Kung Fu Hustle (2004) Kung fu (original title)

Popularity:

Up 25% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Stephen Chow

Writers:

Stephen Chow (written by)
Kan-Cheung Tsang (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 June 2005 (Germany)

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:

Gang | Axe | 1940s | China | Kung Fu

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 23 wins & 38 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
Hark-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
Xing Yu	...	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
Nang Yang	...	Neighbour B
Chao Xia Liu	...	Neighbour C
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessica Gee	...	Unidentified Character (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Chow

Writing credits
Stephen Chow		(written by)
Kan-Cheung Tsang		(written by) (as Tsang Kan Cheong) &
Xin Huo		(written by) (as Lola Huo) &
Man Keung Chan		(written by)

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

Original Music by
Stephen Chow
Ying-Wah Wong		(as 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 Chuen Chow	....	makeup artist
Maggie Choy	....	makeup artist
Changming Gao	....	assistant hair stylist (as Chang Ming Gao)
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
Kim-Wai Chung	....	property master
Yao Jun	....	assistant art director
Crystal Lau	....	assistant art director
Gei-Man Lee	....	props assistant
Zhao Nuo Li	....	assistant art director

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
Sreejesh	....	version re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Cecil Man Ching Cheng	....	effects cameraman
Cecil Man Ching Cheng	....	visual effects producer
Chin-Wing Cheng	....	colorist
Frankie Chung	....	visual effects supervisor
John Galvin	....	colorist
Jack Ho	....	visual effects designer: pre-production
Harry Ching Wei Hung	....	lighting and texture supervisor: Centro Digital Pictures
Roger Ip	....	digital compositor
Eric Lo	....	visual effects artist
Kith Ng	....	CG supervisor
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Tommy Tom	....	visual effects producer
Don Wong	....	effects artist
Manfred Yip	....	colorist
Phil Green	....	calibration (uncredited)

Stunts
Chun-Kun Chen	....	car stunts
Allen Hai-Han Lan	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Jun He	....	stunts
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung	....	additional action choreographer (as Sammo Hung)
Hin Chiu Kuk	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Ke Ming Lin	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Shun-Yee Yuen	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Woo-Ping Yuen	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Saeed Adyani	....	still photographer
Dik-Lung Cheung	....	camera assistant
Samuel Fu	....	assistant camera
Baoquan Li	....	Steadicam operator
Chak-Shun Tang	....	still photographer
Che Wai Wong	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Mark Reaser	....	hd mastering

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

Other crew
Laurent Boyé	....	publicity assistant (as Laurent Boye)
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Benny Chow	....	production accountant
Petrina Ho	....	production coordinator
Joyce Hsieh	....	production accountant
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung	....	action director
Lai-Fung Lee	....	production accountant
Peggy Lee	....	production controller
Christina Liu	....	publicist
Zhongjun Wang	....	presenter
Si-Ho Wong	....	production accountant
Buting Yang	....	presenter
Shun-Yee Yuen	....	assistant action director
Woo-Ping Yuen	....	action director
Sean Streeter	....	studio stage manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia (presents)
• Huayi Brothers Media (presents)
• Taihe Film Investment Co. Ltd. (presents)
• Beijing Film Studio (presents)
• China Film Group (presents)
• Fourth Production Company Film Group, The (presents)
• Star Overseas (production)
• China Film Co-Production Corporation (in association with)

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 Filmverleih (2005) (Austria) (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 Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (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)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

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
• Music Copyright Society of China  administration
• Naxos International  courtesy
• Showreel Film Facilities  adr recording
• Soundfirm  sound post-production
• WorldStar Music International  courtesy

Also Known As:

"Kung fu" - Hong Kong (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sequences of strong stylized action and violence

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Hong Kong | China

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA15+ (DVD rating) | Australia:M (cut) | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15A | Malaysia:18PL | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating) | South Korea:15 | Spain:7 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia

Trivia:

This is the meaning of what the "mute" girl signs:"Do you remember me? Long ago, you helped me. I do remember you.". The gloss would be "YOU REMEMBER I? PASTx2 YOU HELP-TO-ME. I YOU REMEMBERx3". To fully grasp the meaning, notice:a) She repeats PAST, so the past time was not recent.b) She uses her facial expression to denote the question (she frowns slightly for a moment). c) HELP is signed pointing to her, to express she was the recipient of the help. d) Though the first REMEMBER is signed once, she remarks the final REMEMBER (I do remember...). As a little girl, she says "Thank you very much". You can see is Chinese sign language and not ASL: she moves the fist forward and bends her thumb.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the first fight with the Beast, the Landlord wraps his hand around the Beast's forearm and turns it sideways. In the next shot, the Landlord makes the same move again, this time on the Beast's hand.

Quotes:

[the Soccer boy accidentally kicks his ball to Sing, who does a number of tricks with one foot]
Soccer Boy:Wow, can you teach me that?
Sing:Sure, lesson ONE!
[pops the ball, the little boy starts crying]

Movie Connections:

References One-Armed Boxer (1972)

Soundtrack:

My Dream Lover

Freaking fantastic.

Goodness me, what a fantastic movie. Caught the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and the entire theater laughed until they cried. Amazingly directed, HILARIOUSLY funny, it blends a 1930s gangster stylishness into a Hong Kong kung fu movie to astonishing results. Who would've thought you could top Shaolin Soccer? Not me, until I saw this movie. Stephen Chow pulled it off. Chow's comedic timing gets better and better with every movie he makes, and while his films are depending more and more on CGI these days, and makes this movie much more a fantasy kung fu film than a traditional one, it hardly detracts from the enjoyable experience. Make it your mission to see this film - it will be one of the most entertaining you ever see. I can't remember the last film I enjoyed myself in more. My eyes still hurt from wiping away tears of laughter. Seriously.