Kung Fu Hustle

[Ellie]

I just saw the trailer for this and  I am looking forward to the movie. Has anyone else seen the previews?

[Archivist]

Here in Australia, I saw it in the local Chinatown cinema at the end of last year.

It is freaking awesome.

If you like Stephen Chow's sense of humour, as well as have a bit of knowledge about older Chinese kung fu movies, you'll adore it.  And even if you don't know too many HK movies, you'll still love it.

I won't spoil it in any way.  Just watch it and get back to us when you have!

~Archivist~

[Mr_Vindictive]

I'm currently awaiting an import DVD of it from China right now.  It is supposed to be fantastic, and I can't wait!

[BeyondTheGrave]

I am going to see it in the movies on fri. Heard good things about it.


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You can’t give it, you can't buy it, and you just don't get it!-Aeon Flux

[Yaddo 42]

Looking forward to it, just hope it doesn't get worked over the way "Shaolin Soccer" did. Watching both version of that one on DVD, I could see tightening up the pacing a little, but the Americanized version was still a weak sister compared to the original. Plus the CGI replacement of billboards and the note were distracting. And like I've read other point out there should be a moratorium on using idiotic remixes of "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas on the American soundtracks of HK films that get released here. It was almost clever the first time, but now it's just lazy and stupid.

The NY Times had a neat article about Stephen Chow and HKH last Sunday, and how he wanted to use so many talented martial arts actors from decades past who had been forgotten or moved behind the scenes but were still capable of great work since it fit with his idea of "hidden heroes". He also mentioned that with what they can do with effects and wire work, he can tap into his love of cartoon-style action for comedy as well.

[Archivist]

Hey Yaddo, no spoilin' it for Ellie and the others!  ;-)  But I was really thrilled to see the actors he had in that movie.  Those who are about to see it are in for a treat.

I haven't seen the Americanized version of Shaolin Soccer.  I also heard bad things about the Americanized Fist of Legend (probably one of my favourite movies of all time).

I get my HK and some Japanese movies from yesasia.com, which means they are HK or Japan releases.  No weird cuts, no stupid 'hip' soundtracks or 'tough' retitles or box art, just the movie the way the director wanted it to be.

Can't say the same for Ong Bak, the Thai movie I saw in the cinema in Australia just a few weeks ago.  I saw the Thai release on VCD early last year, and was extremely impressed.

The version they showed in Australia added some mismatched BGM that messed with the pacing of some actions scenes, cut some dramatic scenes which left a weird gap in the plot, and put in this idiotic rap music in the end credits.  Blarg.

On the plus side, the Australian release (done by a French company, it seems) did put back in the scenes of limb breakage that were cut from the Hong Kong version.

But if possible, try to see the original Kung Fu Hustle.  Having a local Chinatown cinema that gets its movies from the source really helps sometimes!

~Archivist~

[Brother Ragnarok]

I will join in the sentiment that I can't bloody wait to see this, and I really hope some numbnuts American distribution executive didn't screw it up too badly.  Why can't these people realize that the American audience doesn't WANT their kung fu dumbed down?  Ugh.
Still, setting the trailer to "Ballroom Blitz" was a thing of beauty.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Just saw it on Friday and I enjoyed it. Some people found it a little too fun laughing a little to hard but I still enjoyed it. The only thing is that if you have not seen some of the older Kung fu flicks like from the 70's alot of the humor will be lost on you so watch out. Besides that pretty good.

 
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You can’t give it, you can't buy it, and you just don't get it!-Aeon Flux