Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: An epic two-part wuxia-comedy based on the writings of acclaimed Chinese novelist Jin Yong, the Royal Tramp films star Stephen Chow as a cowardly bard who finds himself part of a real adventure when he is inducted into a sect of revolutionaries. Wai Siu-bao (Chow) is known for his exciting tales of adventure and heroism, but his life is quite dull. After rescuing the leader of a revolutionary movement from a police ambush, Wai is recruited into the Heaven and Earth Society and sent to steal secrets from the royal palace. However,in the palace things get complicated fast and Wai realises he has to play all sides off against each other if he is going to survive. Featuring incredible choreography by ChingSiu-tung (A Chinese Ghost Story, Duel To The Death), Royal Tramp and Royal Tramp II are a pair of hilarious and exhilarating action-comedies from director Wong Jing and the “King of Comedy” Stephen Chow. Newly restored in 4K, Eureka Classics is proud to present both films for the first time ever in the UK as The Royal Tramp Collection. (110/98 Mins)

 

Mei Ah HK DVD Synopsis (Part 1): The elf of the brothel Wei Xiao Bao outwits the troop and saves Chen. Chen induces him to join them and acts as a spy in the palace. Wei fights with Kengxi, the Emperor and become friends. The coming elf manages to kill Aobai by his tricks and hence wins the confidence of Kengxi. Kengxi confers an honourable title on Wei who has just been instructed to kill him (110 Mins)

 

Mei Ah HK DVD Synopsis (Part 2): The story followed the scenario of the last episode with the disguised Mother of the King (Cheung Man) failing to take the reign and ran back to the base of Dragon God Cult for confession. Her dying leader then ordered her to return to her real identity, Lung Yee (Lin Ching Ha), and to take the post of the leader for helping Ng Sam Kwai (Tsun Pei) in taking the reign. While in the whore, Wai Siu Po (Chiau Sing Chi), Do Lung, together with Wai Tsun Fa were playing. When Sui Po went for the toilet, he was caught by Ah All (Lee Ka Yan) and her classmate, forced to tell where the villain Duke of Wai has gone. Sui Po managed to fool the girls, making them chase after Do Lung. In the fight, Sui Po found that Ah All the beautiful girl, so he tried to save her and pleased her, but then... (97 Mins)

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Views: Based on the popular Jin Yong novel, The Deer and the Cauldron, Royal Tramp is a wuxia comedy that was split into two parts upon release with both films going on to sit in the Top Five highest-grossing films of 1992 – which is ironic considering that the other three also belonged to the amazing Stephen Chow Sing Chi including King Of Beggars, All's Well Ends Well, and Justice My Foot! Fast talking pimp and story-teller Wai Siu Bo, who is famous in the brothel that he works at for the tall stories that he tells, saves the leader of the revolutionary Heaven & Earth Society and is made an honorary member of the organization with the promise of him learning kung-fu from Chan Kan Nam himself. But he is soon sent off on his first assignment, on a mission to infiltrate the palace and steal a secret manual for his new master which soon comes with its own plethora of problems. On his first day in the palace, Wai finds himself lined up to become a eunuch although is spared by Hoi Tai Fu who has other plans for him. In a quick turn of events, Siu Bo is sent deeper into the royal rooms in order to draw out the fake Empress Dowager while looking for the sacred book. As expected, Wai finds himself catapulted into a world of political intrigue, royal assassination attempts, magic warriors, and epic martial arts battles!

 

Written and directed by the prolific Wong Jing, Hong Kong's busiest film-maker, the Royal Tramp films give fans three-and-a-half hours of outrageous comedy, gravity defying martial arts action, and plenty of romance – although without ever getting too soppy about it. While its countless list of characters and intricate plot may scare off even the most hardened Hong Kong film fan, the Royal Tramp films have often been considered as some of the best from the Chow Sing Chi and Wong Jing pairings. Of course, the both of them have worked on many great titles over the years including God Of Gamblers 2, Tricky Brains, God Of Gamblers 3: Back To Shanghai, Hail The Judge, Fight Back To School, Forbidden City Cop, and many more. Here, Wong is aided by assistant director Raymond Yip; a man who has worked the same role on many of the aforementioned Wong and Chow movies as well as Hong Kong hits such as A Chinese Ghost Story 2, Dances With Dragon, Casino Tycoon 1 & 2, Last Hero In China, City Hunter, Future Cops, Storm Riders, A Man Called Hero, The Warlords, and the Young & Dangerous series. Yip would make his directional debut in 1995 with the wacky Sixty Million Dollar Man – the Wong Jing produced Chow Sing Chi comedy that did pretty well at the box office – before going on to deliver titles such as I'm Your Birthday Cake, Portland Street Blues, For Bad Boys Only, Anna In Kung Fu Land, Bruce Lee My Brother, Cook Up A Storm, and the unfortunate Donnie Yen flop Iceman: The Time Traveller (which has been his last directional effort to date)...

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As well as having Stephen Chow Sing Chi as its leading man – a star who had already won the Hong Kong people over in the years leading up to Royal Tramp's release as a popular television presenter along with films such as Curry & Pepper, Look Out Officer, All For The Winner, Tricky Brains, Legend Of The Dragon, the Fight Back To School Trilogy, God Of Gamblers sequels, and more – the film boasts a massive cast of the top stars; many of whom had worked with Chow or each other over the previous years and, undoubtedly, under the direction of Wong Jing himself. These include the late Ng Man Tat, Chow's regular co-star and sidekick that went onto gain over 170 film credits before unfortunately passing in 2021 after 45 years in the industry. Here, Ng plays blind Eunuch Hoi in another hilarious performance that never fails to make me laugh. They are joined by another Wong Jing regular and popular Hong Kong comedy star, Nat Chan, who started acting around a similar time to Ng although had already gained fame as a singer and member of Alan Tam's pop-rock band, The Losers. Since the late 70s, Chan has been making film fans laugh with his appearances in films such as Hong Kong Playboys, Prince Charming, Magic Crystal, Crazy Companies, Kung Fu Vs Acrobatic, Ghost Punting, Flirting Scholar, and many more. Hong Kong leading ladies – Sharla Cheung Man, Chingmy Yau, and Sandra Ng also join the leading cast; most of whom worked with Wong Jing on a regular basis. Of course, Sharla Cheung Man would make her feature film debut in Wong Jing's fantastic action-comedy, Magic Crystal, and has pretty much spent the most of her career working for him in films such as God Of Gamblers and its many sequels, My Neighbours Are Phantoms, Lee Rock 1 & 2, Dances With Dragon, the Fight Back To School Trilogy, Holy Weapon, Kung Fu Cult Master, and many more. The same can be said for both Chingmy Yau and Sandra Ng, who shared the screen with Cheung Man in many of the aforementioned titles, with the former said to have been in a relationship with the director at points throughout her career and proving her worth in titles such as Naked Killer, City Hunter, Future Cops, Legendary Couple, and more. It's worth pointing out that, since making her debut in 1985 with a small role in Sammo Hung's fantastic Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, Sandra Ng has went onto become on of Hong Kong's cinemas biggest names as an award winning actress, producer, and director, with around 150 film credits to her name and still going strong today – often starring alongside Chow Sing Chi in many of his greatest films.

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The wonderful Brigitte Lin steps in for the sequel – albeit for a quick reveal at the end of the first chapter – as the Divine Lady of the Dragon Sect; her true form after Cheung Man jumps into a magic pond with the great Helena Law Lan and become one, re-appearing as Lin. Unlike the rest, this would be her only other film with Wong Jing apart from Boys Are Easy alongside Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, Maggie Cheung, and her Royal Tramp co-stars Chingmy Yau and Sandra Ng. Fellow female stars Michelle Reis, Fennie Yuen, Vivian Chen, Helen Man, and Yueng Ching Ching also appear, with the latter doubling-up as one of the films' fight choreographers as part of the action team. Familiar faces such as Kent Tong, Paul Chun, Damian Lau, Lee Ka Ting, Hung Yan Yan, Yen Shi Kwan and many others also co-star, with the brilliant Elvis Tsui Kam Kong hamming it up as the big baddie of part one. Although he had starred in some of Wong Jing's earlier (written) works including Wits Of The Brats, Tsui would go on to star in many more of his directed films such as The Flying Mr. B, Girl With The Diamond Slipper, Born To Gamble, and God Of Gamblers Returns, as well as Chow Sing Chi titles Hail The Judge and Sixty Million Dollar Man, proving to be a scene stealer once again in Royal Tramp with his wild antics.

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Produced under the Heung brothers' Win's Movie Productions banner, the films offer plenty of fantastic wuxia action courtesy of the great Tony Ching Siu Tung, along with the talented Yuen Bun, Dion Lam, Ma Yuk Sing, and aforementioned Yeung Ching Ching – most of whom appear throughout. It's worth noting that action like this was not new to Ching Siu Tung who had proven himself as an actor, choreographer, and director in his own right with films such as Duel To The Death, A Chinese Ghost Story, Dr. Wai & The Scripture With No Words, Heroic Trio, and the famed Swordsman Trilogy with Wong Jing even going as far as to spoof the popular sequels of the latter films and its character of Invincible Asia which, legend has it, drove Ching to quit during the production of Royal Tramp 2. While this kind of action had been incredibly popular during this period, and for quite a few years before, Ching and his team manage to keep things fun and exciting with plenty of insane wire-fu, magically enhanced martial powers, and intricate kung-fu moves that is sure to please any true fan of Hong Kong cinema.​ With some great cinematography from Joe Chan and David Chung – the director of Hong Kong classics such as Royal Warriors, Magnificent Warriors, and I Love Maria – stunning costume design by Kenneth Lee and Shirley Chan, highly detailed set-pieces, amazing wuxia action, and plenty of genuinely hilarious comedy moments, the Royal Tramp movies are still considered two of the best from the Chow Sing Chi catalogue and are even more stunning today than they have ever been thanks to their incredible new 4K restorations and Blu-ray release by Eureka Video!

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Overall: Hilarious, brilliantly directed, and crammed with stunning wuxia action, Royal Tramp and its sequel are two of Chow Sing Chi and Wong Jing's most enjoyable pieces!

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88 Films Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restorations, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & F. J. DeSanto, Two Interviews with Wong Jing, Archival Interview with Helena Law, Trailers

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Mei Ah DVD Extras: Trailers​

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Watch my unboxing video of this Eureka Video release HERE

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Watch my video retrospective on the film HERE