- Dragons Forever
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Dragons Forever 
Dragons Forever DVD coverTraditional 飛龍猛將 Simplified 飞龙猛将 Mandarin Fēi Lóng Měng Jiāng Cantonese Fei1 Lung4 Maang2 Zeong1 Directed by Sammo Hung
Corey Yuen
Fruit Chan
Alexander Chan
Wan FaatProduced by Raymond Chow
Leonard Ho
Barney WuWritten by Gordon Chan
Leung Yiu Ming
Szeto Chuek HonStarring Jackie Chan
Sammo Hung
Yuen Biao
Deannie Yip
Pauline Yeung
Yuen Wah
Benny UrquidezMusic by James Wong
Michael Lai
Jackie Chan
Anita MuiCinematography Jimmy Leung
Cheung Yiu TsoEditing by Peter Cheung
Joseph ChiangDistributed by Golden Harvest
Fortune Star
Paragon Films Ltd.Release date(s) January 10, 1988 (HK) Running time 94 min. Country Hong Kong Language Cantonese 
Dragons Forever (飛龍猛將; Fei lung maang jeung) is a 1988 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Sammo Hung. Film stars Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. The three actors, known colloquially as the Three Brothers, had attended the famous China Drama Academy together, and became members of the Seven Little Fortunes. This is the last film to date that all three have appeared in together.[1]
It was directed by Sammo Hung and another former member of the Seven Little Fortunes, Corey Yuen (aka Yuen Kwai). Yet another classmate, Yuen Wah, plays the film's main villain, while legendary kickboxer Benny Urquidez plays his right hand man. Dragons Forever was filmed between September and November 1987.
Contents
Synopsis
A fishery is seeking court action against a local chemical factory for polluting the water. The mysterious chemical company hires lawyer Jackie Lung (Jackie Chan) to find information that will discredit the fishery. He employs his arms dealer friend, Wong (Sammo Hung) to woo the fishery owner, Miss Yip (Deannie Yip), to try to convince her to settle out of court. Lung also brings in crackpot inventor and professional criminal, Tung (Yuen Biao), to bug her apartment. Unfortunately, Wong and Tung are unaware of each others' roles and soon come into confrontation, whilst Lung tries to maintain the peace.
Wong falls for Miss Yip, whilst Lung woos her cousin, Miss Wen (Pauline Yeung), an environmental scientist who is going to testify on Miss Yip's behalf. The three men inadvertently discover that the chemical company is just a facade for a narcotics empire, ran by Hua Hsien-Wu (Yuen Wah). They soon come up against Hua's thugs, and ultimately infiltrate the factory for a showdown with Hua himself and his henchman - martial arts master (Benny Urquidez).
Versions
Two scenes with Timothy Tung Te-Biao (Yuen Biao) visiting a psychiatrist (played by Lucky Stars veteran, Stanley Fung) were cut from the domestic Hong Kong print, and the Japanese print of the film, but remain for the international version. These scenes appeared as extras on the Hong Kong Legends DVD of the film, entitled "Couch Potato" and "Mr Kinetic".[2] In the latter, the psychiatrist was in the process of being robbed. So that Tung wouldn't realise a robbery was taking place, one of the robbers, posing as the psychiatrist, gave him advice over the intercom - to "kill the witnesses", which explains why Tung attacks Jackie Lung (Chan) and Ling (Pauline Yeung) in a later scene, wearing a mask and armed with a knife.
Several scenes were slightly trimmed for the international version. The only scene completely omitted shows how Tung Te-Biao leads Jackie and Ling into the chemical factory, having informed them about the danger Wong Fei-Hung (Sammo Hung) was in. They locate a hidden door, leading to where Wong is held captive and the drugs are refined. Ling distracts the guard, allowing Jackie the opportunity to attack.
Cast includes
- Jackie Chan - Jackie Lung / Johnny Lung
- Sammo Hung - Wong Fei-Hung / Luke Wang (as Samo Hung)
- Yuen Biao - Tung Te-Biao / Timothy
- Pauline Yeung - Wen Mei-Ling / Nancy Lee
- Deannie Yip - Miss Yip
- Yuen Wah - Hua Hsien-Wu / Boss Wah
- Chang Ling - Jackie's assistant
- Chen Jing - Arms buyer
- Crystal Kwok - Mary (Jackie's Assistant)
- Roy Chiao - Judge Lo Chun-Wai
- Benny Urquidez - Thug (Scary Leader) (doubled by Mars)
- Billy Chow - Thug
- Chan Lung - Factory Thug (uncredited)
- Chung Fat - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Fung Hark-On - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Wong Yu - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Yuen Cheung-Yan - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Lau Kar Wing - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Mang Hoi - Ship Thug (uncredited)
- Stanley Fung - Psychiatrist (cut in Hong Kong version) (uncredited)
- Lay Kah - Thug (uncredited)
- Phillip Ko - Thug (as Ko Fai)
- Kuen Chan Fu - Thug (uncredited)
- Lam Wai - Bar Thug
- Chin Kar-lok - Bar Thug (uncredited)
- Wan Faat - Bar Thug (uncredited)
- Chan Tat-kwong - Bar Thug (uncredited)
- Lee Ka Ting - Thug (credited as "Lee Ka Ding")
- Kong Lung - Thug (uncredited)
- Lo Lieh - Triad Gangster Boss (uncredited)
- Lau Chau Sang - Factory Thug (uncredited)
- Po Tai - Ship Waiter (uncredited)
- Cho Wing - Factory Thug (uncredited)
- King Lee - Factory Thug (uncredited)
- Danny Chow - Thug Leader at the Beginning / Ship Thug (2 roles)(uncredited)
- Johnny Cheung - Thug at the Beginning / Factory Thug (2 roles) (uncredited)
- Benny Lai - Thug at the Beginning / Factory Thug / Ship Waiter (3 roles) (uncredited)
- Rocky Lai - Thug at the Beginning / Factory Thug (2 roles) (uncredited)
- Nicky Li - Thug (uncredited)
- Kam Kong Chow - Factory Thug (uncredited)
- Lung Kong - Arms buyer
- Shing Fui-On - Mao Shih-Cheng (uncredited)
- Shum Wai - Jackie's boss (uncredited)
- James Tien - Security Boss Charlie Feng
- Sam Wai - Thug
- Wan Wong Yu - Thug (uncredited)
- Dick Wei - Ship and Bar Thug Leader
- Fruit Chan - Restaurant Patron (extra) (uncredited)
- James Ha - Triad Boss thug (extra) (uncredited)
- Woo Fung - Man, the Attorney
- Wu Ma - Gentleman
- Chris Chan - Thug
Reception
On the Hong Kong Legends DVD release of Dragons Forever, Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan offers his opinion of why the film underperformed both in the domestic and Japanese markets. The primary reason cited is that the actors played roles against type. Jackie Chan plays a slick lawyer who chases women, in contrast to the happy-go-lucky everyman characters he usually plays.[3][4] Similarly, Yuen Biao plays an eccentric and possibly mentally disturbed character, rather than the underdog character fans were used to. For Sammo Hung, rather than the timid character that's been described in earlier films, he instead plays like a rascal. Logan explains that in general, the cinema going public in Hong Kong are not as open to such departures of role as, perhaps, the public in the West would be.[3]
Additional reasons cited include the occasional use of coarse language in the film, and the scenes of narcotics production, particularly Hung's character being injected with drugs against his will. The fact that Chan's character has a relationship with a woman may also have had an effect, particularly in the Japanese market, as many female viewers couldn't accept that their idol wasn't single. On learning that Chan was in a relationship in real life, one Japanese fan had committed suicide and another poisoned herself in the offices of Golden Harvest.[3]
Box office
Dragons Forever grossed HK $33,578,920 in its Hong Kong theatrical run. Whilst the domestic gross was not poor, to Golden Harvest it was comparatively weak for a Chinese New Year release, considering it featured the three biggest stars of Hong Kong action cinema. Box office returns in other parts of Asia were also lower than expected.[4]
Awards and nominations
- 1989 Hong Kong Film Awards
- Nomination: Best Action Choreography
See also
References
- ^ Project A, Biography (DVD). Hong Kong Legends. 2002-06-24.
- ^ "DVD Times". Dragons Forever. http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=57537. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
- ^ a b c Bey Logan (2005-06-27). Dragons Forever, commentary track (DVD). Hong Kong Legends.
- ^ a b "The Spinning Image". Dragons Forever. http://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=1326. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
External links
- Dragons Forever at the Internet Movie Database
- Dragons Forever at AllRovi
Films directed by Sammo Hung 1970s 1980s Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980) · The Victim (1980) · The Prodigal Son (1981) · Carry On Pickpocket (1982) · Winners and Sinners (1983) · The Owl vs Bombo (1984) · Wheels on Meals (1984) · Heart of Dragon (1985) · My Lucky Stars (1985) · Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985) · Millionaire's Express (1986) · Eastern Condors (1987) · Dragons Forever (1988) · Spooky, Spooky (1988) · Pedicab Driver (1989)1990s Pantyhose Hero (1990) · Slickers vs. Killers (1991) · Ghost Punting (1992) · Moon Warriors (1992) · Blades of Fury (1993) · Don't Give a Damn (1995) · Mr. Nice Guy (1997) · Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997)1980s Ninja in the Dragon's Den (1982) • Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street (1984) • Yes, Madam (1985) • No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) • Righting Wrongs (1986) • In The Blood (1987) • No Retreat, No Surrender 2 (1987) • Dragons Forever (1988)1990s She Shoots Straight (1990) • All for the Winner (1990) • Top Bet (1991) • Ghost Punting (1991) • Saviour of the Soul (1991) • Saviour of the Soul II (1992) • Fist of Fury 1991 II (1992) • Women on the Run (1993) • Fong Sai-yuk (1993) • Fong Sai-yuk II (1993) • The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994) • My Father Is a Hero (1995) • Mah-jong Dragon (1997) • Hero (1997) • 97 Legendary La Rose Noire (1997) • Enter the Eagles (1998)2000s Categories:- Hong Kong films
- 1988 films
- 1980s action films
- Hong Kong action films
- Cantonese-language films
- Martial arts films
- Action comedy films
- Films directed by Sammo Hung
- Kung fu films
- Golden Harvest films
- Martial arts comedy films
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