Yellow Hammer

boy JT you must be one of those types that roots for the bad guy in pro wrestling Tricky Brains and Lawyer Lawyer are the two SC films that people get turned off about SC because of his meanness in these two films.

Trigger

Well I liked Lawyer Lawyer and Tricky Brains too... but I wouldn't call either film his best work.

jtkv

So "people" dislike Tricky Brains because his character is mean?? What type of logic is that?? The movie should be taken for what it is... Yes, his characater was mean, but he's the Tricky King!! If he wasn't mean, then he would not be No.1. He did make up some rules to live by
He's just mean because Andy Lau was a nice guy character. What if Andy was a bad guy character?? Is that then OK fo him to play his tricks on a bad guy?? This is why actors get type-cast. People only wants to see the same all the time, then complain that it's the same
Does Stephen have to be a nice guy for his movie to be considered good??

God Of Cookery seems to be favourite for "people". Well, I thought it was good, but not as good as Shaolin Soccer or even Tricky Brains. It had some really funny scenes, but on the whole, it wasn't as funny as Tricky Brains. Watch Tricky Brains again, and let us know if you change your mind!


J.T.

princessducky

I had to say Chinese Odyssey Pt. 1 had some very funny parts

Especially when he was on his hands running from the spider lady and then his teeth gets caught on the web. He uses the rock to knock out his tooth. I was laughing so hard I was going to pee in my pants.

I wouldn't rate it as one of my favorites because I don't really remember it.

Also, Tricky Brains use to be one of my favorite movies, but after watching it so many times and with so any new movies from him, it wasn't as good anymore.

I haven't really seen this mentioned, but I kinda liked Legend of the Dragon. It was more like a comedy, drama, and alittle romance.

Trigger

I watched Top Bet and Stephen Chow has like 4 minutes in the very beginning, his character is referred to a dozen times or so throughout the film, and he appears for the final 30 seconds. It seems like a continuation on one of his Gambling films... I can't recall which film it was where he calls Ng Tat "father" and he goes into convulsions or something... but something similar here. Wasn't it Tricky Brains? Anyway... This film wasn't quite that funny, but it was amusing and I enjoyed it. Anita Mui was funny in this too. I thought I'd bring it up in case anyone was curious about the title. The Mega Star DVD is nice. Overall I'd give the film a 6.8/10 and a

odyas

In the early 80's Stephen Chow started his acting career as a professional extra, he was seen in 2 famous scene of a HK TV serial, The Condor Heroes. The first scene he came out as a soldier only to be killed almost immediately by the good guy. The second scene he came out as yet another soldier, this time killed by a baddie practicisng an evil martial art.

After that he carry on acting as the male leads in more HK serialz, but guys do you know what is his most extraodinary role??

That show is call "Ying Yang Road".

Set in the ancient China, he is a fillial son with a mom whom is blinded due to her illness. He is a physician and in order to cure her mom, he need to go to the capital city to get the necessary stuffs.

Something happened resulting in his execution, before he is beheaded, he pleads to the executor that he wish to go back to his mom after his death to carry on treating her. Touched by his fillial, the executor taught him a way to do it, but he have only 7 days before his spirit will disappear into the eternal darkness.

The moment he is beheaded, his soul flew back all the way to his hometown....with a scarf around his neck.

As his days is numbered, blood start to ooze out under the scarf, and his wife noticed it, and finally found out the cold hard truth. On his last day, his mum is finally able to see, only to see that ..........................

This is a very very touching story, inside u see how he tried to cover his neck and why he cannot accept the love from his loved ones, very sad indeed. He don't do shows like this anymore which makes it even more worth collecting (if it ever get to released on DVD)!!!

jtkv

Trigger,
The convulsions thing is from Tricky Brains.... That how he was able to tell him Stephen was his son! :-)


J.T.

Yellow Hammer

The movie was a continuation of All For the Winner, the movie that made Chow famous.

Trigger

Well boogers - Too bad it's not available on DVD.

ninelives

Indeed, you really need to understand cantonese in order to know wat he trying to say.

dq102

Shaolin Soccer is nothing, compared with Chow's other movies.

Chinese Odyssey I and II are two masterpieces from Chow.
Chinese youth are crazy for these two movies. They are simply the best.

If Criterion Collection intends to release Chow's movies, these two above are the 1st choices.


My Other Favorites:
1. King of comedy
2. Flirtong Scholar
3. Royal Tramp 1 and 2
4. God Of Cookery

wanderlust

i thought chinese odyssey I and II was the worst of all stephen chow movies. it was apparently a flop compared with his other movies.

pwong5

Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2 probably flopped because he wasn't being overly funny - more like playing into the comedy of the Monkey King role.

I was introduced to Stephen Chow with Tricky Brains and I thought it was hilarious. I then saw GoG 2 and 3 and thought he was great in those too. Keeping in ming I'm a juk-sing and pretty much lost all my chinese speaking ability, which might explain while I like his more physical humor over any word-play (non-existant in subtitles). I still understand enough so I get the idea behind a lot of the situational humor, like in Royal Tramp 1 &2, but I'm told that his appeal is very much like him/hate him. Me, I like his stuff and will continue to watch it (much to the dismay of my gf).

FWIW, my rankings:
1. God of Gamblers 3 - Back to Shanghai
2. God of Gamblers 2
3. Royal Tramp 1 & 2 (I look at 'em like 1 movie)
4. God of Cookery
5. From Beijing with Love

Trigger

Think I'll bump this just in case people wanted to discuss his films more.

I've since bought Sleazy Dizzy on VCD (unsubbed, so can't watch it), Out of the Dark on VCD (excellent film), and All for the Winner on VCD as well... All for the Winner actually sets up alot of things that are repeated in his subsequent films. Anyway... carry on.

Yellow Hammer

Hey Trigger, Sleazy Dizzy is a decently funny movie. Try watching it anyhow, write down questions and I'll try to answer it. I saw the movie again a couple of weeks ago so I should still remember most of the movie.

Trigger

Thanks - Maybe you could come over to translate for me. I'll try to watch it...

Lastblade

I can tell you MORE about the beginning of Chow's career

I believe his very first show/debut is being in a children's show called "Four Three Zero Space Shuttle". After awhile, he became the co-host (the show was, as I recalled, always been hosted by one guy and one girl <as an aside the girl is always very pretty >)

Anyway, how did I know? Hehe, I grew up in HK watching him. He wasn't funny or anything, but I can't remember if he was good or not.

After that, the above posters is correct.

I remember him starring in a TVB series, I forgot the name now, where he has a limited (but sustained) role, where he act "non-sensical"... That's where it all began. I believe because of this particular strong performance, he landed a major part in another TVB series called "He came from 'Gong Wu'" <Gong Wu means, the mafia world>. This really elevated his status as he and Ng Man Tat (these two really have an incredible chemistry together) began to make alot of movies together in the early 90's and so on. In fact, he was the soccer coach with the Golden Right Foot in Shaolin Soccer.

All in all, I have followed his career and really enjoyed most of his work (the one i didn't like was the one where he was the main hero in a TVB series set in ancient chinese period). I can't wait to see how he follows up with Shaolin Soccer considering that it is one of his best work (Tricky Master kinda sucked

MrPeanut

sadly I have nothing to add. but I'll thank you guys for having a big part in my discovery of these wonderful films. I've only seen Shaolin Soccer and God of Cookery so far, but I've got quite the list ready once I get the money together for my next odor.

princessducky

I have Sleazy Dizzy on VCD. I was just wondering where did you pick up Out of the Dark and All for the Winner from? Thanks!

Trigger

sensasian.com

joelgee

In which Stephen Chow movie did he appear dressed as Leon from "The Professional?" This is making me nuts.
Okay. More nuts.
J

Trigger

It was Out of the Dark. Awesome movie - available only on VCD afaik.

sinople

All For The Winner is out on DVD under the title Winner Take All. It's a Mandarin dub only.

Trigger

I didn't know that - but I've tried his mandarin dub only releases and it isn't the same at all... Mad Monk dubbed in Mandarin wasn't 1/5 as funny as it could've been.

joelgee

Thanks. Coincidentally, I just ordered Out of the Dark from Sensasian. Also ordered All for the Winner. I'd purchased the Tai Seng videotape from Tai Seng but the subs were so poor it sapped any enjoyment.
I'm suspecting the vcd might be the same quality but for five bucks I thought I'd give it a shot.
Also I don't think all for the winner and winner take(s) all are the same. HKMDB lists a winner take all (2000), winner takes all (1984) and all for the winner (1990).
This is an example of accepting a post as gospel w/out checking it out.
If winner take(s) all = all for the winner, I'd like to know where this info lives.
Joel