- Actors: John Liu, Wei Tung, Bao-yun Tang, Chung Kai Chang, Gai Lung Chang
- Directors: Chung Ting
- Writers: Shen Wei
- Producers: Liang-Jie Chen
- Format: PAL
- Region: All Regions
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Eastern Heroes
- DVD Release Date: 20 Nov 2000
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004WZXV
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 111,708 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you love watching 1970's kung fu films then feast your eyes because this one is probably one of the best John Liu films you'll see. The dubbing isn't that good but the film itself is brilliant. Hwang Cheng Lee is also good with kicks but no one can kick like John Liu. A basic storyline is all you need, but scrub that its the fighting scenes that earns it four stars. By the way co star Philip Ko looked too old and placid for this role but still does the deed as the bad guy. Trust me you will not be disappointed.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
this dvd is very poor. the fighting is terrible and i dont think anybody should buy this as they will probably regret it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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3 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Two-disc set includes subtitled version of kung fu classic
30 April 2005
Format:DVD
THE MARS VILLA (1978) is an old-school kung fu classic that offers a rousing showcase for both the acting and fighting talents of high kicker John Liu (SECRET RIVALS, INVINCIBLE ARMOR). The value of this edition is that it's a two-disc set with both an English-dubbed version and a Chinese-language version with English subtitles. The Chinese-language print is the superior one, transferred in its proper widescreen dimensions and boasting a sharp transfer and bright colors. The English dub is also letterboxed but not at the proper aspect ratio. The image on the dub is slightly squeezed and slightly cropped at top and bottom. It's a tad soft and the colors more muted. The subtitled version is the one to watch. Interestingly, there is no indication on Crash Cinema's DVD case that a second disc with the Chinese version is included. What a pleasant surprise this purchase turned out to be.
While the basic plot of MARS VILLA is a simple one of bad guys getting revenge on a hero who killed their family member, it has more interesting twists and turns than usual. The hero, Mar (Liu), is captured at the film's midway point and tortured. His beautiful wife is abducted and told her husband will be killed if she doesn't marry the handsome young villain (son of the crime boss killed in self-defense early in the film by Mar). She finally gives in and Mar, driven mad by the torture, is released. Eventually, the hero's sole surviving comrade (played by Chan Chia Kai), now in hiding, rescues Mar from the streets and nurses him back to health in time for the final set of battles.
The photography is quite good and benefits from picturesque Taiwan locations and historic sites including a sprawling temple with a giant golden Buddha. John Liu is as good here as we've ever seen him. Tang Bao Yun plays his suffering wife and the two have some moving, dramatic scenes together. Chan Chia Kai as the loyal sidekick is an effective fighter in his own right and future HK film director Tung Wei plays the handsome villain. (Tung and Chan co-choreographed the film's fight scenes.) Perennial kung fu villain Phillip Ko plays both the crime boss and his vengeful brother and has quite an intense battle with Liu and Chan at the end in which Mar demonstrates his revered "Magic Kick" technique.
The onscreen title on the English dub is "The Mar's Villa," while dropping the apostrophe and reading as "The Mars Villa" in the Chinese version's credits. The music score is a hodgepodge of well-known Hollywood soundtracks including HANG 'EM HIGH, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, and THE EXORCIST II.
While the basic plot of MARS VILLA is a simple one of bad guys getting revenge on a hero who killed their family member, it has more interesting twists and turns than usual. The hero, Mar (Liu), is captured at the film's midway point and tortured. His beautiful wife is abducted and told her husband will be killed if she doesn't marry the handsome young villain (son of the crime boss killed in self-defense early in the film by Mar). She finally gives in and Mar, driven mad by the torture, is released. Eventually, the hero's sole surviving comrade (played by Chan Chia Kai), now in hiding, rescues Mar from the streets and nurses him back to health in time for the final set of battles.
The photography is quite good and benefits from picturesque Taiwan locations and historic sites including a sprawling temple with a giant golden Buddha. John Liu is as good here as we've ever seen him. Tang Bao Yun plays his suffering wife and the two have some moving, dramatic scenes together. Chan Chia Kai as the loyal sidekick is an effective fighter in his own right and future HK film director Tung Wei plays the handsome villain. (Tung and Chan co-choreographed the film's fight scenes.) Perennial kung fu villain Phillip Ko plays both the crime boss and his vengeful brother and has quite an intense battle with Liu and Chan at the end in which Mar demonstrates his revered "Magic Kick" technique.
The onscreen title on the English dub is "The Mar's Villa," while dropping the apostrophe and reading as "The Mars Villa" in the Chinese version's credits. The music score is a hodgepodge of well-known Hollywood soundtracks including HANG 'EM HIGH, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, and THE EXORCIST II.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Good Kicking from Liu, but the other actors don't get to show off the best of their skills
14 Jun 2007
Format:DVD
Super kicker John Liu plays Mar, and the movie begins with Mar's Villa being destroyed. Phillip Ko shows up with his men to take out Mar for no real reason. After Phillip Ko is killed by Mar, his twin brother (also played by Phillip Ko) looks to take revenge. He sends his evil step-son to learn about Mar and find a way to beat him. Steve Tung Wei is amazing as the evil step-son and I wish he would have had more opportunities like this. Tung Wei leads Mar into a trap and his magic kick is defeated. Mar gets captured, and the movie doesn't really make any sense from here on. Chia Kai plays Mar's loyal servant and finds him alive and insane roaming the streets. In the next scene Mar recovers and this is where the movie didn't make sense to me. I can understand that Mar was let go because he was driven to insanity (in a pretty weak scene I might add), but then I don't get how he recovers in a minute or so right before our eyes.
So besides the illogical story, the movie is actually pretty good. Liu's kicking looks just as good as it does in movies like Fighting Ace and Secret Rivals 3. This is not one of Phillip Ko's better roles, but he still puts on a good performance. The real problem is Steve Tung Wei. He has some entertaining brief fights early on, and I was eagerly awaiting him to fight John Liu. This fight was very disappointing. The slow-mo is used to good effect, but the fight is short and very forgettable. This really irritated me, but luckily the final fight makes up for it. Chia Kai shows up to help his master defeat Ko. He tries to take all the punches and does literally whatever he can to help Liu win the fight. I was disappointed with Chia Kai's fights up to this point, but his work in the finale is brilliant. Definitely one of the better 2 on 1 fights I have ever seen. Right up there with Hot, Cool and Vicious and Seven Steps of Kung Fu.
3/5
So besides the illogical story, the movie is actually pretty good. Liu's kicking looks just as good as it does in movies like Fighting Ace and Secret Rivals 3. This is not one of Phillip Ko's better roles, but he still puts on a good performance. The real problem is Steve Tung Wei. He has some entertaining brief fights early on, and I was eagerly awaiting him to fight John Liu. This fight was very disappointing. The slow-mo is used to good effect, but the fight is short and very forgettable. This really irritated me, but luckily the final fight makes up for it. Chia Kai shows up to help his master defeat Ko. He tries to take all the punches and does literally whatever he can to help Liu win the fight. I was disappointed with Chia Kai's fights up to this point, but his work in the finale is brilliant. Definitely one of the better 2 on 1 fights I have ever seen. Right up there with Hot, Cool and Vicious and Seven Steps of Kung Fu.
3/5
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
just a smidge above average kung fu flick
15 May 2005
Format:DVD
This Crash Cinema version of Mars Villa is actually pretty good!
The picture does have some heavy scratches but they only appear
during the beginning credits and maybe a couple of other parts
of the film, but over all the picture is good for an old kung fu
film! This product has two DVD's! One is the widescreen english
version! And the other is the original language version in
widescreen! There is nothing wrong with the product! No hicups
no technical issues nothing!
I only review the quality of this product! How I feel about the
movie, I liked it but it's just an average film!
The picture does have some heavy scratches but they only appear
during the beginning credits and maybe a couple of other parts
of the film, but over all the picture is good for an old kung fu
film! This product has two DVD's! One is the widescreen english
version! And the other is the original language version in
widescreen! There is nothing wrong with the product! No hicups
no technical issues nothing!
I only review the quality of this product! How I feel about the
movie, I liked it but it's just an average film!
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