King Hu

Directing

King Hu

Born April 29, 1932 · Beijing, China

Died January 14, 1997 · aged 64

Hu Jinquan (29 April 1932 – 14 January 1997), better known as King Hu, was a Chinese film director and actor based in Hong Kong and Taiwan. He is best known for directing various wuxia films in the 1960s and 1970s, which brought Hong Kong and Taiwanese cinema to new technical and artistic heights. His films Come Drink with Me (1966), Dragon Inn (1967), and A Touch of Zen (1970–1971) inaugurated a …

Known For

A Touch of ZenA Touch of Zen · 1970
A Touch of Zen
7.61970
MovieActionAdventure
Yang Hui-zhen, a mysterious princess on the run from corrupt government officials, is joined in her endeavors by skilled Buddhist monks and an unambitious painter named Gu Sheng-zhai.
SwordsmanSwordsman · 1990
Swordsman
7.01990
MovieActionAdventure
A kung-fu manual known as the Sacred Scroll is stolen from the Emperor's library. An army detachment is sent to recover it. Meanwhile, a young swordsman and his fellow disciple are accidentally drawn into the chaos.
Dragon InnDragon Inn · 1967
Dragon Inn
7.41967
MovieActionAdventure
China, year 1457. The Minister of Defense is executed, and his children are sentenced to exile by order of the tyrannical Tsao. Fearful of future revenge from the young people, Tsao sends cruel soldiers to murder them, but a brave group of swordsmen can change the course of the battle at the Dragon Inn.
Come Drink with MeCome Drink with Me · 1966
Come Drink with Me
6.71966
MovieActionAdventure
Golden Sparrow is a fighter-for-hire who has been contracted by the local government to retrieve the governor's kidnapped son. Holding him is a group of rebels who are demanding that their leader be released from prison in return for the captured son. After a brief encounter with the gang at a local restaurant, Golden Sparrow is joined by an inebriated wanderer Drunken Cat who aids her in her mission.
Raining in the MountainRaining in the Mountain · 1979
Raining in the Mountain
7.31979
MovieActionAdventure
In Ming Dynasty China, the retiring abbot of a Buddhist monastery invites two dignitaries to help him choose a successor, not suspecting that both of them have hired help to steal a priceless parchment kept in the temple.
Empress WuEmpress Wu · 1963
Empress Wu
6.41963
MovieDramaHistory
The renowned Li Li Hua plays Wu Ze Tian, the most famous woman in China's four thousand year history.
Four MoodsFour Moods · 1970
Four Moods
6.81970
MovieDramaFantasy
Directed by some of most well known Chinese-language directors of the time, the portmanteau film Four Moods was an attempt to alleviate Li Han-hsiang’s financial troubles during the late 1960s. Arguably one of his best works, King Hu’s short Anger is an adaptation of the famous Peking opera San Cha Kou; set to opera instrumentation and stylishly shot, the film deftly captures the tense showdown between political schemers, avengers and vagabonds inside an inn. Li Han-hsiang’s Happiness, inspired by the Strange Tales of Liaozhai, tells a tale of reprieve for a kind-hearted ghost, while Pai Ching-Jui’s Joy and Lee Hsing’s Sadness both explore the fateful encounters between mortal men and ghostly women.
Painted SkinPainted Skin · 1993
Painted Skin
5.91993
MovieFantasyHorror
A roving ghost spirit controlled by Ying Yang the Evil paints her face in the guise of a concubine. Her spirit can only be released by a ghostbusting monk who comes to her rescue.

Filmography

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