I saw this one under the title SNAKE IN THE GHOST'S SHADOW. It's a routine chop-socky story about a couple of orphaned brothers whose father is killed by an evil master. They're separated and reunited twenty or so years later by which time each has become a master in his own martial arts style; one crane, one snake.Everything about this film is typical for the genre, with a profusion of fight scenes which fail to connect with the audience. It's a surprise that the choreography is below par, because Meng Fei and Flash Legs Tan were both respected martial arts in their own right so teaming them up should have been a dead cert. Instead what we get is a movie which merely goes through the motions without innovating. The main bad guy lacks presence and director Wu Ma shoots with a minimum of fuss and style. The training scenes and plot twists aren't bad but you can do a lot better for this genre.

A.k.a. SECRET OF THE DRAGON (on DVD), SNAKE CRANE SECRET (vhs) boasts some interesting (and sometimes hilarious) touches: whenever Er Lang (Meng Fei) uses his crane style of kung fu, we hear a crane whoop; when Tai Kung Liang (Tan Dao-ling, a.k.a. "Dorian Tan") uses his snake fist, we hear the hissing of a snake. It would be interesting to find out if this was director Wu Ma's idea, or something thrown in by the people doing the dubbing. The dubbing overall is unusual in this film (the music choices are particularly fun). This is a classic scenario, with Er Lang being raised in a kung fu temple and Tai Kung growing up to become an Imperial soldier. When soldier Kung arrives at the temple looking for the secret kung fu manual safeguarded by Er Lang, Er Lang slips away with it. In town, the Sun and Moon group is hunted by the Chings. Er Lang and Kung meet and scrap, but the manual doesn't change hands. Er Lang moves in with a local pickpocket and gives the beggar a manual- just not the one everyone's after. Hung Kung-shan (You Tian-long), who killed the parents of Er Lang and Kung, kills the beggar. The Sun and Moon group is ambushed by soldiers (led by the scar-faced Shao Tin-san- Dean Shek), but are saved by Hu Quay, Er Lang and Kung's uncle, who, years earlier, had betrayed their father. (To his everlasting credit, he didn't know that the family was to be murdered.) There are some solid action sequences in SNAKE CRANE SECRET and, as already stated, the direction is interesting. Well worth a look.

i have seen this movie many times, and each time i watch it, it gets better and better. if you have the opportunity to purchase this movie, i highly suggest it. the plot is very simple to follow, the kung fu is great, and the end fight seen is bad ace.

I enjoyed the movie. The video cost $2.99 so the price was okay. These kung-fu movies often are done in a similar formula. I did not expect anything really new and different. There are some pretty girls in the movie. If you like to watch the martial arts movies on Saturday TV then you will probably find this one worth a watch too!