Snake in the Eagle's Shadow

Infobox Film
name = Snake in the Eagle's Shadow


caption = UK DVD cover
imdb_rating = 7.3/10 (1,007 votes)
writer = Ng See-Yuen
Choi Gai-gwong
Tsai Chi-kuang
starring = Jackie Chan
Hwang Jang Lee
Yuen Siu Tien
director = Yuen Woo-ping
producer = Ng See-Yuen
Chen Chuan
cinematography = Chang Hui
editing = Poon Hung Yiu
music = Chou Fu-liang
distributor = Seasonal Film Corporation
released = flagicon|Hong Kong 1978
runtime = 98 min.
country = Hong Kong
language = Cantonese
budget =
amg_id = 1:15065
imdb_id = 0078252

"Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" (zh-t|t=蛇形刁手; Jyutping: Se4 ying4 diu1 sau2; Pinyin: Shé xíng diāo shǒu) is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts action film. It was the directorial debut of Yuen Woo-ping, who has since gained international stardom as the action choreographer for films such as "Iron Monkey", "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", "The Matrix" series and "Kill Bill".

The film starred Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang-Lee and Yuen's own father, Yuen Siu Tien. Straight after this film, Yuen Woo-ping directed "Drunken Master". Released in the same year, it also starred Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang-Lee and Yuen Siu Tien, and follows a similar plot.

The film is also known by the title "Snaky Monkey".

Production

Prior to "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow", Chan had worked for director Lo Wei who wanted to make him into the new "Bruce Lee" in films like "New Fist of Fury". However, those films yielded relatively poor box office returns. When producer Ng See-Yuen decided to make a comedy with Chan as the star, the concept did not initially meet with approval from the film distributors. However, Ng and Chan persevered and together with "Drunken Master", the film launched Jackie Chan into national stardom.

The combination of comedy, martial arts, stunts and acrobatics had been done before, in Lau Kar Leung's 1975 film, "Spiritual Boxer". However, the release of "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" heralded a new direction for Hong Kong action movies.

Ng See-Yuen and Yuen Woo-ping checked over many actors for the part of the old, eccentric, wandering Kung Fu master, before Ng suggested casting Yuen's own father, Yuen Siu Tien. Yuen would continue to reprise the role of Beggar So several more times before his death in 1979.

Plot

Chien (played by Jackie Chan), an orphan adopted by a kung-fu school, is overworked as their janitor and abused by the kung fu teachers as a walking punching-bag. Chien befriends an old beggar (Yuen Siu Tien) by offering him a meal and a place to stay. Unknown to Chien, the old beggar is actually the last surviving master of the Snake-style of kung fu. The old man is on the run from the Eagle Claw clan, which is viciously killing off all of the rival Snake-style kung fu masters. Seeing that Chien is being abused, the old man gives Chien kung fu lessons so he can defend himself.

The old man leaves the school to find a better hiding spot. Chien later finds him and the old man agrees to give him more lessons, on the condition that he does not call him "sifu" ("master"), since they are friends.

Chien practices the lessons and learns to avoid being hurt by the school's bumbling teachers. When the school is invaded by the Mantis school, Chien easily defeats their master using snake to everyone's amazement. Unfortunately, one of the passing wanderers who witnessed the fight was a master of the Eagle Clan.

Chien meets the Eagle Claw clan master, who inquires about the old beggar. The Eagle Claw master lies, saying that he was a student of the old beggar and asks Chien to help him find the old man. Realising that his Snake-style fighting is no match for the style practiced by the Eagle Claw master, Chien creates a new style from watching his pet cat kill a cobra.

Eventually, Chien unwittingly leads the Eagle Claw master to the old man. In the duel, Chien merges his "cat style" with snake style to finally defeat the Eagle Claw master. Chien announces that he will call his technique "Cat's Claw", but the Old man suggest that he give the technique the name "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow".

Music

As well as original music by Chou Fu-liang, the film also features Jean-Michel Jarre's "Oxygène (Part 2)".

Cast

* Jackie Chan - Chien Fu
* Hwang Jang Lee - Shang Kuan-yin
* Yuen Siu Tien (Simon Yuen) - Pai Chang-tien
* Dean Shek - Teacher Li
* Fung Hak-on - Praying Mantis master
* Tino Wong (Wong Cheung) - Three Provinces Champ
* Peter Chan (Chan Lung) - Instructor
* Tyrone Hsu (Hsu Hsia) - Su Chen
* Charlie Chan (Chan Yiu-lam) - Master Hung
* Roy Horan - Priest
* Fung Ging-man - Teacher Chui
* Chiang Kam - Ah Kwai
* Yuen Yat-choh
* Chiu Chi Ling
* Choi Fai
* Chan Laap-ban

Box Office

"Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" took HK $2,708,748 at the Hong Kong box office.

Imitators

In 1979, a film entitled "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow II" aka "Snaky Knight Fight Against Mantis" was released. It was directed by Chang Hsin Yi and starred Don Wong (Wang Tao). However, the film was not a true sequel, rather it was an attempt by the studio to capitalise on the success of the original film. Footage including a montage and a fight scene from "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" were spliced into the film. Chan's image was also used on the cover of some versions.

DVD versions

The region 1 DVD version for Snake in the Eagle's Shadow is distributed by Columbia TriStar and Sony. Its special features include trailers for Metropolis, , and The One.

The region 2 Hong Kong Legends release contains Jackie Chan's photo gallery, filmography, and biography, the theatrical trailer of the movie, UK music promo, and an interview with producer Ng See Yuen.

ee also

* Jackie Chan filmography

External links

*imdb title|id=0078252|title=Snake in the Eagle's Shadow ("Se ying diu sau")
* [http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/movie.asp?id=458 Hong Kong Cinemagic]