Big Trouble in Little China [Blu-ray]

...People back in 1986 did not understand Big Trouble In Little China. It's the kind of film you either "get" or you "don't get"...They were ahead of their time. Big Trouble In Little China is no different. Basically a Hong Kong action picture with stabs at humor, magic, mysticism and a touch of romance, "Big Trouble" clashed with the heroic heroes of the time... and instead gave us a lead character who's big on talk but usually not good at much else. Kurt Russell's Jack Burton is the type of character with an over-evolved sense of ego that never seems to match his less than perfect grasp of how to deal with real situations. The other difference here is that Jack is not the real hero, it's really Wang Chi(Dennis Dun), who shows us all the great Kung Fu moves and sword fighting styles... Jack Burton is more of the sidekick who thinks he's the head honcho but never seems to do anything right and when he does do something right it's usually because of blind luck. But that's the kind of character Carpenter wanted and he knew Russell would be the best person for the job because he's not afraid to let his hair down and look foolish. Looking tough with smeared lipstick on his face, rolling backwards in a wheelchair screaming or shooting his gun straight up causing small rocks to fall down, knocking him unconscious. No ego is involved with Kurt Russell... The DVD transfer looks wonderful (widescreen 2.35:1) and even comes with DTS sound which you've got to listen to to believe. As for the special features, the biggest gem on this 2DVD Set is the Audio Commentary by John Carpenter & Kurt Russell. These two have done commentaries before and hinted at doing one for "Big Trouble" during the commentary they did for The Thing (1982). I love listening to these guys! It's just so much fun, it's like being in the room with them and you're just being quiet and listening. Their comments tend to take off from "Big Trouble" and aim more towards where their careers have been, where they're going and how their children are doing in regards to sports and music. Carpenter laments that his son, Cody, can play the keyboard better than he can now and Russell talks about his son, Wyatt winning a hockey championship and how he'd rather see a twenty-something do action films instead of people like himself who are in their fifties (this is him saying this, not me). There's a lot of respect between the two and some hinting that they might work together again soon...I wrote a review about Escape From New York and how I felt it was Carpenter's and Russell's best collaboration out of the five films they've done together. Well on this commentary, Kurt Russell said that working on Escape From New York was the best experience of his career. It would seem we're in agreement. There's also talk about how the styles of directing has changed over the years and how it seems to be going downhill. You need a director who believes in his vision and sticks by it, otherwise you're in for trouble, Big Trouble. Sadly, no mention whether or not they'll do commentaries for Elvis and Escape From L.A.(the only films they haven't made commentaries for), but I'm sure they'd jump at the chance. These guys are such good friends, you can feel it...Carpenter even said he thought "Captain Ron" was Kurt's best performance! I wish the film was twice as long just so I could hear more from them! The rest of the features are basic: trailers, TV spots, featurette, music video by the Coup De Villes(love Carpenter's low voice!), interviews, still gallery, magazine articles, production notes, cast & director film lists and some interesting deleted scenes, including an extended version of Jack in the Chinese bordello with an added line about the green-eyed girl that's hysterical...The actual ending, however, is still the same. There are even some trailers to Aliens & The Fly hidden on page 2 of the special features section (just click to the left once you're positioned on the Richard Edlund Interview and press "Enter"). This Special Edition rocks and is second only to the collector's edition DVD of The Thing by Universal Pictures. That DVD included a retrospective documentary with most of the original cast & crew returning for a look back. Ennio Morricone's Score is given it's own isolated track during this documentary as well, so those are the main reasons why The Thing is still the best John Carpenter Special Edition DVD out there, but Big Trouble In Little China is very impressive as well. Some of you may be wondering why they couldn't fit all the special features on Disc 1? Well, normally you could, but DTS Sound takes up a lot of room and this is why they had to split it all into a two disc set. So add this Carpenter masterpiece to your collection. It is truly one of his all time bests! ADDITIONAL BLU-RAY INFO: I recently bought this film again on Blu-Ray and just had to comment on how nice an upgrade it is. First, I was really impressed with the new transfer. There's so much more detail now in the picture quality, which, while still not perfect, is a vast improvement over the DVD. Second, all of the special features from the out of print 2 disc Special Edition DVD set are all included on the Blu-Ray, along with a wonderful new feature: an Isolated Score audio track for the complete film in 5.1 DTS. This was the first thing I checked out when first popping in the Blu-Ray and I was just blown away by it. It's exactly like having the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in your possession, with every complete music cue and sequence included and intact (no edits or cuts at all). There are a couple of dead-air spots, where no music was used, but they are brief and don't detract very much at all from the overall listening experience. So if you're thinking about upgrading this fantastic movie to Blu-Ray, my advice is "Go for it." The price for the Blu-Ray is usually very cheap too. Plus, again, if you don't already have the 2 disc special edition DVD, you'll get all of the special features from it on the Blu-Ray, with the added Isolated Score option as well. Check it out! Big Trouble In Little China - A Cult Classic! "It's all in the reflexes" - Kurt Russell as Jack Burton Other recommended Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaborations: "Elvis: The Movie" DVD (1979) "Escape From New York" DVD & Blu-Ray (1981) "The Thing" DVD & Blu-Ray (1982) "Escape From L.A." DVD & Blu-Ray (1996)

I've always been a John Carpenter fan.. sure, his films aren't always the biggest hits, but they're inevitably well-crafted and entertaining. Moreover, they're always better than you'd think possible, given the subject matter. Big Trouble in Little China is a classic example. I'd only seen it a few times before, piecemeal and probably on USA at 2 o'clock in the morning. What a tragedy. This film is a national treasure. Why? Everything about it is absurd..and purposefully so. Try to read the plot aloud without laughing: A mullet-wearing truck driver teams up with his Chinese-American buddy to battle ancient Chinatown demons commanded by the ethereal 2000 year old Lo Pan and rescue their respective green-eyed (would-be) girlfriends, all with the aid of local magician/tour bus driver Egg Sheng and his lazy-eyed sorcery. Yet, somehow, it all works perfectly. Kurt Russell is a riot as Jack Burton, a bumbling and inept, yet surprisingly hardy, truck driver with a lot of buddies in Chinatown who has to take on a world of Chinese legends. His loud-mouthed bravado at all times (presumably he's intended to be a classic jerk American foreign devil) forms the basis for his irrepressible camaraderie with the other heroes in the movie. He may have no idea what he's doing, but darn it he's gonna do it anyway. Some folks may be misled (as I was by the USA Up All Night tidbits) into thinking this was some sort of cheesy martial arts film. It isn't. This is a flat-out comedy that just happens to involve a lot of swordfights, demons, and electrical discharges. Some classic examples of the typical humor drenching the film include 1) several Chinese elders and mystics sitting around a table discussing ancient curses while Jack Burton shouts at his insurance carrier about the loss of his big rig truck in the background, 2) At the start of the climactic pitched battle, Jack Burton, in a fit of adrenaline-stoked fury, fires wildly into the air with his gun and dislodges a rock from the ceiling that knocks him unconscious, 3) Jack Burton facing off against evil demonlord Lo Pan while wearing lipstick from his smooching of one of the female love interests. And I haven't seen a film this packed with quotable comments since Predator: "Great, a six-demon bag! What's it do, Egg?" "Are you crazy? Is that what your problem is?" "... and let me drive right over him? With light coming out of his mouth?!" "Whaddya mean there's no listing? There better be, honey, 'cause I pay 'em 6 grand a year in premiums." In short, Big Trouble in Little China is a great Saturday afternoon sort of film.. a refreshing treat that proves surprisingly satisfying by the end.

This movie is a must see for anyone who likes kung fu action movies!

This is one of my favorite movies - it's campy, funny, raucous, and wonderfully theatrical. It makes fun of itself, while simultaneously striving for an engaging spectacle of a performance - a feat which the cast and crew achieve admirably. It's also short - you can watch it after work someday, when you don't feel like committing your whole night to Lawrence of Arabia or Jackie Brown. Plus, the good guys are good and bad guys are bad, so you know who to root for and can just succumb to some movie enjoyment, without straining your brain trying to figure out who murdered whom on the Orient Express or remembering what's happening on each level of Inception. What saves Big Trouble from the discount DVD bin at the drugstore is, IMHO, the plot. Not only does it *have* a plot, but it is self-consistent and present in every scene. Yes, its fanciful and ridiculous - but any more so than <insert_any_blockbuster_superhero_movie_here>? The plot supports this film the way a crust supports a good pizza; anyone can dump enough cheese on some crappy bread to make it edible, or enough special effects on a crappy plot to make it watchable, but neither will be great. This plot is both substantive and integral to the characters' actions throughout. Even if one finds the story silly - which it is - it still provides necessary support for the flamboyant mayhem that so liberally caparisons this movie. The preceding notwithstanding, I know that many people won't enjoy this. It's definitely a "guy" movie. Almost every character is male, from the stars to the extras. There's endless fighting (without gore, which I appreciate), D&D style fantasy, and even a big truck (which could have used a touch more Rockford Files during the escape scene). The swaggering hero stumbles his way into one success after another through a combination of bravery and stupidity, and ultimately wins the affection of the initially-feisty, eventually-demure female co-star. The premise is preposterous. The dialog is preposterous. The film is devoid of subtlety. Fun is also in the eye of the beholder, and it'll be quickly evident as to whether you consider this a five-star or one-star movie. Your sentiments about Army of Darkness are probably a good guide here. I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to the stunts and special effects. This movie was made pre-CGI, and is a great example of what was possible (or perhaps just practical) at the time. Sure, it'll look dated to the modern eye, but don't you still feel your seat move when Jimmy Stewart looks down the tower stairs in Vertigo? I do. Similarly, I feel nervous in the pit of my stomach for the real-life stunt actors who do the flips, take the punches, and fly through the air on wires in this movie. I appreciate the role of the hand-illustrated lightning bolts and rubber monster suits in setting the mood; they may not be as polished as some of today's animation, but the movements actually follow the laws of physics, which lends authenticity. I admit it's not Star Wars, but neither is it Total Recall (1990). To summarize: give Big Trouble in Little China a try. You'll know after the first few scenes whether you want to see how the building action unfolds, or to turn it off and do something else with your life for the next 90 minutes.

Good movie! Very funny!

What a classic 80's movie! *two girls with green eyes!* My son desperately wanted it, and because he kept quoting it, I bought it in the hopes he would obsess over something else. Did I mention hes autistic?! Yeah, when starts obsessing over something it doesn't stop until he has it. I was so happy to find a really nice copy for reasonable price. It arrived quickly & he is now able to move on.... but now I want to see it again! Guess thats what I will be watching tonight!

John Carpenter is, by far, one of the most dignified names in horror. His name alone is enough to grab the attention of raving fanboys and make them expect some sort of extreme horror fest. And he always delivers...with a few exceptions among these few filmic endeavors lies the classic comedy gem Big Trouble in Little China. Don't expect horror here, folks. Don't expect a movie full of matrix-like martial arts, straight forward Hollywood style, or fantastic special effects. That, however, is a good thing. DO expect a movie that is all fun and really nonsensical. John Carpenter does not deliver horror here, he serves up a much more enticing work of art: The Martial Art/Comedy/Action/Adventure The story follows Jack Burton, a trucker with a penchant for cracking wise even in the most perilous of situations. You see it seems Jack, upon following a debt owed to him by an old friend from Chinatown, has just fallen between a cataclysmic battle between an ancient Mandarin sorcerer (equipped with the powerful two large groups of goons and the mystical 3 storms) and a clan of good-doers with the intention of thwarting his ancient evil. This is were it gets sticky, people are introduced to the plot .... Does it make sense that so and so is introduced here and he/she just pop in there? No, but don't try to make sense of it just have fun. Jack, who loses his truck amidst the initial encounter between the good guys and the bad guys, sets out to recover it and get his money. To do so he must help his friend recover his girlfriend who is to become the Mandarin sorcerer's bride. Along the way he conveniently falls in love with the girl who the ancient sorcerer Lo-Pan chooses as a second bride. Witty one-liners, attitude, cheesy but fun effects, and lots of fun ensue. Folks, I love John Carpenter. His horror films revolutionized the industry and made me lose lots of sleep, but this is not his typical film. Carpenter knew this was very wide material and he just had fun with it and fun is what you get from this movie. And lots of it. This is the type of movie that finds an audience and they stick with it but everyone else kind of wonders about their sanity. In short, a cult film through and through. Technically this dvd is a fun little package. The sound is a nice dolby digital 4.1 or a dts track depending on what you choose/have. Its nice, nothing flashy but at least they don't lie to you and tell you it has a higher grade sound. There are two discs, the first containing the movie and commentary. The commentary is fun as [heck] and the movie is such as well. The second disk features include trailers, tv spots, deleted scenes, alternate ending, a cheesy video featuring John Carpenter (my favorite part), and other fun bits. A nice little package for a well deserving uproarious chop socky flick.

Good movie

Super film je suis fan.

Se siete collezionisti di supporti fisici, amate il cinema d'azione visionario degli anni '80 e volete inserire nella vostra bacheca uno dei film più iconici e divertenti di John Carpenter, questo Blu-Ray deve entrare immediatamente nel vostro carrello. Questa release distribuita da "LEONINE / Walt Disney" rappresenta un acquisto obbligato per godersi questo capolavoro "Pop" con una resa visiva eccellente e un comparto multilingua sorprendente. ■ Un folle viaggio nel misticismo: La Trama: La vicenda si accende a San Francisco e segue le disavventure di Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), un rozzo, sbruffone ma simpatico camionista che si ritrova suo malgrado catapultato nei bassifondi di Chinatown. Dopo aver accompagnato il suo amico Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) all'aeroporto per accogliere la sua fidanzata cinese dagli occhi verdi, i due assistono al rapimento della ragazza da parte di una spietata gang di strada. Nel tentativo di salvarla, Jack e Wang penetrano in un vero e proprio sottomondo magico e sotterraneo dominato da antiche leggende cinesi. Scopriranno che dietro il rapimento si cela il malvagio e immortale stregone millenario David Lo Pan (James Hong), condannato a vivere come uno spettro finché non sposerà una donna dagli occhi verdi, per sacrificarla e riottenere il suo corpo di carne ed ossa. Jack Burton, armato del suo camion e di tanta incoscienza, dovrà allearsi con l'avvocatessa Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall) e con il vecchio mago buono Egg Shen (Victor Wong) per affrontare guerrieri dotati di poteri soprannaturali, mostri sotterranei e sconfiggere Lo Pan prima che sia troppo tardi. ■ Perché questa specifica release "LEONINE/Disney" è un acquisto d'obbligo: • La prova leggendaria di Kurt Russell: Jack Burton è uno dei personaggi più decostruiti del cinema d'azione: crede di essere l'eroe infallibile ma finisce costantemente per combinare pasticci, lasciando che siano gli altri a combattere. La fisicità, l'ironia e la mimica facciale di Kurt Russell sono memorabili e reggono il ritmo del film in modo superbo. • Un mix irripetibile di generi: John Carpenter fonde con maestria le arti marziali di Hong Kong, il misticismo orientale, la commedia americana degli equivoci e gli effetti speciali prostetici dell'epoca d'oro. Il risultato è un gioiello "Pop" dal ritmo forsennato che non stanca mai nemmeno dopo trent'anni. • Un comparto di caratteristi perfetto: Dalla straordinaria prova di James Hong nei panni del terrificante ma ironico Lo Pan, fino alle coreografie acrobatiche delle gang cinesi, ogni elemento del cast arricchisce la messa in scena. ■ Specifiche Tecniche della Release (ASIN: B0025X03OS): • Qualità Video di Alto Livello: Il lungometraggio (durata di 99 minuti) è proposto nel corretto aspect ratio originale 2.35:1 in High Definition 1080p. Il riversamento offre un quadro visivo pulito e tagliente, con un contrasto profondo che esalta gli splendidi costumi colorati e le luci al neon, preservando la grana nativa. Comparto Audio Internazionale Strepitoso: La grandissima nota di merito di questa edizione è la presenza della traccia in Italiano in DTS 5.1, dotata dello storico, splendido doppiaggio nostrano cinematografico, pulito e privo di distorsioni. La lingua originale Inglese beneficia della codifica lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, eccezionale per spazialità e per valorizzare la colonna sonora "synth" composta da Carpenter. Sono incluse inoltre tracce in Tedesco (DTS 5.1), Francese (DTS 5.1), Spagnolo (DTS 5.1), Ceco (2.0) e Ungherese (2.0). • Contenuti Speciali Completi: A differenza di altre edizioni d'importazione scarne, questa release contiene l'intramontabile commento audio di John Carpenter e Kurt Russell, la traccia isolata per la colonna sonora in 5.1 DTS, scene eliminate con il finale esteso, una featurette vintage sulla produzione e il videoclip musicale ufficiale dei "Coup De Villes". • Sottotitoli completi: Presenti i sottotitoli in Italiano, Inglese, Tedesco, Francese, Spagnolo e Olandese. • Packaging Classico: Custodia standard Blu-Ray Amaray blu solida e robusta, con grafica d'impatto perfetta per l'esposizione. ■ Verdetto Finale: Una release universale imperdibile: Il Blu-Ray di Grosso guaio a Chinatown edito da "Walt Disney / LEONINE" è un pezzo da novanta per ogni cineteca. Nonostante sia un disco d'importazione, la presenza della potente traccia DTS 5.1 in italiano, il comparto completo di extra storici (incluso il mitico commento audio) e un riversamento video pulito lo rendono l'acquisto perfetto per godersi il film senza compromessi. Spedizione Amazon veloce e confezione arrivata protetta e sigillata. Consigliatissimo al 100%, voto 10/10!

A good adventure and fantacy movie to watch. Released in 1986.

5 estrelas,Grande clássico de ação.

シャウト!ファクトリー製ブルーレイソフトのレビューです。この映画は公開当時に劇場で観て気に入りました。カート・ラッセルは「ニューヨーク1997」、「遊星からの物体X」と劇場で観てファンです。ジョージ・チェンやアル・レオンもお気に入りの俳優さんです。ロー・パン役のジェームス・ホンは「ブレードランナー」でレプリカントの眼球を造っている”ハンニバル・チュウ”役で出演してます。空港ロビーでバタフライナイフとバトンを振り回しているジェフ・イマダもカッコ良い。二丁拳銃のジェラルド・オカムラも素敵です。路地裏での敵対する一派同士の乱闘も見応えがあります。そして、突如現れた「嵐の三人衆」。これって、映画「子連れ狼 三途の川の乳母車」に出てくる”弁天来の三兄弟”に似ている感じが・・・。パクリ? いやいやオマージュですよね。さて、画質は非常にクリアで良いです。国内版ブルーレイソフトの画質も良いのですが、シャウト!ファクトリー製の方がよりクリアな感じです。あくまでも個人的な感想です。Amazonでの商品説明画像では紙製の外箱(スリーブジャケット)が付いてますが届いた商品にはありませんでした。しかも、パッケージのビニール部分は、いつもの輸入盤クオリティで経年劣化によるヨレヨレ状態。まあ、好きな映画なので星は5にしておきます。