"Actor: Chung Hua Tou"

• Island On Fire | DVD | (22/05/2000) from £8.97   |  Saving you £-2.98 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Island on Fire is, as the trailer says, "five films in one!". Despite the packaging headlining Jackie Chan this violent modern-day prison drama is an ensemble piece with Chan, a pool-player in prison for accidentally stabbing a man to death, on screen for no more than a quarter of the 92 minutes. Anyone buying this as a Chan movie may be seriously disappointed, for apart from the brevity of his role there is no trademark Chan humour. Also in the brutal and corrupt prison is Andy Lau, an undercover cop searching for the murderer of his professor, and Sammo Hung offering comedy and pathos as an inmate who keeps escaping to visit his son. There are many more characters, together with one subplot involving a mouse which anticipates The Green Mile (1999) and another concerning an assassination conspiracy which parallels Nikita, also released in 1990. Island of Fire is an uneven, always entertaining, sometimes moving film which packs an incredible amount of incident into its running time. However, it should be noted that it is an imitation of, rather than an official entry in, Ringo Lam's Fire series, which includes Prison on Fire (1987) and City on Fire (1987). On the DVD: The anamorphically enhanced 1.77-1 picture is a very good transfer of a rather grainy print, though given the many darkly lit scenes, this grain is probably part of the original film. The mono sound is fine. The film can be watched with the original Mandarin soundtrack and English subtitles, or with a much better than average English dub. The packaging claims there are over 60 minutes of extras. In fact there are nine deleted/extended scenes of variable quality, the best of which give more emotional depth to Sammo Hung's character, together with video interviews with Sammo Hung, Jimmy Wong Yu and director Chu Yen Ping. These total around 20 minutes and are interesting but not specific to the film. Also included is the theatrical trailer, Hong Kong Legends' own "music promo" trailer and eight trailers for further releases. There is also a six-page "animated" biography of Jackie Chan. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Warrior and the Wolf | DVD | (30/05/2011) from £7.26   |  Saving you £8.73 (54.60%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Historical Chinese action feature from director Tian Zhuangzhuang. Set in China's northwest provinces centuries ago shepherd Lu Chenkang (Joe Odagiri) joins the ranks of General Zhang Anliang (Chung Hua Tou) whose forces are passing through the mountains. Previously a placid caring man Lu's character quickly changes until he becomes one of the General's most feared fighters eventually assuming command when the General is sent home after becoming wounded in a barbarian attack. As the winter closes in and Lu leads his men on the homeward journey they take refuge in a mountain village where Lu falls for local woman (Maggie Q). With the troops about to continue on their way the woman informs Lu that she belongs to a magical tribe that can transform themselves into wolves and that as a result of their intimacy he too now shares this ability.

• Butterfly And Sword | DVD | (23/09/2002) from £6.55   |  Saving you £13.44 (205.19%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh - Enough said! You only need mention the names of these two superstars in relation to a Hong Kong movie and you know you're dealing with a quality production. Such is the adrenaline-charged swordplay fantasy BUTTERFLY & SWORD (18) - a hugely impressive showcase for the dazzling skills of both - which also stars Hard Boiled's Tony Leung. Directed by Chin Siu-Tung (who choreographed Jet Li in Swordsman II) this breathtaking spectacle explodes into action f

• Island Of Fire | DVD | (02/10/2000) from £10.25   |  Saving you £11.00 (122.36%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Island on Fire is, as the trailer says, "five films in one!". Despite the packaging headlining Jackie Chan this violent modern-day prison drama is an ensemble piece with Chan, a pool-player in prison for accidentally stabbing a man to death, on screen for no more than a quarter of the 92 minutes. Anyone buying this as a Chan movie may be seriously disappointed, for apart from the brevity of his role there is no trademark Chan humour. Also in the brutal and corrupt prison is Andy Lau, an undercover cop searching for the murderer of his professor, and Sammo Hung offering comedy and pathos as an inmate who keeps escaping to visit his son. There are many more characters, together with one subplot involving a mouse which anticipates The Green Mile (1999) and another concerning an assassination conspiracy which parallels Nikita, also released in 1990. Island of Fire is an uneven, always entertaining, sometimes moving film which packs an incredible amount of incident into its running time. However, it should be noted that it is an imitation of, rather than an official entry in, Ringo Lam's Fire series, which includes Prison on Fire (1987) and City on Fire (1987). On the DVD: The anamorphically enhanced 1.77-1 picture is a very good transfer of a rather grainy print, though given the many darkly lit scenes, this grain is probably part of the original film. The mono sound is fine. The film can be watched with the original Mandarin soundtrack and English subtitles, or with a much better than average English dub. The packaging claims there are over 60 minutes of extras. In fact there are nine deleted/extended scenes of variable quality, the best of which give more emotional depth to Sammo Hung's character, together with video interviews with Sammo Hung, Jimmy Wong Yu and director Chu Yen Ping. These total around 20 minutes and are interesting but not specific to the film. Also included is the theatrical trailer, Hong Kong Legends' own "music promo" trailer and eight trailers for further releases. There is also a six-page "animated" biography of Jackie Chan. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Warrior and the Wolf | Blu Ray | (30/05/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Historical Chinese action feature from director Tian Zhuangzhuang. Set in China's northwest provinces centuries ago shepherd Lu Chenkang (Joe Odagiri) joins the ranks of General Zhang Anliang (Chung Hua Tou) whose forces are passing through the mountains. Previously a placid caring man Lu's character quickly changes until he becomes one of the General's most feared fighters eventually assuming command when the General is sent home after becoming wounded in a barbarian attack. As the winter closes in and Lu leads his men on the homeward journey they take refuge in a mountain village where Lu falls for local woman (Maggie Q). With the troops about to continue on their way the woman informs Lu that she belongs to a magical tribe that can transform themselves into wolves and that as a result of their intimacy he too now shares this ability.

• Adrenalin Charged | DVD | (18/10/2004) from £6.95   |  Saving you £13.04 (187.63%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Butterfly & Sword: Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh - Enough said! You only need mention the names of these two superstars in relation to a Hong Kong movie and you know you're dealing with a quality production. Such is the adrenaline-charged swordplay fantasy Butterfly & Sword (18) - a hugely impressive showcase for the dazzling skills of both - which also stars Hard Boiled's Tony Leung. Directed by Chin Siu-Tung (who choreographed Jet Li in Swordsman II) this breathtaking spectacle explodes into action from the very first scene and continues at a mind-blowing pace until the stunning climax. During the ride viewers are treated to jaw-dropping locations awesome fight choreography and surreal violence with all the key performers in top form throughout. Butterfly & Sword is full of the stylish sweeping action which later would make Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Michelle Yeoh again) such a huge worldwide hit. Characters routinely spin upside down through the air use soccer balls as deadly weapons run up walls with ease and in one particularly memorable sequence use each other as human bows and arrows - sending Tony Leung flying straight through the bad guys like a hot knife through butter! Such a sumptuous visual experience as this tends not worry too much about plotting and this is no exception. The story is sufficiently convoluted as to be unfathomable so we'll just say this: Michelle Yeoh is a loyal defender of her King's empire under siege from an army of revolutionaries. That'll do! This is Hong Kong cinema at its most exuberant: an action adventure which bombards the viewer with amazing images and gorgeous cinematography but isn't afraid of delivering some startling scenes of violence and gore to boot. The Blade: Legendary Hong Kong Director Tsui Hark blends violent action and stunning swordplay in his remake of the Shaw Brothers classic One-Armed Swordsman. The Blade is a sweeping epic which highlights the incredible fighting talent of Chiu Cheuk Hong Kong's latest action start. When a master sword-maker adopts the son of a murdered friend (Chiu Cheuk) the boy learns the master's craft well. As a young man he learns about his fathers death at the hand of a mysterious tattooed killer (Xiong-Xin-Xin). He takes fathers broken blade and sets out to seek vengeance. The daughter Ling follows but is caught in a bloody ambush. When he tries to rescue her his arm is hacked off in the battle and he is believed dead by all except Ling and his friend who set out in search of him. But he is saved by a hermit girl who nurses him back to health where he finds an old kung fu manual and practices with the broken blade to perfect the art of one armed swordfighting. In a breathtaking finale unlike anything you have seen before our hero sets off once again to find the tattooed assassin a quest that leads to an explosive and spectacular showdown. What Price Survival: 'What Price Survival' is the stunning reworking of the Shaw Brothers classic 'The One Armed Swordsman'...... An eye for an eye... An arm for an arm...