Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)

An orphan who has been raised at a kung fu school, where he is treated as little more than a dogsbody and practice target for the students, has a life-changing experience after helping an old peripatetic beggar.

Director:

Woo-Ping Yuen

Writers:

Chi Yuan Hsi, Huo An Hsi

Stars:

Jackie Chan, Siu-Tin Yuen, Jang-Lee Hwang

Cast

Credited cast:
Jackie Chan	...	Chien Fu (as Lung Cheng)
Siu-Tin Yuen	...	Grandmaster Pai Cheng-Tien (as Hsiao-Tien Yuan)
Jang-Lee Hwang	...	Lord Sheng Kuan (as Cheng-Li Huang)
Dean Shek	...	Teacher Li (as Tien Shih)
Roy Horan	...	Russian
Hark-On Fung	...	Snake Fist School Master
Lung Chan	...	Substitute Instructor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tien Lung Chen	...	Three Provinces Champ
Yao Lin Chen	...	Master Hung (Hung Wei School)
Kam Cheung	...	Ah Kwai, Magistrate's son (as Kam Chiang)
Hsia Chien
Chi Ling Chiu	...	Mr. Liang - brick-breaking demo
Hsia Hsu	...	Su Chen
Jack Long	...	(as Chiang Wang)
Gam Yam	...	Chang, The Cook

Storyline

Chien Fu (Jackie Chan) is a boy who is used as a janitor at his kung fu school. Fu can't fight and is always getting bullied by the teachers and pupils. One day, an old man helps Fu train in an art of kung fu called the "Snake's Fist". Fu doesn't get bullied again. Then Fu creates his own style and mixes it with the Snake's Fist. His style is based on the movement and actions of a cat. One day, the old man is in trouble by a man who does "The Eagle's Claw", and Fu helps the old man.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | beggar | kung fu | fight | martial arts | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Movie Producer Serafim Karalexis got the rights to distribute this movie in America in the 80s, retitled "The Eagle's Shadow". It had a new score made due to copyright issues with the original score.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 23 mins) The Russian's sword wobbles and bends throughout the whole fight in which he uses it.

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Quotes

Lord Sheng Kuan: [after Chien Fu surprises him with his new technique] That technique! That isn't Snake Fist style! What is that?
Chien Fu: Hmmph! Cat's Claw!
[Chien Fu proceeds to attack again]

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Alternate Versions

The UK version is cut to remove the Cat/Cobra fight as it contravenes the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Hilarious Movie Deaths (2013)

User Reviews

wonderful comedy

Lots of fighting, done in a comical way. Just about every character in this movie are not too bright, which is perfect for a comedy of errors.

I have always preferred this comical way of handling martial arts better than the too serious Bruce Lee style.

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

November 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eagle's Shadow

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seasonal Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min (Blu-ray)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1