Conference bookie::movies

508.0. "The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk" by EDABOT::RDAVIS (I am Wong..........Jing!) Wed Mar 30 1994 18:57

    Those who find films like "Swordsman II" and "Once Upon a Time in
    China" just too linear, lah-di-dah perfectionist, plot-driven, and
    intellectually demanding might want to give "The Legend of Fong Sai
    Yuk" a try.  (I've also seen the name phoneticized as "Fong Sai Yoke",
    but "Yuk" is more appropriate.)

    The F/X are embarrassing, except for the misleadingly gory first
    minute.  A lot of the jokes fall flat.  (The joke about wife-beating is
    well executed, but may not translate well.)  The structure is, uh,
    avant-garde.  But it's still the most entertaining movie I've seen in a
    couple of months, way ahead of "Naked Gun 33 1/3" (whose joke about
    Rodney King is well executed, but may not translate well).

    Two nuclear families tangle in Canton:

       Dad of Family 1:  A crass Manchurian warlord sent to govern the
       city.  Imagine Ernest Borgnine playing Archie Bunker as a pro
       wrestler General Buck Turgidson.  I don't remember seeing this actor
       before, but he's hilarious.

       Dad of Family 2:  An dignified Confucian scholar/community-leader. 
       Kind of like Droopy in the Tex Avery cartoons, except less physical. 
       The actor, who played Chow Yun-Fat's feckless friend in high places
       in "The Killer", really knows how to milk that phlegm.

       Child of Family 1:  Standard issue sexy spunky rebellious classy
       daughter, siding somewhat with the local populace.  Michelle Reis
       (Lee Ka Yan), who played Kiddo in "Swordsman" and "Swordsman II", is
       considerably more dignified in this role.

       Child of Family 2:  Goofy goodhearted carefree teenage superhero son
       Fong Sai Yuk (yes, I managed to remember this character's name). 
       Fong Sai Yuk has a legend, and, in comic book terms, this movie is
       his Secret Origin Story.  Jet Li is considerably as usual in this
       role.  He may be a little long in the tooth, but it kind of works
       with the general mood; like those late Dead End Kids movies with
       everyone pushing thirty.

    And, in the twist which makes the film, the real stars:

       Mom of Family 1:  A dignified principled way-sharp woman who's
       worked her way up from Ernest Bunker Turgidson's concubine to become
       a respected wife, mother, and kung fu champion.  This is the Tragic
       Role. Don't know the actress; she's very good, though.

       Mom of Family 2:  The ultimate kung fu fighter in Canton.  And the
       chief goofy goodhearted carefree kung fu influence on her son.  In
       fact, I think this is the first movie I've ever seen anywhere about
       a mother and son having such a flipping good time together. 
       Josephine Siao (Siao Feng Feng) is the genius responsible for
       performing this role, and I can't imagine anyone else doing it.  I
       hope it made her very well-paid, since I'm pretty sure it didn't nab
       her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

    Plot?  Say what?  

    <utterly ridiculous spoilers>


    OK, the two crazy kids bump into each other and fall in love but don't
    know each other's names.  The warlord decides to improve his local
    image by holding a kung fu contest for the hand of his daughter in
    marriage.  His wife -- the girl's mother -- is the person the suitors
    have to defeat.  As "the Outstanding Youth of Canton", Jet Li enters. 
    For give-me-a-break reasons, he forfeits, although only after a long
    heated battle conducted ON TOP OF THE HEADS OF THE CONTEST'S AUDIENCE. 
    Yes, that's right: "crowd surfing fu".  Disgruntled by the disgrace
    brought to the family and to Cantonese martial arts, Jet Li's mother
    enters the contest in drag, and, after another long heated (really
    heated) battle wins both the daughter's hand and the mother's heart. 
    Hilarity ensues, at least until the bad guy comes back.  Oh, didn't I
    mention the bad guy?  That's OK; at the end, Superman shows up, and I
    didn't mention him either.

    Well, it all gets very complicated, like a frothy French farce topped
    with plenty of frappe.  Add blood to taste.

    Some good lines from Jet Li, including my personal name, "Mine is
    short, but powerful," "Mom, you look so WICKED!", and "Mom, why didn't
    you ever tell us you were gay?" 

    But, as you may have already gathered, the best moments belong to Oh
    That Mom, from her opening "Foreign devils have deep throats," to a
    memorable defense of the thesis that "A fabric shop is like a
    bordello."  Whether swooning to poetry, seducing the in-laws, plotting
    an escape, improvising a disguise, fighting off an army, succoring the
    lovelorn, or shouting advice to her son, Siao embodies maternal virtue. 
    Oedipus never had it so good.

    Have you phoned home lately?
    Ray

    The sequel, confusingly titled "The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk II" ;^),
    will be playing in Berkeley next week as part of the on-going Hong
    Kong fest.
    
    It sports the same director, same cast, and probably the same plot. 
    I'll have to go check it out.
    
    - Dave