Customer Reviews

My Young Auntie

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When the master of a huge kung fu family is dying, he marries a gorgeous young woman so that his somewhat evil brother (played by Johnny Wang Lung Wei) won't inherit all of his possessions. Wang Lung Wei being the villain that he is looks to steal the will when his brother dies. Kara Hui plays the aunt and goes to take the will to her late husband's other brother (Lau Kar Leung). Lau gives himself a rare lead role and his son is played by his real life disciple, Hsiao Hou. Hsiao Hou has plans to make his grand aunt look like a fool.

Lau Kar Leung's comedy is on full display in this classic. Hsiao Hou and Gordon Liu play friends in the movie and there are plenty of odd situations, such as fencing at a masquerade party.

If you are not a fan of Lau's comedies, I can guarantee that you won't like this movie. But if you do like his comedy then you can expect this to be one of his very best. Almost a 5 star movie, but it could have used a couple more good fights.

If you are someone who watches these movies just for the fights, you may want to at least take a glance at this. The final fight between Wang Lung Wei and Lau Kar Leung is a short masterpiece. Wilson Tong has 2 very good fights, and there is no better choice than having the chiseled Kwang Young Moon play the iron skin master. His fights could have been better, but this movie is so star studded it can easily be forgiven. Yuen Tak gets in some good fencing action, and so does Gordon Liu, while wearing a blonde wig!

4/5

Picture quality is perfect. I didn't spot a single blemish. The mono Mandarin track sounds good. No Cantonese track unfortunately. The English dub is the way to go since it gives a better translation than the subtitles. If you do listen to the English dub, you will need to turn the subtitles on when Gordon Liu sings his song. Yeah, that's right, Gordon Liu sings, and also plays guitar.

Special features contain a horrible commentary, a great 22 minute interview with Kara Hui, a gallery of posters and production stills, and a bunch of original Shaw trailers. ORIGINAL trailers. I must emphasize this. They have the original trailers for 'One-Armed Swordsman', 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' (AKA The Master Killer)', 'The Blood Brothers', 'Buddha's Palm', 'Mad Monkey Kung Fu' and 'Heroes of the East' (AKA Shaolin Challanges Ninja). Special features don't get any better than these trailers. Just as an added bonus, Dragon Dynasty has included the original trailer for 'Infernal Affairs 3'.

The commentary is not very good if you are looking to learn about the genre. They make fun of Kwan Young Moon's iron skin technique and say there must be something sexual going on. It probably would have helped if these idiots had seen the movie 'Executioners from Shaolin' where Pai Mei uses this technique. And they don't even know who Kwan Young Moon is. There are tons of actors that show up and they don't have a clue of who they are. Guys like Yuen Tak, Johnny Wang Lung Wei and Wilson Tong. This isn't even something you research, it is something you know if you are a fan of the genre. If they didn't know the names, I could understand that, but at least they could have said something like- "hey, there's the guy who fights Gordon Liu at the end of 'Martial Club' and 'Return to the 36th Chamber'. There was literally nothing brought up that I found interesting. They barely talk about the actors and they could have talked about a lot of other intersting stuff like the Shaw Brothers studios, how the actors careers started, Mona Fong, how much money the movie made..., but no, it is 2 hours of worthless commentary.

I noticed an error in the details; the screen format is 2:35:1, not 1:66:1, and there are quite a few extras like an awesome 22 minute interview with the "Young Auntie" herself, Kara Hui Ying-Hung and original widescreen Shaw Brothers trailers. This is NOT a bootleg, this is a re-mastered version of a great Liu Chia-liang (Lau Kar-leung) movie. I'm not going to go into the plot, but I will say that this one is a Liu comedy. If his brand of comedy appeals to you, you will definitely enjoy this. Besides, the fu (choreography by Liu & Hsiao Hou) is absolutely incredible. Many great cameos by Gordon Liu (who sings and plays guitar here), Kwon Young-Moon, Wilson Tong & Yuen Tak (one of Jackie Chan's classmates during their Opera school days). Many great set-pieces including a ballroom dance turning into an all-out brawl, European fencing versus Chinese swordplay & the numerous martial bouts towards the film's end, culminating with a fantastic bout between Johnny Wang & Liu Chia-liang (seen on the bottom of the DVD's cover). In short, a classic Liu Chia-liang comedy, a great looking DVD by Dragon Dynasty; crisp, blemish- free picture, widescreen, clear audio & re-mastered subtitles. However, stay away from the English dub & the audio commentary, quite simply, stinks on ice.

I had never seen this movie before purchasing it but I knew of it's reputation as one of the first kung-fu comedies and I was intrigued. Besides I like girls who can kick ass. I found it to be very entertaining, the fight choreography was very good, and it was far funnier then I thought it was going to be and the star, Kara Hui looks beautiful. Like alot of the Shaw Brothers movies; they have a somewhat dated feel to them but I think it works in it's favor as a bridge between what kung-fu movies were in the 1970' and early '80's and what they have become now. I highly reccomend this movie because it's fun, lighthearted, and a little sexy.

This is a MASTERPIECE! The story line,comedy and action is flawless! You must get this film! You won't be disappointed! The final fight is one of the BEST in the Kung fu cinema genre!

This classic Shaw Brothers film is a romantic Kung Fu comedy. The young heroine, Dai Nan, marries a dying patriarch to safeguard his estate from a villainous third brother. She must deliver the will and estate papers over to the 4th child, Jing Chuen, of the good brother.

The comedy develops from the generational differences among them. The heroine is now by marriage the aunt of the much older silver-haired nephew, Jing Chuen. He must treat her with great deference befitting an elderly family matriarch. Yet, the auntie, (played by a sixteen year old Kara Hui) is very young, gorgeous, a total knock out. A romantic interest develops between the young auntie and the nephew's son, Ah Tao (played by Hsiao Hou). Auntie denies it. There is a rivalry between the two as each tries to outdo the other in Kung Fu, front flips, and general showing off reminiscent of Irving Berlin's song "Anything you can do". During one of their skirmishes, they break some antiques surrounding the family's ancestral shrine. Auntie takes full advantage of her special family status to order (gleefully) the most draconian punishment she can dish out to Ah Tao.

There is a lot of slapstick comedy and gags, such as a hard Kung practitioner whose skin bends knives and swords. One unforgettable scene involves Kara Hui dressed in an elegant cheung-sam and silk stockings, fighting off some young street hooligans. If you miss blood and gore, this movie is not for you. There are no horror scenes. Nobody dies.

There are numerous weapons scenes. There is some fencing: rapier vs. Chinese sword, rapier vs. short knife, (yes, you heard right) with hilarious strategies and results. The blade work upstages the staff, whip chain and other weapons. Great fun to watch! Nothing like a good sword fight to liven things up!

There are a few song and dance numbers. The dancing is o.k. but not great. A "square dancing" scene goes on long enough to be a distraction from the main storyline. The film still rates a full five star rating from me because there are so many memorable scenes that are put together so masterfully.

For serious Kung Fu fans, the opening main titles page has Lau Kar-Leung performing Hung and Cai fist styles as well as Liu, Monkey and Sau Fa fighting styles. The cinematographer was good enough to give us close-ups of the fist work as well as the footwork. It is easy to miss this if you are busy reading the opening credits. The final hand-to-hand combat scene between Jing Chuen (played by Lau Kar-Leung) and the villainous third uncle (Wang Lung Wei) is excellent. The interactive menu will allow you to play your favorite fight scenes over and over again.

Considered by many to be a Kung Fu classic, this Lau Kar-Leung flick is another of those films that has much to enjoy, however; the material in between those scenes can be pretty rough! Kara Hui is introduced here as the central character(The Young Auntie if you will). Although nice to look at and a strong female lead, I found her character to be fairly unlikeable and her fighting scenes are probably the worst in the film. Hsiao Hou plays the charismatic nephew who is always trying to show his Kung Fu superiority (great facial expressions) and is impressive even when scripted into campy situations(like sword-fighting with a small army knife while dressed as Peter Pan!?). Lau Kar-Leung steals the show to no real suprise. He is obviously the best fighter of the entire cast(although Gordon Liu shows up in a bit part) and is electric throughout. The movie clocks in at roughly 2 hours and even though there are fight scenes scattered through the first hour and a half it is the final half hour, filled with Kung Fu mayhem and Leung and Hou fighting alongside to rescue thier Aunt that saved this for me. And that great finale is what elevates this to the 3 stars I gave it... everything up until then is worth watching once but rather forgettable. If you do enjoy the genre comedy elements of this era(slapstick, misunderstandings, sexual inuendo, bizzare situations, dance routines, etc.) than this is a must own... these are the elements that brought the film down for me personally. Either way this is worth a viewing and the DVD release by Dragon Dynasty is top notch as always(special features are a rare letdown though).

some spoilers:

This movie is so underrated and timeless. I've watched a lot of Kung Fu movies with plots set in the 1980s in modern Hong Kong cities. At the time they were all the rage while Shaw Brothers was growing less popular as the 80s progressed. Fast forward a few decades later, and those Shaw Brother movies have withstood the test of time while all of those trendy so called "kung fu" movies set in the big city look horrifically dated!

My Young Auntie was released in 1981, with a circa set some time in the 1940s or 50s if one were to judge by the "motor cars" and fashion. As a period piece it's authentic, despite being filmed on a Shaw Brothers sound stage.

Kara Hui plays Ching Dai Nan, young student of the dying elder of the Yu family. He convinces her to marry him, with instructions to protect his assets from his malevolent brother. She must bequeath her late husband's estate to his nephew Yu Jing Chuen. Young Auntie takes her charge seriously. As the wife of an elder, second uncle, she becomes an elder of the family despite her young age. She soon meets her nephew, but Yu Jing Chuen is much older than she expected. He is also surprised that his Auntie is young enough to be his daughter. Comedy ensues when his teenage son (Hsiao Ho) arrives, who is around the same age as Young Auntie.

Yu Jing Chuen's son, Ah Tao (Who likes to be called Charlie Yu) has his "daddy" wrapped around his finger. He has been away to Hong Kong for school where he is learning English. Ah Tao is enamored with western culture which causes him to clash with his traditional young "aunt". His father commands Charlie to treat his aunt (who is an elder) with deference. But Charlie remains resentful and disrespectful, especially when "daddy" threatens to take away his schooling after he fails to keep a protective eye over Grand Auntie (let's just say she ends up in a sexy dress cut to high heavens, and a pair of torn panty hose) after a trip to the big city.

The movie plays up Kara Hui's attractive looks and if you're not paying attention, it also plays up the alpha male-ness of Hsiao Hou who for many of his scenes parades around with his shirt half-buttoned when he's not being a smart-ass.

Charlie embodies a western teenager's attitude and Hsiao Ho plays him very well. He's unjustifiably cocky, and a bit of a snob. Eventually, his antics gets them in trouble, and both Young Auntie and Charlie will soon need the wisdom of their elders to help them out.

Both are experts in Kung Fu. Auntie using a southern fighting style, and Charlie preferring to use both southern and northern styles, with a bit of western boxing thrown in. Dad is traditional and kicks butt. The movie ends with amazing and very entertaining fight scenes culimating to a battle of "my dad can beat up your dad". Of course, Charlie and Auntie, whose mild flirtation is built on competition, strive to outdo each other.

There are a few romantic moments between the two as they try to avoid awkward encounters, such as Charlie serenading Grand Auntie, (whom he also ocassionally refers to Grandmother when he speaks to her in English). A date to a dance where they play dress up as westerners. There is also an awkward moment when Charlie (who at first despises her) discovers his grand auntie (or grandmother?) in a sexy dress. We also get a really funny proposal that doesn't end well for Charlie.

Terrific performance by Kara Hui as a young woman who must embody the spirit of an older woman, and Lau Kar Leung as the dad, who is also hilarious and he is very skilled at Kung Fu. Of course, I prefer Hsiao Hou, he makes the movie funny and entertaining for me. His fighting style is unpredictable and different from the other characters in the movie.

I really enjoyed this movie.

The story premise is good. A young girl marries an older man in order to save his martial arts school from being taken over by an evil relative.
She (having learned Kung-Fu in the very school she inherits) is amazing in her fight scenes.
And when she meets and teams up with the rest of her in-laws, it's funny as they try to understand why this young girl is their "elder".
The fight scenes are typical but well choreographed and executed. The comedy elements add to this movie without being too "hokey" for comedy's sake.

This is another Dragon Dynasty release and I'm very impressed with the quality of the films they've been putting out. The picture is clean and the remastering is top-notch.
The special features include an interview with the lead character played by actress Kara Hui, which is nice to get her input on how this movie came to be and what it was like to be in it.

I would very much recommend this movie to others who are a fan of Kung-Fu films.

This was a great movie, it has some comdey in it but over all it was very good. Lots of action you can not help cheer for young Auntie as she takes on the bad guys. Great actions and fight scens.

Not that the gorgeous, skillful Kara Hui starred in so many classic martial arts pictures, but for damn sure she made an impact in her day. MY YOUNG AUNTIE - which to me is much cooler than its alternative title FANGS OF THE TIGRESS - is Kara Hui's breakout film. Much like Cheng Pei Pei before her and Michelle Yeoh after her, Kara Hui had no formal martial arts training and so relied heavily on her dance background to help her transition into martial arts cinema. Her performance in MY YOUNG AUNTIE earned her Best Actress honors in the 1982 inaugural Hong Kong Film Awards.

She plays Cheng Tai-Nan, a young woman who, at a dying old man's request, marries him so that his wealth and holdings don't end up in the clutches of his evil brother. Lau Kar-Leung (a.k.a. Liu Chia-Liang) directs and, as is his wont, he gives himself a plum role, this time that of Cheng Tai-Nan's benevolent nephew. I'm certain it won't be lost on the viewer that Lau Kar-Leung is much older than his very young auntie. An amusing early scene on the docks certainly mines this arsebackwards age discrepancy. But Lau Kar-Leung is a gracious filmmaker and he allows his two younger stars to get the brunt of screen time. And the camera loves, loves, loves Kara Hui, with her exquisite smirk and elegance and attitude and mad skills.

MY YOUNG AUNTIE tries on several hats. It's a kung fu actioner, a zany comedy, and, at one point, a musical. Humor being such a subjective animal, whether you favor MY YOUNG AUNTIE or not will ultimately depend on if you can stand the slapstick routines which dominate the film. Admittedly, for me, I think its two hours' running time may be too long, and by that I mean that it allows for too much silliness to go down. The sequence with the masquerade ball is particularly brutal. There were some funny elements, absolutely (like the above mentioned scene at the docks and, later, the bit with the aunt coaching her old out-of-shape relatives-in-law thru a training regimen, thus giving us the hilarious "Pile Up The Monks" maneuver). Lau Kar-Leung made a point of introducing Cheng Tai-Nan as a stern and dignified widowed aunt, but this is only so that he could present her in later scenes in which she becomes the brunt of jokes. And it always seems to happen during Cheng Tai-Nan's forays into modern womanhood. Although, to be honest, mostly it's her grand-nephew getting her into scrapes. In a way, Lau Kar-Leung is wryly commenting on the westernization of early 20th century China. Still, a glammed up Kara Hui gets a chance to show off her loverly legs.

The grand-nephew Ah Tao is played by Hou Hsiao, and his kung fu is solid, except that his character here is supremely annoying. Ah Tao (whose English name is "Charlie") is a westernized college student and exudes a cockiness that is initially unwarranted. The same age as his grand-aunt, the two right away embark on this sometimes funny, hotly contested rivalry which also doubles as this barely concealed courtship. Their relationship drives much of the story.

Kara Hui's performance throughout and the last 30 minutes are the film's saving grace. The last half hour comprises a series of extended fight sequences, and the fight choreography is awesome. Somewhere in the final act, director Lau Kar-Leung says "Heck with this!" and gets back in front of the camera and proceeds to mete out some harsh assskickings. There are several highlights during this half hour, some of them owned by Kwan Yung Moon's thuggish practitioner of hard Qi Gong. That last rumble between Lau Kar-Leung and Wong Lung Wei is also sweet and is rife with various Hung Gar techniques (the crane, tiger, crab, and even a monkey stealing a peach).

Dragon Dynasty DVDs typically come with top notch bonus stuff, and no different here: an audio commentary from film critics/scholars David Chute & Andy Klein (Bey Logan must've been sick or something); bios on the commentators (because absolutely no one wanted to know); an interview with Kara Hui (00:13:05 minutes long with English sub-titles) and an interview with David Chute & Andy Klein who at this point may be getting too much pub (00:07:35); the original theatrical trailer and the New Home Video trailer for MY YOUNG AUNTIE; and a stills gallery.

Kara Hui made several other terrific martial arts films. Off the top of my head: INVINCIBLE POLE FIGHTER, MARTIAL CLUB, LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA, and THE LADY IS THE BOSS. Also, fans of martial arts star Gordon Liu may be curious to know that he has a cameo in MY YOUNG AUNTIE as Ah Tao's sidekick. You'll know him by his ridiculous wig and that guitar he strums. He's definitely not channeling the monk San Te in this one.