The Iceman Cometh (1989 film)
Encyclopedia
The Iceman Cometh is a 1989 Hong Kong action film directed by Clarence Fok
starring Yuen Biao
, Maggie Cheung
and Yuen Wah
. Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah (alongside their opera school brother Yuen Tak) also served as action choreographers on the film. It was produced by Golden Harvest
and Johnny Mak. Similar to Highlander
the film combines elements of sci-fi and historical fantasy
with a contemporary setting and action. The film was nominated for three Hong Kong Film Awards
in 1990.
A royal guard from the Ming Dynasty
and the criminal he chases are frozen in ice during a fight. They are discovered in the 1980s
and are transported to Hong Kong
as historical artifacts. There they are defrosted and continue their rivalry.
. This part of the shoot was troubled by snowstorms. Due to this extreme weather some members of the crew suffered from frostbite
while filming. The climatic fight scene took a month to shoot.
1,000 favourite films list. He praises Maggie Cheung's comedic performance in particular.
:
Clarence Fok Yiu-leung
Clarence Fok Yiu-leung is a Hong Kong film director and actor from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is perhaps best known for directing the cult hit Naked Killer .He was once asked by producer Mario Kassar to direct Basic Instinct 2.-Awards:...
starring Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
, Maggie Cheung
Maggie Cheung
Maggie Cheung Man yuk is a Chinese actress from Hong Kong. Raised in England and Hong Kong, she has over 70 films to her credit since starting her career in 1983...
and Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
. Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah (alongside their opera school brother Yuen Tak) also served as action choreographers on the film. It was produced by Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
and Johnny Mak. Similar to Highlander
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
the film combines elements of sci-fi and historical fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
with a contemporary setting and action. The film was nominated for three Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
in 1990.
A royal guard from the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and the criminal he chases are frozen in ice during a fight. They are discovered in the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and are transported to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
as historical artifacts. There they are defrosted and continue their rivalry.
Cast
- Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
as Fong Sau-Ching / Fang Shou Zheng - Maggie CheungMaggie CheungMaggie Cheung Man yuk is a Chinese actress from Hong Kong. Raised in England and Hong Kong, she has over 70 films to her credit since starting her career in 1983...
as Polly - Yuen WahYuen WahYuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
as Feng San - Po Tai as Pimp (Chang's thug)
- Elvis TsuiElvis TsuiElvis Tsui , also known as Tsui Kam-kong, is a Hong Kong-based Chinese film and television actor.-Biography:...
as Chinese Scientist - Corey YuenCorey YuenCorey 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:...
as Bum - Stanley FungStanley FungStanley Fung Shui-fan is a Hong Kong actor and film director. He was one of the Lucky Stars.-Filmography:*I Love Hong Kong *Vengeance *Accident *Hooked On You - Miu's Dad*Love Is a Many Stupid Thing...
as Santa Claus - Jing Chen as Arms Dealer
- Liu Wai-hung as Angel
- Wong JingWong JingWong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
as Crane Operator - Alvina Kong as Hooker
- Sarah LeeSarah LeeSara Lee or Sarah Lee may refer to:*Sara Lee Corporation, an American consumer-goods company*Sara Lee *Sarah Lee *Sarah Lee *Sarah Lee , Hong Kong based actress, see School on Fire*Sara Maitland, married name Lee...
as Hooker - Sin Lap-Man as Robber
- Yuen Tak as Person (extra)
- John Cheung as Doctor
- Cho Tat WahCho Tat WahCho Tat-wah or Tso Tat-wah was a film actor of Hong Kong, most famous for the roles he played in a number of Wuxia films in the 1950s and 1960s....
as Zheng's uncle instructor - Lau Chau Sang as Chang's thug
- Lai Yin San
Production
The film's opening fight scene was filmed on location in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. This part of the shoot was troubled by snowstorms. Due to this extreme weather some members of the crew suffered from frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
while filming. The climatic fight scene took a month to shoot.
Reception
The film was a modest hit grossing HK$14 million at the Hong Kong box office. The film appears in Jonathan Rosenbaum'sJonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum is an American film critic. Rosenbaum was the head film critic for the Chicago Reader from 1987 until 2008, when he retired at the age of 65...
1,000 favourite films list. He praises Maggie Cheung's comedic performance in particular.
Awards
The film was nominated for the following awards at the Hong Kong Film AwardsHong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
:
- Best Action Choreography
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing