‘Drunken Master’ (1978)

Without a doubt DRUNKEN MASTER is the greatest classic kung fu comedy of all time and also the most influential Hong Kong film of the latter half of the 1970s. After the initial success of SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW (1978), Jackie Chan was finally able to unleash the full force of his comic and physical genius under the masterful direction of Yuen Woo-ping.

The story firmly established stock conventions like the irreverent student-master relationship and the concept of gaining fighting prowess through inebriation that appeared in dozens of subsequent films such as THE WORLD OF DRUNKEN MASTER and KUNG FU OF EIGHT DRUNKARDS.

Jackie Chan plays the famed Cantonese folk hero Wong Fei-hung who for years was portrayed as a stately and wizened nobleman by the great Kwan Tak-hing. Chan’s version, which is partly influenced by Yuen Woo-ping’s own slapstick comedy leanings flips this image upside down and turns Fei-hung into a rebellious youth. Chan went on to successfully repeat this formula years later in DRUNKEN MASTER 2.

As the story begins, Fei-hung ends up in a heap of trouble with his father after making advances on a woman and fighting with her mother who turns out to be his visiting aunt (Linda Yin Ling). To make matters worse, Mr. Li, the father of a bully that Fei-hung had beat up on the same day demands justice for the offense. Along with enduring long hours of difficult kung fu stances, Fei-hung’s punishment is to learn kung fu from his great uncle, Su Hua-chi (Simon Yuen), a beggar and drunkard known for his harsh training methods.

An attempt to escape from Beggar Su lands Fei-hung directly within the elder man’s grasp. He begins a torturous regime of training Fei-hung in the “Eight Drunken Gods” style of kung fu. Despite Fei-hung’s reluctance, mastery of these skills prove to be the only thing capable of keeping his father from being killed by Thunder Leg (Hwang Jang-lee), a professional fighter hired by Mr. Li who will stop at nothing to sell off the local residents’ land for profit.

A martial arts film cannot help but excel when you have so much talent pooled together. Producer Ng See-yuen is responsible for some of the genre’s best films and his willingness to take calculated risks, such as casting Jackie Chan, who despite his success with SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW had remained creatively stymied by a contract with Lo Wei and had yet to really prove that his brand of comedic kung fu was a sure bet.

As director and lead choreographer, Yuen Woo-ping was in a historic position to highlight his own skills as a filmmaker who would come to be known as “The Master” by those who have worked with him over the years. His collaboration with fellow Yuen brothers Corey, Shun-yi, Chun-wei, and Brandy allowed for an unparalleled collective of wildly creative skills ideally suited to action choreography and comedy. The film’s action sequences remain some of the best from the period thanks in part to their efforts.

Aside from Jackie, the casting of Yuen Woo-ping’s real-life father, Simon as Beggar Su was genius and provided the elder man with the most celebrated period of his entire acting career. You can’t help but like him. His mop-haired wig, ruddy nose and mischievous grin modeled the exaggerated Cantonese comedy stereotype of a drunkard, but Simon’s performance contained a warmth and authenticity that few actors could muster.

For action, three men magnificently lead the film. Tyrone Hsu gives a terrific performance as the staff-wielding “King of Bamboo” who fights Jackie in a memorable scene. Korean superkicker Hwang Jang-lee, who first entered the scene in the infamous role of “Silverfox” in Ng See-yuen’s THE SECRET RIVALS, deservedly became a superstar after this film came out. Although the final fight with Jackie is well done, their first encounter midway through the film features quite possibly Hwang’s finest screen fighting performance. At one point, the camera catches him delivering eight or nine rapid kicks to Jackie in succession and from multiple positions within a relatively confined space. It’s one of those moments that demands to be seen repeatedly.

Jackie’s shining moments are in the second half of the film as his character learns drunken boxing. The more personal, maniacal energy that he exuded internally as well as externally at the end of the 1994 sequel is solely defused into his physical abilities which are at a greater peak here. If you compare his actions in this film to that of most other stars from this period, you’ll discover a subtlety to his movements that challenge the way the body moves in a fight or even a training exercise. His ability to communicate character through his actions in a constantly fresh manner is thrilling.

DRUNKEN MASTER is a perfect example of the ideal kung fu movie for all seasons. It represents the old school era where wires were more likely to be used to mend broken jaws than propel actors over rooftops as Yuen Woo-ping would go on to specialize in. The budget may be small and the camera work dated by more modern action film standards, but the actors and stunt doubles perform outstanding martial arts that you’re unlikely to see today. There is plenty of rambunctious humor that doesn’t go quite as far a field as some of Yuen’s early ’80s films do. DRUNKEN MASTER is also a great introduction to the films of Jackie Chan for the novice who wants to see him in his glorious prime. For its level of influence, quality of choreography, comedic tone, and sheer enjoyment factor, DRUNKEN MASTER is the master of kung fu movies.