My Lucky Stars
- Made: 1985
- Format: DVD
- Region: Region 2 PAL
- Release Date: September 23 2002
- Company: Hong Kong Legends
- Length: 85 mins
- Picture: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen
- Language: Cantonese / Mamdarin with English Subtitles
- Extras: Dolby Digital 5.1, Interview gallery, trailers, commentary
- Classification: 15
Director:
Sammo Hung
Cast:
Sammo Hung (Kam Bo), Yuen Biao, Sibelle Hu, Jackie Chan (Sing Lung) , Richard Ng, Eric Tsang, Andy Lau, Michiko Nishikawa , Charlie Ching , Stanley Fung, Lam Ching-Ying
After the runaway success of Aces Go Places, Golden Harvest tried their luck with a screwball action comedy in 1983 with Winners and Sinners. The success of this movie led to the Lucky Stars franchise and My Lucky Stars was the second instalment. Released in Feb 1985. My Lucky Stars took HK $30,748,000 at the HK Box office, making it the most successful instalment and in my humble opinion the best.
My Lucky Stars burst onto the scene right in the middle of Jackie Chan's, Sammo Hung's and Yuen Biao's domination of martial arts cinema in the mid eighties. Having seen off the dying embers of the Shaw Brothers and most independent offerings, the 'Three Brothers' were the hottest property on the market. They had just enjoyed unprecedented success with Jackie's Project A and had also put together arguably the finest showcase of martial arts cinema in Wheels on Meals. In 1985 Jackie Chan also worked on The Protector, Police Story, plus working with Sammo and Yuen Biao in Heart of Dragon and Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars (third instalment!!!)
One thing that all the Lucky Stars films have in common is the general lack of plot beyond some vague motivations and locations. These serve as vehicles for the jaw-dropping action scenes and the trademark comedy. The basic premise of this film is that Jackie Chan (Muscles) and Yuen Biao (Ricky) are chasing a bent cop (Lam Ching Ying) who has some stolen gems in Japan . After a pursuit into a fairground, Jackie and Yuen Biao are accosted by a handful of brightly coloured ninjas in broad daylight (surely a comedic homage to Chang Cheh!?), and Yuen Biao is taken hostage!
There is no other option that to rely on old friend Kidstuff (Sammo Hung) to get out of this situation. Sammo reforms his Lucky Stars; Richard Ng, Charlie Chin, Stanley Fung and Eric Tsang (replacing John Shum). These unlikely chaps are reluctant to help out until they realise that they will be working with the gorgeous Inspector Woo (Sibelle Hu). The final encounters leads the Lucky Stars back to the fairground where they find the bent copper and Ricky, but as you may have guessed it's never that easy!
The main content of the film can be split into the distinct spheres of action and comedy, with Jackie and Sammo providing the lion's share of the action and the Lucky Stars (Sammo included) providing the latter.
The film begins with the almost obligatory car chase and some great martial arts sequences. Action highlights during My Lucky Stars include Yuen Biao doing a backwards somersault over a ninja and Jackie Chan redoing his Drunken Master stunt where a flying blade cuts some of his hair off. Sammo Hung also manages to look resplendent sporting a Bruce Lee inspired yellow costume. For a bit of trivia, this one of only a few movies I have seen Jackie shoot and kill several bad guys. To see Jackie with a gun is not exceptional (Police Story, Crime Story, Heart of Dragon etc) but he very rarely actually shoots people dead. The final fight is the strongest point of the movie with Sammo, Jackie and Yuen Biao squaring up against Lau Kar Wing, Dick Wei and Lam Ching Ying respectively!
As might be expected, there are several hapeless stuntmen falling through glass tables (see the outtakes!) and dropping 20ft but this action is a triumph for the timing and power of the main protagonists more than anything else. However, it would be unfair to overlook the team which worked alongside stars. Significant contributions to My Lucky Stars came from Yuen Wah, Lau Kar Wing, Dick Wei, Chin Kar Lok and Lam Ching Ying among others. Yuen Biao and Lam Ching Ying richly deserved their nomination for their action choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
The comedy is less successful than the finely tuned action but it does prevent the film moving along at a pleasant pace between the showcase martial arts sequences. The significant comedy revolves around the Lucky Stars and Inspector Woo residing in the same building. After a diarrhoea gag involving a shortage of toilets, the lengthiest joke revolves around a bunch of ninjas tying up Inspector Woo with one of the Lucky Stars whilst they rob the house. As luck may have it, all of the Lucky Stars get the opportunity to be 'tied up' with Inspector Woo!
This comedy it at the early beginnings of a rich tradition of 'goofy' Hong Kong comedy, including a gullible lead lady and several sex obsessed blokes. Many have labelled Jackie synonymous with this form of comedy, but have overlooked Sammo's indulgence in similar frolics. Sammo, and his Lucky Stars enjoy most of the 'goofy' comedy in this movie and Jackie for the most part plays a straight laced cop. The comedy is not up to the standard of Wheels and Meals in the previous year, but as could be expected, Richard Ng and Eric Tsang provide most of the biggest laughs.
DISC:
Once again, Hong Kong Legends have provided us with another superb disc, sporting everything that a loving fan expects. Subtitles and dubbed versions are available and the picture is a crisp anamorphic widescreen restoration. There are plenty of extras, including interviews (Michiko Nishiwaki, Sammo Hung), trailers and a Bey Logan audio commentary.
OVERALL:
I've seen many negative reviews of this movie, mainly by people expecting a 'Jackie Chan' movie, and people with little or no grasp of Hong Kong comedy. This is not a 'Jackie' movie, he is a significant character but this movie focuses on the 'wacky' adventures of Sammo's Lucky Stars. Yuen Biao fans will have the familiar moan about Yuen not getting enough screen time (see also Young Master, Once Upon a Time in China, A Man Called Hero etc etc etc!) but this film strikes a healthy balance between several great action scenes, whilst still leaving the viewer gagging for more.
The comedy is much weaker than the action in this movie, but this says a lot more about the sensational sequences that the Three Brothers have put on display. This movie provides action that has never and will never be attempted by anyone else apart from the Three Brothers. For this reason alone it is certainly worth watching, as the viewer will not be disappointed.
Paul
