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All the Wrong Clues
AKA: All the Wrong Clues...for the Right Solution
Chinese: 鬼馬智多星
George Lam and Teddy Robin
Year: 1981
Director: Tsui Hark
Producer: Karl Maka, Dean Shek Tin
Cast: George Lam Chi-Cheung, Teddy Robin, Karl Maka, Wong Cho-Si, Tang Kay Chan, Kelly Yiu, Marlinn Wong, Eric Tsang Chi-Wai
The Skinny: Extremely broad comedy from Tsui Hark and Cinema City can be a funny, though trying, experience for some. Your possible enjoyment depends on your ability to tolerate extreme silliness.
 
Review
by Kozo:

Set in 1930, this zany comedy from Tsui Hark and his Cinema City cronies is creative and eager-to-please, which doesn't always mean great things. Godfather Capone (Karl Maka, playing off his cueball skull) is out for a huge score, but he despises a mild-mannered P.I. named Champ (George Lam). Champ was responsible for Capone's prior incarceration, so he begins his revenge by sending zany killer Eric Tsang after him. Meanwhile, Champ gets an assist from Police Chief Robin (Teddy Robin). Hijinks ensue.

The manic energy from director Tsui and his cast can prove entertaining, as it immediately glosses over whatever failed jokes occur. Still, there are a lot of failed jokes here—as well as some genuinely funny ones. Those who like wacky slapstick should be engaged, but the nonsensical silliness of this film (and other Cinema City films) is not for everyone. To be honest, the experience was a mixed one for me, as I found myself saying, "What the--?" far too often.

Here's a better acid test. There's one minor gag in the film where someone needs a cigarette lit and somebody else pulls out a massive television-sized lighter for them to use. When they made this movie, some guy on the set actually said, "Hey, let's take this BIG cigarette lighter and she can use it to light her little cigarette! Wouldn't that be just a hoot?" If your hypothetical response is, "Yeah, that would be funny!" then see this movie. If your response is, "Are you on crack?" then it'd be best to see something else. (Kozo 1996)

 
Availability: DVD (Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Fortune Star / Deltamac
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
Dolby Digital 2.0
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles
 
 image courtesy of Deltamac Co., Ltd.
 

   
 
 
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