One of Angela Mao Ying's earliest films and Golden Harvest's first, The Angry River is a pretty good kung fu classic featuring choreography by Han Ying Chieh and Sammo Hung, as well as cameo's from Hung himself, Jackie Chan and Lam Ching Ying. Featuring a strong cast (of its time), as well as the fresh-faced and wonderful Mao Ying, the film boasts some great swordplay and kung fu, nice locations, complimented by some tasty cinematography and great score!
A young Raymond Lui (Strife For Mastery) is one of many who tries to stop Mao Ying in her mission to help find a cure for her father. It's this adventure that leads her into situations against old masters, evil swordsmen, and even a dragon. And of course, there's the angry river itself...
The pictures on the VCD cover are so crystal clear and colourful, it makes me want to see a restored version of this wu xia classic. While it has never been talked about as much as the King Hu classics or Shaw Brothers epics, there is still enough exciting things and kung fu action going on here to warrant it, a good watch. While the majority of its older cast members were on the verge of retirement, the new bloods in Ying, Lui and Hung keep things moving with Golden Harvest allowing veteran director Huang Feng, a bit more freedom than other studios would have at that time. Feng would go on to work with Golden Harvest on a long list of projects, keeping Sammo Hung close by as star and action choreographer for the most of them, as well as Mao Ying as his lead...
I liked Mao Ying's character in this also. She wasn't yet the powerhouse kung fu queen as every other movie after this presented her as, but instead, plays a real, scared young woman who knows only a few moves and strives to stay alive, giving a great performance overall for such an early role. By the extensive and exciting end finale against Pai Ying (Royal Warriors), she is super-charged up and shows what she really can do!
The Angry River is as old school as it gets, but with new energy attached, it certainly does not bore. There are a few new tricks tried by the director and action team, and as a first film for Raymond Chow's new studio (Golden Harvest), its close to a masterpiece still entertaining 50 years later.
Overall: Give me a 4K restored version fast! The Angry River reveals the dawning of a new studio that ruled Hong Kong cinema for decades to follow!
A young Raymond Lui (Strife For Mastery) is one of many who tries to stop Mao Ying in her mission to help find a cure for her father. It's this adventure that leads her into situations against old masters, evil swordsmen, and even a dragon. And of course, there's the angry river itself...
The pictures on the VCD cover are so crystal clear and colourful, it makes me want to see a restored version of this wu xia classic. While it has never been talked about as much as the King Hu classics or Shaw Brothers epics, there is still enough exciting things and kung fu action going on here to warrant it, a good watch. While the majority of its older cast members were on the verge of retirement, the new bloods in Ying, Lui and Hung keep things moving with Golden Harvest allowing veteran director Huang Feng, a bit more freedom than other studios would have at that time. Feng would go on to work with Golden Harvest on a long list of projects, keeping Sammo Hung close by as star and action choreographer for the most of them, as well as Mao Ying as his lead...
I liked Mao Ying's character in this also. She wasn't yet the powerhouse kung fu queen as every other movie after this presented her as, but instead, plays a real, scared young woman who knows only a few moves and strives to stay alive, giving a great performance overall for such an early role. By the extensive and exciting end finale against Pai Ying (Royal Warriors), she is super-charged up and shows what she really can do!
The Angry River is as old school as it gets, but with new energy attached, it certainly does not bore. There are a few new tricks tried by the director and action team, and as a first film for Raymond Chow's new studio (Golden Harvest), its close to a masterpiece still entertaining 50 years later.
Overall: Give me a 4K restored version fast! The Angry River reveals the dawning of a new studio that ruled Hong Kong cinema for decades to follow!