cityonfire.com | Movie News & Developments |
- Dirty Kung Fu (1978) Review
- Netflix to stream ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ saga as a series
- New poster for Chow Yun-fat’s ‘From Vegas to Macau 3’
- Ghost Warrior/The House Where Evil Dwells | Blu-ray (Shout!)
| Posted: 25 Nov 2015 12:33 AM PST  "Dirty Kung Fu" Chinese Theatrical Poster Director: Lau Kar Wing By Matthew Le-feuvre Deftly defiant, and roguishly engaging with a persona that marginally capitalized on the edge of sardonic repose: a contradiction indeed! The late Wong Yue, who in many ways unintentionally mirrored (his) contemporary, Alexander Fu Sheng, as well as heralding the prospective box office clout of Jackie Chan by at least three years has, to varying degrees, never been properly commended or even designated into somekind of “Hall of Fame” accolade. The question is why? Despite once being a crucial, though critically underrated, Shaw Brothers asset, much of Wong Yue’s pictures (bar exception his supporting roles in timely classics such as 1976′s Challenge of the Masters and 1975′s The Flying Guillotine) tended to be essentially “variations on a theme” that observedly stretches back to 1975 with his highly-animated lead debut in Lau Kar Leung’s crowd pleasing supernatural comedy The Spiritual Boxer (1975). By the mid eighties, in furtherance of the Shaws’ inevitable transition to Television production, Wong’s commercial attraction sadly began to spiral into igmony. A crime in itself! However, mercurial bankability and personal challenges with alcohol and drug dependancy (which thankfully he overcame!) saw Wong’s output diminished to less-than-princely cameos – or employment as a technical advisor/stunt arranger – before venturing into the casino business. Ultimately whatever his human shortcomings in the day – regardless of a very stressful, physically demanding lifestyle – Wong Yue’s easygoing, cocksure deportment married with a fluid, almost spontaneous, kung fu style – courtesy of Lau Kar Leung/Lau Kar Wing’s innovative and expressive choreography – tickled audiences throughout what is believed to be the better part of an erratic decade marred by a split (cine-passionate) demograph. Although plucked from the bowels of obscurity – apparently on a casting whim of Sir Run Run Shaw? – Wong Yue’s restrictive working misadventures as a hotel baggage clerk undoubtedly paled in comparison to his inaugural forays into stuntmanship. Still, this preparation for a solid, albeit conservative and labourous career, at the Shaws’ movietown enclosure was, it seems, designedly manufactured and attentively monitored ensuring maximum commerce potential. Yet beyond the unpredictability of the HK box office, Wong ably circumvented the legalities of his long-term contract by starring in several independent pictures financed/directed by the aforementioned Lau brothers. Of these, Dirty Kung Fu tipped the comedic scales towards the inane, relying sporadically on appropriated plot elements from The Spiritual Boxer, and the Lau’s antecedent He Has Nothing But Kung Fu (1977), to insure another goofy addition to Wong’s actively diverse filmography. Indeed, characteristically dependent on Wong’s ability to charm, invoke or otherwise: Dirty Kung Fu ventures into avenues of humourous absurdity, thrilling us devoted patrons with an undemanding script that is, in part, fondly reminiscent of Jackie Chan’s critically divided Half A Loaf of Kung Fu (1978/80). And despite patently blemished by incoherent cinematography, twitchy editing, and suffice to say – throw away dialogue of an impromptu nature; well at least in its dubbed format – one cannot disregard or overlook the exciting balletic opening or subsequent fight arrangements plentifully centred (for budgetary reasons, no less) in a ‘new territories’ type village location: home to extortions, corruption and everything else in between. Ironically enfolded in a market ‘then’ deliberately suffused with a torrid plethora of Bruce Lee clones and (now) counterpoised by Jackie Chan wannabes, Wong Yue refreshingly eclipsed these unwelcomed charlatans for another unforgettable screen incarnation as Pei Chou-Chai aka ”The Rubberball Kid,” an incompetent opportunist impassioned to make his mark as a bountyhunter. Unfortunately, he is outclassed, and equally, out manoeuvred by more experienced resident hunters: “Flashing Blade,” Mr Yip (Tsui Siu Keung) and “The Snake King,” Pei Yuen Tin (Lau Kar Wing – who speaking of, directs with the right measure of dynamic jollity!). After misidentifying a corpse as an outlaw at a funeral service, Pei finds himself wanted by the local police chief (Karl Maka) on a charge of fraudulent behaviour. In order to expunge this mistake, Pei hopelessly exhausts his improvisational deceptions by either losing his captives to the lure of gambling or simply because of a lack of martial skill. Determined to bring down an untouchable miscreant (Wilson Tong in super sinister mode) versed in the mysterious art of “Heaven’s Door Kung Fu” – a debased version of “Spiritual Boxing,” Pei devises an eel/snake combo-system whilst employing the use of his girlfriend’s underwear – an unusual, yet, in Chinese mythology, an exceptable accoutrement for battling spiritually possessed fighters. For Pei, though, will these intergrated deterrents insure victory?! Verdict: On the further inspection beneath a ‘now’ commonplace exterior, interfacing concepts do not always harmonize, but somehow (the) Lau’s kinetic formula, which wasn’t consistently subtle, or for that matter, original, repeatedly worked! It wasn’t so much the pioneering, new, fangled ideas in preference of old school values in the way the late Bruce Lee had accomplished! The Lau’s “originality” nonetheless was in applying re-imagined methodologies from an alternative perspective. Fortuitously, Dirty Kung Fu slots firmly into this catagory! Matthew Le-feuvre’s Rating: 7/10 |
| Netflix to stream ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ saga as a series Posted: 24 Nov 2015 12:50 AM PST  "Gangs of Wasseypur II" Theatrical Poster If you’re looking for singin’ and dancin,’ look elsewhere… but if you’re looking for beatin’ and killin’, don’t miss Gangs of Wasseypur, an Indian-made crime saga written and directed by Anurag Kashyap (Satya), who is considered the “Poster Boy” of Bollywood's new wave of cinema. This controversial two-part film, which is being described as India's answer to The Godfather, follows a bloody feud between two families that begins in the early 1940s and lasts until the mid-1990s. Netflix recently announced that a special edited version of Gangs of Wasseypur will stream as an eight-part series the first week of December. Until then, don’t miss the trailer. |
| New poster for Chow Yun-fat’s ‘From Vegas to Macau 3’ Posted: 24 Nov 2015 12:00 AM PST  "From Vegas to Macau 3" Teaser Poster From Vegas to Macau 3, the 3rd chapter in the From Vegas to Macau series, will reunite legendary Hong Kong actors, Chow Yun-fat (From Vegas to Macau 2) and Andy Lau (Shanghai 13, Switch), both of whom starred in the original God of Gamblers classic. This time around, Vegas to Macau 3 is being helmed by Andrew Lau (Daisy), with Wong King (director of Parts I and II), reprising his role as writer and producer. From Vegas to Macau 3 also stars Jacky Cheung (1990′s The Raid), Nick Cheung (Cross), Carina Lau (Young Detective Dee) and Li Yuchun (Bodyguards and Assassins). From Vegas to Macau 3 will be getting a domestic release on February 8, 2016. Stay tuned for the trailer! |
| Ghost Warrior/The House Where Evil Dwells | Blu-ray (Shout!) Posted: 24 Nov 2015 12:00 AM PST  Ghost Warrior & The House Where Evil Dwells | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory) RELEASE DATE: January 5, 2016 Ready for some obscure samurai action? Shout! Factory presents the Blu-ray Double Feature for 1982′s The House Where Evil Dwells and 1984′s Ghost Warrior (aka Swordkill). In The House Where Evil Dwells, an ancient Japanese curse turns a couple’s lives (Edward Albert and Susan George) into a nightmare of lust and revenge! This release features a new high-definition transfer and trailer. In Ghost Warrior, a deep-frozen 400-year-old samurai (Kamen Rider’s Hiroshi Fujioka) is shipped to Los Angeles, where he comes back to life (almost sounds like Donnie Yen’s Iceman, eh?). Special features include a trailer… whoop dee doo. Pre-order this Double Feature from Amazon.com today! |
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