Just Another Pandora's Box, also known as Once Upon a Chinese Classic, is a 2010 Hong Kong parody film

Parody film

A parody film is a comedy that satirizes other film genres or films. Although the genre is often overlooked, parody films are commonly profitable at the box office...

 directed by Jeffrey Lau

Jeffrey Lau

Jeffrey Lau Chun-Wai is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, actor and producer. He was born on August 2, 1952. Liu Zhenwei is famous for writing and directing "mo lei tau" comedies...

 and starring Ronald Cheng

Ronald Cheng

-Biography:Originally intending to work behind the scenes as a composer and record producer, Cheng did odd jobs at his father ’s company EMI— which included doing back-up vocals for the likes of Alan Tam and Priscilla Chan — during summers as a youth...

, Gigi Leung

Gigi Leung

Gigi Leung Wing-kei is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress.-Biography:Given the name Leung Bik-Zi at birth, at the age of 7 her mother changed her name changed to 'Wing-Kei' for superstitious reasons; as a child, Leung suffered from frequent asthma attacks and it was believed a change of name...

, Betty Sun

Betty Sun

Betty Sun Li is a Chinese actress.She first entered show business by participating in 2001's Star Search, held by Singapore's Mediacorp...

, Eric Tsang

Eric Tsang

Eric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...

, Huang Bo

Huang Bo

Huang Bo is a Chinese actor.Huang was born in Qingdao, Shandong. He graduated from Beijing Film Academy.-Filmography:* Crazy Stone * The Jimmy Hat * Big Movie * Air Diary * Two Stupid Eggs...

, Guo Degang

Guo Degang

- Biography :Guo Degang was born in Tianjin. He began to learn pingshu when he was 8 years old.Guo went to Beijing in 1995 and established Deyun She , a xiangsheng performance theater, in 1996...

, Gillian Chung

Gillian Chung

Gillian Chung is a Hong Kong based singer and actress. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Charlene Choi.-Early life:...

, and Patrick Tam. It is a spiritual successor to Lau's two-part 1994 film A Chinese Odyssey

A Chinese Odyssey

A Chinese Odyssey is a pair of 1994 films, directed by Jeffrey Lau and starring Stephen Chow, Karen Mok, Ng Man Tat, and Athena Chu. The first movie in the duology is A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box and the second is A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella...

. Athena Chu

Athena Chu

Athena Chu is a Hong Kong actress and singer.-Biography:Chu attended The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 1990 to 1992, during which time she hosted children's shows on the television station TVB. After graduating in 1992, she started working on films. Her roles with Chow kick-started...

, who starred in A Chinese Odyssey, makes a guest appearance in Just Another Pandora's Box.

The film's Chinese title is pun on the Chinese title of the first part of A Chinese Odyssey, . The last three characters of each title are the same, only the first differs; the pronunciations of 月 and 越 are the same in both Cantonese

Cantonese

Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...

 (jyut⁶) and Mandarin

Standard Chinese

Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....

 (yuè). The older title translates literally to "Moonlight Magic Box"; in the title of this film, the character for "moon" is replaced by 越, in this context meaning "more" or "surpassing".

In addition to A Chinese Odyssey, the film spoofs Red Cliff and also makes references to other films such as The Eagle Shooting Heroes

The Eagle Shooting Heroes

The Eagle Shooting Heroes is a 1993 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Jeffrey Lau. It is a parody of Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.-Production:...

, Kung Fu Hustle

Kung Fu Hustle

Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 action comedy film directed and produced by, and starring Stephen Chow. The other film producers were Chui Po-chu and Jeffrey Lau, while the screenplay was written by Huo Xin, Chan Man-keung, and Tsang Kan-cheung...

, House of Flying Daggers

House of Flying Daggers

House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It differs from other wuxia films in that it is more of a love story than a straight martial arts film....

, CJ7

CJ7

CJ7 is a 2008 Hong Kong science fiction/comedy film co-written, co-produced and directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the film. It was released on 31 January 2008 in Hong Kong. It was also released on 14 March 2008 in the United States....

, Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...

, Titanic

Titanic (1997 film)

Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...

, King Kong

King Kong (2005 film)

King Kong is a 2005 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong....

, The Green Hornet

The Green Hornet (2011 film)

The Green Hornet is a 2011 American superhero action-comedy film based on the character of the same name that had originated in a 1930s radio program and has appeared in movie serials, a television series, comic books, and other media...

, and The Matrix

The Matrix

The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...

, as well as events like the 2008 Summer Olympics

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

..

Plot

Rose Fairy is sailing along the river when she suddenly trips on a rope and falls into the water. The trap is set by the robber Qing Yise, who wants to rob Rose Fairy. Qing Yise steals the Purple Sword from Rose Fairy and plans to sell it. Just then, Zhizun Bao appears and draws out the sword from its scabbard. Rose Fairy regains consciousness and thought that it was Qing Yise who unsheathed the sword. Since she has made a promise to marry the person who draws out the sword, she follows Qing Yise wherever he goes, leading to a cat-and-mouse chase between the two of them.

They run into Master Bodhi and his assistant, who are chasing after Bull Demon King for the Pandora's Box. By accident, Qing Yise recites a chant and activates the box, causing him to be transported back in time to the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 period. He finds himself as Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...

 around the time of the Battle of Red Cliffs

Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...

. He encounters many historical figures from that era and there begins a series of adventures for him.

Main cast

• Ronald Cheng
  Ronald Cheng
  -Biography:Originally intending to work behind the scenes as a composer and record producer, Cheng did odd jobs at his father ’s company EMI— which included doing back-up vocals for the likes of Alan Tam and Priscilla Chan — during summers as a youth...
  
   as Qing Yise / Zhao Yun
  Zhao Yun
  Zhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
  
   / Zhang Ziyi
  Zhang Ziyi
  Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
  
  's transvestite
• Betty Sun
  Betty Sun
  Betty Sun Li is a Chinese actress.She first entered show business by participating in 2001's Star Search, held by Singapore's Mediacorp...
  
   as Rose Fairy
• Gigi Leung
  Gigi Leung
  Gigi Leung Wing-kei is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress.-Biography:Given the name Leung Bik-Zi at birth, at the age of 7 her mother changed her name changed to 'Wing-Kei' for superstitious reasons; as a child, Leung suffered from frequent asthma attacks and it was believed a change of name...
  
   as Ambassador of Turkestan
• Eric Tsang
  Eric Tsang
  Eric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...
  
   as Zhuge Liang
  Zhuge Liang
  Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
  
  
• Huang Bo
  Huang Bo
  Huang Bo is a Chinese actor.Huang was born in Qingdao, Shandong. He graduated from Beijing Film Academy.-Filmography:* Crazy Stone * The Jimmy Hat * Big Movie * Air Diary * Two Stupid Eggs...
  
   as Zhou Yu
  Zhou Yu
  Zhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
  
  
• Guo Degang
  Guo Degang
  - Biography :Guo Degang was born in Tianjin. He began to learn pingshu when he was 8 years old.Guo went to Beijing in 1995 and established Deyun She , a xiangsheng performance theater, in 1996...
  
   as Cao Cao
  Cao Cao
  Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
  
  

Special appearances

• Athena Chu
  Athena Chu
  Athena Chu is a Hong Kong actress and singer.-Biography:Chu attended The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 1990 to 1992, during which time she hosted children's shows on the television station TVB. After graduating in 1992, she started working on films. Her roles with Chow kick-started...
  
   as Purple Cloud Fairy
• Gillian Chung
  Gillian Chung
  Gillian Chung is a Hong Kong based singer and actress. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Charlene Choi.-Early life:...
  
   as Sun Shangxiang
  Lady Sun
  Lady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of...
  
  
• Patrick Tam as General Xiahou

Guest stars

• Yuen Biao
  Yuen Biao
  Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
  
   as Liu Bei
  Liu Bei
  Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
  
  
• Huang Yi
  Huang Yi (actress)
  Huang Yi is a Chinese actress and singer. She graduated from the TV Film Department of the Shanghai Institute of Oriental Culture.- Filmography :Film references:- Discography :...
  
   as Xiao Qiao
  Two Qiaos
  The Two Qiaos refer to two sisters who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Their names were not recorded, so in later times they are referred to simply as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao . They were from Wan County, Lujiang Commandery...
  
  
• Alex Fong as Guan Yu
  Guan Yu
  Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
  
  
• Louis Fan as Zhang Fei
• Sandra Ng
  Sandra Ng
  Sandra Ng Kwan-yu is a Hong Kong film and television actress.-Biography:The daughter of Ng Kam-chuen, Ng was born in Hong Kong, where she attended St. Stephen's Girls' College. Encouraged by her parents, she began her entertainment career at the age of 16. She is most known through her comic...
  
   as Cook
• Stephy Tang
  Stephy Tang
  Stephy Tang is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. She was formerly the lead singer of the pop group Cookies.-Early life:...
  
   as Painted Skin
• Wu Jing as Chief guard

Other cast

• Tin Kai-Man as Soldier in forest
• Kenny Bee
  Kenny Bee
  Chung Chun-to , better known as Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer, musician and actor. He is well-known as a member of the Hong Kong English pop and cantopop band the Wynners, and as a solo artist who has been active in the Hong Kong entertainment industry for nearly three decades.-Career:Bee made...
  
   as Soldier holding torch
• Wang Xuebing as Bull Demon King
• Jeffrey Lau
  Jeffrey Lau
  Jeffrey Lau Chun-Wai is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, actor and producer. He was born on August 2, 1952. Liu Zhenwei is famous for writing and directing "mo lei tau" comedies...
  
   as Master Bodhi
• Marco Mak
  Marco Mak
  Marco Mak Chi-Sin is a Hong Kong film editor, director, production manager, actor, screenwriter, film producer, music composer and assistant director.-Director:* The Blood Rules * Love Correction * A Gambler's Story...
  
   as One-eyed General
• Corey Yuen
  Corey Yuen
  Corey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
  
   as Cao Cao's general
• Guo Tao
  Guo Tao (actor)
  Guo Tao is a Chinese actor.Guo was born in Beijing. He graduated from Central Academy of Drama in 1992.-Filmography:*1994, To Live*1997, Spicy Love Soup*1998, So Close to Paradise*2004, Green Hat*2006, Crazy Stone...
  
   as Hua Tuo
  Hua Tuo
  Hua Tuo was an ancient Chinese physician who lived during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. The Records of Three Kingdoms and Book of Later Han record Hua as the first person in China to use anesthesia during surgery. He used a general anesthetic combining wine with a...
  
  
• Wong Cho-lam as Cao Cao's guard
• Edmond Leung
  Edmond Leung
  Edmond Leung Hon-man is a Chinese singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and television host from Hong Kong. At age 17, Leung became a finalist in the 8th annual New Talent Singing Awards in 1989, which won him a contract with Capital Artists. He made his recording debut in 1990 with the...
  
   as Guard
• Yuen Cheung-yan
  Yuen Cheung-Yan
  Yuen Cheung-Yan is an actor, director, stuntman, and fight choreographer who has worked for many years in the Hong Kong film industry. During the 1970s and early 1980s, he worked with Yuen Woo-Ping and other members of the Yuen family on several films, some of them bizarre kung fu comedies such as...
  
   as Beggar
• Lam Suet
  Lam Suet
  Lam Suet is a Hong Kong actor.-Biography:Lam was born in Tianjin, and came to Hong Kong as a youth in 1979 to receive inheritance money left by his grandfather. Soon after all the money had been squandered and Lam had to work various odd jobs to make a living.In the mid-eighties he got employment...
  
   as O Sim
• Marco Ngai
  Marco Ngai
  Marco Ngai Chun Kit is a successful actor in Hong Kong and has been in many TV series such as Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 1997 , To Catch the Uncatchable and one of the favourites, Armed Reaction 1,2,3,4 .He is married to Zhang...
  
   as Wu soldier
• Chiu Chi-ling as Wu soldier
• Xing Yu
  Xing Yu
  Xing Yu a.k.a. Shi Xing Yu gained his fame after playing the role of Coolie in the movie Kung Fu Hustle.He was a 32nd generation martial monk at the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song ....
  
   as Wu soldier
• Lee Lik-chi
  Lee Lik-Chi
  Lee Lik-chi is a Hong Kong-based actor, film director and screenplay writer.-Filmography:*The King of Comedy *Gorgeous *The Lucky Guy *Troublesome Night 3 *Killing Me Tenderly...
  
   as Zhizun Bao
• Yu Rongguang
  Yu Rongguang
  Yu Rongguang is a Chinese actor and martial artist who started his career in Hong Kong. He is best known for the title role in Iron Monkey along with Donnie Yen as well as being featured in films such as The East Is Red, My Father Is a Hero, Musa.Yu is also known for appearing in roles for films...
  
   as Gan Xing
• Yuen Qiu
  Yuen Qiu
  Yuen Qiu is an actress and martial artist. She is an expert of both Chinese martial arts and Beijing-opera skills, and was apprenticed under the same master, Yu Jim-yuen, as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo at China Drama Academy.Yuen Qiu worked as a stunt woman and as a night club performer...
  
   as Landlady
• Yuen Wah
  Yuen Wah
  Yuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
  
   as Landlord
• Tats Lau
  Tats Lau
  Tats Lau Yee-Tat is a songwriter, musician and comedy actor in Hong Kong.- Music career :During the 1980s, Tats Lau was active in Hong Kong's independent music scene...
  
   as The Boy
• Xu Jiao as Dicky
• Ken Jonk as Cao Cao's solder
• Charmaine Fong as Cao Cao's soldier
• Michael Tong
  Michael Tong
  Michael Tong Man Lung is a Hong Kong actor.-TV series:*Return of the Cuckoo *In a Realm of Success...
  
   as Wu general
• Ada Choi
  Ada Choi
  Ada Choi Siu-fun is a Hong Kong actress best known for her work for TVB television, and to a lesser extent, for her film work. She was the second runner-up in the 1991 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant....
  
   as Princess Iron Fan
• Lam Chi-chung as Warrior Sunset
• Lee Kin-yan as Flower Girl
• Tse Kwan-ho as Agent Smith
• Sha Yi as General Qi Yan
• Li Yixiao as Lady Mi
  Lady Mi
  Lady Mi was the second wife of the warlord Liu Bei, who lived during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Lady Mi was the sister of Mi Zhu and Mi Fang, who previously served the warlord Tao Qian before joining Liu Bei's side...
  
  
• Yu Bin as Injured soldier
• Xu Wanqiu as Nurse
• Johnnie Kong as Assistant master
• Lin Wai-kin as Minister Lian
• Ken Wong as Lu Su
  Lu Su
  Lu Su , style name Zijing , was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
  
  
• Chen Kaishi as Big Mouth Jenny
• Yu Qian as Sign language performer
• Zhang Li as Liu Bei's wife A
• Li Na as Liu Bei's wife B
• Ai Mengmeng as Liu Bei's wife C
• Danny Chan as Soldier
• The Flowers as Cao Cao's soldiers
• Leo Ku
  Leo Ku
  Leo Ku Kui Kei is a famous China and Hong Kong artist, Cantonese and Mandarin pop singer, actor, host, cartoonist, MV Director and Producer, and designer; he is one of the highest visibility and Greater China Pop Male Artist, a major figure in popular music culture. Leo had earned the "Ten...
  
  
• Deng Chao
  Deng Chao
  Deng Chao is a popular Chinese actor, member of National Theatre. He achieved success when he acted as a leading role in the modern comedian drama Cui Hua, Serve Suancai, please. After graduating from Central Academy of Drama, Deng became even greater success from his acting in the historical...
  
  
• Hou Yong
  Hou Yong (actor)
  Hou Yong is a Chinese actor from Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. He graduated from the Jiangsu Drama School in 1989.-Filmography:-External links:* *...
  
  
• Wayne Lai
  Wayne Lai
  Wayne Lai Yiu-cheung is a Hong Kong TVB actor.-Biography:Lai entered TVB in 1983 as a clerk in the business department. In 1985, he gave up the job and trained in the TVB Acting School. He starred in a few series in 1989. He started out in some minor roles, and took on some more significant roles...
  
  
• Guo Xiaodong
• Wang Kuirong
• Li Yixiao
• Duan Yihong
• Fan Bingbing
• Zhang Ziyi
  Zhang Ziyi
  Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
  
  
• Li Xuejian
  Li Xuejian
  Li Xuejian is a Chinese actor. He is best known for his role as Song Jiang in The Water Margin, a 1997 television series adapted from the Chinese classical novel of the same title. Li has also played the roles of military personnel in television dramas set in the Chinese Civil War...
  
  
• Zhang Yishan
• Liu Xiaohua
• Guan Xiaotong
• Song Zu'er
• Ji Jiaxi

External links

• Just Another Pandora's Box at the Hong Kong Movie Database
  Hong Kong Movie Database
  The Hong Kong Movie DataBase is a bilingual website that was created in 1995 by Ryan Law to provide a repository for information about movies originating from Hong Kong and the people that created them....