Shaolin Soccer was a monster box office hit in Asia for writer/director and star Stephen Chow, but Kung Fu Hustle was even bigger. It's another madcap martial arts comedy (this time without the football), which critics agreed was "probably the most fun you'll have at the movies all year". It came as no surprise when Chow's film went on to achieve instant 'classic cult' status in the west..

Don't Try This At Home...

Stephen Chow and co-star Lam Tze Chung (aka the fat sidekick) guide you through a zany look at the making of the film in a 40-minute TV special. They begin by praising the virtues of kung fu, which apparently "can be used in parking, soccer and chasing buses", before moving on to the serious business of fight training. On location, stunt coordinator Yuen Woo-Ping whips the actors into the shape before CG animators embellish the action with cartoon imagery. Sound effects, along with the traditional Chinese soundtrack and period art design are also discussed and each supporting character gets an in-your-face intro. "I play the fat woman," says a taciturn Qiu Yuen. Making up for her modesty, Chow adds, "She's a fat woman but she's good at kung fu." Charming.

Two typically surreal deleted scenes find Donut (Zhi Hua Dong) doing an Eastern version of Marlon Brando while Sing (Chow) gets star-struck by No 1 gangster Brother Sum (Kwok Kuen Chan). Meanwhile in a separate reel of outtakes and bloopers, Lam Tze Chung must cope with the indignity and sheer physical pain of having Chow put out a cigarette on his bare flesh. Cruel but funny.

Looney Toons

Few people will be surprised to hear that the seemingly ADD-afflicted Chow began his career as a children's TV presenter. In a half hour conversation with film expert Ric Meyers he talks about his influences from The Shaw Brothers movies in the 70s to the Warner Bros Roadrunner cartoons of the 40s. He also attempts to explain the concept of "chi", which is integral to the art of kung fu. "I can hurt you without touching you," he tells Meyers, who merely nods and smiles.

Chow is joined by three of his co-stars for a boisterous audio commentary. Apparently the two biggest challenges faced by the production were "the damn heat" and "the damn mosquitoes", but for Lam Tze Chung it was having to put on 20 pounds of flab and then jiggle it about for cheap laughs. "This incredible wobbly effect was achieved by our associate producer Wellson Chin," he explains, "who was shaking me from behind". If you're hoping for insights more technical than that, you'll be disappointed. However, if you enjoyed Chow's skewed sense of humour at the cinema, this DVD doubles the dose. Kick back and enjoy...

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