Kung Fu Hustle

Stephen Chow sets the film in 1940s Shanghai and plays its opening straight: the Axe Gang wipes out the rival Crocodile gang. Cartoon physics arrive only after violence has a cost. The alley’s tenants are masters; the hero is not. Sing sits out most of the fighting, which belongs to middle aged supporting players. Yuen Wah had been Bruce Lee’s stunt double. Sammo Hung started as action director but left after about two months; Yuen Woo-ping took over. The alley draws on the 1973 Shaw Brothers picture The House of 72 Tenants. The Road Runner gag in the landlady chase was unscripted: Chow says it came up on set. Six prizes followed at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards: best film, best supporting actor for Yuen Wah, best film editing, best action choreography, best sound design and best visual effects. Best director went to Derek Yee; Chow took that in November at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards, which also gave the film best feature and Yuen Qiu best supporting actress. A good fit if you want the fighting to belong to the neighbourhood elders rather than the lead, and the effects unreal by design. Not for viewers expecting the opening brutality to set the tone: the film moves into Road Runner physics and stays.