Fist of Legend
Encyclopedia
Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts
action film
directed by Gordon Chan
and features action choreography
by Yuen Woo-ping
, and also produced by and starring Jet Li
. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury
, which starred Bruce Lee
as the lead character. The film is set in Shanghai International Settlement
in 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War
as the city is occupied by Japanese forces.
) is attending class in Kyoto University
when some Japanese karate
students from the Black Dragon Clan burst in and attempt to force him out because he is Chinese
. Mitsuko Yamada (Shinobu Nakayama
), one of Chen's female classmates who has a crush on him, along with Chen's professor and other students, speak up for him. The thugs turn violent but Chen easily defeats them using a variety of controlled Chin Na
techniques. The Japanese thugs' sensei
, Funakochi Fumio (Yasuaki Kurata), who is also Mitsuko's uncle, arrives to take control of the situation and apologizes for his students' behavior. Fumio is impressed by Chen's skill and converses with him, and Chen learns that his master
Huo Yuanjia
has died after losing in a match against a Japanese martial artist. Chen is distraught after hearing the bad news and he leaves for Shanghai
immediately.
Chen returns to Jingwu School
and sees that his old friend — his master's son Huo Ting'en (Chin Siu-ho) — has become the new master of the school. The next day, Chen goes to the Japanese dojo
to challenge Ryoichi Akutagawa (Jackson Liu), the Japanese fighter who allegedly defeated Huo Yuanjia. Akutagawa's students attempt to force Chen out with violence, but Chen defeats them all. Akutagawa arrives on the scene and honorably accepts Chen's challenge. Chen defeats Akutagawa easily and concludes that Akutagawa is not capable of defeating his master, after which he suspects foul play
about Huo Yuanjia's death. Chen has Huo's corpse exhumed for an autopsy against the wishes of Huo Ting'en and Jingwu's members. The coroner revealed that Huo Yuanjia was poisoned and weakened before his match against Akutagawa. Over the next few days, word of Chen's victory against Akutagawa spreads and Chen becomes a local celebrity in Shanghai. Jingwu's students begin to look up to Chen as their new instructor and that incurs the jealousy of Huo Ting'en. Huo remains silent and seeks comfort in a brothel
, where he becomes romantically involved with a prostitute Rose (Ada Choi
).
Meanwhile, Akutagawa confronts General Gō Fujita (Billy Chow
) of the Imperial Japanese Army
after realizing that his match result with Huo Yuanjia was pre-meditated by Fujita, which he considers dishonoring. After a heated argument, Fujita kills Akutagawa brutally in front of the shocked Japanese ambassador (Toshimichi Takahashi) and pushes the blame to Chen Zhen. Akutagawa's students are furious and they attack Jingwu School, culminating in a fight, that is eventually stopped by the local police. Chen is arrested and placed on trial for allegedly murdering Akutagawa. Several "witnesses" provide false and conflicting accounts of the murder, but the court refuses to accept testimony from any Chinese defense witnesses on the grounds of "bias" towards Chen. Mitsuko arrives and testifies that Chen is innocent because he spent the night with her, and the court accepts her false testimony because she is a Japanese. Chen is exonerated, but his apparent relationship with Mitsuko ruins his reputation, as the Chinese view it as an act of treachery. Huo Ting'en and the senior Jingwu members demand that Chen either leaves Mitsuko or leaves the school, and Huo uses the opportunity to settle his personal vendetta against Chen by challenging Chen to a fight. Chen defeats Huo eventually with much reluctance but chooses to leave with Mitsuko. Huo Ting'en is humiliated by his defeat and gives up his position as master of Jingwu before leaving to join his prostitute lover. Jingwu's members eventually discover Huo's relationship with the prostitute and reprimand him. Huo learns his lesson and returns to Jingwu.
Chen and Mitsuko faces hostility from the locals and are forced to find accommodation in an abandoned hut near Huo Yuanjia's grave. At the same time, Fumio arrives from Japan as requested by Fujita, to get rid of Chen. Fumio engages Chen in a fair martial arts contest, which turns out to be a draw. Fumio leaves after warning Chen about Fujita's ill intentions and killing abilities. Days later, Huo Ting'en visits Chen and apologizes for his earlier behavior, saying that Jingwu School will accept Chen and Mitsuko's relationship now. Huo teaches Chen the Mizong Fist
that night while Mitsuko leaves secretly, leaving behind a message for Chen that she will wait for him in Japan.
The next day, Chen and Huo Ting'en confront Fujita at his dojo, where Fujita exposes a traitor from Jingwu, who played a role in Huo Yuanjia's death, and shoots him as an apology for pre-meditating Huo's death. Huo Ting'en then fights Fujita, who appears to be incredibly strong and resilient, and Huo suffers grave injuries. Chen takes over the fight and engages Fujita in a long and exhausting fight, eventually emerging victorious. Just as they are about to leave, the enraged Fujita comes after them with a katana
and Chen is forced to kill Fujita. Armed Japanese soldiers then surround them and prepare to open fire. The Japanese ambassador (who is a pacifist against Japanese militarism
) arrives and orders the soldiers to stand down. He agrees with Chen's actions as he has been aware that Fujita is a madman, but also warns them that the Japanese government will use Fujita's death as an excuse to start a war with China, unless the Chinese can account for Fujita's death by executing the murderer. Chen expresses his willingness to accept the blame for Fujita's death in order to prevent war, earning the ambassador's further admiration. Instead of ordering Chen's death, the ambassador stages a fake execution and substitutes the dead Jingwu's traitor's body for Chen's, while Chen escapes and leaves Shanghai secretly.
Yuen Woo-ping
for the fight scenes in The Matrix
. The style of fighting in both films also bear some resemblance.
In 1996, an unofficial sequel called Fist of Legend 2: Iron Bodyguards was release that star a Jet Li-clone, Jet Le.
Later films have also been influenced by Fist of Legend. Hitman also has a scene involving him using a belt as a weapon as seen previously. The more realistic and less wire-driven
fight choreography seen in Kiss of the Dragon
was a result of fan criticism to Corey Yuen
's choreography in Romeo Must Die
and preference for the style seen in Fist of Legend.
In 2006, Jet Li played his character's teacher, Huo Yuanjia
, in Fearless
.
In 2010, Gordon Chan
and Andrew Lau
produced a continuation of this film named Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
with Donnie Yen
as Chen Zhen in his thirties.
grossed over HK $30 million, and Fong Sai-yuk II
grossed HK $23 million. However, its overall box office from other countries was good.
and Buena Vista Distribution contains four specific mistranslations that drastically alter the meaning of the film as a whole.
With regard to footage, this version deletes the final moments of students training and contains a brand new set of opening (animated) and closing credits in English, abandoning the previous ones completely.
In the Mandarin soundtracks of the film, there is background music when Chen fights Huo. However, in the Cantonese soundtrack, the music only plays after Chen performs a Capoeira-style kick later on in the fight.
Both Hong Kong and Taiwanese version have slightly different end credits.
, which fans later reported to be an "uncut" version. This has been a wide-misconception - whilst this version does carry some more footage (as a Taiwanese version), it is in turn missing a few moments that the Hong Kong version has.
(later in the U.K.
too by Hollywood Pictures
on VHS first, then DVD later on 29 March 2002). Whilst it contained better visual quality than any other release (some agree even to this day), it immediately caused an uproar with the Hong Kong Cinema
fan community because it contained only a new English dub/score with alterations to the original dialogue and no original Cantonese option - a process many of their Hong Kong-acquired titles suffered (not to mention the edits).
. However, it contained no English subtitles. One notable difference to other versions carrying a Chinese/Taiwanese version is that it doesn't contain the ending text describing the aftermath of Jingwu School, but is otherwise the same and bar a few missing frames, uncut.
Maxam which contains the Hong Kong version (and its ending text) in complete form, but no English subtitles.
2-DVD "Ultimate Edition" was finally released on 9 September 2008 from The Weinstein Company
's Dragon Dynasty
label in America, which features many extras and most importantly, the original Cantonese soundtrack with English subtitles - the latter specification marks the first official DVD release to do so.
However, this is still considered the previous US version with the Cantonese soundtrack edited to fit its visuals. Matters are worsened when the subtitles revert to dubtitle
s towards the end - relying on the previous incorrectly transcribed "Sick Men Of Asia" sign and story-changing ending (see above) from Miramax's English dub.
-issued DVDs from distributor 'New Age 21' (released 12 November 2008) and 'HMH' (released 20 November 2008) were released in an uncut state and contain a Cantonese soundtrack with English subtitles.
) include the US 'Tai Seng' VHS
(released 20 October 2000), the Australia
n 'Chinatown Video' VHS, the U.K.
'Made In Hong Kong' VHS (released 1 October 1999), the Mei Ah
VCD
, VHS and LD
.
The Malaysian 'Speedy' VCD also contains a similar version, but enforces cuts to some scenes for violence:
The Spanish
'Manga Films' DVD entitled "El Mejor Luchador" (released 24 October 2001) and a slightly edited Indian 'Diskovery' VCD entitled "The Hitter: Fist Of The Legend" contain an English-dubbed version intended for export to English-speaking territories. Strangely, this version has aired occasionally on US TV with a Miramax ident
, instead of their own produced version.
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action film
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
directed by Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan Kar-Seung , born in 1960, is an a Hong Kong film director, writer and producer. His most notable works include Beast Cops, Fist of Legend, Painted Skin, 2000 AD and Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen...
and features action choreography
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
by Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
, and also produced by and starring Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, which starred Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
as the lead character. The film is set in Shanghai International Settlement
Shanghai International Settlement
The Shanghai International Settlement began originally as a purely British settlement. It was one of the original five treaty ports which were established under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the first opium war in the year 1842...
in 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
as the city is occupied by Japanese forces.
Plot
Chen Zhen (Jet LiJet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
) is attending class in Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
when some Japanese karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
students from the Black Dragon Clan burst in and attempt to force him out because he is Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
. Mitsuko Yamada (Shinobu Nakayama
Shinobu Nakayama
Shinobu Nakayama is an actress and a former J-pop singer. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, and released her first single on 2 November 1988. Her final release as a J-pop artist was on 1 March 1991. She was a member of the short-lived idol groups Nanatsuboshi and Rakutenshi...
), one of Chen's female classmates who has a crush on him, along with Chen's professor and other students, speak up for him. The thugs turn violent but Chen easily defeats them using a variety of controlled Chin Na
Chin Na
Chin Na or Qinna is a Chinese term describing techniques used in the Chinese martial arts that control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so he cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability...
techniques. The Japanese thugs' sensei
Sensei
' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
, Funakochi Fumio (Yasuaki Kurata), who is also Mitsuko's uncle, arrives to take control of the situation and apologizes for his students' behavior. Fumio is impressed by Chen's skill and converses with him, and Chen learns that his master
Sifu
Shifu is the identical pronunciation of two Chinese terms for a master. The character 師 means “teacher”. The meaning of 傅 is “tutor”, and of 父, “father”. Both characters are read fu with the same tones in Cantonese and Mandarin, creating some ambiguity...
Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
has died after losing in a match against a Japanese martial artist. Chen is distraught after hearing the bad news and he leaves for Shanghai
Shanghai International Settlement
The Shanghai International Settlement began originally as a purely British settlement. It was one of the original five treaty ports which were established under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the first opium war in the year 1842...
immediately.
Chen returns to Jingwu School
Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but other sources also cite dates in 1909. It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, Jing Wu etc....
and sees that his old friend — his master's son Huo Ting'en (Chin Siu-ho) — has become the new master of the school. The next day, Chen goes to the Japanese dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
to challenge Ryoichi Akutagawa (Jackson Liu), the Japanese fighter who allegedly defeated Huo Yuanjia. Akutagawa's students attempt to force Chen out with violence, but Chen defeats them all. Akutagawa arrives on the scene and honorably accepts Chen's challenge. Chen defeats Akutagawa easily and concludes that Akutagawa is not capable of defeating his master, after which he suspects foul play
Foul play
Foul play may refer to:*Foul play, a synonym for crime*Foul Play, an American film*Foul Play , a silent British film directed by Edwin J. Collins*Foul , an unfair or illegal sports act...
about Huo Yuanjia's death. Chen has Huo's corpse exhumed for an autopsy against the wishes of Huo Ting'en and Jingwu's members. The coroner revealed that Huo Yuanjia was poisoned and weakened before his match against Akutagawa. Over the next few days, word of Chen's victory against Akutagawa spreads and Chen becomes a local celebrity in Shanghai. Jingwu's students begin to look up to Chen as their new instructor and that incurs the jealousy of Huo Ting'en. Huo remains silent and seeks comfort in a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, where he becomes romantically involved with a prostitute Rose (Ada Choi
Ada Choi
Ada Choi Siu-fun is a Hong Kong actress best known for her work for TVB television, and to a lesser extent, for her film work. She was the second runner-up in the 1991 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant....
).
Meanwhile, Akutagawa confronts General Gō Fujita (Billy Chow
Billy Chow
Billy Chow , is an Chinese Canadian actor, martial artist and the former world kickboxing champion...
) of the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
after realizing that his match result with Huo Yuanjia was pre-meditated by Fujita, which he considers dishonoring. After a heated argument, Fujita kills Akutagawa brutally in front of the shocked Japanese ambassador (Toshimichi Takahashi) and pushes the blame to Chen Zhen. Akutagawa's students are furious and they attack Jingwu School, culminating in a fight, that is eventually stopped by the local police. Chen is arrested and placed on trial for allegedly murdering Akutagawa. Several "witnesses" provide false and conflicting accounts of the murder, but the court refuses to accept testimony from any Chinese defense witnesses on the grounds of "bias" towards Chen. Mitsuko arrives and testifies that Chen is innocent because he spent the night with her, and the court accepts her false testimony because she is a Japanese. Chen is exonerated, but his apparent relationship with Mitsuko ruins his reputation, as the Chinese view it as an act of treachery. Huo Ting'en and the senior Jingwu members demand that Chen either leaves Mitsuko or leaves the school, and Huo uses the opportunity to settle his personal vendetta against Chen by challenging Chen to a fight. Chen defeats Huo eventually with much reluctance but chooses to leave with Mitsuko. Huo Ting'en is humiliated by his defeat and gives up his position as master of Jingwu before leaving to join his prostitute lover. Jingwu's members eventually discover Huo's relationship with the prostitute and reprimand him. Huo learns his lesson and returns to Jingwu.
Chen and Mitsuko faces hostility from the locals and are forced to find accommodation in an abandoned hut near Huo Yuanjia's grave. At the same time, Fumio arrives from Japan as requested by Fujita, to get rid of Chen. Fumio engages Chen in a fair martial arts contest, which turns out to be a draw. Fumio leaves after warning Chen about Fujita's ill intentions and killing abilities. Days later, Huo Ting'en visits Chen and apologizes for his earlier behavior, saying that Jingwu School will accept Chen and Mitsuko's relationship now. Huo teaches Chen the Mizong Fist
Mizongyi
Mízōngyì , or simply Mízōng, is a style of Chinese martial art based on deception and mobility. Mizong is also known as Mízōngquán and Yanqingquan and there are many sub-branches of this style....
that night while Mitsuko leaves secretly, leaving behind a message for Chen that she will wait for him in Japan.
The next day, Chen and Huo Ting'en confront Fujita at his dojo, where Fujita exposes a traitor from Jingwu, who played a role in Huo Yuanjia's death, and shoots him as an apology for pre-meditating Huo's death. Huo Ting'en then fights Fujita, who appears to be incredibly strong and resilient, and Huo suffers grave injuries. Chen takes over the fight and engages Fujita in a long and exhausting fight, eventually emerging victorious. Just as they are about to leave, the enraged Fujita comes after them with a katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
and Chen is forced to kill Fujita. Armed Japanese soldiers then surround them and prepare to open fire. The Japanese ambassador (who is a pacifist against Japanese militarism
Japanese militarism
refers to the ideology in the Empire of Japan that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation.-Rise of militarism :...
) arrives and orders the soldiers to stand down. He agrees with Chen's actions as he has been aware that Fujita is a madman, but also warns them that the Japanese government will use Fujita's death as an excuse to start a war with China, unless the Chinese can account for Fujita's death by executing the murderer. Chen expresses his willingness to accept the blame for Fujita's death in order to prevent war, earning the ambassador's further admiration. Instead of ordering Chen's death, the ambassador stages a fake execution and substitutes the dead Jingwu's traitor's body for Chen's, while Chen escapes and leaves Shanghai secretly.
Cast
- Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
as Chen Zhen - Chin Siu-ho as Huo Ting-en
- Yasuaki Kurata as Fumio Funakochi
- Shinobu NakayamaShinobu NakayamaShinobu Nakayama is an actress and a former J-pop singer. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, and released her first single on 2 November 1988. Her final release as a J-pop artist was on 1 March 1991. She was a member of the short-lived idol groups Nanatsuboshi and Rakutenshi...
as Mitsuko Yamada - Billy ChauBilly ChowBilly Chow , is an Chinese Canadian actor, martial artist and the former world kickboxing champion...
as General Fujita - Jackson Liu as Ryōichi Akutagawa (as Lou Hsueh-hsien)
- Paul ChunPaul Chun (actor)Paul Chun Pui is a Hong Kong based actor.He is the brother of actor David Chiang and half-brother of actor/ director Derek Yee Tung-Shing. His son Benji Chiang and his daughter Lesley Chiang are duo in the pop group "Benji and Lesley". Paul started his acting career at the age of three...
as Uncle Nong Jinsun (as Paul Chiang) - Toshimichi Takahashi as Japanese ambassador
- Yuen Cheung-yanYuen Cheung-YanYuen Cheung-Yan is an actor, director, stuntman, and fight choreographer who has worked for many years in the Hong Kong film industry. During the 1970s and early 1980s, he worked with Yuen Woo-Ping and other members of the Yuen family on several films, some of them bizarre kung fu comedies such as...
as Captain Police Inspector Jie - Ada ChoiAda ChoiAda Choi Siu-fun is a Hong Kong actress best known for her work for TVB television, and to a lesser extent, for her film work. She was the second runner-up in the 1991 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant....
as Xiao-hong / Su-lan / Rose - Wong San as Uncle Kan - Jingwu cook
- Wallis PangWallis PangWallis Pang was once an actress with Television Broadcasts Limited, who first came into fame in Files of Justice. She is popularly known for her role Ah Jing in A Kindred Spirit, in which she was paired with Lap San, played by Marco Lo. She was once one of the Five Beauty of TVB...
as Jingwu student - Lee Man-biu as Biu
- Shaun Britton as English gentleman at dock
- Tai Wooh-dang as Ngai
- Kam Kong Chow (extra)
- Gary Mak as Lun as Jingwu student
- Kenji Tanigaki as Japanese fighter
- Ronald Lau
Influence on other films
Fist of Legend inspired the Wachowski brothers to hire choreographerChoreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
for the fight scenes in The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
. The style of fighting in both films also bear some resemblance.
In 1996, an unofficial sequel called Fist of Legend 2: Iron Bodyguards was release that star a Jet Li-clone, Jet Le.
Later films have also been influenced by Fist of Legend. Hitman also has a scene involving him using a belt as a weapon as seen previously. The more realistic and less wire-driven
Wire fu
Wire fu is an element of Hong Kong action cinema. It is a combination of two terms: "wire work" and "kung fu". Wire fu is used to describe a sub-genre of Kung-Fu movies where the stuntmen's skill is augmented with the use of wires and pulleys, as well as other techniques, in many cases to perform...
fight choreography seen in Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon is a 2001 martial arts action film, directed by Chris Nahon, co-written and produced by Luc Besson, and starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and Tchéky Karyo....
was a result of fan criticism to Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
's choreography in Romeo Must Die
Romeo Must Die
Romeo Must Die is a 2000 martial arts film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. Starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Anthony Anderson, Delroy Lindo, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, and features action and fight choreography by Corey Yuen...
and preference for the style seen in Fist of Legend.
In 2006, Jet Li played his character's teacher, Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
, in Fearless
Fearless (2006 film)
Fearless, known in Chinese as Huo Yuanjia and Jet Li's Fearless in the United Kingdom and the United States, is a 2006 film directed by Ronny Yu and starring Jet Li...
.
In 2010, Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan Kar-Seung , born in 1960, is an a Hong Kong film director, writer and producer. His most notable works include Beast Cops, Fist of Legend, Painted Skin, 2000 AD and Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen...
and Andrew Lau
Andrew Lau
Andrew Lau Wai-Keung is a Hong Kong cinematographer and filmmaker. Lau began his career in the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a cinematographer to filmmakers such as Ringo Lam, Wong Jing and Wong Kar-wai. In the 1990s, Lau decided to have more creative freedom as a cinematographer by becoming a film...
produced a continuation of this film named Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is a 2010 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Andrew Lau. The film is a continuation of the 1994 film Fist of Legend starring Jet Li, with Donnie Yen as Chen Zhen, a role made famous by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film Fist of Fury...
with Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
as Chen Zhen in his thirties.
Box office
Though Fist of Legend is widely considered one of Li's best films, during the downturn period of the Hong Kong film industry, its HK $14,785,382 box office gross was considered a disappointment. By comparison, Li's Fong Sai-yukFong Sai-yuk (film)
Fong Sai-yuk is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Corey Yuen and starring Jet Li as Chinese folk hero Fong Sai-yuk.-Plot:The brash and ambitious Fong Sai-yuk meets the beautiful Ting-ting during a track and field competition and falls in love with her. Ting-ting is the daughter of the...
grossed over HK $30 million, and Fong Sai-yuk II
Fong Sai-yuk II
Fong Sai-yuk II is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Corey Yuen and starring Jet Li as Chinese folk hero Fong Sai-yuk. The film is a sequel to Fong Sai-yuk, released in early 1993.-Plot:...
grossed HK $23 million. However, its overall box office from other countries was good.
Miramax
The English-dubbed U.S. release by MiramaxMiramax Films
Miramax Films is an American entertainment company known for distributing independent and foreign films. For its first 14 years the company was privately owned by its founders, Bob and Harvey Weinstein...
and Buena Vista Distribution contains four specific mistranslations that drastically alter the meaning of the film as a whole.
- Before Chen leaves Japan, Mitsuko asks him if he hates the Japanese. In the U.S. version he replies, "I don't hate." In the Hong Kong version he replies, "I don't know."
- In the U.S. version of the scene where Chen fights Fumio, Fumio asks him what the most effective way to defeat an enemy is. Chen replies that the most effective way is to focus one's energy and strike, and Fumio agrees with him. In the Hong Kong version, they begin by discussing their match. Chen says that the purpose of martial arts is to defeat an enemy. Fumio says, "No, you're wrong. The best way to defeat your enemy is to use a gun. Martial arts is about personal development."
- Prior to the final fight sequence in the U.S. version, Chen and Huo face Fujita who holds up a sign reading Dongya Bingfu (東亞病夫) and he tells them that the sign says, "Jingwu is closed". The Chinese characters are commonly translated to "Sick men of the EastSick man of AsiaThe phrase "sick man of Asia" or "sick man of East Asia" originally referred to China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it was riven by internal divisions and forced by the great powers into a series of Unequal Treaties, culminating in the Japanese invasion of China during World War II...
" and is used as a famous reference to Fist of FuryFist of FuryFist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
. The subtitles in the Hong Kong version translate the sign correctly. - At the end in the U.S. version, Chen's driver asks him if he will go to be with Mitsuko. Chen responds, "If I no longer have a country, at least I can still be with the woman I love." His response in the Hong Kong version is, "Which area is most affected by Japanese invasion?" The driver says, "Tungshan" and he says, "We'll go to Tungshan then."
With regard to footage, this version deletes the final moments of students training and contains a brand new set of opening (animated) and closing credits in English, abandoning the previous ones completely.
Taiwan
Compared to the Hong Kong version, the 106 minute Mandarin-dubbed Taiwanese version contains the following footage:- An extension to the scene where Fujita gives a harsh lecture to several, prior to his order to spy on certain Japanese individuals.
- An extension of the scene with Chen after bowing to his master's shrine where Liu Zhensheng then hands over a suitcase to Chen and the latter proceeds to leave. Prior to following him, Mitsuko also respectfully bows.
- An entire scene where Hill Hung is looking for Huo Ting'en at a brothel, only to find him smoking opiumOpiumOpium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
with a prostitute. - An entire scene where Hill Hung brings tea to Huo Ting'en, the night prior to the final match.
- An extension of Fumio talking with the ambassador, prior to the former winning the Chess game.
- After the final fight ends, a very small extension sees the Japanese soldiers pause for a moment prior to entering the Dojo.
In the Mandarin soundtracks of the film, there is background music when Chen fights Huo. However, in the Cantonese soundtrack, the music only plays after Chen performs a Capoeira-style kick later on in the fight.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong version in return, has the following footage:- A reaction shot of the cook in the kitchen (followed by a shot from Huo Yuanjia's shrine) after Uncle Nong dispatches students to search for Huo Ting'en.
- A few seconds of Chen Zhen feigning death to Fujita.
- After the credits finish, we see the crew waving to the camera.
Both Hong Kong and Taiwanese version have slightly different end credits.
Media
DVD releases have inevitably appeared over the years for one of the genre's best-loved films. Each one had a particular merit, but until recently, none of them were favourable to English-speakers because they lacked an option of having the correct Cantonese version with English subtitles. Having any other version than the Cantonese soundtrack would not depict the language barrier highlighted between the characters, as everyone would be dubbed into the one language.Ritek
In 1997, the first DVD was released by Ritek in TaiwanRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, which fans later reported to be an "uncut" version. This has been a wide-misconception - whilst this version does carry some more footage (as a Taiwanese version), it is in turn missing a few moments that the Hong Kong version has.
Miramax
On 15 February 2000, Miramax issued a DVD of this film in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(later in the U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
too by Hollywood Pictures
Hollywood Pictures
Hollywood Pictures is one of The Walt Disney Company's several alternate movie divisions. Like Disney's Touchstone Pictures brand, it produces films for a more mature adult audience than Walt Disney Pictures.-History:...
on VHS first, then DVD later on 29 March 2002). Whilst it contained better visual quality than any other release (some agree even to this day), it immediately caused an uproar with the Hong Kong Cinema
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
fan community because it contained only a new English dub/score with alterations to the original dialogue and no original Cantonese option - a process many of their Hong Kong-acquired titles suffered (not to mention the edits).
HKVideo
On 20 March 2002, the first official DVD of the Hong Kong version with a Cantonese soundtrack was issued by HKVideo in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. However, it contained no English subtitles. One notable difference to other versions carrying a Chinese/Taiwanese version is that it doesn't contain the ending text describing the aftermath of Jingwu School, but is otherwise the same and bar a few missing frames, uncut.
Maxam
A lesser-known DVD was issued on 25 March 2005 by Japanese distributorFilm distributor
A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing...
Maxam which contains the Hong Kong version (and its ending text) in complete form, but no English subtitles.
Dragon Dynasty
After years of speculation and waiting, a new R1Regional lockout
Regional lockout is the programming practice, code, chip, or physical barrier used to prevent the playing of media designed for a device from the country where it is marketed on the version of the same device marketed in another country.-Video games:...
2-DVD "Ultimate Edition" was finally released on 9 September 2008 from The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
's Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty is a joint venture started by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. The company was created on May 23, 2006 for the sole purpose of distributing East Asian films on DVD in the US, whose licenses are held by, or will be acquired by The Weinstein Company...
label in America, which features many extras and most importantly, the original Cantonese soundtrack with English subtitles - the latter specification marks the first official DVD release to do so.
However, this is still considered the previous US version with the Cantonese soundtrack edited to fit its visuals. Matters are worsened when the subtitles revert to dubtitle
Dubtitle
Dubtitle is a term for a show recorded in which the subtitles are merely transcriptions of the new alternative dialogue spoken on the dubbed soundtrack rather than a translation of the original dialogue and was popularized by anime and kung fu film fans to refer to this practice....
s towards the end - relying on the previous incorrectly transcribed "Sick Men Of Asia" sign and story-changing ending (see above) from Miramax's English dub.
New Age 21/HMH
GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-issued DVDs from distributor 'New Age 21' (released 12 November 2008) and 'HMH' (released 20 November 2008) were released in an uncut state and contain a Cantonese soundtrack with English subtitles.
Other releases
Other uncut English-subtitled releases of the Hong Kong Cantonese-language versions (now OOPOut of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
) include the US 'Tai Seng' VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
(released 20 October 2000), the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 'Chinatown Video' VHS, the U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
'Made In Hong Kong' VHS (released 1 October 1999), the Mei Ah
Mei Ah Entertainment
-History:The company was established in 1984 in Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong. A number of TVB TV series were redistributed by Mei Ah after airing nightly on national broadcasts. Movies distributed by the company are also branded in the film and on the boxes. The company continued to expand until it...
VCD
Video CD
Before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
, VHS and LD
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
.
The Malaysian 'Speedy' VCD also contains a similar version, but enforces cuts to some scenes for violence:
- Fujita kneeing Ryōichi Akutagawa's back.
- Huo Ting'en hitting his head on a window during the finale.
- Chen Zhen hitting his head on a window during the finale.
The Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
'Manga Films' DVD entitled "El Mejor Luchador" (released 24 October 2001) and a slightly edited Indian 'Diskovery' VCD entitled "The Hitter: Fist Of The Legend" contain an English-dubbed version intended for export to English-speaking territories. Strangely, this version has aired occasionally on US TV with a Miramax ident
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
, instead of their own produced version.
External links
- Dragon Dynasty's Fist Of Legend page
- A further examination between the differences of Fist Of Fury and Fist Of Legend
- A DVD image comparison between Dimension, Dragon Dynasty and HKVideo
- Kung Fu Cinema's review
- Kung Fu Cinema's review of the Dragon Dynasty DVD
- DVD comparison list
- Pictured differences between the Hong Kong and Taiwanese versions (in German)
- Fist of Legend Movie Synopsis