"Actor: Hoi San Kwan"

• Project A - Part 2 | DVD | (27/01/2003) from £5.08   |  Saving you £11.91 (234.45%)   |  RRP £16.99

  For people who've discovered Jackie Chan through his American hit Rush Hour and want to learn what his Hong Kong movies are like, Project A is an excellent place to start. Chan plays a sailor in 19th-century Hong Kong; pirates have been terrorizing the seas for months and all efforts to combat them have been sabotaged by the corrupt chief of police and a criminal gang, who are in cahoots with the pirates. But the plot is hardly the point--a Jackie Chan movie is about astonishingly acrobatic action sequences and breathtaking stunts, and Project A has plenty. Of particular interest is a bicycle chase that is more suspenseful than any car chase you've ever seen. Chan is joined by Sammo Hung (star of the US TV series Martial Law) as a shifty con man who comes through when the chips are down. Project A also features Yuen Biao, a frequent co-star in Chan's movies, who's yet another astounding martial artist. But what separates Jackie Chan movies from other kung fu flicks is his sense of humour; every fight scene is punctuated by something--a clever use of a prop or sudden reversal of your expectations--that will make you bark with laughter. Sometimes it's just so exquisitely choreographed that the entire movie seems to float on a cloud of giddy delight. Jackie Chan is often compared to the classic silent comedians for his grace and timing--he lives up to it. --Bret Fetzer

• The Magnificent Butcher | DVD | (23/07/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Based on the real-life exploits of Butcher Wing, Magnificent Butcher is an action-packed kung fu comedy filled with lowbrow physical slapstick and breathtaking, if repetitive fight scenes. Sammo Hung is the well-intentioned 19th-century butcher whose unerring ability to misread a situation leads to trouble. When Wing's long-absent brother comes to town, Ko Tai-Hoi (Hark-On Fung) imprisons his wife, and our hero joins forces with an old drunken kung fu master played by Siu Tien Yuen (reprising his title role from Drunken Master which brought Jackie Chan to fame). This is Siu Tien Yuen's last film and it's obvious he's been replaced by a stunt double at times, although it remains a fine tribute to his remarkable martial arts talent. Taking an unexpected turn with a brutal attempted rape and murder, farce gives way to bloody retribution. The gradual return of comical elements may seem at odds with the later more realistic violence. While the uneven tone jars, the film is an impressive showcase for some of the greatest talents in Hong Kong cinema. Director Woo-ping Yuen has since found fame as the kung fu/action choreographer on The Matrix (1999) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).On the DVD: Considering how poor most 1970s Hong Kong films looked on video, the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image here is superb; pin sharp with accurate colours and barely a hint of grain. Unfortunately there is still a little of the image missing at the sides, though it is a vast improvement over any panned and scanned cassette. The mono audio is generally good, though the music distorts occasionally. There are two soundtracks: the original Cantonese with optional subtitles, and a bad English dub. Additionally there is an outstanding audio commentary by Bey Logan packed with fascinating information about martial arts, Hong Kong cinema and the historical characters the film is based on. A 12-minute interview with Sammo Hung and 20-minute interview with Woo-ping Yuen are both interesting, though are not specific to Magnificent Butcher. Beyond these there are detailed biographies of star and director, an extensive stills gallery, stills from deleted scenes, two trailers and text information and photos of the real Butcher Wing. Finally, making stylised ultra-violence look extremely cool, there are ten anamorphically enhanced widescreen trailers for further releases. When "Hong Kong Legends" say they want to produce the best quality DVDs in the world they clearly mean it. This is a fine package assembled with the loving care of true fans. --Gary S Dalkin

• Hard Boiled | DVD | (27/09/2004) from £5.99   |  Saving you £9.00 (150.25%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Inspector Yuen nicknamed 'Tequila' is a courageous cop who shoots from both hips never reloads and never misses. A tough guy with a soft spot and infinite charm Tequila is the only man for the job of cleaning up the city and when his partner is killed in a spectacular shoot-out he decides to take the investigation into his own lethal hands. With a body count well into three figures more firepower than you can shake an Uzi at stylised adrenalin-pumping action sequences which

• Project A | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  For people who've discovered Jackie Chan through his American hit Rush Hour and want to learn what his Hong Kong movies are like, Project A is an excellent place to start. Chan plays a sailor in 19th-century Hong Kong; pirates have been terrorizing the seas for months and all efforts to combat them have been sabotaged by the corrupt chief of police and a criminal gang, who are in cahoots with the pirates. But the plot is hardly the point--a Jackie Chan movie is about astonishingly acrobatic action sequences and breathtaking stunts, and Project A has plenty. Of particular interest is a bicycle chase that is more suspenseful than any car chase you've ever seen. Chan is joined by Sammo Hung (star of the US TV series Martial Law) as a shifty con man who comes through when the chips are down. Project A also features Yuen Biao, a frequent co-star in Chan's movies, who's yet another astounding martial artist. But what separates Jackie Chan movies from other kung fu flicks is his sense of humour; every fight scene is punctuated by something--a clever use of a prop or sudden reversal of your expectations--that will make you bark with laughter. Sometimes it's just so exquisitely choreographed that the entire movie seems to float on a cloud of giddy delight. Jackie Chan is often compared to the classic silent comedians for his grace and timing--he lives up to it. --Bret Fetzer

• Hard Boiled | DVD | (24/04/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-Fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the Triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

• Wonder Seven | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Seven orphans each with his or her own skill operate as a secret police bringing criminals to justice. However when a mission goes wrong the group winds up falsely accused of murder and must clear their collective name by bringing the real criminals to justice...

• Martial Arts Master Wong Fei Hung | DVD | (04/06/2007) from £8.99   |  Saving you £6.00 (66.74%)   |  RRP £14.99

  A retelling of the Chinese legend of martial artist Wong Fei Hung; a historical character immortalised in such films as the 'Once Upon A Time In China' series. After the death of his father Wong Fei hung ascends to the position of chief within the 'Po Chi Lam' school of martial arts. Meanwhile an Opium Den has opened in the British sector of Canton much to the dismay of Wong. However he has other worries to contend with... A young Japanese swordsman seeks Wong's father in a student vs. teacher showdown and upon hearing of his master's death challenges the new leader of Po Chi Lam. To further complicate matters Wong discovers that his adversary has a beautiful sister who falls in love with him...