Kung Fu Hustle

[bkasten]

I just saw Kung Fu (a.k.a. Kung Fu Hustle) the other night and I sure am impressed! It's absurd, and completely over the top in almost every way--but all in a "good" Shaolin Soccer sort of way. It's definitely more polished than Shaolin Soccer. But wow, what a wild ride!

The action choreography is singularly stunning even tough it's probably the least "over the top" aspect of the movie (which is still saying a lot). Plus, you've got Yuen Wah, Bruce "Little Dragon" Leung, and Yuen Qiu.

Check it out...if you can.

-guilao

[isfahani]

and it's not at all a bad update of HOUSE OF 72 TENANTS imo...
I liked KFH slightly better than SOCCER, but I can't qualify why.
I did miss Ng Man tat tho.

[bkasten]

mrblue recently submitted an excellent review of Kung Fu Hustle.

[leepifer]

KFH is a new basis for kung fu movies.
I think others movies to come with kung fu will have KFH influences.
I would compare the impact with "Drunken Master"(1978),or even "Matrix"(for the sfx).
Maybe KFH got the qualities of both films!
That's why this movie,without being a genius one,(DM§Matrix aren't genius either) is a new blood for the whole cinema.

[dleedlee]

Did they cut anything out of it? I still haven't seen the HK version yet.

Cribbed from another forum ( * possible spoilers *):

These scenes were not in the Mainland (theatrical) cut but present in the Hong Kong cut:

1) When the flower pot falls on the Landlord's head, some blood begins flowing from the left side of his head.

2) When the old lady punches Sing in the stomach, he coughs up some blood.

3) When the Beast punches Sing in the chest, Sing spits a ton of blood on the Beast's face and we see Sing's head slowly move back.

4) When the Beast smashes his fist into Sing's face the first time, the close up shot of his bloody fist is missing.

*******

I went to see this last Saturday afternoon, a 2:15 show. There were about 30-40 people. Everyone enjoyed it. One guy, a little too much, he was the LOUD LAUGHER letting everyone know he got the jokes, kind of annoying.

Myself, I liked it but didn't love it. Felt the same way about Shaolin Soccer when I first saw it. (Most people seemed to like it more than me.) Like some other people have said, I thought the first half hour or so was the best. After that, I grew a little weary of the action set pieces. I would have preferred a little more story. I was surprised how small a role Huang Shenyi (the girl) had, especially after seeing all the publicity photos from HK and China.

A lot of people said that they enjoyed it more the second time around and maybe I will too. I do recommend seeing in on the big screen if possible though.

I wonder how it will do at the box office this weekend.

[rarnom]

I just saw this recently as well. It was my first time seeing a Stephen Chow film and I thought it was pretty good. Somehow it wasn't as good as I had been led to think it would be. Still a fun film.

[Knetan]

hey,

Indeed a superb entertaining slice of Hong Kong cinema. While Chow's antics are noticeably reduced in favour of heavily CGI enhanced action, I see no faults in that combination as whenever hit, I was on board for every second of it. As a movie, it may be rough and not up to the best of Chow's works (I have a soft spot for the early 90s movies of his) but it all works as a clichéd, funny, kickass and even oddly heartfelt piece. And in other filmmakers hands, all these elements could've easily failed.

The fact that Chow allows many other players shine Yuen Qiu, Yuen Wah) in favour of him is a sign, IMO, of less of an ego, despite the tabloids featuring quotes from actors venting their frustration with Chow.

[bkasten]

I agree. I like the fact that when Steven Chow was in the US he pointed out that that he basically hired some of his teenage heroes for the key action roles in Kung Fu Hustle. Bruce Leung, Yuen Qiu, Yuen Wah, Fung Hak On, Chiu Chi Ling. And indeed they truly are immortals from the old school days. Ego? On the contrary, it's hero worship...

[JohnR]

I just saw it at the cinema last Sunday - I thought it was terrific. I loved it. Seeing it, I now see Shaolin Soccer as a warm up for KFH. They both have some of the same elements (kung fu masters living as ordinary folks, CGI, kung fu as a medium for life fulfillment) but KFH does them better and has none of the weaknesses of SS (I liked SS, by the way, but wasn't overwhelmed by it). You can tell Stephen Chow truly loves kung fu; this is a love poem to kung fu, with lots of laughs thrown in.

Does anyone know if the DVD has good quality? I bought a vcd (it only plays on my region code 3 player) from a Chinese merchant; it's got no subtitles and is in Mandarin, so I assume it's from the mainland. The quality was poor in that it was too dark, a tremendous amount of detail is missing; for instance, when Sing is punching the inside of the traffic thingy, you can't see the hand inprints. I know it isn't right to compare a theatre print to a vcd, but if the dvd is like the vcd I'm not going to buy it. Can anyone who has seen both the movie and the HK DVD let me know if the HKDVD is acceptable?

[Knetan]

hey,

it's a Columbia/Tri Star disc, anamorphic and of high quality to my eyes (you could see the handprints ). It's a bare bonus release and don't be surprised if we see a more packed release soon.

Japan is actually doing that but there will be no subs for extras, including the audio commentary.

[JohnR]

I haven't seen any where near all his films, but here are some personal favorites:

Royal Tramp I & II (with hyper-cute Chingmy Yau)
Chinese Odyssey I & II
King of Comedy (w. great performance from Ceclia Cheung)
Magnificant Scoundels
Forbidden City Cop
Flirting Scholar (added bonus: Gong Li)
Curry & Pepper
God of Cookery
All's Well Ends Well (all-star cast, very funny)

I didn't care much for Fight Back to School, so I never watched either of the sequels. I liked From Beijing With Love, but not as much as the others.

I'm curious to see other's suggestions, as I'm always in the market for a good Stephen Chow movie; he truly has comic genius.

[leepifer]

KFH is scoring an amazing cumulative gross of $13,527,269 at the US box office!For this kind of movie in this so big market,i think it is excellent for the Chow career and a logical artistic recognition.

But i disagree the rating:
MPAA Rating: R for sequences of strong stylized action and violence.
How can such a movie shock young audiences?!!!?
Don't you think a PG-13 would be more fit?(like xXx:state of the union).

Without this constraint, it surely would be much better!Maybe the double amount than the actual one.

"Rumble in the Bronx" did a great $32,392,047(february 96) with the same rating(MPAA Rating: R) but how much would it have to gain with a PG or even a PG-13 rating?Maybe $50...

Is this a strategic way "to promote" Chinese cinema?

[Knetan]

hey,

my personal favourite to this day resides among the early 90s work and it's Hail The Judge. Despite Wong Jing directing, he rarely gets in the way of Chow and Ng Man Tat and it's thoroughly inspired silliness throughout.

Legend Of The Dragon and Tricky Brains are honorable mentions as well.

[pjshimmer]

about the HK-US ratings, I always thought that R = IIB, PG13 = IIA, NC17/Unrated = III, and G/PG = I. With that, I find it funny that both countries seem to slap each other's films with heavier penalty.

For example, I expect Pulp Fiction (rated R) to get IIB in HK, but it's CAT III. Bring a IIB HK action movie to the US, it's often either NC17 or unrated.

[mrblue]

I suspect that Pulp Fiction was given a III because of the drug use.

As for why KFH got an R, I really don't know. If I was going to point to a specific part, it might be near the beginning when the rival gang leader gets his leg sliced off and then the Axe Gang leader shoots the unarmed wife. Also, there were a couple of "fucks" in the subtitles which usually automatically bumps up a movie to R.

In general, the MPAA (US ratings board) seems to have a real problem with hand-to-hand violence -- the US version of "Fist of Legend" was initally given a NC-17 just because of the sound effects.

[leepifer]

It s really about little details that they rate a movie like KFH!!!
Anyway,we all know the DVD will be watched by every kids and they won't be shocked by anything.
KFH has a good influence on children because of the final choice of Stephen Chow.
$14,669,000 is a good gross.
C'mon Stephen,kick'em all

[teriyaki]

Saw the Kung Fu Hustle DVD in Chinatown SF, but it was a really stripped down version from a company I hadn't heard of. Looked like a China release to me. Anyone know if a better Hong Kong release is scheduled soon???

[Brian Thibodeau]

Kung Fu Hustle has been released in HK for awhile now. I believe there's at least two different versions: same film, but one set has more extra add-ons than the other. Check out any HK DVD online retailer for them. www.dddhouse.com, www.yesasia.com, etc.

[leepifer]

Well, Chinatown of Paris got the ERA dvd for more of 1 month.
Top quality, Z3,Mandarin or cantonese,english subs...
you can have it here:http://www.cinemasie.com/fiche/video/7511/
I even found french subs so it's cool for me!

[cpardo]

it was great! there was a pretty good turnout at the multiplex and everybody enjoyed it--that was a couple of weekends ago. A lot of the action reminded me of hk films old and new, even anime battles. Good idea for costumes too--not just Sing's Bruce Lee like outfit--I can picture a whole sea of people dressed as the axe gang!

[ewaffle]

My first post here--I really want to comment on Kung Fu Hustle.

I have seen KFH twice--the day it opened here in Motown and on the past weekend. Although there are a lot of references to other movies--not only HK Action movies, of course--it is possible to love this movie without getting any of the references.

Someone wrote that the real star/protagonist of KFH isn't Stephen Chow but the residents and owners of Pig Sty Alley and agree. The Landlady and her husband, the coolie, the tailor, Donut, the woman and child who were going to be sacrificed by the Axe Gang, the barber who couldn't keep his pants up, Buck tooth Jane (called Rabbit Tooth Jane in the credits) are quite a bunch. Pig Sty Alley is populated by a diverse and believable crew of characters that you can root for quite easily--although not all at the same time.

We have been conditioned in recent decades to expect movies, especially some comedies, in which the characters not only break the fourth wall but do everything but walk through it and sit in the seat next to us. Many of Mel Brooks' movies, for example and just about everything by Zucker and Abrams. Even so Stephen Chow made much of what has been done before seem very funny if not completely fresh. For example:

Donut: [laying on the ground dying] What are you prepared to do?
Landlord: Why don't you speak in Chinese?

Landlady: With the right guidance he could grow up to be a doctor or a lawyer.
Landlord: Probably a stuntman.

This is a terrific movie.

[lelekiet]

where can i get this movie

[Brian Thibodeau]

Type in the title at any of these sites

www.yesasia.com

www.hkflix.com

www.dddhouse.com

www.cdwow.com

www.koreandvds.com

Prices and shipping will vary, but they're all reliable retailers. If you have a Chinatown in your city, you're guaranteed to find it there as well.

I'm sure others can recommend even more sites.

[Big Boss]

Just watched KFH second time - and yeah, this movie is great and Chow is GOD (and of cookery too)))))! The best 2005 movie for me now.

[sshumate]

I love the movie and thought the soundtrack was awesome also. I especially love the song at the end at the Lollipop shop. Is that Huang Sheng Yi singing? I bought the soundtrack but was terribly disappointed that the song was not on there! Does anyone know where to get the song or if it is on CD? Please help!

Thanks,

Steve