1994 - FROM BEIJING WITH LOVE, funny spoof of James Bond films

Although most Westerners know Hong Kong martial arts and comedian Jackie Chan, actor/director Stephen Chow equally deserved to be known just as well Chan.

This film is a funny satire of the James Bond film series,  At the time of release the Pierce Brosnan era in the James Bond series was in full flower.  However this film seems like Chow is spoofing the Roger Moore era of the Bond films.  In any case there is some very funny spy satire stuff throughout the film along with Chow's slap sticky humor.

As always in a Chow movie he has cast the female lead with a gorgeous performer. In this film Anita Yuen is his chosen love interest who is also a double agent sent to kill him.  She communicates with her evil boss through a toilet that has a two way television link in it.

If you are a Bond fan there are lots of in jokes.  The gadgets don't work very well and the henchmen are even more over the top than "Jaws" in the Roger Moore Bond films. Chow plays the James Bond spoofed character with the correct mix of Bondian arrogance and incompetence with a cigarette literally glued to his lips.  

 

The film was written by Stephen Chow, Roman Cheung/Vincent Kok and Lee Lik-Chi.  The running time is 83 minutes.