Drunken Master

Rating:
Summary: What's up?
Review: I just bought this great movie and was very disappointed with the audio. No matter how I set it up, the spoken language goes from chinese to english and back again, I thought I got a bad copy and returned it. Guess what? Same problem!! Is anyone else experiencing this? I just bought a new DVD player(Sony), so I know it's not my player.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Kung Fu Films Ever Made
Review: When it was released, Drunken Master (the prequel to 'Legend of Drunken Master') broke all box office records in China, and for good reason. This movie still stands as one of the greatest Kung Fu movies ever made. Choreographed and directed by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey) the fight scenes are excellent. In fact, the first 25 minutes of the movie are back-to-back fight scenes. But the action doesn't let up, and following scenes only get better.

Young Jackie Chan's abilities are simply amazing. His acrobatic and martial arts skills are incredible. Many sequences of moves and flips are done in one take and all without wires. Watching it again, I'm still astounded at how great Jackie Chan's athletic ability is. His comedic talents don't go to waste, either.

As for the dubbing, it could be better, sometimes it's difficult to understand what's being said. At the same time it's really quite comical -- which is nice, considering much of the movie is lighthearted in tone. I did not find it a bother.

Anyone who claims to be a fan of martial arts films or Jackie Chan simply MUST see this movie and its sequel, Legend of Drunken Master.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: Arguably Jackie Chan's greatest film this DVD release has been eagerly awaited. The disc features and Anamorphic Widescreen transfer(2:35:1), digitally mastered audio, an English or Cantonese language track with optional English subtitles, and an Audio Commentary by Hong Kong film expert Rick Meyers. You couldnt ask for anything more, except for some cast interviews reflecting back on the significance of this film. Overall a solid package deserving to be on any martial arts fans shelf.

Rating:
Summary: finally, anamorphic widescreen and original language!?
Review: ...This indeed is in anamorphic widescreen and available languages include Cantonese and English dub. Subtitles are present. Columbia-Tristar is handling the transfer, so it should be top-notch.
This is so far the best Region 1 release. An out-of-print, non-anamorphic dubbed-only DVD can be found, but it's rare and not worth the trouble.

Concerning the film itself, this is among the best kung-fu films I have seen. Unlike many more current kung-fu flicks, the plot is simple and there are no unnecessary "save the world" twists. The fights are amazing; believable and often hilarious at the same time. I look forward to picking up this DVD as soon as possible, I've been looking for a suitable copy for a long time.

Added 18 April 2002:
Yes, so apparently the Cantonese track was damaged in Columbia's prints. It wasn't on the VHS rental I happened to find in a small shop in Chicago two years ago. Why couldn't Columbia purchase the rights to cannibalize at least some of the sound from a VHS version? (Not sure if any of the original footage left off VHS versions was damaged).

My favorite cheesy kung-fu subtitle line, "Why are you so sexy?" where Jackie gets beat up and loses his pants has become something about bare knees. Bah!

Movie: 5 stars
DVD: 3 stars

Rating:
Summary: Good film
Review: This was one of the best martial arts movies that I know of, Drunken Master 2 (VHS) is also VERY good. I picked up the DVD of Drunken Master 2 and was verry happy with it, I almost wet myself when I saw it was available on DVD. My only and biggest complaint about the film was the inability to put the original language track in and english subtitles. I would almost perfered to return the DVD and just watch my VHS copy. Hopefully this DVD release of Drunken Master will have that ability to add in that original language track and become on the best DVDs ever.

Rating:
Summary: another shoddy release to rake in the dough.
Review: some people like english dub because they don't want to read. if that's you ok fine buy this(also this release has inferior picture quality--see below) i personally hate english dubs.
where are the extras????
looking at the technical details will tell you that there is no option for the original language track(best in my opinion) with options for subtitles.(just the attrocious dub track) this release doesn't appear to be anamorphic ("anamorphic" yields a better picture for widescreen capable tv's). that's too bad since the U.S. has never had a proper release of this title. but i'm writing to tell all who care that there is a better release WITH the original cantonese track and optional english subtitles. that dvd is also 1:78 WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC VIDEO. includes interviews with the director,trailers,deleted scene,and other EXTRAS! that is why this release deserves a low rating(i usually don't review movies but these awful U.S. releases are [upsetting] me...). So if you want the superior version i recommend searching [elsewhere] for it...

Rating:
Summary: One Of Jackie's All Time Best
Review: I have not seen the DVD and I cannot say anything about this version. I have seen the original VHS with Cantonese audio, Mandarin and English Subtitles, and LBX.
This was one of Jackie Chan's very early films but it still holds up today due to Jackie's amazing abilities!
Wong Fei - Hung is a much beloved character in Chinese cinema but Jackie takes a bold step in showing the young Fei - Hung as a mischevious and reluctant Kung Fu student at his father's school.This is pure Jackie! The training scenes are some of the best ever filmed. And Jackie is at his absolute best! The fight scenes are simply incredible! Sifu teaches Fei - Hung the drunken boxing style of Kung Fu. The end fight scene is amazing and astounding!
You MUST see this movie!!! A must for those who enjoy Gong Fu as well as Chan fans! This is a 5+ film!

Rating:
Summary: This is a Must Have for any kung fu fan.
Review: Drunken master is the break out movie for jackie chan. if anyone has a vhs copy of this tape they will note the his name was mis spelled in the credits to this movie. also i'm waiting for the best kung fu movie ever made which is drunken master 2 to come out on dvd. drucken master 2 has the scence in which jackie really messed up is arms on hot coals. if you are looking for a great kung fu flick this is the one for you.

Rating:
Summary: Chomping at the bit!
Review: I just can't wait for this DVD! As I'm writing this review, I still have to wait 2 months for its release. I'm hoping it's a Columbia Tri-Star DVD, after the bang-up job they did with "Fearless Hyena." I'm hoping for the remastered widescreen transfer this classic deserves, as opposed to the ... Front Row release I've had to do with for the last 2 years. For those who don't know, this was Jackie Chan's breakout movie, choreographed and directed by Yuen Wu Ping, known to the majority of Western audiences through "The Matrix," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "Iron Monkey." Also, it's the predecessor to what we know in the US as "The Legend of Drunken Master," which is actually the second part of a trilogy. I also hope that this DVD includes the original language track, as the Columbia releases of "Fearless Hyena" parts 1 and 2 did. If these hopes don't come to fruition, and this isn't a Columbia DVD, then this review will look pretty dated and stupid. Maybe then a distributor will wise up and give this great flick the respect it deserves.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Kung Fu Comedy
Review: This movie made me a fan of JACKIE CHAN just like Enter the Dragon made me a fan of BRUCE LEE.

AWESOME FIGHT SCENE POETRY