Chinatown explodes with kung fu action

Expect big trouble in Chinatown tomorrow night when Iron Monkey gets a free outdoor screening at the Night Market.

Organizer Ken Tsui says it “isn’t a prototypical outdoor summer movie,” but a great kung fu film in the heart of Chinatown? “Too hard to pass up!” he says.

Released in 1993, Iron Monkey won international acclaim for director Yuen Woo-ping’s signature mix of hyper-fluid fighting action and comedy.

“When he directs, he pulls out all the stops like a guilty pleasure and it's just wall to wall kung fu action,” Tsui told the Straight. “I think Iron Monkey is a great example of that.”

Yuen is better known on this side of the world for his fight choreography on films like The Matrix and Tarantino's Kill Bill twofer, but he's a legend behind the camera on his home turf. Long before Jackie Chan came here to kick the shit out of the Bronx (via Vancouver), Yuen turned him into a Hong Kong action star with their first two films together, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master.

Recently Yuen also choreographed the wild King Fu Hustle along with Jet Li’s Fearless.

Iron Monkey screens at dusk on the 100 block of Keefer Street. Potato Tornadoes will be available all night.