Kung Fu Hustle (from Stephen Chow)

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Kung Fu Hustle (from Stephen Chow)

Post by Latte Thunder »

I loved Shaolin Soccer. Loved it, I tell you. Hong Kong comedies are so typically cultural that few people outside of Asia can really understand them, but Chow makes his movies with a cultural accessibility that is very welcome. The movies are as slapstick as most HK comedies but not as referential to Asian pop-culture as the rest of them. This said, Chow's latest, Kung Fu Hustle is fucking sweet. He's one part Jackie Chan and one part Jim Carrey.

The story is that Sing (Chow) wants badly to be a member of the Axe Gang, a legion of mobsters running Hong Kong in the 1940s. The problem is that he's completely inept as is his big-ass buddy Brother Sum. The only thing that will get them into the Axe Gang is if they commit a crime, but they're too stupid to do it. Meanwhile, the Axe Gang wants to whip-ass on the people of Pig Sty Alley, a wicked ghetto section of Hong Kong that is home to a few of the most unexpected kung fu masters you've ever seen.

It's extremely funny. There's a laugh out loud scene every couple of seconds. It's almost like kung fu Looney Tunes. Some characters can run very fast and they'll run in place for a second before tearing off, leaving a cloud of dust behind them. The special effects, of which there are many, are also very good and very imaginative. A pair of assassins who fight with a musical instrument, project flying swords and skeletal warriors with their musical notes.

Ultimately, it's much better than Shaolin Soccer and desperately needs a US release. One of the funniest movies I've seen from overseas.
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Post by Kimberly »

Shaolin Soccer is genius...

Thanks for the heads up on this one... have you seen (I can't remember the title of it) but it looks something like Shaolin Soccer but with baseball instead...
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Post by MeinLeben! »

Here's the trailer if anyone's interested:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/kung_fu_hustle.html
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Post by Latte Thunder »

Kimberly wrote:Shaolin Soccer is genius...

Thanks for the heads up on this one... have you seen (I can't remember the title of it) but it looks something like Shaolin Soccer but with baseball instead...
Battlefield Baseball. I had a boot of it and just couldn't force myself through it. It was pretty dumb.
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Post by Chris Slack »

Latte Thunder wrote:Battlefield Baseball. I had a boot of it and just couldn't force myself through it. It was pretty dumb.

I enjoyed "Battlefield Baseball" a lot.

Back on topic, I just got done watching "Kung Fu Hustle" and was VERY impressed. Great CGI work, great comedy and very fast paced action. All things said and done I think it's Chow's best recent work, however I still consider "God of Cookery" my favorite of his large filmography. KFH is easily #2 though :)
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Post by Latte Thunder »

I'm just recently getting acquainted with Stephen Chow. Prior to this, I'd only seen Shaolin Soccer, but I recently bagged the two parts of A Chinese Odyssey, which I'm told is his absolute best. I've also heard a lot about God Of Cookery, so I have to chedk that one out as well.
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Post by I am 138 »

Does anyone get bit on the lower lip by two cobras? This sounds like a film that was on in a Korean restaurant we were at...
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Post by Chris Slack »

I am 138 wrote:Does anyone get bit on the lower lip by two cobras? This sounds like a film that was on in a Korean restaurant we were at...

Yes :)
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Post by Kimberly »

Just got done watching it and loved it...

Only other film of his that I've seen was Shaolin Soccer...

Kung Fu Hustle was very silly and beautiful to watch... lots to laugh at. Are all of his movies like this? They are totally like watching a live action cartoon...

Other recommendations on Chow's films?
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Post by Kimberly »

Just won best picture at the 2004 HK Film Awards...
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Post by llapman »

Yeah, Hustle is getting released very soon in the U.S., but Miramax may mess it up like they did the English language version of Soccer. My favorite Stephen Chow flick has to be Love On Delivery (which has Chow fighting evil disguised as...Garfield!), and I think he's at his best with Ng Man Tat (the good coach/teacher in Soccer).

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Post by Latte Thunder »

I just saw an ad for this on TV. I was shocked when I saw the rating. This baby gets an R!

I can't think of anything in it that would warrant an r rating. The thing is like a cartoon!
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Post by Chris Slack »

Latte Thunder wrote:I just saw an ad for this on TV. I was shocked when I saw the rating. This baby gets an R!

I can't think of anything in it that would warrant an r rating. The thing is like a cartoon!

Don't the subtitles say "fuck" a couple of times? That would warrant an "R". At least with Sony releasing it instead of Miramax it is likely be left in it's original form.
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Post by DylanDog »

Since the Shaolin Soccer thread is in the archives and closed, I supposed this is as good a place as any to post this. But I finally watched it last night, and thought it was funny, but not exceptionally so. The "team of misfits enter tournament and win against all odds" scenario isn't exactly new, but my first thought after seeing this was that Dodgeball was almost an unofficial remake. Girl steps in to help team, crippled coach, evil big shot enemy, etc.... I don't know, am I grasping at straws here?

Either way, I'll have to check out Kung Fu Hustle at some point....
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Post by Remo D »

Okay, so they do one right. They deliver KUNG FU HUSTLE in its thoroughly uncut, subtitled form. They give it a big build up, a New York & L.A. opening, and then a big mainstream release.

So what happens? The American public shuns it and packs 'em in for the Nicole Kidman movie and the second week of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR.

Guess THAT'LL teach 'em to release uncut Stephen Chow movies in the U.S.!

Shit.

Well, anyway, WE loved it, but what the fuck do WE know?
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Post by Latte Thunder »

I haven't seen the domestic take of this movie, but since I'm the local asian movie buff, everyone I know is asking me if I've seen this one. It's also playing in three of four local theaters, which is fucking astounding.

So it sunk like a rock, I assume?
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Post by Demolition Hammer »

There's only 1 theater in these parts showing Kung Fu Hustle anymore, but I finally saw it a few days ago and it is outstanding. Far, far better than the typical tripe we're subjected to from Hollywood. I've definitely got to see Shaolin Soccer.
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