Kung Fu Jungle/Kung Fu Killer (formely 'Last of the Best') (2014)

[KUNG FU BOB]

http://www.yesasia.com/us/kung-fu-jungle-2014-dvd-2-disc-edition-hong-kong-version/1037857444-0-0-0-en/info.html

get ready for your day-one preorder guys, Kung Fu Jungle will be released Dec. 23rd in HK (BD/DVD)!!

Yes!

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14557

dddhouse preorder up now as well, definitely cheaper

Even better!

I wil be picking it up in Chinatown from one of the stores. I told the owner about a month ago to hold be a BD copy - he always does.

Ah, I miss the good old days when "my Chinese mother" Ma would put aside the new stuff that she knew my buddy and I would want. We loved going there and supporting her little business. She was the coolest! I'll never forget taking a bunch of brand new DVDs up to the counter and asking her if she could hold them for me until I got payed. She put them in a bag, handed them to me and said "You pay me next time. I trust you. You my American son." You don't really get those kind of human experiences like that through mail-order.

I've never had problems with them and I've ordered well over a dozen times. The only issue is that their website fails to load a lot of pages I click on. But, if you have patience, it's an amazing site to order from.

I just ordered the "Kung Fu Jungle" Blu-Ray from them.

Drunken Monk- school me brother... I just followed the DDD House link, but it only has the shopping cart icon next to the DVD, not the BD (or the VCD... can't imagine buying a new film on this crummy format). Did you order the BD from DDD House just now? Am I missing something?

[thekfc]

A lot (most?) of their BD movies just say DVD & not BD.

You have to check under remarks, format & descriptions to know the difference.

This is for the DVD:

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14556

And this is for the BD:

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14557

.

[DiP]

http://www.yesasia.com/us/kung-fu-jungle-2014-dvd-2-disc-edition-hong-kong-version/1037857444-0-0-0-en/info.html

get ready for your day-one preorder guys, Kung Fu Jungle will be released Dec. 23rd in HK (BD/DVD)!!

I wonder how this will compare to the UK BD due for release in February.

[KUNG FU BOB]

A lot (most?) of their BD movies just say DVD & not BD.

You have to check under remarks, format & descriptions to know the difference.

This is for the DVD:

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14556

And this is for the BD:

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14557

.

Yeah, I see that. But on the original link that was posted, and also on yours, when I clicked on it, though I could see the Blu-ray mentioned, there was no way to actually click on it to order it. So I tried going to the home page, clicked on Pre-orders, and clicked on the KUNG FU JUNGLE Blu-ray link. For some reason, even though the page that came up was the same that you had linked me to, this time I was able to order it. Thanks for the help.

I wonder how this will compare to the UK BD due for release in February.

Good question... maybe I should order that one too? So if I did that... the family wouldn't get to eat every day this month... Hmmm... priorities!!!!

[ToryK]

Ah, I miss the good old days when "my Chinese mother" Ma would put aside the new stuff that she knew my buddy and I would want. We loved going there and supporting her little business. She was the coolest! I'll never forget taking a bunch of brand new DVDs up to the counter and asking her if she could hold them for me until I got payed. She put them in a bag, handed them to me and said "You pay me next time. I trust you. You my American son." You don't really get those kind of human experiences like that through mail-order.

That's awesome, dude! See, I've always wished I grew up in a place that allowed to hang out at joints like that. Nothing of the sort here.

[KUNG FU BOB]

That's awesome, dude! See, I've always wished I grew up in a place that allowed to hang out at joints like that. Nothing of the sort here.

I forget where you're located Tory?

Actually, growing up right outside of Philadelphia, and not too far from NYC you might think I grew up seeing these films in the theater like most people my age from the area. But that wasn't the case. I was completely immersed in horror/sci-fi/fantasy stuff as a kid, and didn't even watch Black Belt Theater's broadcasts (except catching FIVE VENOMS once). I didn't get into martial arts or Asian cinema until I was in my mid-teens, and by then the theaters weren't showing kung fu flicks anymore (a few years later I discovered midnight showings of HK films at a nearby theater though. ). So I played catch-up on VHS. As I got a little older I started making the trek into Philly's Chinatown looking for movies, schools, and weapons. LOL

I had lots of funny adventures trying to communicate with perplexed video store owners that thought I must be lost. "No English!" the one guy kept saying as he gestured at the tapes, then tried to shoo me out the door. But soon I got him to understand, and within a few weeks I was loaning him stuff to watch!

The particular shop that I mentioned above was my favorite though. My buddy (who grew up in Philly and saw all the classics in the theater) and I would go in there and just get so excited. The shop was tiny- about half the size of an average living-room, but it seemed like there were thousands of movies on DVD (and she carried CDs, VCDs, a few VHS and laser discs too) in there. We bought so many Universal, Mei Ah, and Media Star discs there! After many years of shopping there (starting around 1997 I believe), though we had been purchasing all of the IVL/Celestial DVDs from HKFlix as they were coming up for order, Ma was eventually able to get these from her supplier too. When we walked in there one day and saw the official SB DVDs on the shelves it was like Christmas day! No waiting for shipping... Just right there! Ma asked "Now I find these old movies. You happy?" with a big smile. She knew we were! She thought it was funny how into these films we were "I'm Chinese, watch movies growing up... But how come you know more than me!" I even lent her a few things that she couldn't find, and she'd tell me about watching them with her family. They'd ask her where she got them and she'd say "From my adopted American son." Ma was the coolest!

[FrankBolte]

my bluray has been sent out yesterday..

watched it twice in hk cinema but at home you can way better analyze everything

[BLfan]

I wonder how this will compare to the UK BD due for release in February.

I assume this will be Mandarin language so the UK fans will not get a Cantonese version.

Also why is titled Kung Fu Killer in the UK?

[Karlos]

Also why is titled Kung Fu Killer in the UK?

We always seem to get awful re-titlings over here: Kung Fu Killer is more "awesommzzzz" than Kung Fu Jungle.

[KUNG FU BOB]

my bluray has been sent out yesterday..

watched it twice in hk cinema but at home you can way better analyze everything

Mine was dispatched yesterday too. But I haven't seen it yet so I'm feeling very impatient. Is it here yet? No?

I assume this will be Mandarin language so the UK fans will not get a Cantonese version.

The HK Blu-ray has both Cantonese and Mandarin audio.

Also why is titled Kung Fu Killer in the UK?

I think that KUNG FU KILLER was the film's original title, but I seem to recall it changing names more than once, so not 100% sure. Based on the synopsis, KUNG FU KILLER sounds more apt a title than KUNG FU JUNGLE to me. KUNG FU JUNGLE makes me think of an EASTERN CONDORS type film, or even the new Wu Jing movie.

The UK re-titlings can be a drag for us US fans too. I have my movies in alphabetical order, so my DVD of YES, MADAM is nowhere near my DVD of POLICE ASSASSINS... even though they are the same film. Oh the trauma this causes me as a geeky collector.

We always seem to get awful re-titlings over here: Kung Fu Killer is more "awesommzzzz" than Kung Fu Jungle.

You guys are lucky the title change for AVENGING EAGLES didn't go through. They were thinking of calling it LEGEND OF THE PIGEONS IN DESPAIR.

[DiP]

The film was passed uncut by BBFC. The film's runtime will be 96 min (in PAL).

This is Yen's best film since Wu Xia imo, btw. I'll try to post a lengthy review of this soon.

Source: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/kung-fu-killer-2014

[sifu iron perm]

The film was passed uncut by BBFC. The film's runtime will be 96 min (in PAL).

This is Yen's best film since Wu Xia imo, btw. I'll try to post a lengthy review of this soon.

Source: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/kung-fu-killer-2014

good stuff, will watch it again on the big screen.

[QueMuchita]

Did anybody else notice the Raymond Chow cameo?

Edit: Oh nevermind, I just realised they say it in the film.

[sdog2006]

I watched the Blu Ray last night

This was a really good film that had it's pluses and minuses.

Pluses

Storyline is highly innovative and original

Brilliant versatility on the action sequences

Plenty of action from the start

Acting is first class across the board

Shout out to the old school crew of HK cinema

Big budget

Minuses

I HATE WIRES WITH A PASSION

I HATE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE GUYS IN QUESTION LOOK GREAT DOING WHAT THEY CAN DO.

I HATE EDITING THAT CUTS TECHNIQUES IN HALF. [LONG SHOT - KICK THROWN PERFECTLY] CUT [CLOSE UP - FOOT STRIKES FACE] GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

If my minuses don't bother you then you will rate this very highly. I thought it was pretty good but I would have loved more free flowing action like in SPL and Flashpoint.

[Karlos]

Found this to be as infuriating as Yen's last few films, to be honest.

I liked the shout outs and the cameos, and Yen himself was very good, but this really could have been so much more.

There seemed to be a subtext - that the old school is better than the new - which was interesting, but, for me, it fell short.

[kami]

Another disappointing movie with Donnie Yen. The story, a mixture of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and the Gary Daniels-cheapo BLOODMOON, serves as little more than a vehicle to show the different action scenes, which are okay but again far from impressive. To be honest I was more excited by the fights in SPECIAL ID and ICEMAN since they seemed more honest than the heavily edited and wire-ridden fights of this messy jungle. On the other hand the film is well acted and beautifully photographed but that's part of the packaging wheras the core of the movie lacks real merit. And I really hated the villain, and not in a good way. This annoyingly grinning idiot was given a backstory but it didn't help him becoming a human being, he remains a dangerous animal waiting to be put down. I greatly dislike the ugly mug of the actor and the way its used here but at least he has some more than decent fighting chops. And therefore the showdown between him and Donnie is one of two exciting fights (the other being the weapons fight with Fan Siu-Wong).

After watching KFJ I rewatched the taiwanese action cheapo CITY OF DARKNESS from 1999 which suffered of course from low production values, bad acting and stolen music but redeemed itself by tons and tons of fights, lots of them better than what KFJ has to offer.

[thehangman]

has the bluray got deleted scenes on it? Like the Bey Logan fight?

[Tigerstyles]

Blu Ray is great quality but sod all in the way of decent extras! some behind the scenes fluff all the promo stuff that is on the net already!

the Hangman! NO DELETED SCENES no prison imaginary fight nor the Bey fight that everyone wants to see! Yes I wanna see Bey get killed. By Donnie I would rewatch the shit out of that

[DiP]

After watching KFJ I rewatched the taiwanese action cheapo CITY OF DARKNESS from 1999 which suffered of course from low production values, bad acting and stolen music but redeemed itself by tons and tons of fights, lots of them better than what KFJ has to offer.

That's a good one

CoD is a perfect example of how boring fight choreography can get when you just take pages of the best from Jackie and Sammo and repeat the choreography scene for scene. It don't see how that offers more (or anything at all for that matter).

[kami]

Yes, there are some boring and redundant fights in that movie but the same goes for KFJ. Most of what you see in this film you already saw better done in other movies.

[DiP]

KFJ had conventional fight scenes --- Yen's scenes are the mere highlights imo, you can spot a night-and-day difference between his choreography and the other choreographers --- for the most part but the repetitiveness of the choreography doesn't go along for every scene like in CoD. Like you pointed out, different fight scenes in correlation to the story. The question of whether they are good or not is another matter.

[kami]

KFJ had conventional fight scenes --- Yen's scenes are the mere highlights imo, you can spot a night-and-day difference between his choreography and the other choreographers --- for the most part but the repetitiveness of the choreography doesn't go along for every scene like in CoD. Like you pointed out, different fight scenes in correlation to the story. The question of whether they are good or not is another matter.

It's true, but at least in the first half of COD there are some quite creative action scenes. The disco fight, the supermarket shootout, the bicycle fight, to name a few.

[AlbertV]

I just watched Kung Fu Jungle this afternoon after it came in the mail....my thoughts?

Review is on the main page.

[AbeRudder]

I enjoyed it, i'd hardly call it a masterpiece of any kind and it had a lot of flaws but it was the type of action film i've been waiting for donnie to do for a while. It basically played out like an old school kung film with a modern twist. The fighting did a good job of giving classical kung fu a more visceral feel. It was one of the few modern day films that actually blended martial arts with the storyline effectively as well.

I agree that the wirework was entirely unnecessary and detracted from the fighting a bit and there were a few parts of the film which were pretty stupid like when the entire film crew flees from one guy with a knife or the bit at the end where donnie and the bad guy were crawling under passing semi trailers. They pushed it into the realm of absurdity too far a few times which wasn't needed at all, they could have kept it lower key.

[Secret Executioner]

Sounds like something I could dig.