Background
Sammo Hung was solidly established as a
multiple-threat talent (martial arts choreographer, director and actor) by
1982. His earlier films include Enter the Fat Dragon, Knockabout (the
first starring role for Yuen Biao), The Victim, and Encounter of
the Spooky Kind.
Also in 1982, Sammo Hung directed Carry
On Pickpocket, and in short order made the financially successful
films Winners and Sinners, Wheels on Meals, and The Owl
and Bumbo (which introduced Michelle Yeoh to the big screen).
Foreground
The plot couldn't be simpler. The
only son (Yuen Biao) of a rich man thinks he is the town's best fighter;
the truth, however, is that his parents have paid off opponents to keep
him from being hurt. When a visiting Chinese opera singer and kung
fu master (Lam Ching-Ying) reveals the truth to him, the "prodigal
son" (a man who wastes the material resources of his father) seeks to
learn from the master. Many fights ensue until the duo come in
contact with other "masters": one is another deluded
"prodigal son" (Frankie Chan Fan Kei) and the other a single
father and former associate (Sammo Hung) of the opera singer. More
mayhem ensues.
The fighting is snappy and
near-continuous. It's definitely "old school," with nearly
all the moves obeying the laws of gravity, although some have to be seen
to be believed. Sammo Hung is not afraid to make a fool of himself
in his supporting role, and the movie is all the better for it. Yuen
Biao is fine as the titular character, but it is Lam Ching-Ying who
carries the weight of the story's dramatic elements. As director,
Sammo Hung also deserves credit for the brisk pace and the balancing of
drama and comedy with the furious martial arts action.
The film is not rated. Plenty of
fighting, of course, along with some briefly explicit violence (including
two beheadings) and blood spattering.
DVD: look, sound, and features
Amazing transfer! The colors are
bright and sharp, and the blacks are very deep. To be sure, the
source print (2.35 to 1) reveals numerous blemishes, scratches, etc., but
that is hardly surprising considering the age of the film. A fine
job by Universe.
The remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is
fine - the added surrounds are used for insect sounds, crackling fire, and
the like, in an unobtrusive way. Audio tracks are provided in Cantonese and Mandarin.
The removable white subtitles are OK. Subtitles are provided in
traditional and simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa
(Indonesia), Bahasa (Malaysia), Thai, and Vietnamese.
The disk is divided into 8 chapters.
Additional features includes stars' files for Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung,
and trailers for the original theatrical release, Eastern Condors,
and Millionaires' Express.
Buy, rent, or pass?
Rent. An excellent example of a
currently dead genre (so-called "Old School" Kung Fu), and an
enjoyable film to boot.
(Reviewed 1/2/01)
