Shout Factory US Blu-ray Synopsis: Long before the world discovered Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, they were members of a children's Peking opera troupe. Painted Faces is the colorful story of the adolescent years of Jackie, Sammo, and others who grew up to transform Hong Kong cinema. Sammo Hung recreates the role of his former troupe master, and Cheng Pei Pei (Come Drink With Me) is radiant as a Cantonese opera star. Painted Faces swept the 1988 Hong Kong film Awards and Taiwan Golden Horse ceremonies, its many honors included two Best Actor statues for Sammo Hung. (112 Mins)

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Views: More famously known as the film that tells the story of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao's time spent at the Peking Opera School, Painted Faces shines a light on the ways of their teacher – Master Yu Jim Yuen, who is played by Sammo Hung himself. The film starts with the young Jackie Chan's arrival at the academy, with a reluctant Mrs. Chan signing over her son that gives Master Yu permission to teach – and even beat the mischievous youngster to death. Although homesick after a short while, Jackie learns to adapt to the strict rules of the school and finds new brothers in his classmates, winning them over with his cheekiness and clowning around. As the story progresses, the children are prepared for the stage and soon appear in shows for large audiences, impressing with their acrobatics and stage work yet at the same time, putting their master to shame with so many mistakes. But under his tough exterior and iron-handed teachings, the boys find love and appreciation for their master – a traditional man who is stuck in his ways – and soon make him proud with their achievements, as well as getting a little help and understanding from Master Yu's close friends Uncle Hua, an opera brother-turned-stuntman, and Master Cheng – mistress of the all-girls opera school, whom Master Yu has an eye for!

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While it has been criticized by both Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan for only teasing how brutal their upbringing at the Peking Opera School really was, Painted Faces is still a fascinating film to watch. With strong performances all over, the film offers plenty of humour, impressive acrobatics, romance, and emotion as the kids grow-up under the watchful eye of a man who is struggling to deal with the fast-paced changes in modern Hong Kong. The casting of the kids is just brilliant, with each of them having somewhat of a visual connection to their namesake – and especially when the younger kids are swapped for teenage actors, just before the halfway mark. The likeness of teenage Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan was just spot-on.​ Although he had already been writing for a few years in the Hong Kong film industry such as 100 Ways To Murder Your Wife, The Happy Bigamist, The Autumn's Tale, and To Err Is Humane, Painted Faces would be the directorial debut for Alex Law Kai Yui (of which he also penned alongside Mabel Cheung). Oddly enough, as great as the film is, Law has only ever directed another four films since, including the Chow Yun Fat vehicle Now You See Love... Now You Don't and Echoes Of The Rainbow with Simon Yam and Sandra Ng. He would continue writing of course, delivering films like Eight Taels Of Gold, Moon Warriors, The Soong Sisters, and The Black Sheep Affair starring Vincent Zhao, to name but a few. To date, Alex Law's final project would be as the writer for Mabel Cheung's 2015 film, A Tale Of Three Cities – a film that she co-wrote with him once again, and also saw Law produce. It's very strange how his career panned out actually, considering his nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the 1989 Hong Kong Film Awards for Painted Faces, as well as many other nominations for others he wrote and a win for The Autumn's Tale starring Chow Yun Fat and Cherie Chung.

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Apart from Law's screenplay and direction, the cast is a really big win for me in Painted Faces. The always wonderful Sammo Hung Kam Bo gets the chance to play his old master, Yu Jim Yuen – which is probably one of the most interesting casting choices I've ever seen to be honest, with Hung having had years of first-hand experience under Master Yu's ruling. He does an incredible job as the iron-fisted teacher, beating and training his students morning, noon, and night – including the younger version of himself, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and many other Hong Kong movie legends. Sammo has always been a fantastic actor and his role here gives him the chance to shine, bagging him the award for Best Actor at the 1988 Hong Kong Film Awards and Asia-Pacific Film Festival. It was certainly a strong year for the big man with the awesome (and ironically titled) Dragons Forever, this gem, and a cameo in the Andy Lau thriller In The Blood (directed by his school brother Corey Yuen Kwai), before moving onto the wonderful Pedicab Driver through to 1989. The late Lam Ching Ying (who I miss massively) plays Uncle Hua, an old opera brother of Master Yu. He broke off long ago to work in the film industry as a stuntman (very much life imitating art for the man) and goes on to inspire the kids to do the same as the years at the opera school comes to a close. Although he only pops in and out, I really loved Lam in his role here which gave him the chance to show just what a great actor he was – as well as execute a painful-looking stunt that goes on to end his character's career. And the wonderful (and also late) Cheng Pei Pei stars as Master Cheng, the teacher of the all-girls school of dance and the woman that steals Master Yu's heart. It was great to see her in such a role, and although void of any kung fu or fighting during her time on-screen, Pei Pei still manages to light up the screen whenever she appears...

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Interestingly produced by both Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest, Painted Faces is gorgeously shot by cinematographer David Chung Chi Man – director of classic Hong Kong films such as It's A Drink! It's A Bomb!, Royal Warriors, Magnificent Warriors, and I Love Maria/Roboforce. Chung also worked as the DOP on a host of great titles including God Of Gamblers 1 & 2, Zodiac Killers, Flirting Scholar, Esprit D'amour, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, Once Upon A Time In China, Full Throttle, and many more. Keeping a very classic look to the whole thing, Chung fills every shot with gorgeously detailed set pieces and scenery that makes Painted Faces a must to own on Blu-ray! Opera school brother Yuen Wah looks after the action, along with the Sammo Hung Stunt Team, most of which focuses on the more classic style of Peking operatic acrobatics and stage combat – all but for Lam Ching Ying's aforementioned film stunt moment, which was just superb. Regardless of its lack of kung fu action, Painted Faces still proves to be a highly entertaining piece held together with some great performances, great cinematography, and a story that should be of interest to any true fan of Hong Kong cinema!

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Overall: Wonderfully written and directed by Law, Painted Faces is a very entertaining piece that gives fans a small insight to the upbringing of some of Hong Kong cinemas greatest stars!

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Shout Factory Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & F.J. DeSanto, Interview with Co-Writer Mabel Cheung, Interview with David West on Sammo Hung, Interview with John Kreng & Ric Meyers, Trailers

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Watch my unboxing video of the Shout Factory release HERE