ON THE RUN: An Unusual Partnership

ON THE RUN (Blu-ray)

1988 / 89 min

88 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Badass😸

I’ll say this much…this bleak and brutal Hong Kong action film doesn’t pull its punches. On the Run is the first film I’ve seen by director Alfred Cheung, and if this is indicative of his work, the guy’s got no qualms over killing off characters other directors might be compelled to spare. In this case, it adds some welcome unpredictability to an otherwise standard crime thriller, as does the unusual pairing of its two main protagonists.

Heung Ming (Yuen Biao) is a cop whose estranged wife (also a cop) is murdered by a mysterious assailant, Chui Pai (Pat Ha). Though his status in the department is pretty lowly, Heung vows to find the killer. When he manages to track Chui down and capture her, he informs his superintendent, Lui (Charlie Chin), so he can make the arrest. Instead, Lui sends his men to kill them both because the entire squad are corrupt, ruthless drug dealers.

Shouldn't have picked at it, Heung.

Here’s the interesting part…since Heung is framed for his wife’s murder, he and Chui end up on the run together with his young daughter, Lin, in tow. Not only do the two learn to trust each other, they make a formative team when turning the tables on their pursuers. In fact, Chui becomes every bit as protective of Lin as her father. This quasi-family dynamic is pretty engaging, and if nothing else, it’s certainly an unusual partnership for a film of this type.

Elsewhere, On the Run maintains a grim tone, punctuated by frequent bursts of action and bloody violence (with a notable emphasis on eye trauma), culminating in a histrionic climax that’s simultaneously satisfying and silly. The basic story itself - a manhunt for someone wrongly accused - is nothing new, but it’s presented with a lot of flair and includes some unexpectedly affecting moments. However, the tacked-on denouement, presented as a title card, feels arbitrary and unnecessary. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Running Away is an interview with director/co-writer Alfred Cheung; Predicting the Future is an interview/analysis with David West.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By podcasters Kenneth Brorsson and Pjil Gillon; 2) By Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto.

ALTERNATE ENDING - Pretty much the same as the original ending, minus one final scene.

HONG KONG TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new and original artwork.

ROSA: Context is Everything

ROSA (Blu-ray)

1986 / 97 min

88 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Brawler😼

This happens a lot over here at Free Kittens…we’re sent a title we’ve never heard of, then watch in jaw-dropping astonishment that it ever got greenlit, that those involved genuinely thought they were putting together a good movie, when in fact they’ve cranked out something so disjointed and irritating that our thumbs remain hovered over the stop button, ready to rage-quit once we can’t take anymore. 

That’s how I felt watching Rosa, a 1986 action-comedy from Hong Kong. But at the same time, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that the problem might be with me, that I’m missing something that got lost in translation. And sometimes the mistake is actually ours, assessing a film from a different genre, era and culture based on our own personal - and decidedly western - experiences. 

On the surface, Rosa is a grating buddy-cop movie that blends action and (very) broad comedy. Ha (Yuen Biao) and Lui Kung (Lowell Lo) are a couple of bumbling cops forced to work together by their idiotic police captain, who holds a personal grudge against both of them. The story has them trying to find a guy who witnessed (and photographed) a shady deal involving a local gangster that also resulted in murder. Thrown into the mix is Lui Kung’s sister, Lui Lui (Kara Wai), who’s sweet on Ha, and Rosa (Luk Sui-Fan), the witness’ feisty ex-girlfriend who Lui ogles throughout the movie.

"Sure, he's a fixer-upper, but the price is right."

Huge chunks of the narrative focuses on the goofy exploits of these four, punctuated by silly dialogue and shrill, cartoonish performances (especially Lo, who makes Kevin Hart look like the navel-gazing singer of a grunge band). In between these segments, the film returns to the actual plot, where Biao’s considerable martial arts skills are put to good use. While the fight sequences are admittedly pretty great, I grew increasingly annoyed at the overall lack of narrative cohesion and a tone that’s all over the place. Additionally, I felt some attempts at comedy, such as the cops pretending to be big-time gangsters, were absolutely cringeworthy (which includes Lui donning blackface).

However, sometimes context is everything, which is where physical media releases like this are invaluable. Rosa is indicative of the type of action-comedy hybrid that was absolutely huge in Hong Kong in the 80s. The broad humor, exaggerated characters and over-emoting performances were an integral part of the formula. Like Jerry Lewis’ entire filmography, Rosa’s appeal may have been lost on me, but that doesn’t mean the film isn’t a superlative example of the genre. 

The supplemental material included with this disc provide a lot of valuable context regarding Rosa and the era in which it was released. From an entertainment standpoint, learning its history didn’t change my overall opinion of the film - I will never subject myself to it again - but as these things go, Rosa probably does its job very well. So it goes without saying that fans of this stuff will love it. They’ll also love the Blu-ray transfer. If nothing else, the film looks tremendous and offers two audio options (Cantonese and English). It’s all nicely packaged as a sturdy, attractively designed boxed set. If Rosa sounds like something right up your alley, dig in.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEW - A 23 minute interview with director Joe Cheung and ass’t director Benz Kong. They discuss both Rosa and how they got into the filmmaking business.

ENGLISH OPENING & CLOSING TITLES

TRAILER

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes two essays that provide pretty valuable historical context

REVERSIBLE COVER

MINI POSTER REPLICA

THE CAT is a Crazy Concoction

THE CAT (Blu-ray)

1992 / 89 min

88 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Doppleganger

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr. Bonnie, one of several writers of the feline persuasion who tow the line around here while Dave gets all the credit (but at least he feeds us on time). Dave also hands out the review assignments, and in my paws he dropped The Cat, a Hong Kong science-fiction film from 1992. 

“Why me?” I asked. “Doesn’t Pepper usually review the sci-fi stuff?”

“I thought you’d get a kick out of it,” Dave said. “It’s about a cat from space. And Look at the cover. The cat looks just like you.”

“I guess that explains why you kept The Picture of Dorian Gray for yourself. The painting looks just like you.” He didn’t think I was funny.

Unlike the movie I reviewed earlier this year with the same title, at least this one features a cat, even if he isn’t the actual star. Named General, he’s just one of three aliens who’ve arrived to save Earth from a blobby, goopy monster that sometimes absorbs people, others times burns them alive, and occasionally assumes their identity (depending on the requirements of the plot at the time). So creature-wise, there are similarities to The Thing, The Blob and a bowl of marinara sauce.

Scene stealer.

The main protagonist is Wisely (Waise Lee), a writer who uncannily determines General and his friends are aliens who must be stopped. He and the police are determined to hunt the cat down, which proves impossible. This leads to my personal favorite scene in the entire movie…a lengthy junkyard brawl where General kicks a dog’s ass (landing it in the hospital). But when his companion, Pai So (Christine Ng), assures Wisely they’re here to stop the monster from getting-hold of an artifact called the Octagon (which is actually some kind of weapon), he teams up with them. 

The special effects are as goofy as the plot, a kooky combination of rubber monsters, puppetry, wild gore, bluescreen and good ol’ stop motion. Speaking of which…I’ll concede that Dave is right about one thing: General really does resemble yours truly, save for numerous bits where he looks like a stuffed animal being thrown across the room.

The whole thing culminates with a climax that must have been sponsored in-part by Fanta, because the soda company’s logo is prominently featured among scenes of death and destruction. The Cat is as crazy and campy as it sounds, but at least it’s never boring, even when that handsome devil of a title character isn’t onscreen. It’s one of those fun what-the-hell-did-I-just-watch flicks.

EXTRA KIBBLES

JAPANESE CUT - With English subtitles, and waaay different than the original (less fun, too).

INTERVIEW - An extensive interview with the film’s screenwriter, Gordon Chan.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Frank Djeng.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes two essay, color photos, cast & crew credits.

IMAGE GALLERY

TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new and original artwork.

5” x 7” POSTER ART REPLICA - Two sided, with new and original artwork.

YES, MADAM! and ROYAL WARRIORS: Two Early Michelle Yeoh Thrillers

YES, MADAM! and ROYAL WARRIORS (Blu-ray)

FROM 88 FILMS

Review by Pepper the Poopy😽

A couple of years ago, both of these films were released as part of 88 Films’ In the Line of Duty boxed set, even though they weren’t initially part of the franchise. Now they’re being reissued individually under their original titles. They are particularly noteworthy for featuring Michelle Yeoh, whose career was just beginning to take off at the time. 

YES, MADAM!

1985 / 93 min

Yes, Madam! gave Yeoh her first starring role, playing Inspector Ng, and also boasts the debut of American martial arts champion Cynthia Rothrock. Together, they’re investigating the murder of their mentor, who had microfilm that could incriminate a powerful Hong Kong businessman. However, it has fallen into the possession of three bumbling petty thieves. Ridiculous but enjoyable, it has a rousing climax that showcases these ladies’ considerable skills. Though not quite as accomplished an actor as she’d someday become, Yeoh’s charisma is already apparent here. Conversely, Rothrock’s physical abilities far outweigh her thespian skills, enough for a lucrative straight-to-video career.

EXTRA KIBBLES

ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with Cynthia Rothrock, Michaelle Yeoh & Mang Hoi.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Frank Djeng

SCENE SPECIFIC COMMENTARIES - By Cynthia Rothrock & Frank Djeng

“BATTLING BABES” - Featurette

ORIGINAL HONG KONG TRAILER

The movie on this flight sucks.

ROYAL WARRIORS

1986 / 96 min

In Royal Warriors, dedicated cop Michelle Yip (Yeoh) is a Japanese Interpol agent. After she and an obnoxious air marshal thwart an airline hijacking, they’re targeted by a group of vicious war veterans who’ve made a pact to avenge the deaths of their friends. This wildly-plotted film features ample gunplay, explosions, fights and a shitload of broken glass. The opening close-quarters clash on-board an airliner is especially impressive and typically over-the-top. Attempts at broad comedy sit uncomfortably alongside scenes of brutal violence, but overall, the movie is a fun ride.

EXTRA KIBBLES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Frank Djeng

2 TRAILERS

NEW & CLASSIC ENGLISH DUBS

MISSING AEROPLANE INSERTS

NEW ENGLISH SUBTITLES

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new & original artwork

Neither film is indispensable, but certainly of interest for those with a keen interest in Michelle Yeoh’s early career - long before she became a household name. And since none of the movies in the franchise are related anyway, these individual releases are a decent alternative to the pricier In the Line of Duty boxed set.