Once Upon a Time in China (film series)
| Once Upon a Time in China film series | |
|---|---|
Once Upon a Time in China DVD box set for the first three films
|
|
| Traditional | 武狀元黃飛鴻 |
| Simplified | 武状元黄飞鸿 |
| Mandarin | Wǔ Zhuàngyuán Huáng Fēihǒng Xì Liè |
| Cantonese | Mou5 Zong6 Jyun4 Wong4 Fei1 Hung4 Hai6 Lit6 |
| Directed by |
Tsui Hark (I, II, III, V) Yuen Bun (IV) Sammo Hung (VI) |
| Produced by | Tsui Hark (all) Raymond Chow (II) Ng See-Yuen (II, III, IV, V) Dick Tso (VI) |
| Written by | Tsui Hark (all) Leung Yiu Ming (I) Tang Pik Yin (I) Yun Kai Chi (I) Chan Tin-suen (II) Cheung Tan (II) Elsa Tang (IV) |
| Starring |
Jet Li (I–III, VI) Vincent Zhao (IV–V) |
| Music by |
James Wong Romeo Díaz Richard Yuen Johnny Njo Wu Wai Lap Lowell Lo |
| Cinematography | Chan Tung-Chuen Wilson Chan David Chung Andy Lam Arthur Wong Bill Wong Andrew Lau Sammo Hung |
| Edited by |
Marco Mak Angie Lam |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest China Star Entertainment Win's Entertainment |
|
Release date
|
1991–1997 |
|
Running time
|
657 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese Mandarin |
Once Upon a Time in China is a Hong Kong film franchise directed, written, and produced by Tsui Hark. The stories are based on the life of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung, who is portrayed by Jet Li in the first three films and Vincent Zhao in the fourth and fifth films. The first two films in the franchise were among the most popular of the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema (usually dated from 1986 to 1993) and were known for their depiction of Chinese nationalism as well as action choreography. The Once Upon a Time in China films were among Jet Li's best known hits at that time.
With Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung as the main character, the films deal with the negative effects of Western imperialism in China during the late Qing Dynasty. The second film features as a supporting character Sun Yat-sen, a revolutionary leader and founding father of the Chinese republic. Unlike the majority of Hong Kong action films, the Once Upon a Time in China series is clearly politicised. However, even with its clear showcase of Chinese nationalism, it also displays the inevitable nature of accepting western cultures, and the progression of China into the "modern" century. This theme is repeated through various actions of the characters, but prominently displayed through the character Master Yim in the first movie. He is a Kung-Fu master, but the likes of him are dwindling and barely making a livelihood. Once, he boasts that his Kung-Fu can even withstand bullets. In irony, he is killed by the onslaught of bullets fired by American soldiers. In his last words, he tells Wong Fei-Hung, "Martial arts cannot win against guns..." His character represents the dying of old traditions, and the begrudging abandonment of hand-to-hand combat.
The six films in the series are:
In addition to the various individual DVD releases, the first three films in the series have been released in a number of collection box sets.
As imitation was relatively common in the Hong Kong film industry,Once Upon a Time in China quickly gained mimics. Whilst these films also focused on Wong Fei-hung, they were not part of the series, and had different cast members and directors. They include:
However, one imitator had more direct links with the original series, Last Hero in China (黃飛鴻之鐵雞鬥蜈蚣). This film was released in 1993 after the original Once Upon a Time in China trilogy. It is derivative of these films, and unlike other imitation films, it can be considered a spin-off or parody to some extent. It was directed by Wong Jing in place of Tsui Hark. The film's action director was Yuen Woo-ping and once again it starred Jet Li as Wong Fei-hung. However it differs greatly in tone from the Once Upon a Time in China series, containing stronger elements of violence and broader slapstick comedy.
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