I just watched LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN (1983) a second time. This is a Shaw Bros. production based on “The Return of the Condor Heroes” that came out on Celestial disc last February, which is when I first saw it. I re-read the post I did on it back then and was surprised at my criticisms of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it this time. I think the difference is in the context. Last February, it came after I’d seen and been bowled over by BUDDHA’S PALM, HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD and NEW TALES OF THE FLYING FOX. Under the circumstances, LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN may have paled a little in comparison back then. So, tonight’s viewing of LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN came after I’d watched three below-average Chor Yuen films (ROVING SWORDSMAN, BAT WITHOUT WINGS, THE SPIRIT OF THE SWORD). Everything those films did wrong, this film did right. It also came a few weeks after I watched BRAVE ARCHER 1, 2, & 3, which were based on “Legend of the Condor Heroes.” I wasn’t aware of it when I first saw it, but LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN is a sequel to the BRAVE ARCHER films, part of the continuing saga. So it had much more resonance this time.
A lot of it has to do with the performances and the casting. Leslie Cheung is simply great in the lead role, Yang Guo, the son of Fu Sheng’s rival (played by Lee Yi Min) in the BRAVE ARCHER films. (It helps, for some reason, that I saw DAYS OF BEING WILD for the first time a week or two ago.) Fu Sheng’s BRAVE ARCHER character, Kuo Tsing, is played by Chen Kuan Tai and Tien Niu’s character is played by Liu Hsueh-hua, aka Lau Suet Wa. Ku Feng reprises his Beggars’ Clan character (or a different version of it) and Lo Lieh is just wonderful as Leslie’s “Dad.” A great cast of old friends given great scenes. I smiled a lot during this film. It’s movies like this that make the Shaw Bros. revivals so worthwhile.
Plus, there’s a whole romantic undercurrent. The chemistry between Leslie and leading lady Mary Jean Reimer (aka Weng Ching Ching) as Dragon Girl really draws us in. It’s powerful stuff and these performers pull it off. Leslie has that romantic matinee idol vibe going for him, plus the vulnerability the character needs. Plus there’s the harder-edged beauty of Tien Ni, as Dragon Girl’s sister, to contrast with the baby-faced quality of Mary Jean. The whole film is just so consistently compelling that I didn’t waver one bit. Just one great scene after another, all beautifully photographed. Far preferable to Chor Yuen’s late Shaw Bros. work (covered in another post).
And the director is Hua Shan, director of INFRAMAN. I’ve got to see more films by him (starting with SOUL OF THE SWORD). If any film is the link between Shaw Bros. and Tsui Hark's A CHINESE GHOST STORY, it’s this one.
"If any film is the link between Shaw Bros. and Tsui Hark's A CHINESE GHOST STORY, it’s this one."
Or perhaps ENCHANTING GHOST? ;) Yes, I've liked this one as well and it is a followup of sorts to the Brave Archer series. I've often seen it refered to as Brave Archer 5 as a matter of fact.
I like to think of LITTLE DRAGON MAIDEN as BIG BIRD IN CHINA - THE PREQUEL. It's a blast from beginning to end. Meanwhile, I can't for the life of me get interested in BUDDHAS PALM, which I've owned since it came out and started a couple times but never finished. I have no explanation for this behavior.
-- Peter
Peter, weirdly enough I have a similar reaction to Budda's Palm - except that I did not even open the case and it has been sitting there for a long time.
Little Dragon Maiden is one of the few Shaw Bros. films I love.