and yellow scenery, featuring action that makes extensive use of wire techniques to allow the actors to make fantastic leaps and flights through the air.

As the tale concludes, the emperor expresses disbelief at Nameless's story based on his knowledge of Broken Sword's and Flying Snow's honorable character, which he knows from having faced them three years before. He accuses Nameless of having staged the duel with Sky, who surrendered his life to give Nameless the opportunity to enter the King of Qin's palace. The King theorizes that Nameless traveled to the calligraphy school and asked Sword and Snow to be publicly defeated by him, surrendering their weapons and allowing Nameless to further gain the King's trust and assassinate him. Snow and Sword spent a final night together before meeting Nameless, when Snow wounded Sword and offered herself to Nameless as the sacrifice. Nameless killed her before a group of Qin soldiers acting as witnesses and while preparing Sky and Snow's weapons for the palace visit, was approached by Moon who offered Sword's weapon to him, declaring that the two lovers' swords, like their souls, should never be apart. Concluding his tale, the King theorizes that the brave and loyal assassins would only have invested their lives in an unstoppable assassination technique that would guarantee a kill. The King's suppositions are illustrated using cinematography dominated by blue, again featuring extensive use of wire scenes.

Nameless admits to being a man of the Kingdom of Zhao whose family was killed by the Qin army and describes his unstoppable technique, a strike capable of inflicting a wound on the victim that bypasses vital organs while appearing to kill the victim. Nameless confesses that he collaborated with Sky and used this technique in the duel at the Go parlor and proposed it to Snow and Sword at the calligraphy school. During their discussions however, Sword expressed reservations about assassinating the Emperor, much to the chagrin of Snow, who harbors the deepest vendetta. Snow agreed to fake her death at Nameless's hands, and wounded Sword to prevent him from interfering. The next day in front of Qin soldiers, Nameless dueled Snow, who succumbed to his technique and was defeated. As Nameless set off for the Emperor's palace, Broken Sword approached him and told the story of how he met Snow, the daughter of a Zhao general killed by Qin forces, and how they fought their way to the King of Qin's palace in an assassination attempt three years before. Sword explains, however, that despite being a man of Zhou, he came to realize that killing the King would plunge fragmented China into further war and shatter all hopes for the universal peace that would follow the King of Qin's final conquest of China and his establishment of a new Chinese Empire. When Nameless refuses to put aside his plan, Sword writes "Under Heaven" in the sand and asks him to reconsider. These scenes use white costuming - green for Sword's recollections - and make minimal use of wire techniques.

The King of Qin, deeply moved by the tale and Sword's understanding of his true intentions, throws his sword to Nameless and turns his back on the assassin. Unafraid of death, he examines Broken Sword's scroll hanging behind his throne and realizes that the scroll explains the ideal warrior, who paradoxically should have no desire to kill. As Nameless realizes the wisdom of these words, he leaves the King alive, and marches from the palace and down the steps the courtyard. Snow, after witnessing the yellow flag raised by her returning servant, concludes correctly that Sword had convinced Nameless to forego the assassination. She denounces Sword as a traitor and attacks him. Sword allows her to slay him in hopes that she will understand his love for her, as well as his hopes for true peace for all. Shocked by Sword's non-violence, Snow loses all her hatred for Sword and is consumed by grief at his death. Wanting to join her lover in death, she impales the sword she used to killed Sword through herself as well. At the palace, Nameless exits into the courtyard and stands at the locked perimeter doors, awaiting his fate while the King, to set an example and uphold his laws, reluctantly orders Nameless's execution, striking him down in a hail of arrows. As Nameless receives a hero's burial, the closing text declares that the King of Qin united the Middle Kingdom under one rule, unifying the Chinese language, its weights and measures system, completing the Great Wall of China and ushering in the Qin Dynasty of a unified China. The King of Qin became Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China.

Cast

;Jet Li — Nameless
:An unknown prefect of a small province, Nameless is orphaned at an early age by the Emperor's invading forces. Forged into a master swordsman over years of training, Nameless possesses a number of specialized moves, one that can inflict harmless-yet-convincing wounds, and another that can unfailingly kill an opponent, provided they are within 10 paces. He is the primary conspirator behind the elaborate plan to assassinate the Emperor, but ultimately decides that China's unification and peace are far more important than vengeance. Hero is the first Jet Li movie made in mainland China in the more than 20 years since his debut as a leading actor, in '''' in 1982.

;Tony Leung Chiu-Wai — Broken Sword
:An accomplished swordsman and assassin, Broken Sword and Flying Snow are the only assassins to ever infiltrate the Emperor's palace, killing hundreds of his personal guard and very nearly the Emperor himself before halting his attack at the last moment. Sword views the unification of China and the possibility of peace over his personal objectives, views that put him at odds with his lover, Flying Snow.

;Maggie Cheung — Flying Snow
:A skilled assassin, Flying Snow is Broken Sword's lover and his equal as a swordsman. The daughter of a prominent Zhao general who fell in battle against the Emperor, Snow swears revenge against the Emperor, drafting Broken Sword to her cause. Unlike Broken Sword, she harbors the deepest grudge against the Emperor.

;Chen Daoming — King of Qin
:An ambitious leader who desires to become the first Emperor of China, the King of Qin, following a devastating assassination attempt, and always wears his battle armor and withdraws into his reinforced palace, which he vacates of all but his most trusted advisors. The King of Qin used an ancient way of saying 'I', 寡人 , which literally means 'lonely person'. This way of referring to himself in the third person has a parallel in the Western notion of the "Royal 'We'" or Pluralis majestatis.

;Donnie Yen — Sky
:Legendary outlaw and accomplished spearman, Sky is the first to be "defeated" by Nameless, who takes Sky's broken spear as proof of his defeat to the Emperor.

;Zhang Ziyi — Moon
:Broken Sword's loyal apprentice.

Reception and interpretation

Political meaning and criticism

This film has faced criticism from abroad at a perceived pro- and pro-Chinese reunification subtext. Critics also cited as evidence the approval that had been given to the film by the of the People's Republic of China. These critics argued that the ulterior meaning of the film was triumph of security and stability over liberty and human rights, analogous to the "Asian values" concept that gained brief popularity in the 1990s.

The film's director, Zhang Yimou, purportedly withdrew from the 1999 Cannes Film Festival to protest similar criticism, though some believed that Zhang had other reasons. Defenders of Zhang Yimou and his film argued that the 's approval of ''Hero'' was no different from the U.S. military providing support to films such as '''' and '''', in which certain filmmakers portrayed the U.S. armed forces in a positive light. Others have rejected entirely that Zhang Yimou had any political motives in his making of the film. Zhang Yimou himself had maintained that he had absolutely no political points to make.

Criticism of translation

There has been some criticism of the film for its American-release translation of one of the central ideas in the film: ''''. It literally means "under heaven" or "under the firmament", and is a Chinese phrase to mean "The World". The translation "Our land" seems to denote just the nation of China rather than the whole world. Whether Zhang Yimou intended the film to also have meaning with regard to the world and world unity was difficult to say — but had later been changed in television-release versions of the film. Zhang Yimou was asked about the change at a screening in Massachusetts and said it was a problem of translation. "If you ask me if 'Our land' is a good translation, I can't tell you. All translations are handicapped. Every word has different meanings in different cultures," he said. However, in ''Cause: The Birth of Hero'' - a documentary on the making of 'Hero' - Zhang mentions that he hopes the film will have some contemporary relevance, and that, in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks the themes of universal brotherhood and "peace under heaven" may indeed be interpreted more globally, and taken to refer to peace in "the world."

Miramax release

Miramax, the film studio, owned the American-market distribution rights, but delayed the release of the film a total of six times. Import DVDs of the film were sold online and Miramax demanded that the sites cease selling the DVD. The movie was finally released in American theaters on August 27, 2004 after intervention by Disney executives and Quentin Tarantino, who helped secure an uncut English-subtitled release. He also offered to lend his name to promotional material for the film in order to attract box office attention to it; his name was attached to the credits as "Quentin Tarantino Presents". In addition, a sword held by Jet Li's character in the original promotional poster was replaced by weapon resembling a katana, a Japanese weapon, in the North American promotional poster, which would be anachronistic.

The United States version of the DVD, with , , and soundtracks, was released on November 30, 2004. However the American release had the English translation altered to a more Westernized manner of speaking .

Box office

When ''Hero'' opened in Hong Kong in December 2002, it grossed a massive HK $15,471,348 in its first week. Its final gross of HK $26 million made it one of the top films in Hong Kong that year. On August 27, 2004, after a long delay, ''Hero'' opened in 2,031 North American screens uncut and subtitled. It debuted at #1, grossing US $18,004,319 in its opening weekend. The total was the second highest opening weekend ever for a foreign language film. Its US $53,710,019 North American box office gross makes it the fourth highest-grossing foreign language film and 15th highest-grossing martial arts film in North American box office history. The total worldwide box office gross was US $177,394,432.

Critical response

The film received highly favorable reviews scoring 95% at Rotten Tomatoes and 84 at Metacritic. The reviewer for Salon.com took an especially positive stance deeming it among the most "ravishing films" ever. Nevertheless there were film critics who felt the film had advocated autocracy and reacted with discomfort. Stephen Hunter gave the film a strongly positive review, but mentioned his concern that the film endorsed the views presented by Qin Shi Huang, concluding "That was the King of Qin's reasoning and it was all the other big bad ones' as well: and and most particularly that latter-day king of Qin named , another great unifier who stopped the fighting and killed only between 38 million and 67 million in the process." The Village Voice's reviewer deemed it to have a "cartoon ideology" and justification for ruthless leadership comparable to ''Triumph of the Will''.

Awards and recognition

*''Hero'' was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2003 Academy Awards but lost to ''Nowhere in Africa'' .
*Zhang Yimou won the Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2003 for his work in ''Hero''.
*The National Society of Film Critics awarded Zhang Yimou their Best Director award.
*The New York Film Critics Circle recognized cinematographer Christopher Doyle with its award for Best Cinematography.
*The Chicago Film Critics Association awarded ''Hero'' Best Cinematography, alongside Martin Scorsese's ''The Aviator''.
*The Online Film Critics Society awarded ''Hero'' Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film.
*''Hero'' received seven Hong Kong Film Awards in 2003, including Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound. The movie was also nominated for seven other awards, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Song, and Best Director.

DVD release

An extended edition with eight minutes of additional footage was released in China. It features minor differences in story, music, and fight sequences to those of the theatrical version. One particular difference in the extended version of 'Hero' was Moon attempting to take her life before Nameless stops her after Broken Sword left with his sword and words. ''Hero'' is one of very few titles to be released on as well as DVD.

Music

*''Hero'' is sung by Faye Wong. It is unavailable in the American version of both the film credits and soundtrack album.
*''Wind & Sand'' is a theme song inspired by the film and sung by actor . It is only available in his titled album.
*The musical instrument used in the fight in the courtyard scene is an ancient zither said to be a predecessor of the guqin, the Chinese seven-stringed zither. The actual music was performed by Liu Li on a modern guqin.

Other media

*The comic book version of the story by Ma Wing-Shing is faithful to the film's story for the most part, until the ending. In this version, all of the heroes survive.
*Drum n' bass group Evol Intent have a song entitled "Broken Sword" which appears on the Dieselboy compilation album ''The Human Resource'' on both discs. The song samples the film's soundtrack.
*R&B artist Bobby Valentino samples from the movie on the single titled "Tell Me".

Golden Swallow (film)

Golden Swallow aka Girl With the Thunderbolt Kick is a 1968 Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring Cheng Pei Pei, Lo Lieh and Jimmy Wang Yu. The film is a sequel to ''Come Drink with Me''.

Plot

''Golden Swallow'' revolves around the further adventures of its title character, Golden Swallow . This time around, she's forced into violence when a figure from her mysterious past goes on a killing rampage while leaving evidence that holds her responsible. ''Golden Swallow'' also makes room for a heartfelt love triangle involving a mad, but righteous swordsman named Silver Roc and a gentle warrior named Golden Whip . The three team up to conquer the evil forces of the martial world, but their joint venture only lasts so long, due to the two men's virile egos. Ultimately, a duel to the death is planned between them, leaving Golden Swallow caught between two men, both of whom she admires.

Emperor and His Brother

The Emperor and His Brother is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film based on ''The Book and the Sword'' by Jin Yong. The film is directed by Chor Yuen, and stars starring Lo Lieh, Ti Lung and Jason Pai Piao.

Plot

Emperor Chien Lung is not the emperor by birth since he was exchanged as a newborn infant with the previous emperor's newborn daughter. He learns the truth when two senior members of the Hung Hua society, a subversive anti-Qing movement, secretly contact him years later with hopes of enlisting his aid in fighting the real Qing. In order to hide the truth about his origins, Chien orders the men to be killed, but one escapes only to be captured later. Hung Hua's leader Chen Chia-lo turns out to be the blood brother of Chien and the two develop a tenuous relationship as the society attempts to rescue their imprisoned comrade. Hung Hua members unleash an elaborate plan to kidnap the Emperor to exchange him for their friend and hopefully persuade him to join their cause. While the exchange takes place, history tells us that Chien must ultimately ignore his ancestry in favor of continuing to rule as a Qing Emperor. Nevertheless, Chien's chief lieutenant, Chang is bound and determined to wipe Chen and his society out and an elaborate martial arts challenge provides him with an opportunity.

Eight Immortals (film)

Eight Immortals is a ese wuxia film directed by Chan Hung Man. The film tells the story of the Eight Immortals, an octet of warriors in Chinese mythology.

Dragon Gate Inn

Dragon Gate Inn , also known as ''Dragon Inn'', is a Hong Kong film directed by King Hu starring Shang Kuan, Chun Shih, Ying Bo, Jian Tsao and Han Xue.

The film was remade in 1992 as ''New Dragon Gate Inn''.

Plot

Zhao, the Emperor's first eunuch, has successfully bested General Yu, his political opponent. The General was beheaded but his remaining children have been exiled out of China. As the children are being escorted to the western border of the Chinese empire, Zhao plots to have the children killed. Zhao's secret police lay in ambush at the desolate Dragon Gate Inn. Kung Fu expert Xiao shows up at the inn, wanting to meet the innkeeper. Unknown to the secret police is that the innkeeper, Wu Ming, was one of the General's lieutenants and has summoned Xiao to help the children. A brother-sister martial-artist team also show up to help. These four race to find Yu's children and lead them to safety.

Cast

*Polly Kuan - Miss Chu Huei
*Hsu Feng - Yu Chien's daughter
*Shih Jun - Hsiao Shao Tzu
*Pai Ying - Tsao Shao Chin
*Cho Kin - General Wu Ming

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a Chinese-language film in the ''wuxia'' style, released in 2000. A -Hong Kong--United States , the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen. The movie was based on in a pentalogy, known in China as the ''Crane-Iron Pentalogy'', by Wang Dulu. The martial arts and were choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping well known for his work in The Matrix and other films.

Made on a mere US$15 million budget, with dialogue in , ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' became a surprise international success. It grossed US$128 million in the United States alone, becoming the highest-grossing foreign-language film in American history. It has won over 40 awards. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and three other Academy Awards, and was nominated for six other Academy Awards, including . The film also won three ''BAFTAs'' and two ''Golden Globes'', one for "Best Foreign Film" as well as additional nominations for ten ''BAFTAs'' including "Best Picture".

Plot

The fictional story is set in the historic Qing Dynasty in . The date of the story is during the 43rd year of Emperor Qianlong's reign .

The story follows two martial arts warriors, Li Mu-bai and Yu Shu-lien . The two characters are attracted to each other but have abstained from a relationship. Mu-bai, an accomplished swordsman, asks Shu-lien to take his valuable sword, the Green Destiny, to his friend Sir Te for safekeeping in Beijing. In the meantime, Mu-bai intends to commemorate the death of his master, who was murdered long ago by Jade Fox , a woman who sought to learn Wudan. Also searching for Jade Fox is Tsai an undercover police inspector.

In Beijing, Shu-lien delivers the sword and meets Jen , the daughter of Governor Yu, a Manchu aristocrat. Jen is destined for an arranged marriage, yet yearns for adventure; she becomes fascinated with the warrior Shu-lien.

One night, a masked thief sneaks onto Sir Te's estate and steals the Green Destiny. Tsai, Shu-lien, and others pursue the thief across rooftops, walls, and other obstacles. Shu-lien discovers that the thief is well-versed in the Wudan school of martial arts. The fight is broken off when a mysterious figure shoots a dart at Shu-lien, which she catches just in time.

Mu-bai and Shu-lien trace the theft to Governor Yu's compound and learn that Jade Fox has been posing as Jen's governess for many years to evade the authorities. Jade Fox challenges Inspector Tsai to a showdown, in which Tsai is killed. Mu-bai arrives and easily defeats Jade Fox, but the masked thief reappears and uses Wudan techniques to prevent him from killing her. The thief and Jade Fox escape, and in a confrontation, Jade Fox realizes that Jen has secretly read her Wudan manual and surpassed her in skill. Mu-bai catches the masked Jen attempting to return the Green Destiny, and after defeating her, suggests that she become his apprentice. She refuses and escapes.

The dart that prevented Shu-Lien from capturing Jen came from a man named Lo , who returns and asks Jen to leave with him. A flashback reveals that Lo is a desert bandit called Dark Cloud who had raided Jen's caravan and stolen her comb. Jen chased after him to get it back; Lo defeated and kidnapped her. However, they eventually fell in love. Lo convinced Jen to return to her family, though not before telling her a legend of a man who jumped off a cliff but did not die. Instead, his wishes came true.

Lo has come to Beijing to persuade Jen not to go through with her arranged marriage. However, Jen refuses to leave with him. Soon after, she is married in an elaborate ceremony. Mu-bai and Shu-lien find Lo and tell him to wait for Jen at Wudan Mountain. The day after her wedding, Jen runs away. She is at a crossroads: should she be a court official's wife, the lover of a desert bandit, an outlaw under Jade Fox, or a martial artist under Li Mu-bai? Headstrong, she rejects the path of Shu-lien and Mu-bai, and starts a fight in a restaurant.

Jen finds Shu-lien, who tells her that Lo is at Wudan Mountain. Jen is outraged, thinking that Shu-lien is setting her up. Shu-lien is angry at Jen's lack of gratitude, and says that she always knew Jen was the thief, but covered it up for the sake of Jen's family. The two women fight, and it becomes clear that Shu-lien has better technique but Jen has the better sword . Mu-bai arrives and pursues Jen into the forest. He again offers to train her and she says that she will accept him as her master if he can take the Green Destiny from her in three moves. To Jen's surprise, Mu-bai snatches the sword from her hand in a single movement. When Jen still refuses to become Mu-bai's pupil, he throws the Green Destiny over a waterfall. Jen chases after the sword, and Mu-bai is too shocked to pursue her.

Jen retrieves the sword and is rescued by Jade Fox. She puts Jen into a drugged sleep and leaves her in a cavern. Mu-bai and Shu-lien find her there. Jade Fox suddenly reappears and attacks the others with poisoned needles. Mu-bai blocks all but one needle with his sword. He avenges his master's death by mortally wounding Jade Fox, only to realize that he has been hit with a poisoned needle. With his last breaths, Mu-bai confesses his love for Shu-lien. Shu-lien is heartbroken at his death, and furious with Jen for spoiling her chance at happiness. However, Shu-lien spares Jen's life and instructs her always to remain true to herself.

Jen goes to Wudan Mountain and spends one last night with Lo, who is waiting for her. The next morning, Lo finds Jen standing on a balcony overlooking the edge of the mountain. In an echo of the legend that they spoke about in the desert, she asks him to make a wish. He complies, wishing them to be together, back in the desert, and Jen leaps into the clouds.

Although the movie does not reveal whether Jen dies, the next novel in the Crane Iron Pentalogy, ''Iron Knight, Silver Vase'', begins with Jen and Lo as a couple who have one son.

Production and marketing

Although its Academy Award was presented to Taiwan, ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' was in fact an international co-production between companies in four regions: the company China Film Co-Production Corporation; the companies , Sony Pictures Classics and Good Machine; the Hong Kong company EDKO Film; and the Taiwanese Zoom Hunt International Productions Company, Ltd; as well as the unspecified United China Vision, and Asia Union Film & Entertainment Ltd., created solely for this film.

The film was made in Beijing, with location shooting in the Anhui, Hebei, Jiangsu and Xinjiang of the People's Republic of China.

Unlike most Chinese films, this one was supported by American distributors and therefore received marketing typical of Western films.

The movie was also adapted into a video game.

Reception and Aftermath

''Crouching Tiger'' was very well received in the Western world, receiving critical acclaim and numerous awards. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 97% of critics gave ''Crouching Tiger'' positive reviews, based on 141 reviews, with the consensus that "the story is compelling, the acting is stellar, and the direction is fantastic. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh provide the action of ''The Matrix'' plus the romance of ''''." Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 93 out of 100, based on 31 reviews.

However, it was less well received in China and Hong Kong, where it was perceived as just another of the countless wuxia films released over the past four decades. Additionally, some Chinese-speaking viewers were bothered by the accents of the leading actors. Neither Chow nor Yeoh speaks as a mother tongue. All four main actors spoke with different accents: Chow speaks with a Cantonese accent; Yeoh with a Malaysian accent; Chang Chen a Taiwanese accent; and Zhang Ziyi a Beijing accent. Yeoh responded to this complaint in a December 28, 2000 interview with ''Cinescape''. She argued that "My character lived outside of Beijing, and so I didn’t have to do the Beijing accent." When the interviewer, Craig Reid, remarked that "My mother-in-law has this strange Szechuan-Mandarin accent that’s hard for me to understand," Yeoh responded: "Yes, provinces all have their very own strong accents. When we first started the movie, Cheng Pei Pei was going to have her accent, and Chang Zhen was going to have his accent, and this person would have that accent. And in the end nobody could understand what they were saying. Forget about us, even the crew from Beijing thought this was all weird."

The film led to a boost in popularity of Chinese wuxia films in the western world, where they were previously little known, and led to films such as ''House of Flying Daggers'' and '''' marketed towards western audiences. On the aftermath of the movie in America, the film was a major turning point Zhang Ziyi's career, and resulted as somewhat of a rediscovery for her:

Awards

Won

*ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards: Top Box Office Films
*Academy Awards:
**Best Foreign Language Film
**Best Cinematography
**Best Music, Original Score
**Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
* : Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
*Australian Film Institute: Best Foreign Film
*BAFTA Awards:
**David Lean Award for Direction
**Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
**Best Costume Design
*Bergen International Film Festival: Audience Award
*Bodil Awards: Best Non-American Film
*Bogey Awards : Bogey Award
*Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography
*Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Language Film
*Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography , Best Original Score
*Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography
*Directors Guild of America: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
*Film Critics Circle of Australia: Best Foreign Language Film
*Flanders International Film Festival : Georges Delerue Prize
*Florida Film Critics Circle: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography
*Golden Bauhinia Awards : Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress , Golden Bauhinia - Best Director
*'''Golden Globe Awards:
**Best Foreign Language Film
**Best Director - Motion Picture
*Golden Horse Film Festival : Best Picture , Best Action Direction , Best Editing , Best Sound Effects , Best Visual Effects
*Golden Trailer Awards: Best Art and Commerce , Best Romance
*'''Grammy Awards:
**Best Score For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
*Hong Kong Film Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress , Best Director , Best Cinematography , Best Original Film Score , Best Original Film Song , Best Action Choreography , Best Sound Design
*Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards: Special Achievement Award
*Hugo Awards: Best Dramatic Presentation
*Independent Spirit Awards: Best Feature, Best Supporting Female , Best Director
*Kansas City Film Critics Circle: Best Foreign Language Film
*London Film Critics Circle: Best Foreign Language Film
*Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Best Cinematography , Best Music Score , Best Production Design
*MTV Movie Awards: Best Fight
*Motion Picture Sound Editors : Best Sound Editing - Dialogue & ADR, Domestic Feature Film
*National Board of Review: Best Foreign Language Film
*New York Film Critics Circle: Best Cinematographer
*Online Film Critics Society: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography
*Robert Festival : Best Non-American Film
*: Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language
*Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America: Best Script
*Southeastern Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Language Film
*Toronto Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Best Supporting Performance - Female
*Toronto International Film Festival: People's Choice Award
*Young Artist Awards: Best Young Actress in an International Film

Nominations

*'''Academy Awards:
**Best Picture
**Best Director
**Best Adapted Screenplay
**Best Costume Design
**Best Editing
**Best Original Song - for the song "A Love Before Time"
* : Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Supporting Actress , Best Director , Best Writing , Best Music , Best Costumes
*Amanda Awards : Best Foreign Feature Film
*American Cinema Editors : Best Edited Feature Film - Dramatic
*American Society of Cinematographers: Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
*Art Directors Guild: Excellence in Production Design Award Feature Film - Period or Fantasy Films
*'''BAFTA Awards:
**Best Film
**Best Actress
**Best Supporting Actress
**Best Screenplay - Adapted
**Best Cinematography
**Best Editing
**Best Sound
**Best Production Design
**Best Make Up/Hair
**Best Special Visual Effects
*Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Action Team
*British Society of Cinematographers: Best Cinematography Award
*Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Picture

Brothers Five

Brothers Five is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Lo Wei. Pei-pei Cheng plays the role of Yen Lai, a woman who must reunite the Kao brothers to rid the Teng Lung Manor of killers whilst avenging the murder of their father.

Cast

*Cheng Pei-pei as Heroine Yen Hsing-kung
*Chin Han as Blacksmith Kao Hao - 1st brother
*Chang Yi as Scholar Kao Chih - 2nd brother
*Yuen Kao as Security chief Kao Yung - 3rd brother
*Hua Yueh as Valet Kao Wei - 4th brother
*Lo Lieh as Kao Hsia - 5th brother
*Feng Tien as Lung Chen-feng
*Feng Ku as Lord Wan
*Unicorn Chan as Bandit Elder Wang
*Sammo Hung Kam-Bo as Security escort Chu
*Wei Lieh Lan as Hsiao San - Cart driver
*Ka Ting Lee as Chiu the Fourth - Lien's man
*Yunzhong Li as Steward of Teng Lung Manor
*Yasukoshi Shikamura as Henchman
*Yukio Someno as Security escort
*James Tien as Bandit chief Ting
*Hsieh Wang as Lord Lien

Brave Archer

Brave Archer aka ''Kung-Fu Warlords'' is a Hong Kong Shaw Brothers film trilogy directed by Chang Cheh based on Jinyong's ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' novels. The trilogy is divided into four parts with most of the entire Shaw Studios cast of martial artist in at least 1 of the films. Alexander Fu Sheng and the appear in all of the films in a starring or supporting role.

Plot

Brave Archer Pt. 1

Guo Jing and Yang Kang are sons of a group of rebels, the rebels are attacked by the emperor and are then rescued by 6 teachers. The teachers agree to separate the two boys so that they would meet as adults to determine whose kung fu is better. Jing becomes a pupil of 6 kung fu masters while Kang becomes the arrogant adopted son of the emperor . While Jing’s family is killed Kang’s family is not as his mother becomes the emperor’s concubine and his father goes into hiding. Jing travels to a local town where he befriends a lowly beggar named Huang Rong who happens to be the daughter of the Chief of Peach Island and meets Kang who is in a contest to marry his fathers adopted daughter. Huang reveals to Jing that she is a “girl” and the two make their way back to Peach Island after getting into trouble with the authorities. Yang Kang meets his father but turns him and his former teacher into the authorities as he is loyal to the emperor, his mother kills herself.

Guo Jing learns the 18 palm technique from the 9 Fingered Beggar Hong Qigong while the girl becomes the beggar chief in grooming. On Peach Island, Huang Yaoshi is against the proposed marriage of Jing and Huang , Jing meets a strange monk named Cho who teaches him his special kung fu and forces him to read a kung fu manual, which happened to be written by Huang’s deceased mother. Ouyang Feng Wei arrives with his nephew Ouyang Ke who wants to marry Haung, the 9 Fingered beggar also arrives. Yung Er’s father forces both of them into a contest to see who is worthy of marrying his daughter which the last being the reciting of the manual which Jing was previously forced to read by Cho, thus winning the contest. Yaoshi agrees however, Ouyang Feng now wants the kung fu manual from Jing and Cho leading to part 2.

Brave Archer Pt. 2

Huang is taken hostage by Wang Lung Wei so he may get the manual from Fu Sheng. Fu Sheng and the beggar chief rescues Yung Er and Fu Sheng gives Wei a fake manual which will eventually drive him insane . Wei, the beggar and Cho get into a fight and Wei’s nephew is injured allowing Yung Er, Fu Sheng and the beggar chief to escape. The 9 Fingered beggar is injured and gives Yung Er his beggar stick which symbolizes the leader of the beggar gang as well as the techniques to use the stick if challenged by the members. Wang Lung Wei and his nephew pursue Fu Sheng and Yung Er to get revenge for the nephews injuries to a deserted town. They take shelter in an abandoned restaurant being inhabited by a retarded girl .

Fu Sheng and Yung Er meet up with Cho again to find a treasure, Fu Sheng is injured and Cho gets into a fight with Wang Lung Wei, Fu Sheng retreats with Yung Er so he may get time to heal. At this point multiple sub-plots occur at the restaurant between Wang Lung Wei, his nephew, Lee I Min , Ku Kwon Chung, Sun Chien, Cho, Kara Hui, a blind woman kung fu expert and a group of Wu Tang monks who use the “Northstar Style”. Fu Sheng and Yung Er come out of hiding to meet her father. Yung Er’s father takes the retarded girl to Peach Island since she is the daughter of one of his former classmates. Sheng and Er are eventually are kidnapped by the beggar clan being run by Lu Feng and Chiang Sheng since the 9 Fingered Beggar is missing. While captive the clan gets into a situation with the Iron Palm clan ran by Lo Mang. Lee I Min instigates a fight while posing as the beggar chief . Lu Feng and Yung Er escape from bondage and challenge Lee I Min’s authority eventually making a fool of him and Yung Er becomes head of the beggar clan. Lee I Min joins the Iron Palm clan and the series continues to Pt. 3.

Brave Archer Pt 3 aka Blast Of the Iron Palm

Fu Sheng and Yung Er pursue Yu Tai Ping and the Iron Palm Clan, led by Lo Mang and Chu Ko. Lo Mang injures Yung Er with his Iron Palm technique and the two pursue an antidote for her injuries. Sheng and Er stumble into a swamp inhabited by a Lady Lou . She tells the two that the only person who can cure her is Ti Lung’s special kung fu who is now a monk. Sheng and Er travel to see Ti Lung but must defeat each of his body guards in a battle of wits. They eventually get to Ti Lung who tells them that Lady Lou intentionally sent them to him to get him to use his special style which will eventually kill him after its used. Ti Lung backtracks to the past as a young Cho and Lady Lou had an affair while living in his palace. Lady Lou became pregnant and her child was murdered by Lo Mang who want Ti Lung to also use his special kung fu. However, Ti Lung regrets his past decision and offers to cure Yung Er despite the consequences.

Lady Lou infiltrates Ti Lung’s dwelling and almost kills him however changes her mind last minute. Ti Lung and his body guards allow her to leave and escort her out. The Iron Palm gang shows up outside to fight Ti Lung, Lady Lou recognizes Lo Mang’s Iron Palm style as the one who killed her child and the ensuing fight begins between the Iron Palm clan, Fu Sheng, Ti Lung’s body guards and Lady Lou. The current Cho shows up and is immediately recognized by the elder Lady Lou. Cho points out the Iron Palm clans and Lo Mang’s weak spots and they are eventually killed. Lady Lou pursues a running Cho as the movie ends.

Brave Archer Pt 4 aka Mysterious Island

*The fourth movie in the series is based on the LOTCH's sequel ''Return of the Condor Heroes''. This film contained multiple role switches as Kuo Chui would now play the part of Guo Jing that Fu Sheng previously held in the series and Lily Li played the role of Yung Er. Wang Li also played the role previously held by Wang Lung Wei and Lung Tung Sheng took Lee I Min’s role who left Shaw Studios.

Guo and Yung Er return to Peach Island to find Kuo’s masters murdered except for the blind one. Yung Er’s father is framed by Wang Li and Kuo attempts to avenge his teachers by fighting against the Peach Island Chief. Eventually the ever intelligent Yung Er exposes the plot as it was a set up between the prince and Wang Li to get Kuo and her father to kill each other and the prince to learn Wang Li’s special kung fu style he learned from the fake manual . The Prince has a child as his wife runs in the last moment and is killed by him leaving the boy an orphan. Kuo and Yung Er take the boy in, fast forward roughly 18 years and now Fu Sheng is fully grown, Kuo and Er also have a daughter Fu-Erh and two other students , and also stay with Kuo’s blind teacher. All the students are taught martial arts except Fu Sheng who Kuo fears will become like his father . This pits a rivalry between Fu Sheng and the other students and forces him to eventually meet up with the now insane Wang Li who teaches him his frog style kung fu. Fu Sheng also believes that Kuo and Yung Er killed his parents as the insane Wang Li can’t get the real story straight. The situation is eventually resolved by Kuo and Lau Shi Kwong who then takes Fu Sheng to live with his fathers old Wu Tang masters.

Kuo, Fu Sheng and Kwong arrive a the temple where a quarrel is taking place between Lu Feng , Chu Ko and Chiang Sheng. Chu Ko and Sheng slaughter their way into the temple to get the treasure in a hidden tomb and almost kill the Northstar style masters until thwarted by Kuo, Kwong and Fu Sheng, the battle then moves outside in usual “Venom Style” action with a battle featuring the Venoms and Fu Sheng.

Cast

*Fu Sheng - Guo Jing , Yang Guo
*Niu Niu - Huang Rong
*Lee I Min - Yang Kang
*Kuo Chui - Zhou BoTong, Aged Guo Jing in Pt. 4
*Danny Lee - Ouyang Ke
*Lo Mang - Teacher in Pt 1, Qiu QianRen in 2 & 3
*Ku Kuan Chung - Huang YaoShi
*Wang Lung Wei - Ouyang Feng
*Ti Lung - Yi Deng Da shi
*Ku Feng - Hong Qigong
*Lu Feng - Various roles
*Kara Hui - Prince's wife
*Wang Li - Body guard , Ouyang Feng
*Chiang Sheng - Various roles
*Wen Hsueh Erh - Kuo's daughter
*Lung Tung Sheng - The Prince
*Yu Tai Ping - The Prince
*Chu Ko - Various villains
*Lily Li - Lady Liu/ Ying Gu, Huang Rong
*Johnny Wang Lung-Wei -
*Wei Pai
*Sun Chien - Various hero roles

Bastard Swordsman

Bastard Swordsman is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring Norman Chu.

Plot

Yen Fei Yang is the viciously bullied orphan who takes on the unpleasant tasks at a formidable kung-fu school. Constantly mocked by the other students of the school, Yen counts as his only friend the daughter of the resident master. Any internal wrangling between the various members is put to one side when a swordsman from a rival clan reminds the master of the duel he must take part in once a decade. Unfortunately the defending clan chief is well aware that his rival is more powerful than himself. The expected defeat is further complicated when a wandering swordsman arrives on the scene and joins himself to the injured party, immediately adding to Yen's Hoes. The ensuing series of confrontations and intrigues soon reveals the individual motives that the numerous parties all have and the role they play in the fate of the martial world. After finally understanding his own past and upbringing, Yen is ready to take on the mantle of avenger for his school and win back the respect that his colleagues have lost. With fighting skills that had been taught to him by a shrouded figure, Yen steps out of the shadows and reveals himself to be anything but the harassed orphan that everyone enjoys picking on. However to have any kind of hope against his nearly superhuman foes, the young fighter must uncover the secrets of his clan's 'Silkworm Technique' and transform himself completely.

Production

''Bastard Swordsman'' is based on the 1979 ATV television series ''Tian Can Bian'' . The story was originally a script for the TV series, but later converted into a wuxia novel by Huang Ying.

Bandits from Shantung

Bandits From Shantung is a Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Huang Feng.

Plot

Knight Yin comes to visit his fiancee Tik but finds her house has been completely deserted. Suspecting it was the work of the henchmen of Ong, a bandit chief in the area of the Green Dragon Association he kills his henchman One-legged Wolf in the ensuing fight although Ma escapes. Yin contacts a friend from the town, Suen and arranges a valuable consignment to lure Ong's men in as bait and to eventually lead him to the kidnapped Tik. During the collection by Ong's henchmen, Yin is able to recover his fiance but not without cost. Back at his lair, Ong discovers that the "valuable" consignment is a fake and he has been double-crossed, particularly as his hostage has escaped during the process. Seriously angry, he dispatches his henchmen leading to a final violent showdown with Yin and his friends.

All Men Are Brothers (film)

All Men Are Brothers is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and Wu Ma. The film was released internationally as Seven Soldiers Of Kung Fu.

Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain

Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a Hong Kong film. It is a supernatural fantasy adventure with ''wuxia'' elements. The film was directed by Tsui Hark, who intended to combine Hong Kong action cinema with western special effects technology. It was nominated for five Hong Kong Film Awards in 1984 .

International

The film had many versions of the story. The real plot is the Chinese one. Dubbed prints exist as ''Zu Time Warrior'', which include scenes set in the 20th Century. There is a brief reference to this in the dialogie of the climax in the original version. Tsui has said that ''Zu Time Warrior'' represents his true intentions on the film, but also expressed that he thought the film was too old for people to care about anymore. The UK release of the DVD by Hong Kong Legends features an audio commentary with Tsui and film critic Bey Logan.

Box office

The film grossed HK $15,872,222 at the Hong Kong box office.

Influence

American filmmaker John Carpenter has stated that ''Zu'' was an influence on his 1986 film ''Big Trouble in Little China''.

The White Dragon (film)

The White Dragon is a wuxia/comedy film, directed by Wilson Yip and starring Cecilia Cheung and Francis Ng.

''The White Dragon'' is directed by Wilson Yip, whose best known movies to date are ''Bullets Over Summer'', ''Juliet in Love'' and ''''. It stars Cecilia Cheung as Black Phoenix, a pretty, young, and vain student who thinks she has what it takes to woo the most desirable eligible bachelor in the land, Second Prince Tian Yang .

Plot

In a twist departing from the standard superhero formula, White Dragon is a narcissist, forever worried about her good looks, even as she's fighting with Feather , a blind assassin nicknamed "Chicken Feathers" because of his propensity for using chicken feathers as his calling card.

Chicken Feathers is first challenged by White Dragon, an elderly woman with proficient skills in martial arts to almost match his, but not quite enough. Thinking that she has been fatally wounded, White Dragon transfers her kung-fu knowledge into empty shell Black Phoenix, turning the young woman into the prettiest martial arts expert around. The downside to having these extraordinary powers, which she does not fully understand, is bad acne, which she manages to prevent only by doing "noble" deeds like robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.

Phoenix is reluctant to take on her new role at first, but soon becomes interested in tracking down Chicken Feathers when she learns that her love interest, Second Prince Tian Yang, might become his next target. Using her flute-playing as bait, White Dragon finally faces Chicken Feathers in an attempt to defeat him before he can carry out the assassination. Chicken Feathers proves to be too good for the new White Dragon, however. When White Dragon tries to exploit his "weak points," she ends up injured and dependent on Feathers, who does nurse her back to health after their heated battle. While Chicken Feathers plays nurse, White Dragon seeks to find his true weak point to stop him once and for all. What she finds instead is that Chicken Feathers has fallen in love with her, and that he is growing on her as well.

Cast

* Cecilia Cheung
* Francis Ng
* Andy On
* Hui Shiu Hung
* Patrick Tang
* Lei Liu

The Wandering Swordsman

The Wandering Swordsman or You xia er is a Shaw Brothers wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh.

Cast

* David Chiang as Yu Hsieh Erh
* Lily Li as Chiang Ning
* Pei-Shan Chang as 'Fail-safe' Kung Wu
* Lei Cheng as Security Chief Chiang Wei
* Sing Chen as Iron King Chung Szu Hu
* Liu Hung as Kao Tien Wan
* Kang Liu as Fang Tien Lung
* Kwong Yue Wong as Single Swordsman Chin Li Lai
* Ma Wu as 'Foxy' Hou Jou
* Bolo Yeung as 'Unicorn' Du Kuo Lung
* Wei Lieh Lan as Chief Wen - consignment fence
* Pei Chi Huang as Brother Tsai San
* Cliff Lok as Chief Chiang's guard
* Li Tung as Chief Huang
* Tsai Pao Tung as Wen's guard
* Chung Wang as Huang's guard
* Cheung-Yan Yuen as Huang's guard

The Swordswoman of Huangjiang

The Swordswoman of Huangjiang was a 13-film wuxia series. The only film of the series which still exists today was its first installment, ''Uproar At the Baolin Temple'', which is the lone surviving film of Chen's silent-era oeuvre as well as one of only two surviving Chinese films of its kind from that period. The entire series was filmed over two years and includes elements of drama, comedy, and action. It featured archetypical motifs that would become common in the wuxia films which began to appear and gain popularity more than three decades later.

The Swordsman

The Swordsman is a Hong Kong wuxia-. King Hu is the director credited, but he is alleged to have left the production, and it was finished by a team led by producer Tsui Hark. It is based on the novel ''The Smiling, Proud Wanderer'' by Jinyong.

Controversy

Upon the film's initial release in Hong Kong, it was criticised for the casting choice of in the starring role, as the Cantopop singer was perceived as being too "modern" for a martial arts film.

Box office

The film grossed HK $16,052,552 at the Hong Kong box office.

The Promise (2005 film)

The Promise is a fantasy film directed by Chen Kaige and starring Jang Dong-gun, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cecilia Cheung and Nicholas Tse. The film is based on the wuxia romance '''', written by ''P’ei Hsing'' at the time of the Tang Dynasty.

First released in mainland China on December 15, 2005, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore. The Weinstein Company adapted it for North American distributions and 3-day preview screenings, but they sold the movie to Warner Independent Pictures. While under the control of TWC, they trimmed out 19 minutes of scenes and renamed it ''Master of the Crimson Armor''. Eventually, it was released on May 5, 2006 as ''The Promise''.

When it was released in Asian markets, the crowd reactions were mixed. In China, public response was largely negative and made USD$9 million dollars in mainland China in the opening week and 8 million dollars in Hong Kong. The budget was rumored to be 282~340 million yuan , surpassing the cost of ''''.

Despite the negative buzz, it is one of two Chinese movies in 2006 to be nominated for at the 63rd Golden Globe Awards.

Plot

In a war-ravaged land where danger is rampant and food scarce, a young girl named Qingcheng feeds herself and her mother by pillaging the bodies of dead soldiers. One day, after finding some bread, Qingcheng pulls the boots off a hanging corpse for herself. However, it was all a trick as the "corpse" is not dead, but a boy about the same age as Qincheng. He is able to string up Qingcheng, and tells her she shouldn't steal. After Qingcheng promises to be his slave, he cuts her down and she asks if she can see his helmet. Upon receiving the helmet, she uses it to smack him on the head and flees with the bread.

While crossing over some water Qingcheng drops her bread, but the bread is caught by a goddess, Manshen and is brought back to Qingcheng. Asked by the goddess why she does not eat the bread, Qingcheng replied that she is saving the food for her mother. The goddess then tells the girl that her mother is dead. Grief stricken, the girl eats the bread. Before she departs, the goddess offers her a chance to live a life in which she will have all the food she wants, will be able to wear the most beautiful clothing, and men will fall helplessly in love with her. However, there is a catch: she will not experience true love. If she should find love, she is destined to lose it. The girl readily accepts the conditions, and her fate is sealed. The goddess tells her she cannot reverse it unless rivers of bitter tears run upwards and she can outrun time.

Years later, after a brutal battle in which his regiment of 3,000 men was able to defeat a barbarian horde of 20,000, General Guangming is informed that the King is being attacked by the traitorous Duke Wuhuan from the north. While he and his slave Kunlun , a man of supernatural strength and speed, search for the path back to the kingdom they become lost and decide to split up to find their way. However, while looking for the path, General Guangming comes across the goddess who informs him that the victory against the barbarians would be his last because soon a man wearing Guangming's crimson armor would kill the King and his name would be besmirched. Laughing, Guangming states that he would never kill the king.

After the goddess departs, Wuhuan's assassin Snow Wolf attacks Guangming. Kunlun finds his master wounded and his master tells him to wear his armor and save the king. Kunlun asks how can he tell who is the king and Guangming replies that the king will be the one without a weapon.

Back at the palace, the King and his princess, Qingcheng , stand upon the top of the palace walls which are surrounded by Wuhuan's soldiers. Wuhuan demands that the King give him Qingcheng, something the king is all too willing to do. Angered by this, Qingcheng tells the soldiers that she will strip off a layer of clothing if they will kill the king. Since her stunning beauty entrances them, they willingly attempt to do as she asks. Infuriated, the king draws his sword and it is at this point that Kunlun, dressed in Guangming's armor, arrives at the scene and throws his sword at the king, impaling and killing him, rescuing Qingcheng. However, their victory is short lived because Wuhuan and his men catch up to them. Wuhuan states that if Guangming jumps off a high cliff he will spare the life of Qingcheng. Kunlun, in love with Qingcheng and knowing that he can survive the fall, jumps.

Kunlun returns to his master and gives back the crimson armor. Guangming is angered as he had been beaten and tied up to a tree by his own men who did not kill him only because he had been their superior officer, all because Kunlun killed the king. The two hurry to rescue Qingcheng, in which they are successful. Qingcheng is in love with Guangming because of the words he said to her before he jumped ; however, she does not know that it was actually Kunlun who spoke these words, so her heart's desires are misguided. Kunlun, whose own desires come second to his master's, stands aside while Guangming tries to make Qingcheng fall in love with him. Kunlun instead is captured by Wuhuan, who realizes Kunlun killed the king in Guangming's armor.

Qingcheng and Guangming spend time living a happy lovebirds' life, meanwhile Kunlun finds out from Snow Wolf that Wuhuan was the culprit in invading his home country and killing all his people including his mother and sister . Kunlun also learns that Snow Wolf was one of his own, and the only one that survived besides Kunlun. However, Snow Wolf only survived the massacre because he subjected himself to torture and being Wuhuan's servant. In fear of death, Snow Wolf agreed to wear a robe that grants eternal life, and will die if he should take it off.

Wuhuan tricks Guangming to come back to the palace by sending one of Guangming's former subordinates and telling him Wuhuan had been captured. In reality, all the solders had come to Wuhuan's side and Guangming becomes imprisoned, waiting for his execution in the name of killing the king. Qingcheng sends Kunlun after Guangming's departure to get him back, but the captured Guangming tells Kunlun he is a defeated general and no longer worth anything. Kunlun gets mad and tells Guangming he is indeed not worthy of Qingcheng's love and he will wear the crismon armor to see Qingcheng and tell her he had been the real man that rescued her. Unfortunately, Qingcheng has been kidnapped by Wuhuan. Wuhuan now prepares to kill everyone and tells Snow Wolf to take Kunlun's life, but Snow Wolf gives up his own life to save Kunlun by removing his robe and giving Kunlun the crimson armor.

After a trial in which Guangming, Kunlun, and Qingcheng are charged with murder of the king, Wuhuan gets to choose their punishment. He has Kunlun tied in a tree, Guangming tied to the building, and Qingcheng tied to his throne. Taunting Qingcheng, Wuhuan tells her that her two loves are out of reach, just as they always will be. He also has food and water placed out, which none of the three can reach. Guangming promises to wear Snow Wolf's robe as well as be Wuhuan's servant and says no one wants to die. While reaching for the robe, Guangming takes a sword and engages in a final fight with Wuhuan. During the fight, Kunlun's ropes are cut. In the end, Guangming has a rope around Wuhuan's throat, while Wuhuan has a knife to Qingcheng's neck. The two agree to let go, but when Wuhuan drops the knife, Guangming pulls on the rope and tries to strangle Wuhuan. However, Wuhuan has a second knife and stabs Guangming. Wuhuan, feeling defiant, tells Guangming that no one wants to die. Qingcheng kicks the knife that fell before, and Wuhuan, thinking it is Kunlun, throws his dagger and hits the tree. The ropes that held Kunlun wrap around Wuhuan's neck and Wuhuan is stabbed by Kunlun. Before he dies, though, Wuhuan takes the knife out of his body and stabs Kunlun. Wuhuan reveals to Qingcheng that he was the boy in the beginning. He tells her that both Kunlun and Guangming are going to die and that Qingcheng can't love anyone. He tells her that she can't change her destiny and then dies. Qingcheng runs to Kunlun, and he tells her to go to Guangming. Torn, she lies next to Guangming, and Guangming tells her before he dies "I want you to live." Kunlun crawls to the robe and survives by putting on the robe that gives immortal life. Water flows upwards and Kunlun, with Qingcheng in his arms, fly off. The goddess tells Qingcheng that fate can change, promises can be broken, and with their love they could outrun time.

Reception

''The Promise'' was given a “rotten” rating of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus was that this film had “An incoherent plot and ridiculously obvious CGI effects this effort from the usually outstanding Chinese director Chen Kaige."

The film has been criticized for the environmental damage caused while filming in Yunnan. The film production damaged the vegetation and natural scenery of the area and the surrounding Lake Bigu from filming and set construction, and left behind a large amount of undisposed household waste.

Box office

''The Promise'' grossed an estimated $18,000,000 USD in mainland China. Business was much less spectacular in Hong Kong, where it grossed a mere $654,435 USD .

''The Promise'' was scheduled to be released in North America by the Weinstein Company in December 2005 under the title ''Master of the Crimson Armor''. This version was shortened by approximately twenty-five minutes. However, the Weinsteins eventually canceled plans to distribute the film, and North American distribution rights were bought by Warner Independent. Warner reverted the title back to ''The Promise'', but otherwise retained the Weinstein's cut.

Warner released ''The Promise'' in North America on May 5, 2006 in 213 theaters. The film grossed $272,838 USD in its opening weekend, and collected $669,625 USD by the end of its run. ''The Promise'' has grossed $33,539,654 USD worldwide.

Trivia

* 's A Murder Case Caused by a Bun is a spoof of ''The Promise''.