Kung Fu Hustle: The genius of Stephen Chow
If you were born in the early 90s, chances are you have seen at least some of Stephen’s Chow’s films. Of all the films Chow has directed, Kung Fu Hustle left a deep impression on me. Growing up in India, I was exposed to a lot of Chinese martial arts movies. Needless to say, most of them very Jackie Chan movies. But there was something different about Kung Fu Hustle. It’s one of those movies that I can watch a million times and yet not get bored.
I vividly remember watching the Hindi dubbed trailer of the film. Although the trailer mostly contained CGI visuals, I was curious to see if it had a larger canvas. The film surely didn’t disappoint. Let’s take a deeper look at the elements that make Kung Fu Hustle such an amazing film.
Background Score
Right off the bat, the music of the film simply stands out. Composed by Raymond Wong, along with Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the music heavily borrows the traditional sounds of China and puts a modern spin on it. While the tunes are classical, the mood and progression of them are very contemporary. Tracks such as Decree of Sichuan General and Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained not keep you hooked on the edge of the seat but also contain narrative themes to complement the action in the scene to provide a deeper immersion into the setting.
