The original public account: yuanfangfm, focusing on travel and urban culture
As Marvel movies enter a new phase with Avengers 4, fans can't help but marvel at the grandeur of the Marvel universe. In fact, it is more than Marvel. From the DC Extended Universe, Monster Universe, which is still on the way, to the Dark Universe, which is suspected to have died, the concept of the universe has become the standard for Hollywood movies. On the other hand, in China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), it seems that there has never been a series that can be called a movie universe.
But this is not the case. As early as the 1990s, Hong Kong filmmakers had gathered the big-name lineups at that time, such as Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, Stephen Chow, Qin Pei, and Wu Mengda, and jointly created a Hong Kong film universe. Let's call it- - God of Gamblers Universe.
The rise of gambling films began in 1980. Director Wang Tianlin boldly brought the popular "Thousands of Techniques" in Guangdong and Nanyang into his film and television works, so there was a TV series "The King of a Thousand Kings", starring Xie Xian and Ren Dahua, and nearly ten years later. , there is no gambling film that can outperform.
Until 1989, Wang Jing, the son of Wang Tianlin, brought "God of Gamblers", which ignited the second glory of gambling films in one fell swoop. The popularity lasted for ten years, until Wang Jing and Zhou Xingchi parted ways after "The King of a Thousand Kings 2000", and gambling films gradually disappeared. And this time we want to talk about the movie universe built around "God of Gamblers".
To be able to call it a movie universe, there must be a huge cluster of movies, and within the scope of my limited understanding, there are 12 movies closely related to the "official history" of the God of Gamblers universe. Following the previous Marvel movie viewing order, we will first sort out a timeline for the God of Gamblers universe.
God of Gamblers cosmic heroes
Now that the timeline is clear, let’s talk about the “superheroes” in the God of Gamblers universe. Just like Marvel's heroes with their own characteristics, the God of Gamblers universe also gathers gambling heroes with different styles, especially the "Sacred Heroes" who are also known as the "Sacred Heroes" in later generations. . Among them, the deeds of "God · Saint · Hero" are also repeated stories in many works.
God of Gamblers - a back is the origin of the universe
Gao Jin, the God of Gamblers, is the core figure of the God of Gamblers universe. When he was young, he was adopted by Qian Wang Jinneng and taught gambling. In his youth, he still won the champion of the God of Gamblers contest in the series of plots by his master and senior brothers, and was conferred a god in the first battle. Due to too many challenges and betrayals in his life, he has created a thousand skills and an extraordinary mentality. Calm psychological warfare is his biggest killer, which can be seen from the "one-year plan" in "God of Gamblers 2".
At the beginning of the movie, God of Gamblers looks mysterious because there is only one picture of his back. In fact, his personal characteristics are very recognizable, such as his fondness for Feodora chocolate, his hair combing his back, and his turning jade rings (the prequel "God of Gamblers 3" will explain. The source of the feature, but some details conflict logically with the original).
In addition to his own trilogy movies, God of Gamblers' two apprentices are both independent in the arena and have their own independent movies. It is a pity that the glamorous "God·Saint·Xia" in the gambling world has a very bumpy love road, and this setting has continued in many subsequent gambling films. Among them, the God of Gamblers is the most serious. According to the trilogy, every woman who is close to Gao Jin will not die well, which is also the direct reason for Gao Jin's early retirement.
Gambler——Young and Dangerous can gamble, no one can stop
Chen Daozai is the most down-to-earth in "God·Saint·Xia", from his name to his experience. He does not have the grandmaster demeanor of the gambling god, nor the special ability of the gambling saint.
Dao Zai made his first appearance in "God of Gamblers" and became a disciple of the God of Gamblers at the end, and then he had his own independent film. Interestingly, the knife boy who combed his back and put on a white suit was defeated in front of the gambling demon Yoshiko. After changing back to sportswear at the end, he turned the tables, perhaps the young and Dangerous Boy's dress was his amulet.
In 2000, "Chinese Gambler" was released. The two characters who followed the name of Gambler, Aku (Gu Tianle) and Jersey (Zhang Jiahui), have similar street temperament. If the gambler is a faction of its own, then the image represented by this faction is Young and Dangerous.
After the first independent movie, Knife Boy never appeared again. Even the second movie named Gambler is actually the protagonist of Gambler, leaving only legends for future generations. Until the end of "Macao Fengyun 2" in 2015, Daozi and God of Gamblers appeared together, making the universe of God of Gamblers continue.
The Holy Gambler - a new field of thousands of techniques, special functions
Gambling Saint Zuo Songxing, the name pays tribute to the crew member Zuo Songsheng, and later the series was renamed Zhou Xingzu, collectively referred to as Axing for convenience. Ah Xing was originally the protagonist of Liu Zhenwei's work "The Saint of Gambling", a relative of the third uncle Wu Mengda in mainland China, who was found to have a magical effect on the gambling table, and has since been drawn into the gambling arena. Because A Xing fell in love with Qi Meng, his ability was inspired, and he finally defeated the gambling king Hong Ye and brought the beauty back.
The peculiar function of the gambling saint has become a bug-like existence in the gambling world where thousands of techniques and psychological warfare are rampant. However, the special function has a limitation, that is, it cannot make profit for itself (additional setting in "The Gambler"), so no matter how powerful the Gambler is at the gambling table, he is still poor, which also explains why the Gambler wants to apprentice to the Gambler. , learn pure gambling.
The Holy Gambler became the second disciple of the God of Gamblers in "Gambler 1", but because of his ability to be too eye-catching, he was besieged by a supernormal organization in "Gambler 2" and traveled to old Shanghai. Although the ending returns to modern times, according to the subsequent story line, A Xing, who met Qi Meng again, disappeared in seclusion again.
At the beginning of "The Gambling Saint 2: Street Gambling Saint", it was specially explained that the gods and heroes retired and the gambling saint disappeared, which was the Shanghai Beach incident. So the third uncle discovered the next generation of gambling saints - the masked gambling saints, although the appearance and funny ability are a notch worse, but fortunately they have the same simple side as Ah Xing, which is not disgraceful to the name of gambling saints. When it comes to "The Gambler 3: The Nameless Boy", it has nothing to do with the Gambler, so I won't go into details here.
Gambling tyrant - the return of a thousand skills, go to war
Gambling tyrants are happy, born in the fish market, and more down-to-earth than gamblers. Because she wanted to raise money for her brother's medical treatment, she had been swindling and cheating for a long time. This experience made her develop a thousand skills and adaptability. Because the third uncle Wu Mengda was forced to fight Master Hong again, he brought Youxi into the gambling world and called him the gambling tyrant.
Countless supernatural powers have emerged in this play, and even Lord Hong has learned the card shuffling technique. "Muggle" gambling tyrants have beaten many opponents with their ingenuity. In the last battle, although she lost to the gambling king on the cards, she relied on her quick adaptability and provoked Lord Hong to demonstrate the card shuffling technique in public, so as to prove that Lord Hong made a thousand wins and won the game, and was called the only queen of gambling.
It is worth mentioning that "Gambler" was released after "Gambler", and Gambler Axing only appeared at the beginning and end of the film. At the beginning of the film, A Xing and Qi Meng travel around the world, but at the end of the film, A Xing is seen returning alone, which corresponds to the departure of Qi Meng mentioned in "The Gambler". The timeline should be before "The Gambler", but the series has not explained the two. Reason for breakup.
Gambling Demons - Cunning and cunning, no guarantees for the evening
When I was young, I didn't know why, just hearing the name Chen Jincheng made me feel like a wily master. He is good at all kinds of techniques, traditional + technological means, and uses everything. Before the game, he will study the opponent's video to find flaws, no matter the details.
It's a pity that his opponent is the God of Gamblers, the gods and demons fought and lost in the end. In the second part, the thief's heart is not dead, and he sent his adopted son Hussein to challenge the apprentice of the God of Gamblers. If you count its related forces, he and the God of Gamblers have fought three movies, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are enemies.
It's a pity that Chen Jincheng was eager for revenge, and he chose the wrong backer. He met the madman Qiu Xiaochi and was cut off with both hands. At the end of his life, knowing that he has nothing to rely on, he can only entrust the God of Gamblers to avenge him. When helping the god of gambling to escape from his residence, he was killed by someone sent by Qiu Xiaochi. A generation of heroes and heroes were not guaranteed in the evening, and the hatred between the gods and demons was also released.
Gambler - the most inspirational villain
The gambling king Hongguang, known as Hong Ye, is different from the gambling demon in that his methods are not limited to the poker table. He finds a way to defeat the participants before the game starts. Hong Ye originally planned to train Ah Xing to defeat other players, and then defeat Ah Xing to win the gambling championship, but unexpectedly inspired Ah Xing to become a gambling saint and become his own worst enemy.
The story of Gambling King Hong Ye is very inspiring. After his failure, he did not fall down or find another support, but concentrated on learning the opponent's moves. When he appeared again in "Gambler", he had already learned the gambling saint's card shuffling technique , and even the physical fitness has returned to youth. In the end, the gambling king narrowly lost to the aggressive tactics of the gambling tyrant, but from the point of view of the cards alone, he has already won.
Hong Ye later appeared in the "Fighting Dragon 3 Years of the Rooster" in the image of a street veteran and an army of supernatural beings. A quick training can make Zhou Xingchi return to the gaming table to kill the Quartet, which shows that Qianshu is extremely accomplished.
Third Uncle - Stan Lee of God of Gamblers Universe
Wu Mengda, who plays the third uncle, is not as ubiquitous as Marvel's Stan Lee, but his role has surpassed that of many gambling characters.
In the first work of God of Gamblers, he appeared in the image of Hua Liucheng, a loan shark. Although he was only a supporting role, his performance was very eye-catching.
When it came to "The Saint of Gamblers", Wu Mengda became the second male lead and A Xing's third uncle. Since then, the scenes have run through 5 works. Although he is only a grass-roots player, he has led gambling saints, gambling tyrants, and masked gambling saints to enter the gambling world one after another, and they can all dominate one side, which shows that the ability to see people is first-rate. If it weren't for this Bole, the three outstanding masters might still be struggling in the countryside, and the third uncle is definitely the most powerful agent in the God of Gamblers universe.
The Long Family - From Dragon Five to Dragon Fifteen
Gambling films focus on wit battles, but in Hong Kong, where action films are prevalent, only literary dramas are boring. So the Long family contracted all the martial arts in the God of Gamblers series.
The first character to appear in the Long family is Long Wu played by Xiang Huaqiang, who was introduced to the God of Gamblers by the Japanese gangster Hiroji Ueyama. It is precisely because of this former Vietnamese guerrilla as a bodyguard that Gao Jin, who is surrounded by guns and arrows, can sit firmly at the poker table. In addition to protecting Gao Jin, Long Wu also protected two of his disciples, and even traveled to old Shanghai to help the gambling saint defeat the Japanese invaders.
The Long family is a bit like the Robins around Batman, but the role is much more important. Long Wu's sister Long Jiu (played by Chen Farong) once helped the gambler defeat the righteous son of the gambling demon, and his younger brother Long Qi (played by Donnie Yen) helped the masked gambler arrest the Macau gambling tyrant. Many years later, Long Wu's son Long Wu (Xiang Zuo) became Shi Yijian's bodyguard again. As explained in the plot of "Macau Wind and Cloud", at this time, Long Wu has changed from a gangster to a senior official of Interpol.
Gambling group portrait, a hundred schools of thought contend
In addition to those famous characters in the history of gambling, there are countless villains and supporting roles in the God of Gamblers universe.
Such as the Thai queen who is good at hypnosis;
Crazy and cruel Taiwanese haters;
The unlucky Macau gambler;
Silly Taiwanese gambling king;
As well as the major gangs and special function groups that operate behind them, they have jointly created a world view where a hundred schools of thought contend. Due to the limited space, they are not elaborated here.
derived pop culture
In addition to movies, Marvel has enriched the plot through American TV series and comics such as "Agents of SHIELD" and "Iron Man 3 Overture". The God of Gamblers universe also lacks works from other carriers as a continuation of the worldview.
Comic - "Legend of Gamblers"
In 1998, Wang Jing filmed "The Gambler 1999", and the plot and characters were not comparable to the Gambler of the year. However, the comic "Legend of Gamblers" produced by Kwong's Production Co., Ltd. in the same period connected the movie with the God of Gamblers universe.
The main line of the comic is the confrontation between Gambler Swordsman and Gambler Swordsman on behalf of the Asian Gambling Alliance after the God of Gamblers went into seclusion. The protagonist of "Gambler 1999", King, and Gambler Swordsman also had a fierce fight in the comics. In addition to inheriting the characteristics of gambling and fighting wisdom, the comics also add elements such as feng shui and formation, which are unique. Since then, the second part has been published, and the gambling saint is drawn into the comic plot, which can also be regarded as an explanation for the missing A Xing.
TV series - "The Winner is King"
Speaking of the TV series "The Winner is King", it is another childhood memory of the post-80s generation. There are two books related to the God of Gamblers universe. The content is about a commoner Shi Zhikang, how to upgrade and fight monsters step by step, and finally defeat the big players in the gambling world.
At the beginning of the whole article, the predecessors of the God of Gamblers universe are divided into five factions. Although no direct evidence has been found to show that they have the same world view as the God of Gamblers, we who were pure then naturally regarded him as a sequel.
The first big villain, Nie Wanlong, the descendant of the gambling king, was Qin Pei who played the role of Hong Ye, the gambling king. I don't know if it's a coincidence or intentional, but Nie Wanlong's best trick in this play is the way the gambler beat the gambler back then, proving that his opponent is out of a thousand and won without a fight.
Interestingly, the plot introduction on Wikipedia compares the characters in the play with Gao Jin, the god of gamblers. In this regard, he looks like the old madman Xiao Jianxian in Hong Kong Manga's "Dragon Tiger Gate" . Because of his madness, he is devoted to martial arts, so that the world is invincible and rejuvenated.
Macau - an imperfect comeback
Since 2014, Wang Jing has made a comeback with the trilogy of "Macau Wind and Cloud" at a rate of one a year, and also created a new role for the God of Gamblers universe-Magic Hand Shi Yijian.
The new God of Gamblers is also played by Chow Yun-fat, who is witty, flying cards, producing thousands and even high-tech, and is omnipotent. It is a pity that the box office of this series is acceptable, and word of mouth is on the street. The reason is that compared with the ingenious strategies of the previous gambling films, "Macao" is too thick and hodgepodge of lines, and the blunt jokes are slightly embarrassing. Many viewers feel distressed that Fa Ge is jumping up and down due to the tossing of the plot.
Even so, the appearance of Daozi, Gao Jin, and Long Wu, as well as the reappearance of various bridges in old movies, will still surprise people. God of Gamblers is back, even if it's not perfect. And for various reasons, the gathering of the three "God, Saint, and Hero" is already a distant dream.
Finally, one thing to learn from Avengers 4 is that we will eventually learn to say goodbye. Whether it is the God of Gamblers universe or the Marvel universe, we no longer look forward to new gambling films, let all our feelings bury in the bottom of our hearts, and grow a goodbye without regrets.
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