Zhi zhuan yi jian (1984)

Director:

Keith Li

Writer:

The Shaw Brothers Creative Group (screenplay)

Release Date:

1984 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action

Cast

Miao Ching	...	Hei Mo clan chief
Pei Chi Huang	...	Ruffian at Inn
Feng Ku	...	Swordsmith 'Old Eagle' Xie Ying
Yin San Lai	...	Yeh Shan
Din Long Lee	...	Ching Ching
Yun Ling	...	Yu Yi-fei
Sing Lo	...	Chin's 3rd challenger
Jamie Luk	...	Chin's 1st challenger
Tien Hsiang Lung	...	Master
Jason Pai Piao	...	Chin Wu-hsin
Austin Wai	...	Chin's 2nd challenger
Li Wang	...	Master 'Living Corpse'
Yung Wang	...	Hsiao-tien
Tung-Shing Yee	...	Shih Yen-peh
Bun Yuen	...	Pai Hsiao Sheng
Wah Yuen	...	Crow

Also Known As:

The Supreme Swordsman (Hong Kong: English title) (International: English title)
Lao ying de jian (Hong Kong: Mandarin title) (working title)
Old Eagle (Hong Kong: English title) (working title)
The Sword of Old Eagle (Hong Kong: Mandarin title) (literal title)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:95 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Company:

Shaw Brothers

Uneven but fast paced Shaw genre mix-up

The wuxia genre had become quite stagnant by the time this film was made. It had also split into a separate genre which emphasised magic and crazy wire driven fight scenes that defied logic. This film is an odd attempt to mix the two genre back together.

The first 55 minutes is actually a rather interesting, but very typical, wuxia plot as the the main character, Chin Wu-hsin, goes on his quest to kill 100 hundred swordsmen to become the top swordsman in China. He finally reaches 99 but fails when he goes against "The Supreme Swordsman". Despite being told that he doesn't have the right mental clarity to beat the Supreme Swordsman, Chin Wu-hsin decides that he failed because his sword was no good. He tries to bully an elderly sword smith into forging a new sword but he suddenly hears of the special "Cold Eagle" sword. Complications ensue as the sword smith and his son are drawn into the quest for the legendary Cold Eagle sword. It's old school but a better than average movie at this point.

That's the interesting part of the movie, the next half hour is interesting as well but for different reasons. Suddenly the sword smith's son, while battling Chin Wu-hsin, falls off a ledge that we never see and crash lands in the home of three old martial artists. Here we enter crazy kung-fu land where the masters exit the scene by yelling, "Hu-wa!" and flying straight up into the air. Chin Wu-hsin is forgotten as the sword smith's son receives healing from the fall and kung fu training. He eventually has to go thru a kung fu gauntlet before facing up with Chin Wu-hsin.

This film is certainly paced fast so it's never boring. The change of genres is off putting and by the end I didn't really care about the story anymore. There are better wuxia films and better crazy kung fu films out there.