Tweet
Released by: Fox
Released on: 7/22/2003
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Cast: Sammo Hung, Kwan Tak Hing, Yuen Biao
Year: 1979
Purchase From Amazon
The Movie:
Yuen Woo Ping, inspired by the success of his earlier effort, Drunken Master, milks the same formula once again in The Magnificent Butcher, though this time, instead of Jackie Chan, we get Sammo Hung - and we're all the better for it.
Sammo Hung plays Lam Sai-Wing. Wing is a man of strong morals who also happens to be the town butcher. Wing is a little clumsy, but he means well and also happens to be a student of legendary martial artist, Wong Fei Hung (played here by Kwan Tak Hing, reprising the role once again).
Wing messes up one day and ends up on the bad side of the rival school in town, The Five Dragons School, which is run by Master Kao (played by Lee Hoi San). Adding fuel to the fire, Wing's brother, who he previously thought lost forever, shows up unannounced with his wife in tow. But unfortunately for Wing, what would normally be a happy occasion and a cause for celebration quickly turns sour as his brother and wife are hassled by Master Kao's sinister son, Tai Ho.
Eventually, Wing enlists the aid of a drunken boxer who teams up with him and his brother to take down the evil Tai Ho, but not without bringing down on themselves the wrath of the Five Dragons School and it's leader, Master Kao.
Similar stories have been told before numerous times in countless martial arts films, but it doesn't really matter. What makes The Magnificent Butcher work is Sammo. It's all about Sammo, who moves far faster and with much more agility than a man of his size should rightly be able to. His skills are very much on display all throughout the film, and not just his fighting skills but his knack for comedic timing as well.
Throw Kwan Tak Hing as Wong Fai Hung into the mix, who is noticeably doubled in a few shots (and rightly so, he was a fairly old man when he made this film), and have him throw down with Lee Hoi San as Master Kao, and you've got an action classic just waiting to happen.
And happen it does, as only Yuen Woo Ping can do it. The fight choreographer of such North American blockbusters as The Matrix Reloaded and Quentin Tarantino's upcoming Kill Bill, proves his directorial skills and mastery of capturing martial arts action from start to finish.
While some rather tense and violent moments are interspersed throughout the campy slapstick and may prove to disorient those not used to that type of mix, it all makes sense at the end and shows that not only can Sammo jump around and kick a lot of ass, but the man can actually act too.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The film is presented in a nice anamorphic widescreen transfer and in its original aspect ratio. Detail and clarity are fine throughout and print damage is held in check.
Audio options are provided in English and Chinese with English subtitles. Clarity is fine, and if range is limited there are no problems with hiss or distortion.
Extras are slim but there are some trailers and still galleries here.
The Final Word:
Fox brings a classic martial arts film to North America in a very nice and affordably priced package, and corrects the aspect ratio problems that the R2 Hong Kong Legends disc suffered from.