"Flying snow shoots white deer in the sky, laughing book god hero leans on the blue duck", two sentences with a total of 14 words, summarizing Mr. Jin Yong's fourteen medium and long martial arts novels, plus the short martial arts novel "Yue Nu Sword" written in the later period, with these fifteen martial arts works, he has established his status as a grandmaster of the generation of martial arts novels.
Once published, these novels have been welcomed by readers with unpredictable storylines, vivid and profound character images and profound cultural heritage, and as popular IPs, there are countless film and television works adapted from novels. So which is the earliest film and television drama version in each novel, let's take stock of it in chronological order of the book.
1. Book Sword Vengeance (1960)
"Book Sword Vengeance" is the first martial arts novel written by Jin Yong, which was serialized in Hong Kong's "New Evening News" in 1955. The novel is based on folk tales and legends, telling the conflict between the Qianlong Emperor and Chen Jialuo, the chief helmsman of the Red Flower Society.
In 1960, Hong Kong Emei Film Company made it into a Cantonese film and put it on the screen, the film is divided into three parts: the first episode, the next episode, and the finale, directed by Li Chenfeng , starring Zhang Ying , Chen Jintang , Liang Suqin , Shi Jian and others. Film shooting techniques and actor performance forms are still at the level before liberation, and film resources are difficult to find.
It is worth mentioning that in 1987, directed by Xu Anhua and co-produced by Tianjin Film Studio Hong Kong Yangtze River Film Co., Ltd. in the mainland, "Book Sword Vengeance" can also be called the first Jin Yong film and television drama produced in the mainland. The film is divided into two episodes "Jiangnan Book Sword Love" and "Gobi Vengeance" due to its excessive length.
2. Blue Blood Sword (1958-1959)
As Jin Yong's second martial arts novel, "Blue Blood Sword" was serialized in Hong Kong Commercial Daily on January 1, 1956.
On December 12, 1958, the first episode of "Blue Blood Sword", also directed by Li Chenfeng and produced by Emei Film Company, was released in Hong Kong, and the next episode was released on July 1, 1959. Among them, the protagonist Yuen Chengzhi is played by the famous Hong Kong Cantonese film actor Cao Tat Wah. Due to its age, the film is currently difficult to see.
III. The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1958-1959)
"The Legend of the Condor Heroes" has been serialized in Hong Kong Commercial Daily since 1957~1959, and is the first part of Jin Yong's "Condor Trilogy". This novel can be called a milestone work of the new school of martial arts novels, officially establishing the status of Jin Yong's martial arts novel 'giant'.
Before the novel was serialized, Emei Film Company produced the first episode of the Cantonese film "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", and then released the next episode the following year. These two films are directed by Hu Peng, starring Cao Dahua, Rong Xiaoyi, Mei Qi and others.
4. Snow Mountain Flying Fox (1964)
"Flying Fox in Snow Mountain" is the shortest of Jin Yong's 12 full-length martial arts novels, a total of ten times, which was serialized in the "New Evening News" in 1959, and has since undergone a major revision.
Because the main story in the novel is concentrated in one day, it is more difficult to adapt, and there are fewer film and television dramas than several other films. In 1964, Emei Film Company invested in the filming of the Cantonese film "Flying Fox in Snow Mountain", which is still divided into two episodes, directed by Li Hua, starring Jiang Han and Ou Jiahui.
V. The Condor Heroes (1960-1961)
"The Condor Heroes" is the second part of the "Condor Trilogy" series, which began serialization in the "Ming Pao" founded by Jin Yong on May 20, 1959, and officially ended in 1961.
On July 27, 1960, the first episode of the Cantonese film "Condor Heroes" directed by Li Hua and starring Xie Xian and Nan Hong was officially released, with a total of four episodes. Because at the time of filming, the novel was not finished, so Yang Guo did not have a broken arm in the movie, and there was no plot 16 years later, and the ending ended with Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu getting married in Xiangyang. Due to the loss of copies, no resources can be found at present, only the memories of the parties and the relevant reports of the newspapers and periodicals of the year.
VI. Flying Fox Gaiden (1980)
"Flying Fox Gaiden" is a prequel to "Snow Mountain Flying Fox", but it was written after "Snow Mountain Flying Fox", and was serialized in "Martial Arts and History" magazine under "Ming Pao" in 1960~1961.
"Flying Fox Gaiden" also has very few film and television dramas, the earliest version was produced by Shaw Film Company in 1980, directed by Zhang Che, starring Qian Xiaohao, Lu Feng, Guo Chai and others. Compared with the movies of the 50s and 60s, this movie is much more watchable, and the martial arts scenes are also more exciting.
VII. The Mandarin Duck Knife (1961)
"Mandarin Duck Knife" is a novella written by Jin Yong, originally serialized in Ming Pao on May 1~28, 1961.
There are only two movies adapted from "Mandarin Duck Knife", the earliest one was produced by Emei Film Company in 1961, directed by Li Hua, starring Lin Feng, Zhou Qing, Li Qing, Shi Jian, etc., this version of the film is also divided into two episodes.
VIII. The Legend of the Heavenly Dragon Slayer (1963)
As the last part of the "Condor Trilogy" series, just after the previous "Condor Heroes" was serialized, "Relying on the Sky and Slaying the Dragon" began to be serialized in "Ming Pao" on July 6, 1961.
The earliest version is the 1963 black-and-white film "Relying on the Sky and Slaying the Dragon" produced by Hong Kong Luxury Film Company, this film is directed by Zhang Ying, starring Zhang Ying, Shi Jian, etc., divided into two episodes. Due to the length of time, the plot of the film only shows the emotional entanglement between Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu. In addition, there have also been changes compared to the original work, such as the youngest junior brother of the Wudang Seven Heroes changed to a junior sister, and the golden retriever lion king Xie Xun was only blind in one eye, and so on.
9. White Horse Howling West Wind (1982)
"White Horse Roaring West Wind" is a novella serialized in Ming Pao in 1961, as an "unpopular" work in Jin Yong's martial arts novel, the book focuses more on the love of children in rivers and lakes, which is quite literary and artistic.
The book was originally a film script written by Jin Yong, but strangely it was never made into a movie, until 1982, Taiwan produced a 24-episode TV series version starring David Jiang "White Horse Roaring West Wind", which is also the only film and television drama work based on the novel.
10. The Trick of the City (1980)
Originally known as "Suxin Sword", "Liancheng Zhi" was serialized in 1963 in the "Southeast Asia Weekly" jointly organized by Ming Pao and Singapore's "Nanyang Siang Pao", and it is said that the story of the protagonist Di Yun's false accusation is based on the real experience of a long-term worker in Jin Yong's family when he was a child.
Because the overall tone of "Liancheng Zhi" is dark, there are relatively few film and television dramas adapted, and there are only three at present, and the mainland version of the TV series starring Wu Yue and Shu Chang in 04 is the most famous. The earliest one was the 1980 Cantonese film "Liancheng Trick" produced by Shaw, starring Bai Biao, Shi Si, Wu Yuanjun, Yue Hua, etc., and the director was Mou Dunqi, who was famous for making cult movies, and many people's childhood shadows "Black Sun 731" were directed by him.
XI. Dragon Babu (1977)
"The Eight Dragons" began to be serialized in Ming Pao in September 1963 and ended in May 1966, taking nearly three years to complete. With the number of characters in which it appears, the ups and downs of the plot, and the grand background, the novel can be called the master of Jin Yong's martial arts novels.
In 1977, Shaw Brothers Film Company invested in the filming of the film version of "Dragon Babu", the plot mainly describes Duan Yu's experience caused by a romantic debt caused by his father Duan Zhengchun when he was young, starring Li Xiuxian and Tianni. Compared with the original work, the film has changed a lot, and the film has many slots, which is a disappointing work.
XII. The Walk of the Hero (1982)
When "The Eight Dragons" was still serialized, Jin Yong began to write "Chivalrous Travel" in 1965, which was serialized in "Southeast Asia Weekly".
The earliest version of the film and television drama "Chivalry" was a 1982 film produced by Shaw Brothers, directed by Zhang Che, starring Guo Chai , Wen Xueer and so on. The film has also been greatly deleted and revised, and it can only be called decent.
13. Swordsman (1978)
"Swordsman" has been serialized in Ming Pao since April 20, 1967, and ended on October 12, 1969. Compared with the happy feud of previous martial arts novels, "Swordsman" is full of political meaning, and more shows the struggle for fame and fortune in the rivers and lakes.
The movie version of "Swordsman" written by Jin Yong's friend Ni Kuang was released in March 1978, and the role of Ling Huchong was Wang Yu, a popular martial artist in Shaw movies in the 70s and 80s. Because Taiwan once banned Jin Yong's novels around the 80s, the Chinese dubbing of the film modified the characters and martial arts names in the movie, such as Ling Huchong to Nangong Song, Dongfang Undefeated to Sima Wuji, and Sunflower Treasure Book to Cherry Blossom Treasure Book.
14. Lu Ding Ji (1977)
"Lu Ding Ji" began to be written and serialized in "Ming Pao" in 1969, and officially ended in 1972. As an anti-martial arts novel, the book changes the protagonist from the traditional image of a chivalrous to a brothel-born gangster, and satirizes those sanctimonious hypocrites in the rivers and lakes, and his ideological nature has been further improved.
In 1977, Hong Kong Jiayi TV produced a 50-episode TV series version of "Lu Ding Ji", which is also the first film and television drama adapted from the original book "Lu Ding Ji". The protagonist Wei Xiaobao in the film is played by actress Wen Xueer, and the plot is basically faithful to the original work, but unfortunately the response is average after the broadcast.
XV. Yue Nu Sword (1986)
"Yue Nu Sword" is the only short story in Jin Yong's 15 martial arts novels, published in Ming Pao Evening News in January 1970. Originally, Jin Yong wanted to write a novel for each of the thirty-three swordsmen in the woodblock print "Thirty-three Musketeer Drawings", but in the end only wrote the first picture "Zhao Virgin" (that is, "Yue Nu"), named "Yue Nu Sword".
Because the plot of the original book is extremely simple and difficult to adapt, there is currently only the 20-episode TV series version of "Yue Nu Sword" launched by Hong Kong Asia Television (ATV) in 1986. Yue Nu A-Qing is played by the popular action actress Li Saifeng, and the image in the play is amazing, which is a good work.