With budgets that are lunch money by Hollywood standards, a handful of Hong Kong filmmakers are producing some of the most exciting and innovative eyeball kick movies around. To get the range of Hong Kong action cinema, I'd recommend starting with three titles: The Killer, A Chinese Ghost Story and Policeforce (aka Jackie Chan's Policeforce).
Having played on cable, and with a legit US distributor, director John Woo's The Killer has been instrumental in introducing Hong Kong-style action to US audiences. The appeal makes sense - The Killer combines the mythic violence, over-the-top gunplay, and charismatic leading man of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns with the mean streets sensibility of Martin Scorcese's Taxi Driver.
For a very different film, check out Tsui Hark's A Chinese Ghost Story. Set in medieval China, it combines stunning swordplay and comedy with lush cinematography and spectacular flying demons. Having picked up effects tricks from some Industrial Light & Magic techs, Hark's visuals often look as good as productions that cost millions more.
In Hong Kong, Jackie Chan is an industry unto himself. A director, producer, writer, and actor, he's probably the single biggest box office draw in Asia. What makes Chan's films special is his sensibility, which is closer to that of Buster Keaton than Bruce Lee. Policeforce is a good example - nowhere else (but in another Jackie Chan movie) will you see action sequences that are simultaneously so exciting and so funny.
All of these films should be available for rent in any large city; if you can't find them, however, you can buy all of them mail order. If you enjoy action films, you won't regret the purchase.
MAGAZINES: - Martial Arts Movie Associates: US$10/four issues. William Connolly, 6635 De Longpre #4, Hollywood, CA 90028. - Asian Trash Cinema: US$20/four issues. Craig Ledbetter, PO Box 5367, Kingwood, TX 77325. - Asian Eye: US$7/issue ($6 Canada). Asian Eye, 253 College St., #108, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R5. - VIDEO CATALOGS: Jars Video Collectibles: +1 (718) 456 0663 (call from 7:30 to 10:30 pm EST only). Catalog: US$4. - Video Search of Miami: +1 (305) 279 9773. Catalog: free. NYUE Enterprises, 61-A Walker St., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10013.
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Hong Kong Action Cinema
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