Take home the incredible record-breaking Asian box-office sensation from the celebrated producers of The Forbidden Kingdom and Kung Fu Hustle. When a series of mysterious murders prevents the inauguration of China's first Empress Detective Dee the greatest investigative mind and Kung Fu Master of his generation is brought back from exile to embark on a manhunt that will forever change the course of history! With a matchless performance from leading-man Andy Lau (Warlords and House of the Flying Daggers) and breathtaking action from the martial arts director of Ip Man and Ip Man 2 Detective Dee is non-stop heart-racing entertainment in the highest traditions of Asian Action Cinema.
Officer Cheung [Andy Lau], a senior inspector in the Hong Kong Police Force, is the most respected member of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit. Before rising through the ranks, Cheung worked undercover within a criminal gang, lead by a ruthless crime boss notorious for his expertise in explosives. After Cheung's undercover work leads to the break up of the gang and the arrest of the boss's brother, the gang boss swears to take revenge on the man responsible for ruining him. Seven years on, after the criminal mastermind disappears without a trace, he returns to Hong Kong to wreak havoc. Explosive attacks begin breaking out across the city, escalating until a shocking hostage situation unfolds within one of the world's busiest tunnels, the Cross-Harbour tunnel. With the city facing what seems to be an impossible to stop threat, it is only Cheung who has the skills needed to end the crime boss's revenge spree. Extras: Making of EOD Making of Construction of a Crossharbour Tunnel Trailer
It is 859AD; the Tang Dynasty at its height one of the most enlightened empires in Chinese history is in decline. The Emperor is incompetent and the government is corrupt. Unrest is spreading throughout the land and many rebel armies are forming in protest. The largest and most prestigious is an underground alliance called the House of Flying Daggers. The House of Flying Daggers operates mysteriously stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Thus they have earned the support
One of the most stunningly realized spectacles of all time is unleashed pushing dazzling action and extraordinary scenes of combat to breathtaking limits rarely seen in modern cinema. This incredible story of the last great Warlords is the epic reborn! Under the corrupt rule of the Qing dynasty the lawlessness of the decade long civil war has ravaged a nation. From the chaos three heroes will rise to unite armies and crush all who would seek to enslave them. But the cost of victory will shatter their brotherhood and unleash tragedy and bloodshed across the country. Starring Jet Li cinema's most acclaimed action legend with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro the stars of House Of Flying Daggers back on screen together for the first time and with action directed by the creative genius behind Oscar nominated smash hits Hero and House Of Flying Daggers The Warlords is an epic that redifines modern action cinema.
With John Woo having transformed himself into a blockbuster hack for hire, and Jackie Chan cracking jokes in no-brainer films like Rush Hour, it might be worth remembering how both got their kick-start in Hollywood: through the stripped-down mayhem of the Hong Kong action flick, of which Black Mask is very possibly the greatest example of recent times. Easy-going librarian (no, we're not making this up) Michael (Jet Li, now successfully carving out a career in the US himself in such films as Lethal Weapon 4) has a secret. Prior to securing his job among the dusty hardbacks, Michael was a "701", a genetically engineered superman created by the authorities to help fight crime. The trouble is, the rest of his old compadres have now gone mad, and are busy taking over the local crime and drug scenes. Cue, of course, some explosions, some gunplay and an awful lot of exquisitely choreographed fight scenes, which is where Li, notwithstanding the occasional crafty one-liner, does what he does: cracking heads like some kind of intensely hard ballerina. As he pirouettes effortlessly atop a series of girders on a downtown building site, it's hard not to feel a quiet sense of awe--even among viewers for whom an ability to render one's enemies unconscious with one's feet isn't the first thing we look for in a movie star. Brutal, minimalist and expertly made, Black Mask is a masterpiece of the genre. --Danny Leigh
Take home the incredible record-breaking Asian box-office sensation from the celebrated producers of The Forbidden Kingdom and Kung Fu Hustle. When a series of mysterious murders prevents the inauguration of China's first Empress Detective Dee the greatest investigative mind and Kung Fu Master of his generation is brought back from exile to embark on a manhunt that will forever change the course of history! With a matchless performance from leading-man Andy Lau (Warlords and House of the Flying Daggers) and breathtaking action from the martial arts director of Ip Man and Ip Man 2 Detective Dee is non-stop heart-racing entertainment in the highest traditions of Asian Action Cinema.
In between the Hollywood productions Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, Hong Kong's most popular export, Jackie Chan, returned home to indulge his romantic side in this modern fairy tale. He plays a modern Prince Charming, a big business mogul and notoriously eligible big-city bachelor to dreamy teenager Shu Qi, a girl from a Taiwan fishing village. When a heartbreaking message in a bottle washes ashore, she traces it back to Hong Kong, where she meets Jackie in the midst of a mid-ocean brawl on a luxury yacht. Hong Kong heartthrob Tony Leung has a grand time spoofing his image, playing a gay fashion photographer who "adopts" Shu Qi and helps her woo her handsome dream lover. It's a pleasant change to see 40-plus Jackie discard his usual goofy lovesick fool to play a suave swinger, but next to giggly teen Shu Qi, who proves to be a spunky and winning actress, he seems a little too mature. There are still plenty of opportunities to see Jackie in acrobatic action with a subplot involving a boyhood friend turned shady business rival, but at heart it's a sweet, silly little love song full of unabashed romantic imagery, elegant art design, snazzy fashions and a gooey happy ending. Jackie doesn't provide his own voice in the English dubbed edition, which makes a minor dent in his charm but does little to affect the film as a whole. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com
In the historically based Kung fu drama Legend of a Fighter director Yuen Woo Ping offers his version of the early life of martial artist Fok Yuen Gap (played by Leung Kar Yan). Set at the beginning of the 20th century, Fok is considered too weak to learn the family Kung fu style. Still, as his father can break eggs by growling, he probably considers most people weak. The teenager forms a bond with his humane Japanese tutor (Kurata Yusuaki), who secretly teaches martial arts. The story builds to a moving climax as 12 years later pupil and now ageing master are forced by honour into a deadly duel. The opening and closing acts are by far the strongest, the plentiful fight scenes being balanced by gentle humour and emotions torn between friendship and duty. Both lead actors are excellent, with Yusuaki being particularly fine as the noble warrior-teacher. The middle, a series of disconnected tableaux in which Fok establishes his stature as a Kung fu expert, goes on much too long to sustain interest. Nevertheless the story of Fok Yuen Gap, a genuine Chinese hero who was also the inspiration for Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury (1972), is fine and Woo Ping delivers the one-on-one Kung fu action with the touch of a master.On the DVD: The 1.77:1 image doesn't benefit at all from its anamorphic enhancement, the entire film being presented slightly out of focus so that by the end eyes are likely to be aching. The opening 4:3 Academy ratio archive footage has been distorted to 1.77:1, while the original trailer shows Legend of a Fighter was shot in an extremely wide format--possibly the Hong Kong equivalent of early 2.66:1 CinemaScope, or even 2.74:1 Techniscope--which means that large amounts of the original image are missing. This is very obvious as characters constantly vanish off the sides of the screen or are cropped in half. Additionally, and again compared to the crisp, sharp trailer, colours are washed out, while the mono sound distorts whenever the music gets loud. The film is available in Mandarin with optional English subtitles, or in an awful English dub littered with inappropriate obscene language. There is a nine-minute interview with Leung Kar Yan, and a 23-minute interview with Yuen Woo Ping, which is a slightly longer version of the conversation presented on the Magnificent Butcher DVD: it's notable how he expresses his love of science fiction and indicates he would like to make a SF Kung-fu movie, something he achieved with The Matrix (1999). There is a Hong Kong Legends' promo for the film, together with seven further new trailers. The photo gallery is pointless, simply cropping some shots even further than the main presentation. --Gary S Dalkin
Set in ancient China at a time when the Empire was divided between three powers the Kingdom of Wei the Kingdom of Shu and the Kingdom of Wu Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon follows the reflective journey of valiant hero Zhao Zilong a warrior of the Shu Kingdom as he marches his army north to defeat the Wei Kingdom. Betrayed injured and with his army diminishing Zilong leads his army to war to win the Mandate Of Heaven to unify the vast country.
Experience the incomparable martial arts of Shaolin in this blockbuster motion picture event from legendary producer Jackie Chan. China's last imperial Dynasty has fallen and a ruthless warlord (Andy Lau House of the Flying Daggers) amasses a vast fortune through the violent subjugation of his people. Faced with a brutal betrayal he runs for his life seeking redemption in the fabled Shaolin Temple. When his enemies discover his location he must stand with his new brothers and fight his life's greatest battle... With breathtaking action from the martial arts director of The Transporter 1&2 and an all-star cast of Kung Fu superstars Shaolin sets a new benchmark for Asian Action Cinema!
An epic collection of Jet Li's finest movies, including The Warlords, Emperor and The White Snake and The Founding of A Republic. This is the ultimate collection for any martial arts fan.
Michelle Yeoh stars in this rousing action adventure in the tradition of ""Raiders Of The Lost Ark."" Michelle is a daredevil airplane pilot/spy who fights against the occupying Japanese forces in World War II China. Her latest toughest mission: To rescue the ruler of the city of Kaal from the hands of a ruthless Japanese general (Matsui Tetsuya) and his advancing army. Filled with extraordinary fights and Michelle's trademark stunts (including her use of a bullwhip in the style of Ind
Hong Kong 1941 is a film from the former Crown Colony uniquely focusing on the Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Starring Chow Yun-Fat, shortly before A Better Tomorrow (1986) made him a superstar, this is a war drama far removed from the usual action fare expected from Hong Kong cinema. The English title deliberately evokes Spielberg's 1941, though the content anticipates the same director's Empire of the Sun, even to the extent that the hymn "Suo Gan" is used in both movies. The story of two friends in love with the same woman may call to mind Pearl Harbor, though this comparatively low-budget feature offers an infinitely more convincing account of the horrors of war than Michael Bay's glossy big-budget epic, with some of the most harrowing sequences since The Deer Hunter. The film does not shy away from the moral complexities of collaboration with the enemy, and likewise presents the main characters as fully three-dimensional. Chow Yun-Fat inevitably dominates (he won a Golden Horse award for his performance), yet Cecilia Yip Tong makes a strong impression as the heroine whose terminal illness does not result in the expected sentimental clichés. Alex Man is memorable as the third corner of the triangle, but what makes Hong Kong 1941 genuinely notable is its emotionally charged evocation of WWII from a rarely seen perspective. On the DVD: Hong Kong 1941 is presented in an anamorphically enhanced transfer at 1.77:1, cropping just a little of the original Hong Kong Critics Award-winning cinematography. The picture is excellent, with no blemishes, fine detail, rich colours and barely a hint of grain. The sound is offered in stereo in the original Cantonese, with optional English subtitles, or in a Dolby Digital 5.1 remix and dubbed into English. Both tracks have occasional distortion on the music. The original version preserves the performances much better, though some of the subtitles are wildly inaccurate--references to living in the 21st century and to Japanese jet planes--while the dubbed track offers better than average voice acting but with many of the cultural references Westernised. The multi-channel remix adds only discrete ambient effects and is barely noticeable. The main special features are an information-packed commentary by Hong Kong movie expert Bay Logan, and two interviews. Chow Yun-Fat speaks rather nervously in English for 12 minutes on a variety of topics, concentrating on his work with John Woo. The interview with Cecilia Yip Tong, specific to Hong Kong 1941, is in Cantonese with English subtitles, runs 27 minutes and is anamorphically enhanced with excellent image quality. Also included is a routine photo gallery, the original theatrical trailer and 12 Hong Kong Legends DVD trailers. --Gary S Dalkin
Set in ancient China at a time when the Empire was divided between three powers the Kingdom of Wei the Kingdom of Shu and the Kingdom of Wu Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon follows the reflective journey of valiant hero Zhao Zilong a warrior of the Shu Kingdom as he marches his army north to defeat the Wei Kingdom. Betrayed injured and with his army diminishing Zilong leads his army to war to win the Mandate Of Heaven to unify the vast country.
Experience an intoxicating blend of breathtaking action and comic hijinx from the most famous triumvirate in Hong Kong Action CinemaTasked with busting a crime syndicate, the World's most inept crime-fighters wreak havoc in a holiday paradise with their peculiar brand of high-kicking justice and outrageous antics. Showcases some of the most famous and imaginative fight action from the celebrated careers of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao.Special Features: Digitally re-mastered and restored DVD transfer 16:9 Anamorphic version enhanced for widescreen TVs Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio Trailer Archive Feature length audio commentary with Hong Kong Cinema Expert Bey Logan A Life of Laughter: An interview with Richard Ng Gentleman Warrior: An interview with Richard Norton Cutting Room Floor Feature with rare out-takes from 'My Lucky Stars' S.D.H Subtitles for the deaf and 'hard of hearing' Fully Animated Themed Menus
Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp: Drama about the life of Clive Candy an English soldier who served in three wars (Boer World War I World War II) and had relationships with three women along the way (each played by Deborah Kerr). Despite Candy's tours-of-duty he harbors no ill will towards the Germans instead he believes they have been the pawns of military leaders. Colonel Blimp an old befuddled British military officer reminisces about his past glories in this witty w
One of the most stunningly realized spectacles of all time is unleashed pushing dazzling action and extraordinary scenes of combat to breathtaking limits rarely seen in modern cinema. This incredible story of the last great Warlords is the epic reborn! Under the corrupt rule of the Qing dynasty the lawlessness of the decade long civil war has ravaged a nation. From the chaos three heroes will rise to unite armies and crush all who would seek to enslave them. But the cost of victory will shatter their brotherhood and unleash tragedy and bloodshed across the country. Starring Jet Li cinema's most acclaimed action legend with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro the stars of House Of Flying Daggers back on screen together for the first time and with action directed by the creative genius behind Oscar nominated smash hits Hero and House Of Flying Daggers The Warlords is an epic that redifines modern action cinema.
New Dragon Gate Inn is the DVD title of the 1992 swordplay adventure Dragon Inn, producer Tsui Hark's follow-up to Once Upon a Time in China and Swordsman 2 (both 1991). In the wake of the huge success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon it is a film ripe for rediscovery. A pair of warriors (Brigitte Lin and Tony Leung), who only admit their love when it is too late, have to rescue two children from the clutches of a corrupt warlord. Fleeing through the vast, highly pictorial desert, they seek shelter in the isolated Dragon Inn run by the man-eating Maggie Cheung (traveller's tip, don't try the "mixed meat"). The scene is set for intrigue, romance and exhilarating wirework, as our heroes wait for the enemy to arrive in what is essentially the classic High Noon scenario. The build-up isn't always coherent, though that may have something to do with the subtitles, which are unnecessarily crude. Despite this the production values and high-flying fights are first-rate and the two actresses make the film, particularly the devilishly sexy Maggie Cheung. The final showdown in a desert storm is breathtaking.On the DVD: In the cinemas this was an absolutely gorgeous 2.35:1 widescreen film, which here has been reformatted to 16:9 TV ratio, sacrificing important visual information at either side and significantly damaging the stunning cinematography. Enough survives to indicate just how beautiful the complete images are, and the anamorphically enhanced 1.77:1 transfer is sharp and clean on exterior shots, though some of the dimly lit interiors display considerable grain. Although only mono the sound is full and free from distortion, providing a good showcase for the atmospheric score. The film can be watched with the original Mandarin soundtrack and English subtitles, or dubbed. Included is an interview with Donnie Yen and detailed text biographies of the two female stars. The music promo is Hong Kong Legends' own trailer, included together with five further trailers for other releases. The original theatrical trailer is also present, and no matter what screen setting it is played at, everything looks vertically compressed. However, change the DVD player setting from widescreen to 4:3 letterbox and the trailer plays in the correct 2.35:1 proportions, confirming how the film was really shot. Though the DVD packaging bills this edition of Dragon Inn as the full-length original version though there is no explanation of what footage has been restored from previous releases. --Gary S. Dalkin
An enchanting tale of love and heroism underpinned by Yuen Woo-ping's dazzling fight sequences Tai Chi Boxer tells the story of a young fighter inspired by the teachings of his heroic father to combat the violent excesses of an opium-smuggling ring and win the heart of the girl of his dreams. Tai Chi Boxer is an outstanding tribute to the innovative genius of Yuen Wo Ping combining striking imagery compelling characters and amazing fight sequences.
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
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