The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983 TV series)

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The Legend of the Condor Heroes
TheLegendoftheCondorHeroes.jpg
DVD cover
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 射鵰英雄傳
Simplified Chinese 射雕英雄传
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Shè Diāo Yīng Xióng Zhuàn
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping Se6 Diu1 Jing1 Hung4 Zyun6
Genre Wuxia
Based on The Legend of the Condor Heroes
by Louis Cha
Screenplay byChan Kiu-ying
Cheung Wah-biu
Directed by Johnnie To
Ng Yat-fan
Lau Si-yuk
Siu Hin-fai
Ching Siu-tung (action director)
Starring Felix Wong
Barbara Yung
Michael Miu
Sharon Yeung
Theme music composer Joseph Koo
Opening theme
  • "Iron Blood and Loyal Heart" (鐵血丹心)
  • "A Meaningful Life" (一生有意義)
  • "You Are Ultimately the Best in this World" (世間始終你好)
performed by Roman Tam and Jenny Tseng
Country of originHong Kong
Original languageCantonese
No. of episodes59 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer Wong Tin-lam
Production locationHong Kong
Running time42 minutes per episode
Production company TVB
Original release
Network TVB Jade
Release21 February (1983-02-21) –
22 July 1983 (1983-07-22)
Related
The Return of the Condor Heroes (1983–84)
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2017)

The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Hong Kong wuxia television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It was first broadcast on TVB Jade in Hong Kong in 1983. The 59 episodes long series is divided into three parts.The serial was re-aired in 1990, 1995-1996, 2012-2013, and 2024 on TVB Jade.

Contents

This 1983 version is considered by many to be a classic television adaptation of the novel and features the breakthrough role of Barbara Yung, who played Huang Rong; Yung immediately became TVB's most popular actress.

The series became the highest rated series of that year with a high rating of 99%, averaging a rating of 65 points, and has become the most watched series in Hong Kong history so far.

In 1985, it was introduced and broadcast in mainland China by Guangdong TV Station, which triggered a frenzy of people watching it and caused a great sensation, The ratings in China reached 90%, making it one of the top ten highest-rated dramas in China in the 20th century. [1] It was one of the most watched TVB series by Chinese people in China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Chinese communities in America, Canada, England and Europe and became the third highest rated drama in the world. [2]

It was aired in India in 1996 Home TV channel and gained huge popularity. 

In 2022, the drama was selected as one of ten classic TVB dramas being honoured for a new joint Youku and TVB programme. [3]

Cast

Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.

Episodes

Soundtrack

The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳 seh diu ying hung juen) is the soundtrack of this television series, released in 1983 by EMI Records (百代唱片). Roman Tam and Jenny Tseng sing the following songs, most which are heard in the series.

No.TitleCantoneseLength
1."Iron Blood and Loyal Heart"鐵血丹心5:07
2."The Whole River is Red" (Roman Tam)滿江紅4:38
3."Peach Blossoms"桃花開3:02
4."Willing to Undertake Love" (Jenny Tseng)肯去承擔愛3:35
5."Ballad of the Great Wall" (Roman Tam)長城謠2:58
6."Your Tender Smile" (Jenny Tseng)你的淺笑4:01
7."You're Ultimately the Best in this World"世間始終你好3:30
8."Sinful Love" (Jenny Tseng)四張機3:51
9."A Meaningful Life"一生有意義5:02
10."Remembering Our Romance Very Much" (Roman Tam)千愁記舊情4:43
11."It Seems that I Owe You in My Previous Life" (Jenny Tseng)似是前生欠你2:59
12."Do Our Best to Create a Bright Future" (Roman Tam)美滿前途全力創5:24

Worldwide popularity

According to the "Top Ten TV Programs with the Most Viewed People in the World" announced by TVB in 1995, The Legend of the Condor Heroes was ranked third with a total worldwide audience of 356,163,000 people at that time. [4] [5]

Production

Group photo of the main cast The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1982 TV series).jpg
Group photo of the main cast

According to the behind-the-scenes featurette on the DVD, the Mongolian scenes were filmed on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

Awards

This is the award this series has received.

YearAwardResult
1983New York International Film and Television Festival Gold Medal AwardWon
2009Second place in CCTV's selection of "Ten Most Unforgettable Classic Dramas Post-80s"Won
2019National Top Ten TV Series in New Era International TV FestivalWon
2022 Top ten classic TVB dramas being honoured for a new joint Youku and TVB programmeWon

References

  1. ↑ 朱奕錦 (16 October 2018). "中國電視劇收視率排行榜，霍元甲第八，上海灘第七". 香港01. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ↑ 电影聚焦 (11 April 2019). "TVB十大電視劇亞洲觀眾人數最多". โดย ทีวีบีโทรทัศน์ไต้หวัน. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. ↑ 朱奕錦 (18 May 2022). "優酷同TVB合辦綜藝《那年的精彩》 邀兩地人重演10套無綫經典劇". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  4. ↑ 朱奕錦 (18 May 2022). "The ten dramas with the highest ratings in the world announced by TVB". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  5. ↑ OVDO (12 October 2024). ""The ten dramas with the highest ratings in the world announced by TVB". baidu (in Cantonese). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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