Home › Recommendation › Home Release › Shout! Factory’s “Jackie Chan Collection: Volume 2 (1983-1993)” covers the gauntlet of Chan’s transitional period.

Shout! Factory’s “Jackie Chan Collection: Volume 2 (1983-1993)” covers the gauntlet of Chan’s transitional period.

By Sean McClannahan on April 25, 2023 • ( 0 )

My first true introduction to Jackie Chan was in the summer of 1995.

15-year-old me witnessed Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) give an enthusiastic speech about the infectious manner Jackie’s films had in the theater. Before presenting him with his lifetime achievement award, Tarantino insisted to the audience that when you left the theater after seeing a Jackie Chan movie, you wanted to be Jackie Chan. The following week, I was lucky enough to find a multiplex that was still playing the U.S. release of Rumble in the Bronx. The rest was history. I was now a fan for life. Flash forward 28 years and now Shout! Factory is celebrating one of my favorite physically comedic action stars on Shout! TV and releasing a good amount of his catalogue on Blu-ray for the U.S. market.

The second volume collection covers films released between 1983 and 1993, offering a decent variety that covers the gauntlet of Jackie’s transitional period.

From the slapstick comedy of Winners and Sinners (1983) to the more dark and dramatic fare such as Crime Story (1993), the restorations in this eight-film collection are suitably on par with previous releases from foreign boutique labels such as 88 Films and Eureka Entertainment. Though the one major selling point that separates this collection from prior editions (other than not needing a Region B player) is the new documentary features offered in the supplements.

Although I was a bit underwhelmed with the Sammy Hung retrospective featured on the Winners and Sinners disc (do we really need half the feature spent on recollections of his fondness for really spicy food?), the “Break Neck Brilliance” doc offered on the Wheels on Meals (1984) disc more than makes up for it. It’s lengthy and dives deep into what makes Jackie Chan worthy of celebration and is very thorough in covering his relationship with Sammo Hung (Dragons Forever). I really appreciated the attention to detail from authors and insiders that point out his decision to break the mold in traditional kung fu films and throw in some kick boxing elements to shake up the formula.

I was never a big fan of City Hunter (1993), but after hearing how his approach on that film was to compete with the rising Steven Chow (Kung Fu Hustle), I now have a slightly different outlook on the material.

Despite a seemingly odd omission of My Lucky Stars (1985), this collection is well worth owning for Chan enthusiasts and Hong Kong action completists. I’m more than happy that Shout! Factory is paying proper tribute and keeping his ongoing legacy alive.

The Jackie Chan Collection Volume 2 (1983-1993) Special Features:

DISC ONE: WINNERS AND SINNERS (1983)

4K Transfer From The Original Film Elements
Audio: Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Mandarin 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Dub Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Alternate Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
NEW Audio Commentary By David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
NEW A Winning Formula – Academic Dr. Luke White, Author Of Fighting Without Fighting: Kung Fu Cinema’s Journey To The West, Discusses The Hong Kong Martial Arts Comedy
Archival Interview With Director/Actor Sammo Hung
Teapot Tango – An Interview With Director/Actor Sammo Hung
The Man Behind The Legend: Sammo Hung
Outtakes
Alternate Japanese End Credits
Original Hong Kong Teaser And Theatrical Trailer
English Trailer
Japanese Trailer And TV Spot
Still Gallery

DISC TWO: TWINKLE, TWINKLE LUCKY STARS (1985)

4K Transfer From The Original Film Elements
Audio: Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Mandarin Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Alternate Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
Alternate Extended Taiwanese Version – 4K Transfer From The Original Film Elements
NEW Audio Commentary By David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
A Life Of Laughter – An Interview With Actor Richard Ng
Gentleman Warrior – An Interview With Actor Richard Norton
Outtakes
Original Theatrical Trailer
English Trailer
Japanese Trailer And TV Spot
Still Gallery

DISC THREE: WHEELS ON MEALS (1984)

2K Restoration From The Original Film Elements
Audio: Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Cantonese 2.0 With Alternate Soundtrack DTS-HD Master Audio, Original English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 (Classic Dub) Dolby Digital, English 5.1 (2006 Dub) Dolby Digital
NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film.
NEW Break-Neck Brilliance: A New Era Of Jackie Chan And Skeleton-Shattering Stunts – An 88-Minute Feature Length Documentary On How Chan Broke The Mold (And His Bones) With His Daring Choreography And Set Pieces Upon His Return To Hong Kong In The 1980s, Featuring Interviews With Wang Yao, One Of The Original Members Of The Jackie Chan Stunt Team, Emma Lee, Former Manager Of Talent For Golden Harvest, Chi-Hwa Chen, Executive Director Of Police Story, Vincent Lyn, Actor In Operation Condor, Academic Dr Lin Feng, Frank Djeng Of The NY Asian Film Festival, And More…
Outtake Footage
Original Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery

DISC FOUR: ARMOUR OF GOD (1986)

2K Restoration From The Original Film Elements For The Hong Kong Cut
Audio: Mandarin Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio (Original Theatrical Mix), Cantonese Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, English Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Japanese Theatrical Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
International Cut
NEW Audio Commentary From James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks
Rise Of The Phoenix – Radek Sienski On Armour Of God
Interview With Jackie Chan
Interview With Willie Chan
Interview With Editor Peter Cheung
Japanese Release Outtakes
Original Theatrical Trailer
Japanese Theatrical Trailer
English Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery

DISC FIVE: ARMOUR OF GOD II

2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements
Extended Cut
Audio: Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, English Dub DTS-HD Master Audio
NEW Audio Commentary From James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks (Extended Cut)
NEW Notes For A New Direction – Composer Stephen Endelman Discusses Crafting A New Soundtrack For The American Debut Of Jackie Chan’s Sequel
Original Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery

DISC SIX: THE PROTECTOR (1985)

2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements For The Original US Cut Of The Film
Audio: English Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Alternate “Hong Kong Cut” Of The Film By Jackie Chan In Standard Definition
Audio (Alternate Cut): Cantonese Mono, Cantonese Home Video Stereo, English/Cantonese Hybrid Mix
NEW Audio Commentary From Author And Critic Kim Newman, Moderated By Filmmaker Sean Hogan
From New York To Hong Kong – An Interview With Director James Glickenhaus (2013)
Locations – Then And Now
Behind The Scenes Trailer
Original Trailer
Hong Kong Trailer
Japanese Teaser And Trailer
Still Gallery

DISC SEVEN: CRIME STORY (1993)

2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements
Audio: Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital
NEW Audio Commentary With James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks
NEW Criminally Creative: The Story Of A stylistic U-Turn – Andrew Heskins, Film Critic For Easternkicks Speaks About Jackie Chan’s Change Of Pace With Crime Story
Archival Interview With Bruce Law
Archival Interview With Writer Teddy Chan
Archival Interview With Director Kirk Wong
Deleted Scenes
Original Theatrical Trailer

DISC EIGHT: CITY HUNTER (1993)

2K Scan Of The Original Film Elements
Audio: Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio, Cantonese 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 5.1 Dolby Digital
NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: The Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
NEW Slapstick In The City: Jackie Chan Enters The Nineties – Andrew Heskins, Film Critic For Easternkicks, Reflects On The Surreal Cult Thrills Of City Hunter
Archival Interview With Jackie Chan
Archival Interview With Director Wong Jing
Archival Interview With Stuntman Rocky Lai
Archival Interview With Richard Norton
Archival Interview With Gary Daniels
Outtakes Music Video
Outtake Montage
Japanese Ending Credits
Original Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery