Kung fu (2004)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Stephen Chow

Writers:

Stephen Chow (writer)
Xin Huo (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

22 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Fantasy

Tagline:

A new comedy unlike anything you have seen before

Plot:

In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.

Plot Keywords:

Axe | Gang | Kung Fu | 1940s | China

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 18 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Stephen Chow	...	Sing
Xiaogang Feng	...	Crocodile Gang Boss (as Feng Xiao Gang)
Wah Yuen	...	Landlord
Zhi Hua Dong	...	Donut
Kwok-Kwan Chan	...	Brother Sum (as Danny Chan)
Chi Chung Lam	...	Bone (Sing's Sidekick) (as Lam Tze Chung)
Siu-Lung Leung	...	The Beast
Qiu Yuen	...	Landlady
Kai Man Tin	...	Axe Gang Advisor
Kang Xi Jia	...	Harpist #1
Hak On Fung	...	Harpist #2
Shengyi Huang	...	Fong
Suet Lam	...	Axe Gang Vice General
Cheung-Yan Yuen	...	Beggar (as Cheng Yan Yuen)
Chi Ling Chiu	...	Tailor
Yu Xing	...	Coolie
Yibai Zhang	...	Inspector Chan (as Zhang Yi Bai)
Si Lu Ren	...	Suzie
Xiao Lung Ding	...	Mr. Gold
Ming Ming Zhang	...	Mr. Silver
Oliver Wong	...	Inspector
Kai Shi Chen	...	Rabbit-Tooth Jane
Wellson Chin	...	Neighbour A
Wen Hui He	...	Jiang Bao
David Hung	...	Mr. Big
Billy Ma	...	Axe Gang Member
Hao Tian Yuan	...	Little Sing
Min Hun Fung	...	Four Eye Clerk
Lun Yeung	...	Neighbour B
Chao Xia Liu	...	Neighbour C

Directed by
Stephen Chow

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Stephen Chow		writer
Xin Huo		writer
Chan Man Keung		writer
Kan-Cheung Tsang		writer

Produced by
Bill Borden	....	executive producer
Wellson Chin	....	associate producer
Stephen Chow	....	producer
Po Chu Chui	....	producer
Rita Fung	....	associate producer
David Hung	....	executive producer
Jeffrey Lau	....	producer
Zhonglei Wang	....	executive producer
Connie Wong	....	line producer
Hai Cheng Zhao	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stephen Chow
Raymond Wong
Hang Yi
Xian Luo Zong

Cinematography by
Hang-Sang Poon

Film Editing by
Angie Lam

Production Design by
Oliver Wong

Art Direction by
Second Chan

Costume Design by
Shirley Chan

Makeup Department
Sai Hua Cai	....	assistant makeup artist
Man Kuen Chow	....	makeup artist
Maggie Choy	....	makeup artist
Chang Ming Gao	....	assistant hair stylist
Cong Lan Ji	....	assistant hair stylist
Jia Lu	....	assistant hair stylist
Yuan Tian	....	assistant makeup artist
Mike Tse	....	hair stylist
Ronald Yeung	....	hair stylist
Qian Zhang	....	assistant makeup artist
Ying Xia Zhao	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Paul Au	....	production manager
Ng Kam Chiu	....	unit production manager
Angie Lam	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sylvia Liu	....	first assistant director
Eddy Yeung	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Shi Bin	....	assistant art director
Yao Jun	....	assistant art director
Crystal Lau	....	assistant art director
Zhao Nuo Li	....	assistant art director
Chung Kim Wai	....	property master

Sound Department
Steve Burgess	....	sound designer
Steve Burgess	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Burgess	....	supervising sound editor
Chris Goodes	....	sound editor
Vic Kaspar	....	sound editor
Chi-tat Leung	....	sound
Robert Mackenzie	....	sound effects editor (as Rob Mackenzie)
Robert Mackenzie	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Rob Mackenzie)
Jo Mion	....	sound editor
Andrew Neil	....	sound editor
Paul Pirola	....	sound designer
Paul Pirola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steven Ticknor	....	sound designer
Mario Vaccaro	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Chin-Wing Cheng	....	colorist
Frankie Chung	....	visual effects supervisor
John Galvin	....	colorist
Harry Ching Wei Hung	....	lighting and texture supervisor: Centro Digital Pictures
Kith Ng	....	CG supervisor
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Tommy Tom	....	visual effects producer
Manfred Yip	....	colorist
Phil Green	....	calibration (uncredited)

Stunts
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	....	additional action choreographer (as Sammo Hung)

Camera and Electrical Department
Saeed Adyani	....	still photographer
Baoquan Li	....	Steadicam operator
Chok Shun Tang	....	still photographer
Che Wai Wong	....	camera operator

Music Department
Ross Cockle	....	score mix: traditional music
Ian McLoughlin	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Petrina Ho	....	production coordinator
Joyce Hsieh	....	production accountant
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	....	action director
Peggy Lee	....	production controller
Christina Liu	....	publicist
Shun-Yee Yuen	....	assistant action director
Woo-ping Yuen	....	action choreographer
Woo-ping Yuen	....	action director

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia
• Star Overseas
• Beijing Film Studio
• China Film Group
• Huayi Brothers

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Centro Digital Pictures Ltd. (visual effects)
• Pacific Ocean Make-Up Special Effect (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• Centro Digital Pictures Ltd.  digital intermediate
• Cinerent  equipment supplied by (as Cinerent Ltd.)
• Cinevex  negative processing
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  titles
• Showreel Film Facilities  adr recording
• Soundfirm  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Gong fu (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Kung Fu Hustle (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sequences of strong stylized action and violence.

Runtime:

95 min | Philippines:99 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Malaysia:18PL | Spain:7 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Brazil:14 | Peru:14 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia

Trivia:

Surpassed Siu lam juk kau (2001) (Shaolin Soccer) in February 2005 to become the highest-grossing Hong Kong-made movie in Hong Kong.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Brother Sum is about set the children alight, he throws the lighter and it falls just a foot away from his feet, but then we see it flying dramatically through the air above the children's heads.

Quotes:

Sing: No more soccer!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sabre Dance

Fantastic

This is one of the most richly imaginative, creative, downright enjoyable movies I've ever seen. I haven't enjoyed myself this much since Pulp Fiction.

It took me a while to figure out who the hero was. First I thought it was the barber guy who got himself constantly smacked about by the landlady. I suppose it's because he looked so dim, he therefore had to be a kung fu master in disguise. I've read some of the other posts, and everyone seems to think the knife scene was the funniest. I didn't expect to come to this movie for a laugh, but the knife scene almost killed me. Luckily it was just me and my friend in the movie theatre, so I could let it all out.

If you go to the movies to free your imagination, then this is the movie for you. Stay away from people who say it's far-fetched and unrealistic. If they want realism, they should go to the laundromat.