Tian Gui Nong (Chiang Sen) is an ambitious swordsman who is aiming at being the most revered and feared fighter of his time. He tricks his rivals: Miao Ren Feng (Kwo Chui) and Hu Yi Dao (Lu Feng), two reputable swordsmen into fighting against each other. By Tian's treacherous plot, Hu is killed with Miao's sword and his wife committed suicide.
However to escape Tian's slaughtering Hu's family, a good Samaritan manages to take away Hu's baby son, Hu Fei (Chien Siao Hao), taking along his father's sword skill manual, and later raising him. Sworn to avenge his parents' death, Hu Fei returns to the town 18 years later to confront his father's enemy, Tian Gui Nong.
Based on a popular classical wuxia novel, LEGEND OF THE FOX is Chang Cheh's attempt to showcase swordplay with the Venoms and a newcomer, Chien Siao Hao, in the lead role.
The story is fairly engaging and the exposition is elaborate. In fact this is the only Venoms' film that runs for 120 minutes. Being a wuxia genre, the main attraction is exhilarating sword fights as well as a more complicated plot. Not many fight scenes to savor but Chang Cheh's trademark: bloody violence, gory deaths and attractive fights are still seen.
Unlike LIFE GAMBLE, CHINATOWN KID, TEN TIGERS FROM KWANG TUNG or THE BRAVE ARCHER quadrilogy, which cannot be considered as the Venoms' films because they play supporting casts for famous Shaw Brothers stars (Ti Lung or Fu Sheng), this is still considered a Venoms' film because there are three of the Venoms playing as supporting casts for a newcomer, not any popular star.
Recommended for the Venoms' fans only.
However to escape Tian's slaughtering Hu's family, a good Samaritan manages to take away Hu's baby son, Hu Fei (Chien Siao Hao), taking along his father's sword skill manual, and later raising him. Sworn to avenge his parents' death, Hu Fei returns to the town 18 years later to confront his father's enemy, Tian Gui Nong.
Based on a popular classical wuxia novel, LEGEND OF THE FOX is Chang Cheh's attempt to showcase swordplay with the Venoms and a newcomer, Chien Siao Hao, in the lead role.
The story is fairly engaging and the exposition is elaborate. In fact this is the only Venoms' film that runs for 120 minutes. Being a wuxia genre, the main attraction is exhilarating sword fights as well as a more complicated plot. Not many fight scenes to savor but Chang Cheh's trademark: bloody violence, gory deaths and attractive fights are still seen.
Unlike LIFE GAMBLE, CHINATOWN KID, TEN TIGERS FROM KWANG TUNG or THE BRAVE ARCHER quadrilogy, which cannot be considered as the Venoms' films because they play supporting casts for famous Shaw Brothers stars (Ti Lung or Fu Sheng), this is still considered a Venoms' film because there are three of the Venoms playing as supporting casts for a newcomer, not any popular star.
Recommended for the Venoms' fans only.