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This week on the Everything Actioncast, Zach and Chris crank the Cantopop and unleash a flock of doves to talk about John Woo's 1989 action classic The Killer as a new version, directed by Woo himself, hits Peacock.

Chow Yun-Fat stars as a skilled hitman, Ah Jong (or Jeff depending on your version) who blinds a singer, Jennie (Sally Yeh) while on a job.  Feeling guilty, he seeks her out and begins a romantic relationship with her, taking what he thinks is one last job to make enough money to pay for a corneal transplant.  On his trail is Inspector Li (Danny Lee), who reluctantly grows a respect and friendship with Jeff as the two cross paths and battle hordes of Triad henchmen.  The guys talk about how cool Chow Yun-Fat is and his various looks, the incredible, over the top action, the dramatic shifts in tone, the wacky Disney nicknames Jeff and Li give each other, why it's basically impossible to find legally and more.

You can watch The Killer on Archive.org here: https://archive.org/details/the.-killer  Next week, we're talking about the ridiculous JCVD classic Sudden Death, as it gets a 4K release.

We want to hear your comments and feedback. Send them all to [email protected]. Also, let us know your suggestions for movies for us to discuss.

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Transcript

Introduction and Hosts

00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Everything Action Cast, the official podcast of EverythingAction.com.
00:00:18
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Everything Action Cast podcast for the week of August 19th, 2024. I'm your I'm your co-host Chris.

John Woo's 'The Killer': Remake and Impact

00:00:27
Speaker
Yeah, and this week we are cranking the Kanto Pop and releasing a swarm of doves and talking about the 1989 John Woo classic, The Killer, because as you're hearing this, there's a new version directed by John Woo himself on Peacock as a remake starring Nellie Emmanuel from Fast and Furious as, um I guess, chow me on fat now, or a version of chow me on fat character. But that yeah, that so there's a new one out. um but But we're heading back to the the original one, which is,
00:01:02
Speaker
Well, I think along with hard boils, like one of the two movies that definitely got like John Woo, like massive attention in the West and Hollywood and, you know, got him into, got him into like the Hollywood system to make hard target and face off and all those other mission possible two and all those other movies. And then eventually like threw him back to the China to make, uh, you know, it was like ready cliff and all that stuff. Yep. The ones where you took like two, three years to make one movie.
00:01:32
Speaker
But yeah, the killer is definitely the one where his style was definitely cemented. I think he always had this kind of over-the-top style, but this is the first one where doves are featured. And it's got his classic whiplash style.

John Woo's Cinematic Legacy

00:01:54
Speaker
It would go from this super dramatic scene to over-the-top crazy action.
00:02:01
Speaker
Yeah, ah I think before this was a movie called Bullet in the Head, and it was like action, but it lacked the like symbolic coolness. And there was the ah but a better Kamara movies. Was that before this? They were both before this, yeah. OK. Yeah, that that kind of made people already kind of associate Chai on the Fat as a hitman, dual wielding Berettas.
00:02:30
Speaker
um So for this, it was just like another entry of a familiar like casting and style.

Film Plot and Character Dynamics

00:02:38
Speaker
But i I believe around this time, this was after a Better Tomorrow 1, at least. And I don't know if Better Tomorrow 2 was around the same time. Yeah, Better better Tomorrow 2 was 1987. So that was a couple years before this one. Wow. I get confused. I thought the killer came out after.
00:02:59
Speaker
only Sorry, before Better Tomorrow 2, because I like Better Tomorrow 2's version of the killer's story. um Have you seen Better Tomorrow 2? I don't think so, no. It's definitely like a good watch. It's not like a must watch for the plot. Action-wise it's cool. It's got very familiar beats to the killer.
00:03:22
Speaker
but the killer is great for being a very simple story. And it gets right to the point of like, here's your cast, here's your main cast, and then here's like an excuse for all this action. So yeah, yeah, you wanna get into the plot? Well, so I was just gonna say, like a Better Tomorrow, we also got a remake too, right? Oh yeah, like a Better Tomorrow got like two remakes, I think. I think like Korea did a version of Better Tomorrow, and then I think like there was like a Indian version. I think there's also like an Indian version of the killer too. Oh, I'm sure. I mean, it's like a classic like, you know, hit man storyline. Yeah. Also, it's like a sympathetic hit man story. Yes. Not a typical hit man who just does it for the pleasure or doesn't have like an honor. This is like one of the,
00:04:20
Speaker
best Hong Kong cinematic of a killer that, you know, like he only takes jobs for basically like corrupt in like higher up things. He's not just like a serial killer. People who think he deserves it, like criminals, like he'll take all he's taken like criminal, like criminal, like gang leaders and stuff. Yeah, it's within the underworld. It's not something that's spilling out to innocence because he has like a very good ethics.
00:04:49
Speaker
Yeah, he'llll he'll protect he'll protect, like if there's someone someone's crossed the caught in the crossfires, he'll try to protect them.
00:04:58
Speaker
but i mean but But yeah, right i mean right right right from the start though, you get you get like, I mean, you get like all, like it's like the first five minutes is like John will condense it to like super, like just super concentrated where it's,
00:05:09
Speaker
Yeah, Chubby Fat walks in looking like the coolest motherfucker in the world, but like his like 1930s gangster, like he's got the scarf, he's in a suit. And then it's like the that, yeah, like Jenny, the singer, is singing her like that song you hear you constantly hear of the entire movie, the Kanto Pop song. Yeah, played by a real like actress singer.
00:05:36
Speaker
which Which apparently, apparently like the studio forced them to have like, um, like those like more like pop, like more like pop songs. Cause like, they wanted to like just full jazz, but then they're like, no one trying to understand jazz. John who loves jazz. Yeah. If he's a chance, he will try to insert it. But yeah, but it yeah, it the the opening is, movie it goes from like this, like, it's like slow motion. I was walking in, he's like, appreciate the music. It's like, and then.
00:06:05
Speaker
pulls out a gun and it's immediately just like John Woo just like insane action like Chuck has double guns killing all these gangsters. Bloods everywhere. I want to say in the beginning, though, really cool shot of them hang out at church together of this like ah abandoned church that like um under construction or renovation, but they can get in and light like 1000 candles every time they're there.
00:06:28
Speaker
Yeah, that's like their it's like their main, like, it's china fat, aka, funny old I guess depending on like what version, but I think the version we both watch, k Chris, he like he's called Jeff. But he's ah but in like the original, ah like Hong Kong version, he's Ajong. Yeah, Ajong. Yeah, that's not the weird part. I think the weird part is depending on what error of the translation to,
00:06:54
Speaker
he um It's like all these different nicknames and stuff that they keep throwing in. And sometimes it's mixed. I definitely watched a version where it's like, Bloodhead, and then maybe I'll watch it again. It was like Mickey Mouse. In the version we watch, it's Mickey Mouse, but in the original Cantonese version, it's Strimped. It makes way more sense for...
00:07:17
Speaker
in context of the movie, but for some whatever reason of the the subtitle like grouping that did this, they were just like, we need to relate to the kids. We need to make it. whatever 10 year old got their hands on the killer in 1993 had to understand that this was like, look, they call themselves silly cartoon names. Like why? Why not? Which, which which also is, it results in like, like probably one of the craziest like final lines in movie history where it's just like, you have like inspector Lee Ying is just like screaming Mickey Mouse at the end. Yep. So fucking weird.
00:07:55
Speaker
really ruins the moment of, like, the point of this movie and... Just like a fry, just like, Mickey Mouse in Cantonese or whatever. Yeah. I mean, I partially understood it growing up. I can understand some Cantonese, but this was like confusing. Well, like, oh, I don't know that word. Look it up in the Mickey Mouse. Yeah.
00:08:18
Speaker
But yeah, it's super um upsetting that the translation really holds this movie back. And we'll get into it near the end of why, but just just know that when we talk about this movie, everyone's interchangeable. Like Chang-Fet is also Jeong, is also Jon, sometimes Jeff, yes yeah Mickey Mouse, sometimes Mudhead, sometimes Chopin. But yeah, but ah whatever he's called, yeah he Yeah, there's the opening extra sequences, you know, pure job woo double, double guns, like he has a bunch of gangsters. But then ah this the singer, Jenny, gets kind of caught in the crossfire. Then she's blind. She's blinded because ah China f like shoots the gun like right in front of her face.
00:09:06
Speaker
And it shoots a revolver, which, you know, all the gas goes right. Yeah, I think I think they also mentioned that he like he like his preferred like bullets are like explosive head bullets. So there's like some like so sort of like explosive also in the the bullets. But yeah, it causes some some massive damage to her face um and like burns her corneas, I guess, is what they say. And then um so, yeah, so she's blind, blindness attack. But then.
00:09:32
Speaker
Like it's it's so I feel like yeah we would like thought this was like it's like oh, this is like like ah a classic romance but it's it's kind of it's definitely kind of weird looking at it and like 24 of like Jeff like finally starts following her and then like saves her from a mugging and then he's like, oh umll but I'll protect you. I'm we'll have a relationship now. I'm not I won't tell you I'm the person that blinded you but like Yeah, their whole relationship is like is insane I
00:10:06
Speaker
and that and is And I she can't see, so that she does just she's like, oh, OK, you're fine. you're not the but like I can't see that you're the person that like shot a gun in front of my face.
00:10:19
Speaker
Even though even though she like she vividly remembers his face. ah there's There's that like crazy, um it's like like the one kind of like weird special effects scene. Oh, the weird David Lynch shot that was inserted. Yeah, so trying to find the whole like background that turns into blood or something, and it fills in red. Just the angle of it looks like a weird version of 007. Yes. son Yeah. But that's it's like her memory of him.

Action Scenes and Techniques

00:10:48
Speaker
at the Just like he's not even wearing the same clothes. No, yeah it's like he's not wearing his baller 1930s gangster outfit he's wearing like uh one of his like wicker suits yeah yeah he's wearing like a silk like gun steel suit in that flashback so like and i think he wears that suit later on in the movie well he's always wearing he's always wearing suits like he's he's never not in a suit you never know but not this one this one's a very particular like color yeah you see him you see him in a black suit you see him in a white suit you see him in a and Brown suit, yes. Brown suit, like he's, I know he's always wearing suits, but this one particular, I think it's the same suit you see in the cover of the, some of the DVDs. Yeah. It's a different angle. I think it's the one where like he, the suit he's wearing is the suit he wears when like he gets ambushed in his apartment. So I guess on that day of filming, they're just like, all right, let's just do like this, like scary ass assassin shot. Yeah.
00:11:46
Speaker
And it's also it's also weird that she keeps the scarf that like he wrapped around her under her eyes and it's like covered in blood. And she's like, oh, yeah, it's a scarf. It has my blood on it. Isn't that evidence? Yeah, the cops have taken that.
00:12:06
Speaker
is Is it also strange that she plays like like when when you find like um China Fat first goes to like her apartment ah after like saving her from the buggers and then She's like, oh, I'll make you some tea. She puts out music and she puts out her music.
00:12:23
Speaker
Which I get. You see, you see that and she actually has like record, like she actually has like albums, but it's it's it's weird that she would like play like her own. It's like, here's my favorite song. And she like starts playing like it's be like it's such a weird, like self-indulgent, like it's my favorite artist. It's me. Yeah.
00:12:42
Speaker
And then they cause like, like flashbacks, like what we just saw like five minutes ago.
00:12:53
Speaker
But yeah, but they yeah, they start to have like ah this weird relationship. And then she needs a corneal transplant, which seems like it kind of seems like a i don't I don't know where the like the world of like, you know, corneal transplants were like 1989, but it seems like a pretty advanced surgery for that time. Yeah, it seemed like it um would not be something that Hong Kong would have. Like, I feel like that's just like ah something you get in Europe. own You know, like, ever ever heard of those surgeries back in the 90s where it's like, oh, it's an advanced science only done in like some specialty hospital. Well, I think I think he like because because Jeff agrees to do that. ah
00:13:36
Speaker
the dragon boat job um for like 1.5 million, which is I guess will I pay for the surgery and fly them to like the US s or something or fly them overseas to get the surgery. And that's gonna be his one last job, the classic one last job hit man thing.
00:13:57
Speaker
But of course, of course, it's, it's, it all goes bad, the classic hit man fashion.
00:14:05
Speaker
But I think that the whole, I think the whole like dragon boat sequence from like, when he, like, from when he shoots the guy to like, you know, the boat chase and the car chase and the shootout, like that is probably one of the best sequences of the whole movie. And and also also probably like the, like the dopest like child fat, this guy's where he has like the mustache and like, he like puts like shock in his hair to make him look something older. I mean, he looks the same just future. He looks like future. Like i fat yeah like it's if you look at him,
00:14:34
Speaker
I think in like post-Pirates Care being three, he sort of had that look going on. And then like, he still looks pretty good for his age. Like he's not, he hasn't really altered. He's not, he hasn't grown a mustache. Yeah. It's like, if you told me that's like his older brother and like, okay. But in terms of like a wig disguise, he the he did the most minimum. He's not wearing like a helmet. He's not wearing like, um like a face covering. It's it's not like,
00:15:06
Speaker
He's still in Hong Kong. So youre an assuming there is still Chinese. he literally does he did He did what you do if you're like in a high school play. You you like you like look like an old man. You just put like chalk in your hair to make your hair look white. like like He's like yeah it's like, I got gray hair. No one will recognize me. And a mustache. No one knows I don't have a mustache. I do appreciate that. It could be a little more effort.
00:15:27
Speaker
Yeah, I do appreciate we like I don't know if like if the hit my games like we're inspired by this at all but like I i do appreciate that we get some like disguises from China to fat like he like later on he's like he has like the the airport disguise but it's like the same look it's the same like you which is with but with like a beard though at the time he it must have been a beard he has I think he has the same haircut for all the disguise oh yeah yeah he never changes his hair he just but he just puts on facial hair
00:15:58
Speaker
But yeah, I do like for like that, um, yeah, the dragon boat like hits. I, I do. I like what we get like a kind of like a preview of what we're going to, we would see like later on and like face off like the boat chase. Like like this people chase and then like you get the whole, uh, like beach shootout where that little girl gets shot. And then like, he's like protecting her. Oh, which is weird. Cause he just like walks into the beach, stares at this little girl for like a fair uncomfortable amount of time.
00:16:23
Speaker
Well she starts looking, yeah she starts looking at something and then he's like, oh what is she looking at? And then he like, there's a kind of a cool like hit man like, like move where like he takes his glasses off and he like uses like his sunglasses like look and see like reflection of like the sniper. but I don't know why the sniper was like taking, can he could have taken the shot. Yeah he is, he had um very like tons of, he had tons of time to take the shot yeah.
00:16:46
Speaker
In terms of like how fast this is, it's not fast. like Johnny your Effect just like keeps walking, walks, stops, looks at the girl, looking away, and looking at him, and then he's able to take his glasses off slowly. It's something like, oh, is the hit is this guy new

Gun Culture and Aesthetic Choices

00:17:01
Speaker
too? We'll never know, but it just it seemed like a very weird ambush that they don't ambush in time until at least one of them is killed. And then all of them run out one at a time.
00:17:12
Speaker
Yep, they try effect because the one guy then like oh really all right get him And then um Like like the the cop partners there like it's a spectra Ling is there so then um or Lee is there so well you want to get into Ling's intro were there the gun deal yeah Which um You know, they're undercover. Ling is already kind of high stress. he He just looks like oh, he's very by the books. And um yeah, he guess he doesn't like working with criminals. And it makes him uncomfortable. But he's right. Because essentially, he's working with like a psychopath.
00:17:56
Speaker
Like he he's trying to do a deal with a psychopath who of all places do a ah gun exchange is like the place that cops would bust you all the time. Like a cop, he kind of just drove by like incident name, which is like, Oh, I know what he got there. What's going on here. It gets within range and it's like, uh, dumb, dumb.
00:18:17
Speaker
I do like he doesn't that away like that cop does not read the room. It's like five guys in suits, you know, they're not up to like cool things, like wholesome events. I think like Chang, like ah like Ying's like ah partners is like, oh, where's, where's, where's buddies hanging out? It's a reunion. Like where's nothing's going on here.
00:18:40
Speaker
But I do, I do like, um I do like ah especially like yeah when he like he's like smooth move like he's got like the bullets for like the revolver in his sleeve and he like pops him with the gun he's looking at so then he has like a loaded weapon. Yeah. And then yeah, so another crazy job action sequence slash car chase and then it ends up in like a ah subway like a subway train or like an elevated train and then ah whoever like Was it like eddie Eddie something? eddie Eddie Yang or something? is like the The guy he's been chasing down for months and then he takes a woman hostage and then Ying takes him out. But then apparently the woman had some sort of like heart her condition and she died of a heart attack. And Ying's spirit is like pis just like, you killed that woman. She died of a heart attack.
00:19:38
Speaker
I mean, they had also like 20 witnesses, even though the woman survived the initial hostageing, but then she died from the shock, which unfortunate. It's just like, it just doesn't look good all around. But it's also in this movie, this is a version of Hong Kong that is super hyper violence. I think today it's still hard to bring a gun into Hong Kong. So back in the end, it's like, oh no, they just have guns. It's like, what? ah Yeah, everyone's got a gun.
00:20:08
Speaker
I don't think China makes guns.
00:20:12
Speaker
Like, especially not those guns. If it is, it's like a service revolver. It's never like a revolver. I'm not sure if it's like the UK where it's like, yeah, the cops don't carry guns. or No, no, they carry guns, but it's like service revolvers. and Yeah.
00:20:27
Speaker
like not supposed to be like you so easily at least that's my understanding and all the the realistic like dramas of cop stuff it's like they it's so crowded in hong kong that like just pulling out your gun and shooting is like super not advised just because it's so packed it's so condensed yeah so it's like not the smart thing to do um But yeah I get the criminals being gun crazy because they are super gun crazy. they In the way John Woo frames villains in his movies, it's as if they're like Scarface. Every group is armed to the teeth and they have endless supplies of guys and suits and guns. Yes. man yeah there's There's so many henchmen with this like in like matching outfits in this movie.
00:21:18
Speaker
yeah I mean, even Eddie's crew was kind of matching. And then later on when we see the other guy's crew. Yeah, i love I love the crew that is like all in white that attacks like the like the beach house later on. And then it's like, yeah, they're all in like, I think I think there's like this. There's this kind of stuff that I think just looks like look like a like a sports team or something or like a soccer team or like some sort of team. And then like but they elsell just run up but they just at the house and they're all in like these like same suits.
00:21:50
Speaker
And then Chiving Fat's also in a white suit. So that it's i then I guess it's like, it's it's kind of like just like, you get to like really see like the yeah the blood packs go off when they get hit.
00:22:04
Speaker
Yeah. I'm trying to think like, I guess like different groups all have like a dress code. know It just seems like, all right, well, you're in this group, so you have to get like your standard outfit or else you won't know that We're this mob, I guess. You're this you're just squad. You're the white squad. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like they're all under one giant umbrella. But like a video game, it's like, all right, you got to work your way up to the tiers.
00:22:41
Speaker
But yeah, but going going back to that beach shootout, like Jeff rushes that girl and reaches the hospital. And then that's when he first like faces off with ah yeah Inspector Lee. And then he managed to escape. And I love Inspector Lee. like he's like described like He has like a like the guy, like but like the sketch artist, like make a sketch of Jeff.
00:23:04
Speaker
but then he's like like he's describing him and he's not describing it and he was like actual features just describing like he looks determined but heroic like with like courage it's like he's not describing a he's like he looks like he's in his 30s or something he's not describing any like not like his eye color or like his hair or anything he's just like describing like his like a character i mean it's just like oh he looks very passionate okay yes i fat that's our standard template man he looks like the conquerk is that
00:23:36
Speaker
yeah He looks like the coolest person in the world. Oh, you mean chugging fat? Okay. He looks like he enjoys jazz. Yes. It's smoking cigarettes. and Also making weird jokes. Oh, and he loved to like, go to the sea. Yes. When I mean, later on, they have that shot that looks like a AT and&T commercial from the 90s. Where he's like smoking a cigarette on the pier talking to Jenny over the phone.
00:24:04
Speaker
Yeah. That looked like a Sprint commercial or some other phone company that like doesn't exist anymore. Yeah, i don't I don't know if, um i know like ah from what I was reading, like like you Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino were very influenced by this movie and pretty much this job in general. I don't know if Michael Mann was like influenced at all by this, but like like watching The Killer again like just recently, like I got like very like Michael Mann vibes from it.
00:24:35
Speaker
Or just, you know, just like the like the look, like it's like a lot of it takes place in like this, like, you know, the city at night. And um i it' say it's it's. John, I mean, Chiang fat just looks good in these settings. But John, who definitely. I mean, I think it's something written in Wikipedia where it's like he was inspired by like that's a new style compared to a better tomorrow, too. And even like his previous works. They didn't have this much lighting change. Mm hmm. And like, blue but also just like, you know, Michael Mann is ah like, he's yeah, he's he's always about like, you know, people on opposite sides, of the like the law, but then they

Themes of Loyalty and Betrayal

00:25:15
Speaker
have respect for each other. And oh no that he that happens at better tomorrow one. Yeah. And two.
00:25:27
Speaker
Maybe because I feel like they get American movies. Well, yeah, I just I just wanted like who it like because like he he would have come up for like, and you know, until like the like mid 90s. This is like before heat. But like, I don't know if Michael Mann saw this. It was like, oh, man, I got to like start making like that. That's like I put that start putting that theme themes like that in my movies. Because he only had like thief and I think Manhunter was like the movies he had like when this came out. Oh, wow. those Yeah, he did not dabble into poses.
00:25:58
Speaker
So Manhunter kind of has a little bit of both, where the good guy works with a bad guy.
00:26:06
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what was the ah critical like movie that is the first one that is bad guy has to work with a good guy. I guess Takedown, which was actually like the you know like the Heat heat version 1.0, or the ProtoHeats came out in 1989.
00:26:26
Speaker
So I mean, I guess he was already like kind of like, maybe it was just one of those things where it's just like, you know, like but whatever like here term for it was just like, you know, people come up with the same thing at the same time. But yeah, actually involves that word. I feel like that word should be way more popular than it should be.
00:26:49
Speaker
But yeah, you you but definitely like the killer definitely has like, a like, like, heat Especially like heat vibes. There's like yeah, that's like these two guys are like on opposite sides of the law, but they Have mutual respect for each other and also like the like just like the kind of the romance that like is like, you know Threatened by like the lifestyle Yeah, I mean Jeff was getting kind of tired ah Of like the killer lifestyle and I feel like his way out
00:27:22
Speaker
was he you know like he he knew that the life is gonna kinda kill you if you don't get out before then. But then he also saw from his own friend, ah Sydney, depending on the translations. The life can also like take you, even if you have nothing else to give. Because Sydney used to be like a hit man, and because of an injury, he's just a courier.
00:27:49
Speaker
Yeah, he's he's just like, yeah, he's like the manager, like the bookie basic or the booker for like jobs now. But he's not respected anymore because like, he's like a full generation and he's not useful in the eyes of his new underboss or his like evil boss. Which is something if you see a better tomorrow, that's like a theme, John who borrows where it's like, it's not glorious to be like this hit man, like, because they don't even want you when you're useful for the moment you aren't as good or like are injured there's no pity like there's no especially in that like environment a better tomorrow does a better version of that but you could see like the influence again highly recommend seeing the first two i haven't seen the third better tomorrow three because apparently that's a prequel and it's like it kind of has nothing to do with the first two even though like certain characters are there but it's not the same
00:28:47
Speaker
Yeah, was ah there's a whole thing too like um so like yeah the the new triad boss like Johnny Johnny Wang who? Like the like the guy that the guy that um Jeff kills at the Dragon Boat ah Race is his uncle who was the boss and then because ah Jeff killed him then he took over and he's like he is like ah You know, he has like no honor. He has no like morals. He's like, oh, you kill, yeah like you you kill my uncle. I'm like, like I'll kill you because I'm like, no loose ends. I'm like, I have no, like, you know, uh, respect for anyone or like, except for me and my money. And so so yeah, he's like, if he, if he had just been like, if he had like, just like, you know, let Jeff get his money and leave, not like everything one would have been fine, but because he's an asshole, like what's the backstab everybody? Like that's why, that's why
00:29:41
Speaker
Uh, you know, Jeff comes after him and likes to like, you know, turns against him and joins Jeff and goes after him. Yep. And also, uh, Johnny Wang is, he's a very, uh, resilient, like he, he gets shot so many times in this movie. And it's just like, it's still like running around. Well, actually a lot of people are like, get shot, like are running around still.
00:30:04
Speaker
Yeah, like even John John affects character. Good shot and the beginning like in in the opening. He shot twice in the back and he just like he just like just you get like a brief scene of him getting like the bullets taken out. But that's it. Like somehow he's a mob doctor and it was like I had to figure out to imagine Sydney. Oh, and to go back to when I looked up the term for when people have the same idea, not knowing that like they all are similar.
00:30:32
Speaker
is called simultaneous invention or multiple discovery. It should be like a condensed word. I feel like having it be two different words is kind of like hard to remember. The simultaneous invention is just the term. Multiple discovery I like, but multiple discovery just sounds weird.
00:30:57
Speaker
I feel like eventually when people see enough action movies, they get like the same like, okay, what if we did this instead? And that's how you end up like John Wick. But like, take everything we've learned from this whole goddamn library of action movies and hitman stuff. You could see where John Wick takes influence, right? Well, I mean, allll yeah, all hitman like, like the hitman getting betrayed by like the people that hired him is like such a classic like, I mean, everything it's like literally every hitman movie is that Yeah. Every movie when you were hit, man, just assume you're going to get betrayed at some point. Yeah. They're going to have, they're going to have you do a job. And if it either way, if the job goes bad or the job goes well, you're going to be, they're going to try you because it's like they wanted to go well because they wanted someone out, like out of the way, or if it goes bad, you failed. Nothing there after you can't win.
00:31:54
Speaker
Well, I mean, yeah, Jeff, Jeff, you know, he did it, but then that like, well, I would like this, like, you know, bastard of a nephew to take over the triads and then he's like, well, kill this guy. I'm not paying him. I'm not paying him 1.5 million dollars.
00:32:09
Speaker
How much money? i i think like I think he said, um, I mean, could it could, it could change depending on like the version, I guess, but like the version I watched, like, uh, Jeff, what he said he wants 1.5 million for the, je for the, to do like the sniper job. Jesus, that, that in today's economy is something probably like 20 million. Yeah. Especially because like, um, the guy that like, uh, Johnny hires like, uh, Paul, Paul Yow, it was like the, like the cool, awesome, like sunglasses assassin guy that doesn't say anything.
00:32:42
Speaker
he' a single eye dialogue we Just like shows up with his army of good guys like he wants like a hundred thousand and then like for like to start with a 200,000 my kills Jeff
00:32:57
Speaker
it's funny about that guy's like you think he's some badass guy but we find out later not really Yeah, he's yeah, he's like he kind of goes like in the end like he kind of just like it's like ceremonies like on ceremony So he's like wiped out like I think at one point like the in the big like finale like yeah, I think he's like is it He's I think he's here dueling shotguns or he's doing like a pistol and a shotgun But then yeah, he just the guy's like it's kind of like heart like it's hard to lately It's like killed like he's like it's like he gets shot and that's and like Not like an over top way just like oh he's got shot and he's dead like
00:33:34
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I mean, he shot kind of just a matter of fact. It's just like, yep, it's like any other henchmen like. Yeah, yeah. It just he has cooler glasses than everyone else. Yeah.

Iconic Scenes and Woo's Style

00:33:50
Speaker
And I think he's he's he's he and his guys like attack ah Jeff at his apartment, which is ah like an awesome scene. The classic like ah like like Jeff like pushes back in his chair and like she's the guy in the hallway.
00:34:05
Speaker
And then like takes all all the guys and they're attacking his apartment.
00:34:10
Speaker
Uh, but why does every, I mean, I guess like Sydney sold out where Jeff lives because they were able to surround his apartment for you. Yeah. Cause Sydney initially, he initially is like, all right, I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll help you kill Jeff. But then like, he feels guilty about it. And then eventually he's like, yeah, you're my friend. I'll help you.
00:34:36
Speaker
because he Because he because he because like that was the whole like setup is like city shows up with like. A briefcase, but the briefcase is full of looks like paper or stuff like he.
00:34:49
Speaker
And then he tries to he tries to like pick up the gun that ah Jeff puts on the table, but then Jeff's like, oh, there's no bullets in it. I took all the bullets out. I do like that it's very stylized in that shot. I think it's like indoors, but somehow it looks very like bright.
00:35:05
Speaker
Like they center it pretty well to just be the action hub where Jeff doesn't leave that room, just like shooting around it. But then he's kind of like pulling, um, like, I don't think he ever reloads. It's all like just shooting, shooting, shooting, switch guns, shooting, shooting. Yeah.
00:35:26
Speaker
I do like Wallace. I do. I do love. I mean, I mean, it's it's ah it's all John was actually like, I love when he goes like he. So it's it's like slow mo, but then it'll it'll go into like normal motion. You just see like guys just flying everywhere like and just like like when it when it goes like it's like normal, like normal speed. It's just like there's it's just chaos. It's just like guys are jumping, across like jumping from everywhere and like bullets are going off, explosions going off. But then when it's like slow mo, it's like very like, you know, stylized and like like you can see whatever's happening. But i I love like when it switches back and forth between like those two speeds. Yeah, it it's it's a different style than a lot of other action movies. And especially in cinema terms, in Hong Kong cinema, it's it's like, you know, he was one of the greats to use it like that. um It's weird to see in other movies and they don't know how to do it well. You'll you'll see it in other kind of
00:36:25
Speaker
movies later after this when John Woo kind of became more of an international sensation. And then some action, um Hong Kong cinema especially, was like, oh, that's cool, that just comes like our thing now. And it's like, okay, well, you're doing this for like a cooking scene or you're doing this for like something, you know, it's like bullet time, you know, where it was just like, oh, it's cool that you have it. Does this make sense? No, okay.
00:36:50
Speaker
You'll see what I mean when, when um other action sequences play out. And what looks like a badass one man army scene just doesn't look right. That's when like, that that art style doesn't work. Yeah, I think at the end where john was just mowing guys down that way, where he slow mo but everyone it's real time with what's happening just looks like it's playing a goddamn god mode right now.
00:37:16
Speaker
Well, yeah, like they found a street on the church, like when it's like like there's like just like dozens of guys running the door and it'll be like slow-mo. And it's like, yeah, like China is this like, you know, like commonly like, you know, like pointing and shooting guys. And then but then like cut like fast motion. It's like it's like guys like jumping through the door, like jumping out, like it's like falling off the roof and China is like It's like when you see like what what's actually happening, it's like it's like chaos.
00:37:45
Speaker
Yeah, okay, I've got a good example. Now, I think a lot of people would understand. um Miami Connection. You know, the scene where all our fighting ninjas at the end, they're all screaming at slow-mo. And then their slow-mo, but everything else around them is sort of slow-mo at times, but then sometimes it cuts to like a real speed shot. That's the jarringness. That's what I'm talking about, where it's like, they definitely looked at that and said, we can do that. And then they just didn't understand how to do that correctly.
00:38:14
Speaker
So there's definitely like flaws in trying to do that speed change. Yeah, yeah and and John Woo is the master of it, or one of the masters of it. You know what's crazy? Miami Cashing came out in 1987. They definitely saw a John Woo movie. but there was Yeah, it was one like a Bert Camaro or something, or Bert Camaro II.
00:38:38
Speaker
Cause a better tomorrow too has a lot of the same kind of like insane shootouts. I think more so just because they had a one up the first one. Cause if you watch a better tomorrow one, it's normal up until a certain point. And then it just like, here's a bonkers one, two, two guys taking out like an army of guys. And you're like, whoa. It's still bloody. It's still like, these guys aren't like untouchable, but not in a like, I don't know how to describe it well, but It's still heroic bloodshed. you know It's not over done right. I think from that, people credit trying to do that. And then I think that's why the killer is so good because it's just like, well, this is the more internationally known. But yeah, you can really mess up a shot just not understanding when to do that.
00:39:40
Speaker
But yeah, um but so I think the shootout at the like beach house is another another like crazy awesome action sequence where um I guess like so like Jenny and Jeff go there um because the city's like, hey, like yeah like here's this house, I guess. like Stay here while I get you your money.
00:40:08
Speaker
um But then ah i think yeah Chang follows... He gets shot in the neck by like ah Paul, like the other Hitman guy, but then manages to get in this high-speed chase with like a bunch of the henchmen, and like like finally like crashes his car, he finds the address of like the house that they're at.
00:40:32
Speaker
and like tells Lee before he dies in the hospital. So Lee shows up there, but then they have to force their team up against all these like all like the white, closed henchmen guys in matching outfits. And and there's kind of like it's like their weird like bonding moment to become friends.
00:40:54
Speaker
It's like, oh, we killed these guys together. We're friends, though. Well, I mean, they're also calling each other nicknames again. And then, yeah, also, well, in fact, takes a bullet in the arm. Yeah. I'm not mad about that. It doesn't slow down at all. Yeah. It was just like fabulous white suit, but yeah.
00:41:16
Speaker
I guess, and I guess they they kind of met, they met before in Jenny's apartment and like that, like it's like that. this comic relief scene where they're like holding each other at gunpoint, but then having to get tea from Jettie and make her not realize they're not holding guns at each other.
00:41:36
Speaker
but like that's And that's when they like they start doing like the like the Mickey Mouse ah Dumbo nicknames. But then, yeah, they team up the team up that for that house fight, and then they Yeah, they eventually the they should like team up again for like the the big church finale.
00:41:59
Speaker
I like that like they don't go to the cops or anything because they still have like a moral like line of Jeff not wanting to get caught, but then Lee is like, okay, well, I'll just watch over you until like we figure out what to do.
00:42:17
Speaker
And they also, they also took him off the case and he's just like, well, that's bullshit. So I'm just going to do it myself. Like, Oh yeah. Yeah. You can't, there's no jurisdiction, I guess. Yeah. They get some, they get some other guy at the case and then they made Chang like work for that guy. But then she was like, well, I'm just gonna do my, I'm just like, go investigate myself. But then I got, but I got to shut the deck. So, so yeah. So they're both like, so like these kind of like work, like working like, uh, like outside the law too, or like he's like inside the law, but like it's a case he's not supposed to be working out anymore.
00:42:52
Speaker
And yeah, yeah. And then that whole, yeah, the whole, the whole, the whole and church sequence is just insane with like all the amount of guns. They have like that whole bag of guns and they kind they're constantly switching. You're using like shotguns, the machine guns. There's like, I don't know how many, like how many bad guys are showing up? Like dozens of bad guys showing up. It's like floating into the church.
00:43:14
Speaker
Uh, I don't know how everyone knows where the church is. I think they fell out. Yeah, because there's that there's a scene before where Sydney tries to take out everyone himself and he almost does it. like even like He has a bad hand apparently, but it's like it works for that one scene where he's like... i think he said he His hand works good enough to hold a gun still, but but but he can't catch a beer can earlier in the movie, but he's firing a gun with it. Can you catch that product placement?
00:43:39
Speaker
the but server yeah Oh, man. I suppose that was like a Chinese beer or something. the No, I think Budweiser is like pretty popular. known yeah Yeah. Yeah. Like otherwise, I think it was like Singzow. Yeah. Which is not like the same as a Budweiser. but Yeah. i mean Yeah. So he almost takes all of them out. and Like he takes out tons of guys himself. and But then he always takes out Johnny. But then Johnny is later wearing a bulletproof vest. So he's just like, ha. but But then he got shot by Jeff earlier. And so he got shot like the like art. He was like ah sort of like a
00:44:16
Speaker
Cause he's wearing a bandage on his head. So I think he got shot like, or like, like grays on his head and and also like shot in the shoulder. And then he gets shot in the chest, but he's wearing a bulletproof vest. But then yeah, all all the, all the, uh, all the guys follow Sydney to the church and then that's what leads like the big finale final final battle. all
00:44:37
Speaker
And I think like, yeah, like Jeff gets shot. Well, I mean, he gets like, super shot in the end. But like, and like, I think in the middle, in the church, he gets like shot and like, like a couple times, because he, he in, um, Oh, I'm thinking of the same thing. Like, it's he in, um,
00:44:54
Speaker
Johnny had like that like point blank shootout and they both, and then like Johnny survived somehow, but then Jeff gets like his like horrific, like eye injuries. which blood blow out How, how, how, like those would have just pierced his head. ah yeah Yeah. If you get, if you got shot in the eyes, they would have gone through his skull and he would be dead. But like, it's like a weird base. I thought, see, I thought that was that's like one of the worst moments too, just because, um, editing wise, it doesn't make sense. He gets shot with like a shotgun blast to the face.
00:45:24
Speaker
Yeah, and they're because because they're both like, they're like diving away from each other, shooting at each other. And then I guess Jeff gets shot in his bulletproof vest still. And then that's why he survives that encounter. But then, yeah, Jeff gets like his his eyes and his face are shot up. And then he's, and then also, I guess, I guess some chest would steal or something. But yeah, it's it's such it's ah it's such a weird industry of like, how did that even happen?
00:45:48
Speaker
Or what happens? Yeah, what angle? How the physics work. I thought it'd be something kind of like poetic where his face falls on a gun blast or like same like the same thing happens to him to happen. Jenny, like it's like a point blank like shot to the face or something. Yeah, like you wrestle someone and the gun goes off and his eyes. Yeah, like it's just something that makes more sense, which. You know, in the remake, I hope they kind of figure out how to edit this, right? Yeah.
00:46:17
Speaker
And then that toy screws up his like, you know, it was like dying wish or like his dying thing of like, if I die, make sure like they like to cut my ah cut my eyes. I'll give him the Jenny. like Well, then his backup plan also was if that doesn't work. He has a third one of those. Take the money from like what I have and give it to Jenny. Yeah. So.
00:46:37
Speaker
And then they're like, and then he, and gen like i like like crawling, like right right next to each other. They can't, but they don't, they can't see each other, but I guess they they can't hear it. But it's like, you can, you can hear like the, you're right next to that each other, right? like you Like you're also like in ah like a crime scene. There's so much like a shootout, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Also, have you fired a gun or anything? Like it's loud. It leaves a ringing in your ear. So I'm surprised, like, like,
00:47:04
Speaker
It takes a while for someone who's been shooting guns to get their ears adjusted. Jane's only been in like three gunfights like in the week. There's no idea what's going on.
00:47:17
Speaker
Yeah, I think it was like, it was like, it's like six months from the, after the opening, it's like six months later is like when, cause she had, she had like, you

Film's Dramatic Shifts and Ending

00:47:26
Speaker
know, she went to the doctor. She's like, her eyesight sort of like was working, but then it like, it's like deteriorating again.
00:47:37
Speaker
Yeah, but then you get the whole like, yeah, I think we mentioned like, yeah, Paul, Paul the other help, like it's just like, it's just like, kind of like kill the, like, just a regular, like, hiccuping guy. And then the cops show up and then Johnny is like, I surrender like a recipe and then Lee comes up and just shoots a point blank and kills him. Well, I guess. For the true justice. Lee is like, he's always had like a killer instinct that he's been suppressing. Yeah. Spending time with uh Jeff it like showed him that you know sometimes it calls for it even though I feel like uh he could have done it before the police got there
00:48:21
Speaker
hu
00:48:23
Speaker
I feel like that was like, that was like, that kind of feels like, I feel like there's like multiple Hong Kong action movies that like, I knew that, where it's like, they're gonna arrest the guy and then like, like a, one of the, one of the hero cops like kills the guy is like, cause it's like, well, he's not gonna like get true justice in the system. We gotta like, we gotta kill him. That kind of happens in A Better Tomorrow. Yeah. In almost the same fashion. I think, like, I think one of the police, one of the police stories too,
00:48:56
Speaker
feel like it's definitely like to know Jackie Chan doesn't really murder the villain but it it was it wasn't Jackie Chan it was like one of the other like when the other guys like there's like there's like the concrete leaf guys
00:49:14
Speaker
I got to say, I haven't seen it. was It was definitely check. I can't remember because I watched a bunch like criteria and like a bunch of like, I got like the new police stories or one of the older ones. How it wasn't Jackie Chan's hair. Yeah, it it was definitely one of the older ones. I can't remember.
00:49:38
Speaker
Alright, well, we'll figure that out later. Yeah, but it's that there's definitely like other I think definitely other Hong Kong movies where it's like they have like the cop like it's like you're about to rest like the main bad guys because that's like kind of like his like loophole like I'm gonna get myself arrested so you can't like, you know, you can't like um yeah Yeah, they'll protect me and it's like well, I'm gonna kill you. That's like the true justice
00:50:04
Speaker
So, yeah, so should, yeah. So Johnny gets killed and then, yeah, like we mentioned earlier, like, Lee, the last thing you kind of, like, the last word you hear is like Lee's, like, yelling Mickey Mouse or whatever. And then it cuts to, like, ah like a shot of, like, a flashback to, like, Tell Me If I'm Playing Harmonica and then end of the movie.
00:50:33
Speaker
yout they don't think really There's just like a weird like character like affectation of just like, oh yeah, he also plays the harmonica like randomly. It just like you know chills out in his window and and looks out and looks out to the night and plays the harmonica.
00:50:50
Speaker
Yeah, from what I hear, that was just because of like they didn't have like timing to film like the true ending, so they just did like an insert shot.
00:51:02
Speaker
i'm so like the The bleak ending is a lot to understand as a kid. I watched this movie a little too young. yeah Watching two blind people crawling in like a blood-soaked battlefield. Kind of hard to like go back to Pokemon.
00:51:25
Speaker
Oh, I think the movie, I was talking about where it's like they killed a guy at the end. yeah the, uh, uh, you know, yes, madam. yeah Like, yes, madam. Like, like the, uh, the first one, because like, it's like those two, like, it's like the, like the goofy guys, but it's just like, Oh, you killed my friend. And then the the the guy killed, he was like the, uh, the, the cry boss guy. Oh, okay. But that's more of a funny one. That's not like, I don't remember. That's, I'm like, I don't think you can never happens that one.
00:51:57
Speaker
No, but and i because that was that was, yeah, that was Michelle Yeo and Cynthia Rothrock, but like, it's like, but it's like, it's such a, it's a jarring thing of like, there's like the, like the one, like the guys who have been in the Conquered Leaf detail movie. And it's just like, you're like, Oh, your friend. Oh, he's dead. And he's like, what? And then he like pulls a gun and shoots the guy, those the main bad guy. Oh, like he runs in that crowd. Oh my God. Yeah. I know. The ending of Yes, Madam. Yeah. On the cinema, just jarring ending. yep It's not all fun and games. Like what?
00:52:27
Speaker
And then the movie we just ends. You don't know what happens after that. Same thing with this one. It's like, oh, it's another like, all right, well, Jeff's dead. The other girl just went blind and he eats like super surgery now. And now like- Lee's probably get like ah fired or like arrested.
00:52:42
Speaker
like Sydney's dead. Yeah, Sydney's dead. Chang's dead. Sad times. Mm-hmm.
00:52:54
Speaker
but
00:52:57
Speaker
say it it definitely is like one of those movies that like you learn a lesson about just not like i i mean like it's like you live a tragic life expect tragic things you know like it it's it's definitely like a movie that is not supposed to be like it all works out for them in the end happy ending yeah i think that's what makes it bleak and kind of beautiful in that way but jesus like it's so not like that at certain moments when there's like dumb comedy and romance and then um i guess like just the style shots that look like music videos or commercials just like the cool like hey sun the sun setting or like um the sweeping shots of hong kong it's so nice and peaceful and then it's just like violence
00:53:49
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's constantly there's like it's you know, it'd be like, yeah, like the you know, the dramatic strings we playing and then like a guy shows up with a gun and it immediately gets like, yeah, this crazy, this crazy job action instantly. It's like yeah if it's playing harmonica at a balcony and the guy pulls a gun on him, he's like, well, diving, I got diving in my apartment with two guns and she killed this guy like.
00:54:18
Speaker
But I mean, that's that's all, you know, that's that's classic job. That's what makes job job. It's like, it's like, it's like, um like super, it's like super dramatic, like tone shifts. And like this, you know, the operatic, operatic tone of like, everything's heightened to like an 11.

Comparing 'The Killer' and 'Hard Boiled'

00:54:44
Speaker
But ah between mean this one and Hard Boiled, which one did you prefer, Chris? Hard Boiled. I was going to say Hard Boiled, too. I mean, the killer is great, but Hard Boiled is just like such a more like pure, straightforward like action masterpiece. I mean, it has a little goofy comedy at times, too. There's a baby that pees on child fat in Hard Boiled. Yes. But just the what I watched more and just got was Hard Boiled. Hard Boiled is just like a video game.
00:55:14
Speaker
It's got to be a sequel. So I mean, yeah. And I'm surprised, like, well, I'm not that surprised because it just feels like production interference for what happened in that. um But having the killer be a like cinematic Hong Kong example of like, oh, they're understanding this action. They're they're getting like they're they're figuring out how to make a unique story set in their world. And it doesn't involve like Like a, you know, I mean, like it didn't involve pop things where it's like, Hey, you know, they're promoting a cell phone during during this movie or, you know, they're using the internet or something. It's like very pure story. And I feel like if I swear to God, if the new killer's thing has something stupid where it's like, they need to use some sort of modern thing.
00:56:06
Speaker
you know like to kind of explain the plot I don't mind them having gadgets and stuff that's fine but if it's something that's like a critical plot beat where it's like oh look you know they have got nanotechnology and it's like what oh god no do you see what I mean like Hong Kong they're just like they suck with the basics where it's like everyone's got a gun everyone's either like in this gang wearing a suit or you're just like walking around the street and you have just like a basic premise. It doesn't get too crazy. The only thing is that like it has a weird romance thing going on a couple times between all these characters. Flashbacks to show you more dramatic things happening before they die. So you just feel sad.
00:56:49
Speaker
um But yeah, like again, I saw this movie a little too young, but it gave me like a good standard of what I think dramatic bloodshed should be, and I understand that genre.
00:57:00
Speaker
and You know, um, some movies can live up to the hype.

Production Challenges and Legacy

00:57:05
Speaker
Some movies don't. And yeah, the killer just kind of the, the why it's like a cinematic masterpiece is because like, if you understand like this production, you understand how, how like crazy of a shoot this was, this movie was filmed in like 90 days and on a, like a shoestring budget. I mean, probably a lot to them at the time, but in terms of if they had to do things again,
00:57:31
Speaker
So it's it's like hefty if it's like, oh, John Mu's coming back and trying it again. But this time retelling it, I just hope he stays to the basics. I know like it could stray and it's like, you end up with Gemini Man where it's like, whoa, this is too high. It's like, cool concept? But then it's like, what is happening now?
00:57:56
Speaker
Also, I don't think a lot of lot of people's movie theaters have the right frame setting. i problem for gemini man Yeah, the 60 frame whatever it is 60 frames per second 3d that like I think like two theaters and I think it's less than 10 years in the whole world could like show that like frame rate that like format the way it that way so I haven't seen it. I think I saw my my theater had like I It was 3D, but I don't think it was 60 frames. It was like it three d was like the normal frame. I'm trying to think. It might have been 60, because like um and don't I think it was like the there was it was like the full, because it was also like a it's a sort of resolution too. but like It definitely definitely had that like um it like that motion blur. like If you turn like motion blur on on your TV, and so everything's like way too smooth. that's That's what that movie looked like in theater.
00:58:58
Speaker
But there was, there were, I mean, there were some shots like when you're like looking at a window, like it, like just like it did, it did look like it's like, Oh, I'm looking at an actual window. Like this is like the way this is like so crystal clear and like smooth. Like it's like, I'm like actually looking out a window or like looking at, looking at like a ah fish tank or something. Like like glass looked really good in it. It was like my takeaway, like glass and water looked really good.

Availability and Rights Issues

00:59:28
Speaker
But yeah, The Killer, um it's definitely, definitely we're checking it out if you haven't seen it, although it's ah pretty much impossible to find because there's some sort of crazy rights issues. um From what I like i was looking at, I read some like Reddit stuff and some stuff like ah the internet where ah apparently a Chinese construction company owns, ah whatever whatever film library has like The Killer in Hard Boiled in it, some Chinese construction company owns the rights to that.
00:59:58
Speaker
And apparently they're not interested in like kind of just like doing like individual rights like movies. So that's why we we don't have like an official like 4k of like the killer or hard-boiled currently. Like they want, they want to sell like the whole library just like as like oh one thing for like an exorbitant amount of money. So like no one's willing to like pay that amount of money to get these like the movies but like rights. So we're probably, we probably would never, might never see like killer and hardboiled like in like any sort of like new releases unless um that construction company just happens to go under and then yeah or someone decide like netflix or someone decides they want to get them but i don't think that i don't think i just went around and made a a remake i don't think they're gonna own like care about owning the original no which is weird because we're talking we're like praising it for its monumental like impact for all these action directors and then like
01:00:56
Speaker
you know, this Chinese company, whatever they're building, it's just like, ha ha ha, like, we'll keep this movie history like locked. Yeah. I mean, there were like, like, there's, like, there's, there's like a Tyrion DVD that came out. There was like, you know, like the, the, the most, the most recent, like kind of high def versions are like the blue race from dragon dynasty. They came out like 2010. That was like the last, like the last like official releases. But, but you gotta go to like eBay if you want to get those, like you can't just like go on Amazon and like get those versions, like because they're out of print.
01:01:32
Speaker
It is, it is an archive.org. If you want to go, like if you go to archive.org and just search for the killer, like the full movies on there, it's pretty good quality. Um, it's subtitled like, okay. I mean, there's definitely some like grammar issues with the subtitles, but ah it seems like in general, it seems fine. So that's probably like the best route. If you want to just watch it on online, it's just probably the best place to go for it.
01:01:58
Speaker
But yeah, it's ah it yeah it's it's definitely it's a JAMU classic. And um um I'm probably going to try to watch the the new version at some point and probably have a review on the site soon. So keep an eye out for that. Have you seen any of JAMU?

John Woo's Return with 'Manhunt'

01:02:17
Speaker
I seen silent at night yet. I haven't rented it. I haven't watched it yet. And then haven see there was like manhunt.
01:02:27
Speaker
that was like ah That was like a i ah modern like Hong Kong movie. From like 2017. I got a lot, because it's on Netflix. That was like ah like Netflix got the like distribution rights to that one.
01:02:46
Speaker
Which which that was kind of like that was that was kind of like the first, like John Woo was like, oh, he's he's he's going back to like action like after he's doing that. He's like historical epics. I mean, I haven't seen it, but the poster of it from Manhunt from 2017 looks like the the commuter pose. If you see the one of the like you see the American um poster of it, it's such a dumb angle. It's the commuter like, oh, you're falling upward thing. Actually, the from the premise alone, or from what I think I understand about Manhunt, it's the same concept of
01:03:24
Speaker
What like bad guy has a team of good guy. Well, it's this it's this guy. This guy who works for like he's like a lawyer who works for a pharmaceutical company. But then they they like the company frames him because he like because they try to like hide. they like They're like.
01:03:43
Speaker
some sort of corruption or some sort of like they're like developing something they like illegal and they need like a fall person for it so they like frame him it's it's it's kind of like the fugitive where it's like it's like just like like lawyers on the run and but but then somehow he's like an action star because he's like able to like get like shootouts and cartridges and stuff
01:04:03
Speaker
It's also, it's like a remake of like, uh, there was like a 1976 movie, like a, like a, you know what Chinese, it was like a Japanese movie that they, uh, same premise or similar premise that it's like a remake of. It was, it was pretty good. Um, you know, it's nothing, it's nowhere close to like, uh, you know, top tier, ja wu but it was like, uh, for him, like returning to the action after like however many years it was since like paycheck. like a well I mean, he did.
01:04:33
Speaker
what like hey yeah paychecks 2003 that was action but it's like an f like action but then but then he like he went back to hong kong he and he just did like you know big like these like big circle epics like red cliff and the crossing and that's true i guess i have to see manhunt to see if it's where it's coming back in style
01:04:59
Speaker
But yes, I think they'll do it this week. Definitely try to find the killer and watch it, and maybe check out the new one. um or um and And then you know check out some other job move classics, like Hard Boiled and ah but Hard Target. Yeah, Face Off. almost yeah i what what you Hollywood ones are going to be a, his Hong Kong stuff is also like, I think, i think like if you like action fans know them but I think like in people i think like general people only know like a lot of his like Hollywood stuff but that's true he's got a ton of like Hong Kong stuff to check out hopefully they don't hit him by like a construction company so yes yeah I don't know who's like I don't know who's like who's like the better tomorrow and stuff but
01:05:55
Speaker
Yeah, hopefully ah hopefully someday like all these movies will be more ah widely available, where we'll get a sweet 4K of the killer in 4K, because they deserve it. Yeah, they'll have one with the translation actually being translated, not some... I mean, it's like pre-AI translation. It's as if AI translated this. Well, this is... I mean, this i mean <unk> talking you're talking like like like ah ah some guy had to like...
01:06:22
Speaker
you know, watch the movie like write down what we thought with it was like the translation.
01:06:33
Speaker
But yeah, ah come

Next Episode Preview and Conclusion

01:06:34
Speaker
back next week. um You know, speaking of John Woo, his first highway movie starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Hard Target. we're We're gonna talk about one of our favorite Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, Sudden Death, ah next week. It's because that, speaking of 4K, that's getting a 4K release finally ah next week. So we're gonna,
01:06:51
Speaker
i dont i don't I don't know if we're going to watch the 4K version, but we'll definitely talk about the movie and all of its insanity.
01:07:00
Speaker
Penguin fights and hockey saves. So come back for that. Head over to Slate, we got all of our other, we got news, reviews, trailers, all kinds of stuff. I got a review of Alien Romulus up, if you want to read my review of that movie, which was a pretty great, probably the best Alien movie since Aliens.
01:07:21
Speaker
So, so it' so it's like the third best alien movie,
01:07:26
Speaker
which, you know, concerning stuff like, uh, you know, alien resurrection and stuff like that, it's not really saying much, but, um, yeah, definitely read that and then channel all the other stuff up there. And, uh, yeah, so for Chris, I am Zach and we will see you next week. For more for everything action, head to www.everythingaction.com. You can also find us on Facebook. at facebook.com slash everything.action and follow us on x at evaction we're also on instagram and threads at everything.action find more episodes of the podcast on apple podcast spotify or your podcast epic choice and be sure to rate and subscribe