Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 19, 2013 Moderator Share Posted May 19, 2013 Rather like 'Thunderbolt' & 'Miracles', this movie has been sat in my unwatched pile of Jackie Chan DVD's for several years, but after recently viewing the previously mentioned efforts, and finding them to be surprisingly enjoyable, I decided to finally give 'Twin Dragons' a go as well. It's a strange hybrid of a movie, actually made as a benefit for the HK Directors Guild, it was handed to Tsui Hark & Ring Lam to direct, with a whole bunch of action directors on board, from Yuen Woo Ping to Tony Leung Siu Hung. Due to this connection, there's also a whole bunch of directors playing cameo parts in the movie - from schlock meister Wong Jing & Shaw Brothers legend Lau Kar Leung appearing in the same scene, to John Woo as a priest, to Eric Tsang simply billed as 'man on the phone', all be it one talking about beastiality. Even Hark & Lam are in there as card playing car mechanics. However as a Chan vehicle, it's definitely quite unique. In '92 Chan had his comedic persona as the underdog with a heart of gold firmly in place, so it's a little strange to see him taking Nina Li to bed, then lighting up a smoke straight after they've done the deed and playing it cold & collected! Likewise goes for the scene were he tries to mow down the bad guys in a hail of bullets. The combination of Hark's quirkiness, Lam's gritty violence, and Chan's comedy sometimes seem to gel together, and other times do anything but. Perhaps the best example of the latter is in the final action scene, were Chan gets to take on a bunch of bad guys in a car testing center. We have Chan performing some great feats of physicality and choreography, combined with some truly grating twins based comedy revolving around midget Teddy Robin Kwan, topped off with a car crash which cheerfully announces the main villain of the piece to be dead. For a Chan movie, it sometimes feels a little awkward to watch. While there are no particular stand out one-on-one fight sequences, despite the presence of Shaw Brothers bad guy Wang Lung Wei, the fight scenes which are there tend to be a little bit more hard hitting than Chan's usual comedic style. There's also some good vehicle stunt work thrown in, with an exciting boat chase, and also another chase sequence involving a prison bus literally getting smashed to pieces as it tries to escape the cops. 'Twin Dragons' is a Chan movie I probably won't watch again, the tone for me was too wildly uneven, which is par of the course for most Hong Kong movies from that era, but it just seemed to stand out more in this one, perhaps because we know who's involved. What are other peoples thought on this one? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 19, 2013 Member Share Posted May 19, 2013 Excellent perspective, OAB. Personally, I fast-forward this one for the stunts/fights which I think are some of his best. I do wish there had been a really good 1-on-1 fight. The story's okay but the twins mix-up = the-prince-and-the-pauper comedy wears pretty thin with me. I love Nina Li (hate she whacked all her hair off) and I actually find Maggie Cheung to be tolerable in this. I was completely unaware of all the director cameos in this. Cool. Now I may have to revisit it. Been a long time since I've seen it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted May 19, 2013 Member Share Posted May 19, 2013 There are many more directors scattered throughout the film. Not sure if this is all of them but these are the ones I remember. Kirk Wong (The Club, Crime Story, The Big Hit) plays Crazy Kung who is responsible for the twins seperation and who dies in the test crash in the finale Alfred Cheung (Paper Marriage, On The Run) plays Boss Wing who ends up hospitalized. Lau Kar Leung is the hospital doctor and Wong Jing is the 'healer'. Shaw Brothers and 'Diary of a Big Man' director Chor Yuen plays Nina Li Chi's father. He's best known as the bad guy from Police Story. Ching Siu Tung and Joe Cheung (Flaming Brothers, Pom Pom and Hot Hot) can be spotted in the orchestra. Philip Chan (Where's Office Tuba) is the hotel manager. He's more famous for being the police chief in 'Hard Boiled' and the bad guy in 'Double Impact'. Ng See Yuen (Secret Rivals and head honcho of Seasonal) is the third guy playing cards with Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam in the car factory. Tsui Siu Ming (Mirage, Bury Me Hign) is the other priest along with John Woo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted May 19, 2013 Member Share Posted May 19, 2013 it's been so long since I watched this movie I don't remember any of it. The only thing I do recall is not being especially fond of it. I might dig up my old video copy one-day but not any time soon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted May 19, 2013 Member Share Posted May 19, 2013 it's been so long since I watched this movie I don't remember any of it. The only thing I do recall is not being especially fond of it. I might dig up my old video copy one-day but not any time soon. The original VHS English dub is a classic. "I'm not Maestro Ma... I'm Boomer!" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted May 20, 2013 Member Share Posted May 20, 2013 The original VHS English dub is a classic. "I'm not Maestro Ma... I'm Boomer!" Nah, I recorded ad free off TV 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 20, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2013 Personally, I fast-forward this one for the stunts/fights which I think are some of his best. Really!? I'm curious to know which scenes you're referring to, as for me personally there was nothing particularly stand out, perhaps with the exception of the jump through the car window stunt during the finale. I love Nina Li (hate she whacked all her hair off) and I actually find Maggie Cheung to be tolerable in this. Yeah I'll second being a Nina Li fan, it was torture watching her constantly getting whacked around by Chow Yun Fat in 'Tiger on the Beat'! & (ShaOW!lin)dude, Maggie Cheung is always tolerable, haven't you ever seen 'Green Snake'!? I was completely unaware of all the director cameos in this. Cool. Now I may have to revisit it. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a lot of the director cameos, which in my opinion made it quite cool, got the chop for the western release. Definitely the Lau Kar Leung & Wong Jing scene is completely chopped out. Shaw Brothers and 'Diary of a Big Man' director Chor Yuen plays Nina Li Chi's father. He's best known as the bad guy from Police Story. Yeah I recognized Chor Yuen, I'm sure he was glad to be playing a part which didn't finish with him getting multiple stomach punches from Chan! Chan himself doesn't seem fond of a lot of his movies from the first half of the 90's....I know he didn't want 'Thunderbolt' to be released, as well as famously not getting along with Wong Jing while making 'City Hunter', and I also read that after the scenes featuring both of the twins in this movie got ridiculed for looking amateurish by the critics, he stated he'd never work in a Hong Kong movie again which featured special effects. I guess he changed his mind with 'The Myth'. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 20, 2013 Member Share Posted May 20, 2013 I actually think they pulled off the twin gag better than the previous years Double Impact. With that said, I second almost everything you wrote OAB. Not a JC flick I put on often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 20, 2013 Member Share Posted May 20, 2013 Aside from its' uneven plot, this is actually one of Chan's most entertaining movies imo. I think the movie could've done even better without any of the action. I'm surprised that no one here has mentioned Twins starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. If you watch that and Twin Dragons back-to-back, you'll notice that the stories (twins separated from parents and seeking their biological parents as grown-ups) are strikingly similar to each other more than Double Impact. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted May 20, 2013 Member Share Posted May 20, 2013 I seem to remember reading somewhere that a lot of the director cameos, which in my opinion made it quite cool, got the chop for the western release. Definitely the Lau Kar Leung & Wong Jing scene is completely chopped out. Surprisingly the original UK VHS release was uncut and the Wong Jing / Lau Kar Leung scene was left intact 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 21, 2013 Member Share Posted May 21, 2013 Really!? I'm curious to know which scenes you're referring to, as for me personally there was nothing particularly stand out, perhaps with the exception of the jump through the car window stunt during the finale. Hmm, off the top of my head: there's the bit you referred to, JC rolling beneath a car as the jacks it's propped on are let down, the impact wall stunt, some neat little hand play with a thug who's trying to grab a shop tool for a weapon, he takes a really nasty spill face first in the tire area....I'm thinking there're a couple of more but I can't remember. (I need to watch this again.) The whole physicality of the end fight in this I find to be better that the construction area fight in Mr. Nice Guy and I love that, too. Yeah I'll second being a Nina Li fan, it was torture watching her constantly getting whacked around by Chow Yun Fat in 'Tiger on the Beat'! & (ShaOW!lin)dude, Maggie Cheung is always tolerable, haven't you ever seen 'Green Snake'!? See, now I want to see "Tiger On Beat" but don't know I've even heard of "Green Snake". (Sounds like another sappy wuxia flick.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 21, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted May 21, 2013 I'm surprised that no one here has mentioned Twins starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. If you watch that and Twin Dragons back-to-back, you'll notice that the stories (twins separated from parents and seeking their biological parents as grown-ups) are strikingly similar to each other more than Double Impact. Hmmm, I don't think the whole "twins...seeking their biological parents as grown-ups" element plays a factor in the movie at all. At least going by the English subtitles, the closest they get to breaching the subject is when one of them says, "We look so similar, we must be brothers!" That's it, it doesn't get touched on again until the final wedding scene. Hmm, off the top of my head: there's the bit you referred to, JC rolling beneath a car as the jacks it's propped on are let down, the impact wall stunt, some neat little hand play with a thug who's trying to grab a shop tool for a weapon, he takes a really nasty spill face first in the tire area....I'm thinking there're a couple of more but I can't remember. (I need to watch this again.) The whole physicality of the end fight in this I find to be better that the construction area fight in Mr. Nice Guy and I love that, too. Fair enough, that stuff is all in there, but it's all very split second moments...for me it was nothing to write home about. See, now I want to see "Tiger On Beat" but don't know I've even heard of "Green Snake". (Sounds like another sappy wuxia flick.) As in see it for the first time, or watch it again!? As for 'Green Snake', based on your preferences it would definitely fall into the category of "another sappy wuxia flick"...but sappy in a way that it has Maggie Cheung & Joey Wong frolicking naked together in a bath. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 21, 2013 Member Share Posted May 21, 2013 As in see it for the first time, or watch it again!? See it for the 1st time. That and the 2nd one as well. As for 'Green Snake', based on your preferences it would definitely fall into the category of "another sappy wuxia flick"...but sappy in a way that it has Maggie Cheung & Joey Wong frolicking naked together in a bath. Ah. Oh, I get it now. Hmmm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted May 21, 2013 Member Share Posted May 21, 2013 Rare behind the scenes footage of Once Upon A Time In China and Twin Dragons. The Twin Dragons footage starts at 7mins 6secs 0Xb_4e6HFHk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jay Stone Posted May 25, 2013 Member Share Posted May 25, 2013 Rare behind the scenes footage of Once Upon A Time In China and Twin Dragons. The Twin Dragons footage starts at 7mins 6secs 0Xb_4e6HFHk Love this kind of BTS stuff. Never knew Jet broke his shin during that scene. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member reason108 Posted May 26, 2013 Member Share Posted May 26, 2013 An ok movie. Haven`t watched it in years. I remember the opening and then a few bits and pieces of Jackie in the car factory. Wonder if SF will be putting this out since it was released by Dimension (though edited and dubbed)? Anyways, did someone mention Nina Li? Nina Li Chi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Shaolivevil Posted May 26, 2013 Member Share Posted May 26, 2013 Anyways, did someone mention Nina Li? Nina Li Chi Nina Li Chi is smokin' hot. Jet Li is one lucky bastard to go home to her every night! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Bods Posted December 25, 2013 Member Share Posted December 25, 2013 Hope it's OK to resurrect this thread - I just wanted to ask if anyone has an English subtitle script timed for the French DVD (2002 release) of Twin Dragons...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member spannick Posted December 25, 2013 Member Share Posted December 25, 2013 i don't know if they are the ones i did but you can try http://filebeam.com/1b342669925683b69c73b19a4c436c22 it's quite a few years after all and i never customized any other version of the movie... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted December 25, 2013 Member Share Posted December 25, 2013 Nina Li Chi is smokin' hot. Jet Li is one lucky bastard to go home to her every night! don't get me wrong she's absolutely stunning but until you see how she looks at Jet when he comes home, I feel it's hard to say he's a lucky bastard, if you know what I mean . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Bods Posted December 26, 2013 Member Share Posted December 26, 2013 i don't know if they are the ones i did but you can try http://filebeam.com/1b342669925683b69c73b19a4c436c22 it's quite a few years after all and i never customized any other version of the movie... Great, will give them a try! Thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Cognoscente Posted June 4, 2021 Member Share Posted June 4, 2021 On 5/20/2013 at 6:06 PM, DiP said: I'm surprised that no one here has mentioned Twins starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. If you watch that and Twin Dragons back-to-back, you'll notice that the stories (twins separated from parents and seeking their biological parents as grown-ups) are strikingly similar to each other more than Double Impact. Teddy Robin Kwan is definitely the Danny DeVito of the movie. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Cognoscente Posted July 26, 2021 Member Share Posted July 26, 2021 There's an amazing dearth of info on this movie considering that this was the only time that Jackie was directed by two of HK's most famous directors, Tsui Hark in particular. There is a 1991 issue (#387) of Milky Way which contains some on-set photos. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted August 2, 2022 Member Share Posted August 2, 2022 My website for some reason had no reviews from 1992, despite having almost 400 of them. So, I'll be rectifying that this month and focusing only on movies made that year. Here's my first review of this new marathon: https://abeautifulfilm.blogspot.com/2022/08/twin-dragons-1992.html 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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