''Eastern Condors'' () is a
1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...
Hong Kong action film
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese culture, Chinese and Culture of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling an ...
directed by
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and Film director, director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreog ...
, who also starred in the lead role. The film co-stars
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 July 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one of t ...
,
Joyce Godenzi
Joyce Mina Godenzi (; born 28 May 1965) is a former actress and winner of the Miss Hong Kong pageant of 1984.
Background
Born in British Hong Kong in 1965 to an Australian father and a Chinese mother, Godenzi was encouraged to join the Miss Hong K ...
,
Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah (born Yung Kai-chi; 2 September 1952) is a Hong Kong action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.
Early life
Born Yung Kai-chi on 2 September 1950 ...
,
Lam Ching-ying
Lam Ching-ying (; born Lam Gun-bo (); 27 December 1947 – 8 November 1997) was a Hong Kong stuntman, actor, and action director. As a practitioner of martial arts Lam starred in a number of notable films that found recognition outside Hong Kong ...
,
Yuen Woo-ping,
Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen (; born Ying Gang-ming (殷元奎); 15 February 1951) is a Hong Kong director, film director, producer, action choreographer, and former actor.
Yuen was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes. As a ...
and
Billy Chow
Billy Chow Bei-lei ( zh, 周比利; born August 24, 1958) is a Hong Kong-Canadian martial artist, film actor, and retired professional kickboxer. He was the WKA world Welterweight champion from 1984 to 1986, and retired with a professional recor ...
. The film was released in Hong Kong on 9 July 1987.
Plot
Lieutenant Colonel Lam is a Hong Kong-American army officer given a top-secret mission by the US military. The mission entails entering Vietnam to destroy an old American bunker filled with missiles before the
Viet Cong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
can get to them.
Due to the dangerous nature of the mission, a group of 12 Chinese American convicts are selected to accompany him, led by Tung Ming-sun. Survivors are promised a pardon,
U.S. citizenship
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
and $200,000 each. After a brief training session they are dropped into Vietnam. During the jump, Lam learns too late that the mission has been aborted. One of the convicts miscounts when to pull his parachute and dies during the landing.
Once in enemy territory, they are met by 3
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
n guerillas and take refuge in a small town. There they meet Rat Chieh (aka Chieh Man-yeh), and his mentally ill "Uncle", Yeung-Lung. Due to a request by Colonel Yeung who died in a plane explosion off-screen, the commandos extract Yeung-Lung and a reluctant Rat who is forced to tag along with the convicts.
Later, the squad is captured and incarcerated in a
POW camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. P ...
, where the prisoners are forced to play
Russian roulette in a similar manner to the film ''
The Deer Hunter
''The Deer Hunter'' is a 1978 war drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Slavic-American steelworkers whose lives were upended after fighting in the Vietnam War. The three soldiers are played by Robert De Niro, Chr ...
''. After escaping, Yeung-Lung is revealed to be have been faking being mentally-ill out of protection and reveals that one of the Cambodian guerrillas is a traitor. The Cambodians execute the traitor after she is revealed by Rat.
With the Vietnamese military in pursuit, they are able to reach the bunker, but the convicts suffer several casualties during the journey. In the bunker Lam orders the convicts to destroy the missiles but is wounded by the Cambodian guerilla leader who wants the missiles for themselves to destroy the Vietnamese and in the process accidentally shoots Yeung-Lung dead. After a brief standoff, the Vietnamese enter the bunker forcing Tung, Rat, Lam, the Cambodians and the remaining convicts to briefly team up and fight the Vietnamese general and his elite soldiers.
During the final battle, the group manages to kill many of the Vietnamese general's elite soldiers but Lam, the Cambodians and most of the convicts are killed in the process. The only survivors are Tung, Rat and Dai Hoi another convict helping them throughout the journey but was tempted to leave several times due to not being told the true nature of the mission. Rat attempts to fight the General but is knocked out in the process. Tung fights and manages to defeat the Giggling General and finishes him by shoving a grenade in the generals mouth.
Tung, Rat and Dai Hoi manage to destroy the missiles and escape the bunker through an underground tunnel where they are rescued by a helicopter presumably flown by the Americans out of Vietnam.
Cast
*
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and Film director, director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreog ...
as Tung Ming-sun
*
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 July 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one of t ...
as "Rat" / Chieh Man-yeh
*
Haing S. Ngor
Haing Somnang Ngor ( Khmer: ហាំង សំណាង ង៉ោ; ; March 22, 1940 – February 25, 1996) was a Cambodian American gynecologist, obstetrician, actor and author. He is best remembered for winning the Academy Award for Best Suppor ...
as Lung Yeung
*
Joyce Godenzi
Joyce Mina Godenzi (; born 28 May 1965) is a former actress and winner of the Miss Hong Kong pageant of 1984.
Background
Born in British Hong Kong in 1965 to an Australian father and a Chinese mother, Godenzi was encouraged to join the Miss Hong K ...
as Cambodian Guerrilla Girl Leader
* Chui Man-yan as Cambodian Guerrilla Girl #2
*
Ha Chi-chun
Ha Chi Chun (夏志珍) is a Hong Kong actress.
Filmography
* '' Passionate Nights'' (1997) - Sister Cheuk
* '' Come from China'' (1992) - Female Robber
* ''Fist of Fury 1991'' (1991) - Flutty Ping
* ''Jail House Eros'' (1990) - The Ghost
* '' ...
as Lau Shun Ying / Cambodian Guerrilla Girl #3
*
Lam Ching-ying
Lam Ching-ying (; born Lam Gun-bo (); 27 December 1947 – 8 November 1997) was a Hong Kong stuntman, actor, and action director. As a practitioner of martial arts Lam starred in a number of notable films that found recognition outside Hong Kong ...
as Lieutenant Colonel Lam
* Melvin Wong as Colonel Yang Yeung
*
Charlie Chin
Charlie Chin Hsiang-lin (; born May 19, 1948) is a Taiwanese actor.
Background
Born in Nanjing, China in 1948, he first had his break when he moved to Hong Kong with his family at an early age. At only 12 years of age Charlie moved to Taiwan to j ...
as Szeto Chin
* Cheung Kwok-keung as Ching Dai-kong
*
Billy Lau
Billy Lau Nam Kwong (born 3 April 1954) is a Hong Kong film actor, director and writer. He is best known for playing the Police Captain in '' Mr. Vampire'' (1985) and went on to be cast in similar roles. He has appeared in many comedy and horr ...
as Ching Dai-Hoi
*
Yuen Woo-ping as Grandpa Yun Yen-hoy
*
Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen (; born Ying Gang-ming (殷元奎); 15 February 1951) is a Hong Kong director, film director, producer, action choreographer, and former actor.
Yuen was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes. As a ...
as Judy Wu
*
Peter Chan
Peter Ho-sun Chan (born 28 November 1962) is a film director and producer.
Early life
Chan was born in British Hong Kong to parents China. He and his family moved to Thailand when he was 12, where he grew up amongst the international Chines ...
as Ma Puk-kau / Potato Onion Head
*
Chin Kar-lok
Chin Ka-lok, sometimes credited as Chin Kar-lok (Chinese: 錢嘉樂, Pinyin: Qián Jiālè, born 6 August 1965), is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, and television presenter.
Chin was born in Hong Kong, the younger brother of actor an ...
as Nguyen Siu-tran
*
Hsiao Ho as Phan ManlLung
* Lau Chau-sang as Stuttering Keung
*
Yuen Wah
Yuen Wah (born Yung Kai-chi; 2 September 1952) is a Hong Kong action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.
Early life
Born Yung Kai-chi on 2 September 1950 ...
as Vietnamese Giggling General
*
Yasuaki Kurata
is a Japanese martial artist and actor, best known for his work in Hong Kong action films. He holds dan ranks in Karate (7th degree), Judo (3rd degree), and Aikido (2nd degree).
Biography
Kurata was born and raised in Sakura-mura, Niihari Dis ...
as General's elite soldier
*
Dick Wei
Dick Wei (, born April 15, 1953) is a Taiwanese actor, director and writer who specializes in martial arts and action films.
Early life and career
A Hakka, he was born in the town of Pingtung in southern Taiwan and began studying martial art ...
as General's elite soldier
*
Billy Chow
Billy Chow Bei-lei ( zh, 周比利; born August 24, 1958) is a Hong Kong-Canadian martial artist, film actor, and retired professional kickboxer. He was the WKA world Welterweight champion from 1984 to 1986, and retired with a professional recor ...
as General's elite soldier
* Ng Min-kan as General's elite soldier
*
James Tien as Village Thug / Angry Customer
*
Phillip Ko
Phillip Ko-Fei (June 18, 1949 – March 30, 2017) was a Hong Kong film actor, filmmaker and stunt coordinator.
He directed the movies ''Angel on Fire'', ''Magkasangga 2000'', ''Kakambal ko sa tapang'' and ''Romano Sagrado: Talim sa Dilim''.
Fil ...
as Vietnamese Corporal Soldier
*
Wu Ma
Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...
as Vietnamese Corporal Officer
*
Kenny Ho
Kenny Ho Kar-king (born 29 December 1959) is a Hong Kong actor and Cantopop/Mandopop singer. He was best known for his role as Zhan Zhao in the Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese television series '' Justice Bao'' from 1993 to 2012, and is also known ...
as Col Young's commando
*
Max Mok
Max Mok ( zh, t=莫少聰; born 2 December 1962 in Hong Kong; also credited as Benny Mok, Benny Mok Siu-chung and Max Mok Siu-chung) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. Mok was recruited by the Shaw Brothers Studio and has been a major film star si ...
as Col Young's commando
*
Chung Fat
Chung Fat was born on (December 2nd, 1953) and is a native of Guangdong, He is also a Hong Kong film actor, choreographer, producer and director. He primarily stars in jiangshi fictions and martial art movies .
Performing experience
Chung Fat ...
as Col Young's commando
*
Michael Miu
Michael Miu Kiu-wai ( 苗僑偉) (born 18 June 1958) is a Hong Kong actor and businessman. His career has been met with popular success in his youth, followed by a resurgence in middle age after a period of hiatus. He is considered one of the most ...
as Col Young's commando
*
Kent Tong
Kent Tong (; born 29 September 1958) is a Hong Kong actor. He was a popular TVB actor during the 1980s, nicknamed "Prince" and one of the "Five Tiger Generals" of TVB.
Early life
Kent Tong was born to and grew up in a poor family in Hong Kong. Hi ...
as Col Young's commando
* Ben Lam as Col Young's commando
* Andy Dai as Col Young's commando
* Danny Poon as Col Young's commando
* Chris Li as Col Young's commando
*
Wan Chi-keung as Col Young's commando
Production
The ensemble of convict soldiers in the film is reminiscent of similar squads in American action war films like ''
The Dirty Dozen
''The Dirty Dozen'' is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Ralph M ...
''.
Hung believed his normal size and body shape, whilst suited to his comedic characters in his other films, would be inappropriate for a soldier. In order to get into shape for the lead role, Hung lost 30 pounds in 3 months by surviving on a diet of nothing but chicken and rice.
Although set in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, the most of the film was shot in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The scenes set in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
were actually filmed in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
Theme song
*''A Condor's Mission'' (禿鷹使命)
**Composer:
Jonathan Lee
**Lyricist:
Lin Xi
Albert Leung (born 7 December 1961, ) is a lyricist and writer based in Hong Kong.
Education
Leung attended all-boy secondary schools at Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College and La Salle College. He received a bachelor of arts in translation from th ...
**Singer:
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and Film director, director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreog ...
,
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 July 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one of t ...
,
Prudence Liew
Prudence Liew Mei-Gwan (born 10 December 1964) is a Hong Kong pop singer and actress. A Golden Horse Award winner and platinum selling singer, she has released 16 studio albums and appeared in numerous films.
Career
From the age of eight, she ...
, Susanne Ho,
Joyce Godenzi
Joyce Mina Godenzi (; born 28 May 1965) is a former actress and winner of the Miss Hong Kong pageant of 1984.
Background
Born in British Hong Kong in 1965 to an Australian father and a Chinese mother, Godenzi was encouraged to join the Miss Hong K ...
,
Billy Lau
Billy Lau Nam Kwong (born 3 April 1954) is a Hong Kong film actor, director and writer. He is best known for playing the Police Captain in '' Mr. Vampire'' (1985) and went on to be cast in similar roles. He has appeared in many comedy and horr ...
, Rosanne Lui, Woo Kin-chung, Fundamental
Accolades
Home media
On 2 April 2001, a
Region 2 DVD was released by
Hong Kong Legends
Hong Kong Legends was a United Kingdom DVD distribution company, based in Hertfordshire and operating from the UK and Australia between 1999 and 2007. Hong Kong Legends was initially part of Medusa Communications, who, along with Soulblade bought ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
See also
*
Sammo Hung filmography
This article contains the filmography of Hong Kong actor Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and Film director, director, known for his work ...
*
List of Hong Kong films
This is a list of films produced in Hong Kong ordered by decade and year of release in separate pages. For film set in Hong Kong and produced elsewhere see ''List of films set in Hong Kong''.
1909–1949
*List of Hong Kong films before 1950
...
*
Yuen Biao filmography This article contains the filmography of Yuen Biao.
Film
Television series
All television appearances were broadcast in Hong Kong by TVB unless otherwise stated.
References
{{reflist
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 Jul ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Sammo Hung
1987 films
1987 action films
1987 martial arts films
1980s war films
1980s Cantonese-language films
Films directed by Sammo Hung
Films set in 1976
Films set in the United States
Films set in Vietnam
Films shot in Canada
Films shot in the Philippines
Golden Harvest films
Hong Kong action films
Hong Kong martial arts films
War adventure films
Vietnam War films
1980s Hong Kong films
Films set in bunkers