Fong Sai Yuk (1993)

This Hong Kong martial-arts extravaganza tells of evil emperors and true love. The secret Red Lotus Flower Society is committed to the overthrow of the evil Manchu Emperor and his minions. ... See full summary »

Director:

Corey Yuen

Writers:

Kin Chung Chan, Susan Godfrey (english adaptation)

Stars:

Jet Li, Josephine Siao, Michelle Reis

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jet Li	...	Fong Sai Yuk
Josephine Siao	...	Miu Chui Fa
Michelle Reis	...	Ting Ting
Wenzhuo Zhao	...	Governor of Kau Man
Sung-Young Chen	...	Tiger Lui
Sibelle Hu	...	Siu-wan
Adam Cheng	...	Chan Ka Lok
Kong Chu	...	Fong Tak
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lung Chan	...	Macu
Xian Gao	...	Support
Tao Guo	...	Bully
Yueming Pan	...	Background Actor
Yankai Yu	...	Yu Tung

Storyline

This Hong Kong martial-arts extravaganza tells of evil emperors and true love. The secret Red Lotus Flower Society is committed to the overthrow of the evil Manchu Emperor and his minions. One of his Governors is sent on a mission to retrieve a list of members of that secret society. Meanwhile, Canton kung fu practitioner Fong Sai-Yuk falls in love with the beautiful daughter of a rich merchant, recently moved to Canton. Her father, in an attempt to gain influence in the region and thus improve his business, offers his daughter in marriage to the winner of a kung-fu contest. Some interesting gender role-reversals take place during a 'comedy of errors.'

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Plot Keywords:

platform | kung fu | emperor | secret society | martial arts | 

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Taglines:

Fast. Furious. Deadly.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | History

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Certificate:

R13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jet Li gives the police the fake name "Yuen Kwai" - the film's director.

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Quotes

Fong Sai-Yuk: [assaults "intruder"] Who are you?
Mother Fong: [removes disguise] I'm your mother.
Fong Sai-Yuk: Wow. Mom! You look just like a man!
Mother Fong: Yeah, and I just won Tiger Lu's daughter's hand in marriage.
Fong Sai-Yuk: Does Dad know?
Mother Fong: Nooo!

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Crazy Credits

In the original Hong Kong cut, the final scene has Tiger throwing the Red Flower scroll into the air where it unfurls. The closing credits then roll down a parchment labeled "Red Flower Society Name List", as if the entire cast and crew were members of it.

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Alternate Versions

UK version was cut by 1 sec. for sight of real animal cruelty (horse tripped so that it falls forward onto head) due to BBFC policy and the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Underrated Martial Arts Movies (2017)

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Soundtracks

Excerpts
from Shu gim yan sau luk (1976)

User Reviews

Get the original if possible.

Joel Silver has said the Jet Li doesn't need special effects because Jet Li is a special effect. Fong Sai Yuk is one of his better films. It's typical of Hong Kong films by having some romance, drama, comedy, and action. Basically it's an Indian movie without the singing and martial arts substituted for dancing. The fight scenes are well choreographed with a moderate amount of wirework. If possible get a Hong Kong version that has subtitles rather than dubbing. The American version "The Legend" is about four minutes shorter than the original and there's a subtle joke that's missed in the American version: Sai Yuk is questioned by the authorities for fighting and afterwards tells his friends that he gave an alias. He starts out by saying the alias he gave was Wong, at this point he does a stance and the Wong Fei Hung music starts to play suggesting that he used the name Wong Fei Hung (another character he's played in films) when he completes the name Wong Jing. Now Wong Jing is a famous Hong Kong director who has directed Jet Li in a number of films. He is also called the "Madman of Hong Kong" for the outrageousness/strangeness of some of his movies. It's a little inside joke if you know Hong Kong martial arts films. Another scene they cut from the American version is Sai Yuk praying in the morning to protest to his future father-in-law his captivity. The American DVD has a better transfer than most Hong Kong DVDs and the translation is pretty good but if you want the whole film then go to Chinatown and get an original.

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

4 March 1993 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eastern Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 95 min (USA)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1