DVD Hong Kong Mega Star Region 0 100 minutes Directed by Sammo Hung Written by Wong Kai Gei With Yuen Biao Leung Kar Yan Lau Kar Wing Sammo Hung Available to Purchase at HKFlix.com 
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Home | Upcoming | Reviews | In Cinemas | Links | Features | Editorials | Search R E V I E W Knockabout (1979) Sammo Hung Kam Bo gained considerable experience (and respect in the local film industry) from his work as a stunt man and action choreographer in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. He directed his first film in 1978; Knockabout came along in 1979 as part of a successful string of hits that included Warriors Two, Enter the Fat Dragon, The Magnificent Butcher, Encounters of the Spooky Kind, and The Prodigal Son. The film played in Hong Kong cinemas for two weeks in April 1979. Grossing HK $2.8 million was sufficient for it to finish #17 (out of 344 films released) in the overall box office earnings for the year. It has gained considerable acclaim over the years, especially among Western film fans. MOVIE Plot: Two brotherly con men encounter an unexpected martial arts master and beg him to take them on as students. He finally acquieses, but the young men learn too late that the older gentleman has a shadowy past that proves deadly. As befits all great martial arts movies, revenge must be taken. Performances: The acting is serviceable. Real energy and emotion are expended in the fight sequences, so, other scenes suffer by comparison. Yuen Biao and Leung Kar Yan played the con men; Leung Kar Yan loosened fillings as the old master, and Sammo Hung played a foolish-acting beggar with unexpected skills. Karl Maka (pre-Aces Go Places) has a small part as a silly sheriff. Production: Yuen Biao’s first film as leading man (after bit parts, stunt work, and supporting roles) was a spectacular debut. His mentor and “big brother,” Sammo Hung, crafted an engaging vehicle that highlighted the younger man’s acrobatic and martial arts abilities. The first part of the film has been criticized for its silly and juvenile comedy. Certainly this type of "nonsense comedy" can rub some viewers the wrong way. Yet that is part and parcel of what made Sammo Hung’s cinematic endeavors unique at the time (Jackie Chan and Yuen Wo-ping began introducing comedy into their films shortly after Sammo did). Sammo Hung recognized that the solemn and traditional martial arts films had played themselves out, and that fresh ingredients were needed to gain audience favor. For example, a less-than-reverential approach to the training sequences so commonly found in martial arts films (the master teaching the student in a series of training exercises) bolsters the effectiveness of them here. And it could be argued that the light-hearted comedy in the opening part of the film builds audience sympathy for the goofy leading characters and provides genuine motivation for the darker revenge that eventually plays out. The concluding fight scenes are awesome: muscular, brutal, and balletic. No obvious shortcuts appear to have been taken, and it is these scenes especially that viewers will want to watch over and over again. Rating: Category II for brutal, though rarely bloody or explicit, violence. DVD Look: Taking into account the age of the film, the letterboxed presentation is very pleasing to the eyes, at least on my 32-inch television. Black levels appeared deep, colors were vibrant, and flesh tones appeared human. The source print displayed a considerable amount of wear and tear (scratches, pinholes, etc.), and some scenes appeared a bit faded. Sound: Marked as a DD 5.1 audio track, the sound on the Cantonese version could be heard nearly exclusively on the center channel. It was perfectly adequate, but not very thrilling. Also included is a DD 5.1 Mandarin track. I sampled that as well. Since both tracks contain audio effects and dialogue that was originally dubbed in post-production, not much difference was noted between the two. Subtitles: The white removable English subtitles contained a number of mistakes, but nothing too distracting that I can recall. Also included are subtitles in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, and Japanese. Features: Theatrical trailers abound: one for the film, plus Dreadnaught (clocking in at nearly 5 minutes!), Picture of a Nymph, Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain, and Eastern Condors. Filmographies are provided for Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, along with a synopsis and cast & crew listing. Nine chapters can be selected from a still-frame menu. RECOMMENDATION The only DVD version currently available can be ordered from HKFlix.com. The price is quite steep, so you'll have to decide if the replay value justifies the cost. All I can add is that the movie is essential viewing, in my opinion, especially for those who love their martial arts fighting to be raw and real. Home | Upcoming | Reviews | In Cinemas | Links | Features | Editorials | Search |