Identifying BSAWN & WSAWN...Best and Worst wuxia adaptations

[Felix]

BSAWN - Best Series Adaptations of Wuxia Novels.
WSAWN - Worst Series Adaptations of Wuxia Novels.

Can we come up with a list of the best and worst adaptations ever for each wuxia series. All wuxia author novels are welcome. The most important thing is it has to be faithful to the novel as much as possible. This is not a popularity contest, it is not about who like what series the most, it is whichever series is closest to the novel and which is the most far out from it. I am only taking series, no movies.

I will update as more of you debate.

For the crappy ones, please give examples of how crappy it is for others to view the opinion.

Best:
Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 1985 TVB
Legend of the Condor Heroes 2003 Mainland
Luk Siu Fung 1976 TVB
Return of the Condor Heroes 1995 TVB
State of Divinity 1996 TVB

Worst:
Demi Gods and Semi Devils 1994 CCTV
Duke of Mount Deer 2000 TVB
Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 1999 TVB
Hap Hak Hang 1989 TVB
Return of the Condor Heroes 1998 Singapore
Heaven Sword and the Dragon Sabre 2000 TVB

[Felix]

I heard somewhere that Flying Fox 1985 TVB and LOCH 2003 Mainland are like at least 90% faithful to the novel. Was State of Divinity 96 faithful, or is it just popular?

As for Demi Gods and Semi Devils 1994 - Hundreds of mistakes.

To start out, they merge Duan Yu and Hu Juk together into one person. WYY and the Xi Xia princess is the same person. The time period of the series was set after ROCH! H7G supposed to be a previous leader of Beggar Union before Kiu Fung. Some dude had a crush on Little Dragon Girl. Ah Zi and Ah Zhu are twins. MWQ dies. MRF dies. MRB and XYS dies.

[Ken Cheng]

Best:

LUK SIU FUNG (1976) - TVB

If you compare the novel to this series, it's almost as if the TVB scriptwriters told the actors, "Bugger it. We're not writing a script. Here's the novel: go memorize it. We're just going to do it straight."

That was the only time (that I know) that TVB ever made a wuxia adaptation that way.

[flyingfox2002]

I am rewatching LOCH2003 now, and while it is faithful to the novel in the main plotlines, at certain subtle points it doesn't quite capture the novel well.

For example, in the week-long sequence at Ox Village when GJ and HR are inside the secret room using 9 Yin to heal, I just don't quite get the sense of urgency in the series as in the novel. For one, most of the time GJ and HR are just spectating and chatting quite (quite loudly in fact while being only mere feet away from the people outside). They only had to link palms for a small fraction of the time there, while in the novel they had to touch hands nearly all the time and whispered. (They may have been able to relax without touching in the novel for small amounts of time, I am too lazy to reread that whole chapter) They didn't even establish that they mustn't lose contact while practicing.

Another thing off the top of my head is YK's mysterious prowess with the dagger. Inside the waterfall, he just kinda glides towards GJ while he's spinning for no apparent reason while HR is apparently helpless to stop him, and YK stabs GJ easily. Then OYF hits him with a palm intentionally as if to kill him, seemingly not caring about the tips to the mysterious 9Yin Manual anymore. Then he easily does the same thing to OYK while OYK, whose kung fu is so much greater than YK, could do nothing. In the novel, the situations make more sense and you see YK's opportunistic nature and how dangerous he can be.

The scene with GJ choosing to marry Hua Zheng is also missing a key conversation between HR and her dad which really show their "heretic" side and lack of regard for Confucian code of conduct that I feel really give great insight into their characters.

However, overall, LOCH2003 is still quite well done. I am just nitpicking. I have rewatched bits and pieces of LOCH82, it's not even that good.

[K2Grey]

I liked DGSD 2003.

[kidd]

I've not read the novel, but I has read many comments that said Legend of the Condor Heroes 1994 (TVB) is very faithful to the novel.

Anyone can confirm?

Which is more faithful? LOCH2003 or LOCH94?

[Wellesley]

I agree with State of Divinity 1995 being very close to the novel adaptation.

I have no seen too many Gu Long adaptations, except the LXF version by Alex Man (might have the name wrong). That adaptation is not based on the only novels that I have read, namely book 1 to 3, perhaps it is based on one of the later novels so I cannot say if it's accurate or not.

I have seen the 4 hour movie of Border Town Wanderer made in 1993 by Frankie Chan, excellent movie, and it was very faithful to the first half of the novel. I haven't read the last half so I can't tell, but the movie did not have the reappearance of a classic Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword character so it differs on that point at least.

State of Divinity 1995 has just a few difference that I can recall.

-The way Ren Wo Xing dies differs
-No final battle between LHC and Yue Buqun
-A few fights that were not in the novel, such as brief fights between Ren Wo Xing and Xiang Wen Tian, and XWT vs Zuo Lengchan
-in the series, after leaving the underground prison, the side-effects of XXDF are still a MAJOR problem for Ren Wo Xing, he even seeked the help of the kill a life save a life doctor to find a cure. While in the novel, Ren was extremely confident of having found the cure to the side-effects while he was inprisoned.

Still a great adaptation because Jackie Lui is the best LHC ever.

[kidd]

Worst:

The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 1999

- Merged Ma Chun Hua, Tian Gui Nong's daughter (forgot her name) and Yuan Zi Yi into one character called Nie Sang Qing (played by Joyce Tang).
- Completely removed Cheng Ling Su from the series and replaced her with a character called Yao Yi Yi (played by Annabella Lau). This character did not have any of Cheng Ling Su's skills, knowledge or personality, and was just put in the series for comic relief and to save Hu Fei near the end.
- Miao Ruo Lan came out very early in the series and has lots of screentime.
- Miao Ruo Lan got raped by Fu Kang An (as far as I know, never happens in the novel).

Entertaining as a standalone series, but not a faithful adaptation.

How can they remove Cheng Ling Su from the series?!! Was the producer afraid that Cheng Ling Su will steal the limelight for the female lead Miao Ru Lan?

Review by spcnet: http://www.spcnet.tv/TVB-Series/The-...view-r132.html

[Candide]

Best:

LUK SIU FUNG (1976) - TVB

If you compare the novel to this series, it's almost as if the TVB scriptwriters told the actors, "Bugger it. We're not writing a script. Here's the novel: go memorize it. We're just going to do it straight."

That was the only time (that I know) that TVB ever made a wuxia adaptation that way.

You've read a novel, Ken? This is a cause for celebration! Bring the wine, fellas!

The worst ones have to be all of the pathetic attempts to adapt HSDS so far.

Next would be the ones with that ugly dude with a face that looks like a dropped pie. I can't remember his name. He played Yang Guo once in a Taiwanese or Singaporean adaptation with that chick Fang or Fan something.

Best ones I've watched? The mainland ones. They still suck in many ways but at least they have hot actresses.

[kidd]

Next would be the ones with that ugly dude with a face that looks like a dropped pie. I can't remember his name. He played Yang Guo once in a Taiwanese or Singaporean adaptation with that chick Fang or Fan something.

Singapore version - Fann Wong (Fang Wen Fang) and Christopher Lee
Taiwanese version - Richie Ren and Jacqueline Wu

Christopher doesn't look too bad in this picture.

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Or are u talking about Richie Ren instead?

[Candide]

I got the girls mixed up, but yes, Richie Ren is the guy. My Buddha he's ugly!

[PJ]

I got the girls mixed up, but yes, Richie Ren is the guy. My Buddha he's ugly!

Lawrence "40 year old Zhang Wuji" Ng is worse!

[kidd]

Entertaining series but bad adaptation:

Hap Hak Hang 1989

- butchered the story a lot (lots of plot changes)
- the main character (Shi Po Tian) become a supporting character while the villain (Shi Zhong Yu) become the main character.
- SPT is a copy of HSDS86's Zhang Wu Ji while SZY is a copy if DOMD85's Wei Xiao Bao.
- lots of new characters created by the scriptwriters that are not in the novel.

[Candide]

Entertaining series but bad adaptation:

Hap Hak Hang 1989

- butchered the story a lot (lots of plot changes)
- the main character (Shi Po Tian) become a supporting character while the villain (Shi Zhong Yu) become the main character.
- SPT is a copy of HSDS86's Zhang Wu Ji while SZY is a copy if DOMD85's Wei Xiao Bao.
- lots of new characters created by the scriptwriters that are not in the novel.

Almost forgot that one! It was my most favourite series when I was a kid. Imagine my disappointment when I read XKX the novel. I thought the novel sucked!

[Candide]

Lawrence "40 year old Zhang Wuji" Ng is worse!

Oh yeah, his getting that role was like taking a dump on the unwritten rule of only choosing good-looking people to play the protagonists on TV.

[PJ]

Oh yeah, his getting that role was like taking a dump on the unwritten rule of only choosing good-looking people to play the protagonists on TV.

Yes, although we have to make the disclaimer that sometimes good-looking people produce no better results than bad-looking people. For example, Alec "hottie" Su is widely considered to have f*cked up the Zhang Wuji role.

[Candide]

What are you talking about? Alec Su is a girly estrogen-filled dude. He's just one level above the guys who fell off the ugly tree after they were born, hitting every branch on their way down, and were forced to eat ugly pills instead of mother's milk when they were babies (e.g Richie Ren & Lawrence Ng).

Zhang Wuji is a tall, muscular, masculine looking fella.

[kidd]

Oh yeah, his getting that role was like taking a dump on the unwritten rule of only choosing good-looking people to play the protagonists on TV.

There's not much choice back then. TVB were short of young actors at that time. The current crop of young actors like Raymond lam, Bosco Wong, Sammul Chan etc were either still playing bit parts or have not entered the entertainment industry yet.

Btw, have u watched the series? I heard some people said that although Lawrence Ng's age did not match the character, he actually potrayed the character well.

[flyingfox2002]

Didn't spc used to have many Alec Su groupies?
------

Btw, I think the biggest problem the mainland JY productions have is the editting. I wish I could get the full length versions instead of the condensed-for-tv ones.

[kidd]

Zhang Wuji is a tall, muscular, masculine looking fella.

This means that Ma Jing Tao is the best Zhang Wu Ji ever.