Once Upon a Time in China
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Once Upon a Time in China |
| Original title | Wong Fei-hung |
| Country of production | Hong Kong |
| original language | Cantonese |
| Publishing year | 1991 |
| length | 128 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Tsui Hark |
| script |
Tang Pik-yin , Yun Kai-Chi , Tsui Hark, Leung Yiu Ming |
| production | Tsui Hark |
| music |
Romeo Díaz , James Wong |
| camera |
Chan Tung-Chuen , Wilson Chan , David Chung , Andy Lam , Arthur Wong , Bill Wong |
| occupation | |
| |
| chronology | |
|
Successor → |
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Once Upon a Time in China (Original title: Chinese 黃飛鴻 / 黄飞鸿 , Pinyin Huáng Fēihóng , German distribution title: "The Black Tigers of Hong Kong") is a Chinese wuxia film by director Tsui Hark from 1991. The film is the first the film hexalogy of the same name .
action
In China at the end of the 19th century , the Chinese folk hero and martial arts master Wong Fei Hung (1847–1924) fought against the English , French and US-Americans who exploited the country as foreign rulers and received support from criminal Chinese gangs.
Wong Fei Hung's (non-biological) aunt Yee, who is returning from America completely westernized, arouses romantic feelings in him, which he only hesitantly admits, since such a connection is not permitted for the conservative Chinese society of the time. Wong's opponents are the members of the Shaho Gang, who hit him and his school hard. Leung Foon, an aspiring Kung Fu student, unsuccessful job seeker and in love with Yee, constantly comes into conflict with Hung. The Chinese governor also opposes Hung. Again and again the opponents meet and fight bitterly from which Wong always emerges as the winner, but he loses the school and most of his students are interned. Aunt Yee is kidnapped by the Shaho Gang and taken to an American restricted area and port area. Foon joins Eisenkleid Yim, a success-hungry and impoverished master. He joins forces with the Shaho Gang to force Won Fei Hung, the best fighter in town, to compete with him. Together with his followers, Wong now begins the search for Yee. Yee is freed from the hands of the Shaho Gang, along with many other abducted women who are about to be enslaved into prostitution in America. After the gang leader and Yim are beaten in battle, Leung joins martial arts master Wong, who has learned to accept him.
Reviews
René Malgo from filmstarts.de said: “With 'Once Upon A Time In China', Hong Kong director Hark Tsui (“ A Better Tomorrow 2 + 3 ”) tells his story of the Chinese national hero Wong Fei-Hung. The result of his work is impressive and is one of the flagship works of the classic Eastern. ”“ There are films that, on the surface, everything seems to be right. Such works are quickly forgiven for one or the other weakness. ”“ Once Upon A Time In China ”is such a film. "The narrated story seems thin and insubstantial, the drawing of the characters stereotypical and superficial." However, all of this can be masked very well by "an extremely coherent overall picture," "good actors, beautiful pictures, dense atmosphere and breathtaking fights", the " give the film the legitimate reputation of being one of the best Eastern ever. "
"In the German version, the film is a slaughtered" torso, in which secondary lines and actions have been removed. The homage to the Eastern of the 1970s became a series of still breathtaking fight scenes. The nationalistic Chinese undertone has also remained. "
Awards
In 1992 , the film received Hong Kong Film Awards in four categories. Cheung-Yan Yuen , Shun-Yee Yuen and Chia Yung Liu were awarded the prize for the best action choreography. Tsui Hark received the award for best director, Marco Mak received the award for the best editing and James Wong for the best film music . The film was also nominated for prizes in the categories of Art Direction , Cinematography , Image Direction and Best Supporting Actor.
Trivia
The DVD version of Laser Paradise only contains a 96 minute, very cut version, which also has the wrong video format with bars on the left, right, above and below, with normal PAL resolution of 720 × 576 (25 Hz). An uncut and newly dubbed version is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
continuation
- In 1992 the 2nd part, Last Hero - Once Upon a Time in China II followed . Jet Li took the lead again.
- In 1993, Once Upon a Time appeared in China 3 - Once Upon a Chinese Fighter , in which Jet Li played Wong Fei-Hung again.
- Last Hero II - Once Upon a Time in China 4 by Yuen Bun with Vincent Zhao as Wong Fei-Hung also appeared in the same year .
- In 1994, Once Upon a Time appeared in China 5 with Kent Cheng in the lead role. Once again directed by Tsui Hark .
- In 1997, Once Upon a Time in China and America followed . Directed by Sammo Hung . Jet Li took the lead again.
All films were written and produced by Tsui Hark .
Web links
- Once Upon a Time in China in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Once Upon a Time in China at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
- Once Upon a Time in China in the online film database
- Comparison of the cut versions FSK 18 TV - CAT IIb , export version / old German version - Uncut from Once Upon a Time in China at Schnittberichte.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release certificate for Once Upon a Time in China . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , August 2010 (PDF; test number: 68 607-a V).
- ↑ René Malgo: Once Upon A Time In China Critique of the Film 'at filmstarts.de , accessed on February 23, 2020.
- ↑ Once Upon a Time in China. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .