When one hears that The Magnificent Trio is only director Chang Cheh’s second film you can’t help but be impressed with the already impressive director’s skill as a stylist. Yes, the style is still in its infancy of what we would come to know as Chang’s authoritative directorial imprint, but the visuals are so strong even the deficiencies of the story are outweighed.
The story of a group of farmers taking a rich but corrupt nobleman’s daughter hostage is long on setup but once begins delivers a satisfying entry into the wuxia genre. The problem is that the trio of the film (Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, and Lei Cheng) do not team up until the last fifteen to twenty minutes of the film. Much of the drama/set up is standard corruption, political negotiations, imprisonment, double crossing that we could do without. Because stars Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, and Lei Cheng even this early in their careers are charismatically good you want to see the team up as quickly as possible.
That aside one does have to marvel at just how stately and refined the entire enterprise is. Director Chang’s direction not just in the action scenes but in the dramatic scenes is excellent in a way that a director with five to ten times his experience at the time could not match. Watching the way that he composes shots during the simplest of scenes could be studied by current up-and-coming directors for understanding dramatic composition.
The Magnificent Trio delivers on the action and intrigue giving us a rousing and dramatic action picture. One just wishes the trio of the title were banded together quicker.
Magnificent Wanderers
Magnificent Wanderers a later era action comedy from director Chang Cheh does not suffer from having its group of anti-heroes separated. In fact, these group of con men turned unintentional freedom fighters are a well-oiled unit from the get-go from this fun albeit very very very goofy action adventure.
When rebel leader Chu Te-sa (David Chiang) finds a trio of con men (Sheng Fu, Alexander Sheng-fu, and Kuan-chu Chi) as they attempt to run a small time con he sees an opportunity to use their skillsets to his advantage. Thus begins his plan to overthrow the current Mongol rulers. Armed with their special martial arts and Chu’s sharpshooting skills with a bow (using gold pellets that both harm everyone that covets them) the rough and tumble group find themselves in over their head. Can Chu get the group in line enough to successfully run a rebellion.
What a difference a decade and fifteen films make for a director. Magnificent Wanderers’ visual style and all around understanding of the genre creates a much more “entertaining” film. One that isn’t as enlightened or passionately told as the stately The Magnificent Trio is. The rough around the edge’s storytelling and filmmaking style here that Chang employs as a director works for the more Dirty Dozen-equese men on a mission film here.
The shambling nature of Magnificent Wanderers leads to some rather goofy and sometimes ill-advised (one would say tone deaf) comedic moments. If one can put that aside Magnificent Wanderers is an entertain action romp.
The Transfers
1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures are excellent representation of both films. The films look sharp, and the color reproduction is wonderful popping off the screen. The wonderful widescreen photography is on display here, so good are the transfers they give us a look at even the imperfections in the anamorphic lenses inherent in all “Shawscope” films. Eureka Entertainment has gone above and beyond to bring us these gorgeous transfers.
The Extras
They include the following;
New audio commentary on The Magnificent Trio by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist and filmmaker Michael Worth
New audio commentary on Magnificent Wanderers by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Chang Cheh Style – new video essay by Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal
The first of two all-new audio commentaries on The Magnificent Trio is by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist and filmmaker Michael Worth. The duo begins with their credentials before diving into the film. Some of the details include the time in history that the film take place; the early era of wuxia film – and the female actors/starts were the main draw hence they were credited first; the HK title translation; the lack of box office information and the reason why; a discussion of how the story is constructed and how the trio do not get together until much later in the story; Chang’s first film with a Choreographer and a larger discussion of his first film Tiger Boy – a lost film – how many want to see this film because it’s a wuxia film that does not have a Choreographer and Chang improvised the fight scenes; a discussion of the voice dub actors that recorded the film; the women in the film and how prominent they were in this film as compared to his later wuxia work; a larger discussion of some of the stylistically norms that are missing in this film that are cornerstones of Chang’s work; the influence of Toshiro Mifune and Clint Eastwood on Asia cinema as a whole; the work of cinematographer Yung-Lung Wang; a larger discussion throughout about the story and how it relates to the various cultural touchstones in history; a larger 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 and Worth provide another enlightening commentary track on one of the earliest Chang Cheh films.
The second of two all-new audio commentaries on Magnificent Wanderers is by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema. The duo begins with their credentials before diving into the film. Some of the details include a great discussion of the literal translation of the title and how it’s more accurate to the film’s tone; discussion of the title sequence; a discussion of how fight choreographer Lau Kar-leung had recently separated from Chang to start his own directing career; the failure of Chang’s previous efforts effected this film and career – and also how the changing of cinema style is in opposition to this film’s style; a great and interesting discussion of cinematographer Mu-To Kung/Yukio Miyaki a Japanese cinematographer turned HK/Taiwanese – the multiple versions of how he began to work HK and his imprint on the industry, the various work he did, and more; a larger discussion of the career and personal life of star David Chaing; a larger discussion of Alexander Fu-Sheng’s career and how it was cut tragically short; a discussion throughout of various cultural touchstones, social norms, pop culture (e.g., the “Jackie Chan Haircut” as example), that may be lost on western audiences – oftentimes as great side tangents that have nothing to do with what’s appearing on screen; discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors that appear in the film and their personal and professional histories; and much more. Leeder and Venema hit it out of the park again providing an informative, entertaining, fun, and oftentimes hilarious commentary track on this late era Chang Cheh action film.
Chang Cheh Style (29:20) – is an all-new video essay by Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal, dissecting the style and themes of director Chang Cheh. Using Magnificent Trio as a reference point – which was before the director by his own admission had found his style – showing how Shaw Brothers cinematic epics became the norm and found success. The brutal violence, staunch masculinity, chivalry, that echoed even now in modern HK Cinema. Bettinson breaks down the Chang style into distinct sections I. Abstract Title Sequences, II. Aperture Framing, III. Filling the Frame, IV. Visual Motifs, V. Chang’s Developing Style, VI. Coda – each of the sections are discussed in detail using examples from Magnificent Trio, Magnificent Wanderers and other Chang films to make his points. This wonderfully informative visual essay by Bettinson.
The Final Thought
Eureka has done it again. They’ve packaged another double feature with great special features. High recommendations!
From Eureka Entertainment comes The Magnificent Chang Cheh the two-film Blu-ray set includes The Magnificent Trio and Magnificent Wanderers.
The Films
The Magnificent Trio
When one hears that The Magnificent Trio is only director Chang Cheh’s second film you can’t help but be impressed with the already impressive director’s skill as a stylist. Yes, the style is still in its infancy of what we would come to know as Chang’s authoritative directorial imprint, but the visuals are so strong even the deficiencies of the story are outweighed.
The story of a group of farmers taking a rich but corrupt nobleman’s daughter hostage is long on setup but once begins delivers a satisfying entry into the wuxia genre. The problem is that the trio of the film (Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, and Lei Cheng) do not team up until the last fifteen to twenty minutes of the film. Much of the drama/set up is standard corruption, political negotiations, imprisonment, double crossing that we could do without. Because stars Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, and Lei Cheng even this early in their careers are charismatically good you want to see the team up as quickly as possible.
That aside one does have to marvel at just how stately and refined the entire enterprise is. Director Chang’s direction not just in the action scenes but in the dramatic scenes is excellent in a way that a director with five to ten times his experience at the time could not match. Watching the way that he composes shots during the simplest of scenes could be studied by current up-and-coming directors for understanding dramatic composition.
The Magnificent Trio delivers on the action and intrigue giving us a rousing and dramatic action picture. One just wishes the trio of the title were banded together quicker.
Magnificent Wanderers
Magnificent Wanderers a later era action comedy from director Chang Cheh does not suffer from having its group of anti-heroes separated. In fact, these group of con men turned unintentional freedom fighters are a well-oiled unit from the get-go from this fun albeit very very very goofy action adventure.
When rebel leader Chu Te-sa (David Chiang) finds a trio of con men (Sheng Fu, Alexander Sheng-fu, and Kuan-chu Chi) as they attempt to run a small time con he sees an opportunity to use their skillsets to his advantage. Thus begins his plan to overthrow the current Mongol rulers. Armed with their special martial arts and Chu’s sharpshooting skills with a bow (using gold pellets that both harm everyone that covets them) the rough and tumble group find themselves in over their head. Can Chu get the group in line enough to successfully run a rebellion.
What a difference a decade and fifteen films make for a director. Magnificent Wanderers’ visual style and all around understanding of the genre creates a much more “entertaining” film. One that isn’t as enlightened or passionately told as the stately The Magnificent Trio is. The rough around the edge’s storytelling and filmmaking style here that Chang employs as a director works for the more Dirty Dozen-equese men on a mission film here.
The shambling nature of Magnificent Wanderers leads to some rather goofy and sometimes ill-advised (one would say tone deaf) comedic moments. If one can put that aside Magnificent Wanderers is an entertain action romp.
The Transfers
1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures are excellent representation of both films. The films look sharp, and the color reproduction is wonderful popping off the screen. The wonderful widescreen photography is on display here, so good are the transfers they give us a look at even the imperfections in the anamorphic lenses inherent in all “Shawscope” films. Eureka Entertainment has gone above and beyond to bring us these gorgeous transfers.
The Extras
They include the following;
The first of two all-new audio commentaries on The Magnificent Trio is by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist and filmmaker Michael Worth. The duo begins with their credentials before diving into the film. Some of the details include the time in history that the film take place; the early era of wuxia film – and the female actors/starts were the main draw hence they were credited first; the HK title translation; the lack of box office information and the reason why; a discussion of how the story is constructed and how the trio do not get together until much later in the story; Chang’s first film with a Choreographer and a larger discussion of his first film Tiger Boy – a lost film – how many want to see this film because it’s a wuxia film that does not have a Choreographer and Chang improvised the fight scenes; a discussion of the voice dub actors that recorded the film; the women in the film and how prominent they were in this film as compared to his later wuxia work; a larger discussion of some of the stylistically norms that are missing in this film that are cornerstones of Chang’s work; the influence of Toshiro Mifune and Clint Eastwood on Asia cinema as a whole; the work of cinematographer Yung-Lung Wang; a larger discussion throughout about the story and how it relates to the various cultural touchstones in history; a larger 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 and Worth provide another enlightening commentary track on one of the earliest Chang Cheh films.
The second of two all-new audio commentaries on Magnificent Wanderers is by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema. The duo begins with their credentials before diving into the film. Some of the details include a great discussion of the literal translation of the title and how it’s more accurate to the film’s tone; discussion of the title sequence; a discussion of how fight choreographer Lau Kar-leung had recently separated from Chang to start his own directing career; the failure of Chang’s previous efforts effected this film and career – and also how the changing of cinema style is in opposition to this film’s style; a great and interesting discussion of cinematographer Mu-To Kung/Yukio Miyaki a Japanese cinematographer turned HK/Taiwanese – the multiple versions of how he began to work HK and his imprint on the industry, the various work he did, and more; a larger discussion of the career and personal life of star David Chaing; a larger discussion of Alexander Fu-Sheng’s career and how it was cut tragically short; a discussion throughout of various cultural touchstones, social norms, pop culture (e.g., the “Jackie Chan Haircut” as example), that may be lost on western audiences – oftentimes as great side tangents that have nothing to do with what’s appearing on screen; discussion throughout the commentary track about the various actors that appear in the film and their personal and professional histories; and much more. Leeder and Venema hit it out of the park again providing an informative, entertaining, fun, and oftentimes hilarious commentary track on this late era Chang Cheh action film.
Chang Cheh Style (29:20) – is an all-new video essay by Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal, dissecting the style and themes of director Chang Cheh. Using Magnificent Trio as a reference point – which was before the director by his own admission had found his style – showing how Shaw Brothers cinematic epics became the norm and found success. The brutal violence, staunch masculinity, chivalry, that echoed even now in modern HK Cinema. Bettinson breaks down the Chang style into distinct sections I. Abstract Title Sequences, II. Aperture Framing, III. Filling the Frame, IV. Visual Motifs, V. Chang’s Developing Style, VI. Coda – each of the sections are discussed in detail using examples from Magnificent Trio, Magnificent Wanderers and other Chang films to make his points. This wonderfully informative visual essay by Bettinson.
The Final Thought
Eureka has done it again. They’ve packaged another double feature with great special features. High recommendations!
Eureka Entertainment’s Blu-Ray set The Magnificent Chang Cheh is out now.
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