Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)
Original Title: 蛇形刁手
Everyone abuses and humiliates a downtrodden orphan until he befriends an old man, who turns out to be the last master of the snake fist fighting style. Jackie becomes the old man's student and finds himself in battle with the master of the eagle's claw style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.
Introduction"Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" is a ground-breaking martial arts movie from 1978 that catapulted Jackie Chan to international fame. Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, it marked Chan's advancement in carrying out comical kung-fu styles, revealing a fresh aura to the martial arts category. It's a fusion of martial arts action and comedy, demonstrating an unique combination that would end up being Chan's trademark in the ensuing years.
Plot SummaryThe movie focuses on the character Chien Fu (played by Jackie Chan), an orphan young boy who works as a janitor at a kung fu school. Fu is typically maltreated by the instructors and students there. The plot takes a turn when an old beggar (played by Simon Yuen), who takes place to be a master of the Snake-style kung fu, observes Fu's rough treatment and has compassion with him. The beggar decides to help Fu and starts teaching him the deadly snake combating style, formerly deemed lost.
The Urge for VengeanceThe Snake-style kung fu was perceived as extinct due to the fact that a rival martial arts faction, Eagle's Claw, had almost obliterated it. The last specialist of the Snake-style takes Chien Fu under his wing and prepares him to confront the fatal Eagle's Claw school. The lead character becomes entangled in the bitter feud between these two fighting designs. Chien Fu sequentially defends his master's honor and avenges the extermination of the Snake-style faction.
Climactic ConclusionIn the climax, Fu battles Eagle Claw's Master, who discovers Fu's deadly abilities. After a series of gruelling fights, Fu integrates the methods of cat's claw with snake-style that he learns from his animal cat and manages to eliminate the Eagle's Claw school master, sealing the Snake-style's legendary status once again. The comedic yet intense fighting sequences are memorable, showcasing Yuen's directorial flair for including humor in battle scenes, with Chan showing his impressive acrobatic skills.
Conclusion"Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" marked a turning point for martial arts films by introducing a best blend of humor and action. It set off Jackie Chan's career and transformed the genre by instilling much-needed warmth and vigor into the typically somber martial arts films of that duration. All in all, this film is considered a substantial turning point in Hong Kong Cinema, a traditional in the martial arts category, and the foundation of Jackie Chan's comedic kung-fu style.
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