I was always told that trans-lingual comedy films are never funny. That if you're not Chinese, well you're not even going to crack a smile. Well they've obviously never seen this film. Made in Hong Kong, "Gai tung aap gong" is absolutely one of the best comedy films I have ever seen. Michael Hui, a legendary comedy star in Hong Kong, plays a character Ah Hui, who runs a traditional HK Duck shop. Things are going well until a fast-food store by the name of "Danny Chicken" opens up across the street and begins to draw the crowds away. For Ah Hui, this means war! Such scenes as Ah Hui sneaking into Danny Chicken dressed as an Indian woman, the Chicken and Duck mascot brawl, the James Bond-style investigation of the "secret ingredients", and the Danny Chicken training class are, in my opinion, all-time comedy classics.
Reviews
21 Reviews
Where Does It Hurt?
(1972)
Where does it hurt? All over!
15 March 2001
You know, the film industry never fails to amaze me, the fact that they are quite willing to throw a lump of money at projects like "Where does it hurt?" Quite possibly it is the worst movie Peter Sellers ever made, and the lowest point he ever experienced in his career. "Where does it hurt?" really is the pits. Badly filmed, badly scripted, incredibly unfunny (a cavity search would produce more laughs!)and a true lesson in how NOT to make a film, I have to give points however to Peter Sellers for trying to do his best. Basically the premise of the film is a hospital run by Corrupt Sellers who is assisted by a team of money-greedy staff who basically try to get insurance money out of all the patients or something. Who knows? You're so busy fast-forwading it that the only rewarding part of it is returning back to your local video store.
The Adolescents
(1975)
Swinging London, Flares and Tits. What more could you want?
12 March 2001
A sometimes hilarious soft porn film made in the 1970's, The Adolescents is bizarre for those who get to see the english version. Filmed in England with english actors Koo Stark and Anthony Andrews, but made by a Spanish company who obviously made it to dub into Spanish for the spanish market. For the english version, they decided to re-dub it in english using different actors for the voices than the ones who starred in it, therefore giving the english actors some peculiar foreign accents. In fact I'm convinced that the woman who dubbed Koo Stark's voice, used to do the english dubbing for the character Tripitaka in the hilariously camp Japanese series "Monkey".
Basically The Adolescents deals with a rather reserved girl (Stark)who attends a private boarding school in England who gets seduced by a young ruffian (Andrews)who takes her back to his apartment where hidden cameras are placed behind groovy 70's furniture for the purpose of getting pornographic material for magazines in Denmark, which justifies I suppose, the copius amounts of Tit shots. However, having said that, the film is handled a lot better than other trashy American Tits and Bum films. There is an actual point to the nudity, unlike other films where people for some reason trim their hedges in the nude. But in all honesty, the best thing about this film is its extensive location filming of London right slap bang in the middle of the 1970's. So if you want to catch footage of swinging London in those glorious old days, check it out.
Basically The Adolescents deals with a rather reserved girl (Stark)who attends a private boarding school in England who gets seduced by a young ruffian (Andrews)who takes her back to his apartment where hidden cameras are placed behind groovy 70's furniture for the purpose of getting pornographic material for magazines in Denmark, which justifies I suppose, the copius amounts of Tit shots. However, having said that, the film is handled a lot better than other trashy American Tits and Bum films. There is an actual point to the nudity, unlike other films where people for some reason trim their hedges in the nude. But in all honesty, the best thing about this film is its extensive location filming of London right slap bang in the middle of the 1970's. So if you want to catch footage of swinging London in those glorious old days, check it out.
The April Fools
(1969)
Likeable
5 November 2000
The April Fools, starring Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve is a likeable, though not outstanding film. The film, somewhat bereft of a script, deals with Lemmon's character who arrives at his extremely trendy boss's apartment for a social gathering, which, to Lemmon's sheer amazement, is a fully-fledged swinging 60's hip shindig in classic over-40's type psychedelia. Deneuve plays the rather neglected wife of Lemmon's boss and of course the two meet at the party and do a terribly unconvincing job of falling in love. Deneuve, while pretty to look at, strolls through this film acting like she's hanging around for her agent to come up with something better. And in this film Lemmon just doesn't cut it as a romantic interest. The scene stealers are Lemmon's two drunken cohorts.
This film is far more interesting as a time piece, however. It's fun and engaging to watch this film and see how Hollywood was interested in projecting the late '60s high-class psychedelic world. The scene where Jack Lemmon takes Catherine Deneuve to the private club which is completely fitted out like the jungle and features sexy waitresses who slink around in various animal skins, with the only way to attract their attention is to shoot them on the bottom with a cap gun, really does make you marvel at the fact that clubs like this really did exist. Ah! Those were the days....
This film is far more interesting as a time piece, however. It's fun and engaging to watch this film and see how Hollywood was interested in projecting the late '60s high-class psychedelic world. The scene where Jack Lemmon takes Catherine Deneuve to the private club which is completely fitted out like the jungle and features sexy waitresses who slink around in various animal skins, with the only way to attract their attention is to shoot them on the bottom with a cap gun, really does make you marvel at the fact that clubs like this really did exist. Ah! Those were the days....
Chances
(1991–1992)
Plot-line gone haywire
25 July 2000
I remember I was in High School when this classic piece of Australian TV graced our screens. Promoted to be a sophisticated, stunning shift in the direction of Australian programming, it soon began to smell like a forgotten cooked chicken in the boot (trunk) of the family car. The show caused a lot of controversy when first aired simply because of the fact that it contained a lot of tits and bum. When the public no longer cared about that, they swiftly moved on to eradicating great swathes of cast members in original and enjoyable death scenes. Finally the show limped into severely bizarre storylines and plots involving god-knows-what (no-one actually remembers, we were no longer watching) that produced a thoroughly embarassing television show for the actors and public alike. May it rest in peace.
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
(1973 TV Movie)
Comedy at 37,000 feet!
17 June 2000
I had the pleasure of watching this delightful television movie very late one night and found myself glued to the television not in rapted horrific terror, but in fits of laughter.
This TV movie deals with a handful of people boarding a B747 bound from London to the USA. A rich couple has boarded the plane with the remains of an ancient church that used to be a part of the wife's English ancestry. Only trouble is....the stones are haunted!! (well, that's a first! I've heard of possessed houses and possesed people, but, slabs of limestone?)
Anyway William Shatner boards the flight in wonderful plaid suits and plaid hair pieces posing as a man of religion who has lost his faith. He performs a delightful bit of cheesy acting in trying to ward of the horrific, terrifying flood of evil, devil possesed chocolate sauce emerging from the cargo bay (I've never seen people so terrified of confectionary). The film reaches it's climax when the passengers decided to build a bonfire in the plane to keep their souls free from what looks like Guacamole dip - obviously these people don't fly much or else they'd realise that this is what Airline food normally does.
It's a hilarious film with lots of absolute dead pan acting, but keep your eyes out for the highly dramatic and tense scene in the plane where I am positive that the actors are desperately trying to contain their laughter. I don't blame them.
This TV movie deals with a handful of people boarding a B747 bound from London to the USA. A rich couple has boarded the plane with the remains of an ancient church that used to be a part of the wife's English ancestry. Only trouble is....the stones are haunted!! (well, that's a first! I've heard of possessed houses and possesed people, but, slabs of limestone?)
Anyway William Shatner boards the flight in wonderful plaid suits and plaid hair pieces posing as a man of religion who has lost his faith. He performs a delightful bit of cheesy acting in trying to ward of the horrific, terrifying flood of evil, devil possesed chocolate sauce emerging from the cargo bay (I've never seen people so terrified of confectionary). The film reaches it's climax when the passengers decided to build a bonfire in the plane to keep their souls free from what looks like Guacamole dip - obviously these people don't fly much or else they'd realise that this is what Airline food normally does.
It's a hilarious film with lots of absolute dead pan acting, but keep your eyes out for the highly dramatic and tense scene in the plane where I am positive that the actors are desperately trying to contain their laughter. I don't blame them.
Heißer Sommer
(1968)
Delightfully Bland
22 December 1999
Well what can be said of the 'Socialist Musical'? When I saw this film advertised on Television, I was looking quite forward to it. I was expecting to sit down to 90 minutes of East Germans caroling their voices in soaring melodies extolling the heroic virtues of a glorious Socialist future, beaming faces carrying portraits of Lenin and Walter Ulbricht while farmers tilled the soil in song and factory workers rode out the latest Trabant Triumph. However, I was sadly disappointed.
Hot Summer, as it is called in English, is a delightfully bland East German musical made in 1967. The star of the film, Chris Doerk was somewhat of an East German pop star and this film was her vehicle. Basically Hot Summer deals with a group girls and a group of guys all off to the Baltic sea to enjoy their summer holidays. They've got the check-mini skirts, the patent leather shoes and these guys and girls are going to Rock and Roll their way into the 60's in East Germany. And it doesn't get much better.
The separate groups of guys and girls decide to have a competition and see who can arrive at the Baltic sea from Berlin first. I can't remember who won, but it wasn't important. What was important was the dramatic storyline. The guys decide to play tricks on the girls and then snogg (Kiss) them and vice versa. And there were the songs, slotted in at every available opportunity, and proceeded to become downright annoying. But hey, that's Socialism. The storyline was absolute drivel and dragged on considerably. I'm convinced the Production crew lost the script and ended up just re-using scenes. However, the scene where one of boys appears at the door to a barn wearing tight black jeans, plaid shirt, teddy boy hairdo and thumb firmly planted in his belt loop while his hips gyrate so fast it would have earned him an Order of Lenin singing some dreadful song is a scene definitely worth seeing.
Hot Summer, as it is called in English, is a delightfully bland East German musical made in 1967. The star of the film, Chris Doerk was somewhat of an East German pop star and this film was her vehicle. Basically Hot Summer deals with a group girls and a group of guys all off to the Baltic sea to enjoy their summer holidays. They've got the check-mini skirts, the patent leather shoes and these guys and girls are going to Rock and Roll their way into the 60's in East Germany. And it doesn't get much better.
The separate groups of guys and girls decide to have a competition and see who can arrive at the Baltic sea from Berlin first. I can't remember who won, but it wasn't important. What was important was the dramatic storyline. The guys decide to play tricks on the girls and then snogg (Kiss) them and vice versa. And there were the songs, slotted in at every available opportunity, and proceeded to become downright annoying. But hey, that's Socialism. The storyline was absolute drivel and dragged on considerably. I'm convinced the Production crew lost the script and ended up just re-using scenes. However, the scene where one of boys appears at the door to a barn wearing tight black jeans, plaid shirt, teddy boy hairdo and thumb firmly planted in his belt loop while his hips gyrate so fast it would have earned him an Order of Lenin singing some dreadful song is a scene definitely worth seeing.
Bloodmoon
(1990)
The baby was the best!
15 September 1999
The Australian film industry over recent years has received many accolades for its fine productions and have gladly suffered the "American remake" which is a testament to their outstanding quality. This film however, is not among them.
Why oh why when we have some many great story lines to persue do we copy shoddy American horror films. And this is a perfect copy of one of those forgettable horror flicks. Basically as the story goes, A demented high school science teacher goes on a murderous rampage through a posh boarding school and is protected by his shag-anything wife and finally caught out by an intrepid Nun. It's actually quite funny, really.
However, the sad thing about this film is it is not bad enough to be cherrished in the Hammer tradition. Oh well. The best thing about this film was Baby Desmond. It has nothing to do with the fact that he is my cousin, of course.
Why oh why when we have some many great story lines to persue do we copy shoddy American horror films. And this is a perfect copy of one of those forgettable horror flicks. Basically as the story goes, A demented high school science teacher goes on a murderous rampage through a posh boarding school and is protected by his shag-anything wife and finally caught out by an intrepid Nun. It's actually quite funny, really.
However, the sad thing about this film is it is not bad enough to be cherrished in the Hammer tradition. Oh well. The best thing about this film was Baby Desmond. It has nothing to do with the fact that he is my cousin, of course.
Crossplot
(1969)
Lightweight Bond
7 July 1999
This film, basically a vehicle for Roger Moore, is a 90 minute television-style action adventure film. Roger Moore plays an advertising executive who utilises an Eastern European girl in a promotional campaign who just happens to be sharing a house with spies and unwittingly discovers their darstadly plot. This now provides a perfect opportunity for Roger Moore to slip into his Simon Templar/James Bond persona and save the day.
This film lies somewhere between an extended Saint episode and an early James Bond movie, but as Roger Moore was the best James Bond, (as we all know), this film is nevertheless enjoyable just for his suave, Mr smooth 1960's London swinger acting. The original Austin Powers.
Nothing exceptional, however this film is reasonably enjoyable in a mild mannered way. You could certainly do worse.
This film lies somewhere between an extended Saint episode and an early James Bond movie, but as Roger Moore was the best James Bond, (as we all know), this film is nevertheless enjoyable just for his suave, Mr smooth 1960's London swinger acting. The original Austin Powers.
Nothing exceptional, however this film is reasonably enjoyable in a mild mannered way. You could certainly do worse.
Fascinating Viewing
16 June 1999
This film would have to rank up there as one of Bunel's best, along with La Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie. In this film he again uses actor Fernando Rey and a relative newcomer to Cinema, the ever beautiful Carole Bouquet.
The film uses a very unique film device, which is the female lead is actually played by two actresses: One actress for her placid nature and another actress for her tempremental side. This makes the film fascinating viewing even more so that the women don't even look the slightest bit alike. The film also has those beautiful European situations such as Fernando Rey telling his story to a train carriage full of freaks and oddities.
Just one of those exceptional movies.
The film uses a very unique film device, which is the female lead is actually played by two actresses: One actress for her placid nature and another actress for her tempremental side. This makes the film fascinating viewing even more so that the women don't even look the slightest bit alike. The film also has those beautiful European situations such as Fernando Rey telling his story to a train carriage full of freaks and oddities.
Just one of those exceptional movies.
The Girl on a Motorcycle
(1968)
Girl on a stage prop!
14 June 1999
What annoyed me about this film was the fact that Alain Delon got top billing for the movie, which is somewhat unfair to Marianne Faithfull seeing as though Alain Delon is only in the film for a collective 40 mins.
But despite that small annoyance, the film is very interesting, but I do believe I say that out of sympathy. The film basically follows Marianne Faithfully on a large motorcycle, which does look like a shocking studio prop a lot of the time, through Alsace to Heidleberg in Germany, to meet up with her motorcycle lover Alain Delon. The story of their relationship is told via flashbacks which is told through flashbacks which are then told through flashbacks etc.
On the whole the film was a daring 1960's movie which aimed at showing raunchy sex scenes through hip psychedelic camera shots and just general 60'sness, if you know what I mean.
It won't be great cinematic viewing (although the shots of Marianne Faithfull bouncing around on a motocycle in nothing but a leather catsuit is somewhat great!) But the movie will offer you something different that you don't see everyday.
But despite that small annoyance, the film is very interesting, but I do believe I say that out of sympathy. The film basically follows Marianne Faithfully on a large motorcycle, which does look like a shocking studio prop a lot of the time, through Alsace to Heidleberg in Germany, to meet up with her motorcycle lover Alain Delon. The story of their relationship is told via flashbacks which is told through flashbacks which are then told through flashbacks etc.
On the whole the film was a daring 1960's movie which aimed at showing raunchy sex scenes through hip psychedelic camera shots and just general 60'sness, if you know what I mean.
It won't be great cinematic viewing (although the shots of Marianne Faithfull bouncing around on a motocycle in nothing but a leather catsuit is somewhat great!) But the movie will offer you something different that you don't see everyday.
The Music Lovers
(1971)
Dramatic, yet fun.
6 February 1999
This film is one of Ken Russell's best dramatic romps. He dashes through late 19th Century Russian history without a care to whether it is all in the correct place or not. But that doesn't matter. It's your typical Russell film: Overstated dramatic acting, madness, mental institutions, frilly frocks and women with low-cut dresses and big boobs. As this film recounts the life of 19th Century Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Russell manages to capture a feeling this is essentially Russian. You could almost swear that the story was straight out of a Checkov play, it has that Russian warmth to it. Far more interesting than a long, drawn-out serious biography, The Music Lovers is fun and entertaining in a dramatic way, worth watching. However, keep to the encyclopaedia if you want a proper history of Tchaikovsky's life.
Mona Lisa
(1986)
True grit and grime
7 December 1998
This film is one of the best to have come out of Britain in the 1980's. Produced by Handmade Films, George Harrison's company, the film won several BAFTA awards and deservedly so. The film deals with an ex-con named George, played by Bob Hoskins who gives a fantastic performance, who is given a job by his old boss, Mortwell, as played by Michael Cain (another fantastic performance). George is now the chauffeur for a high-class prostitute and the story revolves around her educating him on the finer cuts of life with the result of him falling in love with her. It's a powerful film, showing the gritty side of the London underworld and it cannot go wrong with two of the best ever performances from the masters - Bob Hoskins and Michael Caine. These two men know how to play these roles. A true lesson for any actor.
To the Manor Born
(1979–2007)
Aristocrats in the poor house
7 December 1998
This likable series followed hot on the heels of Penelope Keith's success in 'The Good Life'. In 'The Good Life', Penelope played the thoroughly snobbish Margot Ledbetter and it is possible to see that 'To the Manor Born' was a somewhat carry on from that. In this series, made for the BBC from 1979 to 1981, Penelope plays Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton, a member of aristocracy, (and boy, doesn't she know it) and one of the 'old girls' with the very proper up-bringing. When her husband dies, Audrey discovers she is in serious debt and must sell the house, Grantley Manor. The Estate is bought by Mr Richard DeVere, a Czechoslovak immigrant who has established a very successful chain of supermarkets called 'Cavendish Foods'. Audrey moves into the Gate-Keepers lodge and continues to live the aristocratic life. The show is a gentle dig at English aristocratic life and those who are members of it and those who are trying to. The show is also dominated by the 'will-they-or-won't-they' relationship between Audrey and Richard (played by Peter Bowles). One of the many likeable British comedy series.
Robin's Nest
(1977–1981)
Funnier than most
7 December 1998
Fairly funny spin-off for Richard O'Sullivan from 'Man about the House'. This series, produced for Thames TV between 1977 and 1981, sees Richard playing Robin again, this time married and setting up his own restaurant. Their one-armed dishwasher Albert also provides plenty of laughs. Comedy relief is also provided by Robin's parents-in-law, who look with much nostalgia upon their divorce day. Not a remarkably outstanding comedy series, but a lot funnier than others.
George & Mildred
(1976–1979)
With neighbours like these.....
7 December 1998
A hilarious spin-off for Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy from 'Man about the House'. George and Mildred have moved into a different house in another part of London and are now confronting their new neighbours, the Fourmiles. The snobbish Geoffrey Fourmile thoroughly detests them and that's where the fun starts. Pretty much the same thing that used to happen in 'Man about the House', except you see more of them.
Carry on Girls
(1973)
An old formular rejuvenated
7 December 1998
Despite that fact that this film was one of the last Carry On's to be made and the classic jokes and gags were rather tired by now, for some reason they seem especially funny. There is nothing very different from this carry on film to the countless others, except for the fact this time the material seemed to really work, even though everyone knows the jokes. This Carry On adventure is set in an English seaside town. Kenneth Connor is the rather inebriated town Mayor, with Sid James (in his usual character type) and June Whitfield (the mother in Absolutely Fabulous) on the committee. It has come to the committee's attention that the town is losing tourists and something must be done. Sid cracks the idea of holding a Beauty contests and soon all the leggy birds that 1973 could offer were swanning down to the sea-side Hotel owned by Joan Sims. And of course that's where the fun starts - a Hotel taken over by scantily-clad women being chased by dirty old men, etc. More fuel is added to fire by June Whitfield who plays a feminist assisted by a women who looks like a member of the Hitler Boy Youth (intentional, I take it). This is one of the funniest Carry On films, and one of the best to view.
Every Home Should Have One
(1970)
Those eyes make it worthwhile
7 December 1998
Let's be honest, what's the funniest thing about a Marty Feldman film? Those eyes! And in this particular film, they are used to great comedic effect. But that being said, if your only interest is Marty Feldman's eyes and the absolutely fantastic wardrobe designed by the very trendy Mr Fish, then this film could be a bit of a bore. Marty Feldman plays an advertising executive who believes one thing: Sex Sells! His main account is a brand of Scottish Porridge and his main thought is how to make it sexy. Marty in this film constantly drifts into dream sequences which touch on every aspect of film and commercial making and sex. This does not help when his very liberal wife is responsible for the 'sex on TV' committee which includes the likes of a very prudent couple, a priest and a colonel. Penelope Keith appears in the film as the Gestapo Nanny. For those interested in very trendy London fashions, then you'll probably enjoy this film. Or if you're interested in a very different comedy that is very cartoon-like you might enjoy this film. If not, then you'll have your finger on the fast forward button a lot.
Spirits of the Dead
(1968)
Fellini says it all
7 December 1998
What makes this film of three short pictures worthwhile is the final story directed by Frederico Fellini. All three short stories were adapted from the stories of Edgar Allen Poe. The first film directed by Roger Vadim stars Jane Fonda and was narrated by Vincent Price. The Second story stars the European screen gods of the time Alain Delon and Brigitte Bardot and directed by Louis Malle. But as I stated the third story is what makes the film so wonderful. Terence Stamp is Toby Dammit, a very very spaced out English actor who travels to Italy to present the 'Italian' Academy Awards. For his troubles, he receives a new model Ferrari. But Toby is troubled by one thing: the devil. And the devil always appears to him as a mysterious, but very 60's, girl who carries a golden ball. This film cannot be described, it has to be seen, especialy the sequence where Toby roars through the rather peculiar town very late at night in the Ferrari. But a word of warning: don't try to figure this film out, just let Fellini play with your mind in a way that only he can.
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967 TV Movie)
Four guys with a camera and a bus load of freaks
7 December 1998
As much as I love the Beatles, it has to be said that this was not one of their most polished performances. Inspired by Ken Kesey and his merry prankster's psychedelic bus of the 1960's, Paul McCartney came up with the idea to do the film. But there's a bit of a difference between making a movie and mucking about with 16mm cameras. The film is downright bizarre, with no apparent script and moves from one oddity to another with nothing stringing it together, except for the songs. If you like the completely weird, then you'll probably enjoy this film. Trust me, it won't bore you. But the Beatles keep it nice and boppy and light and psychedelic and it won't freak anybody out. It really is a pandora's box of a film.
The Bobo
(1967)
Charming
7 December 1998
Although many film critics are very quick to pan this film citing that is not 'classic Sellers', this film is indeed very charming. The story is to do with a young woman called Olympia, played by Peter Seller's wife at the time, Britt Ekland. Set in Barcelona, Olympia is the object of every man's desire and she has been responsible for the ruining of many a man. Enter Peter Sellers as Juan Bautista, the singing matador. His dream is to be the most famous stage performer in Barcelona. But to achieve this, his prospective employer sets him a challenge. If he spends one night in bed with Olympia, the first man to do so, he will make him a stage star. Juan takes the challenge but has only 3 days to do it. The film is reasonably funny in the methods that Juan uses to seduce Olympia. Sellers gives a very confident performance which makes it fun to watch. There is also an excellent scene with non-cliched flamenco dancing, which is actually so exceptional it seems so out of place in the film. This is not a classic film, however it will keep you entertained on a boring day.
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