A group of bandits kidnaps the governor's son and demands their imprisoned leader to be set free in exchange.
Director King Hu said that he had deliberately chosen a ballet dancer for the lead female role, "rather than fighting. I'm very interested in Peking opera and particularly its movement and action effects, although I think it's difficult to express them adequately on stage, where the physical limitations are too great." King Hu was said to recognize that some of the fights are stylized as opposed to realistic but claimed that combat in his movies was "always keyed to the notion of dance." I had always thought "kung fu" movies were very much based around dancing. Is this unusual, or was it a new style? I am curious. What we see today is so choreographed I have a hard time imagining it any other way.
Director King Hu said that he had deliberately chosen a ballet dancer for the lead female role, "rather than fighting. I'm very interested in Peking opera and particularly its movement and action effects, although I think it's difficult to express them adequately on stage, where the physical limitations are too great." King Hu was said to recognize that some of the fights are stylized as opposed to realistic but claimed that combat in his movies was "always keyed to the notion of dance." I had always thought "kung fu" movies were very much based around dancing. Is this unusual, or was it a new style? I am curious. What we see today is so choreographed I have a hard time imagining it any other way.