Once Upon a Time in China IV

Once Upon a Time in China IV
Once Upon a Time in China IV

Film poster
Traditional 黃飛鴻之四王者之風
Simplified 黄飞鸿之四王者之风
Mandarin Huáng Fēihǒng Zhī Sì Wáng Zhě Zhī Fēng
Cantonese Wong4 Fei1-hung4 Zi1 Sei3 Wong4 Ze2 Zi1 Fung1
Directed by Yuen Bun
Produced by Tsui Hark
Ng See-yuen
Screenplay by Tsui Hark
Tang Pik-yin
Starring Vincent Zhao
Jean Wang
Max Mok
Hung Yan-yan
Music by William Hu
Cinematography Arthur Wong
Ko Chiu-lam
Chow Man-keung
Cheung Man-po
Editing by Marco Mak
Studio Film Workshop
Paragon Films Ltd.
Distributed by Golden Harvest
Gala Film Distribution Ltd.
Release date(s) 10 June 1993 (1993-06-10)
Running time 101 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Mandarin
Gross revenue HK$11,301,790.00[1]

Once Upon a Time in China IV is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Bun and produced by Tsui Hark. The film is the fourth installment the Once Upon a Time in China series. The film also saw Vincent Zhao taking over the role of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung from Jet Li, who played the character in the previous three films.

Contents

Plot

Set in the late Qing Dynasty in Beijing, China, in 1900, Wong Fei-hung and his companions (his new love interest 14th Aunt, his father Wong Kei-ying, and his disciples Leung Foon and Clubfoot) face new enemies. This time, their opponents include German and British forces, as well as the anti-foreign feminist Red Lantern Society.

During a parade, the Red Lantern Society attack a German church. Before things get out of control, Wong comes to the foreigners' aid and he fights with the society's members, who are armed with rope weapons and ether-filled lanterns.

As the champion of the National Lion Dance Competition in the previous film, Wong is invited by a Chinese general to join him in representing China in an international lion dance competition. The contest is actually a challenge by the Eight-Nation Alliance to China, and the Chinese people need to win in order to uphold their dignity and display their national strength. Since the competition is an international one, contestants are not limited to using lion masks, hence other animal masks, such as dragon, centipede and eagle, are present.

Wong is late for the competition as he is busy dealing with the Red Lantern Society, hence the general's dragon dance teams started without him. The contest turned out to be a brutal massacre, as the foreigners' animal masks are equipped with various types of weapons and they are using "dirty" tricks to ensure that they will win. The general and several dancers are killed in the competition.

When Wong finally arrives, he is shocked and issues a formal challenge to the foreigners, requesting for a rematch. This time, Wong's teams are better prepared and they emerge victorious. Ironically, after Wong's victory, he receives news that the armies of the Eight Nation Alliance have invaded and occupied Peking, inflicting a crushing defeat on China. Wong has no choice but to leave Peking with his companions and return to Fat-san, where they will plan their next move.

Cast

  • Vincent Zhao as Wong Fei-hung
  • Jean Wang as 14th Aunt
  • Max Mok as Leung Foon
  • Hung Yan-yan as Clubfoot
  • Billy Chow as Iron Fist
  • Chin Kar-lok as Tuen Tin-lui
  • Lau Shun as Wong Kei-ying
  • Louis Roth as Father Thomas
  • Wang Zhiwen as Deputy governor
  • Kwok Nga-cheung
  • Wang Jinhua
  • Wong Tak-yan
  • Ling Kam-wah
  • Ho Moon-chow
  • Siu Bing-lam
  • Leung Yat-ho
  • Lam Chi-tai
  • Tong Pau-chung

Box office

The departure of Jet Li and the reduced input of Tsui Hark heavily affected the box office takings. However, this also allowed the film to be made with much lower budget. Despite many negative reviews it received, the fourth installment grossed HK $11,301,790[1], a return significant enough for the producers to go ahead with the next film in the franchise, Once Upon a Time in China V.

References

  1. ^ a b HKMDB

External links

v · d · eOnce Upon a Time in China
Films
Once Upon a Time in China (1991)  · Once Upon a Time in China II (1992)  · Once Upon a Time in China III (1993)  ·
Once Upon a Time in China IV (1994)  · Once Upon a Time in China V (1994)  · Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997)
Television
Related films
Great Hero from China (1992)  · Once Upon a Time a Hero in China (1992)  · Once Upon a Chinese Hero (1993)  · Last Hero in China (1993)  · Once Upon a Time a Hero in China II (1993)
v · d · eFilms directed by Tsui Hark
1970s
1980s
Dangerous Encounter - 1st Kind (1980) • We're Going to Eat You (1980) • All the Wrong Clues (1981) • Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) • Shanghai Blues (1984) • Aces Go Places 3 (1984) • Working Class (1985) • Peking Opera Blues (1986) • A Better Tomorrow 3 (1989) • The Master (1989)
1990s
The Swordsman (1990) • King of Chess (1991) • Once Upon a Time in China (1991) • The Raid (1991) • Once Upon a Time in China II (1992) • Swordsman II (1992) • Green Snake (1993) • Once Upon a Time in China III (1993) • The Lovers (1994) • Once Upon a Time in China V (1994) • Love in the Time of Twilight (1995) • The Blade (1995) • The Chinese Feast (1995) • Tristar (1996) • Double Team (1997) • Knock Off (1998)
2000s
Time and Tide (2000) • The Legend of Zu (2001) • Black Mask 2: City of Masks (2002) • Seven Swords (2005) • The Warrior (2006) • Missing (2008) • All About Women (2008)
2010s
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) • The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)
Collaborating director
The Banquet (1991) • Twin Dragons (1992) • Triangle (2007)

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