Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Description

A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a gun smuggling ring. Features some of the most amazing and influential action set pieces in cinematic history.

Customer Reviews:

Important film that didn't age well..........2007-08-12

When Hard Boiled came out as a theatrical release I was blown away. It was utterly unlike any other film I had seen up to that point. Now though it's been imitated so many times, both by Hollywood and by Woo himself, it just doesn't hold up. It plays almost as a parody of itself.

It's worth seeing because it is such an important milestone, but don't be surprised if your memory of the film is stronger than the film itself.

A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre.......2007-08-12

This was my first experience with a movie from the "Heroic Gun Play" genre. I'm not a fan of American action pictures, so I had always shied away from John Woo's Hong Kong action flicks. I now see that I have definitely missed some great movies (I'm female, so a bunch of guys shooting guns at one another was never something I thought I would get into). I decided to give the movie a look because Tony Leung is my favorite actor at the moment and I knew that he co-starred in the film. Actually, Leung and Philip Kwok Choy (the killer Mad Dog in the film AND the action director) steal every scene they share with Chow Yun-Fat. Now I want to check out some of the Shaw Bros. films Kwok Choy was in to see more of this martial arts actor.

Maybe it is the surprising emotional complexity Leung brings to the film and the exhilerating action sequences (and that the killing looks so fake), but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. As a neophyte, the commentary and 3 interviews added to my understanding and enjoyment of the film. Since this is a cult film, I understand that die-hard fans of Woo and this particular film might be disappointed in various aspects of the presentation (this isn't a Criterion 2-disc premium treatment, afterall). But, as an introduction to this film, to Woo 's heroic gun play pictures and to the world of Hong Kong action films, it is as good a place to start as any. I am definitely looking forward to viewing other John Woo HK films.

Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless.......2007-07-31

For those of you lucky enough to own the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, you might want to hold onto your copy as none of the extras from that edition are included on this one. That being said, the video and audio on this version easily surpass any previous Region 1 incarnations making this edition a must-have for fans of the movie.

The first disc features an audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. He shows off his impressive knowledge of HK geography by pointing out which locations in the film don't exist anymore and their significance in the country's culture. Logan also dishes out interesting factoids, like the teahouse in the opening sequence was going to be demolished and this happened right after they filmed the last scene in the place! As with other commentary tracks that he has done his encyclopedic knowledge about the film and HK cinema in general is quite impressive, making for an informative track.

Disc two starts off with "A Baptism of Fire: A Featurette with Iconic Director John Woo." He was a big fan of Steve McQueen in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry and with Hard Boiled; he wanted to create his own Dirty Harry. Woo wanted to make Chow Yun-Fat like Eastwood's iconic character but with the Asian actor's warm charisma.

"Partner in Crime: An Interview with Producer Terence Chang." He talks about how he met Woo in the late 1970s but that they didn't start working together until ten years later. Chang also talks about the genesis of the film which was originally a psycho who kills baby (?!). Fortunately, after they filmed the teahouse shoot-out, Chang convinced Woo to discard this idea.

"Art Imitates Life: An Interview with co-star Philip Chan," the actor who played Tequila's boss in the film. He was real policeman before getting into film and brought that authenticity to his role. He actually ran a team of undercover cops and speaks admiringly of working with Woo.

"Mad Dog Bites Again: An Interview with Leading Villain Kwok Choi." He talks about working with Woo on the film. Originally, he was hired to only design the action sequences but Chow Yun-Fat recommended him to play the villain's right-hand man.

"Hard Boiled Location Guide": takes us on a fun, fascinating tour of many of the locations from the movie. Some places, like the teahouse (which is now a mall), don't exist anymore and a little historical background is given to some of the places.

Also included are two trailers, the U.S. and Hong Kong versions.

Finally, there is "Stranglehold Video Game Mini-Making Of." This is the John Woo-approved sequel to Hard Boiled that allows you to play Tequila. This extra shows how deeply involved he was in the game's production with Chow Yun-Fat returning to provide the voice for his character!

One of the greatest action films of all time.......2007-07-29

Undoubtedly one of the finest action films ever made, Hard Boiled tops every single slam bang, big budget, mainstream action film you have ever seen. Chow Yun-Fat stars as a super tough cop on the trail of the murderous triad, only to learn that an up and coming triad soldier (Tony Leung) he has his sights set on is an undercover cop who gives the term deep cover new meaning. As loyalties shift and the bullet and body count rise, the two team up and help provide some of the most dynamic and exciting action scenes ever put to film, including a standoff at a hospital that concludes in a barrage of blood, bullets, glass, and incredible carnage. Before he came over to America and helmed watered down mainstream action films like Broken Arrow, Mission: Impossible 2, and Paycheck (personally, the only film of his I've liked that he's made over here is Face/Off), John Woo crafted the amazing action scenes that you've heard so much about with this film. This double disc Ultimate Edition released under the Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label features a nice selection of extras (yet no commentary from Woo or Chow Yun-Fat) including an examination of how much Hard Boiled has influenced the action genre over the years. To this day Hard Boiled remains a masterpiece, and if you're an action junkie who has never seen the film before, you need to pick this up immediately.

Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic........2007-07-25

Forget the reviewer claiming that they cropped the picture and then stretched it back out. He probably doesn't know how to work his wide screen TV or hasn't set his DVD player to enhance anamorphic DVD's. Cropped and stretched? What a silly notion. And as for the subtitles, they seem to be pretty much the same as the Criterion version which wasn't bad, but not anamorphic. Unless you speak fluent Cantonese, how in the hell could you ever know which version was the most accurate? This release has the best transfer of the film to date, and I've owned four copies of it including this Dragon Dynasty edition. The colors are rich and the the images are sharp. This is the best version for your money, unless you want to wait for the Blu-Ray edition. I hate it!!!

Average customer rating:

Damn that's a good movie!!!!!!!
I agree with Jamie Kendall,
Good Movie, Great Martial Arts
LAW & ORDER MEETS CHINA TOWN
Kill Zone

Kill Zone
Starring: Donnie Yen , Sammo Hung Kam-Bo , Simon Yam , Jacky Wu , and Kai Chi Liu
Director: Wilson Yip
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000GFLKDU
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Description

In this good cop versue bad gangster action thriller, Dectective Chan (Simon Yam) relentlessly pursues the vidious crime boss Po (Sammo Hung) but eventually gives up in frustration and looks toward retirement. His replacement, Ma (Donnie Yen) is a principled committed cop who is skilled in martial arts and has a reputation for violence. The death of a cop who was planted undercover in Po's gang causes further unbalance between the sides as the cops seek justice for the loss of their brother

Customer Reviews:

Damn that's a good movie!!!!!!!.......2007-08-30

killzone was great. It could have had a little bit more action, but what fights there were, were very good. I did like how the build up between Yen and Sammo was handled. You knew at the end that they would tear the house down, and yes, i gasped whn i saw how the fight ended. Some of the scenes were really good, like the crazy hired gun guy killing the guy right after he got his fathers' day gift. that was great. I didn't see too many flaws with the film. I just wanted more of what i got. thsi si a definite buy. you won't be sorry. The Donnie Yen uppercut on the guy onto his car is worth the price of the dvd alone!

I agree with Jamie Kendall,.......2007-06-16

The description hit it right on the head if you ask me. There are really only 2 fight scenes. Donnie Yen gets 5 stars, the movie gets 2. This will not make it into my martial arts collection of movies.

Good Movie, Great Martial Arts.......2007-06-03

donnie and sammo together!! enough said...fight choreagraphy was awesome! donnie's skillz always nothing but the best...sammo simply legendary, never disappoints, still moves great for his age and size.... wish the fight scene w/ donnie and sammo was longer...

LAW & ORDER MEETS CHINA TOWN.......2007-06-03

It takes a round about way of getting to the point but KILLZONE pays out at the end of the film. This movie has sevrall actors who we are used to seeing in the GOOD GUY rolls playing some very NOT good rolls. Sammo Hung plays a mob boss who is driven not only by his desire for more power but vengence and the desire to do right in the eyes of a little girl. The multi-talented Donnie Yen plays a hard nosed detective who has to walk a fine line as he watches his own team of detectives become more and more thug like in the name of defeting the mob. All the while grappeling with his own dark desire to fight fire with with. A MUST SEE if you like police dramas.

Kill Zone.......2007-05-15

Kill Zone is an action packed martial arts movie. All the fight scenes are excellent. The characters are all believeable, you could really relate to their emotions and motivations. It was very interesting to see Sammo, as the bad guy, who was really bad but had a soft spot for his family. I really didnt like the way the movie ended though, I felt someone should have had a happy ending.

Average customer rating:

A Cinematic Treasure!
Year of the Drinking Game
Did Mickey Rourke write the rest of the reviews here?
One of MY TOP 10 movies of all-time
Whatever Happened to John Lone?

Year of the Dragon
Starring: Mickey Rourke , John Lone , Ariane , Leonard Termo , and Raymond J. Barry
Director: Michael Cimino
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0007VZ99E
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Amazon.com

Redemption for director Michael Cimino and burgeoning stardom for actor Mickey Rourke were on the agenda when Year of the Dragon was released in 1985, and even if those things didn't quite come to pass, the result was nevertheless an entertaining, at times even compelling film. Cimino, seven years removed from his Oscar triumph The Deer Hunter and five years past the debacle that was (and still is) Heaven's Gate, made a move back into the mainstream with this violent tale about New York's Chinatown, where gangs and heroin-dealing Chinese "triads" hold sway--at least until police captain Stanley White comes on the scene, fiercely determined to put the bad guys out of business. As portrayed by Rourke, White is arrogant, boorish, and bullheaded, a thoughtless jerk who puts anyone who cares about him in mortal danger, all of which we're supposed to forgive because he served in Vietnam and is so righteously intent on doing his job. Problem is, White is almost completely unlikable, rendering his relationships with his long-suffering wife (Caroline Kava) and his TV reporter girlfriend (a wooden Ariane) implausible in the extreme. Add to that a script (by Cimino and Oliver Stone) filled with stilted, macho dialogue and a level of facile racism and sexism that would be unacceptable by new millennium standards, and you've got a tough sell. Still, Cimino knows how to direct the action sequences, and he's able to sustain a good level of tension as the story builds toward its inevitable confrontation between White and young crime lord Joey Tai (John Lone, channeling Al Pacino in The Godfather: Part II). And the aftermath? Cimino made only four movies in the ensuing twenty years, none of them exactly blockbusters, while Rourke sank into a self-inflicted oblivion from which he has yet to recover. Not exactly the hoped-for outcome, but neither of them should be ashamed to have Year of the Dragon on his resume. --Sam Graham

Description

A Vietnam vet turned New York City cop vows to bring down a Chinatown crime lord.

Customer Reviews:

A Cinematic Treasure!.......2007-04-03

The sets of 'Chinatown' were constructed and photographed at Dino de Laurentiis' film studio in North Carolina. I know because I saw them while visiting the set. The real Chinatown has streets so narrow you could not possibly film on them. However, that's where the 'pretend' ends and the gritty reality of life on Canal Street begins.

While this movie was made over 20 years ago, it not only holds up over time, it gets better with age. It's like the best Dim Sum you ever had. You want it again and again. I am delighted it is now out on DVD. I just wish they would re-release 'Year Of The Dragon' in theaters so a new generation of filmgoers could see the genius involved.

John Lone, as always, is quiet elegance. A wonderful actor with one of the best faces in the business. Mickey Rourke was Mickey Rourke. The guy we fell in love with. Not the Mickey Rourke of today who has had so much plastic surgery we can't recognize him anymore. He is brash, crass, electric. A real spitfire of an actor. Ariane, poor soul, was badly miscast. The material was way over her head.

You see small parts in the film played by actors who were just getting started in the business. Eddie Jones, the great character actor who played my daughter's grandfather in a Harry Kondolian play in NYC, is the tough Cop on horseback in the first part of the film. He is still around playing great roles. John Lone and Ariane have long since left the screen. I really miss Lone. A wonderful actor.

The film is not a small film. It's big in grandure and in scope. Lone travels to Thailand, Hong Kong. This film sneaks up on you when you least expect it and makes you think. The writing is superb. Cinematography incredible. Music, acting, you name it. The very best film has to offer.

As someone who photographed Chinatown for many years here in NYC, it is very special to me. I love this film. I just wish millions of people could see it now in DVD and be as thrilled by it.

Year of the Drinking Game.......2006-10-14

Okay, line up as many shot glasses as you can find, play the movie, and you drink:
-every time Mickey Rourke's character says something racist
-every time Mickey Rourke's character mentions spare ribs
-every time Ariane has a gratuitous nude scene
Even if all you've got is lite beer, you'll be hammered by the time Capt. Stanley White gets his transfer orders in the third act.

Did Mickey Rourke write the rest of the reviews here?.......2006-07-25

What's the difference between this movie and a Schwarzenneger movie? Answer: A Schwarzenneger movie has better dialogues, a better plot, and better acting.
How could the guy who made Deer Hunter come up with this dud? More intriguing still, how can anybody say anything nice about this colossal disappointment.

One of MY TOP 10 movies of all-time.......2005-11-04

SERIUOSLY. this film is that good. a film in its time(1985), truly that was misunderstood. look at by critcs as too racist and violent, but really wasnt. basically, yotd portrayed how life was and is in NY Chinatown(underworld). mickey rourke(Captain White) was 'my idol' after seeing yotd for the 1st time back in 86-87(only 13), a great performance as the straight ahead, no-nonsense, ex-Vietnam vet, but loving to the ladies, NYPD Captain in Chinatown. as Cap, he vows to bring order back to Chinatown. Great performances everywhere. breathe-taking settings through-out movie, especially the scene between Rourke and Arianne(reporter having affair w/ rourke) overlooking Manhattan(priceless). I also pre-order the yotd DVD in July, not knowing the DVD format was just release in May. SWEET! also, as far as picture quality, yotd is one of the finer quality DVDs on market. (play it on your laptop..WOW)

Whatever Happened to John Lone?.......2005-06-06

"Year of the Dragon" though consistently engaging is a highly uneven film. While it purports to be about the Chinese underworld I don't think I knew any more on the topic than before I watched this film. I attribute this to the script by director Michael Cimino and Oliver Stone which has more than it's share of bloated rhetoric. Mickey Rourke, not helped by the silver dye job, does the best he can with the dialogue he's forced to spew as Stanley White, returning Vietnam vet turned police captain who has a personal vendetta in cleaning up Chinatown that remains vague to me. Arianne, who plays the TV reporter whom Rourke beds, has to be one of the worst actresses this side of "Showgirls". The film is elevated by the performance of John Lone as Joey Tai, ruthlessly ambitious crimelord. Lone is so coolly suave that you wish that more of the film had dedicated itself to his character instead of Rourke's. I do admire Cimino as a director, however. He's from the old school of seventies filmmakers whose most flawed work is as interesting as more successfully commercial product. As a screenwriter that's another story.

Average customer rating:

Bruce takes charge of his Films
Just say WOW!
Horrible Quality
Bruce Lee's most fun film; a classic
Bruce's movie

Return of the Dragon
Starring: Jon T. Benn , Ricardo Billie , Russell Cawthorne , Fu Ching Chen , and Robert Chen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00005BCKD
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com

Bruce Lee wrote and directed Return of the Dragon, his third film, a mix of hard-edged kung fu and goofy humor. Once again he plays the country boy who travels to a foreign land, in this case Italy, where his restaurant-owning cousins face trouble from the local syndicate. Their strong-arm tactics have driven customers away and now threaten the family, but Lee refuses to buckle under their pressure and takes them on in a series of impressive confrontations. The film ends with a memorable showdown with world-champion karate artist Chuck Norris in the Roman Colosseum (though much of it is staged in a rather cheap studio set), a brutal, almost inhuman battle that revels in the intense punishment taken by the combatants. Norris is one of Lee's best opponents and a marvelous physical contrast: brawny and hairy, using power and blunt karate moves while lean, wiry Lee counters with speed, gymnastic prowess, and balletic grace. The mix of comedy and kung fu comes off as camp at times, but that's hardly the reason to see the film. When Lee gets into action, whether he's taking on a gang of knife-wielding thugs or dueling Norris to the death, he becomes the total focus. Originally titled The Way of the Dragon, this film was renamed in the wake of Enter the Dragon to cash in on that movie's popularity. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Bruce takes charge of his Films.......2007-05-22

While I very much like this action/comedy, it isn't the best of Bruce's films. The story and comedy are very old hat but his fight scenes(especially with Norris at the Coliseum) are as good as ever put on screen! It shows that along with the footage shot for "Game Of Death" that Lee Would have made a gifted director and writer had he lived.

Just say WOW!.......2006-08-09

The story isn't that good. The humour is awful. Some of the sets are a joke. But the action? Man, you just can't fault this baby. The twin nunchaku sequence is superb. The fight with Bob Wall is unbelievable. But the true triumph is the Chuck Norris fight. Has to be one of the greatest fight scenes ever filmed. Fantastic. The choreography (entirely Lee's work) is matched only by the final execution. This is a true lesson from a true master on how cinematic fight scenes should be built, performed and filmed. Stunning.

Horrible Quality.......2006-06-12

This movie has bad quality it is dubed in they have deep voices and it sounds bad.If you want a good bruce Lee movie get Enter the Dragon I thought it would be a good movie but I was worng.It was not even a hollywood movie maybe if you were a big fan of Bruce Lee you could handle the bad quality.

Bruce Lee's most fun film; a classic.......2006-06-02

Set in Rome, Return of the Dragon (ROTD) is the last of Bruce's Hong Kong-produced films. Unlike Hollywood-produced Enter the Dragon, the English is dubbed, the production quality low by comparison. Yet, this movie is highly entertaining. Enter the Dragon was Bruce's biggest film, but there's something about ROTD that makes it his most exciting.

The fight-to-the-death showdown with martial arts legend, Chuck Norris, elevates ROTD to cult-classic status. Any kid that was a fan of the martial arts in the 1970's and 1980's wanted to see Bruce "beat" Chuck.

Like all of Bruce's movies, ROTD's fight scenes are brilliant, amazing, things of beauty. Though the fights are (obviously) staged, the athleticism displayed is otherworldly. They're quite funny, too. Bruce's charm and good sense of comic expression come through, particularly in the sparring/training scenes in the alley.

Enter the Dragon is really a James Bond film with lots of martial arts.(See my review.) ROTD, by contrast, is more in the tradition of Hong Kong kung fu films in which battles are fought for justice, honor, revenge, protection of family and loved ones, etc.

If you like martial arts films, ROTD is essential viewing. It's fun even if you're only mildly interested in -- or can just tolerate -- martial arts.

Bruce's movie.......2006-05-18

Bruce lee did it all for this movie. He may have even done the music but pry wouldn't hold himself to it. Now of course the only reason people talk about this movie is because of the chuck bruce fight. That had to be one of the top 2 or 3 fight scnenes ever when it came out. I mean it blew everything away including the chinese connection.

Storywise it really could have been a whole lot better. The movie starts with some good comedic elements. It is really sad sometimes to think about what would have been if he was alive and working in movies today. It was amazing to see bruce's charm and fighting skills blended together to make an altogether likeable guy and somebody who anyone would laugh at. Like when he beats the crap out of everybody, steals there guns and all, customers are coming in they are all laughing and passing around a gun trying to hide it real quick so nobody sees it. Bruce certainly had his own style and was unmatched in martial arts acting ability. And it certainly helps when you are one of the most respected martial artists in the world. He would have easily been up ther with jet li.

Now like I said, the story could have been a lot better, but it is decent for a while. Then we get like the stereotypical gangster looking type people (blacks and italians sadly) who want to close down the resaurant that bruce has just come to help out. So add in some boring scenes with nora miao(chinese connection) showing bruce around the city and some hit man who fails miserablely at killing him, and the story just drags along. But all the comedy keeps you some what into it,and all the workers in the kitchen who just happen to practice all day when not in the restaurant, they are just great. I mean they are so freaking stupid, you just know they would all be dead trying to defy the gangstas without ol brucey.

Now the fights aren't exactly plentiful, but he he did step it up from his first 2 movies. Beating up all the thugs(non martial artist's) gets a bit tiring, except of course when bruce scares the s*** out of this white guy by kicking the light bulb out of the ceiling right in front of him. So then bob wahl shows up and proves to be a good guy for bruce to beat down. So another fighter shows up and this fight kind of sucked. Whang in-sik has had MANY better performances than this and it is a shame that bruce couldn't show this real life GRANDMASTER off a bit more like Jackie Chan did in young master. SO now bruce finally meets up with chuck and while this fight was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It didn't have enough substance to be one of the best screen fights ever. I mean bruce obviously is being challenged and is going to take care of what he came to town for but chuck just kind of shows up to beat people down. So I could have used at least a set up, but still a spectacular fight. Raymond Chow somehow got the rights to film this in the roman coliseum and we get a little of bruce looking around, seeing scpoping the place out a bit before fighting. And he can't find him so Chuck juts waits around for bruce to come where he wants to fight him. They go at it an a pretty open area with only a cat to observe. When that cat creeches, blood will fly!!!!!!!

The dvd is acceptable in picture and soundif you are a collector like me and have hundreds of these and just like to have the movie . But if this is like your favorite movie, get an all region dvd player and indulge with the 2 disc and you then can get the special editions of "fist of fury" and "the chinese connection". I have the fox box collection with those 3, game of death and a documentary and it cost me less than the $14 amaon has for this movie alone. So look around and trust me, if you love kung fu, these movies are by far better picture and sound than most of videoasia's or say groundzero"s releases. Good, cheap fun.

Average customer rating:

Standard Chinese TV Series
GREAT
Colossal Letdown!
The soap opera version of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Excellent Production

New Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Starring: Chi , Yik , and Tung
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001OGV3A
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Description

The classic swordplay saga based on the acclaimed martial arts novel by Wang Du Lu and made for cinema by Ang Lee, now gets a new interpretation in this expanded and exciting retelling! To escape from an arranged marriage, the feisty and wild Yuk Jiao Lung secretly learns kung fu from her master, who is formerly a member of an anti-government rebel cult. At the same time, swordsman Li Mu Bai meets and falls in love with fellow swordswoman Yu Shu Lien when she takes revenge for her parents' death. The fates of all four of them will eventually link together with the appearance and theft of the legendary Green Destiny Sword. The reappearance of the notorious female bandit Jade Fox further complicates matters. NEW CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is a sweeping tale of love, revenge and honor, and an incredible martial arts adventure filled with stirring fights and magnificent sceneries shot on location in mainland China.

Customer Reviews:

Standard Chinese TV Series .......2007-03-01

One thing that I always see in reviews are people who compare this film to the Action Adventure wire-fu epic flic. This is a Chinese action drama. It's also a TV series. Not a Gung Fu epic. As an action drama, it's one of my favourites. Amazing action, a much-appreciated love story, and further background into the characters.
Remember that Chinese cinema is NOT American cinema. Everything is different. Different people play the same parts in variations from the original. And each variation can show a different part of the whole story. I loved the further dive into this world.

GREAT.......2004-11-18

this video is the best chinese action movie i've seen besides some I've seen a few years ago with Vivian Leung. The action is great, all the actors/actresses were Great! I liked it so much more than the original crouching tiger hidden dragon.... I would definitely watch it over and over and over again.!!

Colossal Letdown!.......2004-09-22

This version of Crouching Tiger is certain to disappoint most fans of the Ang Lee movie version. The special effects budget is nonexistent. There are scenes where the wires are vividly visible, destroying any believability. Unfortunately, the acting only deepens the disappointment. It is abysmal and amateurish. The story progresses at a jerky pace and the editing is choppy, (probably reflecting the fact that this is condensed from a 15 hour TV version), making it difficult to follow what is going on. Take my advice, save your money! Buy the Ang Lee movie version if you have not already seen it. Watching this horrific and degenerate version is painful and not worth the effort.

The soap opera version of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.......2004-08-15

The Ang Lee version of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon left many Asians with a bad taste. The movie version cut alot of the side stories and boiled it down to the bare essentials. Asian audiences felt that 2 hours was not enough to tell the original story. The same can be said of many book to movie adaptations.

This U.S. DVD release of New Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is essentially a condensed Reader's Digest version of the television mini-series that aired in China shortly after the Ang Lee movie came out.

The original series, like alot of Chinese mini-series, tended to explore many aspects of Chinese culture that would be unfathomable to Western tastes. Much of that is cut out.

This series plays out more like a soap opera with continuing plot lines from episode to episode.

It's too bad that Tai Seng edited alot of the story out as some folks may want to see the complete uncut series. But in the interest of Western audiences, it was pared down to a more managable 4 hour show. This DVD release would probably not have sold very well if it was released in the U.S. in its complete uncut edition with more discs and a higher price.

VCDs of the original uncut series are available in China and in Chinese video rental shops but there are no English subtitles or English dubbing.

Excellent Production.......2004-08-13

This tv production pre-dates the famous movie by a year or so, but, has it's own character and story to tell. Some incidents remain the same, as well as all the major characters, performed by an attractive and talented group of actors (I've developed a little crush on the actress playing Shu lin). This was apparently a much longer work attested to by missing scenes shown in the opening and closing credits and it's a shame Tai Seng has not also offered the complete series dubbed for the serious collector. What's left is a sometimes choppy, but well edited story that expands into many different directions from the movie, yet at it heart never strays from the familiar. Great martial arts too. Very Highly Recommended!!

Average customer rating:

beautifully done

Forbidden City - The Great Within (DVD)

Manufacturer: Discovery Channel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000FLYC3U

Product Description

Unprecedented access reveals for the first time some of its reputed 9,999 rooms and 240 acres of palace grounds, schools, temples and theaters. Once closed off to the world, this icon of Chinese imperial power is now yours to discover.

Customer Reviews:

beautifully done.......2006-12-13

The photography and narrative are beautifully done, and not over dramatized as so many documentaries tend to be these days. It also contains interesting historical information, not just about the Forbidden City, but about Beijing, the Opium Wars, and the Boxer Rebellion. It doesn't go into great depth (it's less than an hour long), but it does provide some interesting trivia and is a good place to start for those who know little about China. I've been to the Forbidden City twice and this dvd brings back all the memories. My only disappointment is that there was no mention of any history after 1949 -- but I give it five stars anyway because it is so beautiful to watch.

Average customer rating:

wanna know what happens when godfrey ho gets actual kugn fu actors to direct
Just the way I rememebered it
Don't confuse this.
DRAGON LEE'S MASTERPIECE
Sorry - This Movie Is Waaaay Overrated

Dragon on Fire
Starring: Bolo Yeung , Jim James (II) , David Wu , Phillip Ko , and Dragon Lee
Director: Godfrey Ho
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001WTVWK
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Customer Reviews:

wanna know what happens when godfrey ho gets actual kugn fu actors to direct.......2006-06-18

We get the same old terrible godfrey ho movie, but it doesn't end with the white ninja vs the red, we get actual choreographed fights. Easily the best godfrey ho movie I haev seen to date, and sadly, I haev seen hundreds of his ninja flicks. Now the story is just as bad and meaningless as always. Let me tell you what I was able to decipher. John Liu fights a guy at the start of the movie. He beats him and because they fought, their secret style is lost forever?? There are a few white guys in this and a main one who is selling stolen antiques of course. Chan Lau runs a business where he receives these antiques and also sits outside of his house with a blue painted face and challenges people to beat his fighters. He is willing to give up $20 if anybody can beat his guys. So a guy says ok, I'll fight. Chan lau is like, alright, take on Bolo. So Bolo uses this cool gorilla style. Then someone comes in and beats Bolo. Then Phillip Ko shows up and kills him just after his victory on Bolo. Dragon Lee goes around doing Bruce Lee poses and tino Wong is his brother. Dragon is training one day and John Liu watches him. Dragon doesn't liek people watching him so he fights Liu. Then tino wong comes down to fight him. He says "I must kill you to revenge my father". All of this is classic godfrey ho. Sometimes you can have up to 100 or so movies in one pf his films. But this manages to be cut down to only about 3 movies. New record for godfrey ho. Chan Lau hires Liu to work for him, because, well, Bolo lost so he needs another fighter. Hey, I figured one of the plot lines out! Fat kid shows up who you have seen in MANY movies(one is snake in eagle's shadow) and he is trying to break his plates out in some wasteland and is getting mad casue tino wong is catching them and not lettign them break???????? Then we see Chan Lau having this weird scenee where he can't breath and is eating roaches. This happens in the dark of course and I think he is supposed to be a demon, but why I am tryign to figure stuff out in a godrefy ho movie. But basically it leads up to him learning the mad dog technique and biting up dragon lee. That fight and the finale is what got this film it's 3 stars. Good stuff from the great Godfrey Ho.

We also get training sequences and stupid plot twists that add to the film horribleness also. What a wonderful movie.

Now this movie is also called dragon, the hero. So why is dragon the star of so many ho movies and nodody elses, Godfrey just loves him I guess.

Picture quality is full screened and pretty bad picture with colors bleedign all over the screen. Adn whoeeevr the cameraman was when they were actually filming this, he must have had a seizure at one point.

Just the way I rememebered it.......2005-09-04

Nice to get this movie on DVD.There are no extras with it, but the quality is good. Well worth it if you're a true martial arts movie fan, especially a fan of John Liu. Unfortunately, there are a couple of annoying characters in this one, but the heroes make up for it, and the fight scenes are great. This has been one of my favorites for years.

Don't confuse this........2004-01-28

This is NOT the movie staaring Dragon Lee. This is another movie and Dragon Lee is not the main character.

DRAGON LEE'S MASTERPIECE.......2003-12-11

CLASSIC! All star cast. Dragon Lee (Bruce Lei), Bruce Lea, Bruce Li, Samuel Walls. Get this at all costs.

Sorry - This Movie Is Waaaay Overrated.......2003-07-01

I'm not sure why people have given this film such good reviews. Maybe it's one of the reasons why I disliked it even more. I was expecting a film with great fighting, even without the good storyline, but I was very disappointed. My main beef with this film is the way Godfrey Ho manipulates the speed of the fighting sequences. I think he should have just undercranked to make it look like they were fighting faster. Instead, he snips out frames, so for example, at one second, a guys hands at his waist, while in the next instance it's above his head! Not to mention the fact that the coreography itself isn't memorable. Philip Ko is a great fighter (at least, he is in other films I've seen, like 'Tiger Over Wall'), but boy is wasted in this film. Tino Wong and John Liu are also not impressive in this film. And what's up with Dragon Lee? His character goes around making bruce lee faces and manneurisms, but what is the point of his character? I guess one interesting fact about this film is that it features some 'voodoo kung fu', which would become a popular genre during the early 80's.
If you really are curious about this film, I'd suggest getting it as a cheapie in that 'Dragon Lee' set by BCI Eclipse/Brentwood. At least, if you dislike it, you won't have wasted your money, and if you really liked it, you'd feel satisfied about getting your money's worth and more.

Average customer rating:

Dragon Strikes Back
Starring: Rick Boyd , Robert Hundar , Klaus Kinski , Chen Lee , and Piero Lulli
Director: Mario Caiano
Manufacturer: Legacy Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001W1BZK
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Average customer rating:

wanna know what happens when godfrey ho gets actual kugn fu actors to direct
Just the way I rememebered it
Don't confuse this.
DRAGON LEE'S MASTERPIECE
Sorry - This Movie Is Waaaay Overrated

Dragon on Fire (Dub)
Starring: Bolo Yeung , Jim James (II) , David Wu , Phillip Ko , and Dragon Lee
Director: Godfrey Ho
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005MM7O
Release Date: 2002-02-05

Customer Reviews:

wanna know what happens when godfrey ho gets actual kugn fu actors to direct.......2006-06-18

Just the way I rememebered it.......2005-09-04

Don't confuse this........2004-01-28

This is NOT the movie staaring Dragon Lee. This is another movie and Dragon Lee is not the main character.

DRAGON LEE'S MASTERPIECE.......2003-12-11

CLASSIC! All star cast. Dragon Lee (Bruce Lei), Bruce Lea, Bruce Li, Samuel Walls. Get this at all costs.

Sorry - This Movie Is Waaaay Overrated.......2003-07-01

Average customer rating:

Modern Marvels: The Great Wall of China

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Modern Marvels - The Great Wall of China (History Channel)

ASIN: B000E371IM
Release Date: 1997-06-22

Description

Rising up from the land like a sleeping dragon, its vastness seems beyond the realm of human possibility... Explore the story of one of the wonders of the Ancient world. The Great Wall of China is the one of the most massive building achievements in history. Winding 6,000 kilometers through undulating mountains, it is the only man-made structure visible with the naked eye from space. Yet the true history of this engineering marvel is as mysterious and ephemeral as the mists of the nearby Yellow River Valley. Who called for the Great Wall's construction and how was it accomplished? And was the Great Wall truly, as legend has it, a wellspring of bloodshed, madness and death? Examine the mysteries of one of the most awe-inspiring monuments in the world with modern engineers and leading historians.

DVD:

DVD

DVD