Once Upon a Time in China IV

1993 1h 41m CN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 63

ActionAdventureHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Wong Fei Hung must win another Lion Dance contest in order to defeat the eight foreign concessions in Shanghai.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo
Wong Fei Hung
Jean Wang Ching-Ying
"14th Aunt" May
Max Mok Siu-Chung
Leung Foon
Xiong Xinxin
Kwai Geuk-Chat
Billy Chow Bei-Lei
Iron Fist
Chin Ka-Lok
Duen Tin-Lui
Lau Shun
Wong Kei-Ying
Wang Jinghua
Miao Sanniang

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Yuen Bun
Writers: Elsa Tang Bik-Yin, Tsui Hark, Marco Mak Chi-Sin
Languages: Cantonese, German, French, English
Countries: Hong Kong, China

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

33 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Cantonese, German, French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Hong Kong, China.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Once Upon a Time in China Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Directed by Yuen Bun, shot by Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by William Wu Wai-Lap. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marco Mak Chi-Sin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo and Jean Wang Ching-Ying and Max Mok Siu-Chung carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Yuen Bun directs. Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai behind the camera. William Wu Wai-Lap scores. Marco Mak Chi-Sin cuts. Produced in Hong Kong, China. Dialogue in Cantonese, German, French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

133 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Cantonese, German, French, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Hong Kong, China.
4Part of the "Once Upon a Time in China Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Yuen Bun, shot by Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by William Wu Wai-Lap. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Marco Mak Chi-Sin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo and Jean Wang Ching-Ying and Max Mok Siu-Chung carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0107162 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 63 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Released under 15 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai
Original score: William Wu Wai-Lap
Editing: Marco Mak Chi-Sin
Makeup / hair: Kwan Lee-Na
Sound: Herman Chow Kam-Wing
Runtime: 101 min · 1h 41m
Status: Released
Box office: $12,000,000
Original language: CN
Certification (US): IIA
IMDB: Once Upon a Time in China IV (1993)

Part of

Once Upon a Time in China Collection

The Wong Fei Hung film series consists of six martial arts–historical movies from Hong Kong cinema, often starring Jet Li. Set during the turbulent late Qing Dynasty, the films portray the legendary physician and martial artist Wong Fei Hung as he confronts foreign powers, corrupt factions, and dark cults. Each installment reflects strong themes of patriotism, humanity, and traditional Chinese martial arts, offering a cinematic tribute to cultural heritage and heroic spirit.