Plot: What’s it about?
Hsu Yiu Fong (Jackie Chan) is a talented, very gifted young warrior, but he now finds himself in a world of danger. He is accused of not only killing a band of Shaolin masters, but also stealing the sacred book of records, a most powerful item indeed. This book contains a lot of important information, such as intense and flawless martial arts fighting styles, but one piece of data is the crucial element of the book. This priceless and powerful book contains the information needed to master the art of snake and crane, also called the perfect fighting style. If someone can learn and master this intense style, they could wield infinite power over their opponents, leading toward all sorts of chances to gain high positions. Hsu claims he is an innocent man however, though that doesn’t mean the authorities believe him and they don’t, so at all times, he finds himself a hunted man and has to remain alert to survive. Of the clans on his trail, Chien Tse’s Black Dragon clan is the most lethal and pose the most serious threat. Will the Black Dragon be able to use the secret technique to overtake the lands, or will Hsu come out on top?
Although he always plays characters who kick a lot of ass, but Jackie Chan (Drunken Master, Police Story) often takes on roles of nice, likable characters. But in this film, Jackie is able to not only show off his martial arts skills, but also his bad streak, as he is given the role of one bad ass, tough son of a gun. Of course, this is one of his earlier pictures and a lot of them are piss poor, but Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin is an exception, without a doubt. This is a constant barrage of action fun and excitement, from the second the movie starts until the credits roll, this is one spectacular martial arts adventure. The fights never seem to stop in Snake & Crane, but that’s never an issue, as you can tell the focus is on the action, as opposed to the storyline. That doesn’t work in all instances, but this picture keeps you interested and you’ll overlook the plot holes, since the fight scenes are so much fun to watch. A lot of films with Jackie from this time really stink up the place, but this one is terrific and Jackie has a ton of screen time, so no worries on those ends. I really like this movie and I think it is a must own title for Chan fans, while more casual martial arts fans will at least want to rent this one, at the very least.
Video: How does it look?
Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I’ve seen some miserable versions of this film before, but all have been full frame in addition, so this transfer has an edge from the start. As expected, the print is in rough shape and has frequent marks, grain, and other wear signs, but all things considered, the image is stable enough and the best home video edition I’ve seen. The colors aren’t too faded, flesh tones remain natural, and black levels are more than acceptable, which leads me to a positive overall sentiment here. I do think the smaller screens (36″ and under) will show this as a much better transfer, as I was a little let down when I saw it on a 65″ television.
Audio: How does it sound?
You’ll dual mono options in English and Mandarin here, both of which sound solid, but also have signs of age & wear present. As this film (like most films of its kind from this era) was filmed with no audio track at the time, both audio tracks seem a little off balance, but in the end, there’s not much that can be done. The English option has the usual humorously poor voice talent involved, while the Mandarin choice is more stable, although I don’t speak the language, so I guess it be just as lackluster. So don’t expect much beyond a basic, serviceable presentation, as that’s what we’re given here. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
