Hong Kong ’97 Change Over, Fake Designer Jeans, Rikshaw Races, micro explosives, and multiple clandestine agencies all vie for JCVD and Rob Schneider’s attention and ours in Tusi Hark’s masterpiece piece Knock-Off. New to 4K UHD loaded special edition from MVD Entertainment.
The Films
One must give Jean-Claude Van Damme credit where credit is due. He used his power at the time as a B-Movie Action superstar to bring over some of the best HK Action directors to Hollywood. John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Tsui Hark all worked with Van Damme to great effect. Though many would say that it was Woo that made the best film and Lam arguably stretched the star’s image and acting ability, it was Hark, with his one-two combo of Double Team and Knock Off, that felt like he was the best-suited collaborator for the muscles from Brussels.
My byline wasn’t a joke. Tusi Hark has directed a masterpiece of silly ‘90s action mayhem in Knock Off. It’s a film that is so wildly 90s HK Action spectacle and specifically 90s HK Action in all of its specific glory; one cannot deny its genius, especially if one has spent a certain amount of time in that HK Action new wave. The Steven de Souza script is even less logical than his Street Fighter adaptation. Russian Arms dealers are smuggling in micro explosives in knock-off designer jeans that put a “businessman” (Van Damme) and his shady partner (Rob Schneider) in the crossfire of the CIA, Hong Kong Police, and the Triads, along with the Russians.
Where Double Team kept its story within the adroit confines of its clever riff on the 60s masterpiece The Prisoner, Knock Off’s script by de Souza doesn’t make a lick of sense with as many plot turns and twists to fill three spy thrillers but there’s a glee in which it’s all told. An off-the-rails sense of anarchy that feels like as much improvisation and invention as it does thought-out lunacy. This is the kind of cocaine fueled mania that Joel Silver would have produced in the 1980s. Adding Hark’s overcaffeinated combination of action, comedy, and pathos directorial authority creates a truly delirious and infectious style of storytelling.
What keeps this particular runaway train going is its cast, who all understood the assignment. From the top with Jean Claude Van Damme and Rob Schneider to the supporting players like Paul Servino and Lela Rochon to the HK Star Cameos like Michael Wong and Carmen Lee, they all have come to play. Better still, they all understand the hyperactive tone of Hark’s endeavor. One cannot help but laugh as Servino turns up as the head of the CIA, who, if he had a mustache, would be twirling it from the get-go. Or Rochon, who makes a sport and almost BDSM style violence towards Schneider and Van Damme as the clothing designer executive with a secret. Or the deathly serious Wong, who plays a driven HK Cop ruthlessly pursuing the duo.
Though the stars and comedic bits are entertaining its Hark’s panache for truly great action that elevates Knock Off from your average JCVD Programmer. From the rickshaw race to the guns and kicks finale on a shipping boat, Hark and his stunt team lead by 2nd Unit Director Sammo Hung (yes, THAT Sammo Hung) and action director Bun Yuen it’s an all-out assault in the way that the best HK Action films are. One may scoff or think it’s hyperbole to call Knock Off a masterpiece, but given the chance, this Looney Tunes hyperactive piece of action filmmaking will convince you of the same.
The Transfers
The HD Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio in HDR is an excellent presentation. The film’s colorful photography by Arthur Wong gets a huge uptick in vibrancy and detail because of the HDR encoding. The same goes for the contrast and black level details, as well as the fine grain detail. The film has never looked as good, even in theaters, as it does on this 4K UHD. Bravo to MVD’s Rewind Collection and their work bringing cult titles like Knock Off back to life on home video.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1: KNOCK OFF 4K – SPECIAL FEATURES:
Archival Audio Commentary by Action Cinema Experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
DISC 2: KNOCK OFF BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES:
Archival Audio Commentary by Action Cinema Experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Interview with Steven E. de Souza
Interview with Moshe Diamant
2020 interview with writer Steven E. de Souza
Making Of: Knock Off
Original Theatrical Trailer
Note: also included is Collectible Knock Off “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster
The Archival Audio Commentary by Action Cinema Experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema begins with hilariously with a song before introductions and an admission that it’s a true guilty pleasure, with Venema admitting that he may have seen this more than a certain Vietnam War classic. Some of the other details include that Jet Li was initially supposed to star in a role that Michael Wong took over; Leeder discussing that he was fired from the film but still got to hang out on the set; a history of actual knockoffs/pirated items in Hong Kong; a discussion of the rickshaw action set piece and how it was pieced together and the injuries that occurred; the post production and editing of the film; how Rob Schnieder got the role in this film; a discussion of action director and choreographer Sammo Hung and his team’s involvement; a great discussion of Lela Rochon and her stunt double; a larger discussion of the original screenplay and what changed; a larger discussion of the various locations that the production used; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors and stunt performers that appear in the film; and much more. Leeder and Venema bring another highly entertaining commentary track. The above only skims the surface of the anecdotes from the production and general knowledge that’s dispense through the track.
Interview with Steven E. de Souza (40:51) – this is all-new with the screenwriter of Knock Off, beginning with his truly wild and entertaining beginnings and how he eventually ended up as one of Hollywood’s in-demand screenwriters. De Souza goes on to discuss how Knock Off began as a Die Hard rip-off pitch from producer Moshe Diamant and eventually morphed into the action comedy it was; how they were able to hire Tsui Hark as director; how the film was cast – including the way that Michael Wong was added at the last minute and last minute rewrites that it caused; the difference between Hong Kong vs Hollywood filmmaking – including the way the stunt work was done in Hong Kong; multiple anecdotes from the set – far too many to count; how current events paralleled the storyline of the film; and much more.
Interview with Moshe Diamant (18:24) – the all-new interview with the Knock Off producer begins with the fact that they actually filmed the actual handover. Diamant goes on to discuss that the film was a negative pickup from Sony/Columbia; how the project was borne out of his desire to work with Tsui Hark after Double Team; how de Souza became involved; how he became involved with so many Hong Kong Action directors; the desire to make a purely Hong Kong-style action film; working with Jean-Claude van Damme throughout his career and on this film; the controlled chaos of the production and the complex post-production – all handled by Tsui Hark’s production company; and much more.
2020 interview with writer Steven E. de Souza (9:49) – This archival featurette begins with a discussion of how Knock Off started as a spec script that was a satire of the action films he was currently writing, and how Francis Ford Coppola’s company wanted it, but how they ended up with Moshe Diamant. De Souza goes onto discussion how the original script was changed because of the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong; the various set pieces and stunt work done for the production, and how different it was from Hollywood’s stunt work; the cultural difference of making a film in Hong Kong; how the Changeover played a much bigger part in the original film/screenplay; and much more.
Making Of: Knock Off (23:15) – this archival making-of is an EPK-style featurette that’s fairly in-depth, going into not only the story and characters but the production with a fair amount of detail. B-Roll, interviews, and clips from the film are smartly edited together to break down some of the biggest scenes and set pieces of the film. Interviews with director Tsui Hark, stars Jean-Claude van Damme, Rob Schneider, Michael Wong, Paul Sorvino, Lela Rochon, and others.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:57)
The Final Thought
Knock Off is truly a forgotten B-Movie action masterpiece that MVD has given a true second lease on life with this 4K UHD release. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Hong Kong ’97 Change Over, Fake Designer Jeans, Rikshaw Races, micro explosives, and multiple clandestine agencies all vie for JCVD and Rob Schneider’s attention and ours in Tusi Hark’s masterpiece piece Knock-Off. New to 4K UHD loaded special edition from MVD Entertainment.
The Films
One must give Jean-Claude Van Damme credit where credit is due. He used his power at the time as a B-Movie Action superstar to bring over some of the best HK Action directors to Hollywood. John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Tsui Hark all worked with Van Damme to great effect. Though many would say that it was Woo that made the best film and Lam arguably stretched the star’s image and acting ability, it was Hark, with his one-two combo of Double Team and Knock Off, that felt like he was the best-suited collaborator for the muscles from Brussels.
My byline wasn’t a joke. Tusi Hark has directed a masterpiece of silly ‘90s action mayhem in Knock Off. It’s a film that is so wildly 90s HK Action spectacle and specifically 90s HK Action in all of its specific glory; one cannot deny its genius, especially if one has spent a certain amount of time in that HK Action new wave. The Steven de Souza script is even less logical than his Street Fighter adaptation. Russian Arms dealers are smuggling in micro explosives in knock-off designer jeans that put a “businessman” (Van Damme) and his shady partner (Rob Schneider) in the crossfire of the CIA, Hong Kong Police, and the Triads, along with the Russians.
Where Double Team kept its story within the adroit confines of its clever riff on the 60s masterpiece The Prisoner, Knock Off’s script by de Souza doesn’t make a lick of sense with as many plot turns and twists to fill three spy thrillers but there’s a glee in which it’s all told. An off-the-rails sense of anarchy that feels like as much improvisation and invention as it does thought-out lunacy. This is the kind of cocaine fueled mania that Joel Silver would have produced in the 1980s. Adding Hark’s overcaffeinated combination of action, comedy, and pathos directorial authority creates a truly delirious and infectious style of storytelling.
What keeps this particular runaway train going is its cast, who all understood the assignment. From the top with Jean Claude Van Damme and Rob Schneider to the supporting players like Paul Servino and Lela Rochon to the HK Star Cameos like Michael Wong and Carmen Lee, they all have come to play. Better still, they all understand the hyperactive tone of Hark’s endeavor. One cannot help but laugh as Servino turns up as the head of the CIA, who, if he had a mustache, would be twirling it from the get-go. Or Rochon, who makes a sport and almost BDSM style violence towards Schneider and Van Damme as the clothing designer executive with a secret. Or the deathly serious Wong, who plays a driven HK Cop ruthlessly pursuing the duo.
Though the stars and comedic bits are entertaining its Hark’s panache for truly great action that elevates Knock Off from your average JCVD Programmer. From the rickshaw race to the guns and kicks finale on a shipping boat, Hark and his stunt team lead by 2nd Unit Director Sammo Hung (yes, THAT Sammo Hung) and action director Bun Yuen it’s an all-out assault in the way that the best HK Action films are. One may scoff or think it’s hyperbole to call Knock Off a masterpiece, but given the chance, this Looney Tunes hyperactive piece of action filmmaking will convince you of the same.
The Transfers
The HD Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio in HDR is an excellent presentation. The film’s colorful photography by Arthur Wong gets a huge uptick in vibrancy and detail because of the HDR encoding. The same goes for the contrast and black level details, as well as the fine grain detail. The film has never looked as good, even in theaters, as it does on this 4K UHD. Bravo to MVD’s Rewind Collection and their work bringing cult titles like Knock Off back to life on home video.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1: KNOCK OFF 4K – SPECIAL FEATURES:
DISC 2: KNOCK OFF BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES:
Note: also included is Collectible Knock Off “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster
The Archival Audio Commentary by Action Cinema Experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema begins with hilariously with a song before introductions and an admission that it’s a true guilty pleasure, with Venema admitting that he may have seen this more than a certain Vietnam War classic. Some of the other details include that Jet Li was initially supposed to star in a role that Michael Wong took over; Leeder discussing that he was fired from the film but still got to hang out on the set; a history of actual knockoffs/pirated items in Hong Kong; a discussion of the rickshaw action set piece and how it was pieced together and the injuries that occurred; the post production and editing of the film; how Rob Schnieder got the role in this film; a discussion of action director and choreographer Sammo Hung and his team’s involvement; a great discussion of Lela Rochon and her stunt double; a larger discussion of the original screenplay and what changed; a larger discussion of the various locations that the production used; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors and stunt performers that appear in the film; and much more. Leeder and Venema bring another highly entertaining commentary track. The above only skims the surface of the anecdotes from the production and general knowledge that’s dispense through the track.
Interview with Steven E. de Souza (40:51) – this is all-new with the screenwriter of Knock Off, beginning with his truly wild and entertaining beginnings and how he eventually ended up as one of Hollywood’s in-demand screenwriters. De Souza goes on to discuss how Knock Off began as a Die Hard rip-off pitch from producer Moshe Diamant and eventually morphed into the action comedy it was; how they were able to hire Tsui Hark as director; how the film was cast – including the way that Michael Wong was added at the last minute and last minute rewrites that it caused; the difference between Hong Kong vs Hollywood filmmaking – including the way the stunt work was done in Hong Kong; multiple anecdotes from the set – far too many to count; how current events paralleled the storyline of the film; and much more.
Interview with Moshe Diamant (18:24) – the all-new interview with the Knock Off producer begins with the fact that they actually filmed the actual handover. Diamant goes on to discuss that the film was a negative pickup from Sony/Columbia; how the project was borne out of his desire to work with Tsui Hark after Double Team; how de Souza became involved; how he became involved with so many Hong Kong Action directors; the desire to make a purely Hong Kong-style action film; working with Jean-Claude van Damme throughout his career and on this film; the controlled chaos of the production and the complex post-production – all handled by Tsui Hark’s production company; and much more.
2020 interview with writer Steven E. de Souza (9:49) – This archival featurette begins with a discussion of how Knock Off started as a spec script that was a satire of the action films he was currently writing, and how Francis Ford Coppola’s company wanted it, but how they ended up with Moshe Diamant. De Souza goes onto discussion how the original script was changed because of the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong; the various set pieces and stunt work done for the production, and how different it was from Hollywood’s stunt work; the cultural difference of making a film in Hong Kong; how the Changeover played a much bigger part in the original film/screenplay; and much more.
Making Of: Knock Off (23:15) – this archival making-of is an EPK-style featurette that’s fairly in-depth, going into not only the story and characters but the production with a fair amount of detail. B-Roll, interviews, and clips from the film are smartly edited together to break down some of the biggest scenes and set pieces of the film. Interviews with director Tsui Hark, stars Jean-Claude van Damme, Rob Schneider, Michael Wong, Paul Sorvino, Lela Rochon, and others.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:57)
The Final Thought
Knock Off is truly a forgotten B-Movie action masterpiece that MVD has given a true second lease on life with this 4K UHD release. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
MVD Entertainment’s 4K UHD Edition of Knock-off is out February 17th.
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