My brother has been rating movies on the Netflix site, so we occasionally watch films that get recommended to him there. For some time he has noticed that a movie called “Once Upon a time in China 2” keeps coming up. He was a bit put off by the “2”, but finally added it to our selections. It was worth it. Not that I seen so many, but this is certainly one of the best of the Hong Kong “kung-fu” movies I’ve watched. It either transcends or perfects (I’m not sure which) its B-movie genera by using a more-or-less real historical setting, keeping its comedy just this side of slapstick, using that comedy to steer clear of hammy melodrama, and limiting the number and duration of the fights so that the big set piece dance number, err fight scene, in the temple doesn’t lose any of its manic wow.
Among other good-natured barbs, the film has continuous easy-going jabs at all sorts of religion—a large cross gets used as a battle axe—but particularly at religious fanatics that structure their political violence on a set of stupid beliefs about what their gods will do for them.
Oh, and unlike some “kung-fu” movies, this DVD comes with its original Cantonese soundtrack. Could there be a more beautiful language?
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3 comments:
oh, I'd like to see that.
Is there a "1"?
It's not a kung-fu movie, but have you ever seen that 1970s Japanese mafia film "The Yakuza" with Robert Mitchum? It seems like something you'd like. (I love it).
Another random note: The Madonna/Antonio Banderas film "Evita," which I had avoided seeing forever, is surprisingly engaging. Erin called it "hypnotic," and I agree.
There are six movies in the “Once Upon a Time in China” franchise. So yes, there is a “1” or at least an unnumbered. I know nothing about the other five, but my brother noted that only “2” popped up on his recommended list
I might have once seen “The Yakuza”. Then again, maybe I haven’t. I’ll have to look into that.
Oh, and I can always go for something hypnotic.
If you've ever heard the Broadway soundtrack from Evita, you'll have to adjust your expectations a little. Instead of Mandy Patinkin in the role of Che Guevara, you get Antonio Banderas, whose voice can't hold a candle to Pantinkin's, but who otherwise has a lot to recommend him. Perhaps acknowledging his limitations, he tends to talk-sing his lines rather than sing-sing. Madonna is no Patti Lupone either — but who is? — however, she gives a suprisingly good performance and is pretty compelling in the role. The role of Juan Peron is well-cast, too.
And I think it was beautifully filmed, too, in autumnal hues of gold and sepia. Very rich and textured.
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