Jackie Chan, a tremendously popular action superstar, has appeared in approximately 100 film productions. His movies are highlighted by incredible stunt work, most of which choreographed by Chan himself. Chan has worked with renowned directors John Woo (HAND OF DEATH), Lo Wei (TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE) and Samo Hung (on several action comedies in the 1980s). Chan made his directorial debut with THE FEARLESS HYENA in 1979.
To decide on Jackie Chan's best films is quite difficult, since nearly all of his movies contain breathtaking martial arts acrobatics. In some of his films this technical finesse is complemented by a good plot. Plotting is indispensable in 99% of all moviemaking, so objectively speaking Jackie's best films are: DRUNKEN MASTER, TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE, the PROJECT A films, and POLICE STORY (since I'm mostly interested in his early work, none of his later films are taken into consideration at this point).
In the 1990s Jackie starred in several U.S. productions. Many celebrities, including Quentin Tarantino, have expressed their admiration for the Hong Kong superstar.
According to Chan's autobiography, he did not appear in THE BIG BOSS (as the IMDb states, for example), but only snuck into the cinema to watch it (at the age of 17). Shortly before that he had begun to work as a "junior stuntman" for the Shaw Brothers. Jackie states NEW FIST OF FURY (1976) as his first real starring role. This filmography relies primarily on Chan's autobiography.
Filmography:
Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962, act)
The Love Eternal (1963; act)
The Story of Qiu Xiang Lin (1964; act)
Come Drink With Me (1966; act; dir by King Hu)
A Touch of Zen (1969; extra, stunts)
Master with Cracked Fingers (1971; act; scenes without Jackie added for the release in the late 1970s)
The Heroine (1971; act, stunt coord)
Fist of Fury (1972; extra, stunts)
Lady Kung Fu (1972; act)
Police Woman (1973; act; rare unsympathetic role)
Eagle Shadow Fist (1973; act, stunt coord)
Enter the Dragon (1973; extra, stunts)
The Young Dragons (1973; stunt coord)
The Golden Lotus (1974; act)
The Himalayan (1975; act, stunts)
All in the Family (1975; act; Jackie Chan has his only sex scene!)
The Dragon Tamers (1975; stunt coord)
Hand of Death (1976; act)
New Fist of Fury (1976; act)
Shaolin Wooden Men (1976; act)
Dance of Death (1976; stunt coord)
The Killer Meteors (1976; act; as villain vs. Jimmy Wang Yu)
To Kill with Intrigue (1977; act)
The 36 Crazy Fists (1977/79; act[app in video prologue], stunt coord)
Arts of the Snake & Crane (1978; act)
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu! (1978; act)
Magnificent Bodyguards (1978; act; first Hong Kong film in 3-D)
Spiritual Kung Fu (1978; act)
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978; act; Jackie's first big hit)
Drunken Master in the Tiger's Eye (1978; act; Jackie's star-making performance)
Dragon Fist (1979; act)
The Fearless Hyena (1979; dir, act)
The Fearless Hyena Part II (1979/83; act [completed with a double])
The Young Master (1980; dir, act, sing)
The Big Brawl (1980; act)
The Cannonball Run (1981; act)
Dragon Lord (1982; dir, coscr, act)
Fantasy Mission Force (1982; act [bit]; starring Jimmy Wang Yu)
Ninja Wars (1982; act [bit]; starring Sonny Chiba)
Winners and Sinners (1983; act)
Cannonball Run II (1984; act)
Project A (1983; dir, scr, act)
Wheels on Meals (1984; act)
Two in a Black Belt (1984; act [bit])
My Lucky Stars (1985; act)
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985; act)
Pom Pom (1985, act [bit])
The Protector (1985; act)
First Mission (1985; act)
Police Story (1985; dir, coscr, prod, act)
The Armour of God (1986; dir, act, sing)
Naughty Boys (1986; prod, stunt coord)
Project A, Part II (1987; dir, scr, act)
I Am Sorry (1987; coprod)
Dragons Forever (1987; act, prod manager)
Police Story II (1988; dir, coscr, act)
Rouge (1988; coprod)
Top Squad (1989; coprod, stunt coord)
Top Squad II (1989; coprod, stunt coord)
Outlaw Brothers (1989; stunt coord)
Miracles (1989; dir, coscr, act; aka Mister Canton and Lady Rose)
Stage Door Johnny (1990; coprod)
The Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991; dir, coscr, act)
Island on Fire (1991; act)
Twin Dragons (1992; act)
A Kid From Tibet (1991; act [bit])
Police Story 3 (1992; coprod, act)
Once Upon a Time in China II (1992; sing [end credits])
The Actress (1992; coprod)
City Hunter (1992; act)
Once a Cop (1993; act)
Crime Story (1993; act)
Drunken Master, Part 2 (1994; act)
Thunderbolt (1995; act)
Rumble in the Bronx (1996; act, stunt codir)
Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996; act)
Mr. Nice Guy (1997; act)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn (1998; act)
Who Am I? (1998; codir, scr, act)
Rush Hour (1998; act)
Hot War (1998; coprod)
Hong Kong Face/Off (1998; act?; dir by John Woo???)
Gorgeous (1999; coscr, act, coprod)
The King of Comedy (1999; extra)
Gen-X Cops (1999; cameo, coprod)
Shanghai Noon (2000; act, coprod)
The Accidental Spy (2001; act, coprod)
Rush Hour 2 (2001; act, coprod)
[...]
© Ron Altman (last update 04/17/2005)