Photo Courtesy of Hengdian Orient Hollywood

There are many different styles of martial arts or kungfu, all of which can be traced back to one place - the Shaolin Temple. Over the centuries, various attempts at destroying Shaolin and its martial arts history proved to be futile, for the true spirit of martial arts has refused to die. And now returns, the legendary kungfu master, Lau Kar Leung, the third generation disciple of Wong Fei Hung,  bringing his talents into play in Shaw Brothers Film Studio's Drunken Monkey, an old school kungfu movie that stresses martial arts philosophies.

Drunken Monkey is Shaw Brothers' first movie since their withdrawal from the movie industry 10 years ago. Made with production budget of over HK$10 Million (US$1.3 Million), Drunken Monkey, an action comedy set in the 1930s, is about two youngsters' pursuit of martial arts from a kungfu master, their experiences and dawning realisation of life, their growth and development, and their love for the same girl. A practically wire-free movie that does not rely on CGIs, it showcases authentic kungfu and full-contact sparring.

Plot Synopsis :

Photo Courtesy of Colour China

Wen Bao and Chief of Zhenyuan Armed Escort Agency, Yu Hai-Yang, collude with each other, engaging in opium contraband activities. When Wen Biao (Liu Chia Liang) gets wind of the matter, he confronts his brother, Wen Bao. Wen Bao's wife begs for her husband's mercy. Wen Biao relents to her imploration and instructs Wen Bao to repent and start afresh. Wen Bao is supposed to turn over a new leaf but it turns out that he turns a deaf ear to Wen Biao's advice and plots to turn the tables on him. To silence Wen Biao and to prevent him from throwing a monkey wrench in their monkey business, Wen Bao and Yu Hai Yang conspire to ambush and kill him when he's out on an escort assignment. Wen Biao is injured and falls into the water...

In Chen Village Mansion, there lives a young lord, Chen Jiaye (Lau Wing Kin). Owing to the immense wealth of his family, he wastes his time doing nothing of significance. Growing up together with him is Ah De (Wu Jing). While Ah De is younger than Chen Jiaye, he is in fact of grand-uncle seniority to the latter. Despite their generation gap, the two are close as brothers, .

Having nothing better to do, Chen Jia-Ye, a grease monkey, attempts at formulating his own ultimate martial arts. Being eight strokes shy of complete Peerless Monkey Fist Manual, Chen Jiaye instructs his servants to suspend Ah De in the air, and wants Ah De to strike a monkey pose so that he can add a drawing of the new posture onto his manual. When his father discovers that his son is not studying diligently and is instead making a monkey out of himself (and of his granduncle, especially!), he gets very ruffled, as Papa Monkey would on discovering Sonny Monkey is endeavouring to burrow underground rather than learning the art of negotiating treacherous tree branches. Chen Jiaye has no choice but to sneaks away from home with Ah De so that he can fulfill his long-standing dream (or daydream) of creating an unrivalled martial arts manual.

Chen Jiaye and Ah De goes about in search of monkeys to be models for the former's martial arts manual. They run into a ferry lady, Xiao Min (Shannon Yao Yao). Xiao Min points them to a marketplace by the river where an artiste is role-playing Monkey King Sun Wu Kong on the street. However, Chen Jiaye feels that he can only gain inspirations from real monkeys. Later, they stumble upon a lane offering offering live animals for sale. Chen Jiaye purchases a monkey. When Chen Jiaye is painting, the monkey behaves - umm, well - like a monkey and escapes, frustrating Chen Jiaye greatly. Then, they notices Xiao Min mimicking the movements done by the monkey without much effort. Just when Chen Jiaye is about to resume his drawing based on Xiaomin's posture, she has already crept away.

Chen Jiaye and Ah De give chase. Chen Jiaye accidentally slips into the river. A ship passes by and Constable Hong Yi-Hu, who is onboard, gives him a helping hand (Indeed!). Chen Jiaye tells Ah De to continue his pursuit and to bring Xiao Min back to be his model. Ah De manages to catch up with Xiao Min. Xiao Min carries some fruit and wine onto her bamboo raft. Ah De furtively shadows her along the bank of the river. Xiao Min peels a fruit and feeds the monkey. Suddenly, something resembling an ape's arm snatches away the wine by Xiao Min's side. I'll be a monkey's uncle, exclaimed Ah De incredulously, giving himself away...

Meanwhile, Constable Hong Yi Hu heads for Zheny-Yuan Armed Escort Agency to look for Wen Biao so as to return his horse and to thank him for his kindness. Yu Haiyang tells him that Wen Biao has gone missing for three years. Hong Yi Hu regrets not being able to spar with Wen Biao, for both of them are trained in Monkey Fist, though they are from different sects.

* Notes:

Name variations: Liu Chia Liang is also known as Lau Kar Leung, Liu Yong Jian = Lau Wing Kin, Gordon Liu Chia Fei = Lau Kar Fei, Liu Chia Yung = Lau Kar Wing, Qi Guan Jun = Chi Kuan Chun