Big Trouble In Little China (1986/Fox Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B- Film: B+
There is
no big trouble with this little Blu-ray as it is overwhelming excellent in
content, picture and sound. This quirky
action comedy has always managed to capture fans attention and this Blu-ray
rejuvenates that undying fascination. Big Trouble in Little China came from
an era of film making that, well let’s face it, produced some of the most
outlandishly forgettable and now outdated films in history. Whereas the 1980s was filled with a slew of
excellent and now classic films; it also had the misfortune of producing films
that now act as a reminder of how gaudy that decade truly was. Big
Trouble in Little China falls somewhere between classic and cheesy as it
has garnered an overwhelming cult following over the years; even after it went
down in box office flames. John
Carpenter to this day praises the film as one of his best works and feels that
it was the studio that let the film down and not the other way around. With big names attached to the film like Kurt
Russell and Kim Cattrall one would guess (especially the studio) that the film
would have been a success in the 1980s, but in the end it fell quite short of
the huge production budget. The film
eventually found its following on repeat TV showings and Home Video as small
children and adults grew increasingly fascinated with the odd and creative use
of imagery along side a eccentric storyline that mixed martial arts, shoot em’
up actions, and an odd love tale.
The story
starts off simple enough as Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) a not so humble truck
driver goes with his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) to pick up Chi’s “green eyed”
girlfriend, (Suzee Pai), at the airport.
To Chi and Burton’s shock the girlfriend is kidnapped by a group of
Chinatown outlaws and the dup must set off on a journey into the mysterious
Chinatown underbelly to save the girl.
From this point the film turns into a true action/adventure flick where
Burton and Chi face a barrage of odd and dangerous obstacles on the path to the
“green eyed girl.” Chi and Burton are
joined on their journey by tour bus driver named Egg Shen (Victor Wong), Chi’s
friend Eddie Lee (Donald Li) and sexy lawyer Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall). The film is filled to the brim with Kung-Fu,
the supernatural, unearthly terrors and one creepy 2,000year old Kung-Fu Master
Magician named Lo Pan. As the tale goes
Lo Pan is under a curse that can only be broken by marrying a green eyed girl
and sacrificing her to the dark gods. Lo
Pan is aided by the ruthless street gang “The Wing Kong” as well as three
mystics named Thunder, Lightening, and Rain; collectively known as “The Three
Storms.” The tale is fascinating from
beginning to end as it is a story that is infused with action, mystery, and
insane creativity.
If this
is a film that only has a cult following, than mark me off as a true fan. I am in no way a true martial arts film fan,
but Big Trouble in Little China manages
to creatively combine the positive aspects of martial arts with a brand of
oddities that not many other films possess.
John Carpenter is right in standing by this film as it is truly a
classic that is worth holding on to. The
twists and turns that the film brings to the table as the gang treks through
the murky underworld of Chinatown are astonishing and unlike a vast majority of
80’s films Big Trouble manages to
stay relevant and captivating.
The
picture and sound are not the best that Blu-ray has seen, but compared to the
majority of films that are too aggressively pushed through and called
“high-def” Big Trouble in Little China stands
out as a diamond in the rough. Once a
film that looked as dark and murky on VHS as a Chinatown sewer the picture in a
1080p AVC @ 28 MBPS, 2.35 X 1 aspect ratio brings to life aspects of the film
that had not been seen since it was originally filmed. The backgrounds now pop, the skin tones
glisten with sweat and grime and whereas the colors were never meant to be
vibrant they manage to magically burst out like never before (especially Lo
Pan). The blacks are dark and inky and
frame the picture perfectly. The sound
is not quite as impressive as the picture, but nice nevertheless in its 5.1
DTS-HD Master Audio lossless track. The
sound uses all the speakers as ambient noises pan across the soundscape and the
dialogue projects perfectly, though mostly from the front. The sound is not the best, but for an 80’s
film I am impressed at how well it actually turned out.
The
extras are the same as those on the latest DVD release and don’t offer fans
anything more. With that said the extras
are well done with a fluid and informative commentary track from Carpenter and
Russell; as well as Extended Ending (Burton gets revenge on some hoodlums),
Deleted Scenes, a Music Video, a Richard Edlund Video, Trailers and TV Spots, a
Behind-the-Scenes Gallery and a Vintage Featurette. All the bonus features deliver exactly what
they are entitled; for the most part being well done.
In the
end, if you are a long time fan or have never seen this film before, I highly
recommend getting into Big Trouble in
Little China.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
