Police Story 1 and 2 (Eureka)

[Shingster]

I'm getting the impression that some people in this thread don't understand why animal cruelty is censored in the UK. The Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act is there as a preventative measure: Don't harm animals on camera because we will censor that crap out, and if you happen to display said film uncut, we will fine and/or imprison you. Now, you can't have a law like this and not apply it universally, otherwise its purpose is diluted, so you can't say "oh we'll cut your film today but in a few years we'll just consider it "historic" and pass it uncut" because that would partially defeat the purpose of the act.

The problem with the Animals Act is that it's no longer 1937 and filmmakers in Britain aren't really making films for distribution in the UK alone, so the act itself isn't really the deterrent it was established to be.

Originally Posted by Ste7en

Pretty sure there is a scene at the end, during the outtakes, where he does cut his head on a pane.

It's been a few years since I watched the film (been waiting for a proper BD release to revisit it!), but I think he did cut himself a few times filming that whole shopping mall extravaganza. It's definitely one of the most awesome and completely reckless action sequences he ever directed!

[Geoff D]

So, how about that Police Story huh? I was listening to the end credits songs the other day, here's the one from PS2 that doesn't apparently finish the Japanese cut:

Police Story 2 (Soundtrack) - YouTube

[OgamiittoMcJ]

sorry no offence intended
animal thing we all agree to disagree

[Shingster]

Police Story 2 was my first exposure to Jackie Chan, my parents rented it back in the day (which was pretty ****ing crazy because my parents were not big film watchers and would never have rented a foreign film, but Police Story was a big rental hit here in the UK so PS2 had a bit of rental buzz about it) and I must have been about 9 or 10 because I think it would have hit UK rental possibly in late 1988 but probably 1989, so all I can remember is watching the restaurant fight and just being shocked by that one stunt where JC launches a stuntman balls-first through about 10 panes of glass! You never forget something like that!

Anyway by 1991 I was completely obsessed with JC's films and had seen both police stories about thirty times by then, I used to just sit down and watch films like Armor of God, Project A I+II, Police Story I+11, and Dragons Forever back-to-back, every single day whenever I was sick or it was half term at school, so that closing theme gives me such a hard hit of nostalgia whenever I hear it that it'll be a shame not to hear it on the 1080p presentation of PS2, but c'est la vie! I'll get enough of a nostalgic rush from watching the rest of the film!

[Ste7en]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Then if child p**n and rape were found in a movie would that be OK -- as long as it was made 40 years ago? I mean, we need to see how bad mankind is, don't we?

Well, no. But then I'm not wired to make the jump from a cat fighting a snake to a child being abused.

Having said that, I do think all new parents should be issued with a copy of The Woodsman. Which is a hell of a film, buy you'll think twice about letting your kids out to roam the streets.

[juss100]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Because you're wrong.

Only I'm not. Humans eat meat purely for pleasure since they don't need to do it to survive. Ergo, there's no moral difference between animal cruelty for cinematic entertainment and animal cruelty for culinary entertainment. If anything the latter is arguably much worse since it's done on a much larger, institutional scale.

I wasn't going to push the argument since this is a movie forum and a perfectly good natured thread about Police Story, but you're being oddly and unnecessarily a dick about this.

[Magic Monkey]

Originally Posted by juss100

Only I'm not. Humans eat meat purely for pleasure since they don't need to do it to survive. Ergo, there's no moral difference between animal cruelty for cinematic entertainment and animal cruelty for culinary entertainment. If anything the latter is arguably much worse since it's done on a much larger, institutional scale.

Your argumentation is faulty, your _opinion_ is that all meat production is cruelty to animals, that's not correct.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Shingster

I must have been about 9 or 10 because I think it would have hit UK rental possibly in late 1988 but probably 1989

Police Story 2 was passed by the BBFC on 3/3/90.

Sorry to be pedantic.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

Well, no. But then I'm not wired to make the jump from a cat fighting a snake to a child being abused.

The principle remains the same.

Besides it's been well documented that child abusers are likely to start out with animal cruelty -- nurturing the same desire to hurt and exploit weaker creatures.

Originally Posted by juss100

Humans eat meat purely for pleasure since they don't need to do it to survive. Ergo, there's no moral difference between animal cruelty for cinematic entertainment and animal cruelty for culinary entertainment.

Culinary entertainment? This isn't Masterchef!

If you think eating is the same as entertainment then I don't know what else to say...?

I wasn't going to push the argument since this is a movie forum and a perfectly good natured thread about Police Story, but you're being oddly and unnecessarily a dick about this.

Nice. Resorting to insults is usually the first sign of a lost argument.

[Ste7en]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Besides it's been well documented that child abusers are likely to start out with animal cruelty -- nurturing the same desire to hurt and exploit weaker creatures.

I thought that was serial killers.

Abusers tend to have been victims of abuse.

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Police Story 2 was passed by the BBFC on 3/3/90.

Is that the home video assessment (just wondering when it hit cinemas here in the UK)? Well, I'd have been 11 either way but I definitely caught it when it first arrived on rental because it was still in the top10 rentals of my local store. I can't remember if Channel 4 had that big HK cinema season during the xmas of 1990 or 91, but I definitely caught PS2 before that.

Originally Posted by Ste7en

I thought that was serial killers.

Abusers tend to have been victims of abuse.

It's both, and apparently victims of child abuse are more likely to abuse animals as well, so it's all tied in.

[navydavey]

So anyway I’ve never seen the “full Japanese version” of Police story 2, there was talk of potential future JC movies getting a release as per the Fortune Star 4/2k showreel trailer - Project A 1&2, wheels on meals, Battle Creek brawl - would they be the versions similar to the HKL DVDs or are there other “full versions” of these particular films to look forward to?

Also why wasn’t Dragons forever shown as being remastered? I would think all the “3 dragons” movies deserved the same treatment?

[Hedji]

Newbie question... Is this a good introduction to Jackie Chan films? I've actually never seen a single one.

[Shingster]

Absolutely 100%. Police Story is arguably JC's most western friendly HK film, and the one that has inspired western filmmakers the most.

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by navydavey

So anyway I’ve never seen the “full Japanese version” of Police story 2, there was talk of potential future JC movies getting a release as per the Fortune Star 4/2k showreel trailer - Project A 1&2, wheels on meals, Battle Creek brawl - would they be the versions similar to the HKL DVDs or are there other “full versions” of these particular films to look forward to?

Also why wasn’t Dragons forever shown as being remastered? I would think all the “3 dragons” movies deserved the same treatment?

The short answer is: Yes. Many of Jackie's films had slightly longer or just slightly edited with alternate footage Japanese Cuts because that was quite common at the time if a HK star was a big draw in Japan, but we're talking reltaively minor differences in most of these cases that usually amount to just a couple of minutes of differences (if that).

Just go to movie censorship and search on the titles you're curious about, you can find all you need there. Battle Creek Brawl was a HK/US co-production that was released more as a US film so I don't think there are any longer cuts to worry about.

In Dragons Forever's case we got the slightly longer Export Version here in the UK (and I assume the US?) when it first came out, which features a couple of scenes of Yuen Biao's character going to see his shrink that provide a little insight into his motivations in a couple of scenes in the film when he appears to be acting somewhat irrationally homicidal in the HK cut. It's my preferred cut of the film, but where's talking relatively minor differences again.

[pi2loc]

As someone who never saw these films and already pre-ordered the set from Amazon UK, I thought I was going to be able to wait until the release but being as weak as I am, and given the extreme fanbase these movie have, I decided to rent them yesterday.

Now, I don't know what cuts I have seen but GODDAMN, aren't these films great? Jackie Chan is a treasure. I'm so hooked. I want to see them again and again, specially the first film. I can feel the testosterone running through my veins.

Can someone with more experience in HK films similar to Police Story please recommend me a few others to watch?

[El_Fez]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Newbie question... Is this a good introduction to Jackie Chan films? I've actually never seen a single one.

For what it's worth, that was my gateway drug with Jackie. There was a revival theater in town back in the late 80s and early 90s that would do theme weeks - so all the Connery bonds, 60's Godzilla week, the Streamline releases of Castle of Cagilostro and Vampire Hunter D, A Go Ape festival with all 5 Planet of the Apes movies and so on.

So for one whole month, once a week, they cycled out Jackie Chan flicks. Not having a clue what I was watching, but what the hell - I had a "Buy a 10 Movie Punch Card for 10 Bucks" punch card, I went opening night. It was a double feature of Police Story and Police Story 2 - and my goddamned mind was blown. Next week was Armor of God 1 and 2, and then Project A 1 and 2.

I was never the same.

[revoloution]

Originally Posted by pi2loc

As someone who never saw these films and already pre-ordered the set from Amazon UK, I thought I was going to be able to wait until the release but being as weak as I am, and given the extreme fanbase these movie have, I decided to rent them yesterday.

Now, I don't know what cuts I have seen but GODDAMN, aren't these films great? Jackie Chan is a treasure. I'm so hooked. I want to see them again and again, specially the first film. I can feel the testosterone running through my veins.

Can someone with more experience in HK films similar to Police Story please recommend me a few others to watch?

"Welcome to the party pal"!!!

I would recommend watching Jackie's 80's and early 90's HK films:
Armour Of God
Project A part 1 and part 2
Meals On Wheels
Dragons Forever
Miracles
Armour Of God 2 - Operation Condor
Drunken Master 2
Thunderbolt
Crime Story
City Hunter
Heart Of The Dragon

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND watching the films of Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung also, they are Jackie's close friends and extremely talented Martial Artists/Actors in their own right:
Winners and Sinners
My Lucky Stars
Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars
Pedicab Driver
Above The Law
Millionaires Express
Eastern Condors
On The Run
Skinny Tiger, Fatty Tiger

All these I would highly recommend and are good starting point for the golden age of HK martial Arts films. There are many many more ( Donnie Yen and Jet Li films) but these I would start with.

[juss100]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Culinary entertainment? This isn't Masterchef!

If you think eating is the same as entertainment then I don't know what else to say...?

We appear to be at an impasses since you don't remotely understand or acknowledge how your body works. Your quoting of masterchef suggests, however, that you are in fact aware that eating can be a form of entertainment though. Now you just need to take that thought a little further...

Nice. Resorting to insults is usually the first sign of a lost argument.

Since when? And how was I even insulting you, since I merely pointed out that you were acting like a dick? I'll wait for you to explain to me how it is that you and other meateaters need meat to live when I've happily survived without it for 20 years. Am I and the other million vegetarians in the UK a special case?

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Newbie question... Is this a good introduction to Jackie Chan films? I've actually never seen a single one.

Yes it's a very textbook example of the tone and style for which Jackie is legend. The action sequences are outstanding, many times you go ouch seeing Jackie or the other actors/stunt guys pretty much fling themselves or get whacked in stupidly daring and often outright hazardous ways.

That said, I think Project A represents the zenith of Chan's creativity mixed with more opulent production values (and enriched by the presence of his Peking opera 'brothers' Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao) , hopefully that will come out in a good blu-ray transfer sometime.