you went into this movie looking for substance? stephen chow is an entertainer. if you want substance go rent citizen kane or the godfather. that's what it boils down to. i laughed, it was a great, fun movie. but am i going to remember it in twenty years? probably not.
just bought imported dvd off the net. have to say, it is one of the best martial arts movies i've ever seen. a vast element of the parady is lost on the american audience because most of the martial arts novel canon have not been popularised in america or translated in english. the various moves he referenced from the canon happen to be the ultimate styles from the various schools. when mixed with the exaggerated parody which is chow's trademark (see "The God of Cooking"), the martial arts in the movie is obviously going to be over the top (if not a little bit cheapened) even for seasoned martial movie fans. the same goes for the references to HK culture, from the billboards to the street life to the costumes. i think chow did a really successful job with such a nostalgic and cute recreation. Unfortunately, most of them will simply appear cartoonish to the average american viewer. but surprisingly stephen chow still manages to pull off a terrific comedy. smart, polished, teeming with cinematic references and eye-popping kinetics. the strength in stephen chow's movies has always been his fast-moving, smooth, and imaginative storytelling ability (and slapstick / tongue-in-cheek humor. I think he amply demonstrated that in this movie. as an introduction to stephen chow, I highly recommend this movie. if you're looking for an introduction to the chinese martial arts novel genre, i think "Crouching Tiger" might be more suitable.
I think this is the recommendation for people that decides if you want to see this movie or not. If you like scrubs, aqua teens, south park, family guy, and/or arrested developement, this might be the type of movie for you. If you don't and is looking for something "serious", don't see this movie. I think some people gone to see this movie with the wrong expectations.
You would be very disappointed if you look for substance in a martial arts movie produced by Stephen Chow. Here are the names of some of the 'classics' which Chow has produced before: "The King of Comedy" "The God of Cookery" "The Ultimate Trickster" "God of Gamblers" "Royal Tramp" There is nothing more wrong than thinking that Stephen Chow is a martial artist. This guy is just a comedian, an entertainer and a movie director.
It's mainly a cultural difference. The Chinese all know about the explanation behind those impossible stunts, since most of them are well versed in martial arts novels and movies. So, in an action movie, it is viewed as redundant to explain why - even the students in elementary school reads martial arts novels. Not the case with the American audience. The underlying principle of those styles is "chi", a flow of energy in every human body that's the elixir of life. It flows in various channels(not the veins) in the human body and those who cultivate it will enjoy good health. This is the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The martial arts writers took things into another level by treating chi like the force in Star Wars, if you cultivate it enough, one can do super human things. So when the western super hero movies arrange a speicific cause for its hero, spider bite for spiderman, advanced alien for superman, the Chinese martial arts movies don't bother since to Chinese the explanation is already known beforehand. The action scenes are designed by the Hong Kong choreagraher Yuan He Ping(mandarin pronounciation), the man behind the fighting scenes of Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden dragons, and other numerous productions. The slapstick humor is Chow's trademark, although some might feel his earlier works do a better job. So the movie is combining two sides of excellence in Asian film industry. One can probably enjoy it if letting the "silliness" slide.
I wonder if you're reading the posts. Already talked about personal preference, and how that's a different thing, which is fine. But you also don't go into a movie which is exactly the opposite of your personal preference and say that it's the movie that didn't work. And KD is simply saying that some folks who would complain about KFH not being 'authentic' or 'realistic' in terms of a martial arts movie/culture yet would think Karate Kid (which I think he just kind of picked out of midair) more real, which he feels is way off base. Why you have a problem with that, I have no idea. Big Ralph Macchio fan?
Im not chinese, nor am I a Kung Fu fan. But this Movie rocked. NUFF said. Actually, Ill add one more tidbit. Was Matrix, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or Spiderman overly CGI. Because those three movies are loaded with it. Kung Fu Hustle just used it in a humorous overly blown manner. Sorry, I couldnt let this go!!!! Reserecting it from the dead.
Bud Lite Presents: Real Men of Genius Today we salue you, Mr. Poster Bringer Upper. Without you we wouldn't have been able to remember a 4 month old post, without a timely reminder. Four months ago and not a day too old. Thanks for the memories. So crack open a Bud Lite, and remember what you said half a year ago will never be forgotten.
Right it was just released on DVD. So it has merit. Should I of brought up a new post about the release of the DVD. You real men of nOObishness.
If you are interested in the Chinese Wuxia (Martial Arts Novel) Genre, check out http://www.wuxiapedia.com , a great site that has a couple of complete English translations as well as many translations in progress of the works of Wuxia authors Jin Yong, Gu Long, and Liang Yusheng.
I know this is very late. But I have to say this is one of the best films I've seen in a while. It was funny as hell. Man, the scene with the knifes being thrown!!! L Too funny. Great movie. I recomend it to anyone. The comedy in it was great.
Guys, if you think Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle is funny, then you really don't know what the word funny means. Until you seen Chow's movies from ealier years, then you will know what I'm talking about. BTW, it will not be as funny when it's dub into another language, I won't even watch the dub mandarin version of Chow's movie, the orginal Cantonese version is hell of funny.
