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楊過與小龍女 (1983)
Little Dragon Maiden


Reviewed by: bkasten
Date: 01/13/2005
Summary: Touching

This movie is a highly condensed version of Jin Yong's "Shen Diao Xia Lu" (Return of the Condor Heroes). (It's not Eagle Shooting Heroes, which is another Jin Yong story altogether). I have seen two TVB (Hong Kong television) versions of this story as well as read an English translated Manga from Singapore. The story is wonderful, complex, immersive, and so realistic, I have to be careful to not let the quality of the story make the movie seem better than it actually is. In the English-speaking universe I would compare it maybe to something along the lines of Lord of the Rings.

In the 1984 TVB series (30+ hours long) Andy Lau Tak-Wah plays Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing's role of Yang Guo. Yang Guo is an incredible superhero that comes from less than nothing (a corrupt father and a mother foolishly and hopelessly in love with said person). The story is how Yang Guo works hard through many trials, tribulations, and adversities to become one of the top fighters in the martial arts world. In the 30-hour series I feel there is not one wasted minute. It's all-important to the story.

Thus, as one would expect, a 90-minute condensation will have some simplifications and shortcomings. But in the case of this movie it works surprisingly well. Gorgor plays a wonderful Yang Guo--every bit as good as Andy Lau Tak Wah, and in the emotional aspects, a far better Yang Guo. Cheung is simply a better actor in this type of role. Weng JingJing who plays Xiao Long Nu is really gorgeous...maybe too much so for the role. In fact, the first time Cheung's character looks at her, he has a look on his face similar to the one I had on mine when she first appeared on the screen. The chemistry between the two is quite real and believable here. But for those familiar with Cheung, he is all about creating chemistry on screen--even this early in his acting career.

In other areas the movies is a bit more disappointing. The interactions between Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng are too silly. Li Mochou is just not mean enough, and Huang Yaoshi meaninglessly appears for a few seconds. In other words many loose plot ends. But...with a story like this it is unavoidable.

At the core this is a love story that hits the highlights of the novel. And all that really matters is the performances delivered by, and the excellent interactions between, Cheung and Weng.

I was quite touched by the movie, and I recommend it.

Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: MrBooth
Date: 10/11/2003
Summary: Fun fantasy wuxia

Watched this one tonight and found it very enjoyable. It's a nice fantasy wu xia piece that wouldn't have been far out of place in the early 90's, except for that trademark Shaw Brothers look in the colourful sets and costumes. It suffers from the usual wu xia plague - trying to fit too much plot into its 90 minute run time, rather than picking a smaller subset of characters/events and developing them further. The story isn't that great as a result (perhaps if I were more familiar with Jin Yong's Eagle Shooting Heroes I would have appreciated it more), but its's a slick production with some really high class wirework in it. Anybody know who the action director was for the film? The graceful wirework and editing style is reminiscent of Ching Siu Tung's work. Leslie is very enjoyable to watch, and Mary Jean Reimer even more so, but really it's the action scenes and the production values that are the stars of the film.

Not nearly as tight or quite as bizarre as Tsui Hark's Zu from the same year, but definitely worth picking up for wu xia fans.

Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: pjshimmer
Date: 04/24/2002

One of Leslie Cheung's earliest movies, this is an adaption off Jing Yong's "Return of the Condor Heroes." Leslie Cheung shows his naive side and it's always good to see Lau Suet Wa and Chen Kuan Tai. Overall not a bad adaption, and there are some pretty good fight scenes in the form of new wave wuxia.

[7/10]