{ "id": "epg7j2kq7e", "slug": "snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow", "title": "Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure", "label": "Action and adventure films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films", "label": "Martial arts films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films.yr-1943-1985", "label": "Released 1943 to 1985", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films.yr-1943-1985" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films", "label": "China · 1946 to 2000: Martial arts films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946", "label": "China · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure", "label": "Action and adventure films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films", "label": "Martial arts films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手) is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Cheung Sum, starring John Cheung Ng-long and Wilson Tong, and released in February 1979.", "snippet": "Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手) is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Cheung Sum, starring John Cheung Ng-long and Wilson Tong, and released in February 1979.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.action-adventure.martial-arts-films.yr-1943-1985", "markdown": "# Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手)\n\n**Snake in the Monkey's Shadow** (猴形扣手) is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Cheung Sum (張森) and starring John Cheung Ng-long, Wilson Tong Wai-shing, and Charlie Chan Yiu-lam, released in Hong Kong on 15 February 1979 by Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) It was made during the late-1970s wave of independent kung fu productions and is identified by Chinese-language reference sources as a follow-up to [Jackie Chan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jackie-chan)'s *[Snake in the Eagle's Shadow](https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-eagles-shadow)* (蛇形刁手), with a similar plot structure built on martial arts combined with comedy.[3](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E7%8C%B4%E5%BD%A2%E6%89%A3%E6%89%8B/3304863?fromModule=lemma_inlink)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 猴形扣手 (Hóu Xíng Kòu Shǒu / Hau Ying Kau Sau); international titles *Snake in the Monkey's Shadow* and *Snake Fist vs. the Dragon*[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) |\n| Hong Kong premiere | 15 February 1979; produced by Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) |\n| Director and screenplay | Cheung Sum, co-writing with Wilson Tong, who also designed the action[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) • [4](https://moviecool.asia/film/yw4s7N4fdORc) |\n| Running time | 100 minutes[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) |\n| Martial arts content | Monkey Style, Snake Style, Drunken Boxing, and other animal-style kung fu[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) |\n| 1979 Hong Kong box office | HK$1,300,458.00 over its first week (15–21 February 1979), ranking 34th for the year[6](https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_46e14d320100072n.html) |\n| IMDb rating | 6.7[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThe story follows Liang (John Cheung Ng-long), a poor young fishmonger who is beaten and humiliated after a late delivery to a wealthy family, and who wants to learn kung fu so he can defend himself.[7](https://www.betaseries.com/en/movie/45441-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow) • [5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) He joins a local school run by Teacher Ho (Hau Chiu-sing), a master of the drunken style, and is eventually accepted as a student after proving his dedication by practicing at night what he has watched other students perform.[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) • [8](https://www.ecrater.com/p/27686864/vo1800a-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow)\n\nAfter Liang humiliates the two sons of the wealthy Yan patriarch, the father challenges Teacher Ho and is defeated; he then hires two snake-style fighters, Shao Sar and Lun Chun, known as the double snakes, to destroy the school.[8](https://www.ecrater.com/p/27686864/vo1800a-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow) • [9](https://www.fareastflix.com/SNAKE-IN-THE-MONKEYS-SHADOW_p_3429.html) One of the two snake-style fighters, played by Wilson Tong, was once defeated by the monkey-style expert Khoo San (Pomson Shi), a friend of Liang, and still seeks revenge.[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) The assassins kill Teacher Ho and later Khoo; while burying Khoo, Liang observes a monkey fighting a snake and conceives a new technique combining the monkey and drunken fists, which he uses to take revenge on the snake masters.[9](https://www.fareastflix.com/SNAKE-IN-THE-MONKEYS-SHADOW_p_3429.html) • [8](https://www.ecrater.com/p/27686864/vo1800a-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow)\n\n## Production and context\n\nThe film was produced by Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd., one of the independent studios active in Hong Kong during the late-1970s martial arts boom, and released in Hong Kong on 15 February 1979.[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) The Hong Kong Film Archive's filmography lists the production company as 協利電影(香港)有限公司, the [Chinese name](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinese-name) under which Goldig is identified in English-language sources, with 林醒凡 (Lin Hing-fan) as producer and 吳協雄 as presenter.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) The Chinese database MovieCool credits 吳協建 as both executive producer and presenter.[4](https://moviecool.asia/film/yw4s7N4fdORc) The collector-oriented retailer ClassicKungFuMovies instead names Alex Gouw as producer.[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979)\n\nCheung Sum directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Wilson Tong Wai-shing, who also served as action choreographer.[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) • [4](https://moviecool.asia/film/yw4s7N4fdORc) Other credited crew include cinematographer Fan Chuan-lin, editor Fan Kung-wing, and composer Chow Fook-liang.[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) The Hong Kong Film Archive records the film's dialogue language as [Cantonese](https://www.edgepedia.org/cantonese); Baidu Baike lists both Cantonese and Mandarin, while the English-language DVD edition is in Mandarin.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [3](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E7%8C%B4%E5%BD%A2%E6%89%A3%E6%89%8B/3304863?fromModule=lemma_inlink) • [2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979)\n\n## Cast\n\nThe credited cast includes John Cheung Ng-long as Liang, Wilson Tong Wai-shing as a snake-style assassin, Charlie Chan Yiu-lam as Hsia Sa, Pomson Shi as Koo Ting Sang, Hau Chiu-sing as Teacher Ho, and Tong Tin-hei as Master Yan.[2](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979) • [5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) Pomson Shi was a real-life Monkey Fist practitioner, and his monkey-style performance is one of the film's noted features.[10](https://www.flkcinema.com/movie/837) The Hong Kong Film Archive's entry also lists 陳耀林, 冼林煜, and 侯朝聲 among the principal cast.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf)\n\n## Release and reception\n\nAfter the Hong Kong premiere on 15 February 1979, the film played for one week, earning HK$1,300,458.00 and ranking 34th among 1979 Hong Kong releases.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [6](https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_46e14d320100072n.html) It reached [West Germany](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-germany) on 7 March 1980, the United States in May 1980, Portugal on 14 July 1980 (Porto), and Spain on 15 February 1982 (Madrid).[11](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079311/releaseinfo/) Baidu Baike states that after release the film became one of the representative works of the Hong Kong comic kung fu genre and helped fuel the wave of similar productions.[3](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E7%8C%B4%E5%BD%A2%E6%89%A3%E6%89%8B/3304863?fromModule=lemma_inlink) The Kung Fu Movie Guide notes that although the English title references the successful *Snake in the Eagle's Shadow*, the film adheres more closely to Jackie Chan's *Drunken Master*.[12](https://kungfumovieguide.com/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow/) On IMDb the film holds a rating of 6.7.[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou)\n\n## Home video\n\nThe film has circulated on home video under several titles and in cuts of different lengths. Reported running times include 100 minutes for the full version, 81 minutes on a Japanese DVD, 82 minutes on an American custom DVD, and 84 minutes on a German import, reflecting edited releases.[5](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou) • [13](https://posren.com/detail-172985.html) • [9](https://www.fareastflix.com/SNAKE-IN-THE-MONKEYS-SHADOW_p_3429.html) • [14](https://business.walmart.com/ip/Snake-In-The-Monkey-s-Shadow-NON-USA-FORMAT-PAL-Reg-0-Import-Germany/829314665) A German Blu-ray from Cargo Records presents the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio.[15](https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Zwei-todliche-Fauste-Blu-ray/288106/) A 2017 German limited edition from SchröderMedia was described as uncut and widescreen, with a new transfer from film plus a longer cut with inserts from an inferior source; a Red Sun region-all American DVD was noted as the uncut version containing the complete snake-versus-monkey footage absent from earlier video releases.[16](https://www.grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Snake_in_The_Monkey%27s_Shadow/DVD)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Hong Kong Film Archive, 港產電影一覽 (1913–2003), entry for 猴形扣手](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf)\n2. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow A.K.A. Snake Fist vs. the Dragon (1979), ClassicKungFuMovies.com](https://classickungfumovies.com/products/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow-aka-hou-hsing-kou-shou-1979)\n3. [猴形扣手, Baidu Baike](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E7%8C%B4%E5%BD%A2%E6%89%A3%E6%89%8B/3304863?fromModule=lemma_inlink)\n4. [《猴形扣手》, 華文影劇數據平台 MovieCool](https://moviecool.asia/film/yw4s7N4fdORc)\n5. [Hou Hsing Kou Shou (1979), MovieMeter.com](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/hou-hsing-kou-shou)\n6. [1979香港电影票房, Sina blog](https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_46e14d320100072n.html)\n7. [猴形扣手 / Snake in the Monkey's Shadow, BetaSeries](https://www.betaseries.com/en/movie/45441-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow)\n8. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow DVD description, eCrater listing](https://www.ecrater.com/p/27686864/vo1800a-snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow)\n9. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow, Far East Films](https://www.fareastflix.com/SNAKE-IN-THE-MONKEYS-SHADOW_p_3429.html)\n10. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow aka Snakefist vs The Dragon, FLK Cinema](https://www.flkcinema.com/movie/837)\n11. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (1979) Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079311/releaseinfo/)\n12. [Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (1979), Kung Fu Movie Guide](https://kungfumovieguide.com/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow/)\n13. [“酔猿拳”VS“蛇拳” DVD情報, ぽすれん](https://posren.com/detail-172985.html)\n14. [Snake In The Monkey's Shadow (Germany, Region 0 PAL), Walmart Business](https://business.walmart.com/ip/Snake-In-The-Monkey-s-Shadow-NON-USA-FORMAT-PAL-Reg-0-Import-Germany/829314665)\n15. [Zwei tödliche Fäuste Blu-ray (Snake in the Monkey's Shadow), Blu-ray.com](https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Zwei-todliche-Fauste-Blu-ray/288106/)\n16. [Snake in The Monkey's Shadow/DVD, The Grindhouse Cinema Database](https://www.grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Snake_in_The_Monkey%27s_Shadow/DVD)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Action and adventure films (individual works) › Martial arts films › Released 1943 to 1985*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手)](https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow](https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Snake in the Monkey's Shadow (猴形扣手)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/snake-in-the-monkeys-shadow. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Snake in the Monkey's Shadow is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Cheung Sum, starring John Cheung Ng-long and Wilson Tong, and released in February 1979." }