Why doesn't someone do a theatrical rerelease in the USA of the DRUNKENMASTER duo.... what a touring double feature that would be... can you even imagine the coolness of something like that. Please... someone make it true...
Cereal Killer here with another look at a Hong Kong film getting a major theatrical release(most likely redubbed, scored, and edited).
As you already know Dimension films is releasing another of Jackie Chan's HK films here in America with a facelift. This movie is Twin Dragons. However, the one hitch is that unlike the previous imports this one has been in America for about 2 or 3 years now. It was release direct to video by EDDE Entertainment in a dubbed Pan and Scan version.
This movie has an interesting history. Not only does it star Jackie in two roles, but it was directed by Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam. Two of HK's greatest director's. However, the film was made as a fundraiser for Hong Kong's Filmmaker's Guild.
The film itself is not horrible but when you see the talent behind this, the final product is more than a little disappointing. Jackie plays identical twins separated at birth(think a spoof of the Van Damme flick) one grows up to be a symphony conducter and the other is a crook/martial arts expert. The film plays out like a standard Chan flick. Comedy set peices, and fight set peices ensue. With Hark and Lam helming you think that their trademarks would show up on screen? Nope, this is Chan 100%. The film was more comedy than action aside from the final 15 minutes in a "car accident testing facility." I thought the movie was funnier than Chan's other movies, definitely not as corny as Rumble in the Bronx. The John Woo cameo had me rolling. Action wise, it is not as sucessful. There are flashes of brillance as usual, but there is no classic Chan stunt in this that sets it apart from his other films.
You can rent this film in any Blockbuster or just buy it for 10 dollars at a local Suncoast. The copy I got was pretty bad though. I would wait to see Dimension's release if I were a big fan of Chan. However, this is not one of Chan's best. I say enough with the releases. Just throw these direct to video and give us untampered versions of Drunken Master 2 and Project A 1 and 2. Oh well, I guess this was done to ride the wave of Rush Hour and prepare us for Rush Hour 2.
