Drunken Master (UK)
Unsurpassed... the definitive martial arts movie!
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 107 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:
Content Type: Movie
Synopsis:
A pupil is sent to train under a drunken master. He escapes his master, only to come face to face with an assassin. Stunning, ground-breaking martial-arts, from the world`s most famous action-star.
On the year of its original release "Drunken Master" sent Jackie Chan`s rising star soaring into orbit and gave martial arts cinema one of its most accomplished and best-loved action adventures.
With a brilliant, tongue-in-cheek portrayal of indestructable folk-hero Wong Fei Hung, normally played with single-minded determination by Jet Li in the "Once Upon a Time in China" series, Jackie Chan shines as the young fighter with a talent for trouble and the potential to become a legend.
Under the guidance of Sam Seed (Yuen Siu Tien), Fei Hung endures some of the most tortuous training ever devised in a bid to master the devastating art of Drunken Boxing. His climatic battle with ace kick-fighter Hwang Jang Lee, which highlights the forms of the Eight Drunken Mortals, is a breath-taking showcase and a glowing tribute to the awesome physical talents of both performers.
Now re-mastered for DVD, "Drunken Master" is a must for any serious collector of martial arts cinema. Known to be one of Jackie`s personal favourites, the star often recalls performing take after take to perfect the incredible physical manoeuvres required for the role. The result is one of the most innovative, fun-filled, action-packed martial-arts adventures ever to grace the silver screen. You`d need to be drunk to miss it!
Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Photo Gallery
Jackie Chan Biography & Filmography
Theatrical Trailer
UK Music Promo
Rare Deleted Scene
Interview with producer Ng See Yuen
Yuen Woo Ping Biography
Hwang Jang Lee Biography and Kicking Showcase
Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78:1
Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 English
Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 Mandarin
Subtitle Tracks:
English
Directed By:
Woo-ping Yuen
Starring:
Bolo Yeung
Jang Lee Hwang
Siu Tien Yuen
Jackie Chan
Producer:
See-Yuen Ng
Distributor:
Hong Kong Legends
Your Opinions and Comments
Jackie is taught by a master of "The Eight Drunken Gods" and learns how to fight to the best of his ability. This film, in my opinion, has still not yet been beaten for comedy, entertainment, and awesome fight scenes.
The picture is, for most of the film, a little soft, but that is understandable as it has come from China, where films are not taken care of as much as in other countries. This print was terrible, but HKL has done a fantastic job of restoring it. There are a few cracks in the picture, but overall it is easily watchable and MUCH better than any VHS releases you may have seen.
Sound is not very good - just mono encoded into 2 channel stereo. There is no separation, but it is 22 years old, and instead of remixing the tracks to 5.1 sound (which I think never works on any film), what you get is the original soundtrack. There is a dodgy English dubbed track, and the original Mandarin track included.
Extras are good with a very rare deleted training scene, trailers, music promos for other discs in the HKL range, the usual Jackie Chan biographies and filmographies, and a photo gallery. An interview with the producer, Ng See Yuen, and a kicking showcase with Hwang Jang Lee round off an impressive package.
Jackie Chan is fantastic in this film. Get this disc now!
This was Jackie's second film of being a superstar - Under the guidance of Lo Wei, the mentor of Bruce Lee in two films had Jackie acting in films that were flops and Box Office failures - he was really going no where until Ng See Yuen (the Chief executive of Seasonal Films) knew that Jackie had a talent, he cast him in Snake in the Eagles Shadow which was a massive hit and then Drunken Master which was an even bigger success!
The action/Martial Arts choreography from the director Yuen Woo Ping is the best and a good comedy!
Film:
Jackie stars as Wong Fei Hung, a Chinese hero who in this film - always gets into trouble and one day his father 'Wong Kei Ying' disowns him after finding out that he attacked his aunt. A beggar (Yuen Siu Tien) trains him when asked by Wong Kei Ying.
Several times Fei Hung tries to escape, but fails and one day when he does, he is bullied by a hit-man 'Thunder foot' (Hwang Jang Lee) and then returns to the Beggar and teaches him a style known as the '8 Drunken Gods' refused by him to many people.
Thunder foot is given a contract to kill Wong Kei Ying but just in time, Wong Fei Hung saves his father!
Picture:
Most HK films were 'neglected' at that time but now, distributors are finding equipment that will repair the damaged negatives.
The movie has been given an anamorphic transfer but cropped from 2:35:1 to 1:85:1 in which is disappointing because the picture not always centred. For an example, in the scene where the beggar trains Fei Hung - The characters that are important to the film are 'cut off'. Still it is good considering its age with little grain but the sharpness is a let down as other 'Seasonal Films' were mostly affected in the HKL range.
Sound:
A Mandarin and English dubbed soundtracks are offered here!
The Mandarin is acceptable and the English dub is the worst I have heard and most people think the same!
But what is disappointing is that there is no Cantonese Soundtrack which defaults as the original but it was badly damaged and HKL used the Mandarin which was also damaged but useable.
The Original English dub would have been good but HKL didn't include it (probably due to distribution rights).
Subtitles:
Now! These are 'dubtitles' and are English (obviously!) quite poor as Fei Hung is 'Freddy' and Wong Kei Ying is 'Robert Wong' - Most English dubs used these names.
Extras:
We have the Original English Language and HKL trailer, The Original Trailer shows the original 2:35:1 ratio. The HKL Trailer shows the fights in it. I don't know why a Chinese Trailer wasn't included (maybe it was damaged too!).
A rare interview with Ng See Yuen discussing how he started off.
Biographies and filmographies for Jackie and Yuen Woo Ping.
A Hwang Jang Lee 'Kicking Showcase' - biography and a clip from 'Hellz Wind Staff'.
A rare deleted scene which shows Jackie practicing drunken boxing with a wine bottle but the only pity is that the start of it is not there and it is left unsubtitled with Chinese characters on screen.
It is a good DVD from HKL but don't buy it yet as they are re-releasing these titles with the 2:35:1 ratio and a Cantonese soundtrack at the end of this year!!!