''The Avenging Eagle'' is a 1978 Hong Kong ''

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...

'' film produced by the

Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd. () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, and operated from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...

, starring

Ti Lung Ti Lung (born 19 August 1946) is a Hong Kong actor, known for his numerous starring roles in a string of Shaw Brothers Studio's films, particularly '' The Blood Brothers'', ''The Avenging Eagle'', ''Clans of Intrigue'', '' The Duel'', ''The Sentim ...

Alexander Fu Alexander Fu Sheng () (born Cheung Fu-sheng (); 20 October 1954 – 7 July 1983), also known as Fu Sheng was a Hong Kong martial arts film star in the 1970s. Life and career Born Cheung Fu-sheng in British Hong Kong in 20 October 1954. He ...

and

Ku Feng Chan Sze-man (born 3 July 1930), better known by his stage name Ku Feng, is a Hong Kong actor. Background He studied in Beijing, and has appeared in hundreds of films, many of which were produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers ( ...

. A remake of the film, titled '' The 13 Cold-Blooded Eagles'', was released in 1993. This film is released in DVD by

Dragon Dynasty Dragon Dynasty is a joint venture started by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. The company was created on May 23, 2006 for the sole purpose of distributing East Asian films on DVD in the U.S., whose licenses are held by, or will be acqui ...

in the United States. This release has about 1 minute and 27 sections of missing footage of the final fight scene. It is believed that the original source for this footage was damaged and was cut from the final release. It was announced in July 2013 that there have been plans for a remake to start shooting in 2014 with collaboration between Celestial Pictures and The Weinstein Company.

Plot

Eagle Chief Yoh Xi-Hung (

) is the leader of a group of bandits called the Iron Boat Clan. He recruits and raises orphans to be his personal army of ruthless killers -he calls his recruits "Eagles.". One such orphan, indoctrinated by Yoh Xi-Hung, is Chik Ming-sing (

). In a series of reflections, we find that Chik was an orphan that was sold to the Iron Boat Clan at the age of seven; he soon becomes one of Chief Yoh's top killers as he relishes engaging opponents in combat whenever the bandits go on a raid. However, after one particularly rough heist, Chik is badly wounded in a solo fight with Golden Spear Tao De-biu. He escapes into the nearby woods and manages to hide his silver plaque among the fallen leaves just before falling unconscious- thus concealing his membership in the Iron Boat Clan. Chik is later found by a stranger and nursed back to health by his kind family. It is later revealed that this stranger is a police chief -Wang An- a sworn enemy of Yoh Xi-Hung and a target for termination. While recovering, Chik starts having second thoughts about his criminal lifestyle; he begins to realize that there is an alternative to his violent, murderous lifestyle. He learns that he can live a peaceful, nonviolent way of life with a wife and family if he so chooses. In the present time, we learn that Chik is running from the Iron Boat Clan, following the death of Wang An- who saved him in the woods. As a result of the kindness he received from Wang An and his family, Chik betrays Yoh Xi-Hung and departs from the clan. Meanwhile, Yoh has ordered that Chik be found and brought back for punishment. Chik meets up with a stranger while on the run. The stranger, Cheuk Yi-fan (

), secretly carries hidden wrist knives and is obsessed with hunting down his enemies to revenge the murder of his wife and family at the hands of the Iron Boat Clan. Chik Ming-sing is suspicious of the mysterious Cheuk, even when Cheuk does not hesitate to help him kill the other Eagle Clan members who are chasing him for leaving the bandit clan. Not knowing that Cheuk Yi-fan is the son of the family that Chik and the other Eagles robbed and murdered, Chik Ming-sing confesses his evil doings to him one evening. Chik reveals that he has vowed to change his ways after that incident and is looking to end the exploits of Eagle Chief Yoh and the entire bandit clan. Chik also reveals that he is searching for the husband of the woman he killed so that he can die at his hands to atone for his crimes. Cheuk decides to accompany Chik to Eagle headquarters. Upon the arrival of the duo, Eagle Chief Yoh recognizes Cheuk and reveals his name and true intentions. When Chik asks Cheuk why he did not take his revenge earlier, Cheuk reveals that what he wanted to know the whole story, and that he and Chik should join forces to defeat their common enemy, Chief Yoh Xi-Hung. Chik and Cheuk manage to eliminate the remaining underlings of the clan and set their efforts on killing Yoh Xi_hung. After a lengthy fight with both men, Yoh attempts to manipulate both fighters to turn on one another. The two heroes briefly scuffle with each other -with Chik concocting a scheme without Cheuk's knowledge. As the two men continue to fight each other, Chief Yoh helps to contain Cheuk and holds his sleeve knives in order to provide Chik a chance to kill Cheuk. In a surprise move, Chik leaps up, lands upon the shoulders of Cheuk and plants his fighting sticks into the shoulders of Yoh. Cheuk follows by thrusting his double blades into Yoh's midsection. As Yoh Xi-Hung is dying, Chik tells him that it may be easy to raise someone but to win his heart is difficult; and because of this he now knows between right and wrong. Chik then uses his sticks to finish Yoh -ending the murderous reign of the Iron Boat Clan. With Chief Yoh dead, Chik tells Cheuk that he is ready to accept his punishment. Cheuk tells him that all his enemies are now dead and begins to walk away. Chik attacks Cheuk and forces the double blades into his body. He tells Cheuk that if he doesn't get his revenge now, then the spirit of his pregnant wife and unborn child would never know peace. The final scene of the film show Cheuk looking over the graves where his family is laid to rest. A new headstone can be seen where Chik's remains have also been placed at the burial site.

Cast

as Black Eagle Chik Ming-sing *

as Double Sleeve Knives Cheuk Yi-fan *

as Yoh Xi-hung *

Wang Lung-wei Wang Lung Wei () (born 1949), also known as Johnny Wang, is Hong Kong martial artist, actor, director, producer, and action choreographer, who has starred in over 80 kung fu films, mainly for Shaw Brothers Studios. Wang's first Shaw Brothers film ...

as Vulture Eagle Yien Lin *

Eddy Ko Eddy Ko Hung (; born Ho Yiu-sum ; 1947) is a Hong Kong television and film actor who has worked on the TV stations RTV, ATV (both now defunct), and TVB. Most recently, he has made appearances in several international films including 2015's ''T ...

as Blue Eagle Wan Da *

Austin Wai Austin Wai Tin-chi (13 August 1957 – 4 October 2012) was a Hong Kong actor and choreographer. He was the elder brother of actress Kara Wai. He had notable roles in the martial arts films like '' The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'', ''5 Superfighters ...

as Owl Eagle Cao Gao-shing *Bruce Tong as Eagle *Lam Fai-wong as Eagle *Dick Wei as Eagle *Wong Pau-gei as Eagle *Peter Chan as Soaring Eagle Wang Tao-sang *Yuen Bun as Eagle Yau Koon-hung *Chui Fat as Eagle *Jamie Luk as Eagle Lin Gin-ming *Cheung Gwok-wa as Eagle Fan Lun *

Shih Szu Shih Szu (; born October 24, 1953) is an actress from Taoyuan, Taiwan. She was born Lei Qui Si (雷秋思) to parents from Hunan Province. A ballet student from the age of six, at the age of sixteen she joined Shaw Brothers Studio after seconda ...

as Siu Fung *Yue Wing as Devil's Plight Wang An / Jiang Shun-kwai *Tong Gai as Golden Spear Tao De-biu *Yeung Chi-hing as Se-ma Sun *

Ouyang Sha-fei Qian Shunying ( zh, t=錢舜英, w=Chien Shun-ying; September 9, 1924 – March 8, 2010), better known by her stage name Ouyang Sha-fei ( zh, t=歐陽莎菲, s=欧阳莎菲, first=t, j=Auyeung Sa-fay, links=no), was a Hong Kong actress. She is ...

as Se-ma Sun's wife *Jenny Tseng as Se-ma Yu-chin *Yau Chui-ling as Se-ma Sun's second daughter *Kwok Wai-bing *Au Ga-lai *Lui Hung as Wang An's mother *Hung Ling-ling as Wang An's wife *Lee Hang *Wong Chi-keung *Law Keung as Hung's thug *Wong Chi-ming as Hung's thug *Man Man as inn waiter *Gam Tin-chue as innkeeper

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Avenging Eagle, The 1978 films 1978 martial arts films Hong Kong martial arts films Hong Kong action films 1978 action films Kung fu films Shaw Brothers Studio films Wuxia films 1970s Mandarin-language films 1970s Hong Kong films