Being a fan of Jackie Chan and never having seen "Drunken Master" before 2012 is sacrilege, I know, but I just never gotten around to it, not even with all the high praises for this 1978 movie.
Well, I finally got around to watch it and it was with some expectation and anticipation to it. Was it worth it? Well, yeah it was, but at the same time it wasn't all that I had expected.
The story was fun and well-thought through, about Wong Fei-Hung who is a rascal, dishonoring his father who is a Kung Fu master. As a punishment he is to train with his uncle who is said to be ruthless and mean. The young Fei-Hung is in for some rough training, but eventually comes to see the meaning of the tough training.
"Drunken Master" is more of a comedy (or Comedy Fu, if you will) than it is an actual Kung Fu movie. There is a lot of slapstick comedy in this movie, as is to be expected from a Chan movie. But it also shows off the grace, dexterity and skills of Jackie Chan quite well. However, for the Kung Fu, well it was fun to watch, lots of great movies and funny situations, but wow it was so horribly staged that it was painful to watch at times. It just lacked that natural flow to it, to make it seem realistic and natural. I am not saying that it wasn't enjoyable, far from it, just don't expect it to be all that and a bucket of chicken, because it was really staged from start till end.
This Jackie Chan movie is a definite must have in any DVD collection of any Jackie Chan fan, just don't do the mistake that I did that compare this movie with the movies from the last two decades.
I got a Sony DVD release of the movie from Amazon, and despite playing the original Cantonese language track, it kept changing between Cantonese and some seriously doubtful English dubbing. The dubbing was so bad it was beyond belief, they were even doing racial, stereotypical slur at the dubbing - it was just horrible. Luckily the DVD was in Cantonese most of the time, but when it changed to English dub (by its own will) it was just painful to listen to. These movies are meant to be watched with the original language track. English dubbing always has, and always will, be a horrible experience.
And the ending of the movie, well I was stunned at that. It just ended immediately after the final showdown. It was the most abrupt and sudden ending to any movie that I have ever witnessed.
Well, I finally got around to watch it and it was with some expectation and anticipation to it. Was it worth it? Well, yeah it was, but at the same time it wasn't all that I had expected.
The story was fun and well-thought through, about Wong Fei-Hung who is a rascal, dishonoring his father who is a Kung Fu master. As a punishment he is to train with his uncle who is said to be ruthless and mean. The young Fei-Hung is in for some rough training, but eventually comes to see the meaning of the tough training.
"Drunken Master" is more of a comedy (or Comedy Fu, if you will) than it is an actual Kung Fu movie. There is a lot of slapstick comedy in this movie, as is to be expected from a Chan movie. But it also shows off the grace, dexterity and skills of Jackie Chan quite well. However, for the Kung Fu, well it was fun to watch, lots of great movies and funny situations, but wow it was so horribly staged that it was painful to watch at times. It just lacked that natural flow to it, to make it seem realistic and natural. I am not saying that it wasn't enjoyable, far from it, just don't expect it to be all that and a bucket of chicken, because it was really staged from start till end.
This Jackie Chan movie is a definite must have in any DVD collection of any Jackie Chan fan, just don't do the mistake that I did that compare this movie with the movies from the last two decades.
I got a Sony DVD release of the movie from Amazon, and despite playing the original Cantonese language track, it kept changing between Cantonese and some seriously doubtful English dubbing. The dubbing was so bad it was beyond belief, they were even doing racial, stereotypical slur at the dubbing - it was just horrible. Luckily the DVD was in Cantonese most of the time, but when it changed to English dub (by its own will) it was just painful to listen to. These movies are meant to be watched with the original language track. English dubbing always has, and always will, be a horrible experience.
And the ending of the movie, well I was stunned at that. It just ended immediately after the final showdown. It was the most abrupt and sudden ending to any movie that I have ever witnessed.