Bruceploitation Reviews

[DragonClaws]

3 hours ago, Killer Meteor said:

I've noticed Lee Tso-Nam is credited as director on several websites, but he isn't credited at least on the English prints, just Jimmy Shaw.

I thought Jimmy Shaw was a different guy, as Ho Chung Tao says producer Jimmy Shaw gave him the English name Bruce Li. In his Top Fighter interview, now I know that just an alias for Lee Tso Nam.

[Killer Meteor]

On 04/01/2018 at 11:57 PM, TheKungFuRobber said:

I'd actually like to check out The Gold Connection. I've already seen The Chinese Stuntman and really enjoyed it, but I haven't seen The Gold Connection. Where can I locate a good version on Home Media? 

Also, I am aware that many of the Asso Asia movies were original Korean productions, some of which are actually very good movies if you can hunt down their native language counterparts. I really enjoyed 'Hard Bastard' with Hwang Jang Lee. Asso Asia made a huge hackjob of that movie for sure. Unfortunately though many of the original versions of these movies are lost, which is a shame because there are some decent kung fu movies among them. 

The best DVD of Gold Connection was from a company called EVG - it's called Iron Dragon Strikes Back.

[ThunderScore]

THE GOLD CONNECTION was released on VHS by Trans World Entertainment as THE IRON DRAGON STRIKES BACK back in the day...

                     

Edited March 29, 2018 by ThunderScore

[Fist of the Heavenly Sky]

On 10/11/2017 at 8:27 AM, De Ming Li said:

@Fist of the Heavenly Sky  Good review on Image of Bruce Lee, I watched this two years ago and remember being quite disappointed, I really wished Bolo would have lasted close to the end but his character's death just appeared random to me. The plot was quite cliched and I just think that Bruce Le might have done just as good a job here as Ho Chung Tao.

Apologies for the very very belated reply. And I concur; if there's one major saving grace to the flick is that Ho Chung's performance was very much genuine and not-stilted. For once he played a character that wasn't a pre-set archetype based directly on Bruce Lee's characters. For this same reason, I'd imagine it's also why the movie comes off as more cheap than usual, as if the studio deliberately set aside very little to no money for them to work with. There's just precisely no proper set pieces to speak of in the movie, it's almost as if they actually scoured the city for random places to make shoots.

[whitesnake]

Enter the Fat Dragon, 1978, the Crash Cinema version.  It didn't take long before I stopped noticing the streaks and white spots.  At least the subtitles were readable, not too small.  But still, why hasn't anyone re-mastered this?  Nice seeing a young Eric Tsang and a young Chiu Chi Ling in small roles.  The kicking pigs scene wasn't necessary.  So much of the humor seemed dated, at least to me.  But every single fight, the opening credits fights, even practice scenes, was as fresh as when I last watched Enter the Fat Dragon over 30 years ago.     

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

1 hour ago, whitesnake said:

Enter the Fat Dragon, 1978, the Crash Cinema version.  It didn't take long before I stopped noticing the streaks and white spots.  At least the subtitles were readable, not too small.  But still, why hasn't anyone re-mastered this?  Nice seeing a young Eric Tsang and a young Chiu Chi Ling in small roles.  The kicking pigs scene wasn't necessary.  So much of the humor seemed dated, at least to me.  But every single fight, the opening credits fights, even practice scenes, was as fresh as when I last watched Enter the Fat Dragon over 30 years ago.     

It's a pretty racist movie. I mean black face? Come on. Also, when he fights the Chinese guy he says "we're both Chinese!" I never felt any kinship with a guy I was going to give or get a concussion from. Some of the other scenes are pretty funny. It was definitely a smart showcase for his HK audience, movies like this were giving him a second chance in those years. He seemed like he would breakthrough in Hapkido, but it was about 5 years before he was headlining a successful film. For a while it was all Japanese thug roles and fight choreography.

[whitesnake]

I didn't discuss the blackface in Enter the Fat Dragon because it's already been mentioned several times in this thread.  Decades after blackface was no longer acceptable in the U.S., images and blackface in movie roles still showed up in Asia.  On my trip to Japan in 1985, I noticed the portrayal of primitive black faces on clothing and products.  But not surprised, because I'd already read articles about that.  Unfortunately, too many Asians still don't get it -

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42561815 - "Japanese TV show featuring blackface actor sparks anger - 4 Jan 2018

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43081218 - Lunar New Year: Chinese TV gala includes racist blackface sketch - 16 Feb 2018 

https://splinternews.com/korean-network-backtracks-after-racist-blackface-ad-cau-1798383419 - 24 August 2017 

https://undertheropes.com/2016/01/22/blackface-and-racism-in-thailand/

https://coconuts.co/manila/lifestyle/tv-show-maalaala-mo-kaya-draws-flak-use-blackface/ 26 March 2018 (Philippines) 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mediacorp-fined-5500-for-racially-insensitive-content - 5 May 2017     

As for Sammo Hung's action choreography, it's great that he has been action director on movies up through 2017, and I still appreciate  the fights when watching movies like Tai Chi Zero, My Beloved Bodyguard, and Call of Heroes.  Since Sammo Hung was action director for Paradox, is it worth watching?  Hopefully, he will be stunt coordinator/action director for the upcoming Return of the Lucky Stars.   

[saltysam]

I love Hot,The Cool & The Vicious. Saw it on the big screen around 1979-80 at the all night kung fu movie cinema event that was popular then. Another film that needs a proper, restored release.

[DragonClaws]

On 6/14/2018 at 5:34 PM, saltysam said:

I love Hot,The Cool & The Vicious. Saw it on the big screen around 1979-80 at the all night kung fu movie cinema event that was popular then. Another film that needs a proper, restored release.

Do you know the answer to this queestion?.

 

 

[saltysam]

On 6/17/2018 at 7:55 PM, DragonClaws said:

Do you know the answer to this queestion?.

 

 

not sure to be honest, i saw it on the big screen then it was many years later when i watched the EH VHS.I'd be lying if i said i knew the answer.

 

The Dragon,The Hero

Absolutely bonkers kung fu flick, the story makes little sense but wow what a cast and some great action! John Liu, Dragon Lee, Tino Wong, Bolo, Chan Lau and of course Phillip Ko. The Vengeance dvd is frustrating in that it's non anamorphic and has burnt in subs. But i assume this is the best available widescreen print.

[DragonClaws]

6 hours ago, saltysam said:

The Vengeance dvd is frustrating in that it's non anamorphic and has burnt in subs. But i assume this is the best available widescreen print.

At least its UNCUT, unlike previous U.K releases that made some small edits to the film, including Dragon Lee's use of the cudgel, or sngle stick nunchaku.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

On 6/17/2018 at 11:55 AM, DragonClaws said:

Do you know the answer to this queestion?.Yes, most versions are complete. Nothing to really censor, no excessive gore, nudity, etc, just kick ass techniques thrown by a couple of experts- Tan Tao Liang and Tommy Lee. Don Wong was really good, but let's get real, we was not a hung gar guy. I prefer his movies where he just fights with hands and feet, like Along Comes A Tiger and so on. It's a great movie on the big screen, and there is a custom that will be made by one of our members soon!! Color corrected and widescreen.

 

 

 

[DragonClaws]

2 minutes ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said:

Do you know the answer to this queestion?.Yes, most versions are complete. Nothing to really censor, no excessive gore, nudity, etc, just kick ass techniques thrown by a couple of experts- Tan Tao Liang and Tommy Lee. Don Wong was really good, but let's get real, we was not a hung gar guy. I prefer his movies where he just fights with hands and feet, like Along Comes A Tiger and so on. It's a great movie on the big screen, and there is a custom that will be made by one of our members soon!! Color corrected and widescreen.

If you are on Twitter? it might be worth getting touch with Michael Worth?, unless someone already answered the qustion for him?.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

I will send my a message on Facebook.

[saltysam]

Dragon On Fire - Sort of a companion to Clones Of Bruce Lee in that it features 3 Bruce Lee imitators this incoherent but entertaining film is worth seeking out. Incredible cast -Phillip Ko, Bolo,Dragon Lee,Cheung Nik, Bruce Lai,Bruce Thai, Alexander Grand and other recognisable faces. As usual the story makes little sense (Something about Samuel Walls getting into trouble with some baddies) watch this for the mad dubbing,stolen James Bond music and pretty much non stop action. The Vengeance DVD is a nice (non-anamorphic) widescreen print but has it has english dub only it can be zoomed up without worrying about cropping off any subtitles.

[Coliseum1972]

Blind fist of Bruce 4/6 , nothing really special but not bad

[DragonClaws]

On 7/9/2018 at 2:09 AM, Coliseum1972 said:

Blind fist of Bruce 4/6 , nothing really special but not bad

 

Apart from the title, this has nothing to do with Bruce Lee, and I think it was one of Li's better flicks. Even if it wasnt a ground breaker in temrs of story and action direction.

 

 

15 minutes ago, saltysam said:

. Is this a little known movie?

 

It's little known to me, I assume you are taking about a Fan Project release here?.

[saltysam]

36 minutes ago, DragonClaws said:

 

 

 

 

It's little known to me, I assume you are taking about a Fan Project release here?.

Nope, it's Asia Line in Germany latest release  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CPLPH7F/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited July 15, 2018 by saltysam

[DragonClaws]

11 minutes ago, saltysam said:

Nope, it's Asia Line in Germany latest release  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07CPLPH7F/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, those German know how to release old school Kung Fu movies. The fan's also do a great service too, by actually paying for the film's too.

[saltysam]

Fist Of Fear,Touch Of Death

Quite possibly the most brazen Bruceploitation film ever,and it's a Western Movie.! Hated by most,i actually find great entertainment value here-the plot, set around a Madison Square Garden Fighting tournament to find Bruce Lee's successor lends itself to martial arts personalities playing themselves and hilarously telling outright lies about their relationship with Bruce. Apparently he taught Aaron Banks the "Touch Of Death" and they spent a lot of time training and complementing each other 😉 Adolph Caesar broke many stories about Bruce apparently and Ron Van Clief reckons they were great friends (did Ron & Bruce ever meet?) Bill Louie plays Kato with a tache and The Hammer Fred Williamson keeps getting mistaken for Harry Belafonte and makes no attempt to disguise his disdain for the movie he's appearing in. Then you've got extended sequences from Invincible Super Chan supposedly showing Bruce's great grandfather in action. They've also quite cleverly dubbed an old Child movie of Bruce's to develop a story line about his dad preventing him from having anything to do with Karate ! In one hilarious exchange the brother of the girl Bruce has the hots for comes round to warn his father that he doesn't want Bruce seeing the girl any longer only for the dad to respond with an accusation about the shy girl banging the delivery boy 😁 This is a public domain movie and as such has had countless DVD releases at dirt cheap prices, thankfully the print they all use is widescreen. Crazy Ass movie,check it out!

Interesting interview with the Director Matthew Mallinson here

https://willsloanesq.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/an-interview-with-matthew-mallinson-director-of-fist-of-fear-touch-of-death/

 

 

[Ah_Tao]

2 hours ago, saltysam said:

Fist Of Fear,Touch Of Death

Quite possibly the most brazen Bruceploitation film ever,and it's a Western Movie.! Hated by most,i actually find great entertainment value here-the plot, set around a Madison Square Garden Fighting tournament to find Bruce Lee's successor lends itself to martial arts personalities playing themselves and hilarously telling outright lies about their relationship with Bruce. Apparently he taught Aaron Banks the "Touch Of Death" and they spent a lot of time training and complementing each other 😉 Adolph Caesar broke many stories about Bruce apparently and Ron Van Clief reckons they were great friends (did Ron & Bruce ever meet?) Bill Louie plays Kato with a tache and The Hammer Fred Williamson keeps getting mistaken for Harry Belafonte and makes no attempt to disguise his disdain for the movie he's appearing in. Then you've got extended sequences from Invincible Super Chan supposedly showing Bruce's great grandfather in action. They've also quite cleverly dubbed an old Child movie of Bruce's to develop a story line about his dad preventing him from having anything to do with Karate ! In one hilarious exchange the brother of the girl Bruce has the hots for comes round to warn his father that he doesn't want Bruce seeing the girl any longer only for the dad to respond with an accusation about the shy girl banging the delivery boy 😁 This is a public domain movie and as such has had countless DVD releases at dirt cheap prices, thankfully the print they all use is widescreen. Crazy Ass movie,check it out!

Interesting interview with the Director Matthew Mallinson here

https://willsloanesq.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/an-interview-with-matthew-mallinson-director-of-fist-of-fear-touch-of-death/

 

 

Lol. You forgot to mention the scene where one of the contestants gets their eyes poked out in the ring, what a whack movie!

[saltysam]

The Bruce Lee Story

As a Bruceploitation fan and collector i'm rather embarrassed that i'd never seen or owned this early Bruce Li effort. I had seen old VHS and DVDs but for some reason had it in my head it was a retitling of Dragon Dies Hard or The Dragon Lives. Anyway just picked up the German DVD which offers the short german version and the longer version with inserts of lesser quality from other sources. I watched the 92 minute longer version and it's pretty poor,too much time focusing on his relationship with Betty at the expense of action scenes. The actress playing Linda looks about 10 years too old for the part and Bruce Li's hair seems shorter in some fight sequences indicating this may have been shot over a longer period of time. Interestingly this offers two english dubs, the HK one & the USA one. Nice widescreen print.

   

[Killer Meteor]

On 8/4/2018 at 2:58 PM, saltysam said:

The Bruce Lee Story

As a Bruceploitation fan and collector i'm rather embarrassed that i'd never seen or owned this early Bruce Li effort. I had seen old VHS and DVDs but for some reason had it in my head it was a retitling of Dragon Dies Hard or The Dragon Lives. Anyway just picked up the German DVD which offers the short german version and the longer version with inserts of lesser quality from other sources. I watched the 92 minute longer version and it's pretty poor,too much time focusing on his relationship with Betty at the expense of action scenes. The actress playing Linda looks about 10 years too old for the part and Bruce Li's hair seems shorter in some fight sequences indicating this may have been shot over a longer period of time. Interestingly this offers two english dubs, the HK one & the USA one. Nice widescreen print.

   

I quite enjoy this one, mainly for its take-no-prisoners attitude to the various participants - besides Bruce and Betty, Raymond Chow, Run Run Shaw and Mr & Mrs Lo Wei all come off as conniving jerks.

 

The fights are pretty pitiful, it must be said.

[DragonClaws]

 

Re-visisted Deadly Strike, for my latest Kung Fu inspired rambling's, Kung Fu Fandom reader's/contributor's, can click on the link below, for my full length write-up, THANK YOU.

 

Edited August 30, 2018 by DragonClaws

[saltysam]

The Tattoo Connection

Jim Kelly goes the Hong Kong route of movie making with mixed results. Great cast (Chen Sing,Tan Tao Liang, Yang Sze) but the film spends too much time on sleazy topless scenes and not enough fighting. Kelly only comes to the fore in the admittedly good climax. I wasn't helped by watching this in Pan & Scan, my pet hate with kung fu movies these day.

Tower Of Death

This film is incredible. You have Hwang Jang Lee,Bruce Lee/ Tong Lung coming back from GOD as Billy Lo, Roy Horan as a vicious fighter who is also a modern day Doctor Doolittle, with a monkey permanently perched on his shoulder, peacocks & lions at his beck and call. Oh and he eats raw venision and drinks deer blood for breakfast. The Tower of Death is cleverly built underground and it's a doozy of a climax. Raymond Chow shockingly yet again slips in footage of Bruce's funeral as well as clips from his childhood movies, it even ties itself into ETD timeline by having Roy Chiao reprise his Abbot character. Throughout the film the soundtrack has a strangely mournful score played, quite hypnotic. I revisit this one endlessly, the japanese extreme blu ray is an upscale sadly.