VIDEO REVIEW: Game of Death

VIDEO REVIEW: Wheels on Meals

VIDEO REVIEW: Project A

VIDEO REVIEW: Shanghai Express

HERE'S JACKIE!: Project A

Project A
Director: Jackie Chan
Year 1983
 
Project A is a rip-roaring thrill ride set in late 19^th Century Hong Kong that showcases the astounding talents of Jackie Chan and his close knit crew of friends. The scope and epic nature of this film is through the roof, as we’re witness to some of Chan’s most dangerous and awe-inspiring stunts. With a tongue and cheek tone, and enough action set-pieces to make your mouth water, Project A is an outstanding film that proves without a shadow of a doubt that Jackie Chan really is a force to be reckoned with.
 
The film follows a young coast guard officer named Dragon Ma, who along with his fellow officers and a few friends must take down a gang of pirates and the corrupt government officials that allow them to continue their reign of terror on the sea. Bound to duty and the respect of his country, Dragon does everything in his power in order to severe the ties that these scrupulous characters share, even going as far as to infiltrating the pirates’ lair and leading an attack on their secret hideaway. With a fevered pace, Project A is an entertaining masterpiece that succeeds on all levels.

Jackie Chan plays the role of Dragon Ma, the duty bound and hot tempered Coast Guard officer that has enough tricks up his sleeves to open up his own circus act. Jackie wows in the role of Dragon, delighting in the over the top nature of his character’s personality and abilities. There are so many death-defying moments in this film and Chan takes them on in such a carefree manner on screen. His movements and theatrical mannerisms that he’s perfected over the years, have reached paralleled heights, and we’re given a plethora of moments that simply wow the senses. We witness him shimmying up a flagpole, scaling a towering wall, and of course there are the intricately choreographed action sequences that show Jackie fighting like a madman. What’s also nice about this certain role and time period, is that Jackie is able to pay homage to the films of Buster Keaton and Henry Lloyd, two of his cinema idols. It’s quite apparent that Project A is a passion project for the intrepid filmmaker and the painstaking efforts that he went through in order to make this film what it is, is exceptionally represented by the quality of the end product. The blend of comedy and action in this film hits a perfect mix, allowing for the overall fun of the movie to stand in the lime light. Both as director and star of the film, Jackie has done a wonderful job in creating a film that is both memorable and timeless in its efforts to entertain.
 
Not withstanding Jackie’s amazing portrayal of Dragon, there are a string of memorable characters in this film that bring it fully to life. The most important of these are the ones played by Sammo Hung and Biao Yuen. Sammo plays the role of Fei, a mischievous thief that gets tangled up in Dragon’s pursuit in taking down the pirates. He gives an outstanding performance that both allow him to show of his excellent comedic timing and his unparalleled martial arts skills. Like Jackie, Sammo loves mixing comedy with martial arts, and his own take on this combination works wonders on the film. Biao Yuen plays the role of Captain Tzu, a superior to Jackie’s character that has a run-in with him at a local bar, which results in a wild brawl that has to be seen to be believed. Yuen relishes in showing off his skill in this film, giving those trademark acrobatic moves that he’s known for a healthy workout. I’ve always been a fan of Yuen’s and this film first captured my attention on his amazing abilities and charismatic screen presence.
 
Both Sammo Hung and Biao Yuen attended the same Opera School, the China Drama Academy, that Jackie Chan did, and their friendship blossomed out into the film world when they began to make it big in the Hong Kong film industry. Project A would be their first official collaboration, of many, and it marks the starting point when their tremendous union truly started to scorch up the screens. It seemed as if the stars aligned for this production, because after facing failure on U.S. shores, Jacke was determined to come back and create a film that would truly kick the public upside the head and force them to take notice. Project A was that wake-up call and it was the bridge that spanned his earlier career of old school masterworks to his more personal take on the genre with his intricately choreographed action set-pieces and core focused stunt work. In effect, this brought the three friends together and started a budding cinematic relationship that would later bring us such wonderful films as Wheels on Meals, My Lucky Stars, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, and Dragons Forever.

Project A also has an abundance of spectacular moments that both shock and awe the audience into an action-oriented frenzy. There are so many to list, but I’ll narrow them down to a few key instances that really emphasize the sheer audacity of their wonderment. One of the most memorable moments of the film would have to be the bicycle chase. This mesmerizing sequence of events shows an on the run Dragon, played by Jackie, as he tries to escape from his pursuers on a bicycle through the narrow streets of a downtown marketplace. The choreography and timing of these shots are downright amazing, highlighting the creative ideas that the crew was able to come up with in order to make a highly entertaining set of sequences flow from one shot to the next. Jackie bobs and weaves through the alleyways doing trick after trick in order to stop his attackers in their tracks. He even goes as far as to use his bicycle as a weapon, swinging it around in a wild fashion as he takes the bad guys out. What is even more impressive about this scene is that comedy is strewn throughout its run time, yet it never feels like a tacked on aspect of the sequence. Every comedic action melds perfectly with the tempo of the scene, making for a fast paced set-piece that feels wholly organic and free flowing.
 
Another memorable moment of this film is the clock tower sequence, which starts out with Jackie being handcuffed to a flagpole and then shimmying his way up to the top in order to leap to safety and find cover inside a clock tower. Needless to say a tremendous fight sequence unfolds within the tower that uses the environment of the inner workings of the clock to establish some rather creative springboards for Jackie to perform his various stunts and fight work off of. What is most impressive about this elongated sequence is that it eventually leads us outside of the tower and smack dab in front of the giant clock face that stands at least 50 feet from the ground. Jackie hangs precariously from the hands of the clock as he holds on for dear life, only to finally slip and fall sending him crashing through a series of canopies until he lands not so delicately on the ground below. The sequence is an outstanding homage to the famous scene in Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last! film, where Harold finds himself in a very similar situation. It’s unmistakably classy and Jackie does a commendable job in capturing the moment, while adding his own personal style to the familiar scene. Project A is chock full of these kinds of moments, not including the amazing fight sequences that liter this film’s narrative, so there really is a great deal of substance to this piece of work. When it comes to the complete package in both entertainment and action packed value, Jackie Chan and his productions are always a safe bet and this film is no exception.

Project A is a perfectly crafted film that balances its comedic and action oriented moments sublimely. Jackie’s acting and directing are seamlessly presented in this flick and the end result is something of a modern marvel. The inclusion and introduction to the legendary 3 Brothers series of collaborations, that featured Jackie, Sammo, and Biao, is an added treat that really gives the audience a glimpse of things to come in their cinematic futures. The film also has no lack in memorable moments, often feeling overwhelming with its abundance of action set-pieces and outstandingly choreographed moments. Both the bicycle chase and the clock tower sequence are portions of this film that will never be forgotten in the memories of all that have witnessed them and cherish them.
 
For such a tremendously enjoyable film, it probably seemed impossible for Jackie Chan’s star not to rise, even if his attempt to break into the Hollywood system didn’t go over so well at the time. In my opinion it was those confidence-crushing moments that made Jackie a better filmmaker than he ever would have been, because it gave him the motivation to come back even stronger the next time just to prove that he could accomplish the impossible. Project A proves that fact and you really can’t deny the power and spectacle of this film. Every time I witness it, I’m taken aback on how seamless the presentation is and how daring the execution really was. I’ve been mulling over what the A in Project A stands for and I think I’ve finally figured it out. The new title of this flick will be…..  

Lets get shit faced!

Yuen refuses to pull Jackie's finger and fall for the old fart joke.

Shit's about to go down!

Sammo you little sneak.

Don't drop the soap boys.

Respect my authority!

Look out below!

Jackie don't feel bad. I'll get you a matching bowtie later. Ok?

Check out this weirdo.

How about a nice Hawaiian punch?

Jackie get down from there you little monkey!

This is my mean face. Hurumph.

Quit making love to that pole you pervert and get down from there!

Jackie's about to lose it.

Sign this guy up for the Mr. Peanut biography. Uncanny.

Oh, I'm sorry Jackie. Are we boring you?

Dude, what's with the stache? Look who's talking.

Jackie get out from under there!

The dream team!

REVIEW: Shanghai Express

Shanghai Express

Director: Sammo Hung

Year 1986

Shanghai Express, also known as Millionare's Express, is a dense action comedy film that has so many memorable and entertaining characters within its entangling storyline, that you can't help but be swept up in all the craziness that ensues within its glorious hour and forty minute runtime. Director Sammo Hung, of such cinematic fame as The Prodigal Son, Dragons Forever, and Wheels on Meals, presents us with one of his most diverse and ambitious films of his illustrious career. There's enough amazingly choreographed fight scenes and hilarious comedic moments to entertain any lover of asian cinema.

Welcome to fun town.

The story of Shanghai Express is something of a beast, relying on the many fascinating characters to enrich the narrative and fill out the film's world. One of the main characters of the piece is Fong-Tin Ching, played by director and action super star Sammo Hung. Fong is a man without a home after being exiled from his village years ago, but he is determined to return and bring prosperity to the village and respect to his families name. He plots a grand scheme, which at first seems selfish not to mention reckless, that includes buying up a large hotel in the center of town and having his new found women friends sell their companionship to the local gentlemen. To top that all off, Fong adds a little bit of insanity to his plan by sabotaging a passenger train called the Millionaires Express while it's on its maiden voyage, so that it will stop at his rundown town and force the passengers to visit and hopefully help jump start the failing economy there. It's an absurd plot, but one that works within the confines of Shanghai Express' world.

One of the most conspicuous bank robbers in history.

What makes this seemingly simple story so confusing, is the inclusion of the multiple factions of characters who are plotting their own devious plans against the Millionaires Express passenger train or are caught up in the heist by just being in the general area of the train. We have two groups of train robbers, one of them being the bumbling head of security at Fong's home town, who along with his security crew set fire to a building in order to rob the bank across the street and then high tail it out of town. If that's not enough, there's the handful of wacky characters that are passengers on the train including a downright hilarious gentleman named Han, played by Richard Ng, who juggles the affections of his oversized wife and his sultry mistress with some side splitting results. Not to mention a badass group of Japanese samurai, a militia of horse-riding ass kickers including Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton, a mob like group of men sent to keep watch on the already mentioned group of samurai, a rival father and son pair of kung fu masters, and the new head of security and all around acrobatic marvel Biao Yuen as he tears up the screen. As insane as this all sounds, I've actually left out tons of other memorable characters. This movie is that crazy.

All aboard the fun train. Destination, fun town.

In the early beginnings of the film, as you can imagine when dealing with so much craziness, it can get rather confusing on what is really going on at the moment seeing that there are so many factions and groups vying against each other, but if you stick with the expansive story line you'll be happily rewarded when all the pieces begin falling into place. What really holds everything together is the inclusion of the train. Once we are introduced to the Millionaires Express, things begin to connect with the narrative and we're able to follow everyones intentions a bit easier. It's also at this moment that we really get to see the films comedic side thrive and boy is it a sight to behold.

Homeboy Biao Yuen in full effect. Word to your Sammo.

There's so many moments of comedic perfection in this film, that it would take a while for me to list all that the movie has to offer, but I'll skim over a few of my favorite scenes. As soon as we are introduced to the train and its passengers, we get a clever scene of two kung fu masters as they greet each other at the Millionaires Express' inaugural extravaganza. Both men have young sons near the same age and at first it seems like a happy meeting, but as the conversation moves on you can tell that there is a long standing rivalry between the two men that even trickles down to their offsprings.

This subplot really kicks into gear as they sit across from each other in one of the train cars. The comedy really hits a high point when every time the train enters a tunnel we hear the sound of someone getting hit and when the lights come back on, we see that one of the two pairs has a black eye. This sequence repeats itself a few times and results in a lock up between the two families. The pacing of the scene and overall functionality really works and I found myself laughing out loud at how fast the situation between the two men escalate.

Yeah that's right. He's about to jump off that damn building. Crazy!

One of my all time favorite comedic moments in the film actually comes in two separate scenes that play off of each other. Richard Ng's character named Han, is trying to balance his time between his wife and mistress throughout the entire run time of the film and this constant juggling act gives way to some rather memorable moments. During the train run, Han decides to visit his mistress, but in order to get around his wife's suspicions he pretends that he has to go to the bathroom. Now traditionally in an American film, the character would leave out the door and go visit his girlfriend, but in this Chinese flick, he vies to go out the window and climb up onto the roof of the train. Say what?

Now this isn't the funny part, at least the part that had me cracking up. As he's moving along the top of the train and making his way to the front of the cars he passes one of the mobsters as he is walking in the opposite way in order to keep an eye on the group of samurai. The mobster looks astonished as Han skips past him like he's taking a stroll down a sunlight field without a care in the world. It's priceless and Richard Ng and his mannerisms get all the credit in nailing the moment. He is a comedy genius and really gets to shine in this film. They also get to reenact this very same moment later on in the movie, when both men are walking across the roof of the hotel, both on their opposite ways to start some mischief.

Just out for a nice leisurely jog.

Frankly, I was surprised that with such an enormous cast filled with so many dynamic characters, that Sammo was able to bring them all together and makes something coherent out of it all. Especially that he was able to create something that flowed so nicely together. Half of the satisfaction of the comedic moments had to do with the realization that this was really working out and paying off for the viewing audience. I was happy just from the understanding that so many scenes just nailed what they were going for and that the over ambitious nature of Sammo's wacky comedic epic wasn't just all fluff and no substance. In reality I should have known better because Sammo has yet to let me down when it comes to his comedy, action, and martial arts, which brings me to the film's other amazing aspect.

I think we might need one more room.

These fights are stupendous. Expertly choreographed and painstakingly executed, there's so much detail in each fight scene that Sammo sets up. Having fine tuned his craft over a series of films, Sammo really is able to thrive in Shanghai Express, while both performing and directing in the intricate battles. Not only is the fight choreography exciting and breathtaking to see play out, but Sammo presents a great number of varying styles that spring to life up on the screen. There are so many experts in the field of martial arts in the movie and each of them are given their chance to thrive in their specific fields. The distinct feel of each international flavor shines for all to see, giving the film an epic scale to unfold unto the audience. It really is a who's who of asian and american cinema of that time and I'm so glad that Sammo went the extra mile to get everyone who was in this movie involved. It really is a credit to his popularity and genuine pull in the martial arts world.

Hey, high-five buddy!

On top of both the expert comedic moments and the extravagantly executed fight scenes in this film, we're also given some of the most impressive stunts that have ever graced the silver screen the world over. In fact there are two instances that occur that make you question your sanity after seeing these masterful daredevils in action. In one unbelievable scene, Hou Hsiao jumps from the rooftop of the hotel down onto a railing of a balcony and then down to the ground, all in one fluid movement that makes the death defying stunt seem like child's play. The scene is so quick and effortless on Hou Hsiao's part, that you quickly forget that he just plummeted almost fifty feet in a matter of seconds. Another spectacular stunt and the highlight of Shanghai Express, is Biao Yuen's awe inspiring flip from the top of a burning three story building. The stunt is by far one of the most demented things I've seen on film and the fact that he was able to get right up from that jump and run off in order to continue the scene is frankly nuts.

Sammo Hung vs. Cynthia Rothrock. Entertaining as hell.

Lastly, one thing I'd like to mention is the wondrous location of the village where most of the film takes place. From the statuesque and classical look of the hotel to the surrounding buildings, the decision and execution of creating this town is quite special. The detail is appreciated, for much of the difficult set pieces that occur throughout the majority of the movie takes place within this special location. Especially in the last battle filled moments of the film where all of the factions finally clash, forcing people to choose sides with unlikely foes in order to fend off the large army that has just captured the town and is holding the citizens captive. It's just a great location to see on film and it makes Shanghai Express that much more enjoyable and worthwhile to visit again and again.

The way every movie should end.

Shanghai Express is an epic comedic masterpiece that really never lets up throughout its entire runtime. There's so much to offer the viewer in this stupendous piece and so many detailed aspects of the film that include striking fight choreography, remarkable stunts, intriguing and entertaining characters, and breathtakingly interesting locations. I really haven't seen anything like this in Hong Kong cinema or in the world for that matter. Shanghai Express is definitely a unique beast that melds so many perfect elements and creates something so memorable that you really want to revisit the craziness of it all multiple times. I highly recommend this film to anyone who basically wants to see something special. This is cinema uniqueness at its finest. Check it out!

5 out of 5 stars         A Sammo Hung Masterpiece!

REVIEW: Spooky Encounters

Spooky Encounters
Director: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Year 1980

Spooky Encounters, or Encounter of the Spooky Kind as the title above suggests, is a hell of a fun ride that pits hapless Sammo Hung against an assortment of ghosts and ghouls resulting in a number of comedic outcomes at the actors expense. Man is this a fun movie that you can just sit down and enjoy. I feel I've been doing the blogosphere a disservice by not mentioning Sammo Hung before this review, because the man is a legend among Hong Kong cinephiles. He's starred in countless Hong Kong flicks and has directed just as many. The man is right up there with Jackie Chan in my book.

You've screwed me for the last time granny smith apple.

The plot of this comedic ghostly tale follows a man by the name of Bold Cheung. Cheung compulsively bets on anything to prove how courageous he is and this unsensible nature gets him into a whole heap of trouble. The story really starts to kick into gear when we find out that Cheung's wife has been cheating on him and with his own boss. Unknown to Cheung, he mistakingly gets close to the truth of his wife's infidelity and his boss seems it a necessary evil to plan his murder by employing the dark arts of a taoist priest. As you can imagine things get a little hairy for poor old Bold Cheung as the dark priest attempts to raise the dead in order to hunt down Cheung.

Smell my finger.

This film has a great mixture of comedy and horror that borderlines on slapstick. It has its sense of horror elements, but there's nothing here that will scare the pants off you. It's more of an atmospheric approach that the horror is infused into the film. Either way, the visuals are creepy as hell and the images of an undead mummy-like vampire as it bursts from its coffin to begin searching for Bold Cheung is surprisingly chilling for the mostly comedic approach of the overall tone of the film. There were parts that kind of stuck with me, only to be lost in the laughter that soon came pouring from my shit eating grin.

The Bangles new smash hit song, Walk Like An Undead Zombie.

Comedy is a hard thing to pull off, let alone while bridging the gap between East and Western cultures, but Sammo does a marvelous job in playing the bumbling idiot that always seems to come out of any situation unscathed. The comedic slapstick performances that he choreographs, is similar to how he would map out a fight sequence. Every move is planned to perfection and it all resembles the fluent movements of a ballet. Not only does his mastery show in his performance, but it also carries over into his directorial efforts.

When two become one. How Romantic.

Sammo keeps the flow of the film at a steady pace and always seems progressive as he pushes the narrative along. The fight sequences, the slapstick scenes, and the explanatory portions of this film all move at top speed, sometimes even mingling into each other, combining segments into an almost hybrid form of cinematic art. There are many moments where Hung combines the comedic slapstick stylings with the punch and kick motions of the fight choreography. This is not so unbelievable, because fellow action star and good friend Jackie Chan has the same trademark of combining comedy and action to blend as one. The mixture is accomplished perfectly and Sammo Hung shines on all fronts.

They may be dead, but damn can they sing.

Back to the horror elements of the story. Sammo seems to delight in the macabre aspects of the production, filming the atmospherically haunting locations with an expert eye. The look and feel of the film resembles something Hammer Films would have put out during their tremendous run as the go to studio for all things from the grave. The foggy, dark lit exteriors and the cold gothic locales really compliment the attributes that made Hammer a household name.

Can I use the restroom?

Spooky Encounters actually reminds me a lot of an earlier collaboration between Europe and Hong Kong, where the Shaw Brothers teamed with Hammer Films to make the vampire kung fu epic, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. That Peter Cushing starrer shares the same visual aesthetics that Spooky Encounters seems to revel in. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that Sammo had found some sort of inspiration in that 1974 film when he planned to bring his comedic horror movie to life.

We're here to avenge the death of granny smith apple.

We're treated to all kinds of ghosts and ghouls in this film, from zombies, vampires, and even get a bit of magic thrown in there too. It seems like the film is just bursting with supernatural flavor. The sequences where we get to see into the inner workings of the dark arts, when Cheung's attempted killer is performing the ritualistic rites to unleash all hell onto poor Cheung, is a very animated and lively sequence of events. The over the top production of calling to life the undead, is highly entertaining and Sammo's choice of combining this with the previously mentioned comedic elements works perfectly off each other. Nothing like seeing a man being launched high up into the air by an unseen force.

I ain't scared of no ghosts.

Another highlight of the film is the numerous fight scenes that we are treated to. These scenes are well up to the high benchmark that other Sammo Hung films are held at. He treats the film like any other action film, and really respects the notion of having a well thought out and choreographed fight scene. His hardened discipline soaks through every celluloid filled shot as we marvel at the fast paced action set upon the screen. It's nice to know that even though this film is mainly focused on being a horror comedy piece, that he still has time to inject some of his patented kung fu specialties to the proceedings. In fact this film is pretty high on the list of his best works in the kung fu discipline department.

You gonna eat that skittle on your forehead?

To top off this entertaining whirlwind of a film, we are given the single most outrageous and ultimately most satisfying ending to a film known to man. I'm not going to give it away, but let's just say that you've never seen anything like this before. I was knocked off my feet on how over the top it was, yet how absolutely appeasing the final moments of this film are. I literally laughed out loud in sheer joy at how abrupt and frankly vicious this moment quickly becomes. I've never witnessed anything like this before in all of the thousands of movies I've been privileged to see and I'm pretty damn sure that I'll see nothing like it again. If that doesn't peak your interest and get you titillated into seeing this film, then my friend you might already be dead.

Best ending ever!

Spooky Encounters is the best at what it does. It delivers fast paced action, with creepy atmosphere, and spot on slapstick performances by Sammo and company. If there was ever a Hong Kong comedy that I'd be pressed to recommend, then it would be this film. It does everything right in all departments. It's a seemingly simple film, yet has many intricate things going for it. To be able to accomplish a film that combines comedy, horror, and action and to do it so effortless, well you have to give it up for Sammo Hung. The man is a master at what he does and what he does is entertain us to no end. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Hong Kong cinema and to horror fans that like to branch out every so often.

4 out of 5 stars    A Horror, Action, Comedy Hong Kong Delight!