Dragon's Snake Fist (1981) Terracotta's Classic Kung Fu Collection 4th Title

[One Armed Boxer]

Dragon Lee fans rejoice! On June 15th UK label Terracotta Distribution will release the 4th title on their Classic Kung Fu Collection label - 'Dragon's Snake Fist' - which will come with not only an interview with Dragon Lee himself, but also producer Thomas Tang.

 

The movie itself is another completely Korean production, originally directed by Kim Si-hyeon, which was bought by Godfrey Ho and given the dub treatment for an English audience back in the early 80's.

 

Check out the artwork and trailer below -

 

 

http://terracottadistribution.com/films/the-dragons-snake-fist

 

[Drunken Monk]

I hope Terracotta keeps these coming. So far, I haven't seen three out of the four films they've released so it's been nice to be able to pick them up.

[Kwok Choi]

This is a good one.Dragon lee fans will not be disappointed.High entertainment value.Decent enough plot.Good fights.

[DragonClaws]

I love the style they use for their DVD covers. Nice to see some extras features on the disc too.

[Shaolivevil]

Dragon Lee fans rejoice! On June 15th UK label Terracotta Distribution will release the 4th title on their Classic Kung Fu Collection label - 'Dragon's Snake Fist' - which will come with not only an interview with Dragon Lee himself, but also producer Thomas Tang.

An interview with Tomas Tang??!! Wasn't he killed in the horrible Garley Building fire in Hong Kong in 1996?!

http://www.nanarland.com/acteurs/Main.php?id_acteur=tomastang2

[Morgoth Bauglir]

The fights in the trailer didn't look too horrible I guess. I'm gonna get this for the interviews. And good pic quality on an Asso Asia movie, you don't see that too often.

[Kwok Choi]

I love the style they use for their DVD covers. Nice to see some extras features on the disc too.

Agreed! very good designs and artwork not just some silly photoshops. I like the monochrome effect of the artwork and there are still a lot more single background colours to choose from for forthcoming releases.The design is worthy of being termed classic though I have to admit I am still a sucker for original poster artwork like that of the Joy Sales Fortune Star Legendary Collection The labels distributing Celestial Pictures Shaw Brothers titles missed out on this big time.

[ThunderScore]

[DragonClaws]

Agreed! very good designs and artwork not just some silly photoshops. I like the monochrome effect of the artwork and there are still a lot more single background colours to choose from for forthcoming releases.The design is worthy of being termed classic though I have to admit I am still a sucker for original poster artwork like that of the Joy Sales Fortune Star Legendary Collection The labels distributing Celestial Pictures Shaw Brothers titles missed out on this big time.

I prefer these to the Hong Kong Legends covers. Not that I had any problems with ho they looked.

An interview with Tomas Tang??!! Wasn't he killed in the horrible Garley Building fire in Hong Kong in 1996?!

Well spotted Id heard that story but didn't consider it when reading One Armed Boxer's post.

[spannick]

the Interview will be most likely from a time when he was alive. German DVDs from AVV have one also, maybe even the same.

[One Armed Boxer]

the Interview will be most likely from a time when he was alive.

I also believe that there's a small chance the interview will most likely be from when he was alive.

[Secret Executioner]

I also believe that there's a small chance the interview will most likely be from when he was alive.

I hear interviewing spirits ain't an easy task.

[spannick]

but maybe they DID manage to ask his spirit, we will find out soon...

[Kwok Choi]

Here we go. The dvd image quality is very good, pin sharp,vibrant colours, good gamma and saturation even the steam from the mouth of the actors is visible giving us an idea of the season in which the movie was shot though inconsistent colour grading is apparent in some scenes.Sound is also quite good in Mono English dub only.Nice overall graded transfer.The movie is uncut.

We know these releases are not " restored and remastered " so this print is a great find. I actually prefer the printing artifacts on the picture which gives me the feeling that I am watching a 35mm film print. The majority of these white specks are not celluloid scratches but impurities that get on the negative during the printing and drying process in laboratories that are below par.Vertical white negative scratches are also sometimes noticeable.

The image aspect ratio is 2.35.1 Cinemascope Widescreen Letterbox.Depending on the settings of your TV/video projector/display etc, the 4x3 and Zoom setting works fine.Please note that there is a difference between Zoom & Wide Zoom.

Extras have info about Terracotta,the old school trailers plus Revenge:A Love Story,a nice still gallery,the old Thomas Tang interview 1996, The Dragon Lee interview is not a full interview per se but rather a busy out of schedule Toby Russell bumping into Dragon Lee in a restaurant in 2003 and decided to film the meeting with whatever device was at hand possibly a moble phone but it was fun though albeit very short,plus a good original trailer.

Again depending on your display setting the extras can be viewed in various aspect ratio settings example: Trailers : Screen fit/16x9, Still Gallery: also has same settings as trailers though one particular still is just a publicity stunt, Thomas Tang interview 4x3. Dragon Lee clip is pillar box so screen fit setting and 16x9 should correct that. Original Theatrical Trailer: 4x3 or Zoom

[DragonClaws]

These prints must have been cared for to look this good without any restoration. I'm still not used to seeing these lesser known independent titles look this good.

[ukrevrend]

These prints must have been cared for to look this good without any restoration. I'm still not used to seeing these lesser known independent titles look this good.

That's how I felt when I saw the BD of 'The Master & The Kid', made me feel like I was zoomed back to the 80's, Friday night, Elephant & Castle, 'Late Night' at the Coronet or the Odean across the road!

Bless:cool:

[sifu iron perm]

i recently received my copy, first time watching this film and loved it! Terracotta have done a nice job, they are really becoming a nice touch to the kung fu classic distribution movement.

Some n ice fights and surprised at the little gore/blood..oh yeah it is uncut after all.

[robbie]

Brilliant film. This is terracottas flagship release so far . i rate it above shanghai 13. . I had never heard of this film before so surprised it was as good as it was . Excellent action and it will go down as a classic.

Hopefully terracotta get hold of more good obscure titles like this. At least they are not releasing Bruce Lee films for 100th time like some labels are. Bores me to tears how everyone gets excited about about minor picture improvement.

Easily best dragon Lee film I have seen. & Best release of the year as far as old school kung fu.

[One Armed Boxer]

I got through watching this one recently, and have to agree with all the previous comments.  The DVD looks great, contains a rather odd interview with Dragon Lee, and most of all the movie itself is highly entertaining.  The fights come thick and fast, with the choreography of them being very crisp and sharp.  If you like old school Korean Taekwondo movies, there's much to enjoy here.  As with any of these Korean productions, there always seems to be unintentionally odd and quirky elements to them.  'Snake Dragon Fist' is no different - in one scene you have a background character giving himself a shave with a cut-throat razor, and later the same character literally sets his own hair on fire - it's perhaps the type of entertainment that can only be found in a Dragon Lee flick.  Without a doubt I wouldn't hesitate to pick this one up.

 

[paimeifist]

Dude just hates his hair!

 

I really should get on these, all I have is Shanghai 13, which is excellent. Seems like these guys really do make these releases as fans.

[MagicDragon]

Will it get a Bluray  release?

[One Armed Boxer]

Will it get a Bluray  release?

No.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Haven't heard about this one. Always kind of liked Dragon Lee's films more than the other BL imitators.

[One Armed Boxer]

Always kind of liked Dragon Lee's films more than the other BL imitators.

 

Likewise, gotta respect anyone who makes their own variation of nunchucks.