Lisa Chiao Chiao
The Trail of the Broken Blade
Jimmy Wang Yu stars in Cheh Chang's 'The Trail of the Broken Blade', a sword hero tragedy similar to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'.
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Cheng Chang Ho had already established his filmmaking fame in Korea when he was invited to join the Shaw Studio. He created new fame in Hong Kong by directing (and sometimes writing) such action epics as Valley Of The Fangs, The Swift Knight, and this tale of a decapitating swordswoman who will let nothing stand in her way when she falls in love with a bandit’s son. Chiao Chiao, made famous in One-Armed Swordsman, is the girl who won’t let such trifles as craniums keep her from freeing her man from jail. The one villain who manages to keep his head (in every definition of the phrase) is Fan Mei-sheng. The success of this film really helped the director get ahead in just two years he was to helm the very first internationally successful kung-fu film: King Boxer.
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Return of the One-armed Swordsman
"One-Armed Swordsman" revolutionized the kung-fu film, paving the way to the Golden Age and new wave era, which has made Hong Kong action cinema one of the most respected in the world. It was also a gigantic box-office hit, and overwhelming popular demand called for a sequel. Director Chang Cheh truly proved that he was indeed the “Godfather of the Kung-fu Film” by mounting a follow-up which many say is even more accomplished and exciting than the original. Jimmy Wang Yu is back as one-armed hero Fang Kang, who just wants to lead a quiet life … until the Eight Demon Swordsmen won’t take “no” for an answer. That’s their mistake: Fang takes them all on, and more, in this fight-filled, action packed adventure which clearly proves that one arm, attached to the right hero, is better than sixteen.
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The Assassin
In the same year, director/writer Chang Cheh and star Jimmy Wang Yu revolutionized Hong Kong kung-fu cinema with One-Armed Swordsman, they also collaborated on this epic of the Six Kingdoms era. Here, Yu is a two-armed swordsman who is also a Wei Empire patriot. Inside the Han Empire, Han Kuei who comes from the royal family, is actually assumed full power and he wants to eliminate loyal officer Yen Sui. Later, our main character is betrayed by a jealous rival and becomes a village butcher. When he meets Yen Sui accidentally, he is sent back on the road of vengeance. Chiao Chiao, the lovely and talented costar of One-Armed Swordsman, here plays Hsia Ying, the love of the hero’s life, and the strong woman who survives to protect their child.
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One-Armed Swordsman
Even non-kung-fu lovers will be mesmerized by Jimmy Wang Yu in the role that made him a superstar. As the mysterious swordsman whose one arm is more powerful than his two-armed rivals, Wang and director Chang Cheh revolutionized the Hong Kong kung-fu genre and broke box office records across Asia. The female leads, Pan Yin-tse and Chiao Chiao, went on to become some of Shaw Brothers most important lady fighters, and Wang followed up his "One-Armed Swordsman" triumph with numerous sequels. A film that always makes the “top ten” list of martial arts masterpieces, this 1967 classic is as timeless today as upon its original release.
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