Though it wasn't Jackie Chan's first film,
Drunken Master is the film that cemented his stardom. Jackie plays the rebellious son of a kung fu master. To teach Jackie the value of discipline, his father apprentices him to another master named So Hi, who has a unique "drunken" fighting style. Jackie chafes at So Hi's rigorous exercises and runs away--only to be brutally humiliated at the hands of a hired killer named Thunderleg. Chastened, Jackie becomes So Hi's devoted student. He soon discovers he will need everything he's learned when Thunderleg is hired to kill his father. In
Drunken Master, Jackie is only beginning to cultivate his mixture of action and comedy; here the emphasis is on kung fu acrobatics. But the kung fu is astounding. The final fight is dizzying and amazingly choreographed by director Yuen Woo-ping (now famous as the fight choreographer for
The Matrix).
--Bret Fetzer
1 "I'm drunk with inner strength!"
There's any number of reason to like international film star Jackie Chan...his superior athletic ability, infectious sense of humor, personable charm, but I think the one element that endears him to me is his willingness to put himself in the position of serious physical harm in order to entertain the audience. Sure there are attempts to minimize the risks to some degree (meticulous planning and repetitive practicing), and given Chan's incredible physical prowess he's less likely to suffer harm than say I would trying to do half the things he does, but despite these factors, there is still the notion that with many of his stunts, particularly in his later films, he's always about a hair away from killing himself. Anyway, directed by Woo-ping Yuen, who would later choreograph action scenes for the Matix and Kill Bill films, Drunken Master (1978) aka Jui kuen stars Jackie Chan (listed in the credits as Jacky) and Siu Tien Yuen (the director's father).
The film begins as an assassin named Thunderleg, Master of the Devil's Kick, searching out his most recent target in that of The Champion of the Four Door Fist (not all, but a lot of the characters have titles like this). He finds him, a battle ensues, and one is left standing. We then cut to a scene featuring students practicing martial arts in a school. It's here we meet one of the pupils named Wong Fei-Hung (Chan), whose father actually runs the school. Wong appears fairly adept (after showing up one of the teachers), but lacks the discipline and humility to achieve beyond his current skills, which becomes obvious to his father after a series of incidents involving a local bully, among others. This leads Wong's father to request another to assume training of Wong in that of an older man who's rumored to be incredibly difficult and completely sadistic. Wong decides to run away, but ends up meeting his new teacher (Siu Tien Yuen), a master of the 8 Drunken Gods fighting styles, after an altercation at a restaurant. Wong begins his training with his new master, but soon runs off, as it's too difficult. This sets up a chance meeting between Thunderleg and Wong were Wong gets the thrashing of a lifetime and ends up returning to the Drunken Master, realizing his own skills are pitiful. This leads into a lengthy set of training sequences eventually leading to the Master teaching Wong the secret fighting tactics of the 8 Drunken Gods. As Wong's training is completed, we find out a contract has been taken out on his father, one to be fulfilled by Thunderleg, so now Wong must put his training to the test in the fight of his life (or death).
I think I should mention, as a number of reviewers have brought it up, something about the partial English dubbing within the film. The copy I received a little while ago has a little sticker on the back of the DVD case stating something in the way of `English substituted in some areas where original dialog track lost'. The effect is that when you're watching the film with the original Cantonese audio track, using English subtitles, there are scenes where the characters switch from Cantonese to really goofy sounding voices speaking English. This happens about three or four times, and it is a little annoying as it tended to draw me out of the film. I would have preferred that, if some of the original audio were lost, a re-recording in the same language as the original dialog...but whatever...now on to the film. The movie is crammed with excellent wall-to-wall fight scenes. There are momentary lapses devoted to working on the plot, but these quickly pass resulting in more fight sequences. I think my favorite sequence, besides the lengthy one at the end, featured Siu Tien Yuen in the restaurant, smacking assailants with a dishrag. Not only was it really funny, but almost hypnotic as he twirled that towel around before rat tailing someone in the face (in case you're not familiar, `rat tailing' means taking a wet towel, twisting it up, and snapping it at poor individual). Can anyone tell me what was up with that teacher Chan's character beats up on near the beginning? The guy had this mole on his face, one that had this set of really long hairs emanating from it, and the guy could often be seen playing with the hair, twirling it with his fingers...it was pretty disgusting. And what was the deal with that waiter from the restaurant? Was that the biggest set of buckteeth you've ever seen? I suppose these were some of what made up the comedic element of this film, but they weren't all that funny. What was funny was the scene where Chan's character is trying to learn the drunken fighting style of the lone woman god, doing so in a mocking fashion as he thought it was too effeminate. Another concept I found really funny was the whole notion of fighting styles based of being intoxicated, and the fact Wong's teacher was drunk throughout most of the film. The choreography in the fighting scenes is really spectacular as Chan not only displays that psuedo comic fighting style he's famous for, but also a lot of serious chop socky. Don't expect to see Chan doing any large scale, over the top stunts like leaping off building, as seen in his later films, but do expect lots of close up, smacky smacky action (he also takes the beating like no one I've ever seen).
The picture on this DVD is very good (some cropping), presented in 2.35:1 widescreen, enhanced for 16 X 9 TVs. The monaural audio is decent, but certainly nothing to brag about. Special features include a commentary track including Hong Kong film expert Ric Meyers and Jeff Yang, a co-author of Chan's autobiography. Also included are trailers for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Time and Tide (2000).
Cookieman108
2 great movie, bad dvd
i'm reviewing the product in question! Columbia House Dvd of Drunken Master! when I play this movie, and switch to cantonese language, the movie will sometimes play the english dubbing part of the film! And I know none of these actors can speak english! so I don't know if it's just my dvd or any of Columbia dvd's! GREAT MOVIE , bad product!
3 One of Jackie's Best
"Druken Master," the film that cemented Jackie Chan's stardom in Hong Kong, is still one of his best. This veeery broad kung fu comedy has a goofy, relaxed atmosphere to it that makes it enjoyable to watch. Also, the fight scenes (admittedly what really matters in a movie like this) are expertly choreographed, and a genuine thrill to watch. The melodramatic (if almost non-existant) conflict between Chan and bad guy Hwang Jang Lee only adds to the fun. Plus, Simon Yuen as the old master was never better.
The DVD from Columbia is in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, after many years of faded pan-and-scan videos. The picture is a tad scratchy, although it's without a doubt the best this movie has looked in a long time. Thankfully, in addition to the English dub, the original Cantonese language track is included (although sections that were apparently lost have been replaced by the English). As a special feature, an absolutely fascinating commentary by Hong Kong film historian Rick Meyers and Jackie Chan's autobiography co-author Jeff Yang is included. It covers just about everything one could possibly want to know about "Druken Master."
4 Vintage Jackie
The young Jackie Chan was indeed something to behold. Full of fresh ideas and vigour, his hard work and sacrifice never failed to rub off on the viewer. And although he still has enough star power to pack a cinema anywhere in the world, few of his films since the mid-eighties have engaged audiences as much as the ones that rocketed him to stardom. The Drunken Master is one of those films.
Directed by HK film legend Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix, Kill Bill and so on...), The Drunken Master is Packed with the kind of balls-to-the-wall, take no prisoners action that could bring the dead back to life. In fact the action is so good, it completely supersedes the films typical, cookie-cutter plot. Don't get me wrong, the plot exists. It's there, and it's valid enough, (Jackie plays a mischevious kid/Kung fu master who gets his ass kicked in a fight and so goes on to learn a new secret technique from a wheezy old man) but the whole thing stuffed so tightly with Jackie's unique brand of action/physical comedy, you won't notice it. The fight scenes in this film are superb, carried out with the hectic energy of a kid with something big to prove. Jackie pulls off moves that defy the laws of gravity one after the other, and all the while looking like he's put away half a keg of Australian beer.
I could go on all day, but I won't. You'll have to see it, Not just to love it, but to beleive it. For genre freaks like me it was great for the fighting, for everyone else, watch it just to see what action should be. Minus the budget, minus the egos and minus the CGI, the films star and the film itself are full to the brim with raw talent and innovation.
Oh, And wine. Gallons and gallons of wine.
5 Funniest KungFu Comedy
This is probably one of the first, and funniest KungFu movies. I truely enjoyed watching all the fight scenes which all have a good sense of humor attached to them. Enjoy :)
6 Amazing choreography, shame about the Lip Sync
One of Jackies earliest movies in a starring role, (released in tandem with Snake in Eagles Shadow) that many would say started him on the road to stardom. I'm told in their native country, these simple storylines were churned out almost weekly and all pretty much follow the same formula. Similar to Saturday morning cowboy movies from days gone by, for Western audiences. The fact that Jackie has appeared in over 90 pictures, probably supports that fact. Here Jackie becomes student to a wisened old beggar who happens to be an expert exponent of "Drunken Boxing" and dutifully teaches Mr Chan, after he is helped by him. Jackie's love of Buster Keaton action slapstick, combined with the almost superhuman acrobat skills he acquired with the Peking Opera from a young age, blend masterfully, and the movie has plenty of humour as well as action. The fight scenes and stunts, are superbly executed (as usual)and the arduos training regime Jackie must endure, is both comical and revealing. Like so many Kung Fu style pictures of the era, this film sufferes terribly from bad dubbing, and is actually better watched in it's original form with subtitles. At 10 mins short of 2 hours is not that lean, but bounces along from scene to scene without making you worry too much. 16 years before the more widely known Legend of Drunken Master in 1994, this is still a great comic/action martial arts flick, and although it may not be as polished as his more recent work, the raw energy and exuberence of a more youthful Mr Chan, make this a must for fans and collectors alike. Enjoy!
7 awesome
this movie is amazing. not many people know much about kung fu movies. morons see uma thurman with a sword and think that's a kung fu movie. know-nothings credit crouching tiger as innovative. what are these people talking about?
drunken master shows jackie chan in amazing form as sam seed's apprentice. his style is so incredible that his drunken beatdowns are no less than art, true ballet. the fight between him and the stick-king is breathtaking. and the dubbing is hysterical. sam seed hits jackie on the head with a chopstick. jackie holds his head in pain, replying "master why do this? even a monkey would die!" goofy translations like that make this piece unforgettable.
8 EXCELLENT TRANSFER BUT WHATS WITH THE AUDIO?????
The picture is terrific and the audio commentary from film expert Ric Meyers is nice because he does speak with the love and passion of a martial arts film fanatic so he's great on the dvd.
The problem is the flip-flop of the english and cantonese audio in the film. One moment they're speaking cantonese then all of a sudden they're speaking the dubbed english then back to cantonese and on and on. it is claimed on the back of the box that english is substituted where the original audio is missing. Well WHY is it missing? It shouldn't be missing because the complete original audio does exists. It doesn't make sense to flip-flop the audio from english to cantonese and back when the complete original audio exists. When the audio does this it is somewhat distracting.
Thats the one and only knock I have on this disc. Otherwise its great.
9 Bad dub or not...GREAT MOVIE
That's the key IMO. This is a must own, buy it b4 seeing it, don't even think about it. All this crap about it being a bad dub taking away from it being a good movie is crap.
The movie does go back and forth between english and subtitles, as mentioned. But honestly, you just go in and out as the movie progresses, and I just stayed intrigued w/the great story, great characters, great plot, and the intertwine of characters. Very, very well done.
This may be Chan's best movie. I loved this movie from beginning to end. In addition, fight scenes are just right. Not too over the top (1 guy vs. 50) or too long (perfect example is Jet Li's "Fist of Legend" last fight sequence.)
Every aspect of this movie is perfect IMO. Do not let these detractors talking about poor quality because it goes in and out of english. As one person said, you can make it subtitles only if you want. Nevertheless, who cares? When you sit down to watch this movie, expect it to be all subtitles, be pleasantly surprised of the few instances it isn't, and sit back and appreciate the masterpiece it is.
A+
10 The Best Kung Fu Comedy
This movie made me a fan of JACKIE CHAN just like Enter the Dragon made me a fan of BRUCE LEE.
AWESOME FIGHT SCENE POETRY
11 This started it all for me
This movie was made in 1978 i was only one year of age but 25 years later I have found were Kung Fu really began.With fight chor. and directed by the great Yuen woo Ping and staring Jackie Chan it is flawless.This has more fights than any movie ive ever scene and they are all terriffic,its worth mentioning that i believe what makes the movie is Yuen woo Pings father whos name is Yeun Hsiao Tieng,he plays a drunken master and Jackies Mentor he's also his mentor in another movie i recommend Snake in the Eagles Shadow where he also plays Jackies mentor.The comedy is great and not stupid like alot of asian comedy/kung Fu films.An instant and long runnig classic!
12 One of JC's Best Films, but I HATE this DVD's newer Eng dub!
DRUNKEN MASTER is one of Jackie Chan's all time greats (the film itself is a 5 star film, only this DVD gets a 3 star rating). He plays a naughty little rascal named Huang Fei Hung (yes, the same character Kwan Tak Hing made famous in a series of nearly 100 films and later by Jet Li in the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series of films) who's sent by his father to the famous Sam the Seed (the old Drunken Master himself, Simon Yuen) to learn discipline. Huang Fei Hung can't take the torturous training and runs away, but after getting beat up and humiliated by a wicked kicking Master (he burns the kid's pants, badmouths his father's kung fu, and makes him crawl between his legs like a dog) he quickly repents and begs Sam the Seed to take him back. The film is a delightful mixture of kung fu, comedy, and drama with enough dazzling displays of martial arts and acrobatics to keep viewing fresh time after time.
My gripe with this DVD is that the English language track is NOT the wonderfully fun one released previously on VHS featuring those loveably familiar English dubbed kung fu movie voices of the 1970s-80s. Some people hate those English dub jobs and will always prefer the original Chinese language tracks (which fortunately ARE on the DVD with choice of subtitles), but there are those of us who also enjoy watching the old English dubbed versions for their sheer camp value and cartoon-like energy. Those same voices (found on almost all exported kung fu films of that time period) have become like family members (the ones you want to have visit!). The voice actors then may have switched roles from picture to picture, not ALWAYS voicing the same onscreen actors as you saw and heard them do before, and they may not have been of Royal Shakespeare Company standard, but they always brought with them a smile of recognition and often livened up otherwise dull proceedings.
Some simply don't like English dubs. "The words don't match their mouths and it's always the same voices!" Well, guess what? That's the case even in the original language. The Chinese tracks are almost always dubbed in afterwards by actors other than the ones onscreen. Sure they may come a little closer to matching the lips since the actors words are closer to the words dubbed in later, and some of the voice artists may be familiar with and try to sound similar to the real actor, but it's still nowhere near to perfect lip-synching. Even when the audio is recorded live in synch-sound, the English subtitles still differ from the actual words spoken due to the complex nature of translation (and by golly, what do you do if you're eating, and don't catch all the words during the dialogue driven portions of the film while you're looking at your plate?).
For myself, I will admit that there IS something about original language tracks and subtitles that DOES work better for the more serious pictures as they lend a kind of authenticity and intelligence to the viewing experience (after all we are forced to READ during them which IS a scolarly endeavor, isn't it?), but for the comedy laden kung fu flicks of the 70s and 80s it's nice sometimes to just sit back and relax to the goofy sounds of the old English dubs. The voice-over actors of HK films of the 90s and today just don't cut the mustard. Most sound like second rate actors trying to sound like first rate actors, the result being a bore. The old dubbers may have been third rate actors, but at least they were having fun and the voices they chose matched the pictures. There's nothing more enjoyable, or appropriatly matching in sound and sight, than the old voices used for the weasel characters of Dean Shek or the interpreter found in FISTS OF FURY (aka THE CHINESE CONNECTION). Back then the villains sounded like creeps, the good guys sounded like heroes, the rascals sounded like wiseguys, and the big guys sounded like Bullwinkle!
After all of that then, this DVD release of DRUNKEN MASTER does NOT feature the original English dub and its loveable voices of the 70s. It has a newer, unimproved English track, and quite a bit of the dialogue is different as well. The English dub here is simply NO FUN. Maybe whoever redid the track wanted it to sound less cartoon-like and more natural, but you can't voice a comedy using serious voices that don't match the comedic energy of the performers onscreen! The old crew had that energy (and even the times that they lacked it was fun, too, because when they lacked it back then, boy, they REALLY lacked it!). The remastered DVDs of SNAKE AND CRANE ARTS OF SHAOLIN, FEARLESS HYENA, and DRAGON FIST all contain those wonderfully voiced original English dubs (as well as the original Cantonese or Mandarin track depending on the film). Why was DRUNKEN MASTER, one of the GREATEST kung fu movies ever, not treated the same? Were they trying to give it a new respect after the success of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON? They should have realized that DRUNKEN MASTER already HAS respect here, and in part because of the wonderful sense of fun found in the original English dub. I wish those old actors would get more credit for bringing such wonderfully guilty pleasure to so many fans.
Oh, and for those wanting to know more about the film itself, it contains Simon Yuen's defining performance as the charismatic old Drunken Master, Yuen Wo Ping's masterful direction using action and comedy to propel the story along, one of Hwang Jang Lee's most villainous performances and some of the greatest kicking abilities ever displayed onscreen, and a young Jackie Chan's complete devotion to character, pushing his body and comedic talents to the limits.
Watch it in Chinese with subtitles on this DVD and then listen to Ric Meyers' wonderful commentary, but for English dub lovers I HIGHLY recommend finding a copy containing the original English dubbed version and watching that version over this one.
13 Loved this movie
One of Jackie Chan's best movies,I remember watching this movie over and over again when I was younger.
The only problem I had with this movie is them cutting off what is supposed to be a big fight at very beginning.There was supposed to be another 5 minutes of the fight left that was a disappointment for them to do that.The remasterd movie is still good but there is something about the movie that doesn't give you the same feeling as the T.V and VHS version.
Over all the movie is the same.
Great movie quality and sound.
14 I just love this movie
In spite of the fact that this movie is now about 25 years old, it is one of my favorite Jackie Chan movies. I love Jackie Chan and I can't really get enough of watching drunken boxing kung fu style - there are many other styles beautiful to watch, but this one I find the most entertaining. The Legend of the Drunken Master has more wild action, but I prefer the original Drunken Master. I also very much appreciate the kung fu training segments - makes you want to follow along and train along with Jackie.
15 Classic Kung Fu
The fight scenes are great for a 'classic' Kung fu movie. The collaboration between Woo Ping Yuen, Jackie Chan, and Simon Yuen were great. I didn't much care for the poor dubbing.
16 Bravo
This was great! Even though this is an old movie, form way back then, it's funny and great at the same time. There's so much figting that it made my head spin. I can't wait to watch it again and again.
A must for a Jackie Chan fan.
17 Classic Chan, Classic DVD
Quite possibly the most important Kung-Fu comedy of all time, Drunken Master sealed Jackie Chan's super-stardom in history forever. In the film, it's quite obvious that he had much more freedom and control over the creative aspects, mainly in the character he played (a very different version of the much revered Chinese hero Wong Fei-Hung) and the Kung-Fu choreography itself. With him and director Yuen Woo Ping being very young at the time, they really let the creative juices flow.
The DVD itself is quite impressive. The picture is incredibly clear and sharp, by far the greatest version of the film available in North America. Columbia Tri-Star must've recognized the overall value of the film, and thus decided to leave it uncut. The extras are pretty decent as well, although they're no where near as good as those available in the European HK Legends series DVDs.
Now onto an aspect that many people have found rather bothersome. The DVD comes with both Cantonese and English soundtracks, with a list of subtitles as far as the eye can see. The English dubbing is actually rather charming, with the camp level just good enough to appreciate. Fei-Hung and Sam Seed are both memorable characters in the film, and thank God that the dubbing didn't ruin the atmosphere. The Cantonese track on the other hand, is quite poor. The music and voices have a scratchy quality to them. But the worse part is that the track is incomplete. For about a total of 15 minutes of the movie, the Cantonese track is cut-in by the English track. Most probably due to the poor conservation of HK films, Columbia Tri-Star has tried their best to gives us a complete experience.
All in all, this DVD version of Drunken Master is worth owning. The positives heavily outweigh the negatives here, and if you're a Kung-Fu fan, let alone Jackie Chan fan, then it should be your duty to own this DVD.
18 Chinese audio track problem...
Like the other reviewers, very disappointed with the chinese audio track. This was one of my favourite movies from my childhood... Saw it back in 1978 or thereabouts.
I can't believe that in 2002 they could have come out with such a buggy release!
19 Drunken Master (1978)
Jackie's second comedy/action film is great (though not as good as its sequel)! The disadvantge is that it has very very very poor dubbing!!!!! But don't let that cool you off! If you love martial arts films/Jackie Chan films this has got your name on it!
20 Great Digital Remaster
Finally its been digitally remastered! This and "Snake In The Eagle's Shadow" are perfect for your collection. The quality is excellent and superior to any video version. On my DVD player, the audio language sometimes alternated between English and Chinese but I set it to display the caption in English. And it's in fantastic widescreen so you can see all the action, literally, that is cut off in the video version.
21 The Greatest Movie of All Times
Ok. America now has a high quality copy of Drunken Master available at your local... If you don't have this on DVD, get this one because it's high quality. Big deal if the subtitles and audio tracks get mixed up here and there because we should feel lucky that they were kind enough to release this for purchase at...
With that said, This is the Greatest Movie of all times. Forget all that Pretentious, Hollywood Oscar nominated ... with Gladiators, Wizard's, Monster Balls, and whatever ... they make and nominate at their ceremonies, because this film blows them all away.
Why? Because it is the greatest film of all times.
No other picture manages to combine Grace, Beauty, Sadness, Action... all the things Hollywood Producers, Actors, Directors, etc deliberately set out to do so they can win that little trophy...
Drunken Master is a million times better than all of those films put together.
This is a True work of art that should have been included in The Greatest 100 Movies of all times. It should have been number one on their list!
Well, if the type of movie you like is about people crying and making you want to cry and feel sad and depressed, don't watch this. But if you want to see people cry and go through sadness and pain, but it makes you to laugh, then watch this.
This film is a masterpiece of cinematic brilliance.
Those same top 100 list people didn't even give this an honorable mention! It's too bad because many people will never get to see, or even become aware of this film.
Oh well. That's their problem and not yours because if you are reading this, then you have become enlightened and should watch this movie if you have never seen it yet.
22 Probably the best Jackie Chan film out there
Drunken Master starts the Kung-Fu comedy Genre and although the story is lighthearted in nature, the athletic work every character displays still holds strong almost twenty years later.
Jackie Chan shows the world how big a star he will become in this Yuen Woo Ping masterpiece. The drunken style he dispalys in this classic will make you laugh even though your jaw has dropped to the floor. The training sequences he goes through are vigorous and gut-wrenching which many films later try to impersonate but fail to do so.
Seriously, if you like Jackie or old Martial Arts Films, i shouldn't have to tell you to go buy this, the movie is great and the DVD quality is even better.
P.S.
The audio commentary is probably the best i have heard on any DVD. They break down the film to a comlete science and after listening you will only have more respect for Jackie.
23 The movie that made jackie chan
I don't care what anyone tells you about Kung Fu, or Jackie Chan. I have seen every movie he has ever starred in, and this is by far the best movie he has ever done.
People praise the sequel to this movie, "The Legend of Drunken Master" but to be fair... It fails in comparison to this master piece. It's filled with non stop action, amazing fight sequences, and really shows off the skill of Jackie Chan.
This movie was made in 1978, its long before Hollywood took a giant poop on kung fu movies, and made them all wires and special effects... There aren't any blue screens, or wires...
I can't emphasize the importance of this movie in any Kung Fu collection... It's a MUST buy... If anything, rent it... It blows away all the competition... If you like Kung Fu movies... This is a must...
24 Well, I guessed right.
So Columbia did get the distribution rights. Good, better them than Disney (ugh). The picture looks great like I hoped, and it even had the original audio track. I heard that the reason why it cuts between Cantonese and English in some spots is that the Cantonese track, which was originally thought to be lost, was so damaged in some areas that there was no chance of repairing them. I don't know if that's the official reason or not... just something I heard.
I only have two problems with this edition: the lack of relevant special features, like the original trailer, and the fact that at least one famous piece of dialogue has been changed in the subtitles. Wong Fei-Hung's famous line in the climactic fight against Thunderleg, "One Buddhist, one temple..."etc. was changed to "Nobody can fight like my Drunk Gods do!" or something corny like that.
Otherwise, a top-notch release. If you want to see some special features, you should bum a copy of the HK Legends release. The picture on that edition is cropped to 1.85:1 from the original scope, and the quality isn't all that, but it's worth checking out for the background information.
25 The greatest "Drunken Immortals" depiction ever!!!
The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars was because of a few technical flaws with the DVD itself. However, anyone who has seen the original VHS tape knows that even with the flaws, it's still A LOT better! This is the best demonstration of the "8 Drunken gods" ever done. Throughout the history of Hong Kong cinema, very few of the artists and stunt men wanted to attempt this genre because of its difficulty. The fluidity and beauty is uncanny. Inside the history of the styles of Shaolin, there are very few systems that are more advanced. This prved Jackie Chan as a true star.
26 Defective release
Yes, the movie is great,
But the original score is defective:
chinese and english alternate through the
movie. purists beware!
27 Chinese track is botched!
OMG, I was so happy to finally see one of Jackie Chan's best films come to DVD at last. This is the original classic that has been imitated to the max by other flicks as well as by Jackie Chan himself.
I'm not going to explain the plot and such. This was a great film with great action scenes and a lot of funny moments. The audio commentary is also a nice touch. BUT, why two stars you ask? Here's the problem:
The Chinese track switches from Chinese to English across different chapters. I thought it was my player but then I tried other players and the same problem arose. Then after reading the following reviews on Amazon, this was the manufacturer's fault! I can't believe it! I've had the VCD for years and I loved the film. Now that I FINALLY get to see it in it's widescreen glory with remastered footage (which looks GREAT if you've been watching the original versions) I find out they BOTCHED the Chinese track. If you like dubs (ick) then you won't care. But the Chinese track was hilarious and was one of my fave parts of the film. They also edited out a few scenes that are noted int he audio commentary. =( I would've given this DVD 5 stars if they didn't mess up the language tracks so badly. Shame on you Colombia/Tristar!
28 Make sure you buy the right version!
An amazing Jackie Chan classes. However, beware of anyone selling this title cheaper that mentions it has a "different cover but same movie." That is the "Front Row" DVD and does not have nearly the same quality as this Columbia release nor does it have the features this disc does.
29 A mediocre martial arts classic
True, it's the original Drunken Master, true, some parts are funny, but the graphics on this DVD were AWFUL! They didn't even do anything to enhance it, so it looks just like the cheesy 70's flick it is. The fight scenes are cool at times, but they are very long, as is the whole movie. It's not exactly the most exciting martial arts movie I have ever seen either.
A very young Jackie Chan plays a karate student with lots of talent, but also a lot of laziness and a tendency to misbehave. His angry instructors sentence him to training with and old man who has earned a reputation for being cruel and injuring his students. Jackie Chan tries to escape, but to no avail. After much ineffectual hassling with this old man, Jackie agrees to let him teach him the art of Drunken Boxing. It is a culmination of styles taken from eight different gods, which can only be done when - you guessed it - drunk. Jackie, however, refuses to learn the style of the eighth god because she is a woman, which later turns out to be a bad move. (He does, however, make a good ladylike impression of her :) that was one of the funny parts) He gets in a lot of fights along the way and in the end winds up fighting for his father's honor.
Overall, don't expect it to be absolutely action-packed or hilarious, the jokes are the kind you may smile at but don't laugh out loud. Again, the graphics are the worst I have ever seen. However if you can appreciate an old martial-arts classic, go for it.
30 Great Transfer, Great Commentary
Yes, I was surprised when I saw this film and every 5-10 minutes the characters suddenly switched from Chinese to English and back again. At first I thought they were trying to rub it in and tell that "Hey, we know English so try learning our language for once." After the drugs, er, I mean jolting effects of the language switch wore off I got used to the fact that the language doesn't matter when watching a good Jackie Chan film. Really, it's not the dialogue most people care about anyways, it is the action. All in all, "Drunken Master" wasn't the best J.C. film I've seen nor the worst ("Twin Dragons" takes the honor for worst). What I liked most about this DVD other than a very impressive transfer of the film, we get a very engaging audio commentary where the speakers (sorry that I can't think of names but they both are authors and experts on Hong Kong films). The men are very interesting and offer a lot of information on the specifics of "Drunken Master", Jackie Chan, and Hong Kong action films as well. This commentary and the one on "Once Upon A Time In China" are two of the most interesting I've heard when it comes to learning the history of H.K. films. As a novice on Hong Kong action cinema, I appreciate that we not only get to see these essential films but to hear the back story as to their making. I do wish that all of the great titles that came out from American companies showed the proper care when it came to preserving their original running times without edits or dubbed tracks (Disney, I'm talking to you) but hopefully in time we can get the respect Hong Kong films deserve and get if nothing else, decent DVD editions of films like those of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and the countless other H.K. figures that we admire.
31 another problem besides unstable vocal track...
I am disappointed in this release of one of my old favorites.
Its good points: the action sequences have not been accelerated after the fact (like they were in the old VHS versions that have been floating around movie rentals for years). The difference this makes is interesting. It's nice to see the fight scenes at actual speed, which I had only seen on a good projected print years ago. I actually do miss the faster version at certain points, where many moves now look a little too gentle, and where I can actually see the actors not making contact. All the same, I prefer seeing the normal-speed fights that were no doubt seen in the initial, unaltered theatrical release.
Its BAD points: My copy of the DVD also switches from Cantonese to English randomly - annoying enough by itself...
But what really annoys me the most is a small visual edit near the very end of the film. I am certain this is a recent edit that did not appear in the VHS versions that I have seen, or in the celluloid version that I saw in a theater. What is more, the change makes no narrative sense, and the new scene becomes quite awkward as a result. Without revealing anything more, I will say that it seems to be an editorial decision on the part of someone who felt that the film sends the wrong message. Nevertheless, it is an act of corporate censorship. It mangles the climactic fight scene, in my opinion, and it is simply intolerable on principle alone. There also seem to be some changes to the dialogue throughout the film (in the English subtitles and dubbing), apparently in order to tone down the basic premise of the film.
It is not Columbia/Tri Star Pictures' place to decide what is not suitable for me to see, nor to censor Yuen Wo Ping's directorial decisions, goofy though they may be.
32 Great Release, but with a few problems...
Finally, one of Jackie's best movies comes to DVD in the US. This version is supposedly uncut but I really cant say since I saw it for the first time quite a while ago and I can't remember. Picture quality is great for a film of its age, especially an HK film (many old HK films are very poor quality because of bad storage conditions) and the sound is about as good as it could be. As has been stated here before, the Cantonese audio track sometimes switches back to english for a few lines which is quite annoying. But seriously, 5 minutes of English dialogue doesnt ruin the whole movie.
Overall, I'd say that this is a pretty high quality DVD release except for the audio problem and the lack of any real extras (aside from the awesome full length commentary by Ric Meyers and Jeff Yang). However, for the best version of this movie on DVD check out the Hong Kong Legends version or wait for their 2-disc Platinum release(!)
33 DVD has problems...but what a movie!
First of all, that 3 stars is for the DVD, not the movie itself. This is one of my all time favorite Jackie Chan movies, and I've been looking for a decent, uncut, wide-screen version for 3 years. I thought this was it. Unfortunately, as others have stated, there is a serious problem with the Chinese audo track. The story I've been told is that the only Cantonese track available had gaps in the dialogue, so the manufacturers simply inserted the English dialogue in the holes. Brilliant. Another Hong Kong masterpiece butchered by American distributors.
That being said, this is Jackie Chan at his youthful, mischeivous, exuberant best. The story is pure Hong Kong kitcsh, that's true, but if you're a Chan fan it's loads of fun, especially if you've only seen his big American releases. If you're a Kung Fu fan, you'll be delighted by the drunken boxing style. The audio commentary by Jeff Yang and Ric Meyers is both informative and entertaining. And this version is uncut, replacing about 20 minutes of footage that was missing from my cruddy VHS copy of this film. The picture is crystal clear, and if you don't mind English dubbing, you will be delighted with this DVD.
34 Great, except for the audio problem
This is a really good DVD. Great picture for its age, great movie, great commentary by Ric Meyers. However, the audio problem that everyone is running into with the Cantonese track is supposedly due to the bad audio master that the company got the material from. Apparently, some of the audio was in such poor shape that they couldn't leave it on and instead replaced it in all these weird places with the English dub track. That's what I read from one reviewer website at least. Take that info or leave it. But still worth having.
35 Worst DVD I've ever bought!
I really really like this movie... I really do. Too bad the DVD is omg horrible! First of all, the language switches from Cantonese to English repeatedly throughout the disk for no reason at all. Secondly, the subtitles are extremely poor. Third, the special features are... well, there are none! Besides a flashy trailer of Time and Tide with cool music, this disc is a piece. So let's recap... the audio track is broken, the subtitles are WAY off, and the DVD is junk. Yes, don't buy it... ever.
36 Must for any Jackie fans.
This was one of Jackies early movies but the DVD has been remastered to crystal clear quality. However beware, the audio dubbing has been also re-done and this really takes away the original charm of the movie.Some of the famous lines said in the original has been replaced by insipid dialogues in the remastered version. I would rate this movie as one of Jackies best, but to keep in your collection, please go buy the original VHS, or chinese released DVD, with the original dialogues.
Also in the DVD, the chinese sub-titles keep coming on and going off. No matter what i try, and in any player, the subtitles keep appearing and disappearing at regular intervals.
37 Don't tamper with a classic!
This version has been tampered with,much to my disappointment. It's still worth buying though.I watched this film back to back with the Wu Tang Clan's release of Kung Fu of the 8 Drunkards,which has tons of extras and dynamite fight scenes.I also suggest getting the Wu' release of Shaolin Drunkard,which was directed by Yuen Woo Ping also.
38 Great film, but one MAJOR technical problem...
This is a great martial arts movie, and Jackie Chan's first huge success. The fighting is FANTASTIC and there are over a dozen fights in the film. There's also some awesome training sequences, which really show off Jackie's ability and the true art of drunken boxing.
I was mega-excited to see this release in widescreen, remastered crystal clear picture AND the original Chinese audio(the bad English dubbing is optional if you'd like).
That's were the problem comes in... the DVD Chinese audio seems to switch off randomly in between scenes, and instead plays the English dub. You'll watch the film and mid sentence the Chinese will become English! The English plays for a little while then goes back to Chinese! This happens throughout the film.
If you watch the movie on English dub, there are no problems. Still, the overall experience is really hurt. I've read this same problem posted in other reviews, so its definately a problem with the manufacturer. How does a problem like this get through quality assurance testing???
Without the problem, I'd give this 5 stars... too bad because this is a really great film.
39 The Original Drunken Master!!
The original Drunken Master finally arrives on dvd in all its glory. With an Anaphormic widescreen format this version can't miss. I actually give this release 4 1/2 stars due to a couple minor problems I find with the dvd. Fisrt off, JC's voice dubbing is absolutely criminal. It's terrible dubbing at it's worst. (I know most of you kung-fu fans like the original languages, but there are some of us who like to watch the movie in English!) Also, I found the audio to be a little on the poor side. Even for a kung-fu movie. It wasn't terrible, but not as good as my many other kung-fu dvd releases.
As far as the movie goes, it's simply top drawer. JC is in excellent form here, drunken fist and without drunken fist. Good kung-fu from all players. Especially JC's eight drunken gods and Si Ho (the drunken teacher). Also, some interesting snake and crane from JC in the beginning. Overall, this is a must have for any fan of kung-fu or JC. Constant action, great fight choreography, decent story and great Jackie slapstick comedy. Don't let this one go!
40 It is but it isn't the same movie!
Well, you would have to imagine how excited I was to hear Drunken Master (The real version) was coming out on DVD. I pre-ordered it to ensure my copy, it was delived...what movie is this the dialog is totally different. Those devotees of the genre and this movie in particular are familiar with the famous line Jackie gives Thunderfoot at their second meeting "Each man, 1 way; Each horse, 1 stance; Each church, 1 buddha; Each master to his own technique" and the music return is CLASSIC and nothing less. In this digitally remade, remastered pseudo Drunken Master that classic line is reduced to "So you think that you're the only master here, well let me tell you, my drunk gods don't mess around nobody can fight like they do" HUH? I was appalled! Remember Sam Seed, the name of the old drunk master his name is changed to So high(phonetic) leave it in the store don't tarnish the memory!
41 What's up?
I just bought this great movie and was very disappointed with the audio. No matter how I set it up, the spoken language goes from chinese to english and back again, I thought I got a bad copy and returned it. Guess what? Same problem!! Is anyone else experiencing this? I just bought a new DVD player(Sony), so I know it's not my player.
42 One of the Greatest Kung Fu Films Ever Made
When it was released, Drunken Master (the prequel to 'Legend of Drunken Master') broke all box office records in China, and for good reason. This movie still stands as one of the greatest Kung Fu movies ever made. Choreographed and directed by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey) the fight scenes are excellent. In fact, the first 25 minutes of the movie are back-to-back fight scenes. But the action doesn't let up, and following scenes only get better.
Young Jackie Chan's abilities are simply amazing. His acrobatic and martial arts skills are incredible. Many sequences of moves and flips are done in one take and all without wires. Watching it again, I'm still astounded at how great Jackie Chan's athletic ability is. His comedic talents don't go to waste, either.
As for the dubbing, it could be better, sometimes it's difficult to understand what's being said. At the same time it's really quite comical -- which is nice, considering much of the movie is lighthearted in tone. I did not find it a bother.
Anyone who claims to be a fan of martial arts films or Jackie Chan simply MUST see this movie and its sequel, Legend of Drunken Master.
43 One of the best
Arguably Jackie Chan's greatest film this DVD release has been eagerly awaited. The disc features and Anamorphic Widescreen transfer(2:35:1), digitally mastered audio, an English or Cantonese language track with optional English subtitles, and an Audio Commentary by Hong Kong film expert Rick Meyers. You couldnt ask for anything more, except for some cast interviews reflecting back on the significance of this film. Overall a solid package deserving to be on any martial arts fans shelf.
44 finally, anamorphic widescreen and original language!?
...This indeed is in anamorphic widescreen and available languages include Cantonese and English dub. Subtitles are present. Columbia-Tristar is handling the transfer, so it should be top-notch.
This is so far the best Region 1 release. An out-of-print, non-anamorphic dubbed-only DVD can be found, but it's rare and not worth the trouble.
Concerning the film itself, this is among the best kung-fu films I have seen. Unlike many more current kung-fu flicks, the plot is simple and there are no unnecessary "save the world" twists. The fights are amazing; believable and often hilarious at the same time. I look forward to picking up this DVD as soon as possible, I've been looking for a suitable copy for a long time.
Added 18 April 2002:
Yes, so apparently the Cantonese track was damaged in Columbia's prints. It wasn't on the VHS rental I happened to find in a small shop in Chicago two years ago. Why couldn't Columbia purchase the rights to cannibalize at least some of the sound from a VHS version? (Not sure if any of the original footage left off VHS versions was damaged).
My favorite cheesy kung-fu subtitle line, "Why are you so sexy?" where Jackie gets beat up and loses his pants has become something about bare knees. Bah!
Movie: 5 stars
DVD: 3 stars
45 Good film
This was one of the best martial arts movies that I know of, Drunken Master 2 (VHS) is also VERY good. I picked up the DVD of Drunken Master 2 and was verry happy with it, I almost wet myself when I saw it was available on DVD. My only and biggest complaint about the film was the inability to put the original language track in and english subtitles. I would almost perfered to return the DVD and just watch my VHS copy. Hopefully this DVD release of Drunken Master will have that ability to add in that original language track and become on the best DVDs ever.
46 another shoddy release to rake in the dough.
some people like english dub because they don't want to read. if that's you ok fine buy this(also this release has inferior picture quality--see below) i personally hate english dubs.
where are the extras????
looking at the technical details will tell you that there is no option for the original language track(best in my opinion) with options for subtitles.(just the attrocious dub track) this release doesn't appear to be anamorphic ("anamorphic" yields a better picture for widescreen capable tv's). that's too bad since the U.S. has never had a proper release of this title. but i'm writing to tell all who care that there is a better release WITH the original cantonese track and optional english subtitles. that dvd is also 1:78 WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC VIDEO. includes interviews with the director,trailers,deleted scene,and other EXTRAS! that is why this release deserves a low rating(i usually don't review movies but these awful U.S. releases are [upsetting] me...). So if you want the superior version i recommend searching [elsewhere] for it...
47 One Of Jackie's All Time Best
I have not seen the DVD and I cannot say anything about this version. I have seen the original VHS with Cantonese audio, Mandarin and English Subtitles, and LBX.
This was one of Jackie Chan's very early films but it still holds up today due to Jackie's amazing abilities!
Wong Fei - Hung is a much beloved character in Chinese cinema but Jackie takes a bold step in showing the young Fei - Hung as a mischevious and reluctant Kung Fu student at his father's school.This is pure Jackie! The training scenes are some of the best ever filmed. And Jackie is at his absolute best! The fight scenes are simply incredible! Sifu teaches Fei - Hung the drunken boxing style of Kung Fu. The end fight scene is amazing and astounding!
You MUST see this movie!!! A must for those who enjoy Gong Fu as well as Chan fans! This is a 5+ film!
48 This is a Must Have for any kung fu fan.
Drunken master is the break out movie for jackie chan. if anyone has a vhs copy of this tape they will note the his name was mis spelled in the credits to this movie. also i'm waiting for the best kung fu movie ever made which is drunken master 2 to come out on dvd. drucken master 2 has the scence in which jackie really messed up is arms on hot coals. if you are looking for a great kung fu flick this is the one for you.
49 Chomping at the bit!
I just can't wait for this DVD! As I'm writing this review, I still have to wait 2 months for its release. I'm hoping it's a Columbia Tri-Star DVD, after the bang-up job they did with "Fearless Hyena." I'm hoping for the remastered widescreen transfer this classic deserves, as opposed to the ... Front Row release I've had to do with for the last 2 years. For those who don't know, this was Jackie Chan's breakout movie, choreographed and directed by Yuen Wu Ping, known to the majority of Western audiences through "The Matrix," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "Iron Monkey." Also, it's the predecessor to what we know in the US as "The Legend of Drunken Master," which is actually the second part of a trilogy. I also hope that this DVD includes the original language track, as the Columbia releases of "Fearless Hyena" parts 1 and 2 did. If these hopes don't come to fruition, and this isn't a Columbia DVD, then this review will look pretty dated and stupid. Maybe then a distributor will wise up and give this great flick the respect it deserves.
