Jackie Chan: Inside the Dragon
Jackie Chan--for more than a decade Asia's reigning superstar, whose movies combine martial arts, self-deprecating comedy, and breathtaking stunts performed by Chan himself--has finally begun to score in the U.S. Gentry traces his remarkable career, from rigorous boyhood training in the Chinese opera and early "chopsocky" film efforts to his recent Hollywood breakthrough and his newest film,Mr. Wise Guy. Even though Gentry draws on interviews with Chan and his associates as well as an impressive knowledge of Hong Kong cinema, his work still often resembles a fanzine in tone and organization (e.g., one chapter is devoted to Chan's 10 best fight scenes). But given the awe and affection Jackie inspires, such fannishness is hardly altogether inappropriate. Other and, most likely, better books on Chan, including an autobiography, are in the pipeline. Despite its shortcomings, Gentry's isn't a bad resource for the hordes of new Chan fans on this side of the Pacific.Gordon Flagg