Pedicab Driver (1989) - Sammo's Best Movie?

[Guest TheGrimReaper]

My top 3 Sammo Hung flicks:

Odd Couple

Eastern Condors

Magnificent Butcher

[Guest Dragon Ma]

Pedicab Driver is amazingly brutal, John Shum turned in such a sleazy performance that I was really ready for Sammo to kick his ass at the end even if Sammo had to go through hell to do it, he deserved everything he got.

I think Sammo's best film is 'The Victim' it's the best work he's ever done.

[Guest mantis FIST]

Sammo's made many better movies than Pedicab.

Yes you are correct sir.

A gway you got scotland beating italy and making euro 2008?

If you care? HA HA!!

[Guest mantis FIST]

top 3

Warriors two

odd couple and Shaolin

iron fisted monk

For me it is really tough to just name 3 as sammo has so many bad ass films!

[Guest sammofan]

For anyone who still has not seen Pedicab Driver and doesn't want to get the Panmedia bootleg DVD, I found some Rapidshare links on another forum where you can download the movie for free.

Code:

rapidshare

http://link-protector.com/338050/

http://link-protector.com/338053/

http://link-protector.com/338056/

http://link-protector.com/338059/

http://link-protector.com/338060/

http://link-protector.com/338062/

http://link-protector.com/338063/

You need to download all parts then use WinRAR to extract the video file.

[Guest thehangman]

I didnt think it was one of his best,i prefer Eastern Condors

[Guest will91XingYu]

I just finished watching this one, i have to say it was a bit broing in parts but the fights are among the best of the 80's kickboxing stuff, the fight with Lau Kar Leung was so cool! The end fight was one of my faviroute end fights as well! I don't think it's Sammo's best, my personal is Knockabout because that is so much fun and Yuen Biao is amazing as well.

[ToryK]

I just got ahold of the Tai Seng VHS for 20 bucks (!) and I have to say...I don't get it. What was all that hype for? Was it because it's hard as hell to find? Or am I just loopy? It's a boring, uneven movie with an excellent fight scene about 30 minutes in and an extremely well-done one at the end. But I'd much rather watch Warriors Two, Knockabout, The Victim, Odd Couple, Prodigal Son, or Eastern Condors than this. Hell, I'd rather watch the Lucky Stars series.

I'd been waiting since high school to see this (I'm 23 now), and I gotta say it was a major disappointment.

[mantis FIST]

^^

Agreed. This movie was crap! Stupidly over-hyped.

[andy338]

I watched it a few years ago but the print was bad and I didn't enjoy it and so i'm waiting to see a decent copy before I give my opinion, however from what I did see I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

[David Rees]

Everyone has an opinion, you did not like it, fair enough. What would you call a great modern day action film?...I loved Pedicab Driver and its a disgrace that its sitting in a vault at Warners and not getting a decent release.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Pedicab Driver is one of my favorite Sammo films. The story's quite interesting. The acting's good. The fighting is stupendous! There are only, like, 3 fights though. To me, that's its major flaw. I really wish it had about 2 more. And Nina Li Chi? Homina, homina.

[DiP]

Pedicab Driver is more of a comedy drama with action infused rather than an action-packed film. Those that expects wall-to-wall action scenes might end up disappointed, although some here clearly shows great appreciation for the film as a whole too. Everything else is the usual traits you can find in other of Sammo's films. As a director, this was Sammo's last masterpiece before he was dropped by Golden Harvest and started making forgettable potboilers.

[massa_yoda]

I think Pedicab Driver is a little overhyped. Everyone talked like it was the holy grail. There are three great action scenes, and that is fine with me, but only one, the final fight, had to do with the plot. I was hoping LKL would return at the end, but he didn't. It was just a random encounter. Also, talk about uneven. It's either really goofy (light saber fight?), or really dark and serious. Just weird.

But hey, the fights are awesome. And that matters most.

[One Armed Boxer]

As a director, this was Sammo's last masterpiece before he was dropped by Golden Harvest and started making forgettable potboilers.

Interesting statement, and one that taking a look at his filmography I'd have to agree with, in the 5 years after 'Pedicab Driver' the only movies he directed where 'Pantyhose Hero', 'Slickers Vs Killers', 'The Moon Warriors', 'Ghost Punting', 'Blade of Fury', & 'Don't Give a Damn'.

I've only seen 'Moon Warriors' out of all of them, and that's the only one he isn't even in! Although that's due to the lack of availability of the other titles, obviously they don't represent the best of Sammo's body of work, I'm still curious to know if anyone recommends any particular title to track down?

Pedicab Driver is one of my favorite Sammo films. The story's quite interesting. The acting's good. The fighting is stupendous!

I'm a fan as well, the fighting is great as in most Sammo movies, and I enjoyed the period setting as well. The shifts in tone are a little jarring, but that tends to come as part & parcel of many of his movies ('Iron Fisted Monk' in particular comes to mind), but I enjoyed the dramatic element to it and found it made the final fight all the more intense.

[massa_yoda]

Interesting statement, and one that taking a look at his filmography I'd have to agree with, in the 5 years after 'Pedicab Driver' the only movies he directed where 'Pantyhose Hero', 'Slickers Vs Killers', 'The Moon Warriors', 'Ghost Punting', 'Blade of Fury', & 'Don't Give a Damn'.

Pantyhose Hero has some great fight scenes. Worth tacking down. VERY silly at times.

Slickers vs Killers: odd humor, kinda forgettable to me. I do remember the end fight with Collin Chou being pretty good.

Ghost Punting: I actually haven't seen the whole thing, but I watched the final fight on youtube and it was awesome.

Blade of Fury: Wires and under-crank galore, but it mostly works for its time. Interesting story with some political intrigue. The finale is nuts. A couple WTF? moments.

Don't Give a Damn: Like the others, it's really all about the end fight. But it is an awesome end fight. one-on-one-on-one.

I'd say of all these, Pantyhose and Blades of Fury are the best. PH for the most and best action, and BoF for the more character-driven story.

[Asmo]

A fair few directors worked on Moon Warriors, and I think Sammo just directed parts of it.

Ditto Ghost Punting, Sammo, Eric Tsang, Corey Yuen and Ricky Lau all directed parts of it. Pantyhose Hero was co-directed by Sammo and Wong Jing too, if I recall.

All of those films bar 'Moon Warriors' and 'Blade of Fury' don't have legitimate releases on DVD. For me, they're all worth watching even if they don't reach the heights of his earlier work. It's a shame they aren't so widely known, as his action seemed to be moving in new directions.

[DiP]

Pantyhose Hero has some great fight scenes. Worth tacking down. VERY silly at times.

Slickers vs Killers: odd humor, kinda forgettable to me. I do remember the end fight with Collin Chou being pretty good.

Ghost Punting: I actually haven't seen the whole thing, but I watched the final fight on youtube and it was awesome.

Blade of Fury: Wires and under-crank galore, but it mostly works for its time. Interesting story with some political intrigue. The finale is nuts. A couple WTF? moments.

Don't Give a Damn: Like the others, it's really all about the end fight. But it is an awesome end fight. one-on-one-on-one.

I'd say of all these, Pantyhose and Blades of Fury are the best. PH for the most and best action, and BoF for the more character-driven story.

Moon Warriors and Blade of Fury were pretty decent as films but they don't hold a candle to Sammo's body of work in the late 70s and whole 80s - when his stories and characters were more personal, classical and had (and still have) lots of replay values. When I say forgettable potboilers I mean films with no soul. There may be great action in them but that's it.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Pantyhose Hero --- Sammo and Alan Tam go undercover to catch a serial killer murdering homosexuals. (Okay that didn't sound right but you get it.) There's some really good fights here, especially the end fight. Here's a link. Get it!

http://www.amazon.com/Pantyhose-Hero/dp/B000UXW2H6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338991810&sr=1-1

Slickers vs Killers --- Sammo's a business man in therapy whose wife is a cop and partnered to Collin Chou. I really enjoyed this film. I find it funny, the action is good, and the end fight is cool.

Blade of Fury --- Period Piece. It has it's moments. There's a good bit of "old school" MA here and the end fight is wild. Some good weapon choreography in this.

http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Fury-Sammo-Hung-Kam-Bo/dp/B00710W1O0/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338992069&sr=1-3

Don't Give A Damn --- Yuen Biao and a mullet-sporting Sammo are cops. This is a good flick. There's some good fights including a Sammo/Biao mix-up.

Asmo is correct that none of the others have a decent dvd release. DGAD has a dvd release under the title Burger Cop. DO NOT GET IT! IT HAS DUAL PLAYING AUDIO TRACKS! IT'S JACKED UP!

Hope this helps.

[MLee]

Pedicab Driver is my fav Sammo movie. I certainly don't think it's overhyped at all. Well told story, good acting and a great main soundtrack. Yes there are only 3 fights but they were all very well choreographed. I think Police Story 2 also only had 3 main fights with Jackie which was fine because they were all great. It's about quality, not quantity.

Many hong kong movies not just Sammo's are uneven, mixing comedy with serious moments.

Most people here clearly state the action delivered so how is it disappointing? Because there wasn't more fights or because you found the dialogue scenes boring? It's meant to be a comedy drama, not a action movie. Heart of the Dragon is very much like a drama mixed with action and that was also a great movie with or without the extra fights from the japanese version.

I hope there will be a legit dvd release of Pedicab Driver but that seems highly unlikely.

[inframan]

Don't Give A Damn --- Yuen Biao and a mullet-sporting Sammo are cops. This is a good flick. There's some good fights including a Sammo/Biao mix-up.

Asmo is correct that none of the others have a decent dvd release. DGAD has a dvd release under the title Burger Cop. DO NOT GET IT! IT HAS DUAL PLAYING AUDIO TRACKS! IT'S JACKED UP!

Hope this helps.

Surefire sign that its sourced from a VCD, so probably looks bad too. Its worth watching for the Sammo and Biao reunion.

As for the best, hard to beat Eastern Condors but as stated earlier Sammo has a list of classics that are up there.

[massa_yoda]

Most people here clearly state the action delivered so how is it disappointing?

I didn't think the story was well told. I am familiar with uneven HK action films, but this one takes the cake. And as I said before, only the final fight actually had anything to do with the story. I wanted LKL to actually be in the movie after his fight, but he wasn't and I was bummed by that.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good one, but not Sammo's best IMO.

[One Armed Boxer]

All of those films bar 'Moon Warriors' and 'Blade of Fury' don't have legitimate releases on DVD. For me, they're all worth watching even if they don't reach the heights of his earlier work. It's a shame they aren't so widely known, as his action seemed to be moving in new directions.

True, if these movies had a legitimate release I'd be all over them in a second. This thread has actually made me realize how little I've seen from Sammo's early - mid 90s era. In terms of him having a major role all I've seen is 'Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon', 'Shanghai, Shanghai', 'Touch & Go', & 'Gambling Ghost' and I enjoyed all of them, so should definitely check out those other titles.

Moon Warriors and Blade of Fury were pretty decent as films but they don't hold a candle to Sammo's body of work in the late 70s and whole 80s - when his stories and characters were more personal, classical and had (and still have) lots of replay values. When I say forgettable potboilers I mean films with no soul. There may be great action in them but that's it.

Interesting point, wasn't Sammo going through a divorce during this period of time while already in a relationship with Joyce Godenzi? I heard the Hong Kong press where pretty harsh on him, which I think resulted in him making more cynical movie choices. I remember reading somewhere (probably here!) that the original HK poster for 'Don't Give A Damn' was a photo of the cast with their backs to the camera, which was considered pretty offensive in HK culture.

Pantyhose Hero --- Sammo and Alan Tam go undercover to catch a serial killer murdering homosexuals. (Okay that didn't sound right but you get it.) There's some really good fights here, especially the end fight. Here's a link. Get it!

http://www.amazon.com/Pantyhose-Hero/dp/B000UXW2H6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338991810&sr=1-1

Blade of Fury --- Period Piece. It has it's moments. There's a good bit of "old school" MA here and the end fight is wild. Some good weapon choreography in this.

http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Fury-Sammo-Hung-Kam-Bo/dp/B00710W1O0/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338992069&sr=1-3

Cheers for the links ShaOW!linDude, just in case you're interested in picking them up yourself though, these are bootlegs and not official releases, much like the only DVD version of 'Pedicab Driver' that's out there.

[Asmo]

There actually is a legit release of Blade of Fury - the French release that that bootleg was (most probably) taken from. No English subs though.

I believe there was an old Thakral release of it too.

Surefire sign that its sourced from a VCD, so probably looks bad too. Its worth watching for the Sammo and Biao reunion.

As for the best, hard to beat Eastern Condors but as stated earlier Sammo has a list of classics that are up there.

Yeah it is. I have the VCD of it. I think there's a dub floating around too. Wouldn't surprise me if that got bootlegged as well.

[David Rees]

You can download the excellent French release of Blade Of Fury with added English subs from a certain site (i am not sure if i can mention it here).