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Island Of Fire (DVD)


 Island Of Fire (DVD) Movie DVD
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Island Of Fire (DVD)

 
Description: Genre: Action & Adventure / Theatrical Release: 1990 / Director: Yin-Ping Chu / Actors: Jackie Chan, Barry Wong ... / ... more
Island Of Fire (DVD) ... DVD released 09 October, 2000 at Contender Entertainment Group / Features of the DVD: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen / Island on Fire is, as the trailer says, "five films in one!". Despite the packaging headlining Jackie Chan this violent modern-day prison drama is an ensemble piece with Chan, a pool-player in prison for accidentally stabbing a man to death, on screen for no more than a quarter of the 92 minutes. Anyone buying this as a Chan movie may be seriously disappointed, for apart from the brevity of his role there is no trademark Chan humour. Also in the brutal and corrupt prison is Andy Lau, an undercover cop searching for the murderer of his professor, and Sammo Hung offering comedy and pathos as an inmate who keeps escaping to visit his son. There are many more characters, together with one subplot involving a mouse which anticipates The Green Mile (1999) and another concerning an assassination conspiracy which parallels Nikita, also released in 1990. Island of Fire is an uneven, always entertaining, sometimes moving film which packs an incredible amount of incident into its running time. However, it should be noted that it is an imitation of, rather than an official entry in, Ringo Lam's Fire series, which includes Prison on Fire (1987) and City on Fire (1987). On the DVD: The anamorphically enhanced 1.77-1 picture is a very good transfer of a rather grainy print, though given the many darkly lit scenes, this grain is probably part of the original film. The mono sound is fine. The film can be watched with the original Mandarin soundtrack and English subtitles, or with a much better than average English dub. The packaging claims there are over 60 minutes of extras. In fact there are nine deleted/extended scenes of variable quality, the best of which give more emotional depth to Sammo Hung's character, together with video interviews with Sammo Hung, Jimmy Wong Yu and director Chu Yen Ping. These total around 20 minutes and are interesting but not specific to the film. Also included is the theatrical trailer, Hong Kong Legends' own "music promo" trailer and eight trailers for further releases. There is also a six-page "animated" biography of Jackie Chan. --Gary S Dalkin

Newest Review: ... film don?t quite add up, and left me feeling a little confused at times with regards to the intended direction of the film. ... more

 ... Unlike most Chan films, there is very little showcase martial arts for fans to gasp in amazement, and forms a much harder hitting performance from the big names ? something Chan himself openly admitted to not liking (and rumours are that so disliking of the way he and his colleagues were portrayed in the final cut of the film, he even tried to buy the right to the film and stop its worldwide release!) The film is grim, gritty and a touch unusual, but it is nevertheless fresh and original which is something of a rarity...more

Price Comparison for Island Of Fire (DVD)

Island Of Fire [DVD] [1990]
Island on Fire is, as the trailer says, "five films in one!". Des ...
Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45
£ 17.49


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Read Reviews for Island Of Fire (DVD)

Welshlad
Premium Review Island Of Fire (DVD): Chilling Chan (904 words)
by - written on 04/09/01 (Very useful, 67 readings)
Rating:

Island of Fire - 1990 Also known as "Huo Shao Dao", Island of Fire is often renowned as the hardest hitting of all Jackie Chan movies, and at times it is clear why. Filmed in 1990 and released the same year, features a cast list comprmosiing of a whole host of legendary film-makers, names that will be familiar nstantly to any Hong Kong action fan, including the likes of Jackie Chan, Samo Hung, and Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Jimmy Wang Yu, Barry Wong and a few others. Directed by Chu Yen Ping and released on the medusa/ medusa Asia label (more famously known as Hong Honk legends for their recent work in the UK), Island of Fire is more of an ...  Read the complete review

 
Island Of Fire (DVD)