NOW THAT they've got a foothold in Hollywood, there's a clamor to see earlier rapid-fire antics of Jackie Chan, John Woo, and others. Here's a Hong Kong top five; you probably won't find them all in your local video store now -- but that's sure to change.
THE KILLER (1990, Fox/Lorber, R, priced for rental) The movie that brought Hong Kong cinema its first mainstream press attention in the U.S., this John Woo-directed mayhem-fest combines an almost mythic noir narrative with mind-blowing action scenes.
DRUNKEN MASTER II (1994, Tai Seng, not rated, priced for rental) Chan scales new heights of masochism -- even dragging himself over hot coals.
BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR (1993, Tai Seng, not rated, priced for rental) A stunning mix of folklore, fantasy, and action.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA PART I (1991, Tai Seng, not rated, priced for rental) The adventures of turn-of-the-century martial-arts hero Wong Fei Hung (directed by Woo's onetime collaborator Tsui Hark). Amazing action.
HARD BOILED (1992, Orion, not rated, priced for rental) If Woo's Vietnam epic Bullet in the Head reaches the apex of his emotional concerns, this does the same for his action Jones. Chow Yun-Fat at his coolest.
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