The Young Master: Deluxe Collector's Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1980
Director: Jackie Chan
Writers: Jackie Chan, Edward Tang, Lau Tin-chi, Tung Lu
Cast: Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Fung Fung, Shih Kien, Lee Hoi-sang, Fung Hak-kun, Wei Pai, Shih Kien, Lily Li, Hwang In-Shik, Fan Mei, Yue Tau-ean, Bruce Tang Yim-chan

Release Date: Februray 22nd, 2021
Approximate running times: 106 Minutes 18 Seconds (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 90 Minutes 58 Seconds (International Export Cut), 99 Minutes 47 Seconds (Extended Export Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Cantonese Mono - original theatrical mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - home video mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - with alternate export soundtrack, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), LPCM Mono English (International Export Cut, Extended Export Cut)
Subtitles: English (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), English SDH (International Export Cut, Extended Export Cut)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: OOP

"Jackie Chan was already a star when he made The Young Master but this film took him to another level. He plays 'Dragon' who undertakes a mission to find his missing brother, and gets into plenty of scrapes along the way – not least being mistaken for a criminal that the authorities are very keen to put behind bars..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 4/5 (International Export Cut, Extended Export Cut)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "New 2K Remaster of the Hong Kong theatrical cut."

The Young Master, the Hong Kong theatrical cut comes on a 50 GB duallayer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.2 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, black levels are strong, and image clarity and compression are solid.

The Young Master, the international export cut, and the extended export cut come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.8 GB

Feature: 19.9 GB (International Export Cut), 21.6 GB (Extended Export Cut)

According to the information provided in the perfect bound book, the international export cut and the extended export cut come from older existing sources that predate the 2K transfer used for the Hong Kong theatrical cut.

Though the sources used for the international export cut and the extended export cut are not as strong as the source used for the Hong Kong theatrical cut, Both of these transfers look very good. Colors and flesh tones look correct; image clarity and black levels are strong; and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Cantonese Mono - original theatrical mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - home video mix, LPCM Cantonese Mono - with alternate export soundtrack, LPCM Mono English), 4/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English)

The Hong Kong theatrical cut comes with four audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (the original theatrical mix), a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (the home video mix), a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (an alternate export soundtrack), and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese original theatrical mix and removable English subtitles for the Cantonese alternate export soundtrack. Also, there are removable English subtitles for Cantonese text and signs when watching the DTS-HD 5.1 English language track.

The international export cut and the extended export cut each come with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English. Included are removable English SDH subtitles and a second English subtitle track for Cantonese text and signs.

All of the mono mixes across these three versions are comparable quality- and range-wise. There are no issues with hiss or sibilance; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds bland. Also, ambeint sounds are well-represented, and fight scenes sound robust. Despite sounding clean and clear, the DTS-HD 5.1 English language track does not have the same impact as the other tracks for the fight sequences.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with the Hong Kong theatrical cut include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), Japanese theatrical trailer (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), U.S. home video trailer (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), alternate export dub audio cues (1 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), ‘NG’ No Good Shots (9 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an archival interview with actor Hwang In-shik (28 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jackie Chan (7 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a collection of deleted, extended, alternate footage titled The Cut Master (13 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended fight scenes (6 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese, no subtitles), an interview with film editor Radek Sienski titled The Art of the Cut: Editing of The Young Master (20 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Hong Kong cinema expert Rick Baker who discusses The Young Master (10 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Brandon Bentley for the Hong Kong theatrical cut.

Other extras on this disc include trailers for Dragon Lord, New Fists of Fury, The Fearless Hyena, Shaolin Wooden Men, Spiritual Kung Fu, and The Master.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with the international export cut, and the extended export cut include an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema aficionados and game producers Audi Sorlie and Chris Ling.

Other extras include six replica Lobby Cards, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and a 80-page perfect bound book with an essay titled Jackie Chan - The Early Years: From Stuntman to Superstar written by William Blaik, an essay titled VHS Kung Fu: The History of Martial Arts on Video written by Tim Murray, an essay titled Fan-Tastic! The Young Master - Jackie Chan Begins Again written by James Oliver, cast & crew information, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

By the time Jackie Chan made The Young Master, he had already established himself as the premier actor working in martial arts cinema. In the four years leading up to The Young Master, he had appeared in fourteen films, some of which did very well at the box office in Hong Kong. Despite these minor successes, all of them paled in comparison to The Young Master, his first film in Hong Kong to gross one million dollars. The Young Master is also significant for being Jackie Chan’s first film with Golden Harvest, a company he would work with for the next two decades.

The narrative revolves around two rival schools that are competing in a lion dance contest. What should have been an easy win ends in defeat when an orphan student fakes an injury to help a rival school win a lion dance competition. From there, another orphan at the school promises to bring back the student who betrayed the teacher and restore his school's honor.

Besides starring, Jackie Chan also directs The Young Master. And though his character is given ample time to shine, The Young Master is not simply a star vehicle for Jackie Chan, who gives other characters an opportunity to share the spotlight. He delivers a strong performance that is in line with the types of roles for which he is known. And of course, when it comes to the fight sequences, he does not disappoint.

Other notable performances include Yuen Biao (Knockabout) in the role of the constable's son, Shih Kien (Enter the Dragon) in the role of Sang Kung, the constable who is looking for the fugitive with a white fan, and Hwang In-Shik (Hapkido) in the role of Master Kam, a fugitive who leaves a trail of death in his wake.

When it comes to fight sequences, they all deliver and then some. Notable fight sequences include the scene where constables who are transporting Master Kam, who is chained down to a cart, are ambushed by some of Master Kam’s henchmen. This sequence really excels once Master Kam is freed from his shackles and is able to unleash a brutal display of powerful blows. Another standout moment is the scene where Yuen Biao’s character, who is carrying a bench, assists a constable trying to arrest Jackie Chan’s character, Dragon Lung. In this sequence, the bench plays a large role in the fighting. And a lengthy finale in which Dragon Lung faces off against Master Kam.

The Young Master opens with an impressive lion dance competition, which sets the stage for the events that unfold. And though there is some martial arts in this sequence, the first fight sequence does not happen until about the thirty-minute mark. Being that this is a Jackie Chan film, it should not come as a surprise that there is an ample amount of humor, like Dragon Lung falling into a swamp and a scene where Dragon Lung, wearing a skirt, fends off the bad guys like a bullfighter. Ultimately, The Young Master is an exceptional film that is a must-see film if you are a fan of classic martial arts cinema.

The Young Master gets an exceptional release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, three versions of the film, and informative extras, highly recommended.

Note: 88 Films has rereleased The Young Master in a standard edition that includes six replica Lobby Cards, a double-sided foldout poster, and an eighty-page perfect bound book.

 Written by Michael Den Boer