Wheels on Meals (快餐車, Mandarin: Kuàicān Chē, Cantonese: Fai2 Chan1 Tse1) is a
1984A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1984:.-1984:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1984 at...
Hong Kong action filmHong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
directed by
Sammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer and director, known for his work in many kung fu films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, starring Hung,
Jackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
and
Yuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
. In some releases, the film was released under alternative titles including
Spartan X,
Weapon X,
Spanish Connection and
Million Dollar Heiress. It was filmed in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
.
The film's name was actually supposed to be more sensibly titled
Meals on Wheels.
Wheels on Meals (快餐車, Mandarin: Kuàicān Chē, Cantonese: Fai2 Chan1 Tse1) is a
1984A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1984:.-1984:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1984 at...
Hong Kong action filmHong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
directed by
Sammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer and director, known for his work in many kung fu films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, starring Hung,
Jackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
and
Yuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
. In some releases, the film was released under alternative titles including
Spartan X,
Weapon X,
Spanish Connection and
Million Dollar Heiress. It was filmed in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
.
Film title
The film's name was actually supposed to be more sensibly titled
Meals on Wheels. However, superstitious
Golden HarvestGolden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market with staying power...
executives demanded the name change because their two previous films with titles that began with the letter 'M' -
MegaforceMegaforce is an action film made in 1982 directed by former stuntman Hal Needham. The film starred Barry Bostwick, Persis Khambatta, Michael Beck, Edward Mulhare, Evan C...
and
Menage A Trois - were both
box officeA box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall, or at a wicket...
flops.
Plot
Thomas (Jackie Chan) and David (Yuen Biao) are cousins who run a
fast foodFast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form...
van in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
. The food is delivered by Thomas, who rushes around the square on a skateboard. After fending off a biker gang, they meet the beautiful pickpocket Sylvia (
Lola FornerLola Forner was born in Alicante, Spain on 6 June 1960. She was chosen Miss Spain in 1979. She is a notable Spanish film actress. However she is more known to the world for starring alongside action superstar Jackie Chan in the movies Wheels on Meals and Armour of God...
), who asks them to hide her in their van to avoid the police. Thomas and David are enamoured by her, but after allowing her to stay in their apartment that night, they wake to find Sylvia and their money gone. The next day, they bump into Moby (Sammo Hung), a bumbling
private investigatorA private investigator or private detective is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigations. Private investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
who is also tracking Sylvia. It is discovered that Sylvia is the heir to a sizeable inheritance that a criminal gang is trying to steal from her. When she is kidnapped, Thomas, David, and Moby team up to save her, infiltrating the villains' castle and defeating them in a martial arts battle.
Cast
The three action star
brothers, Chan, Yuen and Hung, are long-time friends and had been
Peking Opera SchoolThe Peking Opera Schools were boarding schools located throughout Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, specialising in teaching Peking opera...
colleagues in their youth. The release of
Wheels on Meals came in the midst of their most prolific period working together as a trio. The three men had acted together on Chan's
Project AProject A also known as Pirate Patrol and Jackie Chan's Project A is a 1983 Hong Kong film directed by Jackie Chan and starring Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao....
and the first of Hung's original
Lucky StarsLucky Stars was a Hong Kong action comedy film series in the 1980s and 1990s, blending Chinese martial arts with bawdy comedy. The films featured an ensemble cast, with many of the actors appearing in successive films....
trilogy,
Winners and SinnersWinners and Sinners is a 1983 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and co-written by Sammo Hung. It was the first in the Lucky Stars series of films - a highly successful series in Hong Kong....
in 1983.
Wheels on Meals was released in 1984, and a year later they were reunited twice more for the Lucky Stars semi-sequels
My Lucky StarsMy Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy, directed by Sammo Hung. It is the second film in the Lucky Stars series...
and
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky StarsTwinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and co-written by Sammo Hung. It is the third instalment in the Lucky Stars series, following Winners and Sinners and My Lucky Stars...
. This was something of a golden period for Hong Kong cinema-goers, as three of the nation's most beloved action stars performed together on screen.
The film also features
cameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. Short appearances by film directors, politicians, athletes, musicians, and other celebrities are common. These roles are generally small, and...
s from fellow Lucky Stars
Richard NgRichard Ng Yiu-Hon is a Chinese actor. He is known for playing comedic roles, particularly in Hong Kong films of the 1980s and 90s.-Film & television career:...
and
John ShumJohn Shum Kin-Fun is a Chinese actor and film producer. His English name is sometimes written as John Sham.Whilst known primarily for his comedic acting roles in Hong Kong cinema, he also spent time as a political activist....
as mental patients in the hospital attended by the father of Yuen's character.
Wheels on Meals was the first of two films which paired star
Jackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
against former professional
kickboxingrefers to the sport of combining the grace and style of boxing with kicking. Kickboxing is a standing sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once a combatant has reached the ground....
champion
Benny UrquidezBenny Urquidez is an American kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor.Nicknamed The Jet, Urquidez was a non-contact karate competitor who later pioneered full-contact fighting in the USA...
(the other being the 1988 film
Dragons ForeverDragons Forever is a 1988 Hong Kong action film. It features Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three actors, known colloquially as the Three Brothers, had attended the famous China Drama Academy together, and became members of the Seven Little Fortunes...
). Their fight in this film is typically regarded as one of the greatest on-screen martial arts fights ever performed. At one point in the final battle between the pair, a spin-kick performed by Urquidez is so quick that the resulting airflow extinguishes a row of candles. This is shown onscreen, with no cuts or trick photography.
Co-star
Lola FornerLola Forner was born in Alicante, Spain on 6 June 1960. She was chosen Miss Spain in 1979. She is a notable Spanish film actress. However she is more known to the world for starring alongside action superstar Jackie Chan in the movies Wheels on Meals and Armour of God...
appeared in another
Jackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
film,
Armour of God (1986).
- Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
- Thomas
- Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer and director, known for his work in many kung fu films and Hong Kong action cinema...
- Moby
- Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
- David
- Lola Forner
Lola Forner was born in Alicante, Spain on 6 June 1960. She was chosen Miss Spain in 1979. She is a notable Spanish film actress. However she is more known to the world for starring alongside action superstar Jackie Chan in the movies Wheels on Meals and Armour of God...
- Sylvia
- Benny Urquidez
Benny Urquidez is an American kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor.Nicknamed The Jet, Urquidez was a non-contact karate competitor who later pioneered full-contact fighting in the USA...
- (un-named thug)
- Keith Vitali
Keith Vitali is an American-born martial artist, actor, producer, author and child activist.His introduction into martial arts came in 1971 at the University of South Carolina, where he was awarded his first black belt after only two years...
- (un-named thug)
- Herb Edelman
Herbert "Herb" Edelman was an American actor of stage, film and television. He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his television work. One of his best remembered roles was as Stanley Zbornak, the ex-husband of Dorothy Zbornak on the long-running situation comedy, The Golden Girls...
- Matt
- Pepe Sancho - Villain
- Susana Sentís - Gloria
- Paul Chang - David's father
- Richard Ng
Richard Ng Yiu-Hon is a Chinese actor. He is known for playing comedic roles, particularly in Hong Kong films of the 1980s and 90s.-Film & television career:...
- Mental patient who thinks he is more intelligent than others.
- John Shum
John Shum Kin-Fun is a Chinese actor and film producer. His English name is sometimes written as John Sham.Whilst known primarily for his comedic acting roles in Hong Kong cinema, he also spent time as a political activist....
- Mental patient who tells himself jokes.
- Wu Ma
Wu Ma is a Chinese actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 180 appearances to his name , Wu Ma is one of the most familiar faces in the history of Hong Kong Cinema...
- Mental patient who thinks he's a clock.
Filming
Audio commentator
Bey LoganBey Logan is a respected expert on East Asian cinema, particularly Hong Kong action cinema...
explains why Sammo Hung decided to shoot the film outside of Hong Kong. By the time it was made in 1984, shooting in Hong Kong had become practically impossible - firstly, because the action stars had become so famous that they could not walk through the streets with impunity, and secondly due to the mounting difficulties in obtaining a permit from the government in order to film in Hong Kong. Bruce Lee had paved the way for Hong Kong filmmakers shooting abroad, with the 1972 film
Way of the DragonWay of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts-action film directed by Bruce Lee. It was the third major film starring the martial arts legend. In addition to directing the film, Bruce Lee has the leading role and is also the scriptwriter...
. The location filming was done in Italy, whereas the interiors had been shot at
Golden HarvestGolden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market with staying power...
studio.
When Hung took his cast and crew to Barcelona, he wanted to strongly establish the locations in Barcelona as real, and to avoid shooting interiors at Golden Harvest. In comparison to Hong Kong, the Spanish authorities were very cooperative in allowing the use of locations for filming, even for car chases and fight scenes.
Influence on popular culture
- The video game Kung Fu Master
Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 arcade game developed by the Japanese company Irem Corporation. It was manufactured under license in the United States by Data East. It was released in Japan as Spartan X and credited "Paragon Films Ltd., Towa Promotion", who made the movie starring Jackie Chan called...
was based on this film. The Japanese version of Kung-Fu Master was titled Spartan X and credited to be under license from Paragon Films Ltd. and Towa Promotion.
- Japanese Pro Wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
used the theme song of the Japanese version of Wheels on Meals (named Spartan X) throughout his career wrestling under his real name.
DVD
Unlike the majority of Chan's later films, the standard DVD releases of
Wheels on Meals do not contain the usual outtakes over the final credits. However, a VHS release of the film did exist in the mid-1980s under the title
Spartan X, which includes the outtakes intact.
External links