Magnificent Butcher [DVD]

Though this movie is considered a classic, I had seen the first few minutes of it about a decade ago, and really wasn't interested. There are a few of the so-called classics that I never really cared for: "Drunken Master" comes to mind. Don't hate it, it just does nothing for me. Knowing that this movie was made by the same director (Yuen Woo Ping) that made "DM", I figured that it didn't deserve a 2nd chance. Knowing also that it starred Sammo Hung, who was famous for kung fu comedies, strengthened my assertion that I was right. After watching and enjoying Sammo's "Prodigal Son" and (to a lesser extent) "Warriors Two", I decided to give "Magnificent Butcher" a serious try. It also helped that I had seen and loved Woo Ping's "The Buddhist Fist", from around the same time period. I applied the "grain o' salt" method and finally watched it. All I can say is "Holy Crap!" Why did I waste so much time not loving this movie?!?Sammo plays Lam Sai Wing, one of the more famous students of Chinese healer, pugilist, and hero, Wong Fei Hung. It's very difficult to get into the story (though it is easy to follow) without giving anything away. So I ain't sayin' nothin' 'bout that. What I will tell you is that the fights and styles represented here are crazy, cool, and a whole lotta fun. Wild Cat was my personal favorite, though it's not too easy on the ears. For every one thing in this film that annoyed me, there were about 50 other things that I absolutely loved. Most interesting is the casting of veteran actor and White Crane master Kwan Tak Hing as Wong Fei Hung. Known for his many portrayals of Master Wong (he holds the record for one actor playing the same role ALL-TIME, in around 70 films), he still shows his chops with a calligraphy brush at just under the age of 75! The entire cast is recognizable to old-schoolers and many of the actors deliver some "best-ever" moments.20th Century Fox gives us a well-remastered picture and an audio option of an English or Cantonese soundtrack with, or without, subtitles. Some silly bonus features are also included, but likely won't excite fans. Goofy as this movie is, it has moments of deadly seriousness. Some things would be better left hinted at and not shown, but I have seen worse and it's a minor complaint. I don't have an official top-ten (my list is in no particular order), but if I did, "Magnificent Butcher" would certainly be included. 4.5 out of 5 and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.1979

Okay, this is not academy award stuff. It is sort of a upper class "B" movie that has reverse society highlights. For example, the hero is not your well built, chiseled bodied, good looking leading man. He is your short, squat, fat--but powerfully built underneath the 5 inches of blubber that cocoons him--leading guy that would be made fun of in the school yard. The son of the main villain, a sneaky entitled sociopath, is actually better looking. The martial arts are more like a dance than actual fighting. The grunts and groans and smacks (popeyed cartoon style) can be too much, but you can turn the sound off and watch the 'dance' of the karate movements. I sort of liked doing that. The main guy, the hero (the Butcher), if he didn't use a stunt double--and I don't think he did--does have some cool moves. I loved his 'mentor'--an old dude who is a total alcoholic but can move fast and hit without thinking, placing the blows where they should be placed since he has been doing them for so long and they are ingrained in him. The women were wimpy--a la Simon Legree style helpless females. The story line is predictable, but I liked this movie. The actors gave their characters some character, if you know what I mean. It is a comedy because the 'fighting' is so hilarious--but these actors have to know what they are doing to have synchronized these scenes so well. People die. That isn't funny, but it is sort of like in the old westerns of the 1950's where people die and everybody, including the audience, just goes on with life. There are typical male jokes in this flick--farts, urinating, that sort of thing--you can tell that men wrote the script and that men would laugh at those places. Their 9 year old boy coming out in them. No untoward sexual scenes however. You root for the hero an boo the villain. I watched it all the way through and felt good afterward. If a movie can do that then it has merit.

There's not much more I can say that hasn't already been said about this movie. It's a great film and it's got Sammo Hung--enough said. The first copy I received (Tai Seng) had severe read problems from 3/4 to the end of the movie and it was unwatchable. Amazon replaced my DVD and I was able to watch the movie in its entirety. I placed it on a shelf for six months and one day I decided I'd watch it for the second time. The same problem cropped up! Either there is a problem with the process they use to make this particular DVD or the CD's they're using are flawed. I've not had any other problems with Tai Seng videos, so I am assuming it's a glitch in the copy process for this particular movie. Beware and check your DVD frequently, play it multiple times if you have to--to ensure yours won't go bad before the 30 day replacement/refund period. I'm resigned to the fact I'll have to order another copy. Don't let the fear of a bad DVD make you pass up this movie though. The picture and colors are wonderful--much better than any other Sammo Hung film I own. Buy it and enjoy. :o)

The title of my review says it all. I personally bought the DVD because I'm a Jackie Chan/ Sammo Hung fan. Their style of fighting is conducive to the big screen. If they aren't kicking someone's ass with brilliant moves, they are falling on their asses in humorous situations. It's entertaining if you can appreciate slap stick humor. For people like that, I rate this movie a 5, but most people are watching these movies for amazing martial arts, and this movie doesn't really consistently give you that. There are two fights that are really very good, and one that is absolutely amazing. You should buy this movie just to see the fight that comes in the middle of it. I won't explain any further, I'll let you enjoy it for yourself. It's a pleasant suprise at the time that it comes.

Awesome king fu action with comedy. 👍🏻

Disc and box in mint condition. Plays perfectly. Shipping perfect.

This one has a pretty good story line and some excellent fight scenes. Definitely not the quality of today's films. I still enjoyed it.

Butcher Wing is the young student of a kung fu master, who repeatedly gets into trouble as he wanders about town, by having a knack of trying to help the wrong people..One day he has a scrap with a tough beggar, who just happens to be a drunken master, and as a stroke of luck, meets his long lost brother, who's wife has been kidnapped, by the rascally son of Master Ko, the owner of a rival kung fu school.But when Wing helps his brother to rescue his wife, the evil son takes his revenge later that evening, with an act which sets the two schools against one another in a battle of revenge. And with their master out of town, Wing must quickly learn some new moves from the beggar in order to protect himself..It's no surprise that this is considered so highly by many kung fu film fans. There's a glut of usual suspects here, all giving a good account of themselves, in a seemingly endless stream of kung fu battles and mayhem, with loads of different styles on show. Lee Hoi~Sang plays the rash, kung fu master Ko, who deploys his cosmic palm(!), aided by people like Chung Fat, Lam Ching Ying etc as his henchmen. Not to mention his son played by Fung Hak~On in another bad guy role.With the goodies comprising of Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao and Wai Pai. Sammo gets most of the screen time, as one would expect being the titular character and once again shows off some great skills.Ultimately, if you know the movie, you're probably already a big fan and own this. . . and if you don't, then rest assured, that if you like early golden harvest comedy kung fu, with fights every other scene, you'll be in your element here.Loads of fights in varying styles, a straight forward plot, plenty of crumby humour and a barrage of well known faces. What more do you want.The Hong Kong Legends dvd includes a decent print, trailer, dubbed and subbed soundtracks, a commentary and a couple of interviews.4.25/5 and depending on your love of comedy fu, this could easily merit another half star.

After a while I got to watch this under-rated kung fu flick. I still recalled what annoyed me most about this flick, it was the burning flaming red palms & that big drunken guy. If you can overlook these minor but major annoying points then you could have or enjoy this great kung fu flick. It still hold's it mark. A classic...

Not so bad

This is a good film with plenty of good fights, comedy and action as you would expect from Sammo Hung.As with this type of film some of the "styles" were a little silly which is why I gave it 4 stars and not the full 5.If you like old style martial arts films then this is one for the collection.

Good film