| |
|
|
|
The Untold Story
|
List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $14.95
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
Starring: Emily Kwan, Julie Lee (IV), Tony Leung Siu Hung, Fui-On Shing, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
Directed By: Herman Yau
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
EAN: 0601643452548
Format: Color
Label: Tai Seng
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Publisher: Tai Seng
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2004-02-10
Running Time: 95
Studio: Tai Seng
Theatrical Release Date: 1992
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: juicy, steamy pork buns
Comment: In 1978, Wong Chi Hang killed a man after the man refused to loan him some money. That, in itself, is a common enough story, but to add a bit of spark to it, Wong Chi Hang set the man on fire while he was still alive. His security being a bit unsteady at this point, Wong flees Hong Kong to Macau and disappears, hidden from the long arm of the law. There, he becomes the proprietor of a restaurant that serves pork buns, but it seems that he wants to sell the business which he is unable to do because the former owner of the restaurant has gone missing and needs to sign the documents showing Wong's proprietorship." What will the killer do?
On the other side of the law are a group of inept policemen and one policewoman who are led by the womanizer Officer Lee, the film's director Danny Lee, whose relatively stable existence is destroyed when the dismembered arms and legs of an middle-aged woman was onto the beach. It turns out the body parts belong to the mother-in-law of the former owner of Wong's restaurant and when letters from the mainland arrive at the restaurant from the former owner's brother, Wong becomes a suspect in the murders of nine people. However, even though he is a suspect, can Wong control his murderous nature?
I am having a hard time putting my thoughts down about this film because it seems to be a combination of comedy and gore which really does not mix well to together like steamed broccoli and sherbet served on the same plate. The comedy, in my opinion, is very weak and consists mainly of the policemen lusting after the bodies of Officer Lee's numerous girlfriends followed by them putting down the policewoman Bo because of her flat chest and tomboyish nature. The gore, on the other hand, while a bit b movie-ish at times, is quite graphic especially when Wong kills his waitress (you, dear viewer, will never look at chopsticks the same way again) and when he prepares the body of his dishwasher into pork buns. However, the violence is not limited to what Wong does to his victims, because the police and even a female nurse are quite brutal as well, making the viewer feel sympathy for the killer and makes them wish that Wong would unleash his vengeance upon him because of their unjust ways.
Supposedly based on true events committed by a serial killer back in 1978, Untold Story is not for the faint of heart because its violence is over the top and even is unleashed upon women and children. While nothing spectacular as a whole, Untold Story would make a welcome collection to the home libraries for those who enjoy gore and bloodshed in their films.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Human Meat Buns. 'Nuff Said.
Comment: Anthony Wong (who won Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards for this brilliant performance) plays Wong Chi Hang, the new "owner" of the Eight Immortals Restaurant in Macau. Of course, the police believe he's only the new owner because he murdered the real owner and his entire family out of greed and bloodlust. They're right of course, and no, I'm not giving anything away. "The Untold Story" falls in line with what one might call the serial killer film subgenre. We know who is doing the killing and are mainly splitting time between the killer doing his crimes and covering them up, and the cops trying to catch him. Still, "The Untold Story" stands out from the many serial killer films out there, most notably because it is extremely brutal and graphic in depicting unspeakable acts on men, women, and children before the viewers' very eyes. While I am not as taken aback as other viewers for some reason, maybe 'cause my dad was a butcher, ha, a few scenes did get to me too and it is definitely more graphic than any U.S. films that come to mind. Some classic elements boost the film as well, like the old "serving the victims to the customers" bit (which audiences love for some reason, myself included) and the fact that this one is based on a true story. There's also the amazingly creepy performance by Anthony Wong. In addition to all that, you have something extra for American audiences. Filmmaking in Hong Kong is very different, and while many of us might be put off by their politically incorrect ways and willingness to throw lots of comedy in between the horror elements, the rest of us will find it really quite fascinating and entertaining to see a film so culturally different. The film also stars Danny Lee as head of a police force that spends most of its time goofing around and is the source of the comic relief. Emily Kwan is Bo, the female cop who stands out from the rest because she is constantly teased by her peers and has a crush on the boss. Herman Yau directed "The Untold Story", and he really does an amazing job of building up the suspense and keeping things moving, and the great music supports him. The DVD is excellent, presenting the film in widescreen with English subtitles, uncut, with two audio commentaries (one with Herman Yau and one with Anthony Wong), bios and filmographies on Yau, Wong, and Lee, and a handful of trailers that include the one for "The Untold Story". If this kind of film appeals to you, and you know who you are, you'll definitely want to pick this one up!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not for all tastes...
Comment: The Untold Story aka Bunman aka Human Pork Rolls is not for everyone, choosing to tell its story of Macao's answer to Sweeney Todd as a broad black comedy, an approach somewhat enhanced for UK viewers by the frightening similarity Anthony Wong's bug-eyed homicidal purveyor of human pork buns has to much-loved British comedian Eric Morecambe on a particularly bad day (it's the glasses). Co-director Danny Lee's cheerful cop doesn't help matters, constantly bringing beautiful hookers with him into the station or to crime scenes and provoking the envy of his cartoonish detectives investigating missing persons while they enjoy free samples from Wong's café. All of which makes a graphic rape scene involving chopsticks all the more unpleasant, and in all the wrong ways. Did I mention it was a true story?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Visceral beyond belief.....
Comment: Hong Kong films are generally more violent than American ones (believe it or not), but this one is so over the top and brutal that it's nearly impossible to sit through. From the opening shot of Anthony Wong bashing the head of a "friend" of his repeatedly through a wall, to the final carnage in which you see Wong cutting up an entire family (they show EVERYTHING), the film is one of most visceral, sense assaulting films I've ever seen. It's not the most artistic movie ever made, but you can't get some of the stuff out of your head, like when the waitress is killed or when Wong is nearly beaten to death by his fellow prisoners. The best performance here is by Anthony Wong. He's so creepy and scary here that he makes the film. Danny Lee and the policemen here are very silly, almost childish, and borderline fascistic. They seem to break every rule about due process of law to get Wong to confess. Danny Lee plays the chief inspector, and for some reason, he enters nearly every scene with a bimbo on his arm. And the rest of the police people act like horny teenagers, not mature, adult policemen. I'm not really sure why that is. The story is, as the credits say, "based, unfortunately, on real events", but there really isn't any mystery or intelligence in this film. It doesn't feel like a cop film. It's just a brutal, visceral assault of violence. The violence here, though, is horrific. It's sort of like a Lucio Fulci film (except this film is better), when you're waiting for the gore scenes. The final scene where Wong cuts up the entire family is almost impossible to watch (even for this viewer). If you're into that type of assault, go for it. Rent/buy this, otherwise, stay away.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the sickest film's ever made.
Comment: This is a pretty sick Cat3 film that is very deserving of it's reputation. Anthony Wong play's one of the most disgusting characters ever put to film and does it beautifully. The story is pretty much split into 2 part's: One part is about a murderer who runs a resturaunt and like's to feed his victims to his customers. The other part is about the detective's that are trying to catch him, until they finally meet up for the jaw-dropping finally. Which brings me to my one minor complaint; the scenes with the detectives' had comedic and cheesy elements to them that would have made the film much more serious and disturbing without. It doesn't ruin anything, but it would have been a much darker film without the cheesy comedy. This is also based on a true story which makes it even more offensive. While it's not as gory as a film like Cannibal Holocaust or Nekromantik, it pushes some boundries that nobody else dare's to touch. I don't want to spoil to much for potential viewers, but I will say this- NOTHING is off limits in this movie. Highly recommended.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
