Magnificent Bodyguards
Encyclopedia
Magnificent Bodyguards is a 1978
Hong Kong
martial arts
-action film
, starring Jackie Chan
and directed by Lo Wei
. Chan, along with Luk Chuen also worked as stunt co-ordinators. This film was well received in Hong Kong, but Chan
himself doesn't like it. He puts it down to Lo Wei
not giving him any creative freedom. This was the first film in Hong Kong
to be filmed using 3-D
technology, and features music from Star Wars
.
) getting hired to escort a women's sick brother to the doctor, but he does it for free. To get there they must pass through "Stormy Hills", an area of Ancient China controlled by criminals. Then the sick man turns out to be the king of the criminals and is not really sick, he is just trying to reclaim his throne from an imposter. The king had previously murdered Ting Chung's father and now Ting Chung has to fight for his life to get out and also to avenge his father.
Hong Kong films of 1978
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1978:.-1978:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1978 at...
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
martial arts
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
-action film
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
, starring Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
and directed by Lo Wei
Lo Wei
Lo Wei was a famous Hong Kong film director and film actor best known for launching the martial arts film careers of both Bruce Lee, in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, and Jackie Chan, in New Fist of Fury....
. Chan, along with Luk Chuen also worked as stunt co-ordinators. This film was well received in Hong Kong, but Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
himself doesn't like it. He puts it down to Lo Wei
Lo Wei
Lo Wei was a famous Hong Kong film director and film actor best known for launching the martial arts film careers of both Bruce Lee, in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, and Jackie Chan, in New Fist of Fury....
not giving him any creative freedom. This was the first film in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
to be filmed using 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
technology, and features music from Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
.
Plot
The story starts with Lord Ting Chung (ChanJackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
) getting hired to escort a women's sick brother to the doctor, but he does it for free. To get there they must pass through "Stormy Hills", an area of Ancient China controlled by criminals. Then the sick man turns out to be the king of the criminals and is not really sick, he is just trying to reclaim his throne from an imposter. The king had previously murdered Ting Chung's father and now Ting Chung has to fight for his life to get out and also to avenge his father.
Cast
- Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
- Lord Ting Chung - James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
- Tsang / Chang Wu-Yi - Bruce Leung - Chang (as Bruce Liang)
- Lau Ming - Old Lady of Ma Por Inn
- Lee Man-Tai - Bearded Shaolin Abbot
- Fang Fang - Liu Chin Lien
- Ko Keung - Wen Liang Yu
- Mau Ging-Shun - (uncredited)
Media
- The JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese LaserdiscLaserdiscLaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
is said to be the only version containing the 3D version. However, it's all in Japanese with no other language options and it's missing 10 minutes of footage. - On March 22 2002, Eastern Heroes released it on DVD cropped from 2:35:1 to 1:78:1 and an EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
dub (edited to remove Star Wars music) with no other language options. - On October 28 2005, Universal Japan released their DVD in 2:35:1. However, it has no English subtitles.
- On March 5 2007, Hong Kong LegendsHong Kong LegendsHong Kong Legends was a United Kingdom DVD distribution company, based in Hertfordshire and operating from the UK and Australia between 1999 and 2007...
released their DVD in 2:35:1 in Cantonese with newly-translated English subtitles. However, the Cantonese "mono" is a downmix from the 5.1 remix. Mandarin is the correct language.