Drunken Monkey (film)

Last updated

Drunken Monkey
DrunkenMonkey2002FilmDVDCover.jpg
Traditional Chinese 醉馬騮
Simplified Chinese 醉马骝
Hanyu Pinyin Zuì Mǎliú
Jyutping Zeoi3 Maa3lau4
Directed by Lau Kar-leung
Written byLi Pak-ling
Produced by Mona Fong
StarringLau Kar-leung
Wu Jing
Shannon Yao
Chik Kun-kwan
CinematographyWong Po-man
Edited byKai Kit-wai
Music byTommy Wai
Production
company
Release date
  • 5 May 2003 (2003-05-05)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeHK$ 153,560

Drunken Monkey is a 2003 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film starring and directed by Lau Kar-leung in his last film directorial effort before his death on 25 June 2013. [1] . The film co-stars Wu Jing, Lau Wing-kina, and Shannon Yao. It was the first kung fu film released by the Shaw Brothers Studio in over 2 decades.

Contents

Cast

Release

Drunken Monkey was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 5 May 2003. [2] It grossed a total of HK$153,560. [2]

Reception

Ken Eisner of Variety wrote that the film's fight choreography overcomes its cheesiness and derivative story. [3] David Cornelius of DVD Talk rated it 3/5 stars and wrote, "When the action's on, 'Drunken Monkey' is a total blast. When the action's off, 'Drunken Monkey' is a total snooze." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammo Hung</span> Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer, and director (born 1952)

Samuel "Sammo" Hung Kam-bo is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreographer for other actors such as Kim Tai-chung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Yuen Wah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hung Ga</span> Chinese martial art

Hung Ga (洪家), Hung Kuen (洪拳), or Hung Ga Kuen (洪家拳) is a southern Chinese martial art belonging to the southern Shaolin styles. The hallmarks of Hung Ga are strong stances, notably the horse stance, or "si ping ma" (四平馬), and strong hand techniques, notably the bridge hand and the versatile tiger claw. Traditionally, students spent anywhere from several months to three years in stance training, often sitting only in horse stance from half an hour to several hours at a time, before learning any forms. Each form could then take a year or so to learn, with weapons learned last. In current times, this mode of instruction is generally considered impractical for students, who have other concerns beyond practicing kung fu. However, some instructors still follow traditional guidelines and make stance training the majority of their beginner training. Hung Ga is sometimes mischaracterized as solely external—that is, reliant on brute physical force rather than the cultivation of qi—even though the student advances progressively toward an internal focus.

<i>Drunken Master</i> 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film

Drunken Master, also known as Drunken Master The Beginning, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and produced and co-written by Ng See-yuen. The film features much of the same crew as Yuen's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow released earlier the same year, including lead actors Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee; although narratively unrelated, Drunken Master bears similarities to its predecessor in its story and style.

<i>Snake in the Eagles Shadow</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Snake in the Eagle's Shadow is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping in his directorial debut. It stars Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang-lee, and Yuen Woo-ping's real life father, Yuen Siu-tien. The film's plot is about Chien Fu, an orphan who is bullied at a kung fu school, meeting an old beggar, Pai Cheng-tien, who becomes his sifu (teacher) and trains him in Snake Kung Fu.

Alexander Fu Sheng, also known as Fu Sing, was a Hong Kong martial arts actor. One of Hong Kong's most talented performers, Fu rose to prominence in the 1970s starring in a string of movies with the Shaw Brothers that accrued him international stardom throughout Asia and parts of North America.

Lau Kar-leung was a Chinese actor, filmmaker, choreographer, and martial artist from Hong Kong. Lau is best known for the films he made in the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio. His most famous works include The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) starring Gordon Liu as well as Drunken Master II (1994) starring Jackie Chan.

<i>Drunken Master II</i> 1993 Hong Kong film

Drunken Master II Chinese: 醉拳二; Cantonese Yale: Jui Kuen II and Drunken Fist II is a 1993 Hong Kong action-comedy kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Jackie Chan as Chinese martial arts master and a Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei-hung. It was Chan's first traditional style martial arts film since Fearless Hyena II (1983). The film was released in North America as The Legend of Drunken Master in 2000.

<i>Heroes of the East</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Heroes of the East, also known as Challenge of the Ninja, Shaolin vs. Ninja, and Shaolin Challenges Ninja, is a martial arts film produced in 1978. It starred Gordon Liu and was directed by Lau Kar-Leung. Lau Kar-Leung has a cameo role as So Chan, a master of Zui Quan. The film is notable for portraying Japanese martial arts alongside the more typical kung fu used in most Hong Kong martial arts films.

Kung fu film is a subgenre of martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema set in the contemporary period and featuring realistic martial arts. It lacks the fantasy elements seen in wuxia, a related martial arts genre that uses historical settings based on ancient China. Swordplay is also less common in kung-fu films than in wuxia and fighting is done through unarmed combat.

<i>Knockabout</i> (film) 1979 Hong Kong film

Knockabout is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film starring Yuen Biao and directed by Sammo Hung, who also co-stars in the film.

Hsiao Ho, is a Hong Kong martial arts film actor, stunt performer and action choreographer. A Hakka, he has acted in many films directed by Lau Kar-leung, including Mad Monkey Kung Fu and Legendary Weapons of China. In 1985 he portrayed legendary kung fu warrior Fong Sai-Yuk in the Lau directed action-comedy, Disciples of the 36th Chamber and also took a lead role in Fake Ghost Catchers, directed by Lau Kar Wing. Fake Ghost Catchers is marketed by Celestial Pictures as being made two years before Ghostbusters. Hou is also known for portraying the "disfigured swordsman" and doubling complicated action scenes in 1993's Iron Monkey. He was also the action director for the movie Shaolin Avengers (1994). In 1982 he was nominated for Best Action Choreography for the movie Legendary Weapons of China at the Hong Kong Film Awards alongside Lau Kar Leung and Ching Chu who also provided choreography for the film.

<i>Five Shaolin Masters</i> 1974 Hong Kong film

Five Shaolin Masters, a.k.a. 5 Masters of Death, is a 1974 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh, with action choreography by Lau Kar Leung and Lau Kar Wing.

<i>Warriors Two</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Warriors Two is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film written and directed by Sammo Hung, who also supporting role. The film stars Bryan Leung, Casanova Wong and Fung Hak-on. Leung plays the character of the historical figure, Leung Jan, a well-known early practitioner of the Wing Chun style of kung fu. Leung's association with Wing Chun can be considered as the equivalent of Wong Fei-hung's association with the Hung Gar style.

<i>Ip Man</i> (film) 2008 Hong Kong film directed by Wilson Yip

Ip Man is a 2008 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and teacher of martial artist legend Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip's life that supposedly took place in the city of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese War. The film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen as the titual character, with martial arts choreography by Sammo Hung. The film co-stars Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-tung, Xing Yu, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, and Tenma Shibuya. The film was a co-production between China and Hong Kong, and was the last film to be distributed by Mandarin Films.

Lau Kar-wing is a martial artist, Hong Kong film director, action choreographer and actor.

<i>Ip Man 2</i> 2010 Hong Kong film

Ip Man 2 is a 2010 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film loosely based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun. A sequel to the 2008 film Ip Man, Ip Man 2 was directed by Wilson Yip and stars Donnie Yen, who reprises the leading role. Continuing after the events of the earlier film, the sequel centres on Ip's early life in British Hong Kong. He attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun, but faces rivalry from other practitioners, including the local master of Hung Ga martial arts, Hung Chun-nam, and later the British boxing champion Taylor "The Twister" Miller.

<i>The Scorpion King</i> (1992 film) 1992 Hong Kong film

The Scorpion King is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by David Lai, and produced by Sammo Hung. The film stars Chin Kar-lok, Lau Kar-leung and Kim Won-jin. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 12 November 1992.

<i>Drunken Master III</i> 1994 Hong Kong film

Drunken Master III is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Andy Lau, Michelle Reis, Willie Chi and Adam Cheng. This film was quickly produced after director Lau and Jackie Chan fell out on the set of Drunken Master II with the style of action and Lau decided to produce a more authentic entry in the Drunken Master film series. Despite the title, Drunken Master III is not a sequel to the Drunken Master film series and is widely considered an imitator.

<i>Young People</i> (1972 film) 1972 Hong Kong film

Young People is a 1972 Hong Kong coming-of-age action drama film directed by Chang Cheh and starring David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Irene Chan and pop singer Agnes Chan, the younger sister of Irene Chan, in her debut film role.

<i>Kung Fu League</i> 2018 Chinese film directed by Jeffrey Lau

Kung Fu League is a 2018 Chinese action martial arts fantasy comedy film directed by Jeffrey Lau and written by Huang Jianhong. Featuring the cast included Ashin Shu, Vincent Zhao, Andy On, Danny Chan, Dennis To and Madina Memet, the film tells a story of a struggling comic book artist who called four legendary masters to help him get his love interest.

References

  1. West 2006, p. 119.
  2. 1 2 "Drunken Monkey". Hong Kong Film Archive. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  3. Eisner, Ken (23 January 2004). "Review: 'Drunken Monkey'". Variety . Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  4. Cornelius, David (13 August 2007). "Drunken Monkey". DVD Talk . Retrieved 9 September 2014.