Finally - the release we've been waiting for!
Ivan K. Samuelson | OH USA | 12/20/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first saw Police Story back in 1989 on VHS. I loved it and thought it was a riot. The fight scenes were great and I just couldn't believe the things Jackie Chan would do to put action on the screen. That is what makes his movies so great. You see the action and amazing stunts and you KNOW that is Jackie doing it, not some stunt double and since he's doing it, it's not that unbelievable. Plus, he knows how to be funny on screen and it works so well with everything going on. His fighting style is not some fancy martial arts. Like Jackie says, it's street fighting and unlike other heroes, Jackie gets so beat up and yet he still gets up and makes you cheer for the good guy.
Now, with this DVD release, you get the movie the way it was. The VHS was at 90 minutes. This version is at 101 minutes which means there were some added scenes which I can't remember for the life of me. It's been so long since I saw the VHS version that I don't know what scenes were put back in.
You can watch it in the English dubbed voices in 5.1, in the original Cantonese in 5.1 or the original Cantonese in mono. Personally, I love it in the Cantonese language because when they dub to American, they try to change the dialog a bit to fit the lip movement. With the Cantonese track, you get to feel the real emotions that the actors used in the scene. Also, unlike his later films, Jackie did NOT dub his own voice in here on the English track.
You would think that is where it would end with this, but no. There is so much more here than the movie.
First off, you have commentary by Rush Hour director Brett Ratner and Asian Film Expert Bey Logan. It's too bad Jackie didn't lend his comments as well. I would have loved that. However, you do get a conversation with Jackie Chan that lasts about 10 minutes where he goes over the stunt work, how he likes to do his own stunts, etc. It is especially interesting to know that they didn't have the budget to rehearse various stunt scenes, so they did them usually in one take. This resulted in some serious injuries, especially with the bus scene. It's amazing to hear how some people came close to death making this film, but when you watch the film, you can see why.
There is also a 35-minute feature where they speak with the people of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team (Sing Ga Ban). Here, many members of this team talk about what everyone's role was, how great it was to work with Jackie, etc. A VERY interesting retrospective on Jackie and his work ethic.
There is also a 6 minute feature that is a tribute to Jackie Chan with Brett Ratner talking about how this movie is so great.
Along with all of this, you also get various deleted scenes, alternate opening and ending as well as a deleted scenes montage that shows some scenes wrapped in between the released scenes so you can see where they would have fit in.
If you've never seen a Jackie Chan film before (what rock have you been under if you haven't?), then see this one first. The stunt work and action is raw and in real time. No wires, no digital enhancements, just pure, raw stunt work caught on film in real time.
Excellent DVD release and it's about time!
"
Jackie chan police story
Robert W. Pace | 08/02/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Awesome movie crappy DVD. Looks worse than the vhs tape I have. You can't turn the subtitles off so you have english and korean or whatever it is on the screen at the same time. Also the dvd pixalates (breaks-up) quite often, not even worth a $ 1 do not buy or you will be very dissapointed. Hopefully someone will realize that this movie was released with an english soundtrack and re-release it properly along with The Big Brawl. DO NOT BUY!!!!!
Well they re-released this awesome movie and it looks great BUT they changed the dubbed voices so now everyone sounds different including Jackie they also changed some of the dialogue not quite what I wanted but hey I guess it's out right."
Great action and humor you'd expect from classic Chan
dominion_ruler | Carolina, USA | 12/31/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally its on dvd, and long overdue - one of the best Jackie Chan movies ever made. Police Story is classic Chan at its best, including terrific action and great Chan humor. Jackie Chan plays "Kevin Chan", and is a one man army in this action blast.
After capturing a criminal drug lord in an explosive action-packed beginning sequence, the movie only begins to take off, as Chan constantly fights off goon after goon wherever he goes to protect a witness to the criminal. The drug lord only frames Chan for killing another cop, result, Chan becomes one angry and determined man to take matters on his own hands to capture the guy once and for all, who had escaped his first capture swiftly thanks to his ridiculous lawyer at the hearing.
The action is constant from beginning to end, and where there isn't Chan fighting and action, there is the comedy and humor, resulting in great pacing overall. The real treat of Poilce Story is the final fight in the shopping mall, where fist fly, glass breaks everywhere, motorcycles run, and Chan performs an outrageous stunt that is shown 3 times from different angles during the movie - sliding down a multi-story string of lights and crashing into a glass house. Simply amazing and one of his best known stunts ever.
Poilce Story is a must for the heart of any Jackie Chan collection, and now that its on dvd you can experience this much deserved movie in better than VHS quality. Thank God Poilce Story 2 is to be released soon too, another excellent Chan flick!"