The Valiant Ones
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| The Valiant Ones | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| 忠烈圖 | |
| Directed by | King Hu[1][2] |
| Written by | King Hu[2] |
| Produced by | King Hu[2] |
| Starring | [2] |
| Cinematography | Chen Ching-Chu[2] |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | Wang Jun-Dong[2] |
Production companies | King Hu Film Productions Golden Harvest |
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest[4] |
Release dates | |
Running time | 92 minutes[5] |
| Country | Hong Kong[4] |
| Language | Mandarin[4] |
The Valiant Ones (忠烈圖),[6] or lit. 'Portrait of the Loyal Martyrs',[3] is a 1975 Hong Kong wuxia film written, directed, and produced by King Hu. Produced and distributed by Golden Harvest,[4] it starred Roy Chiao, Pai Ying, Hsu Feng, Han Ying-chieh and Sammo Hung, who was also the action choreographer. It portrays a 16th-century conflict between Chinese officials and the wokou mediated by a husband-and-wife duo.[7]
The film is set in 16th-century China during the Ming dynasty. Facing threats from the wokou along the southern coast, Chinese officials recruit a husband-and-wife duo to fight their adversaries.[8]
Cast
- Roy Chiao as Yu Dayou[2][9]
- Pai Ying as Wu Jiyuan[2]
- Hsu Feng as Wu Ruoshi[2]
- Sammo Hung as Hakatatsu[2]
- Han Ying-chieh as Xu Dong[2]
- Tu Kuang-chi as Zhu Wan[2][6]
- Yeung Wai as Zhou Lide[2]
- Zhao Lei as the Emperor[2][6]
- Hao Li-jen as Li[10]
- Cheung Wing-fat as Cai Men[4]
- Yuen Siu-tien as Gao[3]
- Wu Chia-Hsiang as Lin[4]
- Chiang Nan as Lin Tong[4]
- Chow Siu-Loi as Liao Er[4]
- Yuen Biao as Gu Tian[4]
- Chan Wui-ngai as a pirate[4]
Themes
Jonathan Clements, in an essay composed as a supplement for a home media release, writes about the film's connections to anti-Japanese sentiment in China which was on the rise at the time the film was produced. He compares the film's general set-up to Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven but points out that The Valiant Ones includes historical figures, which adds a note of authenticity. He also points out the film's theatrical inspirations, including notes of Chinese opera brought to the film by Sammo Hung (who was a former Beijing opera performer and worked as an action choreographer on the film).[11]
Release
The Valiant Ones was screened at the 1975 Chicago International Film Festival, where it was nominated for Best Feature Film.[12] The film also screened at the 1995 International Film Festival Rotterdam and the 2019 Hong Kong International Film Festival.[13] The Harvard Film Archive organized a screening of the film as part of its 2013 film program King Hu and the Art of Wuxia in association with the Taiwan Ministry of Culture.[14] The Valiant Ones is also periodically screened at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive as part of its film exhibits.[5]
Home media
The film was released by Eureka on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on May 27, 2024.[15]