Hong Kong, 1983
112m
35mm film, colour, 1.85:1
Cantonese
A Hong Kong fantasy film directed by Hark Tsui. An export version was released under the title Zu: Time Warrior which re-edited much of the original footage (the opening battle for example is removed altogether) and which added a new wraparound sequence set in the 1980s in which a modern day fencing champion is rendered comatose by an accident of dreams of being back in feudal China.
Plot Summary
After falling from a cliff during a battle during a civil war, a soldier finds himself caught up in a fantastical battle between the forces of good and evil.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Hark Tsui
Golden Harvest [logo] Raymond Chow presents
Executive Producers: Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho
Produced by: Peter Chow
Written by: Cheuk-Hon Szeto
Director of Photography: Bill Wong
Editor: Peter Cheung
Music by: Sing-Yau Kwan
Sound Recordist: Shao Lung Chou
Make-up: Kuo-Hsiung Chen
Visual Effects Supervisor: Wong Jin An [real name: Arnie Wong]
Visual Effects Consultants: Robert Blalack, Peter Kuran, Tama Takahashi
Visual Effects: Cine Art Laboratory, Hong Kong Animation, Midland Productions, Tron Camera, Visual Concept Engineering, Wang Film Productions Company
Production Designer: William Chang
Stunt Coordinators: Hark-On Fung, Hoi Mang, Biao Yuen, Corey Yuen
Cast
Biao Yuen (Ti Ming Chi)
Moon Lee (Mu Sang, Countess's Guard [Morning Flower on export version])
Judy Ongg (Li I chi)
Adam Cheng (Ting Yin)
Brigitte Lin (countess)
Damian Lau (Abbott Hsiao Yu)
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (Chang Mei/Red Army soldier)
Oliver Albrecht (Oliver)
Jorn Bertram (doctor)
Dani Bishop (fortune teller)
Norman Chu (Heaven's Blade)
Hark-On Fung (evil disciple)
Kwan-Li Shen (Chi Wu-Shuang)
Chau Sang Lau (Orange Army soldier)
Hoi Man (Yi Chen)
Yun-Chiang Peng
Jimmy Shaw (fencing coach)
Hark Tsui (Blue Army soldier)
Mo-Chow Yuen (Orange Army soldier)
Alternative Titles
Shokusan kifu: tenkuu no ken – Japanese title
Warriors from the Magic Mountain – English language title
Xin shu shan jian xia – Mandarin Hong Kong title
Zu Mountain: New Legend of the Zu Mountain Swordsmen – English Hong Kong title
Zu Time Warrior – English language title
Zu Warriors – English language title
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain – Australian title
Zu, les guerriers de la montagne magique – French title
Zu, los guerreros de la montaña mágica – Spanish title
Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain – English Hong Kong, US title
Zu: Wojownicy z Magicznej Góry – Polish title
Войны Зу – Russian title
蜀山奇傅・天空の剣 – Japanese title
Links
Remake
Shu shan zheng zhuan (2001)
Extracts included in
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture (2002)
The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)
See also
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
References
Periodicals
- Cahiers du Cinéma China Special May 1999 pp.32-35 – illustrated interview with Hark Tsui (Retour d'exil by Olivier Joyard)
- L'Écran Fantastique no.52 (January 1985) pp.55; 59 – illustrated article (Zu, Warriors of the Magic Moutain by Bertrand Borie); credits (Génériques des longs métrages en compétition)
- Metro no.149 (2006) pp.126-129 – illustrated article (‘Those who fall are not the stars': The martial arts film at HKIFF 2006 by Peter Gravestock)
- Variety 23 February 1983 pp.18, 20 – credits, review
Books
- Horror and Science Fiction Films IV by Donald C. Willis p.574
Other sources
- British Board of Film Censors Monthly List February 1983 – note
