Customer Reviews

Hong Kong Action Cinema

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nice overview. Well written and well researched. Great section on Liu Chia Liang! Not in depth and not meant to be. It covers all the basics and leaves you wanting to know more. If you are unfamiliar with the world of Hong Kong Cinema, you couldn't go wrong renting any of the films discussed in this book. I like it alot.

I've had this book since it came out in 1996, and I STILL go back to it a lot. It's a fantastic overview of HK action movies, and it covers the early origins of HK cinema, 60's movies, Bruce Lee, Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, Jackie and Sammo, Horror, fighting women, new wave wuxia, gunplay movies, etc., and it goes right up to about 1995. There's lots of various "top 10" lists of movies and fight scenes, and it gives a smattering of the historical context of some of these films and their subject matter. Since this book was published, we've seen the advent of DVD, and a greatly increased availability of these films. When this book came out, it was almost impossible to find decent quality versions of many Shaw Brothers films, but since the Celestial remastering in the early 2000's, there are now literally hundreds of Shaw movies available in pristine widescreen prints with original language. Similarly, there are many more Golden Harvest movies, and independents available as well. Given the luxury of choices we have now, Logan's book may not seem too in-depth; it's not, and it wasn't meant to be. But still (pun intended), this book really puts the whole HK movie tradition in perspective, and gives you the context for appreciating many of the films that are out now. I've found it very useful when I want to explore a subgenre that I wasn't too familiar with, like Hong Kong horror: this book gives you a nice background, as well as a listing of the classics of the genre for you to seek out. In a nutshell, this book doesn't cover slightly more obscure movies, themes or actors, but if you're looking for a solid baseline reference that covers the most important and influential movies, stars, directors and trends of HK action cinema, this is a valuable addition to your library.

Realizing (again) that i don't have to settle for american crud, i dug this book out and marveled again. Color, b/w photos, comprehensive listings (to '95), good taste, smooth and infectiously enthusiastic writing - A+!

This is easily one of the better books out there on this particular subject.Written by a westerner,the author has a fairly impressive amount of information here that doesn't usually get mentioned in books like this.It is obvious that he really loves the material,this isn't a dry scholarly read - a fun book!
My only complaint is not enough space devoted to the Shaw Brothers - entire chapters on Bruce Lee (yawn...),Jackie Chan,Sammo Hung,etc.. Otherwise,worth your time

Hong Kong Action Cinema by Bey Logan is another good guide to one of the most innovative film corporations. The films that have come out of Hong Kong are a lot of fun and a lot more creative than the cookie cutter homogenized celluloid clones that Hollywood continues to crank out ad nasuem. Although Bey Logan doesn't go too deep into the history of the cinema (he's very opinionated) he gives the reader enough to go out and seek out the movies and other information themselves.

The book doesn't capture the wealth of information and humor that he showcases on his audio commentaries for D.V.D.s (such as The Fist of Fury and the Celestial releases). A world a difference compared to the crappy books that have been released about the same subject matter (i.e. Asian Cult Cinema). I would also grab a copy of Hong Kong Babylon as a supplement.

If you're looking into this genre, I would strongly recommend this book.

Everything you ever needed to know about Hong Kong Action Cinema is in this book. Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, and of course Bruce Lee! Its all there. A great book for the coffee table or to bring to the video store with ya. Its great, and can be read and re-read. I especially love when he ranks the best fight scenes!

A good reference book and better than the quasi-racist Asian Cult Cinema. Has a better sense of history and has good coverage, particularly of 70s movies.

This book is a treasure trove. It is a must-read for any fan of the genre. Bey Logan is truly an expert on HK cinema, and martial arts, as well. His enthusiasm for the material is infectious, and his insights are spot-on. Not to mention the wealth of inside detail--this isn't a Westerner's view from the outside- Bey is actually an insider who knows well and has worked on films with many of the actors and creators he writes about. It is too bad this book is so old- he should put out an expanded, encyclopedic work. Scoop this book up used before it becomes impossible to find.

PS. Don't miss his commentary tracks on all of the Dragon Dynasty DVDs--they are fantastic!

I would like more information on shaw brothers martial arts films from 1970-1999.Starting with the actors,directors and shaw brothers them self.A brief biogarphy about each one.

An insight into HK flicks with occasional errors.