| Drunken Tai Chi | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Traditional Chinese | 笑太極 |
| Simplified Chinese | 笑太极 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Xiào Tài Jí |
| Jyutping | Siu3 Taai3 Gik6 |
| Directed by | Yuen Woo-ping |
| Written by | Yuen Woo-ping Brandy Yuen Peace Group |
| Produced by | Chow Ling-kong Wang H.W. Wang |
| Starring | Donnie Yen Yuen Cheung-yan Yuen Shun-yi Yuen Yat-chor Lydia Shum Mandy Chan Don Wong Lee Kwan Chang Hsun |
| Cinematography | Chan Wing-shu |
| Edited by | Wong Chau-kwai Robert Choi |
| Music by | Tang Siu-lam |
Production company | Peace (Hong Kong) Film |
| Distributed by | Dragons Group Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Box office | HK$6,937,773 |
Drunken Tai Chi is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping.[1] It is notable for being the acting debut of Donnie Yen, who had previously performed as a stuntman. The film showcases Yen's martial arts skills as well as his b-boying abilities, including a scene in which Yen performs a moonwalk.[2]
Plot
A spoiled young man who is on the run from a ruthless killer finds accommodation with a puppeteer and his heavy-set wife. Both of them are masters of the art of tai chi, the only style of martial arts that can defeat the killer.
Cast
- Donnie Yen
- Mandy Chan
- Lydia Shum
- Wong Tao
- Yuen Cheung Yan
- Yuen Hsin Yee
Reception
Reviewer Simon Rigg of kungfukingdom.com writes that while the film never reached the popularity of Drunken Master, "nevertheless it’s a great kung fu showcase in its own right. It’s an unconventional mix, featuring American crazes (skateboarding) and a killer with a very human side alongside a lot of slapstick and bawdy humour, but it’s impossible not to be taken in by Donnie and the team’s set-pieces. It holds a special place in Hong Kong film history for bringing Donnie Yen to the fore and as one of the last films to feature step-by-step intricate choreography."[4]
The book The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies by Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer, and Ric Meyers calls the film a "commonplace, simple story of revenge with humorous touches", noting its "great kung fu! The Yuen family is listed as the fight choreographers, and that usually means a cornucopia of visual effects and breathtaking martial arts. They don't let us down here." The film is given a rating of 3 1/2 stars.[5]
References
- 1 2 "Drunken Tai Chi". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ↑ "Donnie Yen breakdance". YouTube.
- ↑ "Drunken Tai Chi (Xiao Tai Ji)". Miramax. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ↑ "Drunken Tai Chi (1984)". 4 November 2013.
- ↑ Palmer, Bill; Palmer, Karen; Meyers, Ric (January 1995). The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9781461672753.