"Actor: Kam Chiang"

• Snake In The Eagle's Shadow | DVD | (07/02/2000) from £15.24   |  Saving you £4.75 (31.17%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Snake in the Eagle's Shadow is the film that marks the beginnings of Jackie Chan as a Hong Kong action star. Set in early 20th century China, it is a traditional kung fu action picture invigorated by Chan's good humour and charm. The heart of the film is Jackie's surprisingly emotional relationship with the elderly Yuen Siu Tien, whom the star rescues and befriends. In return, the old man trains Chan in the art of Snake's Fist kung fu, which he later combines with the Cat's Claw to develop the technique of the title. The action, directed by Yuen Woo Ping, includes Chan in an exciting battle with a sword-wielding preacher and a striking showdown with arch-villain Hwang Jang Lee. The sequences in which Chan learns new fighting techniques are both inventive and humorous, with the charismatic Yuen Siu Tien (a veteran Chinese film star and father of the director) offering a sober version of the character he would play in Chan's follow-up Drunken Master (1978), and in Magnificent Butcher (1979). The film features a regular ensemble cast of classic Hong Kong kung fu film actors, and regardless of its obviously low budget mixes violence, comedy and emotion into an enduringly popular success. On the DVD: The image is variable, with some shots displaying considerable grain and print damage while the colours are weak throughout. Worse, the original 2.35:1 film has been reformated to 1.77:1 widescreen TV ratio. While this has been done with some care it inevitably damages the compositions and loses information in the dynamic fight scenes. The sound is functional mono. Soundtrack options are the original Mandarin with English subtitles, or an English dub. Extras include the original English language theatrical trailer, Hong Kong Legends' own trailer, plus promos for further releases and a photo gallery. There is a detailed text biography and filmography of Jackie Chan, and a text interview with producer Ng See Yuen. There is also a text biography of Hwang Jang Lee linked to a kicking showcase which is another short fight scene. Most of these features are identical to those on the Drunken Master DVD.--Gary S Dalkin

• Chinese Ghost Story | DVD | (27/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Ning Tsai-Shen a humble tax collector arrives in a small town to carry out his work. Unsurprisingly no-one is willing to give him shelter for the night so he ends up spending the night in the haunted Lan Ro temple. There he meets Taoist Swordsman Yen Che-Hsia who warns him to stay out of trouble and the beautiful Nieh Hsiao-Tsing with whom he falls in love. Unfortunately Hsiao-Tsing is a ghost bound for all eternity by a hideous tree spirit...

• Master With Cracked Fingers | DVD | (27/08/2001) from £9.98   |  Saving you £-3.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Martial arts expert Jackie Chan sets out with his deadly weapons namely his hands and feet to seek revenge against the murderer of his father.

• Shaolin - Chamber Of Death | DVD | (27/12/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Jackie Chan stars as Little Mute who is the favourite of the Shaolin Masters as he struggles to learn the skills in the Shaolin Temple. Little Mute despairs on ever leaving the Shaolin Temple to seek the revenge of the man who killed his father as his only way out is to survive the ordeal of the Shaolin Chamber of Death. Many brave disciples have tried and failed. Can Little Mute succeed and avenge his father's death? Shaolin Chamber of Death also known as Shaolin Wooden Men was to be one of Jackie Chan's dream projects. Allowing the young ultra-talented Jackie to emblazon all his usual trademarks of acrobatics weaponry and a variety of animal styles plus the creativity of his use of incorporating the excellent but unusual battle against the 108 awesome automated wooden robots that stand between him and his freedom from the Shaolin temple. Another timeless classic.