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Drunken Tai Chi

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Drunken Tai Chi
Film poster
Traditional Chinese笑太極
Simplified Chinese笑太极
Hanyu PinyinXiào Tài Jí
JyutpingSiu3 Taai3 Gik6
Directed byYuen Woo-ping
Written byYuen Woo-ping
Brandy Yuen
Peace Group
Produced byChow Ling-kong
Wang H.W. Wang
StarringDonnie Yen
Yuen Cheung-yan
Yuen Shun-yi
Yuen Yat-chor
Lydia Shum
Mandy Chan
Don Wong
Lee Kwan
Chang Hsun
CinematographyChan Wing-shu
Edited byWong Chau-kwai
Robert Choi
Music byTang Siu-lam
Production
company
Peace (Hong Kong) Film
Distributed byDragons Group Film
Release date
  • 31 May 1984 (1984-05-31)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeHK$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

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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

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Source:[1][3]

Reception

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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

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  1. ^ a b "Drunken Tai Chi". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Donnie Yen breakdance". YouTube.
  3. ^ "Drunken Tai Chi (Xiao Tai Ji)". Miramax. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Drunken Tai Chi (1984)". 4 November 2013.
  5. ^ Palmer, Bill; Palmer, Karen; Meyers, Ric (January 1995). The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9781461672753.
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