Customer Reviews

God of Gamblers [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you like Chow Yun-Fat, you will like this movie! I bought this movie first on vhs. The vhs is wide screen with chinese subtitle, and english under it. When they put it to DVD, they made it fit to television (ie not widescreen). In doing so they
cut off the english subtitles. IF YOU DON'T KNOW CHINESE DON'T BOTHER BUYING THIS, UNTIL THEY COME OUT WITH A BETTER VERSION!!

Underappreciated as an actor in the west, Chow Yun Fat shows his versatility in this Hong Kong Comedy/drama. Chow stars as Ko Chun a gifted gambler with an almost supernatural gift for gaming, hence his exalted title.

Ko Chun is suave and sophisticated, master of his gaming, monetarily successful and comfortable in his abilities. This makes him enemies among not only opponents, but as it turns out, supposed friends.

Having narrowly escaped an assasination attempt, Chow unwittingly walks into a trap set by Knife, a young gambler wannabe who has little success in his endeavors. Knife meant to teach someone else a lesson by sabotaging a trail below his home, instead, Ko Chun is the victim. Finding the head injured gambler, Knife and his family take him in and nurse him back to health, not knowing who has fallen into their laps.

Ko Chun awakens from his trauma with no memory and regressed to a childlike demeanor with an insatiable hunger for a particular brand of chocolate (one carry over from his former life), and as Knife and Co. find out, a talent for gambling. Knife and his crew make good use of their new friend's abilities--becoming upwardly mobile thanks to "Chocolate"--the nickname they bestow upon him.

Chow Yun Fat has never been more endearing and charming as the brain injured "Chocolate". Where other actors might come off as goofy, pitiable or even laughable attempting this shift, Chow makes it believeable and incredibly touching. The viewer wishes to protect Chocolate from a world he no longer understands and which is by turns baffling and inhospitable--just as Knife and his crew come to love and protect their friend.

Their sudden success brings unwanted attention, which leads to pursuit, kidnapping, ransom and gunplay, and further trauma to poor Chocolate, leading to a showdown that highlights the God of Gamblers uncanny ability to win, even when opponents cheat and "friends" betray.

While Chow Yun Fat's ability and charisma are at the heart and soul of this film, the supporting players are excellent, especially Andy Lau and Joey Wong.

A must see and a must own for any Chow Yun Fat fan! Getting increasingly hard to find--get your copy now! (Review of the VCD unedited version. The DVD is edited and several scenes of the group becoming upwardly mobile have been deleted).

I've been a MAD Chow Yun Fatt & GoG fan when this original movie was produced. I think they made a mistake; this was a 1989 movie, not 1990. Still, it's a real CLASSIC, spawning lots of copycats as well. It is indeed a TAILOR-MADE role for Chow, who is incredibibly charismatic!! See, even 10 years after the movie was produced people are still talking about it!!! Yes, of course, I couldn't agree more, Chow is the coolest actor in the world....and many say he's cool with the guns, but I prefer him handling cards. He's just sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo charismatic!!! This classic flick....

Mind and Dexterity....

Deft and Cunning.... Loyal and Humble....

God of the dices....

God of the mahjong tiles....

God....

OF GAMBLERS.

I wish someone else had mentioned this, but this is a horrible trasfer of a great film. The video picture quality is very poor and made from a very scratchy film print. on top of that you will most likely NOT be able to read the subtitles (unless you can read Cantonese)as they are cropped off the bottom of the screen. Different televisions have different overscan rates (they amount the crop off the edges of the picture you are watching). This problem may not be as bad on another t.v. set, but the amount they were cut off on mine was far greater then the standard differences in overscan across different t.v. manufacturers lines so I doubt you will have a different experience. This is usually NOT an adjustable feature. Wish I had better news to print.

Too bad the folks who produced this didn't take some care with it. The picture is passable and the sound is OK but if you're interested in following the plot from reading the English subtitles be prepared for a lot of guessing and frustration as they are mostly unreadable at the bottom edge of the screen. I don't know how the subtitles are for the other languages, never tried them since I don't read them. But with no English language track the lack of useful English subtitles makes this DVD worthwhile only for the hard-core Chow Yun-Fat fan in America.

When I heard this movie, decided to check it out and found it very entertained. It combines comedy, drama and some action styles from John Woo's Action Flicks. I must praise Chow Yun Fat for his performance, because I have never seen anyone who could act as a 10 years old as Yun Fat did in "God of Gamblers"...strongly recommend you to check it out!

i accidentally found copies of both 'god of gamblers' and 'god of gamblers' return' on DVD at my local record store. they are both distributed thru a company called mei ah entertainment, which put out 2 of jet li's films (hitman & my father is a hero). i took both DVD's home and put them in the player, and i was totally blown away. the transfers for both films are excellent, widescreen and the subtitles are a digitized white on the screen. you have the option of reading them in english and traditional or simplified chinese. the sound is also satisfactory. the DTS logo is on the packaging, so you have a choice between digital dolby 5.1 or digital dolby 2.0. there are 2 language tracks: chinese and mandarin. the best part, however, is that these DVD's can play in all region DVD players!

as for the films themselves...the popularity of the original 'god of gamblers' (1989) ignited a new genre in hong kong cinema of gambling films. suave gamblers of all ages and genders have been the protagonists of many films since the original, getting maximum mileage out of the exciting prospect of 'god-like' gambling abilities. even some not specifically 'gambling genre' films began including gambling scenes that echoed the cinematic exhilaration and tension inspired by 'god of gamblers'. the original's director, wong jing, did some success-surfing of his own with his 'god of gamblers II' and 'god of gamblers III back to shanghai' starring parody king stephen chiao...although either 'god of gamblers' or 'god of gamblers' return' may not break any new cinematic ground, it certainly does succeed in reaffirming chow yun fat's unparalleled appeal and success in the genre's terrain (HKFM).

if you could find the mei ah edition of these films, snatch them if you can. i must add they are a bit pricey ($25 each), but they are both worth it!

What can I say...this movie shows just how cool Chow Yun-Fat can be in all situations. One moment he is a great gambler, the next moment he is a child (a cool child to say the least), then he is an expert killer...yes, all this in one movie. Just having him on the screen makes this movie good. Do you want to learn how to "bluff" in a card game and get away with it? If so you need to watch this movie and take notes. Wong Jing picked the correct person to play "The God of Gamblers" in this movie...not like all the other sequels and prequels he made later (an exception to this would be "God of Gamblers Returns" where Chow Yun-Fat reprises his role as...you know who). Everyone should own this movie...it will teach you how to eat chocolate in a cool manner.

The God of Gamblers is a super Hong Kong kung fu cheese fest, unfortunately, unless you speak Cantonese, the DVD is useless. This is because the subtitles appear cut off below the bottom of the screen (I assume due to a bad transfer). So unless you are sure a new version has been released don't buy this DVD

Leave your fingers of this version. A very good movie, Chow-Yun Fat at its best. But you will only understand, if you know to talk chinese! The english subtitles have been cut of!