What’s better than a Michelle Yeoh action film? A Michelle Yeoh action film where she teams up with Cynthia Rothrock. Yes, Madam! It’s the kind of take-name kick-ass potboiler of an action thriller that simmers until it explodes. Explodes it does in a gloriously awesome guaranteed to jack you up fashion.
Yeoh stars as Inspector Ng whose friend from Scottland Yard Westminster (David Graham) is assassinated for a piece of Micro Film that could indict the biggest drug dealer in Hong Kong Tin (James Tien). Ng would be found going it alone and avenging her friend’s death along with finding said microfilm, though she’s partnered up with Scotland Yard’s best of the best Carrie Morris (Rothrock). Complete opposites Ng and Morris bristle at each other from the beginning. It is only when they realize there is more to the story and the microfilm.
Part of the delight of the film is for two-thirds of its run time it plays out like a French Connection-style procedural. This allows us to get to know the players and the situation beyond Yeoh and Rothrock’s characters. The script by Barry Wong (who also would eventually write the equally complicated and intelligent Hardboiled for John Woo) is ace because it refuses to play out as a bang-bang shoot ‘em up.
As much a part of the success is Corey Yuen whose work here is lean, mean, and perfectly modulated in style and tone. The film never feels too comedic though the film does press that pressure valve often. The comedic moments are often cut by the impactful fast action that Yuen and the stunt teams create for the great set pieces. Like any good action film the finale, set in the drug dealer’s palatial estate, is a cliché setting but Yuen and Company imbue every bit of action with a brutality that one will forget any of that.
Bonus points for casting director Tsui Hark as a manic criminal fence that just wants to be left alone.
The Transfer
The transfers for all four films are spectacular. The work done here is simply jaw-dropping. Researching the prior DVD editions of the titles leaves no comparison. The work here is literally night and day. The films look sharp without the expense of the grain structure, allowing it to retain the look of a 35mm print. The color reproduction is as close as one can get to the high dynamic range of a 4K without being 4K. 88 Films has gone above and beyond the line of duty to bring us these gorgeous transfers.
Note: yes, the pun was definitely 1000% intended.
The Extras
They include the following;
Hong Kong Cut
Export Version with classic English Dub
Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng (HK Version)
Interview with Cynthia Rothrock
Select Scene Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng
Interview with Men Hoi
Archive Interview with Michelle Yeoh
Archive Battling Babes Featurette
Hong Kong Trailer
The Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng on the HK Version continues the critic’s great deep dive into the world of In the Line of Duty. Some of the details include the Literal Translation of the Cantonese title and the various titles; the releases and the box office success of the film; the strange release of this and Royal Warriors outside HK and how that effected the title; the different versions of the film and what was and wasn’t cut; a larger discussion about Michelle Yeoh and where she was in her career when she made Yes, Madam!; a larger discussion about Tsui Hark – his personal life and beyond his acting career but his career as a director and producer; the screenplay by Barry Wong – and its interesting story structure, the comedy of the piece, his work Stephen Chow, Sammo Hung, and more; the issue with non-native speakers and sync sound; discussions about the various action set pieces – including talking points about Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock, and others; a larger discussion about the action scenes and how the film is tonally different from the other films in the series; discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors and their work here and throughout their career – keep your notes app open you’ll want to write some of the films down; and much more. Djeng’s commentary is another entertaining and well-researched track for the sequel.
A Team Player – Cynthia Rothrock on Yes, Madam! (17:50) – the all-new interview with the star begins with how she, as a teenager, got into martial arts. Some of the other details include how she was cast by Corey Yuen – the reasons why; her experience making Yes, Madam! – including some great anecdotes about the production; how through her seven films how she never received a script; working with Corey Yuen and Mon Hoi as directors and their differences; working relationship and friendship with Michelle Yeoh; a great but very scary story about Dick Wei; and much more.
Select Scene Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng [Airport Scene] – the actress and critic discuss the production of the introduction of Rothrock’s character and the action scene itself. The duo gives us a great relaxed micro-commentary track that includes some great production anecdotes like the entire scene was essentially unscripted/improvised; the heavy amount of rehearsal and much more.
Select Scene Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng [Final Fight] – the actress and critic do another micro-commentary on her final fight and the final set piece. The duo continues their relaxed micro-commentary track that includes being on set during the entire production of the finale which took over 30 days to shoot; the hours and hours it takes to do certain setup/camera shots; her use of weapons during the scene – including a crazy anecdote about her staying on the wall during a specific shot; and much more.
Ladies First – Interview with Men Hoi (13:46) – in this all-new interview with the actor/stunt choreographer begins with his origins at the Peking Opera School including making his first film at seven years old. Some of the other details include how he was cast in his first film and continued to work and eventually left school to pursue acting at 16; working with Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Jackie Chan, and others; working on Yes, Madam! – and how Sammo was originally set to direct but eventually Corey Yuen was set; the development of the script; how Cynthia Rothrock was cast in the film – a larger discussion of how good she was; how they accomplished the action-filled finale – including some crazy anecdotes; and much more. In Cantonese with English Subtitles.
An Interview with Michelle Yeoh (15:05) – in this archival featurette Yeoh discusses not just Yes, Madam! which is the focus but her career up until the time she recorded the interview. Title prompts the various topics of the interview like Early Cinematic Influences, ‘Commerical’ Success in Hong Kong – meaning TV Commericals, working with Jackie Chan, training for Yes, Madam!, Paniful Memories of ‘Ah Kam – Stuntwoman’, Pushing the envelope on Supercop, being cast in Yes, Madam!, Taking her break from the Industry, and much more.
Battling Babes Featurette (10:23) –this archival featurette looks at the various women in the Stunt world and their various experiences getting started and work done. It features some great footage of these various women in the films they’ve been featured in. Interviews with Actor Cynthia Rothrock, Stunt Woman Sophie Crawford (who doubled Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy), Stunt Woman Michiko Nishikawa (who featured prominently in Lucky Stars), Stunt Woman Yukari Oshima, Stunt Woman Moony Lee (who featured in Mr. Vampire), and Stunt Woman Kathy Long.
Hong Kong Trailer (4:22) – in Cantonese with English Subtitles.
The Final Thought
Yes, Madam ’80s HK Women with Guns genre at its finest. Highest Possible Recommendations!!!
Yes, Madam is now available from 88 Films outside of their In The Line of Duty Blu-ray I – IV box set.
The Film
What’s better than a Michelle Yeoh action film? A Michelle Yeoh action film where she teams up with Cynthia Rothrock. Yes, Madam! It’s the kind of take-name kick-ass potboiler of an action thriller that simmers until it explodes. Explodes it does in a gloriously awesome guaranteed to jack you up fashion.
Yeoh stars as Inspector Ng whose friend from Scottland Yard Westminster (David Graham) is assassinated for a piece of Micro Film that could indict the biggest drug dealer in Hong Kong Tin (James Tien). Ng would be found going it alone and avenging her friend’s death along with finding said microfilm, though she’s partnered up with Scotland Yard’s best of the best Carrie Morris (Rothrock). Complete opposites Ng and Morris bristle at each other from the beginning. It is only when they realize there is more to the story and the microfilm.
Part of the delight of the film is for two-thirds of its run time it plays out like a French Connection-style procedural. This allows us to get to know the players and the situation beyond Yeoh and Rothrock’s characters. The script by Barry Wong (who also would eventually write the equally complicated and intelligent Hardboiled for John Woo) is ace because it refuses to play out as a bang-bang shoot ‘em up.
As much a part of the success is Corey Yuen whose work here is lean, mean, and perfectly modulated in style and tone. The film never feels too comedic though the film does press that pressure valve often. The comedic moments are often cut by the impactful fast action that Yuen and the stunt teams create for the great set pieces. Like any good action film the finale, set in the drug dealer’s palatial estate, is a cliché setting but Yuen and Company imbue every bit of action with a brutality that one will forget any of that.
Bonus points for casting director Tsui Hark as a manic criminal fence that just wants to be left alone.
The Transfer
The transfers for all four films are spectacular. The work done here is simply jaw-dropping. Researching the prior DVD editions of the titles leaves no comparison. The work here is literally night and day. The films look sharp without the expense of the grain structure, allowing it to retain the look of a 35mm print. The color reproduction is as close as one can get to the high dynamic range of a 4K without being 4K. 88 Films has gone above and beyond the line of duty to bring us these gorgeous transfers.
Note: yes, the pun was definitely 1000% intended.
The Extras
They include the following;
The Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng on the HK Version continues the critic’s great deep dive into the world of In the Line of Duty. Some of the details include the Literal Translation of the Cantonese title and the various titles; the releases and the box office success of the film; the strange release of this and Royal Warriors outside HK and how that effected the title; the different versions of the film and what was and wasn’t cut; a larger discussion about Michelle Yeoh and where she was in her career when she made Yes, Madam!; a larger discussion about Tsui Hark – his personal life and beyond his acting career but his career as a director and producer; the screenplay by Barry Wong – and its interesting story structure, the comedy of the piece, his work Stephen Chow, Sammo Hung, and more; the issue with non-native speakers and sync sound; discussions about the various action set pieces – including talking points about Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock, and others; a larger discussion about the action scenes and how the film is tonally different from the other films in the series; discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors and their work here and throughout their career – keep your notes app open you’ll want to write some of the films down; and much more. Djeng’s commentary is another entertaining and well-researched track for the sequel.
A Team Player – Cynthia Rothrock on Yes, Madam! (17:50) – the all-new interview with the star begins with how she, as a teenager, got into martial arts. Some of the other details include how she was cast by Corey Yuen – the reasons why; her experience making Yes, Madam! – including some great anecdotes about the production; how through her seven films how she never received a script; working with Corey Yuen and Mon Hoi as directors and their differences; working relationship and friendship with Michelle Yeoh; a great but very scary story about Dick Wei; and much more.
Select Scene Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng [Airport Scene] – the actress and critic discuss the production of the introduction of Rothrock’s character and the action scene itself. The duo gives us a great relaxed micro-commentary track that includes some great production anecdotes like the entire scene was essentially unscripted/improvised; the heavy amount of rehearsal and much more.
Select Scene Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock and Frank Djeng [Final Fight] – the actress and critic do another micro-commentary on her final fight and the final set piece. The duo continues their relaxed micro-commentary track that includes being on set during the entire production of the finale which took over 30 days to shoot; the hours and hours it takes to do certain setup/camera shots; her use of weapons during the scene – including a crazy anecdote about her staying on the wall during a specific shot; and much more.
Ladies First – Interview with Men Hoi (13:46) – in this all-new interview with the actor/stunt choreographer begins with his origins at the Peking Opera School including making his first film at seven years old. Some of the other details include how he was cast in his first film and continued to work and eventually left school to pursue acting at 16; working with Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Jackie Chan, and others; working on Yes, Madam! – and how Sammo was originally set to direct but eventually Corey Yuen was set; the development of the script; how Cynthia Rothrock was cast in the film – a larger discussion of how good she was; how they accomplished the action-filled finale – including some crazy anecdotes; and much more. In Cantonese with English Subtitles.
An Interview with Michelle Yeoh (15:05) – in this archival featurette Yeoh discusses not just Yes, Madam! which is the focus but her career up until the time she recorded the interview. Title prompts the various topics of the interview like Early Cinematic Influences, ‘Commerical’ Success in Hong Kong – meaning TV Commericals, working with Jackie Chan, training for Yes, Madam!, Paniful Memories of ‘Ah Kam – Stuntwoman’, Pushing the envelope on Supercop, being cast in Yes, Madam!, Taking her break from the Industry, and much more.
Battling Babes Featurette (10:23) –this archival featurette looks at the various women in the Stunt world and their various experiences getting started and work done. It features some great footage of these various women in the films they’ve been featured in. Interviews with Actor Cynthia Rothrock, Stunt Woman Sophie Crawford (who doubled Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy), Stunt Woman Michiko Nishikawa (who featured prominently in Lucky Stars), Stunt Woman Yukari Oshima, Stunt Woman Moony Lee (who featured in Mr. Vampire), and Stunt Woman Kathy Long.
Hong Kong Trailer (4:22) – in Cantonese with English Subtitles.
The Final Thought
Yes, Madam ’80s HK Women with Guns genre at its finest. Highest Possible Recommendations!!!
88 Films’ Blu-Ray Yes, Madam is out June 11th
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