THE KILLER -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 3/24/10

 

I wasn't that impressed with THE KILLER (1989) the first time I saw it back in the 90s. Then again, I was watching a choppy pan-and-scan VHS copy that was badly-dubbed and looked awful. Plus, I'd just been blown away by HARD BOILED (still my favorite John Woo film), and THE KILLER seemed rather tame in comparison with that insanely action-packed epic. But with the new 2-disc Ultimate Edition of THE KILLER on the Dragon Dynasty label, I'm finally getting to see it in all its uncut pictorial glory and appreciate it as one of the finest action films ever made.

I think it was an episode of the great TV series "The Incredibly Strange Film Show" that first got me interested in the films of John Woo, Tsui Hark, and other hot Hong Kong directors. I found the innovative and extremely rapid-fire editing in the film clips to be a new and exhilarating visual experience. Just as the Beatles interpreted American rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues and played it back to us in exciting new ways, Hong Kong cinema was assimilating the methods of Sam Peckinpah and others and using this as a starting point for creating a super-charged cinematic style that would, in turn, have an overwhelming effect on the future of American action cinema.

Woo himself credits many influences, among them French director Jean-Pierre Melville, certain Japanese films, and classical American cinema. Unsurprisingly, Sam Peckinpah and Martin Scorcese are key figures in the development of his film style, in addition to the old Hollywood musicals. Woo calls THE KILLER an "action-musical", and it's easy to see how his shoot-em-up sequences are often inspired by the spirit of that genre's more dazzling and dynamic production numbers. (I'm guessing Woo is an admirer of Gene Kelly and films such as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and ON THE TOWN.)


There's even a little bit of Charlie Chaplin's CITY LIGHTS, I think, in the relationship between ace hitman Ah Jong (the great Chow Yun-Fat) and Jennie (Sally Yeh), the pretty young cabaret singer who was blinded during one of his hits. The guilt-ridden Ah Jong befriends Jennie with the hope of helping her regain her eyesight with a cornea transplant, but to pay for the operation he will have to postpone his plans to retire and perform one last hit. Complicating matters is the fact that the evil Triad boss for whom he works has just put out the order for Ah Jong himself to be eliminated.

Meanwhile, Inspector Li Ying (Danny Lee), a renegade cop who has the same "hate-hate" relationship with his boss as countless other renegade cops before him, is hot on Ah Jong's trail and has traced him to Jennie. In a strange turn of events, cop and hitman become grudging allies as Li Ying sympathizes with Ah Jong's desire to help Jennie and decides to back him up when the Triad kill squad comes a-callin'. This leads to a blazing shoot-out in a church with the fate of our unlikely heroes in the balance.

Unlike the usual stoic, repressed action figure, Chow Yun Fat's character is a man of deep feelings whose code of killing only bad guys is compromised not only by Jennie's injury but by the shooting of a little girl during an exciting escape from the police. Ah Jong risks his freedom to race the girl to a hospital, where he and Li Ying have one of many Mexican standoffs (Woo really loves these) just a few feet away from where doctors are struggling to save the girl's life.

Here, and in Ah Jong's scenes with Jennie, Woo's penchant for melodrama and sentimentality come to the fore. Such unrestrained romanticism may be off-putting to more hardcore action fans who prefer their mayhem untainted by mush. Although it gets a little thick at times, I think this gives an interesting added dimension to Woo's passages of gun-blazing carnage, as does the underlying religious tone (Woo describes himself as a Christian) which makes Ah Jong such a conflicted character seeking redemption.


Also interesting is the fact that Li Ying begins to identify with and even admire him for his honorable qualities--Woo points out their similarities in a nice parallel-image sequence--as their mutual concern for Jennie has them pretending to be and eventually becoming friends. Woo's humor comes to the fore when they initially hold each other at gunpoint while assuring the blind Jenny that all is well, even giving each other affectionate nicknames "Small B" and "Shrimp Head" (or "Mickey Mouse" and "Dumbo" in the English dub). By the end of the movie, they're as close as brothers and willing to die for each other.

More than anything else, however, THE KILLER is a feast for action connoisseurs as Woo stages one astounding shoot-out after another. His trademarks are all here, from the rapid-fire two-gun approach (his heroes never seem to run out of bullets) which has since been adopted by, well, everybody, to the sliding-backward-on-the-floor-while firing method, to everything else in-between. Innovations abound, with Woo's distinctive use of slow-motion and freeze-frames mixed with the regular action as his artistic sensibility sees fit, all creatively edited into a barrage of explosive images that bombard the viewer in waves of kinetic visual sensation.

Some of the action borders on the surreal, with scores of bad guys swarming non-stop into the line of fire only to be mowed down in twisting, jerking, blood-spewing (yet strangely balletic) death throes. Echoes of the famous shoot-outs from Peckinpah's THE WILD BUNCH pervade the climactic battle in the church, while the melodrama of the story weaves its way through the hail of bullets and fiery explosions toward a starkly emotional conclusion. It bears noting that Woo improvised much of the story and dialogue on-set, shooting from a treatment rather than a finished script, yet considers this to be one of his most "complete" films.


The Dragon Dynasty DVD is in the original widescreen with Dolby Digital sound. Languages are Cantonese and dubbed English, both mono, with English and Spanish subtitles. The second disc includes an intimate interview with John Woo, two audience Q & A's with Woo which accompanied screenings of THE KILLER and HARD BOILED, a look at the locations of THE KILLER then and now, and a John Woo trailer gallery. Missing in action is a commentary track.

Whether you're a long-time fan or just seeing it for the first time, Dragon Dynasty's Ultimate Edition of THE KILLER is a great way to experience this dazzling Hong Kong action classic.

THE KILLER -- DVD Review by Porfle

PROTEGE -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 2/20/09

 

If you saw DONNIE BRASCO (or better yet, read the riveting book by Joe Pistone, who lived it), you'll already have an idea of the conflicting loyalties and constant fear of discovery experienced by undercover cop Nick (Daniel Wu) in the offbeat Hong Kong cop thriller PROTEGE, aka "Moon To" (2007).

For years Nick has been living as the trusted protege to Lin Quin (a makeup-aged Andy Lau), an ailing heroin kingpin who wishes to make a last big score so that his family will be set for life when he dies. Not the usual cartoon villain, Lau portrays Quin as a practical businessman who loves his family and rationalizes that his drugs only ruin the lives of weak-willed lowlifes. But when a botched drug raid indicates a rat within the organization with Nick as a suspect, Quin displays his ruthless and lethal side in a tense interrogation scene.

As Donnie Brasco developed warm feelings for his aging mob mentor Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero over the years, so Nick finds himself caring for the dying Quin and his unsuspecting family. But the pain and suffering caused by Quin's heroin is brought home when Nick meets Fan (Zhang Jing Chu), a single mother living in his apartment building with her adorable three-year-old daughter. Fan is a wretched addict hiding from the abusive husband (Louis Koo) who got her hooked and who uses their own daughter to help him smuggle drugs. As Nick becomes more involved with Fan, trying his best to help her and her daughter, his inner conflicts slowly begin to reach a breaking point.

PROTEGE isn't your typical Hong Kong actioner--there isn't a single chop, kick, or really outlandish stunt--but the human drama is pretty intense. Just as you start to think it's going to be all about police vs. bad guys, the story goes in unexpected directions as Nick's relationships with Quin and Fan keep him in constant emotional turmoil.

The very first scene gives a good indication that we're in for something unusual. With brilliantly sunlit clouds swirling past outside, Fan shoots up in her crumbling apartment, then slowly sinks onto the couch, dead to the world. As harsh light shines through paper-patched windows and ragged curtains drift in the breeze, a bright red doll carriage rolls into the frame. Fan's daughter approaches her mother tentatively, plucks the needle from her arm, toddles over to the wastebasket, and daintily drops it in, as though she's done this countless times before. The scene is both horrible yet somehow dreamily ethereal, and a provocative way to start a movie.

Former Shaw Brothers actor Derek Yee's direction is sharp and imaginative yet remarkably unflamboyant, allowing him to emphasize certain scenes using only subtle stylistic changes. When he slowly rocks his camera from side to side during Nick and Fan's disturbing sex scene (Nick is awakened on the couch by a heroin-addled Fan and then frightened by her ecstatic convulsions during intercourse) it isn't merely to make the visuals more kinetic but to convey her disorientation from reality and his own confused feelings.

Certain moments related to Fan's shocking deterioration seem right out of a horror movie, while time-lapse shots of roiling clouds speeding past her slumlike apartment building (Yee photographs this location and its slovenly interiors beautifully) are unsettlingly surreal. Conversely, the film assumes a colorful travelogue look when Quin takes Nick to Thailand to meet the main man in the heroin chain. Beautiful country settings with hazy blue mountains and dazzling poppy fields serve as a stark contrast to the dark, miserable end result of such an endeavor.

Yee's screenplay is intended to enlighten us about the various aspects and consequences of heroin trafficking, and from this pastoral starting point (which sometimes has the bland instructional tone of an educational film) we're shown how the raw materials are refined in Quin's warehouse "kitchen" and turned into bricks of almost pure heroin for distribution. Early on, a mixup of ingredients that threatens to ruin an entire batch leads to a tense montage with Quin and his employees scrambling to salvage it. Yee and editor Kong Chi-Leung speed things up here and almost have us rooting for the bad guys to succeed, which gives us an idea of what Nick's daily life must be like.

The one really riveting action sequence in the film comes when a group of Customs officers, unaware that Nick is an undercover agent, apprehend him after he leaves the kitchen and brutally beat him until he leads them back to it. Suddenly all hell breaks loose as Quin's "cooks" dash to destroy the evidence while the Customs officers break down the steel door. Their leader is played by Liu Kai Chi, who was a renegade cop in 2005's KILL ZONE (aka "Saat po long") and is even more wonderfully out-of-control here. Graphic violence ensues, and a harrowing escape attempt from a window to a balcony below leads to one of the most realistic high-fall death scenes ever filmed. This sequence definitely got my heart pounding for awhile.

Daniel Wu brings a quiet strength and intensity to his role--we can see how Nick cares not only for Fan and her child but for the devastation Quin's family will endure when his crimes are exposed. Andy Lau is so likable as Quin that we can almost sympathize with him until he expresses his contemptuous disregard for the misery he causes. As Fan, Zhang Jing Chu does a remarkable job conveying a delicate waiflike quality one moment and then transforming into a mindless degenerate the next. (Described as a "cunning linguist" in Bey Logan's commentary, she had to learn Cantonese for the part.) Louis Koo comes off as a bit of a caricature as her no-good husband, yet he's interesting to watch and his eventual fate is nicely-played. Director Yee himself appears as Nick's boss on the police force. As for Liu Kai Chi, well, he's a wild man. I love the guy.

In 2.35:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital sound, the DVD looks and sounds fine. While this Dragon Dynasty release contains only one disc, there are the usual substantive extras, including the highly-informed and enthusiastic commentary we've come to expect from Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. There's a well-produced "making of" featurette that lasts almost half an hour, followed by low-key, thoughtful interviews with Daniel Wu, Zhang Jing Chu, and producer Peter Chan. These indicate the depth of interest in the subject by all involved and how much research was done, particularly in talking to actual addicts and trying to discern what leads them to pursue heroin use at the cost of their own lives. The theatrical trailer is included, and the film can be watched in either the original Cantonese or the English dub with subtitles for the hard-of-hearing.

PROTEGE is that rare thriller that is so emotionally involving that it doesn't need to keep the viewer's interest stoked with a succession of fights and stunts. Rapid-fire editing and flashy camerawork are used sparingly (and are all the more effective for it in certain scenes), with the emphasis placed instead on rich characterizations, gripping suspense, and some images that are genuinely haunting. "Why do people take drugs?" Nick keeps asking himself throughout the story, and at the end, he finds out the hard way.

 

PROTEGE -- DVD review by porfle

BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 9/9/09

 

Director Jacob Cheung stages a sweeping epic of ancient warfare and political intrigue with BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS, aka A Battle of Wits (2006). Despite the somewhat cheesy-sounding new title, this is amazing, superbly-mounted filmmaking on a grand scale, yet the human drama is strong enough not to be overshadowed by the visual opulence.

In the Warring States Era of China circa 370 B.C., the walled city of Liang comes under siege by the vastly superior forces of the conquering Zhao army. In desperation, Liang turns to the Mozi, legendary peacekeeping warriors who are experts at defense, for help. They send one man, Ge Li (Andy Lau).

Ge Li's brilliant tactics allow Liang to defeat the Zhao and drive them into retreat, but Ge Li's growing popularity with the people prompts the despicable king (Zhiwen Wang) to order his execution under false charges. Ge Li escapes with some of his followers, then returns when Liang falls to a surprise second invasion from the Zhao.

Renowned Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, who recently did a fine job as an aging drug kingpin in PROTEGE, makes Ge Li into a heroic and admirable character whose goal is to bring peace to the warring factions. Thus his betrayal by the duplicitous, egotistical king and the subsequent atrocities committed against those loyal to Ge Li are the stuff of classic tragedy.

This is compounded by a doomed love affair between him and a female cavalry officer named Yi Yue (Fan Bingbing), who bitterly rebukes the king and is also sentenced to death. Others who rebel against Ge Li's treatment and suffer the consequences are master archer General Niu Zi Zhang (Siu Ho Chin) and Prince Liang Shi himself (Korean pop star Siu Ho Chin).

As an action film, BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS becomes somewhat anticlimactic about halfway through, right after the battle sequence between the Zhao and the hopelessly outnumbered Liang. As a tragic romance, character study, and political thriller, it remains compelling to the end. Ge Li's relationship with Zhao commander Xiang Yan-zhong (Sung-kee Ahn) is especially interesting--they're rational men who can see warfare for the game that it is, which allows Ge Li to suggest a dispassionate resolution for the commander to consider. Such reason, however, is beyond the king, who continues to use violence and terror to preserve his power.

For me, though, the best part is the siege that takes place during the first half of the film. Part RETURN OF THE KING, part THE ALAMO, with a SEVEN SAMURAI vibe running through it as well, it's a stunning battle sequence using a full-scale set of the walled city and thousands of extras and horses--the kind of exhilarating, old-fashioned epic filmmaking that you just don't see enough of anymore. The Zhao attack is fierce, and Ge Li's amazingly clever strategies for driving them back and finally defeating them are thrilling. (The only drawback, naturally, is some hinky CGI that pops up here and there.) A couple of subsequent battle scenes in the latter half of the film--including the rather fanciful sight of enemy warriors floating over the city's walls in little hot air balloons--are there mainly to serve the story and don't generate nearly as much excitement.

Director Cheung keeps the camera moving with a succession of impressive shots, and the cinematography by Yoshitaka Sakamoto is fine. Opulent set design and authentic costumes add to the visual splendor. The musical score by Kenji Kawai is powerful and evocative.

Dragon Dynasty presents the film on a single disc in 2.35:1 widescreen with Mandarin Dolby 5.1 and English Dolby 5.1 sound. Subtitles are available in English and Spanish. Bonus features consist of a lengthy featurette, "The Making of Battle of the Warriors", and an informative commentary track by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan.

With Andy Lau's fine lead performance, technical excellence in all areas, and a story that combines rich human drama with some of the most awe-inspiring battle scenes of recent years, BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS is an intense and memorable film.

BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS -- DVD review by porfle

SHAOLIN MANTIS -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 11/9/10

 

Another one of those Shaw Brothers gems from the 70s, SHAOLIN MANTIS (1978) is an absorbing story with some nice atmosphere and lots of furious fight action from director Chia-Liang Liu of the 36TH CHAMBER series. 

An elder scholar presents his son, Wei Feng (David Chiang, THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN), to the Qian dynasty emperor but lives to regret it when Wei is enlisted in the emperor's plan to infiltrate a rebel clan working to overthrow him.  Wei is given a three-part deadline for returning with evidence against the Tian clan: in three months, his father will lose his title; in six months, his family will be imprisoned; and in one year, they'll be executed.  Real peach of a guy, this emperor. 

Wei manages to enter the Tian household by becoming a teacher to the cute but extremely spoiled Zhizhi (Huang Hsing-hsiu), granddaughter to the Old Master (Chia Yung Liu).  Zhizhi falls in love with Wei and they marry, but he isn't allowed to leave the house after Old Master discovers that he's a Qian spy.  After finding some evidence which the emperor needs to arrest the Tians, Wei must then fight his way out by confronting Zhizhi's uncles in battle and finally facing the Old Master himself. 

The first action scene comes early on as the Qian emperor demands a demonstration of Wei's abilities.  He first defeats a Mongol warrior, then a monk played by Chia Hui Liu, aka Gordon Liu (RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER, KILL BILL), in a lively sequence with plenty of action. Later, when Wei begins teaching the unruly Zhizhi, the story gears down and becomes a romantic comedy for awhile as the young girl flirts with her handsome tutor and begins to fall for him.  The relationship is light and fun, carrying us through a mostly uneventful stretch as we wait for the other shoe to drop.
 

Things get serious again around the halfway point when Wei and Zhizhi decide to defy the Old Master and leave the house, at which point the film becomes an almost non-stop series of deadly battles.  Making their way from one room to the next, Wei and Zhizhi team up to fight her three uncles in turn (Huang Hsing-hsiu is impressive) as a myriad of exotic weaponry comes into play.  Each has a different fighting style which proves difficult to overcome.  Last in their gauntlet of foes is the Old Master himself, using his invincible Shadow style which brings the escape attempt to a disastrous conclusion for the young rebels. 

This middle section of the film is a feast for old-style martial arts fans, thanks in large part to Chia-Liang Liu's no-frills directing style which consists mainly of long, carefully-choreographed takes punctuated by a minimum of flashy directorial touches and quick editing.  The familiar whiplash pans and zooms are there but are unobtrusive, while the use of slow-motion is kept to a bare minimum.

After Wei's escape from Five Sun Manor comes my favorite part of the film, in which Wei inadvertently invents the Mantis fighting style while hiding out in the forest.  While toying with a fiesty preying mantis one day, he notices the grace and dexterity of its movements and begins to adapt them to his own fighting technique, which seems to be just the thing for combatting Old Master's seemingly unbeatable Shadow style.
 

There are some really beautiful shots of both Wei and the mantis sharing the frame as he prods it with his finger, observing its movements as it defends itself.  More amazing closeup shots of the mantis make it appear as though, like a wise old mentor, it is actually teaching Wei its moves as he imitates them.  This exquisitely shot-and-edited sequence is wonderfully captivating and unlike anything I've ever seen in this kind of film. 

Returning to Five Sun Manor, Wei plunges through the gauntlet with a renewed determination and skill in another series of bouts that culminates with a decisive Mantis-versus-Shadow rematch against the Old Master.  Chia-Liang Liu builds excitement and suspense with increasingly innovative moves which keep the long sequence from becoming monotonous.  Once again the scene is loaded with lengthy takes involving intricate choreography that is expertly performed. 

The DVD from Vivendi's Dragon Dynasty label is in 2.35:1 widescreen with Mandarin and English mono soundtracks.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  There are no extras.

SHAOLIN MANTIS is an involving story which invests us in the characters before thrusting them into a maelstrom of furious and thrilling martial arts battles.  I found it thoroughly enjoyable right up to its startling ending, which comes from right out of left field.  If you're like me, the final freeze-frame will leave you knee-deep in "WTF?"  

SHAOLIN MANTIS -- DVD review by porfle

LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION DVD Review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 2/16/08

 

 

Dragon Dynasty continues to give Chinese action cinema the deluxe treatment with LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION, aka YE YAN (2006), director Xiaogang Feng's lavish, big-budget ($100M) costume epic about doomed love and betrayal in ancient China.

It's the year 907 A.D., and after the Tang Dynasty falls into ruin, the Imperial family is beset with treachery and an inner struggle for power. The crown prince Wu Luan (Daniel Wu) is heartbroken when the love of his life, Wan (Ziyi Zhang), is betrothed to his father the Emperor. He retreats into the country to study music and the arts, and during that time his father is murdered by his uncle, Li (You Ge), who usurps the throne and marries Wan. After surviving an assassination attempt by Emperor Li's soldiers, Wu Luan returns to the palace to reclaim his beloved Wan (now his step-mother) and avenge his father's death.

The script by Gangjian Qiu is said to be loosely based on Shakespeare's "Hamlet", although I can't attest to that since I haven't read any of the Bard's work since high school. Mainly this tragic love story is a stunningly-mounted action-drama which may remind you of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, especially when people defy the laws of gravity and start flying around like pixies during battle.

The wirework here is on the fantasy level, which sometimes gives the film a fairytale element that is at odds with the otherwise realistic tone but also contributes to the visual poetry that suffuses just about every shot. Armored assassins emerge from the treetops like nightmare phantoms; warriors sweep and swirl around each other in a ballet of violence. There's a synchonized sword dance between Prince Wu Luan and Empress Wan after their reunion that is mesmerizing.

This is one beautiful movie. The huge palace sets are astounding feats of production design matched by the ornate costumes and gorgeous cinematography. Outdoor locations are beautiful as well, especially the forest setting where the initial attempt on Wu Luan's life takes place. Some obvious CGI creeps in sporadically, but for the most part we're seeing the real thing. Xiaogang Feng displays a genuine talent for beautiful compositions and sweeping camerawork during the more operatic passages while directing the more intimate close-up action with equal style, all of which is augmented by a beautiful score from Oscar-winner Tan Dun. From beginning to end, this film is a visual feast.

Don't expect a breakneck pace or a rollercoaster ride, though--the story unfolds at an extremely stately pace, with much of the drama revolving around the complicated personal and political intrigues within the palace. There's something very compelling about situations in which vain, power-intoxicated royals such as the vile Emperor Li are worshipped as human gods whose every whim can change destinies and destroy lives, yet are vulnerable to their own human weaknesses. Li himself can casually order the executions of entire clans, but can't command the love of his own wife, with whom he's obsessed. And lesser humans such as the noble General Yin (Xiaoming Huang) must continually defer to such unworthy demigods while secretly plotting against them.

Wan succumbs to this godlike power and we're never sure whether she desires a return to her life with Wu Luan or prefers to remain the royal consort, perhaps with ambitions beyond even that--her true motives and feelings are mysterious. Personally, I was hoping that Wu Luan would eventually hook up instead with Wan's sweet, lovely maidservant Quin (Xun Zhou), who loves him from afar. But things have a way of tragically not working out the way you'd like them to in this movie. While story begins to lag in the final half, the climactic banquet sequence, in which all secrets are revealed and certain major characters bite the big one, makes up for it--although somehow I just didn't find it nearly as moving as I'd expected. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON had me in tears at the end, while this one left me dry-eyed.

Okay, enough with the drama stuff--what's the action like? Well, if you loved the battle between Beatrix and the Crazy 88s in KILL BILL, then the fight scenes here, which were also choreographed by the legendary Woo-ping Yuen, should get your blood racing. Prince Wu Luan is the greatest swordsman in China and often has to prove it against scores of armored attackers in furious, well shot and edited sequences that are done with lots of style and imagination. The forest battle early in the film is a highlight, as are a couple of intense scenes between Wu Luan and the Emperor's guards inside the palace.

Such thrilling action sequences are few in this movie but are worth the wait, although this kind of stuff is no longer as startling and exotic as it used to be. Again, however, you have to be open to a lot of fantasy wirework, as the emphasis isn't on realism--Xiaogang Feng is interested mainly in exploring the visual beauty of heroism and the kinetic poetry of violence, and in that he and Woo-ping Yuen have succeeded admirably.

The DVD image is widescreen and anamorphically enhanced and looks awesome, with solid Dolby Digital sound. Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan is on hand once again to supply a well-informed commentary. The second disc includes interviews with director Feng Xiao-Gang and star Daniel Wu, along with two featurettes, "The Making Of Legend Of The Black Scorpion" and "A Dynasty Uncovered: Behind The Scenes On Legend Of The Black Scorpion", plus trailers. The extras are informative but lean a bit toward the dull side, consisting mainly of the director, stars, and crewmembers talking about each other.

My only other Dragon Dynasty experience so far has been the intense KILL ZONE (SPL), but I'd love to see more. As with that release, this is a meticulously-crafted DVD presentation that immerses the viewer in the film. LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION is one of the most sumptuous and visually opulent historical epics I've seen in years, with a story of tragic love and political intrigue that kept me pretty interested between bursts of explosive action. 

 

LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION DVD Review by porfle

RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 6/13/10

 

Master Fang Gang (Jimmy Wang Yu), the legendary one-armed swordsman, has dropped out of the martial world and settled down to the quiet life of a farmer with his lovely and devoted wife Xiaoman (Chiao Chiao).  But just when he thinks he's out, they keep pulling him back in.  With Dragon Dynasty's new DVD release of the Shaw Brothers' 1969 classic RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, Master Fang's peaceful new existence is shattered when he finds himself up to his eyeballs in blood-drenched mayhem against a host of uniquely-talented opponents. 

A gang of self-proclaimed martial arts kings invite all the sword clans in the area to their stronghold to participate in a contest that will decide the "King of Swords."  Actually, it's a ruse to attract all sword clan elders into a trap so that the bad guys can eliminate their competition by threatening to kill them unless their followers cut off their own right arms and deliver them as ransom.  When the young pupils beseech the retired Fang Gang to take up his sword once again and help rescue their elders, he's reluctant to do so until his wife is threatened, which prompts him into action.  But the journey to the enemy fortress is fraught with danger as the group is ambushed at every turn by the various evil sword kings and their minions. 

Despite its fanciful characters and colorful action, RETURN is a sober, somber film with little or no comedy, in which the frequent deaths of likable lead characters give it an atmosphere of dread.  The group of young rescuers is constantly attacked along their route by gangs of bloodthirsty villains, each dealing death by their own bizarre means in some of the bloodiest Shaw Brothers action I've seen.  Hell's Guardian and his Seven Earth Bullies spring out of the ground itself while Heaven Strike and his Nine Flying Pupils drop out of the sky; Spinning Wheels and his men slice their opponents to ribbons with razor-sharp whirling blades.

Other frightful sword kings include Poisonous Dragon, Great Muscles, and Quick Arms.  The most treacherous of the bunch is the beautiful Lady of a Thousand Hands, who poses as a damsel in distress in order to gain the trust of our heroes and then strikes with her many deadly blades while their guard is down.  Worst of all, however, is the Stealth King, a master of deception whose weapons can't even be seen until they've already killed you.  Master Fang has to take this guy on along with his hordes of bodyguards (none of these crumbs fight fair) in the climactic battle.

Swordplay takes place in bamboo forests, teahouses, roadside inns, and finally in the villains' fortified lair itself.  The fight choreography isn't as refined as it would become over the years, but this is some pretty furious stuff for its time and there are several exciting free-for-all combat sequences throughout the film.  The few instances of primitive wirework which pop up now and then are a bit jarring since the characters appear to be swinging rather than flying (which, of course, is still fun to watch anyway).  More effective is the scene in which Master Fang's attackers are bouncing high into the air all around him with the help of unseen trampolines.  Other special effects depicting the bad guys' unusual weaponry in action are generally good, particularly those nasty spinning wheels of death.
 

Chang Cheh's relatively restrained direction not only keeps the action under control but also gives the dramatic scenes the air of gravitas required to lend depth to the story, especially during the interactions between Fang and his wife. The cast is generally very good and there is little of the hammy overacting one often sees in these old Shaw Brothers films, save that which is expected of the more over-the-top villains.  Jimmy Wang Yu is very appealing as the title character, whose humility and reluctance to fight make him an even more admirable hero. 

The DVD from Dragon Dynasty is presented in its original widescreen with both Mandarin and English mono soundtracks.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  This is a barebones disc with no extras.

Fans of the clash 'n' slash genre won't want to miss this fight-filled epic.  With its fascinating main character, imaginative array of villains, inventive fight scenes and weaponry, and epic storyline, RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN is clearly one of the films that helped create the template for all the Hong Kong sword operas to come. 

 

RETURN OF THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN -- DVD review by porfle

SUPERCOP -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 1/10/09

 

The plot of SUPERCOP (1992) isn't all that riveting--just your basic undercover cop stuff--but that doesn't matter since it's really just an excuse to present us with a series of cool fights and mindblowing stunts. And as far as that goes, this is the really good stuff.

Originally known as POLICE STORY 3, the film opens with Jackie as Inspector Chan Ka Kui being given a dangerous undercover assignment to infiltrate a major drug ring in mainland China. Posing as a convict, Jackie helps master criminal Panther (Wah Yuen) escape from prison and is introduced to the big cheese, Chaibat (Ken Tsang), who puts him on the payroll. Working with Inspector Jessica Yang of INTERPOL (Michelle Yeoh, here billed as "Michelle Khan"), who poses as his sister, Jackie then begins to throw various monkey wrenches into the drug overlord's crime machine.

This is Jackie Chan in his prime and he's in top form here, whether hanging from the rope ladder of a helicopter as it swoops back and forth over the city or fighting off bad guys atop a moving freight car. An early scene filmed in an actual police training school allows him to show off his martial arts skills. The rest of the time he's doing stunts that would have most action heroes screaming like little girls, while investing it all with his own brand of goodnatured, self-effacing humor.

Keeping up with Jackie every step of the way is Michelle Yeoh, who handles most of the frenetic martial-arts action and contributes some of the most breathtaking stunts in the film. One scene that continues to astound every time I see it is the one in which she jumps a motorcycle onto a moving train. No special effects, no stuntwoman--she just freakin' did it, and it took multiple takes, too! Her balletic fighting skills are on display throughout the film as well, and they're exhilarating to watch.

With some grand locations in and around mainland China at his disposal, director Stanley Tong stages some of the most amazing action sequences ever filmed and it's all for real--with the exception of some occasional safety wires--which makes it all the more exciting. The battle that takes place in a drug lord's rural compound is as explosive as the finale of a James Bond movie. The prison escape, the car chase with Michelle Yeoh hanging from a speeding van as various vehicles crash into it, Jackie's incredible helicopter ladder stunt, and the climactic fight atop a freight train add up to action entertainment at its best.

Dragon Dynasty's 2-disc DVD is their usual deluxe package. The film is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Digital, both of which are fine. You can choose to listen to it in either Cantonese or badly-dubbed English, with English or Spanish subtitles. Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan provides his usual enthusiastic, fact-filled commentary. The closing credits are accompanied by some startling footage of stunts gone wrong.

The second disc contains substantial interview segments with Jackie and Michelle, along with director Stanley Tong and Jackie's bodyguard and trainer, Ken Lo. Jackie talks about the making of the film and also expresses his disapointment with the editing changes made for the American release. Michelle reveals herself to be quite the adrenaline junkie as she describes her urge to continue doing bigger and more exciting stunts and the thrill that she gets from it. Hearing her describe that amazing motorcycle jump onto a moving train is especially interesting (she'd never even been on a motorcycle until a week before filming it!) She also talks about hanging off of a speeding van in heavy traffic and accidentally falling onto the pavement after crashing into the hood of a car. I don't mind saying that stuff like this takes a kind of nerve that I'll never have.

This ideal team-up between superstars Chan and Yeoh is an absolute must-see for their fans. Lighthearted and lightweight, but heavy with jaw-dropping action and stunts, SUPERCOP is Jackie Chan at his best.

 

SUPERCOP -- DVD review by porfle

DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER -- DVD review by porfle

 

 

Originally posted on 12/9/10

 

Not quite up to par with the previous entry in the Shaw Brothers' series, DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER (1985) still has a lot of exciting fight scenes amidst a barrage of slapstick comedy.

Hou Hsaiao stars as Fang Shiyu, an incorrigible class clown who's so averse to study that he must be tied to his two brothers during class.  He's so strong and sinewy that any blow directed at him is bounced back against his attacker, making him difficult to punish.  When a dour Manchurian education officer visits the school, Shiyu manages to offend him so grievously (in one of the film's funnier scenes) that the Manchus threaten to close the school. 

Things get even worse when Shiyu offends the entire membership of the Qing Imperial Gym and must seek sanctuary from the Imperial Court by becoming a secular pupil in the Shaolin Temple.  Even under the strict tutelage of Master San Te (Gordon Liu), Shiyu can't stay out of trouble and soon gets mixed up in a plot by the Manchu governor to destroy the Shaolin temple.

The opening titles sequence is fun, with a stylized presentation of how Shiyu gained fame by defeating the terrible Tiger Lei.  He then must take on the beautiful Li Xiahuan who seeks to avenge her husband, and whose skills are great.  Then Li Bashan shows up to avenge his son-in-law in a battle that takes place on upright log poles with steel spikes between them.  As in much of the film, the fight choreography here is intricate and rather dance-like at times, with an emphasis on humor and playfulness but always with an impressive degree of acrobatic skills.

The rivalry between the Hans and the Manchus provides the opportunity for several exciting fight scenes, in addition to the lively Shaolin training sequences.  All of this leads to an intense climactic battle between the Shaolin students and the Manchu governor and his men during a wedding, which becomes a furious free-for-all.  Hou Hsiao and Gordon Liu get to show off their martial arts abilities to the fullest, pulling out every trick in the book as the Shaolins bring all their extensive training to bear against their foes.

As Fang Shiyu, Hou Hsiao is a good comic performer whose acrobatic skills and boundless energy make for a wildly kinetic character.  Gordon Liu, who played San Te in the first film, THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, and then the comedy lead in the sequel, returns to the role of San Te here and is appropriately monk-like.  Lily Li does a great job as Fong Sai-Yuk's mysterious mother, Miao Cuihua, who has had past experiences with San Te and the Shaolin monks and really shines in the big fight finale.  Chia-Liang Liu's punchy, hyperkinetic direction keeps things moving at an almost cartoonish pace at times.

The DVD from Dragon Dynasty is widescreen with Dolby 2.0 mono in Mandarin and English, and subtitles in English and Spanish.  The sole bonus feature is a commentary track by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan, which, as usual, is exhaustively informative.

DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER is a fast-moving and comedic actionfest that should please Shaw Brothers fans. 




Read our review of RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER

DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER -- DVD review by porfle

RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER -- DVD review by porfle

 

 

Originally posted on 2/15/10

 

 

It's not every day you get to watch a kung fu movie that's as much pure, hyperkinetic fun as RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER (1980), a thrilling fists 'n' feet comedy from the Shaw Brothers that's a sequel to the classic THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN.

The story opens with the shady boss of a fabric mill hiring some Manchurian thugs to intimidate his employees into working harder while giving them a pay cut. Horse-faced worker Chao (sporting a set of buck teeth that would embarrass Mortimer Snerd) enlists his con artist pal Chou Jen Chieh (Gordon Liu, who's most widely-known these days from the KILL BILL movies) to pose as revered Shaolin monk San Te in order to frighten Boss Wong and his men. The ruse works at first, but when the suspicious Wong challenges Chieh to demonstrate his skills, the result is a humiliating defeat that sends him fleeing for his life as the hapless workers are thrashed into submission.

Vowing to help his friends somehow, Chieh resolves to learn kung fu for real and bluffs his way into the Shaolin temple only to come face-to-face with the real San Te (Ching Chia, in the role originated by Gordon Liu himself in the first film). Thus begins the middle section of the film which is a non-stop slapstick delight, with Chien bumbling around like a dervish amidst the solemn monks and apprentices and comically mimicking their training.

When San Te orders him to construct bamboo scaffolding around the entire temple in preparation for its renovation, which will take years, Chien thinks he's being shunted aside. As he labors at his task he observes the trainees going through their paces and applies their movements to his own work, thereby eventually learning kung fu without even realizing it. This lengthy sequence is incredibly inventive and endlessly fun, and Gordon Liu displays a boundless energy and natural comic ability that's downright infectious.

His task completed, Chien is expelled from the temple and returns home in defeat, believing himself a failure. But it doesn't take long for him to realize that he's not only inadvertently learned kung fu but has also created his own variation--"Scaffolding Style"! His final confrontation with Mr. Wong and the Manchurians leads to a frenetic 20-minute action sequence that beats the hell out of MATRIX: RELOADED's CGI-laden "Burly Brawl", with no special effects and little or no wirework in sight. The action doesn't let up for a second and the fighting style is dazzlingly inventive, building to the final showdown between Chieh and Mr. Wong on--what else?--a scaffold.

The direction (by Liu Chia-Liang), camerawork, and editing are all first-rate for this kind of film, with fight choreography that doesn't always look totally realistic but is lots of fun anyway. The ways in which Chieh's "Scaffolding Style" is worked into the final battle is almost cartoonishly effective as he leaves his opponents hogtied to bamboo poles or wrapped together in bunches with lightning-fast moves. In some ways, the film is wonderfully cheesy and the castmembers overact their roles with abandon, which, in this case, is entirely appropriate.

With his amazing feats of dexterity and comedy timing, Gordon Liu carries the story with a full-throttle performance that never lets up. Pretending to be an experienced kung fu master, he blunders his way through one obstacle course with such artless abandon that one monk marvels, "Your kung fu is incredible! I could hardly follow it." Low comedy rears its head as he tricks another pupil into drinking some laxative-laced tea and then calls after him, "Better find a place to take a dump!" My favorite line, though, comes during the final battle with the evil boss, when Chieh brings things to a sudden halt and states magnanimously, "That's it, Mr. Wong. I will hurt you if we continue."

The single-disc DVD from Dragon Dynasty and Celestial Pictures is in widescreen with Mandarin, Cantonese, and English mono. Subtitles are in English and Spanish. With naught but a few trailers at the start, this is surprisingly barebones for a Dragon Dynasty release.

A fast-moving, fun, and colorful romp with lots of old-fashioned kung fu-movie charm, RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER is a must-see for Shaw Brothers fans and anyone else who's in the mood for a hefty dose of thrills and laughs. I had a ball watching it.

Read our review of  DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER

RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER -- DVD review by porfle

KILL ZONE -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 10/4/09

 

"God is fair--evil deeds must pay a price" is the tagline in the trailer for KILL ZONE, aka "SPL", aka "SAAT PO LONG/SHA PO LANG" (2005), which proves true for both the bad guys and the cops who cross the line trying to bring them down. Another theme of the film is father-son relationships--most of the action takes place on Father's Day, most of the characters are fathers or sons and the events we see in their lives are in many ways influenced by this, right up to the shattering conclusion.

Detective Chan (Simon Yam) runs a task force that is dedicated to taking down the fearsome Triad boss Wong Po (Sammo Hung) by any means possible. The fact that he's about to retire makes a quick resolution to the matter even more urgent, and the tough, rule-breaking cops under his command are equally anxious to see Wong Po behind bars or dead. But Chan is about to be replaced by Inspector Ma Kwan (Donnie Yen), whom the team fears will hamper their efforts with his more by-the-book attitude, although he once deliberately left a bad guy permanently brain-damaged with a single punch. And although Ma doesn't officially start his duties until midnight, he tags along and is shocked by the extent to which Chan's team will go in order to see their own brand of justice done.

When they receive a videotape showing Wong Po assisting in the assassination of an undercover cop, they doctor the tape to suggest that Wong Po did the actual killing. This backfires when the truth comes out and Wong Po is released, swearing that Chan and his men won't leave the station house alive. To make good on his threat, he calls in his chief assassin, a young, weasel-faced martial arts expert named Jack (Jacky Wu) who enjoys killing people in messy ways. Of course, Chan's men all end up leaving the station house for one reason or another, and each has an appointment with Jack that they'll wish they'd missed. With all of this, even Inspector Ma Kwan is finally pushed beyond the limits of the law and decides that Wong Po must be stopped no matter what it takes.

Although there's plenty of action in KILL ZONE, the human drama is essential and well-wrought by director Wilson Yip (THE WHITE DRAGON, JULIET IN LOVE), whose classical style is refreshingly free of the usual MTV-type overuse of shaky camerawork and rapid-fire editing, which he uses only sparingly to evoke disorientation or chaos, and his occasional use of crane shots adds an epic sweep to several scenes. There's no style-for-style's-sake here, and the use of cinematic language (split screens, slow motion, etc.) is only for advancing the plot and not just to show off.

We're given time to get to know and care about the characters: Detective Chan is shown caring for his adopted daughter, whose parents were killed on their way to testify against Wong Po, even though his days are numbered due to a brain tumor; Detective Kwok (Danny Summer) anxiously awaits a Father's Day reunion with his formerly estranged daughter; and Detective Lok (Kai Chi Liu) is seen tearfully attempting a doomed reconciliation with his dying father over the phone. Even the evil Wong Po has a beloved wife and infant daughter to whom he is deeply devoted, which humanizes his character beyond the standard stereotype and makes him all the more interesting. The fact that all of the performances in this movie are excellent doesn't hurt, either.

The first display of martial arts doesn't even take place until half an hour into the film, but there's no shortage of action. We get several demolition derby-style car crashes, an intense police raid on one of Wong Po's crews, and other assorted events that keep things humming along until finally the chop-socky kicks in with Wong Po's initial arrest in the lobby of the hospital where his wife just gave birth. With a large, stuffed Pink Panther under one arm, he proves quite difficult to apprehend, and we get our first incredible display of mixed martial arts fighting as he takes on Donnie Yen's Ma Kwan for the first time in the film.

The fight scenes blend seamlessly with the drama thanks to the cooperation of Wilson Yip and action director Donnie Yen, who knows just what he wants to see on the screen and how to shoot it. Yen's philosophy is that if the fight choreography is performed by experts who know what they're doing, there's no need for quick cuts and flashy, distracting camerawork, and wirework and CGI can be kept to a minimum. This results in several amazing sequences in which the combatants go at it in long, wide-angle takes, with a realism and intensity rarely seen in Hollywood action flicks. The alleyway battle between Ma Kwan and Jack the assassin, one wielding a police baton and the other a long knife, is surely one of the greatest hand-to-hand combat scenes ever filmed, with Donnie Yen and Jacky Wu engaging in one long series of perfectly-choreographed moves after another. It's a thrilling sequence.

But even this is outdone by the final confrontation between Ma Kwan and Wong Po in the bad guy's lair. Using a huge, insanely-ornate real-life nightclub as the backdrop, Donnie Yen has devised a breathtaking free-for-all that takes advantage of Sammo Hung's unique size and skill (it's cool to see such a big guy displaying such dexterity in contrast with Yen's own look and style), to give Hong Kong action fans the match-up they've been waiting for. Again, many of the moves are played out in long takes because these guys know what they're doing and don't require special camerawork or editing to help put it across. Yen has also incorporated mixed fighting styles here, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which is composed mainly of close-quarters grappling moves that add a lot of excitement and visual interest. Wirework is used sparingly and in imaginative ways, but without the unreal look it tends to have in most films. And, of course, lots of stuff gets smashed up in cool ways.

The 2-disc DVD from Dragon Dynasty is a lot of fun. Hong Kong Cinema expert Bey Logan contributes a commentary track that is very informative and enthusiastic, without a single dead spot. The alleyway and nightclub fights are thoroughly examined with commentary from both Logan and Donnie Yen. There's also a "making of" featurette and extensive interviews with Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Jacky Wu, and Wilson Yip, plus trailers and TV spots. So even when the movie's over, there's a lot of cool stuff to explore.

I can't recommend this movie enough. It's an impressive, thrilling piece of action cinema that fires on all cylinders from start to finish. Both the action and dramatic elements are well-served throughout, and all of it is done with meticulous care and filmmaking skill. And the fact that the story is given such prominence instead of merely serving as a vehicle for the fight scenes results in an ending that should stay with you long after the fade-out.

KILL ZONE -- DVD review by porfle

RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 9/10/10

 

A sequel in name only, the retitled RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978) is better described by its original title, CRIPPLED AVENGERS.  But by any name, it's classic Shaw Brothers fun that's loaded with interesting characters and hugely entertaining fight sequences. 

Director and co-writer Chang Cheh starts the deadly action from the first seconds when a group of bad guys, the Tian Nan Tigers, invade Du Tain Dao's house and dispatch his guards.  Then they cut his wife's legs off and chop off his young son Du Chang's hands.  Du Tain Dao shows up and wastes them with his Three Tigers fighting method, then vows to get the best blacksmith available to create some iron hands for his son.  Years later, we see the older Du Chang becoming a kung fu master with his father's teaching, and is quite adept at using his iron hands.

But just as we're thinking that this father-son team are the good guys, we learn that they've become cruel tyrants who rule the town through violence and fear, and enjoy crippling people for minor offenses.  A traveling peddler named Chen Shun is blinded by Du Chang, who also chops off the legs of a passing stranger, Wu Gui, for bumping into him.  Du Tain Dao, meanwhile, turns the local blacksmith, Wei, into a deaf-mute, and when a heroic warrior named Wang Yi tries to intervene, his skull is crushed in a viselike device until he's turned into an addlebrained idiot.

As you might guess, the four victims of the dastardly Dus get together and plan their revenge.  Training for the next three years with Wang Yi's elder teacher Li Zheng Yin at his secluded Eagle Mansion, they learn to overcome their handicaps and become a fierce fighting team.  These training scenes are a lot of fun, especially when the childlike Wang Yi's constant desire to play becomes part of the routine.  His sessions with the blind Chen Shun involving the use of large iron rings become an integral part of the climactic battle. 

Returning to the village on the eve of Du Tain Dao's elaborate birthday celebration, they immediately find themselves wading through one brawl after another with various guards, henchmen, and relatives.  Du's right hand man, Mr. Wan, devises various means of thwarting our heroes' abilities, such as arming his guards with gong-shields that keep Chen Shun from hearing their movements or blinding blacksmith Wei with mirrors. 

Wu Gui, meanwhile, makes good use of his new iron legs when the group is challenged by Du's brother Ju Gao Feng, a musclebound superman who arrives for the birthday bash and starts throwing his massive pecs around.  There's also a bad guy named Mr. Luo, known for his light-footed movements, and his associate Mr. Lin, who fires deadly steel balls with a bow-shaped slingshot.

The second half of the film is a thrilling succession of showdowns and free-for-alls with endless combinations of opponents.  With a simple story free of needless complications, things move at a brisk pace with lots of dynamic action.  Aside from Chang Cheh's trademark whiplash pans and zooms, there's no fancy editing or flashy camerawork--long takes are filled with intricate choreography that's impressively performed. 

When Chen Shun and the eternally playful Wang Yi take on Du Chang in the final minutes, the sequence is such a sustained display of dazzling acrobatics that the effect is sheer amazement.  This extended action setpiece avoids monotony by being endlessly creative and fun.  Finally, after a solid fifteen minutes of non-stop action, a decisive battle with the vile Du Tain Dao ends the film with a bang.

The DVD from Vivendi's Dragon Dynasty label is in widescreen with Mandarin and English mono sound.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  No extras.

Whether you're a Shaw Brothers fan already or just looking to sample some classic kung fu action, RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS is loaded with fist-flying beat-em-up fun all the way.  Just as long as you don't spend the whole time wondering where the heck those five deadly venoms are. 

Read our review of THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS -- DVD review by porfle

THE 5 DEADLY VENOMS -- DVD review by porfle

 

Originally posted on 9/4/11

 

A genuine cult classic among Shaw Brothers devotees in particular and martial arts fans in general, the influential THE 5 DEADLY VENOMS (1978) is a colorful tale that, while a little slow at times, is a lot of fun thanks to cool characters, rich atmosphere, and some wild and fanciful fight sequences.

Five martial arts masters whose identities are unknown have emerged from the Five Venoms house, each proficient in a particular animal-related fighting style. Now, a former disciple in possession of the school's vast fortune is in danger from the less scrupulous of the five. The House's founder, who is dying, sends his final student Yang De on a quest to discover which of his predecessors can be trusted and enlist them to help him fight the bad ones. Since Yang De has been partially trained in all five skills but is a master of none, he must always battle the enemy in conjuction with one of the masters.

Yang De (Sheng Chiang) is one of those likably humorous characters whose natural skill and cunning are mixed with a flippant attitude and somewhat childlike naivete. He's just about the only lighthearted element in this somber story in which two evil Venoms, Centipede (Feng Lu) and Snake (Pai Wei), murder the old disciple and his family in search of the treasure, while one of the good Venoms, Toad (Meng Lo), is found guilty of the crime by a corrupt court that's been paid off.

Yang De eventually learns the secret identity of Gecko (Philip Kwok), who can walk on walls, and teams up with him against Centipede and Snake, while the mysterious Scorpion remains a wild card until the very end. While often exhilarating thanks to the action scenes, the film is also dishearteningly tragic and downbeat at times.

This was one of the first Hong Kong kung fu movies to feature the furious over-the-top fight scenes that we've become accustomed to over the years. While watching it, it's easy to recognize elements that would show up in both Asian films and homages such as BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and, of course, Tarantino's KILL BILL movies.

Here, the choreography is so well-planned that shots go on for several moments without a cut. It may look a little unrefined compared to today's fight scenes, but one can see how awesome this stuff must've looked to viewers yet to grow jaded by such things. Combining meticulously choreographed combat moves with gymnastics and some wirework, not to mention a few endearingly cheesy special effects, these scenes are especially fun to watch--especially the climactic showdown involving Yang De and the four remaining Venoms in a frenetic free-for-all.

Chang Cheh's direction is lean and unobtrusive with occasional flashes of style and fluid camerawork, and gives the action plenty of breathing room without a lot of fancy angles or rapid-fire editing. While the budget is relatively modest, the period set design and costumes look great. The library music fits the action well, and Monty Python fans will recognize one particular passage as the main titles theme from MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL.

The Dragon Dynasty DVD is a single disc in 2.35:1 widesreen format and Dolby Digital sound. Languages are Mandarin mono and English mono with English and Spanish subtitles. The sole bonus feature is a commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan, who gives his usual enthusiastic and informative analysis.

Admittedly, I found the story to be pretty slow going the first time around, especially while trying to keep all the characters, their various skills and motives, and relationships to one another straight. With a second viewing, however, I was able to forget all that and concentrate on what turned out to be a pretty intriguing and well-acted tale of mystery, corruption, betrayal, and heroism. And considering that THE 5 DEADLY VENOMS is just about the first film of its kind, whose strong influence is still being felt throughout various areas of pop culture, then, overall, it must be regarded as a pretty stunning achievement.



Read our review of RETURN OF THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS

 

THE 5 DEADLY VENOMS -- DVD review by porfle

December Releases From Vivendi Entertainment

Disciples Of The 36th Chamber

Fong Sai Yuk’s uninhibited arrogance toward a Manchu lord forces him to seek refuge in a Shaolin temple. Although abundantly trained in the martial arts, he is no match for Master San Te, the creator of the 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Exhausted by his frequent defeats, Fong seeks to escape his prison and crosses paths with a governor, who rewards him with a yellow robe granting immunity from any Manchu. But when the governor’s true intentions are in question, Fong may decide to feed his foolish ego and betray the Shaolin Temple.

· Street Date: December 7, 2010
· SRP: DVD $19.97

Buy it at Amazon.com


Hard Boiled

Chow Yun-Fat stars as one of the all-time toughest, coolest cops, who teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a ruthless gun smuggling ring. Features some of the most amazing action cinematography in film history.

· Street Date: December 14, 2010
· SRP: blu-ray $19.97

Buy it at Amazon.com

December Releases From Vivendi Entertainment

Kung Fu Classic SHAOLIN MANTIS Explodes Onto DVD 11/16

A NEW KUNG FU STYLE ARRIVES WITH DEADLY RESULTS IN "SHAOLIN MANTIS"

Latest Dragon Dynasty Installment Of Shaw Brothers' Classic Debuts On DVD November 16 From Vivendi Entertainment And The Weinstein Company

"Judged on Kung Fu action alone, Shaolin Mantis is a winner" - Kung Fu Cinema

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - Full of non-stop action and spectacular Kung Fu, the Shaw Brothers' classic Shaolin Mantis explodes onto DVD November 16 from Vivendi Entertainment and The Weinstein Company.  From director Lau Kar-Leung (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) comes the thrilling origin story of the highly effective and dangerous Mantis Fist Kung Fu.  Starring Kung Fu cinema legends David Chiang (One Armed Swordsman) and Liu Chia Hui (Kill Bill films, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), the tale begins when Wai Fung (Chiang) is sent to infiltrate the Tien family to gather evidence of their rebellion against the king. 

Soon discovered as a spy, Fung is soundly defeated by the evil Tien brothers and ejected from the house.  Retreating to the wilderness after his devastating loss, Fung observes the delicate and intricate movements of a praying mantis.  Finding inspiration from the insect, he develops the deadly Mantis Fist Kung Fu and returns to seek vengeance on his enemies.  Featuring mesmerizing fight scenes and compelling drama, the newest Dragon Dynasty installment Shaolin Mantis will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.97.

Synopsis:
David Chiang (One-Armed Swordsman) invents a new fighting technique - the Mantis Fist - to battle his way through a deadly stockpile of villains as he seeks revenge for his wife's murder. Featuring "spectacular kung fu choreography and a standout action performance for David Chiang" (Mark Pollard, Kung Fu Cinema), this Shaw Bros. classic instantly emerged as one of the genre's very best!

BASICS
Price: $19.97
Street Date:  November 16, 2010
Order Date:October 12, 2010
Catalog Number:  WN2959
Languages:  English/ Mandarin (English/Spanish subtitles)
Running time: 101 minutes
Rating: NR

Buy it at Amazon.com

Kung Fu Classic SHAOLIN MANTIS Explodes Onto DVD 11/16

Martial Arts Thriller KILL ZONE on Blu-ray Disc 11/30

"KILL ZONE" -- THE ULTIMATE MARTIAL ARTS ACTION-THRILLER DEBUTS IN HIGH DEFINITION

Martial Arts Legends Donnie Yen And Sammo Hung Star In The Dragon Dynasty Favorite, Arriving As An Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Disc November 30 From Vivendi Entertainment And The Weinstein Company

"An all-star smack-down that will get fans salivating...a must see item!" - Daily Variety

Synopsis: Detective Chan (Simon Yam) relentlessly pursues vicious crime boss Po (Sammo Hung) for the death of his brother.  Unable to tie him to the murder, Yam eventually resigns himself to the fact that Po will never pay for his crimes and prepares to retire from the force.  His replacement, Ma (Donnie Yen) is a principled, committed cop who is a deadly martial arts expert and has no problem using his skills to bring down the bad guys.  Ultimately, the two manage to grab Po in what turns out to be one of the bloodiest confrontations ever filmed! 

Starring: Donnie Yen (Seven Swords), Sammo Hung (Legend of the Dragon) and Simon Yam (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life)

Bonus Features:
Audio commentary by Hong King cinema expert Bey Logan
Exclusive interviews with director Wilson Yip and stars Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Donnie Yen and Wu Jing
Trailer Gallery
Price: $19.97
Order Due Date: October 26, 2010
Street Date: November 30, 2010
MPAA Rating: NR
BD Catalog #: WN01399
Run Time: 93 mins
Languages: English & Cantonese


Read our original KILL ZONE review

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Martial Arts Thriller KILL ZONE on Blu-ray Disc 11/30

"Legend of the Black Scorpion" Coming to Blu-Ray

ALL THE ACTION NOW IN HIGH-DEFINITION

‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Zhang Ziyi Stars In This Story Filled With Elaborate Fight Choreography, Magnificent Costumes And Sweeping Cinematography

Arriving On Blu-ray Disc October 26 From Vivendi Entertainment And The Weinstein Company

“The world’s best action choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping, might have topped himself.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Synopsis: International star Ziyi Zhang of Hero, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon dazzles in this breathtaking action epic inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Renowned action choreographer YuenWo-Ping (The Matrix and Kill Bill films) and the Academy Award®-winning art director* and composer** of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon create “an extravagant spectacle of sin, balletic violence and bloodthirsty politics” (New York Asian Film Festival). Nominated for seven 2007 Hong Kong Film Awards, Legend of the Black Scorpion Blu-ray (known internationally as The Banquet) is filled with astonishing action sequences like none you’ve ever seen.

Starring: Zhang Ziyi (Jet Li’s Hero, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Yuen Woo-Ping (Fight Choreographer, Matrix and Kill Bill films), Timmy Yip (Oscar winner for Best Art Direction, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Tan Dun (Oscar winner for Best Original Score, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Special Features:
·Audio Commentary By Hong Kong Cinema Expert Bey Logan
·Master Of Ceremonies: An Exclusive Interview with Director Feng Xiaogang
·Warrior Prince: An Exclusive Interview with Leading Man Daniel Wu
·A Dynasty Uncovered: Behind The Scenes on Legend of The Black Scorpion
·Trailer Gallery

Price: $19.97
Order Due Date: September 21, 2010
Street Date:                         October 26, 2010
MPAA Rating:                        Not Rated
DVD Catalog #:                        WN02708
Run Time:                                    126 minutes
Languages:             English & Mandarin
Subtitles:                English & Spanish

Our original review of the DVD

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Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray Ultimate Edition

"Legend of the Black Scorpion" Coming to Blu-Ray

Vivendi Entertainment New DVD Releases Out On October 12

8 Diagram Pole Fighter

A heroic family is double-crossed and massacred on the battlefield and only two of the brothers survive the slaughter. A survivor escapes to a Shaolin temple where his bloodlust and thirst for vengeance puts him at odds with the monks. When he discovers his sister is captured by the same villains who destroyed his family, he leaves the monastery in an attempt to rescue her and avenge what has come upon his family.

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Seven Deadly Sins

Grace, California is a dead-end hell whose streets are paved with intentions both good and bad. Over the final months before graduation a small circle of friends get wrapped up in a heady game of sex, betrayal, revenge, unrequited love, and retribution played out in the reflection of the Seven Deadly Sins—Envy, Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, and Lust.

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Vivendi Entertainment New DVD Releases Out On October 12

Prepare For Revenge in the Shaw Brothers' Kung Fu Classic "The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms" on DVD Sept. 14

Latest Dragon Dynasty Installment Strikes Back On DVD September 14th From Vivendi Entertainment And The Weinstein Company

"Full of energy, emotion, and some of the best martial arts choreography of all time" -- dvdcult.com

"A kung fu cult masterpiece" -- kungfucinema.com

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - Brotherhood and bloody vengeance go hand in hand in the Shaw Brothers' kung fu cult classic The Return Of The 5 Deadly Venoms (aka Crippled Avengers), lashing out on DVD September 14 from Vivendi Entertainment and The Weinstein Company. In this quintessential martial arts adventure, an evil warlord and his son are drunk with power, crippling anyone who crosses their path.  Four men have fallen victim to their violence - a blind man, a deaf-mute, a man with no legs and a young man who has lost his sanity.  The four visit a kung fu master who teaches the four crippled men deadly fighting skills and ways to overcome their disabilities. They then band together and set forth to reclaim their village from the warlord's reign of terror.

Directed by Chang Cheh (Five Deadly Venoms, One-Armed Swordsman), The Return Of The 5 Deadly Venoms combines non-stop action sequences with thrilling acrobatics and superhuman battles.  The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms aka Crippled Avengers will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.93.

Synopsis:
In this Shaw Brothers Classic Film, prepare for non-stop action and a storyline that is "full of energy, emotion, and some of the best martial arts choreography of all time" (DVDcult.com). A band of four physically challenged fighters learn to use their disabilities as their most lethal weapons when they stand up to save their town from a demonic tyrant. Legendary director Chang Cheh (The One-Armed Swordsman, The 5 Deadly Venoms) returns with eye-popping visuals and jaw-dropping fights in this "kung fu cult masterpiece" (Mark Pollard, KungFuCinema.com).

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Prepare For Revenge in the Shaw Brothers' Kung Fu Classic "The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms" on DVD Sept. 14