Armour Of God II: Operation Condor coming 6/15/20 from 88 Films

[Aclea]

I think the first is perhaps a little overloved because, along with Police Story, it was many English-speaking viewers' first exposure to Jackie Chan and the thrill of novelty has been replaced by the glow of nostalgia.

[sonny gaunt]

Originally Posted by Aclea

I think the first is perhaps a little overloved because, along with Police Story, it was many English-speaking viewers' first exposure to Jackie Chan and the thrill of novelty has been replaced by the glow of nostalgia.

Not to be contradictive but, Rumble in the Bronx was the first wide release of any Chan film theatrically in the US(IIRC, aside from BCB, Protector, and the Run films) to earn big box office.

Operation was released first, in the US, making AoG as a sequel-totally mindless.

UK viewers were obviously aware of Chan many years before any of us in the US were.

[Aclea]

Armour and Police Story both played on UK network TV in heavily promoted slots with accompanying Jackie Chan documentary and were comparatively easily available VHS titles there, first being released in 1987. Copies of both from multiple territories as well as bootlegs could be found without too much trouble in LA and other key US cities at least around that time. Pre-1996 New Line releases Hong Kong and Chan films were a growing cult video and once in a blue moon midnight screening phenomenon, and PS and AoG were the usual gateway titles for most people.

[sonny gaunt]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Armour and Police Story both played on UK TV in heavily promoted slots with accompanying Jackie Chan documentary and were comparatively easily available VHS titles there, first being released in 1987. Copies of both from multiple territories as well as bootlegs could be found without too much trouble in LA and other key US cities at least around that time. Pre-1996 New Line releases Hong Kong and Chan films were a growing cult video and once in a blue moon midnight screening phenomenon, and PS and AoG were the usual gateway titles for most people.

Bootleg boutiques in Major US cities, granted. Minor cities were vastly HK film deprived until the early 90's-FOX LORBER's release of The Killer, A Better Tomorrow, and Hard Boiled, piqued interest in the "blood ballet" genre.

This interest opened the flood gates of non-Shaw action films(especially Hark, Lam, and To).

Obviously, this is my opinion and recollection of my personal history(not taking into account, looking for so many films reviewed by Asian Cult Cinema, Euro trash Cinema, and Giant Robo).

Chan was, in the US, an unknown figure-until New Line released the US cut of Rumble. Unfortunately, this American acceptance was, IMHO, among his last almost watchable action films(alas, he was aging).

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by sonny gaunt

Chan was, in the US, an unknown figure-until New Line released the US cut of Rumble.

I'd have to disagree with that: there had been highly publicised attempts to break him into the US market in 1980 with BCB (which disastrously mis-sold him as the next Bruce Lee but still pulled in $8.5m in the US) and Cannonball (where he was lost among bigger stars) and to a lesser extent The Protector, so there was certainly awareness of him long before 1996 even if there was no wide audience. New Line and Miramax never would have risked 1400 print releases had there not been a growing VHS market for his films by then.

[sonny gaunt]

Originally Posted by Aclea

I'd have to disagree with that: there had been highly publicised attempts to break him into the US market with BCB (which disastrously mis-sold him as the next Bruce Lee but still pulled in $8.5m in the US) and Cannonball (where he was lost among bigger stars) and to a lesser extent The Protector, so there was certainly awareness of him long before 1996 even if there was no wide audience. New Line and Miramax never would have risked 1400 print releases had there not been a growing VHS market for his films by then.

As mentioned in my prior post. Chan's American stardom was built upon Rumble and NL's releasing of his Golden age films to the US market.

The US market did not exist for Chan prior to Rumble. Except for a him acting as a second, ala Lee's Kato. He was not a box office draw.

The new found interest was in US investors seeing his global stardom rise.

[Aclea]

Aside from Rumble, those New Line and Miramax films sold fewer tickets in the US than Battlecreek Brawl once you adjust for inflation. Rush Hour was his breakout US theatrical release, but it's absolutely absurd to pretend he was 'unknown' in the US prior to 1996, especially in an era when VHS created bankable action stars whose films barely made a ripple theatrically yet made bank on video and cable. Rush Hour was the film that turned him into someone American audiences would see on the big screen, but as with the New Line releases he already had enough name recognition in the US to build a marketing campaign around and get booked into over a thousand screens. In the 80s and 90s theatrical wasn't everything, and then as now there were plenty of actors the public were simultaneously aware of but didn't pay to see.

Rumble in the Bronx may have been your introduction to Chan, but for many people in the English speaking world, Police Story and - especially because of Chan's highly publicised serious accident - Armour of God were the first exposure many had to Chan's films in their entirety (or near entirety since they may have seen bowlderised or dubbed versions). That they didn't see them on the big screen doesn't change that.

[reason108]

Freaking awesome! This thread should be at a thousand posts already with everyone screaming like a little girl about how excited they are that’s it’s finally going to be getting a high quality release. 88 has to know that we’re getting no sleep till June, with anticipation!!!