The Avenging Eagle

Last updated

The Avenging Eagle
Avenging Eagle.jpg
Film poster
Traditional Chinese 冷血十三鷹
Simplified Chinese 冷血十三鹰
Hanyu Pinyin Léngxuě Shísān Yīng
Directed bySun Chung
Written by Ni Kuang
Produced by Run Run Shaw
Starring Ti Lung
Alexander Fu
Ku Feng
Wang Lung-wei
Eddy Ko
Austin Wai
Cinematography Lam Ngai Kai
Edited byChiang Hsing-lung
Yu Siu-fung
Music by Frankie Chan
Production
company
Distributed byShaw Brothers Studio
Release date
  • 13 September 1978 (1978-09-13)
CountryHong Kong
LanguagesMandarin
Cantonese

The Avenging Eagle is a 1978 Hong Kong wuxia film produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, starring Ti Lung, Alexander Fu and Ku Feng. A remake of the film, titled The 13 Cold-Blooded Eagles , was released in 1993. [1]

Contents

This film is released in DVD by Dragon Dynasty in the United States. This release has about 1 minute and 27 sections of missing footage of the final fight scene. It is believed that the original source for this footage was damaged and was cut from the final release. It was announced in July 2013 that there have been plans for a remake to start shooting in 2014 with collaboration between Celestial Pictures and The Weinstein Company.

Plot

Eagle Chief Yoh Xi-Hung (Ku Feng) is the leader of a group of bandits called the Iron Boat Clan. He recruits and raises orphans to be his personal army of ruthless killers -he calls his recruits "Eagles.". One such orphan, indoctrinated by Yoh Xi-Hung, is Chik Ming-sing (Ti Lung). In a series of reflections, we find that Chik was an orphan that was sold to the Iron Boat Clan at the age of seven; he soon becomes one of Chief Yoh's top killers as he relishes engaging opponents in combat whenever the bandits go on a raid. However, after one particularly rough heist, Chik is badly wounded in a solo fight with Golden Spear Tao De-biu. He escapes into the nearby woods and manages to hide his silver plaque among the fallen leaves just before falling unconscious- thus concealing his membership in the Iron Boat Clan. Chik is later found by a stranger and nursed back to health by his kind family. It is later revealed that this stranger is a police chief -Wang An- a sworn enemy of Yoh Xi-Hung and a target for termination. While recovering, Chik starts having second thoughts about his criminal lifestyle; he begins to realize that there is an alternative to his violent, murderous lifestyle. He learns that he can live a peaceful, nonviolent way of life with a wife and family if he so chooses.

In the present time, we learn that Chik is running from the Iron Boat Clan, following the death of Wang An- who saved him in the woods. As a result of the kindness he received from Wang An and his family, Chik betrays Yoh Xi-Hung and departs from the clan. Meanwhile, Yoh has ordered that Chik be found and brought back for punishment. Chik meets up with a stranger while on the run. The stranger, Cheuk Yi-fan (Alexander Fu), secretly carries hidden wrist knives and is obsessed with hunting down his enemies to revenge the murder of his wife and family at the hands of the Iron Boat Clan. Chik Ming-sing is suspicious of the mysterious Cheuk, even when Cheuk does not hesitate to help him kill the other Eagle Clan members who are chasing him for leaving the bandit clan.

Not knowing that Cheuk Yi-fan is the son of the family that Chik and the other Eagles robbed and murdered, Chik Ming-sing confesses his evil doings to him one evening. Chik reveals that he has vowed to change his ways after that incident and is looking to end the exploits of Eagle Chief Yoh and the entire bandit clan. Chik also reveals that he is searching for the husband of the woman he killed so that he can die at his hands to atone for his crimes.

Cheuk decides to accompany Chik to Eagle headquarters. Upon the arrival of the duo, Eagle Chief Yoh recognizes Cheuk and reveals his name and true intentions. When Chik asks Cheuk why he did not take his revenge earlier, Cheuk reveals that what he wanted to know the whole story, and that he and Chik should join forces to defeat their common enemy, Chief Yoh Xi-Hung.

Chik and Cheuk manage to eliminate the remaining underlings of the clan and set their efforts on killing Yoh Xi_hung. After a lengthy fight with both men, Yoh attempts to manipulate both fighters to turn on one another. The two heroes briefly scuffle with each other -with Chik concocting a scheme without Cheuk's knowledge. As the two men continue to fight each other, Chief Yoh helps to contain Cheuk and holds his sleeve knives in order to provide Chik a chance to kill Cheuk. In a surprise move, Chik leaps up, lands upon the shoulders of Cheuk and plants his fighting sticks into the shoulders of Yoh. Cheuk follows by thrusting his double blades into Yoh's midsection. As Yoh Xi-Hung is dying, Chik tells him that it may be easy to raise someone but to win his heart is difficult; and because of this he now knows between right and wrong. Chik then uses his sticks to finish Yoh -ending the murderous reign of the Iron Boat Clan. With Chief Yoh dead, Chik tells Cheuk that he is ready to accept his punishment. Cheuk tells him that all his enemies are now dead and begins to walk away. Chik attacks Cheuk and forces the double blades into his body. He tells Cheuk that if he doesn't get his revenge now, then the spirit of his pregnant wife and unborn child would never know peace.

The final scene of the film show Cheuk looking over the graves where his family is laid to rest. A new headstone can be seen where Chik's remains have also been placed at the burial site.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ti Lung</span> Hong Kong actor

Tommy Tam Fu-wing, known professionally by his stage name Ti Lung, is a Hong Kong actor, known for his numerous starring roles in a string of Shaw Brothers Studio's films, particularly The Duel, The Blood Brothers, Clans of Intrigue, The Avenging Eagle, The Sentimental Swordsman and its sequel, as well as the classic John Woo film A Better Tomorrow and its sequel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shih Kien</span> Hong Kong actor (1913–2009)

Shek Wing-cheung, better known by his stage name Shih Kien, Sek Kin, or Sek Gin or Shek Kin(Chinese: 石堅; pinyin: Shí Jiān; Jyutping: Sek6 Gin1), was a Hong Kong–based Chinese actor and martial artist. Shih is best known for playing antagonists and villains in several early Hong Kong wuxia and martial arts films that dated back to the black-and-white period, and is most familiar to Western audiences for his portrayal of the primary villain, Han, in the 1973 martial arts film Enter the Dragon, which starred Bruce Lee.

<i>Ten Tigers from Kwangtung</i> 1980 Hong Kong film

Ten Tigers from Kwangtung is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chang Cheh and produced by Mona Fong. It is one of Chang Cheh's tales of Shaolin's historic rivalries with the Qing dynasty and the Canton Tigers. Along with the Brave Archer series, Ten Tigers had an all-star cast of Shaw martial artists.

Shaolin Prince aka Death Mask of the Ninja, Shaolin Death Mask, Iron Fingers of Death is a 1982 Hong Kong martial arts-action film released by Shaw Brothers and directed by Chia Tang. It is one of the Shaolin Temple themed martial arts films and featured Ti Lung, Derek Yee and Jason Pai Piao.

<i>The Sentimental Swordsman</i> 1977 Hong Kong film

The Sentimental Swordsman is a 1977 Hong Kong wuxia film written and directed by Chor Yuen and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. It stars Ti Lung, Derek Yee, Ching Li, Yueh Hua, Fan Mei-sheng and Ku Feng. The film is based on Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian of Gu Long's Xiaoli Feidao Series of novels.

<i>Journey to the West</i> (1996 TV series) Hong Kong fantasy television series

Journey to the West is a Hong Kong television series adapted from the 16th-century novel of the same title. Starring Dicky Cheung, Kwong Wah, Wayne Lai and Evergreen Mak, the series was produced by TVB and was first broadcast on TVB Jade in Hong Kong in November 1996. A sequel, Journey to the West II, was broadcast in 1998, but the role of the Monkey King was played by Benny Chan instead, due to contract problems between Dicky Cheung and TVB. Cheung later reprised the role in another television series The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002), which was broadcast on TVB but not produced by the station.

<i>The Deadly Duo</i> 1971 Hong Kong film

The Deadly Duo is a 1971 Hong Kong Wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh, and starring David Chiang and Ti Lung.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chan Shen</span>

Chan Shen was a Taiwanese-born Hong Kong film actor. He is best known for his roles as gangsters or villains in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1970s.

<i>Death Duel</i> 1977 Hong Kong wuxia film

Death Duel is a 1977 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen under the Shaw Brothers Studio banner. The film stars Derek Yee, Ling Yun, and marked the debut of Candice Yu for Shaw Studio where she plays a prostitute. The film based on the Gu Long's novel of the same name. It was remade in 2016 as Sword Master, directed by Derek Yee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Chiao</span> Hong Kong actor (1927–1999)

Roy Chiao was a Hong Kong actor, most notable in the United States for playing the minor villain Lao Che in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

<i>Return of the One-Armed Swordsman</i> 1969 Hong Kong film

Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, also known as One-Armed Swordsman Return, is a 1969 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. The film is a sequel to the 1967 film The One-Armed Swordsman, with Jimmy Wang and Lisa Chiao Chiao reprising their roles.

<i>The Iron Buddha</i> 1970 Hong Kong film

The Iron Buddha is a 1970 Hong Kong ' film directed by Yan Jun and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, starring Ling Yun, Fang Ying, Chan Hung-lit, Wong Chung-shun, Yue Wai. The film featured action choreography by Sammo Hung, who also appears in a minor role.

<i>Shanghai 13</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Shanghai 13, also known as The Shanghai Thirteen, is a 1984 Hong Kong-Taiwanese martial arts film written and directed by Chang Cheh and starring an ensemble cast of notable film stars such as Andy Lau, Jimmy Wang Yu, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Danny Lee, Bryan Leung, David Chiang, Chiang Sheng, Chi Kuan-chun, Chan Sing, Lu Feng and more.

Phillip Ko-fei was a Hong Kong based actor, screenwriter and film director.

<i>The Savage Five</i> 1974 Hong Kong film

The Savage Five, also known as The Savage 5, is a 1974 Hong Kong martial arts film written and directed by Chang Cheh and starring David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Danny Lee and Wong Chung. The film's Chinese title literally means the "Five Tiger Generals". Godfrey Ho was assistant director in this movie.

<i>Have Sword, Will Travel</i> 1969 film

Have Sword, Will Travel is a 1969 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chang Cheh and starring Ti Lung, David Chiang and Lee Ching.

<i>The Duel</i> (1971 film) 1971 Hong Kong film

The Duel, also known as Duel of the Iron Fist, is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chang Cheh and starring Ti Lung, Wang Ping, Yue Wai and David Chiang.

ICAC Investigators 1996 is a 1996 Hong Kong crime television miniseries co-produced by Television Broadcasts Limited and the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong, and the eighth installment of the ICAC Investigators series.

<i>Duel of Karate</i> 1971 Hong Kong film

Duel of Karate, also known as To Subdue Evil and To Subdue the Devil, is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts film produced by and directed by Fu Ching-hua and starring Chan Hung-lit and Tien Peng as twin brothers who were separated at a young age after their parents were murdered by the chief antagonist.

References

  1. ↑ "Far East Films - Reviews - Avenging Eagle".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.