This 2-disc limited edition Blu-ray is now available from Arrow Video.
If you enjoy martial arts movies, then you’ll no doubt be familiar with the likes of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. Both studied together at the China Drama Academy and became massive action film stars in Hong Kong and eventually abroad. The rotund but extremely agile Hung was every bit as famous and adored a performer as Chan and had several hit films in his homeland. Arrow Video have decided to release one of those big titles on Blu-ray this week.
Hung served as writer/director and star of Millionaires’ Express aka The Millionaires’ Express aka Shanghai Express. This period picture combined kung-fu and comedy with western elements, resulting in a bizarre but amusing venture. It is filled with impressive fights and a storyline featuring so many characters that it’s tough to keep track of everyone. In a strange way, the movie feels more inspired by the likes of The Cannonball Run than a typical Hong Kong martial arts/action picture.
The story is set in the early 20th century and begins with petty thief Ching Fong-tin (Sammo Hung) in the Russian wilderness being pursued by government agent Fook Loi (Kenny Bee). An amusing chase sequence follows in the snow-covered mountains before Ching returns to China. Once there, he meets local prostitute Siu-hon (Olivia Cheng), with whom he shares an unrequited love.Ching then heads out to his old hometown with a financial scheme to help locals and make up for a past wrong. A luxury train is traveling through the area and Ching plans on derailing the locomotive, forcing the wealthy passengers to stay in town and spend their cash.
Little does Ching know that one person onboard is carrying a valuable map to the Terracotta Army site. Of course, a massive gang of hoods (as well as a trio of Japanese travelers) also want the parchment. While all of this is being relayed, viewers are also introduced to various small-town locals, including noble Fire Chief Tsao Cheuk-kin (Yuen Biao) and several corrupt officers. The train does ultimately stop in town and everyone ends up in a nearby hotel. Chaos reigns as all the characters team up to fight and get their hands on the map.
If the synopsis sounds confusing, that’s because it is an overstuffed narrative. There are many more characters and it all feels like an excuse to pack every actor in the country (and a few from aboard) into the film. Thankfully, several of the featured jokes are entertaining. There are some great moments in the chilling cold between Ching and Fook Loi early on, and a few of the cameos work well. One, involving a very young Wong Fei-hung, results in a big laugh. Some of the humor doesn’t translate or is out-of-date, but there are still plenty of fun moments. When Ching and Fook Loi are ultimately forced to work together, there are creative bits, like the odd way in which the pair cool down an overheating gatling gun to use on villains.
And of course, the action is exemplary throughout. Yuen Biao performs an incredible stunt that involves falling numerous stories off of a building and picking himself up off of the ground. Hung (and briefly, Bee) are forced to perform nearly naked on a snow-covered mountain top in subzero temperatures. The final act features a twenty-minute showdown between all of the characters, including an impressive showdown between Ching and a bandit (Cynthia Rothrock). It’s all fantastically choreographed and incredible to witness.
There are four(!) cuts of the film featured over two discs. This includes a 97-minute Hong Kong Theatrical Cut, in addition to a 102-minute the Extended International Version made for audiences in nearby countries, as well as a 93-minute English-Dubbed Version. Remarkably, there are noticeable differences present. The big romantic subplot between Ching and his prostitute girlfriend from the Hong Kong Theatrical Cut is shaved considerably in the Extended International Version. This scene introduces love interest Siu-hon and is essential to the story. Those watching the International Version would no doubt be completely confused as to who she and her friends are when they appear later in the movie. But while that omission works against the Extended International Cut, there are some extra jokes inserted that are very effective.
The extras reveal that some foreign territories would not allow there to be explicit references to prostitutes in the film, so that is why the introduction and references to prostitution were completely left out of the International Version. With extra time needed to make up for several missing bits, additional sight-gags and other small supporting character moments were added in. It’s interesting to watch and see all the little trims and additions in the different cuts.
The fourth and final cut is the recently assembled 109-minute Hybrid Edition. While this reviewer doesn’t always appreciate recuts created many years after a film is released, in this case the Hybrid Edition is the best. It seamlessly incorporates material from the Hong Kong and International cuts, resulting in a film that is considerably easier to follow and funnier. While one could argue that the pacing slows as a result, the earlier editions and their confusing rapid-fire narratives and jumping between characters was never the title’s strongest asset. It may take longer for the central action to arrive in the Hybrid Cut, but everything flows a little better and more of the characters stand out.
The Blu-ray extras are also fun to watch. There are two enjoyable commentary tracks from film historians. The more informative is the one on the Hong Kong cut by Frank Djeng, which presents material on Hung and background details about the production, as well as tidbits on what went on behind the scenes. One of the curious details that comes out is the casting of musician Kenny Bee as the government agent. It appears that the part was originally written for Jackie Chan, but he and Sammo Hung weren’t on the best terms during this period. As a result, Bee got the part. While he doesn’t perform any big stunts in the film, the singer acquits himself well and makes an impression.
The commentary second track on the Extended International Cut is filled with information about cast members. There’s some repeated information, but the critics here give their unique impressions of the movie and note some of the confusing elements that baffled them when they first saw the movie (the International Cut was the version available to them at the time).
Additionally, Cynthia Rothrock offers her memories on a third track that plays over her scenes, which largely involve martial arts. In addition to the commentary, Rothrock also appears in several interviews, including a recently recorded piece. She talks about being hired and working in Hong Kong and China and elaborates on the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach to filmmaking being used in Hong Kong at the time. Rothrock is an entertaining storyteller and shares incredible memories about the dangers she faced on set, but comes across as happy about her experiences abroad and her work on this title, as well as other Hong Kong films.
Additionally, there are two separate archival discussions with Hung, who goes over his approach to shooting the movie and what he was trying to accomplish in his western/martial arts hybrid. He discusses the challenges in working with an international cast where many different languages were spoken. Also included is an archived talk with co-star Yuen Biao, who also attended school with Hung and Jackie Chan. If that wasn’t enough, a discussion with Japanese martial artist/actress Yukari Oshima is also included, where she talks about her scenes.
Finally, the set includes alternate opening and closing credits, a trailer gallery and more. If you appreciate Hong Kong action features with a humorous bent, Millionaires’ Express certainly fits the bill. Arrow Video have once again gone above and beyond in delivering great image quality, extras and so many versions of the film that it may take a while for viewers to determine which is their favorite. This reviewer heartily recommends this Blu-ray release.