Topic: Jackie Chan

[Sonny_Jim]

I seem to remember watching one of the Police Storys (3 Maybe?) and there's a scene where Jackie is down on his luck, his worlds crashing down around him so he gets drunk.  He's stumbling around some walled garden in Hong Kong and throws up.

Like, really throws up.  Not this mouthful of soup spat out nonsense, but it looks like he's downed 4 pints of salt water just before the take and is actually heaving his guts up.  I remember watching it and thinking 'Fair play Jackie, going full method there'.

I've had a quick look and I can't find the scene, so I think I've either made it up or grossly exaggerated it.  Anyone else remember it?

[Spiteface]

Would it have been "New Police Story" by any chance?

That's the only one I can think of where Jackie's like that, as it was intended as a darker film than previous Police Stories.

[Sonny_Jim]

Yeah it was.  Found it on Netflix last night, if you watch around the 35 minute mark he gets into a tussle with two thieves, but he's so pissed he falls over.  It looked like just over 2 pints on rewatch.

[Chedney Honks]

I ordered the Japanese special edition of Drunken Master 2 from Hong Kong and I just heard that Covid has fucked it. Will have to come by surface mail and will therefore take three months. Wow. Can't wait to see the bugger. Apparently, it's the best version by far, with the Western release (white cover) being cut, badly dubbed and shit AV quality.

I am angry about the 1300 deaths per days and being gaslit by complete cunts for the best part of a year and the denier fucks in every area of my life but I think this is the final straw.

[Shit Good Nose]

Just going back to the earlier talk of "Jackie Chan - cunt?", I think it's unfair to single out Chan, at least when it comes to his kids' respective life choices and situations, and his support of the Chinese government, when it remains the overriding opinion of the Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwanese populations.  I think a lot of people don't realise how incredibly recently (probably only within the last 10 years) a generation with more liberal views when it comes to politics, society, race, sexuality and gender has come through, and they're still in the relative minority.  That Anti Ai Weiwei article linked to on the previous page is actually probably more accurately described as Ai Weiwei being the exception, and definitely amongst those of his and JC's generation.

I'm not defending JC's views for one second, but you can't really apply modern liberal Western thinking to the Chinese far-east as a whole and make it fit.


Anyway, big fan of JC and am raking in those 88 Films releases as they come out, but my favourite of his films is Miracles.  Absolutely love it, and it's one of the best looking HK films ever made.

[Sonny_Jim]

The sentiment, for me at least, was that JC was this huge star of HK Cinema and HK in general, but he turned his back in search of fame which is why so many locals detest him nowadays

I think a lot of people don't realise how incredibly recently (probably only within the last 10 years) a generation with more liberal views when it comes to politics, society, race, sexuality and gender has come through

Bloody hippies.

[Kermit the Frog]

That Anti Ai Weiwei article linked to on the previous page is actually probably more accurately described as Ai Weiwei being the exception, and definitely amongst those of his and JC's generation.

I'm not defending JC's views for one second, but you can't really apply modern liberal Western thinking to the Chinese far-east as a whole and make it fit.

I think you're missing some nuances and conflating a few things here, it's not about applying modern liberal Western thinking or some other equivalent terminology you may be grasping for ('woke', perhaps?), it's about Chan losing a tremendous amount of his popularity in his native Hong Kong due to having made a concerted effort to publicly turn his back on it. For my friends in Hong Kong, it's not just his politics that are distasteful, it's his ever-present willingness to throw Hong Kong under the bus in his public statements, seemingly to further his career. Also remember that Ai Weiwei was born and raised in mainland China, whereas Jackie Chan is born and raised Hong Kongese, and so demonstrates the zeal of the convert when it comes to relations with the CCP.

[Famous Mortimer]

More Chan-adjacent, but I just watched "Righting Wrongs" with Yuen Biao and Cynthia Rothrock, and it's great.

[Chedney Honks]

I'm finding I really like Yuen Biao a lot. Just his actual face makes me happy, a real homegrown kind of star. He also doesn't look that hard and then it all kicks off and he's an absolute rig.

[Shit Good Nose]

Yeah, Biao's great.  Very versatile as well.  A lot of the films that were vehicles for him as the star are a bit rubs to be fair, but there are several great ones, like the aforementioned Righting Wrongs.  It still amazes me that there's no UK blu-ray release of On The Run (which is one of the greatest Hong Kong thrillers of all time, and Biao is genuinely brilliant in it), considering the old Made In Hong Kong VHS release was such a massive deal when it came out (aside from the John Woo films, I can't remember any other HK film - even Chan ones - generating such hype and buzz at the time).  I can only assume it has rights issues similar to a lot of Woo's films at the moment.

[Pinball]

I love classic Jackie Chan, but he's definitely a CCP apologist, whore and poster boy now, sadly. I watched the Mandarin language Vanguard (2020) recently, and it's a Morris-esque parody of CCP nationalism despite the US amphibious vehicle and US aircraft carrier they had to use as they couldn't find a Chinese one. This well epitomises modern Chan and his propagandic application, but in fairness he is 67 years old now so needs the money. I do understand why HK folks might be a tad angry, though...

[bgmnts]

Jackie Chan is a Man City fan, which says it all really.

[A Hat Like That]

I highly recommend The Foreigner, which is still on Netflix. It's Jackie Chan vs the IRA, with Pierce Brosnan as a thinly-veiled Gerry Adams. Fucking dynamite.

It is great. Don't expect many smiles or that many stunts.

also, thinly-veiled is understating it somewhat.

[Chedney Honks]

Yessss. The proper version of Drunken Master 2 just turned up from Japan or Hong Kong or something. I got it ages ago but Covid slowed down the delivery. Think it's the Japanese release, uncut release with the best audio and video quality. Can't wait to watch it.

[Chedney Honks]

It took me nine days or whatever but what a fucking brilliant film and transfer this Drunken Master 2 is. I had to import it because the standard UK version is supposedly a shit transfer and has some stuff cut. If you can, try to get hold of the Japanese/Korean/Hong Kong edition with this cover:



It's far superior to this one:



It's almost up there with the Eureka and 88 Films releases in terms of picture quality. I appreciate it's a newer film, as well, but definitely a very decent bit of work. Unless there's a 4K release one day, this feels pretty definitive.

[Chedney Honks]

I used to love "Dragons Forever" as the purest example of everything he, Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung were best at; it's still a technically incredible film while having some plot elements that have aged less than well. Even by the standards of the location and time, its sexism is pretty bad.

Finally got round to this tonight via the exceptional 88 Films BD release and it's a belter. Jackie is an absolute fanny rat throughout but it was fun seeing him play a bit of a tit rather than an affable everyman. Yuen Biao is quite weird and funny but physically an absolute specimen, and Sammo is very pure Sammo. The target of a few cheap fatso gags but also a charming hard gentleman. If you're tempted, this version is utterly brilliant. Surely the best the film has ever looked.

[Goldentony]

I picked that up when the HKL DVDs all got rereleased but i've not got to it because in the time it's taken to bother the blu rays come out. See also Shaolin Wooden Men, on a disc for years, watch it, blu ray announced. Shitfest. I want to buy Miracles next.

[Chedney Honks]

All the Eureka and 88 Films releases are hopefully pretty definitive. Most of these films are new to me, only ever dipped my toe in, so I'm getting into them at a quite fortunate time. Everything I've seen looks and sounds great. Never seen Miracles, but it's one of of my mate's favourites. Also on 88 Films, I'm sure you're aware. I'll defo get round to it.

[greenman]

The older Kong Hong Legends  stuff was you could argue one of the first examples(in the UK anyway) of a label attempting more definitive releases of genre cinema. Not really looked into whether they were "defintive" for DVD's but at the very least I don't remember many really duff transfers as was often the case with HK films otherwise in that era, the kind of low contrast VCD standard stuff with burnt in subs you got with imports often.

I am supprised that Arrow havent really atempted to get in on the market, Euro horror might be their specialty but you could argue there still closer to that kind of market than Eureka. 88 films seemed to start off as mostly euro horror as well but moving into HK and Chan films espeically seems like its allowed them to rise up in the market a lot.

Maybe the potential for UHD has been a bit of a distraction for them and they've focused more on that.

[Chedney Honks]

I am supprised that Arrow havent really atempted to get in on the market, Euro horror might be their specialty but you could argue there still closer to that kind of market than Eureka. 88 films seemed to start off as mostly euro horror as well but moving into HK and Chan films espeically seems like its allowed them to rise up in the market a lot.

Funnily enough, I understand that Arrow have fairly recently got the rights to fifty-odd Shaw Brothers films so there'll be no more of them on 88 Films. I saw someone in the States bought a recent Arrow release and it had an inlay card for The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Exciting stuff!

[Chedney Honks]

I'll start a separate Shaw Brothers thread.

[greenman]

Funnily enough, I understand that Arrow have fairly recently got the rights to fifty-odd Shaw Brothers films so there'll be no more of them on 88 Films. I saw someone in the States bought a recent Arrow release and it had an inlay card for The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Exciting stuff!

Might pick that up but honestly I'v never been as interested in Shaw films, most of my HK viewing is either 80's kickboxing action of Sammo's Kung Fu films.

Could be different releases in different countries of course, Arrow do put out some US only releases like Flash Gordon.

[Shit Good Nose]

I want to buy Miracles next.

Never seen Miracles, but it's one of of my mate's favourites. Also on 88 Films, I'm sure you're aware. I'll defo get round to it.

Miracles is probably my favourite JC film - sumptuous and the cinematography is amazing.

[Chedney Honks]

Might pick that up but honestly I'v never been as interested in Shaw films, most of my HK viewing is either 80's kickboxing action of Sammo's Kung Fu films.

Could be different releases in different countries of course, Arrow do put out some US only releases like Flash Gordon.

I'd never seen any that I can remember but recently picked up The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter on 88 Films and it's bloody brilliant. Bit slow to get going but the finale is absolutely outstanding. I'd say I enjoyed it more than the spectacular Drunken Master 2, honestly. I'm aware that's potentially the peak for some people, anyway, but I am still interested in trying a few more of the top tier SB productions.

Miracles is probably my favourite JC film - sumptuous and the cinematography is amazing.

My copy of Come Drink With Me has been lost in the post by Amazon so I've requested a refund and ordered Miracles in its place. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon's entertainment.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Has anyone seen there's a HD scan of Fatal Flying Guillotine, for ages there were just shit video copies that looked like it'd been filmed on a camcorder in someone's back garden but this transfer looks decent.

[Chedney Honks]

Another 88 Films release, sounds like a fun one!

[Sebastian Cobb]

On prime at the minute by the looks of it too.
https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/fatal-flying-guillotine

[Chedney Honks]

Nice one. Cheers, dude. I'll probably plump for that and see if it's a keeper!

[greenman]

I'd never seen any that I can remember but recently picked up The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter on 88 Films and it's bloody brilliant. Bit slow to get going but the finale is absolutely outstanding. I'd say I enjoyed it more than the spectacular Drunken Master 2, honestly. I'm aware that's potentially the peak for some people, anyway, but I am still interested in trying a few more of the top tier SB productions.

With the Shaw's though I'd be more inclined to just pickup the more famous stuff such as that being mentioned, with 80's three dragons Golden Harvest or Sammo directing in the late 70's/early 80's I'd pickup pretty much anything.

[Chedney Honks]

Everything I've seen where he's been involved at all has been great. I've got a good pile still to watch but definitely planning to pick up the Three Films with Sammo Hung set on Eureka. And yep, will concentrate on the well recommended highlights with the Shaws.