Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: The inimitable martial arts superstar Cynthia Rothrock stars in two of the most gloriously entertaining films of her career! In China O'Brien, city cop and formidable martial artist Lori Çhina' O'Brien (Rothrock) is forced to resign from the force and return home to a small Utah town after her involvement in an accidental death. But upon arrival in Beaver Creek, she finds that her lawman father – Sheriff John O'Brien (David Blackwell) – is desperately trying to bring down local crime boss Edwin Sommers (Steven Kerby), and it isn't long before she steps into the fray. Then, in China O'Brien 2, Lori must once again protect her hometown when it becomes a hideout for a dangerous fugitive: the excaped drug lord Charlie Baskin (Harlow Marks). Helmed by Robert Clouse, the celebrated director of Enter The Dragon and Game of Death, the China O'Brien films firmly established Cynthia Rothrock as an international action star following a successful string of hits in Hong Kong. Eureka Classics is proud to present both films for the first time on Blu-ray / Ultra HD Blu-ray from brand new 4K restorations. (86/92 Mins)

 

Entertainment In Video UK VHS Synopsis (Part One): Lori 'China' O'Brien is a young city cop. Blonde, beautiful, but with a deadly mastery of the martial arts. One night she is forced to kill to defend herself. She swears she will never use her violent skills again, turns in her badge and goes back to her home town. But there she learns that sometimes you can't just walk away... (86 Mins)

 

Entertainment In Video UK VHS Synopsis (Part Two): She's the sheriff of the town but she doesn't need a gun. She's a girl without a father and a woman without fear. A martial arts master with a score to settle. In the past she swore against violence but she learned that sometimes survival can only be achieved by force. Now she must protect a town under siege, the only way she knows. (82 Mins)

 

Views: Nineties martial cinema fans can rejoice as nostalgia comes charging at them ten-fold with some stunning new 4K restorations courtesy of Eureka Video in the UK and Vinegar Syndrome in North America for China O'Brien 1 & 2. Seen by many in the west as Cynthia Rothrock's breakthrough film, the China O'Brien movies may have missed the mark during their release at the start of the 1990s, but they have proven to be favourites for many martial arts movie fans over the last 3 decades. The first time I ever saw these films – or at least, clips from these films – was via the incredible Golden Harvest 1990 docu-film The Best Of The Martial Arts Films (directed by this projects' writer and producer, Sandra Weintraub). The film blew me away and is still my favourite Hong Kong cinema documentary today – recently restored and released on Blu-ray by both Eureka Video and Vinegar Syndrome – with clips from tons of classic Golden Harvest films on show throughout. Of course, in the run-up to the UK and US release of China O'Brien, this was perfect platform to promote their latest piece...

 

While this would have been a great project for Jackie Chan – albeit without the efforts of its original director, Robert Clouse – it's fair to say that China O'Brien 1 & 2 did well enough on their own merits, which quickly drove them to become cult classics all over the world. The films were shot back-to-back over a 6 week period, with the first film going on to gain a UK release long before it did in North America, gaining the number two spot on the UK video charts just below Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. Although some claim that Cindy's agency turned down Golden Harvest studios offer of making parts 3 and 4, others state that her contract naturally ended with both of these films and Lady Reporter unfortunately being her last. While she would begin to shift her focus to her American productions, Cindy would return to Hong Kong for a few final independent pieces such as the very underrated City Cops (aka) Beyond The Law, the enjoyable Prince Of The Sun, and Godfrey Ho projects like Honor & Glory, Undefeatable, and Manhattan Chase with her Raging Thunder co-star Loren Avedon – although it's fair to say that the film was never warmly received.

 

In the first film, kung fu queen Cynthia Rothrock stars as the titular character – a police woman who returns to her home-town from life in the city after mistakenly killing a teenage kid in an attempt to save a friend. Hoping for some peace to comfort her remorse, China soon finds that trouble isn't too far away after her sheriff father is killed by some local gangsters, forcing her to take on the role much to her surprise. Joining forces with her high school sweetheart and a fast kicking Native-American local, the trio bring back the law and set out to put a stop to the criminals in a bid to stop her town going to hell.

 

While she had already been entertaining and impressing action film fans for a good 5 years already in films such as the incredible Yes Madam, Millionaires Express, Magic Crystal, Righting Wrongs, No Retreat No Surrender 2, The Inspector Wears Skirts, and the aforementioned Lady Reporter - also known as Above The Law 2 and Blonde Fury – Cynthia Rothrock was set to make a splash in her homeland with China O'Brien, backed by the very popular Golden Harvest studios and executive producer Raymond Chow. This was going to be the film that made her a household name across the United States, the film that highlighted her as the queen of action cinema, and the film that everyone would be talking about -

 

But unfortunately, it didn't!

 

Once again, Golden Harvest called in the services of late Oscar-nominated director Robert Clouse along with producers Fred and Sandra Weintraub. Still hanging onto the success from directing Bruce Lee's Enter The Dragon and Game Of Death, Clouse seemed to be the go-to guy for Raymond Chow when it came to promoting his stars in the West. While the aforementioned films of Bruce Lee – especially Enter The Dragon – proved to be a phenomenal success, Jackie Chan's Battle Creek Brawl was a different story and failed to excite audiences or make its star as big a name. Although Clouse still had mild success with other martial arts adventures such as Black Belt Jones, Golden Needles, Force Five, and Gymkata for example, it was clear that he just couldn't recreate the same magic as Enter The Dragon and once again, failed to deliver a strong enough project that would thrust Cindy to A-list status. With a mediocre script, uncomplicated plot line, and poor antagonists, China O'Brien was a step back from what Rothrock had already delivered during her five years in Hong Kong. But perhaps even more confusing was the fact that Raymond Chow allowed Clouse and Weintraub to repeat the same mistakes that they did with Jackie Chan's Battle Creek Brawl. From it's dull small town setting to it's non-threatening old-men gangsters, Robert Clouse (once again) demanded that his stunt & fight co-ordinators would provide the action; turning down the energy and skills of countless Hong Kong choreographers who would have been available under the Golden Harvest banner. Still, thanks to its nostalgic super-powers and home-video success over the last 30 years, the love for China O'Brien has stayed strong, with both films definitely becoming much better over time.

 

Released as Blond Heat in Denmark, China O'Brien 1 & 2 sees the re-teaming of Cindy with fan favourite Richard Norton; here playing an old flame and ex-special forces soldier that vows to help her clean up the town. Of course, the pair first starred together in Sammo Hung's fantastic Millionaires Express, followed by the equally entertaining Magic Crystal, and low budget Fight To Win – going on after this to share the screen in films such as Rage & Honour in 1992, its sequel just a year later, and Lady Dragon to name but a few. Interestingly, Norton had also previously worked under director Robert Clouse prior to this on Force Five and the cult classic, Gymkata – going on to star in his last directorial effort, Ironheart, in 1992 alongside the great Bolo Yeung. Joining the action partners in both films is the hugely talented and handsome Keith Cooke Hirabayashi who stars as Dakota, the fast kicking Native American that joins their fight for justice. After a small cameo in the colourful action-adventure film Picasso Trigger just a couple of years before, Cooke was given the chance to shine in the China O'Brien movies and most certainly did not disappoint. Interestingly, the reason behind Cooke's one-handed character was down to him breaking his hand just as the production started, resulting in a quick re-write and an interesting twist to his performance. The same year, he would impress even more as the martial arts master in the awesome King Of The Kickboxers alongside Loren Avedon and Billy Blanks, going on to appear in my late friend Albert Pyun's Heatseeker and alongside Robin Shou in Beverly Hills Ninja. He would rejoin Shou soon after again in both Mortal Kombat movies playing Reptile in the first and Sub-Zero in the second.

 

In the much darker and sleazier sequel, China and her deputies have to deal with a threat that sees her fighting for her life after a prize is put on her head. The culprit is a local big time dealer whose latest drug deal went sour after the heroic trio put a stop to it. While it comes across even more basic and generic than the first, often playing like an extended episode of The A-Team, Walker: Texas Ranger or even Sammo Hung's Martial Law, China O'Brien 2 still entertains. The film continues in Utah which – in turn – makes this sequel suffer from most of the same problems the first film, presented with that small town setting, dodgy middle-aged businessmen, and an ageing villain that looks like a reject from the Village People who seemed to be about as threatening as a fart in a hurricane. It was hardly a ground-breaking martial arts epic, but fans still relished in the fight scenes on offer which definitely felt a little more Hong Kong in flavour than before...

 

The action is courtesy of British-born stuntman and actor Nijel Binns who had worked as a stunt performer for Robert Clouse on Jackie Chan's Battle Creek Brawl and Force Five. After a stint as an assistant fight choreographer on The Karate Kid 2, Binns got his chance to shine on China O'Brien – as well as making an appearance as the character of Jonsey. Clearly inspired by the energy and action design of Hong Kong cinema, Binns delivers a healthy dose of neatly choreographed fight scenes throughout both movies, and while safety mats, boxes and edits soften the blows, one can't help but enjoy what's on offer. While Vic Ansell and Roy Horiuchi are also credited as assistant fight choreographers, Roberta Chow – daughter to Golden Harvest creator and Hong Kong movie legend Raymond Chow – also gains the same acknowledgement. As well as directing the short documentary on Jackie Chan's Stunt Team, Someone Will Know Me, Chow also served as the assistant director on Project A 2, and worked on his films such as Rumble In The Bronx, Armour Of God, and Thunderbolt over the years.

 

It's worth noting that fan favourite Billy Blanks pops up for a fight in the sequel, going toe-to-toe with Cooke in a warm-up to their re-teaming in the aforementioned King Of The Kickboxers. Japanese actor and martial artist Toshishiro Obata, who shared the screen with the main stars in The Sword Of Bushido and Rage & Honour, assists with the action as well as making an appearance in both films. Of course, Obata would also be recognised for his roles in Hollywood films such as Black Rain, Showdown In Little Tokyo, Rising Sun, Demolition Man, The Hunted, and the Golden Harvest produced hit films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 & 2 among others. Chris Casamassa, who worked as George Clooney's stunt-double when he graced us as Batman, and played Scorpion in Mortal Kombat alongside Cooke, also shows up in the sequel as a young man in the park harassing a woman. Eagle eyed viewers should also keep an eye out for a few uncredited Hong Kong stuntmen including the ever popular Ka Lee who is recognisable in both films – noticeable for his roles in many Sammo Hung films as well as starring alongside Rothrock in Yes Madam, Millionaires Express, Righting Wrongs, and Lady Reporter.

 

While both films would have benefited hugely and became bona-fide martial arts action classics had they been directed by Corey Yuen Kwai – who brought the best out of Miss Rothrock on films in the aforementioned Hong Kong hits – the China O'Brien movies are still a treat to watch today with their exciting martial arts battles that easily wash over the campy, out-dated problems that held Cindy back from being the star she really should have been!

 

Overall: Nostalgic and fun, China O'Brien 1 & 2 are far from perfect yet provide enough entertainment for martial arts film fans that's worth checking out!

 

Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restorations, Audio Commentaries on both movies by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Audio Commentary on China O'Brien 2 with Frank Djeng, Select Scene Audio Commentary with Cynthia Rothrock & Frank Djeng, Interviews with Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton & Keith Cooke, Leon Hunt on China O'Brien, James Mudge on China O'Brien, Trailers

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