Crime Story
Encyclopedia
Crime Story is a 1993 Hong Kong action
crime film
starring Jackie Chan
and directed by Kirk Wong
, who also stars in the film.
Unlike nearly all of Chan's other films, which feature a combination of action
and comedy
, Crime Story is serious-minded and dramatic (albeit with very brief moments of humor), with action scenes that are violent and highly destructive. Martial arts are de-emphasized in favor of gunfights, with many people being shot and killed, another anomaly for a Jackie Chan film. The film is based on actual events surrounding the 1990 kidnapping of Teddy Wang
.
) is assigned to find a high-profile businessman who has been kidnapped, and the search takes him from Hong Kong to Taiwan, causing him to cross paths with some very powerful men in the Chinese underworld. What complicates matters is that there is a mole within the police force, determined to stop Chan from succeeding. Chan, a very troubled policeman, finds himself fighting his personal demons at the same time he battles the seemingly unending wave of crime in the city.
The movie is based on the real-life kidnapping of Hong Kong property billionaire Wong Yat-fei (also known as Teddy Wang).
In the end, the mole is uncovered and reveals the location of the businessman on a boat, leading to his rescue. This is, however, a fictionalized ending to the case; in real life, Teddy Wang was never found and remains a missing person to this day. Many believe that he was thrown off the boat as the police converged upon it.
, and partially in Taiwan
. It includes real scenes of building explosions filmed in the deserted Kowloon Walled City
, which was destroyed in the same year.
The Dragon Dynasty
(DD) version has the original Cantonese language and the cuts made from the Miramax version were restored in the Dragon Dynasty version. The DD version was released in 2007 and is about 107 minutes long. It also contains other deleted scenes not seen in either version.
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
crime film
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
starring Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
and directed by Kirk Wong
Kirk Wong
Kirk Wong Chi Keung is a Hong Kong based film director and actor. He is probably most famous for directing the John Woo produced action comedy The Big Hit.-Filmography as director:...
, who also stars in the film.
Unlike nearly all of Chan's other films, which feature a combination of action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
and comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, Crime Story is serious-minded and dramatic (albeit with very brief moments of humor), with action scenes that are violent and highly destructive. Martial arts are de-emphasized in favor of gunfights, with many people being shot and killed, another anomaly for a Jackie Chan film. The film is based on actual events surrounding the 1990 kidnapping of Teddy Wang
Teddy Wang
Teddy Wang was a prominent Chinese businessman and founder of the Chinachem Group who was kidnapped for ransom in 1990, and later declared legally dead...
.
Plot
Inspector Eddie Chan (Jackie ChanJackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
) is assigned to find a high-profile businessman who has been kidnapped, and the search takes him from Hong Kong to Taiwan, causing him to cross paths with some very powerful men in the Chinese underworld. What complicates matters is that there is a mole within the police force, determined to stop Chan from succeeding. Chan, a very troubled policeman, finds himself fighting his personal demons at the same time he battles the seemingly unending wave of crime in the city.
The movie is based on the real-life kidnapping of Hong Kong property billionaire Wong Yat-fei (also known as Teddy Wang).
In the end, the mole is uncovered and reveals the location of the businessman on a boat, leading to his rescue. This is, however, a fictionalized ending to the case; in real life, Teddy Wang was never found and remains a missing person to this day. Many believe that he was thrown off the boat as the police converged upon it.
Filming locations
The film is set mainly in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and partially in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It includes real scenes of building explosions filmed in the deserted Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898....
, which was destroyed in the same year.
US version
The version released on video and DVD in North America by Miramax was dubbed in English, although unlike most releases, it contained the original musical score. Chan's character had the name "Eddie" replaced with "Jackie" in the dub. There were two cuts made from the Miramax version:- The pre-credits sequence with the kidnappers was removed.
- The last scene, where Wong Yat Fei's wife tells him to thank Chan.
The Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty is a joint venture started by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. The company was created on May 23, 2006 for the sole purpose of distributing East Asian films on DVD in the US, whose licenses are held by, or will be acquired by The Weinstein Company...
(DD) version has the original Cantonese language and the cuts made from the Miramax version were restored in the Dragon Dynasty version. The DD version was released in 2007 and is about 107 minutes long. It also contains other deleted scenes not seen in either version.
Cast
- Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
- Inspector Eddie Chan - Kent ChengKent ChengKent Cheng Jak-si is a Hong Kong film and television actor. He has won twice the best actor award in the Hong Kong Film Awards.-Biography:...
- Hung Ting-bong - Law Kar-yingLaw Kar-YingLaw Kar-ying is a Hong Kong-based actor. He was originally a Cantonese Opera artiste. In 1990 he turned to acting in movies. He became popular after being cast in From Beijing with Love, which also starred Stephen Chow, as Da Vinci, an inventor whose list of gadgets include a solar-powered...
- Wong Yat Fei - Law Hang Kang - Wong
- Puishan Au-yeung - Wong's wife (as Au-Yeung Pui Shan)
- Blackie KoBlackie KoBlackie Ko Shou-Liang was a famous Taiwanese film director, producer, stuntman and actor. In 1956, he moved to Taiwan with his family during the chaos of Mao Zedong's early communist reformations. His son is famous Taiwanese actor and singer Alan Ke You Lun...
- Captain Ko - Pan LinglingPan LinglingPan Lingling is a Singaporean versatile actress.Pan entered the entertainment industry in 1988 after graduating from the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation's 8th Drama Artiste Training Course. She made her TV debut with the series, Mystery, Golden Quest, Ups and Downs...
- Psychologist - Christine NgChristine NgChristine Ng Wing-Mei is a Hong Kong actress under contract to Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited or TVB. Christine is known for her roles in TVB's dramas including "C.I.B...
- Lara - Chung Fat - Ng Kwok Wah / Wu Kuo Hua
- Ken LoKen LoKen Low Wai-kwong is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and a ex-member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team.-Early life:...
- Ng Kwok Yan / Wu Kuo Jen (as Low Houi Kang) - Wan Faat - Simon Ting (as Wan Fat)
- William Tuan - Superintendent Cheung (as Duen Wai Lun)
- MarsMars (actor)Mars , born Cheung Wing Fat is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.-Early life:...
- Bank Robber (uncredited) - Chan Tat-kwong - Bank Robber (uncredited)
- Johnny Cheung - Black Dog
- Wong Chi Wai - Black Dragon (uncredited)
- James Ha - Kidnapper / Ting-bong's Man
- Rocky Lai - Taiwanese Gangster / Restaurant Owner
- Chris Chan
- Simon Cheung
Awards and nominations
- 1993 Golden Horse AwardsGolden Horse Film Festival and AwardsThe Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962, by Government Information Office, Republic of China...
- Won: Best Actor (Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
)
- Won: Best Actor (Jackie Chan
- 199413th Hong Kong Film AwardsCeremony for the 13th Hong Kong Film Awards was held in 1994.-Best Film:-Best Director:-Best Screenplay:-Best Actor:-Best Actress:-Best Supporting Actor:-Best Supporting Actress:-Best New Performer:-Best Cinematography:...
Hong Kong Film Awards- Won: Best Film Editing (Peter Cheung)
- Nomination: Best Action Choreography (Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
) - Nomination: Best Actor (Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
) - Nomination: Best Director (Kirk WongKirk WongKirk Wong Chi Keung is a Hong Kong based film director and actor. He is probably most famous for directing the John Woo produced action comedy The Big Hit.-Filmography as director:...
) - Nomination: Best Picture
- Nomination: Best Supporting Actor (Kent ChengKent ChengKent Cheng Jak-si is a Hong Kong film and television actor. He has won twice the best actor award in the Hong Kong Film Awards.-Biography:...
)