Hong Kong Legends UK DVD Synopsis: Bursting with energy, hyper-kinetic fight-action and stunning imagery, New Dragon Gate Inn tells the story of fabled resistance fighter, Zhou Huaian (Tony Leung), and his heroic struggle against despotic eunuch and master swordsman Cao Shao-qin, played with considerable menace by martial-arts supremo Donnie Yen (Once Upon A Time In China 2). From world-renowned producer, Tsui Hark, who pioneered such visionary classics as 'Zu Warriors' and 'Once Upon A Time In China', comes New Dragon Gate Inn: an atmospherically tense action-drama packed to the brim with amazing fight sequences, awe-inspiring cinematography, and nail-biting drama. The final fight sequence shot in the Gobi desert is an adrenaline-pumping masterpiece, which is undoubtedly one of the most memorable scenes in any Hong Kong movie. Fans of Jet Li's 'Swordsman 2' will love it! (99 Mins)

​

Nova Media South Korean Blu-ray Synopsis: *No synopsis on box*

 

Views: Tsui Hark's early 90s new-wave Wu Xia epic has a lot to offer fans of Hong Kong cinema, yet equally, seems to have slipped into obscurity over the last decade or so. The film is a re-imagining of King Hu's classic Dragon Inn, complete with plenty of cheeky Tsui humour and quick-fire wu xia action courtesy of the wonderful Tony Ching Siu Tung. Set during the Ming Dynasty, a power-hungry eunuch rules his desert Kingdom of the East Chamber ruthlessly and is set on destroying all rebel clans who get in his way. While using the children of a traitorous secretary as bait, Eunuch Tsao Sui Yan's plans are interrupted by a group of rebels who rescue the young prisoners who soon find refuge in a rundown desert inn – but it doesn't take long for Tsao's men to catch-up. Jade King, the beautiful and deadly proprietor of the Dragon Inn, sets out to make some cash from the situation, but soon finds that her home is to become the battle ground of the two clans who go head-to-head in a frenzied, gravity defying final battle!

 

I've always liked New Dragon Inn – or New Dragon Gate Inn as I would have first known it by – and while it was never a favourite of mine as a teenager (partly due to its desert setting, artistic direction and poor VHS/DVD quality), I have to admit that I have totally fallen in love with the film since having the Nova Media Blu-ray in my collection. This restored version has totally shed new light on Hark's piece for me, boasting an array of beautiful colours and detail that I was never able to enjoy before. Cinematographers Arthur Wong and Tom Lau deliver some incredible visuals between them, capturing the vastness of the desert settings as well as utilising the wonderful lighting on offer when inside Dragon Inn. A legend behind the lens, Wong was behind the cinematography of many Hong Kong classics including 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Dirty Ho, Aces Go Places 1 & 2, Wheels On Meals, My Lucky Stars, Millionaires Express, Armour Of God 1 & 2, and many New Wave hits in the same vein such as Once Upon A Time In China 1 & 2, Iron Monkey, A Chinese Ghost Story 2, and Moon Warriors, to name but a few. With equally as many impressive titles to his name, Tom Lau Moon Tong worked on films such as Righting Wrongs, A Chinese Ghost Story 1 & 3, Pedicab Driver, Encounter Of The Spooky Kind 2, and the epic Swordsman 2 the same year as this; also for Tsui Hark and Tony Ching.

 

I always felt Raymond Lee Wai Man was an interesting choice for director, as the film really oozed Hark's typical style to me, and while he was very much involved as the writer and producer of the production, I'd say that Tsui was most definitely in Lee's ear when it came to directing certain scenes. Making his directorial debut in the television show, Reincarnated (which also saw Tony Ching serve as one of the martial arts directors), Lee Wai Man would begin his venture as a feature film director in 1988 with The Last Conflict – a television movie starring a young Donnie Yen, Chow Sing Chi and Francis Ng. The same year saw him direct the action-drama Set Me Free! starring Alex Man, Cecilia Yip, and Lau Ching Wan, with Tour Of Revenge following in 1989. His work would catch the attention of Tsui Hark and the guys at Cinema City who would hire him to produce their wonderful Ti Lung vehicle The Killer's Blues, which would kick off a healthy working relationship over the next few years. This would see Lee work on films such as School On Fire, Wicked City, The Magic Crane, Once Upon A Time In China 2 and Iron Monkey, as well as directing films such as Swordsman, Blue Lightning, and Swordsman 3: The East Is Red. 1994 would see a change in direction for him with his departure from Cinema City leading to more independent titles such as Fatal Obsession, The Other Side Of The Sea, I Want To Go On Living, and the Kirk Wong produced Police Confidential starring Simon Yam and Carrie Ng. But it would be only a couple of years later that would see Raymond Lee deliver his final piece as a director with the triad drama, To Be No.1 – and no, not the 1991 crime classic starring Ray Lui and Kent Cheng. While he's never been hailed as the greatest director ever, or even referred to among fans of Hong Kong cinema, it's only fair to say that Raymond Lee does a great job with New Dragon Inn and has proven himself a number of times during his career...

 

The wonderfully talented Tony Ching Siu Tung handles the bulk of the films wild and fast-paced martial arts-action, delivering some blistering and violent swordplay that just keeps getting better as the films moves on. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time Ching had worked with Tsui Hark having shared the load on films such as I Love Maria, the A Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy, A Terracotta Warrior, the Swordsman Trilogy, and more. Here, he is joined by the underrated Yuen Bun; one of the Seven Little Fortunes who honed his skills alongside the likes of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, and Corey Yuen Kwai. Much like Tony Ching, Bun had been choreographing action since the 1970s and already had a host of successful works behind him, going on to work with Ching a couple of decades later (and often on Tsui Hark projects). Between them both, and the action team involved, the pair help make each of the cast members involved look like bona-fide wuxia experts (not forgetting, of course, what a genuine talent Donnie Yen actually is). And while his role is not more than an extended cameo of sorts – bookends to the film in some ways – Donnie's role as the crazed eunuch is a memorable one, no doubt coming off the fact that he was starring in another bad-guy for Tsui Hark in the awesome Once Upon A Time In China 2. The super-kicker would keep fans happy the same year with the very fun and very wild, Cheetah On Fire, before going on to star in the Tsui Hark produced classic Iron Monkey, the Ching Siu Tung choreographed Butterfly & Sword, and underrated Heroes Among Heroes for Yuen Woo Ping.

 

Yen is supported by the great Lawrence Ng and Lau Shun, both of whom star as his right-hand men – and both of whom deliver a lot more screen time and action than the up-and-coming star. The superb Brigitte Lin stars as the main heroine of the piece, kicking ass and swishing blades in one of the finest roles of her career. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time Lin and Tsui Hark would have worked together having starred alongside each other in Cinema City's comedy, All The Wrong Spies, before Tsui would direct the starlet in the fantastic Zu: Warriors From Magic Mountain. A few years later the pair would team-up again for the equally fantastic Peking Opera Blues, which would also see Tony Ching Siu Tung join the team to choreograph the action, with the trio going all-out in 1992 with Swordsman 2 and New Dragon Inn. I really enjoyed Brigitte in this – her look, her energy, her performance – and it was such a shame that her retirement came about only a couple of years later. The beautiful Maggie Cheung plays the wild and feisty owner of the desert based Dragon Inn, and gives one hell of a performance as the witty innkeeper with a dark secret. This was a crazy busy year for Ms Cheung with no less than 10 features in the works including Jackie Chan's wonderful Twin Dragons and Police Story 3: Super Cop, All's Well End's Well, Centre Stage, Moon Warriors, and more; but a great year none-the-less with her role in New Dragon Inn proving to be one of her most fun. Maggie's Centre Stage co-star, Tony Leung Ka Fai, also joins the ladies as the main hero of the show. 1992 would be a quieter year for Leung, sandwiched in between 2 hectic years of projects that had seen him star in 10 the year before, and 13 in 1993, and while many other genuine fighters may have offered a better job physically in this role, Tony's performance as swordsman Gwok Waai On is still pretty impressive and quite enjoyable to watch. All are joined by a handful of excellent kung-fu co-stars including the always fun Yuen Cheung Yan, Xiong Xin Xin, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Yen Shi Kwan, Yuen Bun, and others who all deliver in the action department and make for a fun watch.

 

Initially set to have both Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh in leading roles, Tsui Hark and team still manage to deliver a strong and hugely enjoyable slice of Hong Kong cinema that just keeps getting better with every viewing. It's certainly not flawless by any means, but New Dragon Inn is a worthy piece that is well worth checking out and is just waiting to be rediscovered by a new army of fans. With a tremendously talented team behind it, including the wonderful Ng See Yuen who was credited as the 'presenter', this critically acclaimed epic is what 90's New Wave Hong Kong cinema was all about!!

 

Overall: Wild, beautiful, and extravagant, New Dragon Gate Inn is a classic slice of Hong Kong film that is well worth the watch!

 

Nova Media Blu-ray Extras: Hong Kong Trailer, U.S. Trailer, Restored Trailer

 

Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Music Promo, Donnie Yen Interview, Bio Showcase, Photo Gallery, Trailers

​

Watch my unboxing video of this Nova Media release HERE