Can there be any self-respecting martial arts fan still unaware of Hong Kong Legends’ UltraBit editions? Previous releases have covered Jackie Chan’s emerging stardom and later career; this new fistful of DVDs all date from when Chan was under contract to Lo Wei and it’s safe to say that while Lo could spot talent, he couldn’t direct for toffee. (What would The Big Boss and Fist of Fury have been like without a bonafide superstar?)
Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin is much better; quite simply, there’s little dialogue and lots of fighting, building from the spectacular opening credits to the final 15 minutes; it’s easily Jackie’s defining moment from this era. Casually sexist, bizarrely edited and with crap dialogue, kung fu movies are an acquired taste, and while unlikely to win many converts, the myriad faithful will lap these up.
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