Directed by Jeffrey Lau, this slapstick comedy and cult classic was an attempt by Wong Kar Wai, the film’s producer, to recoup the costs of his sprawling and over-budgeted Ashes of Time (1994). Loosely based on Jin Yong’s novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1957), The Eagle Shooting Heroes parodies Cantonese martial arts films and period dramas of the 1950s and 1960s.

A satire from beginning to end, the film has no shortage of farcical and ludicrous scenes, including one notable moment where the Beggar King (Jacky Cheung) asks the malicious Feng (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) to kill him after his romantic advances are rejected, only to result in a series of self-mutilating accidents. In another scene, South Emperor (Tony Leung Ka-fai) pretends to be a woman and tricks Evil East (Leslie Cheung) into saying ‘I love you’ three times to help him ascend to heaven. The film features a legendary performance from Tony Leung Ka-fai, with scenes reminiscent of Lau’s 92 Legendary La Rose Noire (1992).

Jeffrey Lau (b. 1955, Hong Kong) grew up in a Catholic family in Cheung Chau. At 16, he went to England to study design and, upon his return to Hong Kong, worked for an advertising company. He later switched to a trading company before joining Century Motion Picture & Distribution Co. Ltd in 1980, which closed in 1983. In 1987, he joined In Gear and began collaborating with Wong Kar Wai, and together they co-founded Jet Tone Film Production in 1991. Lau made his directing debut with Haunted Cop Shop (1987) and broke Hong Kong’s box office record with All for the Winner (1990), co-directed by Corey Yuen. His other acclaimed works include A Chinese Odyssey (1995), Timeless Romance (1998), and Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002).