#1103e: TSUI, Hark: Once Upon A Time In China V (1994)
TSUI, Hark (Hong Kong)
Once Upon A Time In China V [1994]
Once Upon A Time In China V [1994]
Spine #1103e
Blu-ray
Tsui Hark returned to the director’s chair for the rollicking comedic adventure Once Upon a Time in China V, in which the indomitable hero Wong Fei-hung (Vincent Zhao) tangles with a band of ruthless, finger-removing pirates who are exploiting the political chaos created by the invasion of foreigners in order to terrorize the Chinese coast. The fist-and-foot kung-fu set pieces—including a showstopping, gold-hued melee set in a warehouse of pirate treasure—are plentiful, but Tsui ups the ante by introducing acrobatic gunplay to the proceedings, infusing this furiously entertaining crowd-pleaser with a bracing jolt of John Woo–style bullet ballet mayhem.
101 minutes
Color
Color
Monaural
in Cantonese
in Cantonese
2:39:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2021
Director/Writers
Screenplay by Tsui Hark, Lau Tai-muk, and Jason Lam Kee-to.
Tsui was 44 when he directed Once Upon a Time in China V.
Tsui was 44 when he directed Once Upon a Time in China V.
The Film
Film Rating (0-60):
By Spine #
60
The Extras
The Booklet
Forty-eight page booklet featuring essays by film critics Maggie Lee and novelist Grady Hendrix.
Commentary
None.
Interviews
With director Hark, Film Workshop cofounder Nansun Shi, editor Marco Mark Chi-sin, and critic Tony Rayns.
Excerpts 1
From audio interviews with Jet Li conducted in 2004 and 2005.
Deleted scenes
From Once Upon a Time in China III.
Documentary
From 2004 about the real-life martial-arts hero Wong Fei-hung.
From Spikes to Spindles
A 1976 documentary about New York City’s Chinatown featuring uncredited work by Tsui.
Excerpts 2
From a 2019 master class given by martial-arts choreographer Yuen Wo-ping.
The Booklet
Forty-eight page booklet featuring essays by film critics Maggie Lee and novelist Grady Hendrix.
Commentary
None.
Interviews
With director Hark, Film Workshop cofounder Nansun Shi, editor Marco Mark Chi-sin, and critic Tony Rayns.
Excerpts 1
From audio interviews with Jet Li conducted in 2004 and 2005.
Deleted scenes
From Once Upon a Time in China III.
Documentary
From 2004 about the real-life martial-arts hero Wong Fei-hung.
From Spikes to Spindles
A 1976 documentary about New York City’s Chinatown featuring uncredited work by Tsui.
Excerpts 2
From a 2019 master class given by martial-arts choreographer Yuen Wo-ping.
Behind-the-scenes footage
For Once Upon a Time in China and Once Upon a Time in China and America.
For Once Upon a Time in China and Once Upon a Time in China and America.
Trailers
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