Made long before “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” this wonderful martial arts epic will linger with you both for its atmospheric and mystical images and its lyrical and mysterious storyline. Set during the time of the Ming Dynasty in a rural village outside Peking, the story begins with the artist Ku Shen-chai who lives with his mother in a supposedly haunted, run-down fort. The arrival of a stranger, Ou-Yang Yin, to the village stirs the curiosity within Ku only to be further flamed by the sudden appearance of a beautiful woman named Yang Hui-Ching. Plot and sub-plot are interwoven to form an intricate tale binding the three protagonists in a web of intrigue and mystery. This is not a full-on action-packed martial arts film but the scenes of combat are impressively creative and beautifully performed. Cast includes Hsu Feng, Tien Peng, Hsueh Han, Shih Chun, Pai Ying. Photography by Hua Hui-ying.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
318578
Languages
Chinese
Chinese
English
Audience classification
M (15+)
Subject categories
Action & Adventure → Action films
Action & Adventure → Martial arts films
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Foreign language films
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Martial arts films
Courtroom, Crime, Espionage & Thrillers
Courtroom, Crime, Espionage & Thrillers → Thrillers
Feature films → Feature films - Taiwan
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Martial arts
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
DVD; Access Print (Section 1)