Call Them as I See Them: Drunken Master

Quick Intro to Series:

     Due to my busy work schedule I do not get to see as many new releases as I would like. So as a result I’ve decided to simply review movies as I see them and give my impression of them. I wont do any repeats, nor will I avoid new releases, but his way I will have enough content to be able to write blog entries on a consistent basis as I continue to write larger entries in between. So take a look and let me know what you think and offer suggestions on what I should watch next. Enjoy.

  

Drunken Master (1978)

I love martial arts movies, especially the old ones. They just seemed to give off more a sense that the things you were seeing were actually happening, rather than just being stunt double stand ins.

Of all of the martial arts stars my favorite is Jackie Chan, well known for doing all of his own stunts and before he started doing Rush Hour movies was one of the premiere action stars in the world, and in my honest opinion the greatest physical comedian of all time. That puts him along with Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, perhaps even above them since he will often abuse his body for the sake of selling a shot, and in turn has greatly paid the price physically for the sake of his craft. Yes, so have many others, but whom among them would actively go a face serious injury for the sake of getting the most realistic feel of a shot.

His first notable starring role came in 1978’s Drunken Master, in it he plays Wong Fei-Hung, the delinquent son of a martial arts master who is sent to train with hermit to learn a new form of kung-fu and get disciplined and defeat a powerful assassin.

Really, the story isn’t what you watch this type of movie for, it’s the fighting and there is plenty of it. All very well choreographed and shot so you get most out of each stunt and really get into the intensity that they give off. One of the things that strikes me about the fight scenes is the use of sound, to be specific, a lot of the movements are given a sound that is very similar to rushing wind, as a result it feels as if the characters are moving much faster than they actually are. It’s a little thing that goes a really long way in improving the overall quality of the fight scenes that are already top notch.

Overall, Drunken Master is a great martial arts movie that anyone who is a fan of the genre should actively go out and find. It is two hours of premiere Jackie Chan goodness, which even if you aren’t a fan (and how can you not be) can find some appreciation for the amount of physical skill being displayed throughout the film. Even if the core story may be a little lacking.