The Snake Prince

Snake Prince (Ti Lung) is wandering with his snake buddies when he happens upon a beautiful maiden (Lin Chen-Chi) singing a prayer for rain. The song soon turns into a funky dance with the whole drought-blighted village, so the prince and his pals assume human form and join the party. The prince is so smitten with the maiden that he offers to share the snakes' river with the village if he can marry her. The villagers aren't too fond of the idea of marrying off their No. 1 babe to a snake, prince or no, but they really do need that water.

Directed by Lo Chen, The Snake Prince leans on a strong ensemble — Ti Lung, Lin Chen-Chi, Wong Yu — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 1976.