Xiao ao jiang hu zhi: Dong Fang Bu Bai (1992)

Directors:

Siu-Tung Ching
Stanley Tong

Writers:

Louis Cha (novel)
Tin-suen Chan (writer)

Release Date:

25 March 1992 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy

Plot:

With an entirely new set of actors, this movie continues the story from Swordsman (1990). Blademaster...

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Swordsman | Warrior | Transgender | Betrayal

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Ling Wu Chung
Brigitte Lin	...	Asia the Invincible (Dong Fang Bu Bai)
Michelle Reis	...	Kiddo
Waise Lee	...	Hattori
Rosamund Kwan	...	Ren Ying Ying
Kar Lok Chin	...	Saru
Fennie Yuen	...	Blue Phoenix
Shi-Kwan Yen	...	Wu (as Yee Kwan Yan)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kwok Leung Cheung	...	Eunuch Hong
Shun Lau	...	Zen
Chi Yeung Wong	...	Interpreter
Wah Yeung
On-on Yu	...	Cici

Also Known As:

Siu ngo gong woo ji: Dung Fong Bat Baai (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Swordsman II (Hong Kong: English title)
The Legend of the Swordsman (USA) (new title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

107 min (Hong Kong version) | 99 min (US version)

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | Japanese | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R

Company:

Film Workshop

Trivia:

Based on the book "Proud Smiling Wanderer" by Louis Cha

Quotes:

Asia the Invincible: Ling, it is due to my love for you which is why I am not fighting at my full strength but yet you try your very best to hurt me?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ying xiong: Cause - The Birth of Hero (2002) (V)

A classic ruined by BAD translation/subtitles

Asia the invincible? what the hell's that? the guy's surname is Dong Fang, which is a normal chinese surname, means "the east", he call himeself Bu Bai, coz he has not, did not, and thinks would not be defeated, so it means The Undefeated.

I know translation is a tough job, no matter how good you think you did, you still cannot transform all the meanings, undertones, indications in a culture sense. But not like this one! This is a very beautiful movie, all the lines, the scenes, the costumes, all very authenticly chinese, and stunning. And the poems recited in the movie, and the haunting song...hate to see all of these been ruined by the rediculous translantion.

You know, many things are just not meant to be translated, many words in chinese, they just can't be properly translated, such as "tian xia","qian kun", they are somewhat close to the meaning of "the world", but never is in the same sense of it.

So, for those who deminished the plot of the movie, I just wana tell you, it was based on one of the best selling Wuxia books in China, and the lines, they are very beautiful, in chinese. And for those who talked about the wire works, hello, this is a fantasy movie, and even with the wiring, have you ever seen body movements as beautiful as this in other movies, say the matrix? Wiring doesn't neccesarily mean it's not googd KongFu, This movie has some of the best fight scenes I have ever seen, wiring is only a basic requirement for action fantasies, but the thing they did with the fight scene, that's art, man. You have to be a KongFu master and an artist at the same time to be able to design, to creat such beautiful things.

In short, advice for people from America, Europe, Africa...no-china£¬If you wana have a better understanding of the movie, READ THE BOOK FIRST, and before that, LEARN SOME CHINESE! :)