Jackie Chan's Breakout Hits

[Finch]

He was the biggest movie star in the East for two decades, but Hong Kong action legend Jackie Chan had never successfully cracked the West… until the 1990s kicked off a six-film run of phenomenal smash hits that would finally make him an international household name, instantly synonymous with the most jaw-dropping and death-defying stunts ever put on screen!

1994’s Drunken Master II sees Jackie back as Wong Fei-hung, the role that first made his name, and teaming up with Shaw Brothers legends Lau Kar-leung and Ti Lung to deliver the ultimate, era-defining love letter to classic kung fu. The following year saw Jackie’s first number one box office success in America thanks to Rumble in the Bronx, in which he visits New York City and must defend his friends and family against vicious street gangs and ruthless smugglers, followed by Thunderbolt in which Jackie is forced to compete behind the wheel against a criminal street racer who has kidnapped his sister. In the fourth entry of the much-beloved Police Story series (also known as First Strike), Jackie chases a stolen nuclear warhead on an explosive globe-trotting secret mission; Chan’s “big brother” Sammo Hung takes the director’s chair in Mr. Nice Guy as Jackie plays a TV chef in Australia forced to do bloody battle against the mob; and finally in Who Am I?, our hero is an ass-kicking amnesiac on the trail of a mysterious new power source as well as his own lost identity.

Finally together and restored in 4K for the first time, this collection of unparalleled martial arts madness chronicles Jackie Chan’s crossover to worldwide superstardom (just before Rush Hour made him a bonafide Hollywood icon), in which no bone in his body is left unbroken in his quest to leave you entertained!

LIMITED 10-DISC 4K UHD COLLECTION CONTENTS

• Brand new 4K restorations of each film from the original negatives by Arrow Films
• Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
• 160-page perfect bound book featuring an archive interview with Jackie by Craig D. Reid plus new writing by Thorsten Boose, Peter S. Bruce, Matt McAllister, Elaine Chung and Jialu Zhu
• Twenty-four lobby card reproductions
• Reversible poster with vintage poster artwork

DISC 1 – DRUNKEN MASTER II

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of three versions: the uncut 102-minute Hong Kong Cut , the 100-minute International Cut and the American Cut re-titled The Legend of Drunken Master (102 mins)
• Original lossless Cantonese, Mandarin and English mono audio for the Hong Kong Cut
• Original lossless English mono audio for the International Cut
• Original English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio for The Legend of Drunken Master
• Optional English subtitles and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
• Before the Breakout, a new featurette in which stuntman Wang Yao, academic Dr. Wayne Wong and critics David West and James Mudge look back at Jackie Chan’s earlier career
• Breakout! Part 1, a new featurette in which Wong, West, Mudge and stuntman Mars look back at the film
• Deadly When Drunken, a new interview with co-writer Yuen Kai-chi
• Tipsy Tribulations, an expanded interview with stuntman Mars
• Period Postures, a new interview with academic Dr. Lars Laamann on the historical context behind the film
• Drunken Defiance, a new appreciation of the film by martial arts cinema expert Ricky Baker
• Archive interview with Jackie Chan filmed for the American release in 2000
• Alternate Mandarin drinking scene (contains standard-definition inserts)
• Textless outtakes
• Chinese New Year messages recorded by Jackie for the Taiwanese and Malaysian openings
• Trailer gallery
• Image gallery

DISC 2 – RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (HONG KONG CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless Cantonese/English (sync-sound) stereo audio and English (export dub) mono audio
• Optional English subtitles and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
• Breakout! Part 2, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars, stuntwoman Kathy Hubble, martial arts cinema expert Ricky Baker and critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
• Rumble Recollections, an expanded interview with Hubble
• Alternate footage
• Textless outtakes
• Image gallery

DISC 3 – RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (INTERNATIONAL CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original English-dubbed lossless stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Electronic press kit interview with Jackie Chan
• Two scenes added for the network TV version with dubbing unique to this version
• US trailer and TV spots

DISC 4 – THUNDERBOLT

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of the uncut 110-minute International Cut
• Original lossless Cantonese/English (sync-sound) stereo audio, English (export dub) stereo audio and English (US dub) DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• 97-minute Japanese Cut with lossless Cantonese/English sync-sound stereo audio (high-definition only)
• Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
• Breakout! Part 3, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars, critics David West and James Mudge, and dubbing supervisor Paul Clay look back at the film
• A Thunderous Presence, an expanded interview with Clay on his collaborations with Jackie Chan
• Alternate English export credits
• Textless outtakes
• International trailer
• Japanese trailers
• Image gallery

DISC 5 – POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE (HONG KONG CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless Cantonese/English (sync-sound) stereo and Mandarin (dubbed) stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
• Breakout! Part 4, a new featurette in which critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
• Textless outtakes
• Image gallery

DISC 6 – POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE (INTERNATIONAL CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original English-dubbed lossless stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Striking Back, a new interview with martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
• Scenes added for the US network TV version with dubbing unique to this version
• US trailer

DISC 7 – MR. NICE GUY (JAPANESE & HONG KONG CUTS)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio for both cuts
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new commentary by critic James Mudge
• Breakout! Part 5, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars and critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
• Nice Thoughts, a new appreciation by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
• Alternate English credits
• Textless outtakes
• Original trailer
• Image gallery

DISC 8 – MR. NICE GUY (INTERNATIONAL CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• US trailer

DISC 9 – WHO AM I? (HONG KONG CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new commentary by critic James Mudge
• Breakout! Part 6, a new featurette in which critic James Mudge, actor Glory Simon and second unit cinematographer Ray Wong look back at the film
• From Drunk to Slam Dunk: Jackie Chan in the New Millennium, a new featurette in which Mudge, Simon, Wong, stuntwoman Kathy Hubble, stuntmen Wang Yao and Mars, critic David West and others look at Jackie’s career in the years since
• The Making of Who Am I?, a three-part archive behind-the-scenes featurette
• Alternate English credits
• Textless outtakes
• Original trailer
• Image gallery

DISC 10 – WHO AM I? (INTERNATIONAL CUT)

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Who, When & Where, an expanded interview with Wong
• Jostling with Jackie, an expanded interview with Simon
• US trailer

[rapta]

Sad it's 4K only as it makes the set more expensive than a Blu-ray would've been and puts me off pre-ordering, but glad for the hardcore fans who will no doubt lose their minds over this. If it's gone by the time I can afford to get it, I'll just get the reissues (ended up doing exactly that with the Bruce Lee set). I guess I'm not in a huge rush to read about Jackie Chan films either so won't be too upset missing out on the book!

[colinr0380]

Interesting. A lot of these are that mid-90s period post his biggest scaled and arguably best film, Police Story 3: Supercop, where Jackie was trying to go more international and particularly break into the US market before Rush Hour did it for him. I seem to remember that there was actually a divergent split in the Police Story series after Police Story 3: Supercop, where Michelle Yeoh's character got her own spin-off film in 1993 called either Supercop 2 or Project S and then Jackie's official "Police Story 4" film was 1996's First Strike. All of those films were directed by Stanley Tong, as was Rumble In The Bronx.

Rumble In The Bronx is of course notorious because despite its title it is all obviously filmed in Vancouver(!) with the exciting action sequence of that film taking place on a hovercraft, of all vehicles! Also notably Rumble In The Bronx also appeared in the BBC's final Moviedrome series in 2000, albeit in the shorter international English dubbed version, and pan-and-scanned to boot! That is the only version that I have been familiar with until now, so I am quite looking forward to judging it in its proper aspect ratio and to see if the longer version may work any differently!

And whilst I have not seen Mr Nice Guy or Thunderbolt as yet, I have seen the DVD of Who Am I? I don't remember too much about the content of the film itself (though I seem to recall that it was doing a kind of Bond-but-with-amnesia thing a few years before Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity!) but it features a very memorable stunt sequence sliding down the outside of a glass building in Rotterdam, which ends with a perfect characteristic self-deprecating moment for Jackie! So again with that one, it will be interesting to compare what I think is the "international cut" that previously was released in the West on DVD with the Hong Kong one.

(Wasn't there something going on during this period of Jackie's films where, because of wanting to get into the US market and signing distribution agreements with the US studios, that these alternate Hong Kong versions for the local audience which would normally be available in bootleg form or in Chinatowns were actively being cracked down at the time of release in favour of the 'official' international version that was distributed via the likes of Miramax's Dimension films label, New Line or Columbia Pictures? That would be what makes getting these alternate versions finally released in the West quite a cause for celebration)

[cantinflas]

And whilst I have not seen Mr Nice Guy

It was a big thing over here at the time for being shot in Melbourne. I remember Jackie went on our classic variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday to talk about shooting it but also to promote Rumble in the Bronx and I've often mixed them up ever since!

[Mr Sausage]

Mr. Nice Guy is one of my favourite Jackie Chan’s. It’s underrated, I think. I like it way more than the better known First Strike.

[Adam X]

It was a big thing over here at the time for being shot in Melbourne.

My only real memory of this is a scene where Chan’s running around the city. The problem with being so familiar with Melbourne was noticing that every time he turned a corner, he was blocks away from the previous street. and then sometimes reappears in previous locations nicely, if somewhat unengagingly, illustrated by this video (no, that YouTuber’s not me). It’s now looks like it’s become a nostalgic time capsule, given how much Melbourne’s changed in the last 30-odd years.

This is another great but disappointing Warner-licensed release for it only being released on UHD. While I’m sure it’s a licensing thing, it’s frustrating to have these much needed releases being held at arms length by virtue of the disc format. Something else for a future rainy day when I’ve finally made the 4K leap, then.

[Finch]

Brandon Bentley couldn't confirm definitively that there will be individual releases:

It might not be a given that these will have individual releases, as the Bruce Lee set was made up primarily of Fortune Star-licensed films (which are usually much more laxed with licensing specifics), while these are all Warner Bros. Having them all together could've been part of the agreement with WB (similar to Shout/Scream Factory being forced to release the three Miramax Halloween films in a three pack, rather than individually). So as of now, it's 50/50.

[nicolas]

Check discs for this set are already out in the wild. Here's the first set of screenshots: https://postimg.cc/gallery/V1w2MBQ

[yoloswegmaster]

JamesF, I know you can't confirm specific titles that haven't come out yet but are you able to confirm if Arrow will be releasing more GH titles that are owned by WB?

[JamesF]

JamesF, I know you can't confirm specific titles that haven't come out yet but are you able to confirm if Arrow will be releasing more GH titles that are owned by WB?

That still falls under “I can't talk about titles that haven't been announced or teased yet” I’m afraid.

[yoloswegmaster]

JamesF, I know you can't confirm specific titles that haven't come out yet but are you able to confirm if Arrow will be releasing more GH titles that are owned by WB?

That still falls under “I can't talk about titles that haven't been announced or teased yet” I’m afraid.

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