Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1982)

good back-story, and good acting

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Saw this on Crackle a few weeks ago and it had Jackie Chan in it too. First the dubbing is okay and the movie starts with 2 rival masters seeing who will win. This is also some of Jackie Chan's early work, the choreography is good and Jackie Chan looks kind of young in this movie. He starts out s an orphan being bullied by his classmates until he befriends and old guy. The old guy gets into a fight with some of the students and Jackie tries to help him. Then a white preacher comes by to break up the fight and then after that old guy teaches Jackie how to fight. Old guy teaches him by trying to get Jackie to take a bowl from him. Old guy also teaches Jackie some steps and moves he put on the ground too. After that old guy and white preacher see each other and old guy tries to avoid him. Then old guy fights an Eagle student in the Snake training grounds and both him and white preacher try to kill him but old guy escapes. Old guy then get's healed by Jackie and he teaches him Kung Fu. A bit later Jackie's school gets into a fight another school then Jackie's school master goes to the rival school's ace. The ace tries to kill the master but Jackie stops him and then they fight and Jackie wins. Then when Jackie gets back home he meets one of old guys so called friends. Then after that there's a scene where a cat fights a cobra and kills it. Old guy and Jackie meet in some field where they encounter the so called friend and white preacher which is some fighter from Russia. After they're defeated Jackie's school master tires to stop them thinking he poisoned them. He didn't and I think Jackie and old guy walk off somewhere, I'm not sure since the ending was like all Kung Fu movies. It's still pretty good early work for Jackie Chan and if your a fan if his movies this is required watching.

This is the film that made Jackie Chan a superstar! it's one of Jackie's absolute best, with breathtaking fight scenes and a really wicked story!. All the characters are wonderful, and it's extremely well made as well, plus Jackie Chan is simply amazing in this!. One of my favorite moments in this film is when Jackie's pet cat has a duel with a poisonous snake(The Cat Won!), it was really well done, and I thought Jackie and Siu Tien Yuen(Grandmaster Pai Cheng-Tien) had wonderful chemistry together, plus the Training sequences were especially awesome!. The fight choreography is incredible, and there is some great slapstick humor as always in Jackie Chan's films!, plus Jang Lee Hwang is really menacing as the main opponent/villain. There are actually a couple of really cool plot twists, especially one near the end that I didn't see coming at all!, plus all the characters are very likable!, and it was nice to see this was subtitled instead of dubbed!.This is the film that made Jackie Chan a superstar!, it's one of Jackie's absolute best, with breathtaking fight scenes and a really wicked story and I say Go see it right this instant!. The Direction is superb!. Woo-ping Yuen does a superb job here with fantastic camera work, and just keeping the film at an extremely fast pace!. The Acting is fantastic!. Jackie Chan is amazing as always, and is amazing here, he is extremely likable, funny, had excellent chemistry with Siu Tien Yuen(old man), kicked that ass, had a really cool character, and added his his usual awesome charisma!(Jackie Rules!!!!!). Siu Tien Yuen is great as the old man/Jackie's master, he was really funny, and brought a lot of class, he also made me grin throughout!. Jang Lee Hwang is one hell of a martial artists, and played a fantastic villain/main opponent here, I wouldn't want to mess around with this guy, he was extremely menacing. Rest of the cast do fine. Overall Go see it right this instant!. ***** out of 5

'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' - Jackie Chan's other breakthrough hit, along with 'Drunken Master'. Both released in 1978, these two movies made the careers of Jackie Chan and director Yuen Woo Ping, and both featured Siu Tien Yuen and Hwang Jang Lee in similar roles.The plot follows Chien Fu (Jackie Chan), an orphan abused and mistreated by the kung-fu (evil, of course) school he works at. He can't fight until he meets Pai Cheng-Cheh (Siu Tien Yuen), a grand-master of Snake Fist, and last remaining follower of the Snake Fist style. A rivalry between the Snake Fist and Eagle Claw styles has led to the near-elimination of the Snake Fist style, and Chien Fu and Pai Cheng-Cheh find themselves being hunted by Lord Sheng Kuan (Hwang Jang Lee), the master of the Eagle Claw style.The awesomeness of 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' lies in the fact that it really is quite similar to 'Drunken Master', which is also awesome. Again, the plot is a pretty standard kung-fu plot, but any plot which allows for the maximum amount of on-screen kung-fu time is a good plot. The training sequences are entertaining, and the following fight scenes are incredible - Jackie, Hwang Jang Lee and Yuen Woo Ping are all at their best here.'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' is an awesome and very funny movie - 10/10, a must see for all Jackie Chan fans.

Jackie Chan made several movies in the 1970's, some of them forgotten, and many others forgettable. However, for the first time, this film successfully combines the many elements that would later signify Chan films: well-choreographed fight sequences, loose performances, an acceptable story, and comedic elements. The film is filled with one great fight sequence after another. The old man, who teaches Chan the snake style, is absolutely fantastic. His sequence with the bowl and Chan is incredible. Part of the secret of successful martial arts films in the 70's was adding welcome doses of humor. Here we have Chan, the underdog, being transformed into a hero in comedic, and grueling, training sequence fashion. Chan comes up with the new cat's claw style (kind of hokey) when the snake style isn't enough to overcome the opposing eagle's claw camp. The cat and the snake fight sequence is great, but the sound effects are hopelessly phony. The plot is typical for a martial arts film of the period, but doesn't drag the movie down, and contains more colorful characters than usual. A precursor for what was to come. **1/2 of 4 stars.