D V D C R Y P T

THE STORY OF RICKY

Directed by Nam Nai Choi
Produced by Chow Chan Dung
Photography by Mak Hoi Man
Action Design by Gok Chan Fung
Music by Chan Fei Lit
Cast: Fan Siu Wong, Fan Mui Sang, Ho Ka Kui & Oshima Yukari

1991/96 mins/Color/5.1 DD
1.85:1/Chinese/China/NTSC Region 0

Review from the Media Asia DVD

Based on the ultra violent Manga, Nam Nai Choi's THE STORY OF RICKY (a.k.a RIKI-OH) live adaptation is the ultimate kung-fu gore movie. Exploding heads, falling intestines serving as weapons, nails through eyes, out of proportion gigantic gang leader ending up in a meat grinding machine and over the top fights make this the ultimate beer drinking movie to watch with a bunch of friends.

After killing someone, Ricky (Fan Siu Wong) is send to prison for the next 15 years leaving behind his girlfriend. What seems like a normal prison is in fact an opium production camp where prisoners are used as cheap labour. The prison is separated in four sections; North, South, East, West, each ruled by one bad ass super powered leader part of the "Gang of Four" while the prison itself is governed by Chief Warden Cobra who has the rather unique ability to transform himself into a giant kung-fu fighting monster.

Ricky doesn't approuve the ways things are going and plan on making some changes around, helping his new found and helpless friends. After helping an old man, Ricky finds himself fighting the North cell leader, Oscar. Oscar is a musculated and heavily tattooed fighter who lose his intestines in the fight but ends up making the best of it in a very unique fighting strategy! Next is Rogan, the West cell leader who also ends up feeling the fury of Ricky. Tarzan is a huge leather wearing man and the East cell leader but even with his strenght he won't be able to hold off that wall coming down on him after a brutal fight against Ricky. Finally there is Brandon, the South cell leader who uses a rope-dart (a-la Scorpion in MORTAL KOMBAT) to take away his rivals but just won't be able to do it with the almighty Ricky. How come Ricky is so powerful you must be asking yourself?! Breath control! An old friend of Ricky's late father (isn't it always the same in these movies?!) taugh him how to control his breath thus giving him superhuman power. But let not forget Chief Warden Cobra, Ricky's last and maybe deadly battle... who will prevail, i'm sure you already guessed.

Media Asia did a nice job on this DVD. After watching this film years ago on a tenth generation tape i am very happy with this DVD. The film is presented in a 1.85:1 ratio. There's some scratches and grain, especially at the beginning of the film, but nothing annoying. I truly never seen the film looking that good. We have three choices in the audio departments. First of all there is the original Chinese track (which sounds the best of the three), a simplified Chinese track and a English track. All of them are remastered in 5.1 Dolby Digital and sounds good. As expected the English audio track is badly dubbed making it a riot to listen to but it is way better than the subtitles who doesn't translate as much as the audio track and end up most of the time saying something completely different!

The film is separated in only 9 chapters. The menus are nicely done and the one for the chapters has some animation in it. As for the extras, we get a bio on Fan Siu Wong (Ricky), the synopsis of the film (same as the back cover), the theatrical trailer which mixes the film and the Manga, and four trailers in the More Attractions menus; HERO SHED NO TEARS, the cool looking DUEL TO THE DEATH, the John Woo film LAST HURRAH FOR CAVALRY starring Jackie Chan and THE MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER. The DVD comes in a keep case and without a booklet or inlay card. A commentary track and the Manga would have make this DVD better but i am still happy with the end product.

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