Title: 中華英雄
English title: A Man Called Hero
Other Title: Chinese Hero
Genre: Action
Release date(s): 17th July 1999 (Hong Kong)
Running time: 116 min. 105 min.
Theme Song: " Lonely Star of Death " 天煞孤星, " End of the Sea " 天涯海角 by Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健
Sub Theme Song: " Flower is Good " 花正好, " Where Did You Go " 你走到哪里 by Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健, " First Glance " 第一眼 by Nicholas Tse 謝霆鋒
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
Budget:
Gross revenue: HK$23,368,902 ^{Ref 1}
Producer: Manfred Wong 文雋, Barbie Tung 董韻詩

Director: Andrew Lau 劉偉強
Art Director: Wong Ka Nang 黄家能
Writers: Manfred Wong 文雋 (Screen Play), Ma Wing Shing (ManWah)
Music: Chan Kwong Wing 陳光榮
Cinematography: Andrew Lau 劉偉強
Editing by: Danny Pang 彭發
Distributed by: Golden Harvest
Related Movie(s): The Storm Riders, The Storm Warriors

"A Man Called Hero" is a 1999 Hong Kong film based on the popular ManWah " Chinese Hero " by Ma Wing Shing.

One morning in 1913, Hero Hua ( Ekin Cheng ) and his good friend Sheng ( Jerry Lam ) became the disciples of a renown martial artist Pride ( Anthony Wong ). At the same time, Hero's parents were brutally murdered by Bigot and his foreign friends. Before the death of Hero's mother, she reveals the reason the family was killed as she passes on the family treasure "Blood Sword" to Hero. Full of vengeance, Hero slaughters the foreigners responsible for the murders, however Bigot escaped. Now a wanted man, Hero bidden his love for Jade ( Kristy Yeung ) and escapes to America.

16 years later, Sheng and Hero's son Sword Hua ( Nicholas Tse ) arrive in America in search of Hero. During the search, they meet a Monk who informs them about Hero and his encounters on the way to America and as labourers in the Steel Bull Canyon. At the grave of Jade, Sheng reminisces how he and Jade traveled to America 16 years ago in search of Hero after she became pregnant with twins. However, Jade soon died not long after her reunion with Hero and giving birth to Sword and his twin sister. On the night that Jade died, Sword's twin sister was kidnapped by Biggot and her whereabouts are unknown till this day. When Sword and Sheng runs into Shadow, Hero's disciple brother, he reveals after Jade's death, Hero encountered a fortune teller. The fortune teller told Hero he was born under the "Star of Death" in which his loved ones would perish when they are around him and he is deemed to a life of loneliness. This is the reason why Hero left Sword under the care of Sheng.

Sword and Sheng join the forces to infiltrate and rescue the Chinese labourers at the Steel Bull Canyon. During the battle, Sword meets Biggot but was unsuccessful in finding his sisters whereabouts. Monk is killed in the battle but was able to see Hero for one last time as Hero arrives unexpectedly. Hero joins in the battle and defeats Biggot and the Americans.

Sword is excited to reunite with his father but is disappointed when Hero maintains a distance from him. Hero insists he is born under the "Star of Death" which will harm Sword if they become close.

Invincible ( Francis Ng ) returns after his defeat 16 years ago. He intends to finish the duel with Pride but after finding out Pride has passed away, he turns to Hero who is the sole successor of Pride's martial art secrets. Hero and Invincible fought on top of the Statue of Liberty and Invincible was killed.

The film finishes with Sword and Sheng leaving America with Hero quietly observing in a distance.

Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健 as Hero Hua 華英雄
Kristy Yeung 楊恭如 as Jade 潔瑜
Nicholas Tse 謝霆鋒 as Sword Hua 華劍雄
Cheng Pei-Pei 鄭佩佩 as Hero's mother 白素蓮

Shu Qi 舒淇 as Wood 木修羅
Mark Cheng 鄭浩南 as Gold 金太保
Sam Lee 李燦森 as Fire 火四郎
Yu Ka Ho 余家豪 as Earth 土原權
Benjamin Yuen 袁偉豪 as Water 水賀

Francis Ng 吳鎮宇 as Invincible 無敵
Jerry Lam 林曉峰 as Sheng 生奴
Anthony Wong 黃秋生 as Pride 金傲
Yuen Biao 元彪 as Boss 元武
Dion Lam 林迪安 as Shadow 鬼僕
Jordan Chan 陳小春 as Shadow 鬼僕 (voice acting)
Grace Ip 葉佩雯 as Kate 思傲
Elvis Tsui 徐錦江 as Bigot 錢無義
Ken Lo 盧惠光 as Monk Lohan 羅漢
Jude Poyer 黃子鴻 as Bull 鋼牛
Ronald Wong 黃斌 as 未具名
Ng Chi Hung 吳志雄 as 月門神
Hon San 韓幸 as 大石
Thomas James Hudak, Jr as 黑龍司令

36th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (1999) ^{Ref 2}

36th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (1999)

19th Hong Kong Golden Statue Film Festival (1999)

"Lonely Star of Death" 天煞孤星 by Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健 (Cantonese)

" End of the Sea " 天涯海角 by Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健 (Mandarin)

"Lonely Star of Death" 天煞孤星 by Ekin Cheng 鄭伊健 (Cantonese)

The radio drama was released just before the movie was shown. The 41 episodes on CRHK were used to promote the movie. All the voice actors are the actual cast of A Man Called Hero.

During the release of the movie, several 1/12 Hero Hua Figurines were made. Typically, there were 4 versions of Hero Hua. One was made with white hair and one with black hair that had the Ekin Cheng appearance whilst the other 2 versions were made to resemble the actual comic character.

This picture book includes snap shots from the movie as well as the movie poster. It is sold at $85 cost during the 1999 Hong Kong Comic Fare.

Publisher: 文化傳信有限公司
Publication Data: July 1999
Country: Hong Kong
Media type: Hard Cover
Language: Traditional Chinese
Pages: 74 pages
ISBN: 962-691-764-4

This novel is typically the screen play to the movie. Available at the Hong Kong Comic Fare at $45 each.

Author: Manfred Wong 文雋
Publisher: 文化傳信有限公司
Publication Data: July 1999
Country: Hong Kong
Media type: Paperback
Language: Traditional Chinese
Pages: 141 pages
ISBN: 962-691-782-2

Comic version of the movie. The characters are draw to look like the actors rather than resembling the original Ma Wing Shing characters. The comic also includes a written blurb by Ekin Cheng, Manfred Wong and the artist of the comic. Available at the Hong Kong Comic Fare in 1999 at $35 each.

Author:
Publisher: 文化傳信有限公司
Publication Data: July 1999
Country: Hong Kong
Media type: Paperback
Language: Traditional Chinese
Pages: 66 pages
ISBN: 962-691-764-4

"Chinese Hero" is a popular Man Wah created by Ma Wing Shing in the 1980s. Ma Wing Shing published up to 114 issues before he left Jademan Publisher and created his own company Tin Ha publisher and The Storm Riders Series.

"Chinese Hero" first appeared in 1980 in two newspapers "金報" and "生報", until in 1981, it was published along with the other renown Man Wah (龍虎門, 醉拳, 如來神掌) in Jademan Publisher. In 1982, "Chinese Hero" released its first individual issues.

In 1989, after Ma Wing Shing left Jademan Publisher, other Man Wah artists took up the pen. In 1995, Chinese Hero released its last issue 371 ending its 15 years run.

At its peak, 200,000 copies were sold per issue, setting records in Hong Kong Man Wah History.

In 1990, ATV produced a TV drama called "中華英雄" with Kenny Ho as Hero Hua. In 1991, a sequel "中華英雄之中華傲訣" was made with the same cast. The dramas was re-shown on ATV in 2007 and 2009.

An online game "中華英雄 Online" created by "Chinese Gamer" was released on 27th May 2009. It is a massively multi-player online role-playing game which is available in a free version or a monthly pay-to-play version in Chinese.

1. Chinese Hero Online Game
2. Movie - wikipedia
3. Comic - wikipedia
4. Movie - Chinese wikipedia
5. Comic - Chinese wikipedia

Ref 1: 龍騰電影資料庫
Ref 2: 36th Golden Horse Awards List

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