Intro
Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin finally gets a DVD re-release with an anamorphic widescreen transfer. It is too bad that the quality of this DVD is so low.
Synopsis
“International superstar Jackie Chan (Rush Hour) stars in the film that real Kung Fu fans call the best traditional martial arts movie Jackie’s ever made, Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin. Jackie is a young warrior suspected of poisoning all the Shaolin Masters, the creators of a new unbeatable fighting style cal…ed the “Snake and Crane.” Believing he possesses the secret book, dozens of warriors try to take him down with sticks, swords, chopsticks, feet and fists. But Jackie’s motives are pure, and in the end his real mission is revealed as he uses the “Snake and Crane” technique against the ultimate enemy. With one long fight scene after another, this Jackie Chan classic has everything going for it…terrific action sequences, hilarious slapstick and that special Jackie Chan charm.” – Columbia-Tristar
Audio
The remastered 2.0 Dolby Digital soundtrack does not do much to improve the audio quality of this disc. The surrounds are not used at all, and the soundstage is somewhat non-existent. At least both the original Mandarin and English audio tracks included, but the sound is nothing to write home about.
Video
Ouch, this video quality is very questionable. Sure, this film is pushing 26 years, but some more re-mastering should have been done on this print. The new widescreen transfer is much better then the basic full frame version included on the previous release of this DVD, but the grain and print damage is too distracting to really enjoy the film. There are moments where the transfer looks so bad, you feel as though you are in a snow storm… let me repeat – Ouch.
Features
The only feature included on this disc is the theatrical trailer for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Other than that, the menus are silent and still…Very basic stuff here.
Closing Thoughts
As with the remastered releases of New Fists of Fury and To Kill with Intrigue, Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin is only for those die-hard Jackie Chan / Martial Arts fans. The quality is far from adequate, so avoid unless you cannot go without another Jackie Chan film in your collection.
Special Features List
- Trailer
