tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24678077815863848382024-03-18T02:48:38.055-07:00Cool Ass Cinemavenoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.comBlogger1238110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-88809960275843792232024-02-20T19:55:00.000-08:002024-02-21T09:05:09.819-08:00The Delivery (1975) review<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbryD4VH9xxBp1Ob_wAXuKAIs1cKnS6g4hOrs8z9tbZlsFDrn86NnmIQ1tAO53tIHaZxzbJ-KZN4Ep_3DX4w1iw5wEAFQ-LbDMWy8nNx5XMmb3Hh_uQ7ixw-cIw6aFEEyvqHWL6s7fSqfygmbnxZWdDgHDgyY7h7-lF6hUjyHzUHHPlRmg3L3NP7vcuY/s1024/delivery-kung-fu-movie-poster-1975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="731" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbryD4VH9xxBp1Ob_wAXuKAIs1cKnS6g4hOrs8z9tbZlsFDrn86NnmIQ1tAO53tIHaZxzbJ-KZN4Ep_3DX4w1iw5wEAFQ-LbDMWy8nNx5XMmb3Hh_uQ7ixw-cIw6aFEEyvqHWL6s7fSqfygmbnxZWdDgHDgyY7h7-lF6hUjyHzUHHPlRmg3L3NP7vcuY/s320/delivery-kung-fu-movie-poster-1975.jpg" width="228" /></a></div> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE DELIVERY 1975 aka DEADLY KUNG FU FACTOR</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chen Hui Min <i>(Kung Chun San Lang)</i>, Charles Heung Wah Keung <i>(Tu Shao Hsiang)</i>, Susanna Au Yeung <i>(Li Hsiang Yun)</i>, Cheng Kei Ying <i>(Lin Ba)</i>, Chao Lei <i>(Police Captain)</i>, Samson Hsieh Yuan <i>(Policeman)</i>, Chang Chuan <i>(Gangster with Eyepatch)</i>, Nana <i>(Tina)</i>, Wu Chia Hsiang <i>(Tu's Wheelchair-bound Father)</i><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Directed by Herman Tsu<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;"><b>The Short Version:</b> <i>You'd expect a crime picture starring two of Hong Kong's biggest Triad figureheads to be an incredible example of modern-day action cinema. Going against convention, the filmmakers decided against finding ways to get these two Kung Fu powerhouses to fight multiple times--figuring subverting expectations was the way to go instead. Completed in 1975 but not released till 1978, it's equal parts action and romance peppered with an improbable plot turn or two. Fans of Chen Hui Min (Michael Chan Wai Man) will enjoy seeing him in a very different kind of role but for those expecting wall-to-wall action, this isn't THE DELIVERY you've been waiting for.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">***THIS REVIEW CONTAINS IMAGES OF NUDITY***</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwhXagbwMLwYXVCeXB-H8FMGUpSbWPYV9O2xF0R_TV3GKwv4nW-Nc3hrNgRJa67qV1QzieiHtbA-rf3mTyAFS_kZ6vo0ez186UOz_QwnamdmgYhx3lqqeodvFf_YO35nNNQA-Id3NzjMeXGw_BmXsOXoQekG5HwGpl4LR0ZAHaTaDN0nW6-c7Dmrqz8U/s1919/delivery44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwhXagbwMLwYXVCeXB-H8FMGUpSbWPYV9O2xF0R_TV3GKwv4nW-Nc3hrNgRJa67qV1QzieiHtbA-rf3mTyAFS_kZ6vo0ez186UOz_QwnamdmgYhx3lqqeodvFf_YO35nNNQA-Id3NzjMeXGw_BmXsOXoQekG5HwGpl4LR0ZAHaTaDN0nW6-c7Dmrqz8U/s320/delivery44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdvSLJFE9RFUleMxXKMhsJhZ1U1wo_Aiuy6Pfeu9hEEhHrwG8nrhyIyqcKHLp9-_IQXoYcG6DTtO0OZzK6AKMNW_7WiGJfn1W3CZgAY2S3WaVZ8-eg74958WtLCNw_mxNdjc-7-3Bsdqkp0P5PX94pkXiPFUeJAOO6T1E4yfpgcWKJLMSSmAOv9Khcrc/s1919/delivery48.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdvSLJFE9RFUleMxXKMhsJhZ1U1wo_Aiuy6Pfeu9hEEhHrwG8nrhyIyqcKHLp9-_IQXoYcG6DTtO0OZzK6AKMNW_7WiGJfn1W3CZgAY2S3WaVZ8-eg74958WtLCNw_mxNdjc-7-3Bsdqkp0P5PX94pkXiPFUeJAOO6T1E4yfpgcWKJLMSSmAOv9Khcrc/s320/delivery48.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The criminal organizations in Hong Kong and Japan come together for $5 million in heroin. The HK police learn the Yakuza is sending one of their traffickers to Hong Kong for the sale and have him tailed upon his arrival at the airport. Kung Chun San Lang quickly realizes he's being followed and literally runs into a girl on a motorcycle after evading police. They strike up a quick relationship and soon meet up with a group of local gangsters for a night of gambling. Kung is caught cheating and fights the big boss, Tu Shao Hsiang. During the fight, Tu discovers Kung is his buyer from Japan. Kung's new girlfriend, Li Hsiang Yun, is unaware of the nature of his profession but she has a secret of her own. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfaXBOLveSIBd2sIGQwpn0ANGhiJv3gZb9kLx6q3NgcJoO6kZqX82gBYhRUCYFKGVj7QLMGhSqXVFQku5ZNnRaaRdu8vn3CqJF7wtoOJeH63t8s5vj2N65MM4S2_zNEVNInOR7eWs4s3Rk-beUW6EUoVu8JAxBK8dhf_EMwMSqRbnNe5Q82ADvDlLEBk/s1919/delivery46.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfaXBOLveSIBd2sIGQwpn0ANGhiJv3gZb9kLx6q3NgcJoO6kZqX82gBYhRUCYFKGVj7QLMGhSqXVFQku5ZNnRaaRdu8vn3CqJF7wtoOJeH63t8s5vj2N65MM4S2_zNEVNInOR7eWs4s3Rk-beUW6EUoVu8JAxBK8dhf_EMwMSqRbnNe5Q82ADvDlLEBk/s320/delivery46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFfUqSF-3wxyAUERDlQnJ1aItoCxypMWclxsnIp56yeiaV4Ij-vlEnChiAT_Z2vayNAYgBN7Ft7yAGepEnS1RAsXgYMaX7k4Gl8Dc2Y7CDJB_a7ObS8aPryABvXq94RyzOvzm6r4BaiwvQx3pTXG9rEHrbuJPxn6Jsr1Yyv1dYXYCJQoCeyNx_QeFcC0/s1919/delivery24.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFfUqSF-3wxyAUERDlQnJ1aItoCxypMWclxsnIp56yeiaV4Ij-vlEnChiAT_Z2vayNAYgBN7Ft7yAGepEnS1RAsXgYMaX7k4Gl8Dc2Y7CDJB_a7ObS8aPryABvXq94RyzOvzm6r4BaiwvQx3pTXG9rEHrbuJPxn6Jsr1Yyv1dYXYCJQoCeyNx_QeFcC0/s320/delivery24.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In 1970s Hong Kong cinema, the independent scene was a roller-coaster of excitement and disappointment. The productions coming out of these smaller outfits were frequently chaotic and rife with issues behind the scenes. On many occasions, a movie like this is a failure not necessarily due to a bad director, but problems that occurred during filming that caused the finished product to be wildly uneven. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg535gAHv_yEqhO-AsN4K_huj81a5O61P-GdKqOSw6nKXryVcft1mIDKyTgBMekCZMc8RUEaMb_gylZ0Xv6I_ZOkV3LkPMTdT9p6BSF6QjRvSP5UGMhuLO3do7cPuVZSpRPIQ9rIaHv7XHltKIV5Wzd84gcoQRBCq6J6dzRwWAvXCgIC3CjyUTzdCRmYwI/s1917/delivery38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg535gAHv_yEqhO-AsN4K_huj81a5O61P-GdKqOSw6nKXryVcft1mIDKyTgBMekCZMc8RUEaMb_gylZ0Xv6I_ZOkV3LkPMTdT9p6BSF6QjRvSP5UGMhuLO3do7cPuVZSpRPIQ9rIaHv7XHltKIV5Wzd84gcoQRBCq6J6dzRwWAvXCgIC3CjyUTzdCRmYwI/s320/delivery38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRo16kNnY0V1XK636-9I7ZoqC8CBgVe9bJvgDEiRwLhxXc0atH2_t3URI5fLx4T39j6JpssHbsCP3VDdMSopKD0GnYMsBbR1XqEpWR9FrP-0hJZSohW6RXMEWP_dZBsn-bVm9ecLtFP7aYKeZQ9wTTV1mYeTBkvKebnJI_h5UXz6rlg8onU8qhYgM9f4/s1919/delivery6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRo16kNnY0V1XK636-9I7ZoqC8CBgVe9bJvgDEiRwLhxXc0atH2_t3URI5fLx4T39j6JpssHbsCP3VDdMSopKD0GnYMsBbR1XqEpWR9FrP-0hJZSohW6RXMEWP_dZBsn-bVm9ecLtFP7aYKeZQ9wTTV1mYeTBkvKebnJI_h5UXz6rlg8onU8qhYgM9f4/s320/delivery6.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE DELIVERY has minor issues due to changing hairstyles and one sequence where a new actor plays the part of another. Made in Hong Kong in 1975, the movie wasn't delivered to theaters till 1978. Completed in December of 1975, a two-page ad in Cinemart Magazine hyped the pairing of Chen and Heung as well as the inclusion of headline grabber, Nana, a new face in the burgeoning sex film genre in Hong Kong. The vague, two-word title was also being promoted as indicative of a new style of action drama with artistic merit.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gVZP2TC44DOZx-t7n-2YI6gHgOnuoR8wOHBIzaUd-X5RPzVH15mTZBzvN8j2FRATrXMredXq57lbkJSTYdvjQ0rTvdwPN_y_joXzxIyWRmWwZE3KxzceXGjGX6hDLce29RNwqAjZEZL_BubDibvKa_TehmLb9bD51xxcPJC-O587uGkw4LWdDHx26xo/s1915/delivery39.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1915" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gVZP2TC44DOZx-t7n-2YI6gHgOnuoR8wOHBIzaUd-X5RPzVH15mTZBzvN8j2FRATrXMredXq57lbkJSTYdvjQ0rTvdwPN_y_joXzxIyWRmWwZE3KxzceXGjGX6hDLce29RNwqAjZEZL_BubDibvKa_TehmLb9bD51xxcPJC-O587uGkw4LWdDHx26xo/s320/delivery39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0IEkIECW63A8fX1icHrL3l3ioc7vOv9pz8x5iZZXFUa20SyIwwqgF3e_ZYzFSPen2kZMx5PSgbhrwbRUe6bevnbSFxR6iEjgOjjPX9IRqujZcbs1PgZ17HVM59MrZugaWb9l7QPrdp5xC4JDDR5i68jT-kylLQ7pG0nIuK6cyH2XXypV0Eg9mey1XWI/s1919/delivery25.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0IEkIECW63A8fX1icHrL3l3ioc7vOv9pz8x5iZZXFUa20SyIwwqgF3e_ZYzFSPen2kZMx5PSgbhrwbRUe6bevnbSFxR6iEjgOjjPX9IRqujZcbs1PgZ17HVM59MrZugaWb9l7QPrdp5xC4JDDR5i68jT-kylLQ7pG0nIuK6cyH2XXypV0Eg9mey1XWI/s320/delivery25.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Herman Hsu was an actor who became a director, and guided only a handful of movies. He shows a fleeting expressive side in THE DELIVERY, such as a penchant for paintings and having them correlate in some way to what's transpiring on-screen. He was friends with his leading actor and directed him in THE OWL (1974) and again in MARTIAL ARTS (1974), aka THE CHINESE MACK. Some of the same cast members from those two pictures came aboard the DELIVERY production, too.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5wiPlOlnlAudO7NyUdo2-vU3ZgEk2hls4kT-iGlsYiAYy5i15q2j2jB-pvO84q3bvwLlWgg0K0FK8lUJMl51cKUjHu_VWmVZhe9YOidthJn8loNvrM4KXfDQq9KlUNbu-zwFApIth5IYq29G2-uFt8BAE9ONB93MxGDVfcgSESP28A0b9EYZL7KKR5M/s1919/delivery14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5wiPlOlnlAudO7NyUdo2-vU3ZgEk2hls4kT-iGlsYiAYy5i15q2j2jB-pvO84q3bvwLlWgg0K0FK8lUJMl51cKUjHu_VWmVZhe9YOidthJn8loNvrM4KXfDQq9KlUNbu-zwFApIth5IYq29G2-uFt8BAE9ONB93MxGDVfcgSESP28A0b9EYZL7KKR5M/s320/delivery14.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Unfortunately, the biggest failing of the movie is Hoi Yan's script disregarding the potential box office attraction of pitting these two Triad Titans against each other. They have a good fight early on, but they remain on the same side afterward. The opportunity for a grand, if conventional, Kung Fu-Crime epic was there, but the filmmakers took a chance on something with the potential of wider appeal by reaching out to the female demographic.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrGs3uJfSXJxE4drSSrwZIvGTTCKjGZ_6gCtBNDysYLDnmGsafTEg5RD4bggelu07fl7qGfrHE84z0yfO1bjxA5869rsEFktXbbiuEzpZrTvnpPb7ogOYeM-TEBTVrQt-SnMBsPxKj5IIyLu1PHFzXUSWFEeSW1X67hgAuXfpLjMIh4gHIS8i65JMFRo/s1919/delivery41.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrGs3uJfSXJxE4drSSrwZIvGTTCKjGZ_6gCtBNDysYLDnmGsafTEg5RD4bggelu07fl7qGfrHE84z0yfO1bjxA5869rsEFktXbbiuEzpZrTvnpPb7ogOYeM-TEBTVrQt-SnMBsPxKj5IIyLu1PHFzXUSWFEeSW1X67hgAuXfpLjMIh4gHIS8i65JMFRo/s320/delivery41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wH122OKzQl3Vkb5UsUMRyUcLMvuiAFb9BtTRNDzcXs56rRNxYksCd-ZGwPJH0UxnoCzTWlsWE40BbrJ9EHwUkqNLrnnyjNzO6S8NKEK_bHPNibtjJVXf-mtuG3W2fK7rtlH3SgfJZV8Gn1ClCLT6-5ZCtMbRDNMNwkhg0T9iC8b2fS_DL1F6oVx98Ao/s1919/delivery28.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wH122OKzQl3Vkb5UsUMRyUcLMvuiAFb9BtTRNDzcXs56rRNxYksCd-ZGwPJH0UxnoCzTWlsWE40BbrJ9EHwUkqNLrnnyjNzO6S8NKEK_bHPNibtjJVXf-mtuG3W2fK7rtlH3SgfJZV8Gn1ClCLT6-5ZCtMbRDNMNwkhg0T9iC8b2fS_DL1F6oVx98Ao/s320/delivery28.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In 1974, the love story WHERE THE SEAGULL FLIES made HK$1.5 million at the box office. It was rare that a romance picture made that kind of money in Hong Kong, but this one did. Stars Chen Chen and Alan Tang <i>(the son of Triad royalty)</i> were the two highest paid stars in Taiwan at the time; and director Li Hsing was a famous and highly respected director of dramas. With this film's success, a wave of love stories with ocean-style titles landed in movie theaters. So the makers of THE DELIVERY may have been influenced by that success, and made a movie with gangster action for the men and a love story for the women.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtgEWBwhynPwqXoU8iqiCTR7BCvhNZbDizWl5c3Eaa0dAn2cW-14dGZzQUEcOKPQAIF5EtqyHA4yjT9AOm_7IHQmWjuVMBjm4_dxX-VzzC-lV4ozL0oahi9X2jXbFOFriBILYhxfyam_kyetwkRDNYmGzUCV78GLF3V3NhCLyArc1ZEXKyj6l31BH6VY/s1919/delivery36.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtgEWBwhynPwqXoU8iqiCTR7BCvhNZbDizWl5c3Eaa0dAn2cW-14dGZzQUEcOKPQAIF5EtqyHA4yjT9AOm_7IHQmWjuVMBjm4_dxX-VzzC-lV4ozL0oahi9X2jXbFOFriBILYhxfyam_kyetwkRDNYmGzUCV78GLF3V3NhCLyArc1ZEXKyj6l31BH6VY/s320/delivery36.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This type of romantic role was the first of its kind for Chen Hui Min at that stage in his career. He most often played gangsters and assorted villains, and was most famous for those roles. Early in his career he played the occasional hero, and sometimes a not so clear cut heroic figure as he is in this movie. THE DELIVERY is at least of great interest in that regard alone.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkMiR0LmbL0pUJz2ny76y1Y6wXVjsS97wW4CJtGSQoPoG7K7Xa4sl83kEZU3EdhfBT3zrpKJ4xCzNRtPD4ONOq0fj7Ur_o7IHhXD7f9xz2Cd2ZDjW6RA_Q5prn5TMKZ8aktwOiaMOWbWy_XjRkip3gJ8L58V7QXHrbcrp5sNMRV13X9Aox9RECxZ_B-U/s1917/delivery19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkMiR0LmbL0pUJz2ny76y1Y6wXVjsS97wW4CJtGSQoPoG7K7Xa4sl83kEZU3EdhfBT3zrpKJ4xCzNRtPD4ONOq0fj7Ur_o7IHhXD7f9xz2Cd2ZDjW6RA_Q5prn5TMKZ8aktwOiaMOWbWy_XjRkip3gJ8L58V7QXHrbcrp5sNMRV13X9Aox9RECxZ_B-U/s320/delivery19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKeY8glih52-KELD17DBqI83vyl5mMLIr6alZSkacY0P7RGoXwgFUeXS77gUQwAWUG73_wQOLbrzne7zdD34fhAHhTx1WKJ9Fgs_uJBpr8U2qzMSEX2gWTsb4DLQM3CyjcwZjKjvn_HUxT7e7QQGNf_YU1iut74fpa7xcu0kvDNapl_2U7c0j1yKp6Jo/s1917/delivery40.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKeY8glih52-KELD17DBqI83vyl5mMLIr6alZSkacY0P7RGoXwgFUeXS77gUQwAWUG73_wQOLbrzne7zdD34fhAHhTx1WKJ9Fgs_uJBpr8U2qzMSEX2gWTsb4DLQM3CyjcwZjKjvn_HUxT7e7QQGNf_YU1iut74fpa7xcu0kvDNapl_2U7c0j1yKp6Jo/s320/delivery40.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chen's on-screen love interest is played Susanna Au Yeung <i>(real name Chen Jie Ying)</i>. She fluctuated between the film and television mediums in addition to being a songstress as so many were back then and even today. Her biggest fame came in 1983 playing Huang Rong on the smash hit TV adaptation of LEGEND OF THE CONDOR HEROES, the wildly popular Jin Yong novel adapted into a series of movies by director Chang Cheh as THE BRAVE ARCHER.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A beautiful lady, she would retire from the entertainment industry in the mid-1990s. From there, she became a doctor specializing in Qigong and acupuncture. On July 9th, 2017 Susanna Au Yeung passed away in hospital from lung cancer at the age of 63. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S6WJrRFqgOol-VduvoB8RQ0Di-cY9CJ3Ybaq_4eSLVBBQ9OElg054DrGhLrpFlLTXR74W_fZr9pcujyxNBtinXuWAuuf3S4yscb-Mo0PrbhtLCVAEEy_HiURiDNe5NAw8gTe5o3eWG30L0Yjz4sODlEGYSR2apNVSw1lFlEYKAGEH65-9Lo_zcLlrbM/s1919/delivery30.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S6WJrRFqgOol-VduvoB8RQ0Di-cY9CJ3Ybaq_4eSLVBBQ9OElg054DrGhLrpFlLTXR74W_fZr9pcujyxNBtinXuWAuuf3S4yscb-Mo0PrbhtLCVAEEy_HiURiDNe5NAw8gTe5o3eWG30L0Yjz4sODlEGYSR2apNVSw1lFlEYKAGEH65-9Lo_zcLlrbM/s320/delivery30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGaA_mxCuxPWbPVGsZb8UEFeFShmMwg2U_JGrHCZwL6p8onAqs11TOfc57DHDUMSsooD3NM8W-0J6VnCJZ704rw4mgpw34lZJXCM2IgPIXKShYQ6SlwX1ytbeIpnKwOAmhj-GPM-PGeiZaXCrBuI8He1WT9CK-fcjZ-SOKFmqRxf8sOcMSGiOmnaMQzI/s1919/delivery7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGaA_mxCuxPWbPVGsZb8UEFeFShmMwg2U_JGrHCZwL6p8onAqs11TOfc57DHDUMSsooD3NM8W-0J6VnCJZ704rw4mgpw34lZJXCM2IgPIXKShYQ6SlwX1ytbeIpnKwOAmhj-GPM-PGeiZaXCrBuI8He1WT9CK-fcjZ-SOKFmqRxf8sOcMSGiOmnaMQzI/s320/delivery7.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In addition to being a Triad boss, frequently paying fines for drunk and or disorderly conduct, and making headlines for attempts on his life, Chen was a ladies man off-screen. He preferred Western women due to their carefree attitudes and comfortability to being approached on the street. Chen had apparently soured on marriage and was separated at the time. He'd stated in 1976 that living together was preferable so as to avoid legal entanglements. Chen was a tough customer and essentially playing himself in the films he made; but he was also an affable man and very approachable and friendly to those outside the Triad circles. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKclSieADqb3rf-GeTP5L3vrM4dZSb2vg-vpvTbP52DBF6IRQUiARjU7aIFgjDHutbnnbEduOjrVGH87P2xwAzHvxAVxTxoV542a70OovJD7UZCwMVt7B1NnFb-qdqFQYiAlAzQUt8k167VYwhujswDHlXZuLl-Ndb5W-h-R6F0fFh_KF_3AJm3-o-NQY/s1919/delivery34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKclSieADqb3rf-GeTP5L3vrM4dZSb2vg-vpvTbP52DBF6IRQUiARjU7aIFgjDHutbnnbEduOjrVGH87P2xwAzHvxAVxTxoV542a70OovJD7UZCwMVt7B1NnFb-qdqFQYiAlAzQUt8k167VYwhujswDHlXZuLl-Ndb5W-h-R6F0fFh_KF_3AJm3-o-NQY/s320/delivery34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SE6bBWijvIUvCfdeyUnV54FQDpYWyanCT7MscSCp7Ky_O_ZuzVWcDcZeo50IGoSkirU90f5jNGBNefytSNS2FD55JC6dzK3FcZSvbufpca7Fq4Om_SntR64JKFvcuTx5JM7M8jfcrpZMdcetZiQGBCFkQ7HSosxJach4m9atz4_YQ5gfosiEE7_jpWw/s1919/delivery8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SE6bBWijvIUvCfdeyUnV54FQDpYWyanCT7MscSCp7Ky_O_ZuzVWcDcZeo50IGoSkirU90f5jNGBNefytSNS2FD55JC6dzK3FcZSvbufpca7Fq4Om_SntR64JKFvcuTx5JM7M8jfcrpZMdcetZiQGBCFkQ7HSosxJach4m9atz4_YQ5gfosiEE7_jpWw/s320/delivery8.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When filming wrapped on THE DELIVERY, Chen was off to Indonesia to shoot THE DOUBLE CROSSERS (1976) with Chen Sing for Golden Harvest; and then onto THE KUNG FU KID (1977) for director Lo Wei. Also in 1976, Chen was going to do a movie for Director Li Han Hsiang at Shaw Brothers titled <i>'Gambling For Heads'</i> to be shot in Europe. Due to Chen's Triad affiliations, the production caused potentially life-threatening problems with opposing gangs in the Netherlands when the cast and crew arrived there. Things became so dicey that Run Run Shaw canceled the production. Since he'd already been paid, Chen Hui Min returned the favor by co-starring in Sun Chung's JUDGEMENT OF AN ASSASSIN in 1977.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_k9-yP7dsEPZ9bpeXDOBRcVhyVMnGGq5kVUgre1rjy3ADQ01h-bVmPaJlu9yPc-9NnkC_ry1mWCGEarh_F9nGO1AZSGB9S91FATvGZjgfvm-niC-WCUs7bwtlIEbvhAG59um_4FvUUzB-yrsCm1OtehC2KBveDC8mmBUtHaoUP2LLPA-2L4vhDjQ1Xpc/s1919/delivery49.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_k9-yP7dsEPZ9bpeXDOBRcVhyVMnGGq5kVUgre1rjy3ADQ01h-bVmPaJlu9yPc-9NnkC_ry1mWCGEarh_F9nGO1AZSGB9S91FATvGZjgfvm-niC-WCUs7bwtlIEbvhAG59um_4FvUUzB-yrsCm1OtehC2KBveDC8mmBUtHaoUP2LLPA-2L4vhDjQ1Xpc/s320/delivery49.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There had been modern day crime movies since Chang Cheh paved the way for them with his Early Republic Era pictures like VENGEANCE! (1970), THE DUEL (1971) and BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972). The Chinese Cops and Robbers style took off in 1976 when JUMPING ASH seized the top spot on the list of top ten hits of the year, making nearly HK$4 million. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyiBf7Qeo2uM6bN5tRLNM1nSPT3VZXxlgB3dR8turbuHfjTlKNM0Sjjl2ycB7FNXw1PGqpX8HLt1Peg_iQ8dlxUOOEwFebsKVo9cNgdRzhalBvV6SYmusKJAdH0W-W4SeAgi1G46kHFSudy7YTW9-2G8FjyApxPC8O934cTO6RKKQW2TGPgn1__B-Iag/s1919/delivery5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyiBf7Qeo2uM6bN5tRLNM1nSPT3VZXxlgB3dR8turbuHfjTlKNM0Sjjl2ycB7FNXw1PGqpX8HLt1Peg_iQ8dlxUOOEwFebsKVo9cNgdRzhalBvV6SYmusKJAdH0W-W4SeAgi1G46kHFSudy7YTW9-2G8FjyApxPC8O934cTO6RKKQW2TGPgn1__B-Iag/s320/delivery5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZS9kAU1lAfZrGSSretnjyQFHHA6T_-jw1gK0OPa42Z1kiTEykT_j8zUml1BL7nfZOKAGU5P0c-UiQayB00B3uwi2NzCGLimeYGd4Q-WeIdSilxQCIUJiG39p4PXM49t8giaTJ-1tytpUZbcC8m60G_0Qn3TZYNagRLrz3_6B_Om3vXEw8KI1p5-RfyM/s1919/delivery31.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZS9kAU1lAfZrGSSretnjyQFHHA6T_-jw1gK0OPa42Z1kiTEykT_j8zUml1BL7nfZOKAGU5P0c-UiQayB00B3uwi2NzCGLimeYGd4Q-WeIdSilxQCIUJiG39p4PXM49t8giaTJ-1tytpUZbcC8m60G_0Qn3TZYNagRLrz3_6B_Om3vXEw8KI1p5-RfyM/s320/delivery31.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">That film, a new approach that foreshadowed the HK New Wave of the early 1980s, was the next step in the evolution of the HK crime picture that would move away from Kung Fu fighting lawmen and mobsters, to a more police procedural style, that was then supplanted by car chases and spectacular gun action. JUMPING ASH also starred Chen Hui Min; or Michael Chan Wai Man in Cantonese; or Raymond Chen Hui Min as he was advertised in periodicals of the day. To further confound the spelling and pronunciation of Chinese film stars back then, he's billed as Chan Wei Min in the credits. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFwP3zecyLrn5ZsMzGGjdyjU-2Y6TOocrxyVXCX-FoprwR52ipH7rLYhYGwXBimHxxDSpC1aS0QkYyXQb5yeUSUfPl_p9ysovQQf70sGOgaUCwmFGWI9cfCiXl7qZIoWPx_I7wnHH6EnswieIhHQlZBQjAqgQaVpdeIpnn8K-LdaNDzJqTl9LuC54k3o/s1919/delivery37.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFwP3zecyLrn5ZsMzGGjdyjU-2Y6TOocrxyVXCX-FoprwR52ipH7rLYhYGwXBimHxxDSpC1aS0QkYyXQb5yeUSUfPl_p9ysovQQf70sGOgaUCwmFGWI9cfCiXl7qZIoWPx_I7wnHH6EnswieIhHQlZBQjAqgQaVpdeIpnn8K-LdaNDzJqTl9LuC54k3o/s320/delivery37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6Wejskck15IReBeSokRHqsH7u0MjJOLxrDw2YflchunBxaCcCyIERanIS-uurOuXmBRMonLS4ULsSgmU0zAwyp_yl9HD6dzBD_Ht79v9IfsvPct56S4fJ7CuiD9_EXpCSo0e5Zu4PBqJdzGVaLdSaMqI4wk55ZhnxkeZz2tECw6u3ltDVJTJfPEGLlo/s1919/delivery3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6Wejskck15IReBeSokRHqsH7u0MjJOLxrDw2YflchunBxaCcCyIERanIS-uurOuXmBRMonLS4ULsSgmU0zAwyp_yl9HD6dzBD_Ht79v9IfsvPct56S4fJ7CuiD9_EXpCSo0e5Zu4PBqJdzGVaLdSaMqI4wk55ZhnxkeZz2tECw6u3ltDVJTJfPEGLlo/s320/delivery3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This is largely Chen Hui Min's movie although Charles Heung is his co-star. Heung pops in and out of the narrative to bed down prostitutes and to give Chen orders as to his next pickup. It's not sufficiently explained but the sale of $5 million in heroin is broken up into multiple meeting places instead of making the exchange all at once; so now the police, who turn up everywhere Chen happens to be, have additional chances to make a bust.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDoGElbkVjAUzlhUUmAkwBsXRwmG9g_9jxkpfTlK144n4N-PTnuhH-xMPpfnFums7ZyMXmwVzFvDcxqtau6KWEMi-5t_P_rNrXO-VZAIxzk49z062scJLhVPTOX5UvifkwpDexBNu19fxOB0CenacEn6njx7wzp_DD2xsIXksqWjKnvlkiHm3RL8K3t4/s1917/delivery15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDoGElbkVjAUzlhUUmAkwBsXRwmG9g_9jxkpfTlK144n4N-PTnuhH-xMPpfnFums7ZyMXmwVzFvDcxqtau6KWEMi-5t_P_rNrXO-VZAIxzk49z062scJLhVPTOX5UvifkwpDexBNu19fxOB0CenacEn6njx7wzp_DD2xsIXksqWjKnvlkiHm3RL8K3t4/s320/delivery15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUXT1_I6uWdSXd87upSfnIyT5dLK2OoJyus5O6hBskFPnDF_lAKFb-WynRflgF-nYvKQqXRAJQ1lwcv6HuCNuwfX6WJ34IP1TGd5VCSaqD1jsNVpZwV9SYmQvgo8KmYgX41cULmSd0INyM4cWx_PkX0sHHGpz_iHD-xfoEz6Qb_0jmOOQdml573xOCeg/s1919/delivery43.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUXT1_I6uWdSXd87upSfnIyT5dLK2OoJyus5O6hBskFPnDF_lAKFb-WynRflgF-nYvKQqXRAJQ1lwcv6HuCNuwfX6WJ34IP1TGd5VCSaqD1jsNVpZwV9SYmQvgo8KmYgX41cULmSd0INyM4cWx_PkX0sHHGpz_iHD-xfoEz6Qb_0jmOOQdml573xOCeg/s320/delivery43.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It's also not adequately laid out that there's multiple factions within the organization run by Tu Shao Hsiang <i>(played by Charles Heung)</i>; at least we think he's the syndicate head. Late in the picture, we discover that his wheelchair-bound father is the real Big Boss. Perplexingly, his character is never seen again. His brief screentime at least offers some dialog that ends up as foreshadowing for something that occurs in the closing moments of the film.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg-yySaNOxvzgNQVREL7AJIabkeJm6oOZIL3aJdWqv8lFaoVEO7YGoX2JggwrN1VcWRqUmLOv6SuH0QohhFEmXRrO1OGWEtmiu2WSrvigoAwbQVjj7XhdG5eXH3SyrIjL-bvXPTSbpm50Zr5HTqhnErIDX2iCKWEH8RMzFl3Qe21f0d_QYPKaqI6yhdo/s1919/delivery29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1919" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg-yySaNOxvzgNQVREL7AJIabkeJm6oOZIL3aJdWqv8lFaoVEO7YGoX2JggwrN1VcWRqUmLOv6SuH0QohhFEmXRrO1OGWEtmiu2WSrvigoAwbQVjj7XhdG5eXH3SyrIjL-bvXPTSbpm50Zr5HTqhnErIDX2iCKWEH8RMzFl3Qe21f0d_QYPKaqI6yhdo/s320/delivery29.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Probably
the best
sequence is a comedic fight scene in a nightclub where the police
pretend to be patrons and goad Kung into a fight. The band wisely move
back and decide to enhance the mood by playing an Hispanic matador tune.
Kung cleans everyone's clocks, then exits with his girlfriend.</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJNBJ1LP-5ZdFGw2OGYqxuHJGs8auFXYmfmApmeTFV9T9Igoy9vA04N1lZ2n_QXkZchNVwNAqZfUnwz1AqwzebRdOgWp-m8e4AW6tOi4Vt9LR6AJbWOmtiukQcJyKhs-4DnupeYVnSf20b6lXWqbb0RClEoyGQoh3bM3qNSEUnYV_DOn2f3RIOAptL5g/s1916/delivery10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1916" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJNBJ1LP-5ZdFGw2OGYqxuHJGs8auFXYmfmApmeTFV9T9Igoy9vA04N1lZ2n_QXkZchNVwNAqZfUnwz1AqwzebRdOgWp-m8e4AW6tOi4Vt9LR6AJbWOmtiukQcJyKhs-4DnupeYVnSf20b6lXWqbb0RClEoyGQoh3bM3qNSEUnYV_DOn2f3RIOAptL5g/s320/delivery10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGp7ZSBX5gCuMpJiH8paTRO4cwWXTB6MaBCRuO_-ZAMsc0t_f3qE0YgQ7Op31mZcOCky9-igbAJ2Oj0X0EyWup_7ww1QE5dM_r7xjMSzK3_PS7IYYUGoTbYcMZBp_ok5DOwjO2rLg9KRActoR7s2gH58JzRlghLsKrFlsMVJdgWUNxZydIlmxpdAe-RSo/s1919/delivery12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGp7ZSBX5gCuMpJiH8paTRO4cwWXTB6MaBCRuO_-ZAMsc0t_f3qE0YgQ7Op31mZcOCky9-igbAJ2Oj0X0EyWup_7ww1QE5dM_r7xjMSzK3_PS7IYYUGoTbYcMZBp_ok5DOwjO2rLg9KRActoR7s2gH58JzRlghLsKrFlsMVJdgWUNxZydIlmxpdAe-RSo/s320/delivery12.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Cheng Kei Ying is both the film's martial arts director and one of the supporting players, a gangster leader named Lin Pa. Cheng has one of the most interesting faces in all of Hong Kong cinema. He always had those long sideburns and sometimes sported a bald head so it was an unforgettable look. Suited best for villainy, he frequently displayed as much in many crime pictures and several Kung Fu flicks. His off-screen persona was even more fascinating. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dLblZMRymqCxWU0q2zVnM6nvijbKg8rWBTWXSCu8ASunnt5VByeGdgNlMoiZ_4v7Hl2sN9-A0kEGHHvPmNoz8cVhboHmqJC6LdRTTjxHbeXrpxkc_7YVA36-hQWa34ElShSN_x-dT7pNF16_89n2Q3JHxuddpNm4QZBQuzUsg0hFAJ_DSBWgXHzPyno/s1919/delivery11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1919" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dLblZMRymqCxWU0q2zVnM6nvijbKg8rWBTWXSCu8ASunnt5VByeGdgNlMoiZ_4v7Hl2sN9-A0kEGHHvPmNoz8cVhboHmqJC6LdRTTjxHbeXrpxkc_7YVA36-hQWa34ElShSN_x-dT7pNF16_89n2Q3JHxuddpNm4QZBQuzUsg0hFAJ_DSBWgXHzPyno/s320/delivery11.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Before getting into the film industry, Cheng graduated from the Department of Physics in 1967 and became a teacher of the subject to middle school students. He studied a variety of martial arts styles of Chinese, Thai, and Japanese origin, in addition to Western boxing. He had been a boxing champion, a tournament judge, and a martial arts instructor for the University of Hong Kong, In 1974, the Shochiku film company invited him to Japan to perform Kung fu; and an invitation from Europe for demonstrations came afterward.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtuBx3zv0TJzFnLwsE-DEVqdHSM3z_1564D0eLT_WX6aLBNm5ZQkHibQovxdTip742QmQ1kEFG_Dxg9bARA893DEzFQ2f5tHXp0rmY9YQwZRv6Sw9pUiYXZXhk_RzSnBhQQF__BnMlIqIOcandlvGvfsHtBO6ITRQLF5tkUXPwes9w0-0wl6eXTBzvZE/s1919/delivery18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtuBx3zv0TJzFnLwsE-DEVqdHSM3z_1564D0eLT_WX6aLBNm5ZQkHibQovxdTip742QmQ1kEFG_Dxg9bARA893DEzFQ2f5tHXp0rmY9YQwZRv6Sw9pUiYXZXhk_RzSnBhQQF__BnMlIqIOcandlvGvfsHtBO6ITRQLF5tkUXPwes9w0-0wl6eXTBzvZE/s320/delivery18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbGQ5acPqsaaHQhyNAeJ8QGb_-3GTqzv5HzuTOahEEWf5JsU5uIBN9ZVwX2WTeSQdoHNkClANl13NXIi_9iVDXU0R_hXCnAsWZ1SSErZ7S-Slt8FfBA8G8sBR-1m5qOhV6lFw2KXgCsEFPHEnOr8n3-YvscwEE6KibpgWnGoEJTmE7PYdTQ2u6AoHLUE/s1919/delivery35.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbGQ5acPqsaaHQhyNAeJ8QGb_-3GTqzv5HzuTOahEEWf5JsU5uIBN9ZVwX2WTeSQdoHNkClANl13NXIi_9iVDXU0R_hXCnAsWZ1SSErZ7S-Slt8FfBA8G8sBR-1m5qOhV6lFw2KXgCsEFPHEnOr8n3-YvscwEE6KibpgWnGoEJTmE7PYdTQ2u6AoHLUE/s320/delivery35.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">He met Chen Hui Min around 1972 after the two discovered their like-minded interest in Western Boxing. Chen encouraged him to give the acting business a chance. Reluctantly, Cheng Kei Ying obliged and made his first appearance in 1973s ONLY THE BRAVE STANDS, aka CHALLENGE OF THE DRAGON <i>(not to be confused with 1973s THE WAY OF THE TIGER, a Taiwanese KF flick that was also titled CHALLENGE OF THE DRAGON in the US)</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DzbNRoa0X7sPCe0pnJVL_6jECUIUpwRonv7vap4uYNEDuMLIPHw9eeSFXYUvd5msGBQ5LpxlmOPWgsypx74ONZwwaVU2c2liY5trvRcsoP1d0MOr1t1cxJUa23OLaWtnu-dZXah-GBA97F-ugjbAWFchBC1D-vPuG6RuI0brFj6yYfbI1UHzah5MQd4/s1919/delivery13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DzbNRoa0X7sPCe0pnJVL_6jECUIUpwRonv7vap4uYNEDuMLIPHw9eeSFXYUvd5msGBQ5LpxlmOPWgsypx74ONZwwaVU2c2liY5trvRcsoP1d0MOr1t1cxJUa23OLaWtnu-dZXah-GBA97F-ugjbAWFchBC1D-vPuG6RuI0brFj6yYfbI1UHzah5MQd4/s320/delivery13.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Cheng found making movies addicting and eventually moved into writing and producing. In 1978 he would co-found Overseas Pictures Company, Limited with actor-producer Chung Kuo Jen <i>(who had mob ties)</i>. An independent company that made movies very quickly, their style attracted the attention of the Shaw Brothers who signed them up to make movies for them. Specializing in films about cops and gangsters, some of the titles they made for release through the Shaw company are GANG OF FOUR, ISLAND OF VIRGINS and GODFATHER'S FURY (all 1978).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXFg7w3uHxh_3a7xflFPPdzdCgo3vAnBwV0g1GMmooArcAmgGgKlMdEu0_NoUesCJcYcAEAyHT2DmJ9TyqK31CKuJQreGdI2Kz3lin584XVP-Gw1f-XtN7V4fEgaqZOkdlccV9KEqHEp-tO3WMdpe0Ra0rYF4PYBPOooE4rufPfPDy-Fla2Bi-JCsyQ8/s1918/delivery9.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1918" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXFg7w3uHxh_3a7xflFPPdzdCgo3vAnBwV0g1GMmooArcAmgGgKlMdEu0_NoUesCJcYcAEAyHT2DmJ9TyqK31CKuJQreGdI2Kz3lin584XVP-Gw1f-XtN7V4fEgaqZOkdlccV9KEqHEp-tO3WMdpe0Ra0rYF4PYBPOooE4rufPfPDy-Fla2Bi-JCsyQ8/s320/delivery9.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the 1970s, he was often appearing in movies starring Chen Hui Min, as well as choreographing the action in them. The aforementioned, and trendsetting indy picture JUMPING ASH (1976) being one such production. Some other films you'll know Cheng Kei Ying from in roles of varying size are REVENGE OF THE CORPSE (1981), KUNG FU ZOMBIE (1982), A FISTFUL OF TALONS (1983), and SECRET SERVICE OF THE IMPERIAL COURT (1984).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07_gUcXKFoh328qTjbessjB5VNwa2Wq8H0SSi_LaYch8TyKpVZrjkZ4IcXjGkuRoPWmdM3xBSaVMfWw28PrKiEx7cY0ouepMm5in97qii7-0Ht6stYvjk6jYAM_8v8nrFietvQeIC_sZknrBWxIVJyWMzdevEZH0wyk2_N-SjwDzjv_n-LWKkMnWF0U0/s1919/delivery4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07_gUcXKFoh328qTjbessjB5VNwa2Wq8H0SSi_LaYch8TyKpVZrjkZ4IcXjGkuRoPWmdM3xBSaVMfWw28PrKiEx7cY0ouepMm5in97qii7-0Ht6stYvjk6jYAM_8v8nrFietvQeIC_sZknrBWxIVJyWMzdevEZH0wyk2_N-SjwDzjv_n-LWKkMnWF0U0/s320/delivery4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In THE DELIVERY, there's a second guy with an eyepatch that is supposed to be Cheng Kei Ying's Lin Pa character only it's not played by him <i>(see insert)</i>. This scene could've been shot later, or possibly Cheng was unavailable due to commitments on other projects. One of the things that complicated indy pictures was films would routinely shut down because an actor would be contractually obligated elsewhere. Lead star Chen Hui Min, for example, he was a real fighter; so if he was filming one or more movies prior to a kickboxing bout, one or more of those productions may be temporarily placed on hiatus. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZecr7ewKi-pqwZioMsEftcHwxkfTOfhSsaAMvw8eYytGvr9hCvLwmzOmnobhTMdYSb__MG9-vQtf4-2P2jGssXJMyPXeEqJYBQFLPV6HswfJ6nd86eFG7bGVZrKhyphenhyphen-iNc7MBoieeMBOKdYssi3NwGIaz5Zol4ryoT6eJIGLUOKJVHDcFK9tfa68Ewdyg/s1919/delivery2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZecr7ewKi-pqwZioMsEftcHwxkfTOfhSsaAMvw8eYytGvr9hCvLwmzOmnobhTMdYSb__MG9-vQtf4-2P2jGssXJMyPXeEqJYBQFLPV6HswfJ6nd86eFG7bGVZrKhyphenhyphen-iNc7MBoieeMBOKdYssi3NwGIaz5Zol4ryoT6eJIGLUOKJVHDcFK9tfa68Ewdyg/s320/delivery2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This happened regularly since actors were appearing in 3-5 movies all at one time. This occurred at the majors too, but the smaller outfits had less capital to shield them. Other problems that would arise were actor injuries or becoming ill.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_O8D8rdG0BBA7hcoqMjnneQ4idhT8E-JeaISWz_Q0MTpZKy7sMB4ZqI4IBM1s3F3isIBS_vcv5CfxxbhUT0jk9UMYrl3B-MyaELokQ5T3nWusX0elv4L08wnyGtluJ_C4g8w8PFIUZ1WxtXcZCd_evEhTEI7G7b8UhyuALh3WkvKe_MsOKOFxC69mWM/s1919/delivery1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_O8D8rdG0BBA7hcoqMjnneQ4idhT8E-JeaISWz_Q0MTpZKy7sMB4ZqI4IBM1s3F3isIBS_vcv5CfxxbhUT0jk9UMYrl3B-MyaELokQ5T3nWusX0elv4L08wnyGtluJ_C4g8w8PFIUZ1WxtXcZCd_evEhTEI7G7b8UhyuALh3WkvKe_MsOKOFxC69mWM/s320/delivery1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CzHhyphenhyphen1MtiTUs_QaZ-tvG9EfqQK79H3ow7GL4hfoGAMQtRgXRm37UoXnD-tuzX5Om1sQ4d7v1HkUCONfyT76-9ab1QNJc-a-HIongIA_MR5vHosfxxOTUji6WuhwpEl0P26XUmJfAx8UP3XXShPfj16vddl7byO5pDsscaoVZi5-nFFXZ1sSPgowI1yU/s1919/delivery45.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CzHhyphenhyphen1MtiTUs_QaZ-tvG9EfqQK79H3ow7GL4hfoGAMQtRgXRm37UoXnD-tuzX5Om1sQ4d7v1HkUCONfyT76-9ab1QNJc-a-HIongIA_MR5vHosfxxOTUji6WuhwpEl0P26XUmJfAx8UP3XXShPfj16vddl7byO5pDsscaoVZi5-nFFXZ1sSPgowI1yU/s320/delivery45.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">For this sequence shot in Hong Kong's beautiful Repulse Bay, Lin Pa is played by Richard Cheung, alias Chang Chuan. If you're a devout Shaw Brothers fan, you'll know him from one of their most beloved gangster movies, HONG KONG GODFATHER (1985) directed by actor Wang Lung Wei. In that film, Cheung was on the right side of the law.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz1nQ_5gjBJkIOdw5gQjLbGxe4cPVEXHeFZy45ZUniZd_yKDn04LdWU4jLnKRSjugBqCVoTAdQqx0Xp5h2i_c6e26THg4EiNKR0vdCu82L9TnYgyxMHe_LCvwl-4bpZ0sjLFGfPh-V6ns6QHMubkyjSkvCQ2NiBjtI3bgalYPD2NP1kNjGpXwVNSL4YY/s1917/delivery32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz1nQ_5gjBJkIOdw5gQjLbGxe4cPVEXHeFZy45ZUniZd_yKDn04LdWU4jLnKRSjugBqCVoTAdQqx0Xp5h2i_c6e26THg4EiNKR0vdCu82L9TnYgyxMHe_LCvwl-4bpZ0sjLFGfPh-V6ns6QHMubkyjSkvCQ2NiBjtI3bgalYPD2NP1kNjGpXwVNSL4YY/s320/delivery32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00E9LWZok8DoEmmQ3QwRRa1ct4yhEhJTzS3DqAoqiNwOHFyN9JnuuiJYRxcFwbioaH8DubzDAqp8U4CgJN4m9L8-TuAcixBalLKlqbUGFxdC9yUshCoX7NAUh2hkLu3fyCbPjc0SXX4mdLCAvF2cVIvZgjxlqheBe3NTNLZ1y3qdtlw-wxxCL4_qsB-A/s1917/delivery17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00E9LWZok8DoEmmQ3QwRRa1ct4yhEhJTzS3DqAoqiNwOHFyN9JnuuiJYRxcFwbioaH8DubzDAqp8U4CgJN4m9L8-TuAcixBalLKlqbUGFxdC9yUshCoX7NAUh2hkLu3fyCbPjc0SXX4mdLCAvF2cVIvZgjxlqheBe3NTNLZ1y3qdtlw-wxxCL4_qsB-A/s320/delivery17.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another actor in the film playing one of the cops is Samson Chieh Yuen <i>(Hsieh Yuan)</i>. He wasn't a major player in the industry, but like Cheng Kei Ying, he had an interesting background. He was 21 years old when he signed with Shaw Brothers in 1966. His family heritage is Kwang Tung, although Chieh was born in Malaysia and grew up there. He had a passion for sports and particularly weightlifting. He won a few Malay competitions </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">before the Shaw Organization recruited him via the company's Malaysian branch. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkA4hbezPssVEx_MDi02oKEf_DIw9Vv1fMIXsBjf77Krs8j3JJpzGA6-Vu4c98vcq_3tvfkGKAaIRls_IQd1DTiZQYevPaE8uvYaThal9vQc1D00N8oryRgtjcSl5r5NpPdBgtTBX9FjVZVV3kjkqwaQE0v6_ApJqK9qLQJ1oAmlsTmilZMXY0-QHeALA/s1917/delivery16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkA4hbezPssVEx_MDi02oKEf_DIw9Vv1fMIXsBjf77Krs8j3JJpzGA6-Vu4c98vcq_3tvfkGKAaIRls_IQd1DTiZQYevPaE8uvYaThal9vQc1D00N8oryRgtjcSl5r5NpPdBgtTBX9FjVZVV3kjkqwaQE0v6_ApJqK9qLQJ1oAmlsTmilZMXY0-QHeALA/s320/delivery16.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">His first appearance was in Chang Cheh's THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967). From there he had minor roles with nothing of significance. In 1970 he won the Mr. Hong Kong Weightlifting Title. Sadly, this didn't give him a career boost. Probably the role he's most recognizable for is the wrestler who gets tossed around by David Chiang in THE WATER MARGIN (1972).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">He left Shaw Brothers with Chen Sing in 1972 and tried his luck on the independent circuit and his situation didn't improve. He became friends with Bruce Lee and appeared with him in the original footage Lee shot for GAME OF DEATH in 1972, but his scenes were not used when the movie was completed in 1978. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIi2D6OxRY-IFNFKznjF30dJccVTuPmrORGJRL5qNpbZrTfn_AMpEJ0-fEVH8CUG9ZgS-JEAOSWqiDmn9drNHt2NLt5KN2-UFXC2CebBQCY4AuWOix0M-WS5J1QRqCK17sYd2hBKDdck-zPe48dBjqY6zx2dc-VWXQBrt5kQiowDwUEiyVDFDy1eHCPo/s1919/delivery22.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIi2D6OxRY-IFNFKznjF30dJccVTuPmrORGJRL5qNpbZrTfn_AMpEJ0-fEVH8CUG9ZgS-JEAOSWqiDmn9drNHt2NLt5KN2-UFXC2CebBQCY4AuWOix0M-WS5J1QRqCK17sYd2hBKDdck-zPe48dBjqY6zx2dc-VWXQBrt5kQiowDwUEiyVDFDy1eHCPo/s320/delivery22.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Proficient
in various forms of martial arts like Karate and Thai boxing, it was
the latter that got him his sole gig as a Martial Arts Director on 1974s
THE GREATEST THAI BOXING. On that picture he played a Japanese fighter
and shared choreography duties with actors Fong Yeh <i>(who brought Thai boxing to HK)</i>, San Kuei and Bolo Yeung, who'd been Mr. Hong Kong in 1969 before he too signed with Shaw Brothers. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGNYMQTLQD63PxADdF25plF8tWgVQ9ybsUt2tUX0qgljcj4lSNik_NSqVAJrSGUjsVO2ZlwehUixdtXO2Yx7CzHAefluhSfk6uEg8tr6pUU4gGi7nuHTqadB3x2o8RNjo39d-gbX39_ixDX5pgqeLJW01M9JNxYp3bqeRfDAVN8uUl4oKxubvBJbWz8o/s1919/delivery26.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGNYMQTLQD63PxADdF25plF8tWgVQ9ybsUt2tUX0qgljcj4lSNik_NSqVAJrSGUjsVO2ZlwehUixdtXO2Yx7CzHAefluhSfk6uEg8tr6pUU4gGi7nuHTqadB3x2o8RNjo39d-gbX39_ixDX5pgqeLJW01M9JNxYp3bqeRfDAVN8uUl4oKxubvBJbWz8o/s320/delivery26.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">After working in Taiwan on films like THE BLAZING TEMPLE (1976), THE HOT, COOL AND THE VICIOUS (1976), THE REBEL OF SHAOLIN (1977) and INVINCIBLE ARMOR (1977), Chieh Yuen died from a cerebral edema on November 16th, 1977 at the age of 32. Bizarrely, this was the same cause of death attributed to Bruce Lee and the same age of death as well.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Despite being shot and completed in 1975, THE DELIVERY, which wasn't released till 1978, was Samson Chieh's last released motion picture, posthumously.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJBxB8ScsC1O68XBEYkbJfqiIWMAUGpbLGPyon1717G2_-jFg10v2FtdmT2A6pTcaG69Gg8q_QlEGz3DzZo5xSWhO3MfvDHpB6wY-4TbaNI4wHb5VBBwTCSgWzLnZi4Qf8Ke4nEs_VEuWXSC_IjEKg96eCr_EwgubJWojJaGfuCUPuDvw_T-kTM3RmN4/s1919/delivery23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJBxB8ScsC1O68XBEYkbJfqiIWMAUGpbLGPyon1717G2_-jFg10v2FtdmT2A6pTcaG69Gg8q_QlEGz3DzZo5xSWhO3MfvDHpB6wY-4TbaNI4wHb5VBBwTCSgWzLnZi4Qf8Ke4nEs_VEuWXSC_IjEKg96eCr_EwgubJWojJaGfuCUPuDvw_T-kTM3RmN4/s320/delivery23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzWFpj_L0RGcjRyRXqbsi7gdz0ZPE8BHejlp4iGHPskGmlShyphenhyphenCvf2_tF-Q7eS4-4MZYYHL123-eBPjHZf38yLOKIJIy23sxW_TKm-bbK6UmM7_oZ__JawDL9yphfHeOIbAToG8foi7yPpkWzEUYf43WxmWPfei7ipafgJTvQNZsOGtOavR4pvDTgG3LA/s1919/delivery42.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzWFpj_L0RGcjRyRXqbsi7gdz0ZPE8BHejlp4iGHPskGmlShyphenhyphenCvf2_tF-Q7eS4-4MZYYHL123-eBPjHZf38yLOKIJIy23sxW_TKm-bbK6UmM7_oZ__JawDL9yphfHeOIbAToG8foi7yPpkWzEUYf43WxmWPfei7ipafgJTvQNZsOGtOavR4pvDTgG3LA/s320/delivery42.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE DELIVERY doesn't make clear sense; you have to put it together much like Chen does during the scene where he makes a pickup and the parcel contains a Bible with coded language inside revealing where the drugs are. The running time is 100 minutes which is plenty to tell a story cohesively; this one though, could do with losing ten of them, especially during the overlong finale. If you go into this one expecting non-stop action you'll be disappointed. If you order knowing this is not the typical Kung Fu picture, you may find THE DELIVERY a mildly enjoyable purchase.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>***NOTE: This restored, widescreen release of THE DELIVERY, aka DEADLY KUNG FU FACTOR, has no main title present. Possibly this version was a print intended for a foreign release where the title would likely be changed.***<br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin;">This review is representative of the Dark Force Entertainment blu-ray. Specs and extras: new 4K restoration from 35mm negative; Mandarin Chinese with or without English subtitles; running time: 01:39:12.</span></span><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-33005393608022971282024-02-12T18:39:00.000-08:002024-02-12T18:39:34.876-08:00The Shadow Fist Hunter (1973) review<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZKEr5oT5f3ZSut4XbsTj0YrUYFjKVujmt0QA0ik5IwRD7_r2yCVtMaa7cRT8F68prJqX0pp1nmep8BWuCATUI9ITF7njb1Qq77eiNMfRsBBO7-7OX2C-p4cTtdT8a1ytQGJusrdWu7vFarwoI0DT0PmIekxRkEbhpWdPkN89arKHm8GALFy0d-XpcZg/s1917/fist1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1917" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZKEr5oT5f3ZSut4XbsTj0YrUYFjKVujmt0QA0ik5IwRD7_r2yCVtMaa7cRT8F68prJqX0pp1nmep8BWuCATUI9ITF7njb1Qq77eiNMfRsBBO7-7OX2C-p4cTtdT8a1ytQGJusrdWu7vFarwoI0DT0PmIekxRkEbhpWdPkN89arKHm8GALFy0d-XpcZg/s320/fist1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE SHADOW CHASER 1973 aka THE SHADOW FIST HUNTER aka BRUCE LEE’S SHADOW FIST</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Yeh Tai Kang <i>(Tah Kong)</i>, Pearl Cheung Ling <i>(Chui Lian)</i>, Liang Bin <i>(Wu Han)</i>, Yi Yuan <i>(Ma Wen)</i>, Tien Yue <i>(Fan Shung)</i>, Wu Kuan <i>(Ma Sum)</i>, Kwan Hung <i>(Chao Bah)<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Directed by Wu Fei Chien</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;"><b>The Short Version:</b> <i>SHADOW FIST HUNTER, alias THE SHADOW CHASER, is a peculiar retelling of the typical revenge narrative of countless Kung Fu movies. Normally, there's a reason a Kung Fu flick is a little seen obscurity, but not this time; it's a genuinely entertaining movie. The filmmakers populate their run of the mill script with a bevy of bizarre characters and shoot it using an unusually high amount of low camera angles. Along with influences ranging from Bond villains to Samurai cinema, THE SHADOW CHASER deserves to be out in the light--receiving wider viewership by its target audience. </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sj6AFXMU4P5D0kcpGvIjAy0TEgqnIHVM43xuxuSzzvw9SYvhDp1ZnEANHAwt4gsAGjGCyS1APdJI6gTJ2sXcKpPI82VkdEbafw832Kyo9g6Sd5bs3od0AbUe5LAlArE3FDwjseJzjwlqgs6Zav9s1iuO3tnt6PMbWkddzfFQ0u1jga8_4Kukf1kzrlM/s1917/fist34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sj6AFXMU4P5D0kcpGvIjAy0TEgqnIHVM43xuxuSzzvw9SYvhDp1ZnEANHAwt4gsAGjGCyS1APdJI6gTJ2sXcKpPI82VkdEbafw832Kyo9g6Sd5bs3od0AbUe5LAlArE3FDwjseJzjwlqgs6Zav9s1iuO3tnt6PMbWkddzfFQ0u1jga8_4Kukf1kzrlM/s320/fist34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGes8SQkUCw1yfBlu0efZKptBi9qmxHYd_iMnxUcGAx88VUuS54kx0QihpPoc15Nny3Etx2_WzwtpjOoqi48-ASd8JCMumJFh1GZpj-ruFe5li0_UcEHNMBDMRW2MbcpHDw1dZnGZUT3ccbYo_Nf6zViOSh2oNpm4mLprqcYBRcyH0JDmyIBxDKJEV64/s1917/fist29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGes8SQkUCw1yfBlu0efZKptBi9qmxHYd_iMnxUcGAx88VUuS54kx0QihpPoc15Nny3Etx2_WzwtpjOoqi48-ASd8JCMumJFh1GZpj-ruFe5li0_UcEHNMBDMRW2MbcpHDw1dZnGZUT3ccbYo_Nf6zViOSh2oNpm4mLprqcYBRcyH0JDmyIBxDKJEV64/s320/fist29.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Tah Kong, the son of an alchemist, searches for his missing father. His journey leads him to Ma Wen, the owner of a soap factory in a small town who was a close friend and collaborator with the mystic healer. They go to the missing man's laboratory nestled within a cave and find Tah Kong's father dead and all his medical equipment destroyed. Now seeking revenge, Tah Kong soon discovers a bigger plot behind his father's death involving a hidden cache of gold. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzBMfnWzLs1VlaRODw0KUzqOgJeTpPFRQZL7Iq8erASRR48pZuZmcFa1JlefrbehyPF4hmastZJhNNWrvRo0jG4BouUOB061Rd2TI4spsbgVTEGlClPUo93EE0i6l1GOir4O5rGkhNtL6C81iG-JnrlkwdQtNsApLDc8GNeKpnsaF-Fvo0VKKyt_PPCQ/s1915/fist5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1915" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzBMfnWzLs1VlaRODw0KUzqOgJeTpPFRQZL7Iq8erASRR48pZuZmcFa1JlefrbehyPF4hmastZJhNNWrvRo0jG4BouUOB061Rd2TI4spsbgVTEGlClPUo93EE0i6l1GOir4O5rGkhNtL6C81iG-JnrlkwdQtNsApLDc8GNeKpnsaF-Fvo0VKKyt_PPCQ/s320/fist5.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One of the genuinely obscure and hard to find titles in the vast expanse of the Hong Kong Kung Fu genre is <i>(for the time being)</i> no longer obscure and difficult to see. Even with the stunning restoration presented on this blu-ray from Dark Force Entertainment, much of the film's main personnel both behind and in front of the camera remain a mystery. There's already a shortage of information regarding the behind the scenes happenings within HK and Taiwan film industry's Golden Age; although CAC is among the few places rectifying this, and from the Oriental perspective. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OSNWg5-9W57KGeku6an9v4-5i4Qde_rZcGjv7oPaqYZsGi_ENXMOxt-v9yZMsZJOLvGrKFEsJOKwGneqU7tDfeNVO2ykwR5dVWqwiwtlZPMjh8R_jSzfBRMYPwBVPkMFw98PhoCVHS2CoxDym4xIajnyYkC17Zv89qcu_T46Lkxq27S2hYquhwfGmOM/s1917/fist19.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OSNWg5-9W57KGeku6an9v4-5i4Qde_rZcGjv7oPaqYZsGi_ENXMOxt-v9yZMsZJOLvGrKFEsJOKwGneqU7tDfeNVO2ykwR5dVWqwiwtlZPMjh8R_jSzfBRMYPwBVPkMFw98PhoCVHS2CoxDym4xIajnyYkC17Zv89qcu_T46Lkxq27S2hYquhwfGmOM/s320/fist19.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">So this review for THE SHADOW CHASER will be a discussion of the film itself, and the independent film scene in Chinese-speaking territories of the time. 1973 was an important year for martial arts cinema; and this particular title was little more than a standard Fist n' Kicker, but, to his credit, director Wu Fei Chien does some interesting things with the run-of-the-mill material.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpVwYWwsKZH2mIEj8ZafYZMwO93zxVGWz7nFaEHtTrZqN2CzujQZYyNKGoq86UzKOoF8AebBqSfJ9osPJqgcvYfhd4P0JcZAcxGJI-HAcAeIpd7Z7GNSbHGaLFW8Qlkcahj_D8hdlnz8savmEiDIGK5_-HHS_L5SIvjlEeJ2EbyffAioz3fZceN124-c/s1917/fist16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpVwYWwsKZH2mIEj8ZafYZMwO93zxVGWz7nFaEHtTrZqN2CzujQZYyNKGoq86UzKOoF8AebBqSfJ9osPJqgcvYfhd4P0JcZAcxGJI-HAcAeIpd7Z7GNSbHGaLFW8Qlkcahj_D8hdlnz8savmEiDIGK5_-HHS_L5SIvjlEeJ2EbyffAioz3fZceN124-c/s320/fist16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PZZ-r4VPy3qGou8tnsmhtLhy79adAuLmGApFptdoXpm8z6pjmSFQ62NHWsismJ7p6IVArBrME9oPvffzYHcuPNV8WS8megQ08Oju89cc999ziIp1-6I-NatL03_9CSISzltkg9fSYwTwR1N7nKuTBETAzSsnC0apagwUmY7H3V_Ra_YgaGTYb9ITQGE/s1919/fist18.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PZZ-r4VPy3qGou8tnsmhtLhy79adAuLmGApFptdoXpm8z6pjmSFQ62NHWsismJ7p6IVArBrME9oPvffzYHcuPNV8WS8megQ08Oju89cc999ziIp1-6I-NatL03_9CSISzltkg9fSYwTwR1N7nKuTBETAzSsnC0apagwUmY7H3V_Ra_YgaGTYb9ITQGE/s320/fist18.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The Independent film scene in Hong Kong and Taiwan was in full bloom in 1973; so much so that a flood of empty-hand action pictures pummeled audiences to the point where a new trend was required. Bruce Lee, the man who had the biggest cut of the Kung Fu box office pie till Jackie Chan came along, would only be alive till July of that year. Taiwan had already been imitating the Little Dragon since 1972, and this would snowball after his death <i>(you can read our in-depth 2-part article on the Bruce Clone phenomenon <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2024/01/imitating-dragon-historical.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a> and <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2024/01/imitating-dragon-historical_13.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>)</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g2LYpYD6YpboB7mVWBidqcXOPdilpLYi4ECv9A6AMnAHQnEXrSaWcHuR7UQkR7TFEt5vWSjktkPH4qW04_amSjmmIv6tafDv98Lmu6BrJi0VK7V2kwrVwwqjXXRssiP2FRdAJuu9OeDZYZVJnMEKiaiTUAOgwog7ARTediuMQsyAaPwrR4sqkIby9mc/s1917/fist7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g2LYpYD6YpboB7mVWBidqcXOPdilpLYi4ECv9A6AMnAHQnEXrSaWcHuR7UQkR7TFEt5vWSjktkPH4qW04_amSjmmIv6tafDv98Lmu6BrJi0VK7V2kwrVwwqjXXRssiP2FRdAJuu9OeDZYZVJnMEKiaiTUAOgwog7ARTediuMQsyAaPwrR4sqkIby9mc/s320/fist7.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Other integral figures in shaping the look of Kung Fu action in the early 70s <i>(and throughout the decade)</i> in Chinese-speaking territories were director Chang Cheh and actor-turned-director Jimmy Wang Yu. With the former, it was his Early Republic Era actioners; while the latter pioneered weaponless combat that supplanted Swordplay cinema for half the decade.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBroxolHy9TnHBw0qbgud6bU5uC_byM4oPikLUV1odoOi_AFnPKlksIOSjP_ixs3RBY75am1mEBoab9lliVBC72XEhlVWJHDzJNZRCO3pQTQE4CBOofzka7WypOYtW3b5b_Ly1fSeK-A3bzERoHS5qsIki_Y-m0lIfM4SuQqaPm3g4D-flaT-Y0MGjT_0/s1919/fist6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBroxolHy9TnHBw0qbgud6bU5uC_byM4oPikLUV1odoOi_AFnPKlksIOSjP_ixs3RBY75am1mEBoab9lliVBC72XEhlVWJHDzJNZRCO3pQTQE4CBOofzka7WypOYtW3b5b_Ly1fSeK-A3bzERoHS5qsIki_Y-m0lIfM4SuQqaPm3g4D-flaT-Y0MGjT_0/s320/fist6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlJsr3lZz3xpNf3Rpj2YJsJnsoTjU4VahmrJOq6N9g6CYGQc6oVTAzskOZbLnVQpY2ASNfoNQXRdMZMIdCrmgPthvT5aKrTvqI5zV_KapWvmdPTAZzb4PoCDms81HxN4rOHVHmxuksxs1Gvyz3eI_cI7n5ReL6OxqjWf88i80j1Q4c5uTuGITZY_Tjcg/s1919/fist23.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlJsr3lZz3xpNf3Rpj2YJsJnsoTjU4VahmrJOq6N9g6CYGQc6oVTAzskOZbLnVQpY2ASNfoNQXRdMZMIdCrmgPthvT5aKrTvqI5zV_KapWvmdPTAZzb4PoCDms81HxN4rOHVHmxuksxs1Gvyz3eI_cI7n5ReL6OxqjWf88i80j1Q4c5uTuGITZY_Tjcg/s320/fist23.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">At that time, a million grosser was the most coveted prize of many a Chinese film producer. After the founding of Golden Harvest in 1970 by Shaw Brothers rebels Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho and director Huang Feng, more indy companies began sprouting all over the place. There had already been an indy scene, but Golden Harvest lit the fuse that led to a vast explosion of fledgling companies, many of which didn't last beyond a movie or two, or three. A lot of these companies were desperate to strike it rich and in some cases, cut as many corners as possible, or used shady business practices to make it so. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p6lrSCjR91I0ExQjlHXYaHjTfn9iTJoDJublvOHMaoP1TjjPMLWb68fTxlo9mqml6vBQTQZnRvUkSQB3_r7CuVqlh-yvfv6ItvNncUepv8JYMWLt-ROpIxvCiU0oWVcsoM0Yd88ByrfHuzsjIDu_fob0MSYuGIb_fmcwFD6YFdMVBFnUXnRhGsy9r5c/s1919/fist25.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p6lrSCjR91I0ExQjlHXYaHjTfn9iTJoDJublvOHMaoP1TjjPMLWb68fTxlo9mqml6vBQTQZnRvUkSQB3_r7CuVqlh-yvfv6ItvNncUepv8JYMWLt-ROpIxvCiU0oWVcsoM0Yd88ByrfHuzsjIDu_fob0MSYuGIb_fmcwFD6YFdMVBFnUXnRhGsy9r5c/s320/fist25.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Going back to Wang Yu, he inspired dozens of actors to not only direct but found their own film companies in efforts to forge their own paths--succeeding or failing by their own hands. So you had an island--then a British colony--producing 100-130 movies a year. There were so many movies vying for theatrical play many were bound to fall through the cracks of time.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYBobTaYRrS3EPMwqdmKcYaF0SyJdFGN8Q_c8HUvTBfZPqJJ-4f0zKt90lK2YCIRsjVUnNE_ZZTCgl9Dp10DfiWWUzguyEEGoQQZ5Vw2mxQLW94umTC1ASyyXcZufG_3hQNw3LTglik-ZLEctXQe9fZRiU61CgG5VBbgbMF_kRJ8UeGMCGxgig9AgoJo/s1919/fist27.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYBobTaYRrS3EPMwqdmKcYaF0SyJdFGN8Q_c8HUvTBfZPqJJ-4f0zKt90lK2YCIRsjVUnNE_ZZTCgl9Dp10DfiWWUzguyEEGoQQZ5Vw2mxQLW94umTC1ASyyXcZufG_3hQNw3LTglik-ZLEctXQe9fZRiU61CgG5VBbgbMF_kRJ8UeGMCGxgig9AgoJo/s320/fist27.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On top of that, you had imports from Taiwan and other Asian territories; in addition to foreign pictures vying for patrons' pocket money. With so many movies being made, not all of them got advertising space in magazines. The cheapest method for these low budget, independently made motion pictures to be promoted was by paper flyers bicycled around and handed out by someone affiliated with the production company.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDKUc0e3bcnXlv0vsq-uRjC-NoI6W1TG4fomZ3bf7v0FAUGQrJ05cpmXeTEY12H3nRdagHwlO6_ffxXvIxpRjJU0mZsFXQugAf8ydhWvf6oUNXxIe6blWe3msW-r-UbcsVvCexi4bcIhxlLUkxT1teTjS9L5VC4Wi0z3yZ8258150VSxu-eItbDHnDso/s1917/fist9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDKUc0e3bcnXlv0vsq-uRjC-NoI6W1TG4fomZ3bf7v0FAUGQrJ05cpmXeTEY12H3nRdagHwlO6_ffxXvIxpRjJU0mZsFXQugAf8ydhWvf6oUNXxIe6blWe3msW-r-UbcsVvCexi4bcIhxlLUkxT1teTjS9L5VC4Wi0z3yZ8258150VSxu-eItbDHnDso/s320/fist9.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Shaw Brothers made deals with the smaller companies like Goldig, owned and operated by two brothers from Indonesia; as did Golden Harvest <i>(which was just a glorified indy company till the latter part of the 1970s)</i> with companies like First Films. But most of these money-hungry producers were on their own.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6MvYvG2iCqXVSjr2VcnmOoFxo0_Kr5U9jGOXerdOI8GICLrdeJcyCAfbxF3xMBT1xgeIiAOh6bi3SND6lhhFPiSSA6_6yqkHC2f3LNtBMaEoBJvbg3rYZ5XGaZ2Kds2fzyHshiYh3gzuBpYmJK9Df9P6ZbpZxZB3kexu4vN2Vujnn33N91EkQWyLS5c/s1919/fist24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6MvYvG2iCqXVSjr2VcnmOoFxo0_Kr5U9jGOXerdOI8GICLrdeJcyCAfbxF3xMBT1xgeIiAOh6bi3SND6lhhFPiSSA6_6yqkHC2f3LNtBMaEoBJvbg3rYZ5XGaZ2Kds2fzyHshiYh3gzuBpYmJK9Df9P6ZbpZxZB3kexu4vN2Vujnn33N91EkQWyLS5c/s320/fist24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPIbAD8oMULVDxnOgRcUeOpq-YkYXxOSCb7FanVpdM6A0icuY3JWKSizvINaYiXACCWPM0_EoqYkMbpxpZNuwE8DS7m1RIpaBG1f2Bz_DwlGhjIaPg6FefmKEqcpFMJePU_JfQTjyziX3KtGccnMmRqVzcYD4qDLNLaBcgMGQpmvd6Mm-NaG2tgKYzu0/s1919/fist35.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPIbAD8oMULVDxnOgRcUeOpq-YkYXxOSCb7FanVpdM6A0icuY3JWKSizvINaYiXACCWPM0_EoqYkMbpxpZNuwE8DS7m1RIpaBG1f2Bz_DwlGhjIaPg6FefmKEqcpFMJePU_JfQTjyziX3KtGccnMmRqVzcYD4qDLNLaBcgMGQpmvd6Mm-NaG2tgKYzu0/s320/fist35.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Wu Fei Chien delivers a surprisingly good movie with the typical revenge plot. He was clearly more interested in making an entertaining film than basic camera placement to shoot a scene. One of the film's most unusual qualities is the numerous low-angle camera shots. In many of these films--particularly the cheaper pictures--the filmmakers would simply keep the camera on the tripod at eye level and shoot.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKCeThjLOy0lvBMuBWPZ6mKkXXuTv2_wVBtp8fmtJgCnr-WKg7xhcisLOnxCB-8kF79z30TEGNFIa3Bq8dpotfMV9n-XVF9wncN7-7ElIkKl3gMh8_wH3e6vxxtTbGkjrDbQi-nvNERB1w4jo3xX1VfEVtz68M1G9ODT8JRl98M-CoCJh5qjEAfJfXK4/s1917/fist4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKCeThjLOy0lvBMuBWPZ6mKkXXuTv2_wVBtp8fmtJgCnr-WKg7xhcisLOnxCB-8kF79z30TEGNFIa3Bq8dpotfMV9n-XVF9wncN7-7ElIkKl3gMh8_wH3e6vxxtTbGkjrDbQi-nvNERB1w4jo3xX1VfEVtz68M1G9ODT8JRl98M-CoCJh5qjEAfJfXK4/s320/fist4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHzrrOQnAetlcGU4lF6yyHZlSAG_iUnZi7U4eUNnwd9XlUg2h9p9RlI7436AfatKuo6c5P6b7_SfRtimJ0MfDZ5JJFQEg-kzy5SZW852CO-DUZtpfQxrc4f8oqx5aEVYxM83ar77OS_da-9B7osMyrTirfkRbaMvCP-TSxPWcnEBqso3ZHywSxDJS0D8/s1919/fist30.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHzrrOQnAetlcGU4lF6yyHZlSAG_iUnZi7U4eUNnwd9XlUg2h9p9RlI7436AfatKuo6c5P6b7_SfRtimJ0MfDZ5JJFQEg-kzy5SZW852CO-DUZtpfQxrc4f8oqx5aEVYxM83ar77OS_da-9B7osMyrTirfkRbaMvCP-TSxPWcnEBqso3ZHywSxDJS0D8/s320/fist30.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Under this virtually unknown director's guidance, he has captured some striking moments on camera. One example is a lengthy two-on-one fight between the hero and two masked villains in a lab built inside a cave with gas seeping in. The hero is unarmed but the bad guys are not--one brandishing a broadsword and the other a Fei Cha <i>(Flying Fork)</i>, a weapon rarely seen on-camera. Lu Feng used one in TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN (1980) and an entire film was built around the weapon in the gruesome MASKED AVENGERS (1981).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpPvjwFDQ-MdVIfUuAxuEuiVHiYAPpEn7vbFlH_av2uw-1HXN7pHBpJ0FGpFU4BOoE7k58QTIcH_wBXW6YAXiYTbUXuCcIWawQQga1U_h57MW63c9QnnGil7w5n1V72KfMnojEgyySmrziccSapvCZa9qNxAPGbIsGElXcrxo1bHdUKf4uTmlRFrGMkU/s1919/fist14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpPvjwFDQ-MdVIfUuAxuEuiVHiYAPpEn7vbFlH_av2uw-1HXN7pHBpJ0FGpFU4BOoE7k58QTIcH_wBXW6YAXiYTbUXuCcIWawQQga1U_h57MW63c9QnnGil7w5n1V72KfMnojEgyySmrziccSapvCZa9qNxAPGbIsGElXcrxo1bHdUKf4uTmlRFrGMkU/s320/fist14.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This sequence is further enhanced by some brief bench boxing which was rare for the time; and a moment when our hero leaps onto the ceiling of the cave in what was likely a nod to the popularity of <i>"Gecko Kung Fu"</i> exhibited by Tan Tao Liang in 1973s THE HERO OF CHIU CHOW <i>(aka HERO OF THE WATERFRONT)</i>, the film that jump-started his career.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCzsKkePOrZzrrluLaILcfBS2kfZHQgcZzfuDyH-1-ouhk-ES9ICSMg3v8YVw7AYYx5Zya9k2BkX3n3HkgwA5TsSf1WvUR-uGYKkjRuOhf5LYhg0qp0dqN3AKQhTOIJWY2YGan1ItFHzG2KmogoLaPhix0dkXyIEWygMb5qlauf9TiTIXAP5DlfdYEb8/s1917/fist12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCzsKkePOrZzrrluLaILcfBS2kfZHQgcZzfuDyH-1-ouhk-ES9ICSMg3v8YVw7AYYx5Zya9k2BkX3n3HkgwA5TsSf1WvUR-uGYKkjRuOhf5LYhg0qp0dqN3AKQhTOIJWY2YGan1ItFHzG2KmogoLaPhix0dkXyIEWygMb5qlauf9TiTIXAP5DlfdYEb8/s320/fist12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8KyoApbingaXwectNBO5M5J2_6IPaGWaQ4Q-bO3n24TY8iW01OYwqoaMpQGTT7A0H9zPKENCL5Dhhvn6P2TWa4dVLEaxR9nIk_j0rlo7r1W0X6zP2gXQtiNi5DrX9n5_rFQby8m9OVlGCHMH1dlCUQZd3Ok5Sa9A8Tp_QuaJgQYesNdy1LgFIiMog-4/s1919/fist11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8KyoApbingaXwectNBO5M5J2_6IPaGWaQ4Q-bO3n24TY8iW01OYwqoaMpQGTT7A0H9zPKENCL5Dhhvn6P2TWa4dVLEaxR9nIk_j0rlo7r1W0X6zP2gXQtiNi5DrX9n5_rFQby8m9OVlGCHMH1dlCUQZd3Ok5Sa9A8Tp_QuaJgQYesNdy1LgFIiMog-4/s320/fist11.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another striking sequence is a battle in a wind-swept, desert-like setting wherein Tah Kong fights a mystical assassin with Iron Spiked Fingers, a deadly pigtail, and a shield <i>(an unknown actor who is likely the film's martial arts choreographer)</i>. What makes this character bizarre is that when his shield is lost we see he has only one arm! This character seems to emerge out of nowhere, but he was briefly introduced earlier in the movie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_TzG1qZzgtTbnqwJVIfDL_QwqzkEnsYLinpX1IGkI_HWJPhkbLUjGi2PzJuUYCd5Obc61QwN4u19eEZnUo_YvBdr9puPHrsWjJVW5IyqWW9XJts4b86vFFwvpJqx5gQF8q0qDneWKWxsW3X42wsc3jk6lUKgCUHbPqI2RcU3_ZicTelyixElidtTtRk/s1919/fist22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_TzG1qZzgtTbnqwJVIfDL_QwqzkEnsYLinpX1IGkI_HWJPhkbLUjGi2PzJuUYCd5Obc61QwN4u19eEZnUo_YvBdr9puPHrsWjJVW5IyqWW9XJts4b86vFFwvpJqx5gQF8q0qDneWKWxsW3X42wsc3jk6lUKgCUHbPqI2RcU3_ZicTelyixElidtTtRk/s320/fist22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8Gy0aekwA1jPOb-K4ImZQAuK6yOqK9Eej9PbqQHlYUDtT0X6Qx6zvuFMf0sUtpXO_X6bEOHAWEjSMWKAyn8fHIBuGWgZ5X48sIKp6YgLOSBTaDy8Eaw8IjftJ-hx7CE232LSoXXPrdnHcvd1137w8FNDT8qWwBkbmFOcdks5H_QReGHGB-otV5rJx2M/s1915/fist26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1915" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8Gy0aekwA1jPOb-K4ImZQAuK6yOqK9Eej9PbqQHlYUDtT0X6Qx6zvuFMf0sUtpXO_X6bEOHAWEjSMWKAyn8fHIBuGWgZ5X48sIKp6YgLOSBTaDy8Eaw8IjftJ-hx7CE232LSoXXPrdnHcvd1137w8FNDT8qWwBkbmFOcdks5H_QReGHGB-otV5rJx2M/s320/fist26.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The film's uniqueness and plentiful oddities don't end there. Liang Bin was only in the business for approximately one year, but he had a great physique and moved on-camera like he had a much longer career ahead of him. In THE SHADOW CHASER, he's apparently playing a black man in 1930s China judging by the shoe polish on his face <i>(and in a lighter shade on his chest when it's exposed)</i>. The reasoning behind this curious plot device was possibly due to Bruce Lee hiring famous basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar for GAME OF DEATH when it began filming in the latter half of 1972. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA51yAvCdbg8cQ_-sj7qt4pSFC0rZzmTq7rRtcmQBwivwpCGVwadXIqgOOK0IL-RR-FFFdF68MR0TiPWfQWSkTv_20fsGqd2X5n9cOHiUlxL4V76i4Ph7T6MkTJ1GRU72OGhhIkO6Tlyybu7zDWpKKuYiLQSkbUQGTAgzGnSf0g0RXhMY-r3Pc24ow5h0/s1917/fist38.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1917" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA51yAvCdbg8cQ_-sj7qt4pSFC0rZzmTq7rRtcmQBwivwpCGVwadXIqgOOK0IL-RR-FFFdF68MR0TiPWfQWSkTv_20fsGqd2X5n9cOHiUlxL4V76i4Ph7T6MkTJ1GRU72OGhhIkO6Tlyybu7zDWpKKuYiLQSkbUQGTAgzGnSf0g0RXhMY-r3Pc24ow5h0/s320/fist38.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another Taiwanese Kung Fu picture that had a legitimate black martial arts character in it was 1974s THE GROWLING TIGER starring Tong Lung, the older brother to Alexander Lou Rei. He was the first of the aforementioned Bruce Lee imitators; a phenomenon that would evolve into an absurd sub-genre by 1976. If you want to read about an American martial artist in Taiwan making Kung Fu movies, you can read our interview with Thomas Trammell <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2021/11/kung-fu-theater-interviews-with-martial.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaSAGuONVuA3pPgKnIBnYacb2Ggfk8fO-imyDdG9b-SrqOShjO8MacWCDzJydJUCHzhqMU-60wyhxPBi2uILIU_diG55zfb5cgtHO-d6Wo_XbHiy2aKRRoibAbWB-9fsWsdFIuM9btuwn_7q4jO3f1FJZZCBPF63MZthXCej5t_ZIAmyryMaj3P-pQtY/s1917/fist8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaSAGuONVuA3pPgKnIBnYacb2Ggfk8fO-imyDdG9b-SrqOShjO8MacWCDzJydJUCHzhqMU-60wyhxPBi2uILIU_diG55zfb5cgtHO-d6Wo_XbHiy2aKRRoibAbWB-9fsWsdFIuM9btuwn_7q4jO3f1FJZZCBPF63MZthXCej5t_ZIAmyryMaj3P-pQtY/s320/fist8.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Then there's a deformed mute character who, during the finale, reveals he knows how to fight. Then there's the actual main villain <i>(who isn't intimidating at all)</i> wearing a razor-brimmed hat that can be thrown like Odd Job in GOLDFINGER (1964).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The lead in THE SHADOW CHASER, Yeh Tai Kang, is as much a mystery as this film's production history. He seemingly only appeared in one other film and nothing else. He didn't have leading man looks, but was built well and moved like a martial artist in the choreography designed by the equally elusive </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chung Ching Wing.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvL6FD0Pgd-YjRHUufyNJoP1AwoJ9IjuUvml3BRQ0Bd36w5JJlR1rhDX4meer-Pj0ha5-Z3uHhv3WsVhrRquGLH-cqOEIRBhHbYRViWzrCh9VvStiDND1Rq1j5a2Qw_IStdqoZoBZII8OoGAN7eyvTqYBZQj06z60TFGrCa1BtilxdJ0mWqUjpVzJnAE/s1919/fist17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvL6FD0Pgd-YjRHUufyNJoP1AwoJ9IjuUvml3BRQ0Bd36w5JJlR1rhDX4meer-Pj0ha5-Z3uHhv3WsVhrRquGLH-cqOEIRBhHbYRViWzrCh9VvStiDND1Rq1j5a2Qw_IStdqoZoBZII8OoGAN7eyvTqYBZQj06z60TFGrCa1BtilxdJ0mWqUjpVzJnAE/s320/fist17.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">We don't learn much about Yeh's character beyond his search for his missing father. When we first see him, the visuals tell the story. Tah Kong is a nomad. He has little money judging by his destitute appearance and consumption of an enormous pancake. The passage of time is something else Chinese-language movies of the era seldom explained. Things like that were left up to the viewer to figure out. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Lb8mTaxYFQiIQTLXgDXjsSczVz6XMyj8WVqWAgnU6rP0YAVoCFo1Du0KFhVmdY6udECB7LgVepR6DT9ZEpYdXokDtdNH7jxap-QEAs6IoTMEVX4mkTVKgt8jEpdPBX0gk95_hug5pYRBi9QvZFZWV93i9eartTzuFAj74pxeY3jmXrKeKnjginb92VE/s1919/fist3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Lb8mTaxYFQiIQTLXgDXjsSczVz6XMyj8WVqWAgnU6rP0YAVoCFo1Du0KFhVmdY6udECB7LgVepR6DT9ZEpYdXokDtdNH7jxap-QEAs6IoTMEVX4mkTVKgt8jEpdPBX0gk95_hug5pYRBi9QvZFZWV93i9eartTzuFAj74pxeY3jmXrKeKnjginb92VE/s320/fist3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOooHQ6wk7VHBxGwrufXMdCEKTo0SYeFW6H5wPAUQ0m2wWWEx21BX3LF9CVlPO1ort2PFKjQvhpIX5UYbAZvdQ4U6izQYc3MwavCZQkl092v-cH14xBRAm4g3j4b2f54u4PdaoTGNQBQXMkQx-CWmX2WAypH4axFeZy4y-Zio39YSJAxjcLDNG6g3PY4/s1919/fist15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOooHQ6wk7VHBxGwrufXMdCEKTo0SYeFW6H5wPAUQ0m2wWWEx21BX3LF9CVlPO1ort2PFKjQvhpIX5UYbAZvdQ4U6izQYc3MwavCZQkl092v-cH14xBRAm4g3j4b2f54u4PdaoTGNQBQXMkQx-CWmX2WAypH4axFeZy4y-Zio39YSJAxjcLDNG6g3PY4/s320/fist15.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Actor Tien Yue was a more recognizable face but was eternally condemned to supporting status. He plays Fan Shung, the mustachioed, bald-headed bad guy who gets plenty of screen time for the first half of the movie. He appeared in dozens of Taiwanese lensed action films, although he took roles in non-genre work too. He had the perfect face for villainy and that's typically what he received. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In 1973, he lamented in an interview that if ever there were a Golden Horse Award for <i>'Best Guest Star'</i> he would surely get it. If you've seen any of Jimmy Wang Yu's early 70s features like <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2016/06/the-desperate-chase-1971-review.html"><span style="color: red;">THE DESPERATE CHASE</span></a> (1971), THE SWORD (1971), or FURIOUS SLAUGHTER (1972), you've seen Tien Yue in there among the supporting or background players. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlx4l2bWdfR1hkjDyjkaiTvoZvbDf7J8D_9lgWXj6zzskMYdXQY8mheC3hLZwYyyabx-YnBd0uZ2URFVfCDeLroYWMue4LvN1cKB-F_bQYhVBC26No3x3ZzYDJv-MRlpFGjBM4K5Tv9EE9OVyT4gMeCpNT_w5Enr91qr2QHSUeOfGjiWK73uxrFJExfJA/s1919/fist2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlx4l2bWdfR1hkjDyjkaiTvoZvbDf7J8D_9lgWXj6zzskMYdXQY8mheC3hLZwYyyabx-YnBd0uZ2URFVfCDeLroYWMue4LvN1cKB-F_bQYhVBC26No3x3ZzYDJv-MRlpFGjBM4K5Tv9EE9OVyT4gMeCpNT_w5Enr91qr2QHSUeOfGjiWK73uxrFJExfJA/s320/fist2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The money for minor roles wasn't very good, and sometimes an actor wouldn't be paid till after a film's completion. In some cases, the company's films would perform terribly, or the operation would be so slipshod, the money wouldn't come at all. On one unnamed picture, Tien Yue stated he had agreed on money before filming began. The director later showed up at his home and asked if he could forego their agreement and be paid after the film was finished instead. Already frustrated at the treatment afforded him on the indy scene, Tien Yue refused to do the movie if the original agreement wasn't adhered to.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFks3xT-_RZXIaFG1JoYi01g3fz1YHdAdzZTRgIQXQ6baOm0hUO2sUuoCys8FwUFfJM1WcbAGY1w9voTrzfagiA_XV82_6UFeCtr7Ob_GJ9smJqC2wBeGq6IQqA5xRMGNgNsy0owJjb_Uf1nLWqnY8c9rp5-lMjG-vt-60nztVU8W66DilJcb939X9f4o/s1919/fist28.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFks3xT-_RZXIaFG1JoYi01g3fz1YHdAdzZTRgIQXQ6baOm0hUO2sUuoCys8FwUFfJM1WcbAGY1w9voTrzfagiA_XV82_6UFeCtr7Ob_GJ9smJqC2wBeGq6IQqA5xRMGNgNsy0owJjb_Uf1nLWqnY8c9rp5-lMjG-vt-60nztVU8W66DilJcb939X9f4o/s320/fist28.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Tien may have been occasionally short of patience, but money was something Tien wasn't lacking. He was reportedly known for helping friends in the business by occasionally loaning them money. His wife, Fan Ling, was also an actress. The difference between the two was that Fan Ling was getting leading and or major roles in movies like FIVE BROTHERS FROM TANGSHAN (1972), ALL IN THE DIM COLD NIGHT (1974), and Joseph Kuo's THE SHAOLIN BROTHERS (1977). They worked on some films together but Tien was further down the cast list.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVY7r388jFPsEc8wTh7F9ymmEOw2wvzP0DqeX5aERGkn6u4B13DEjSxtmRKAi07YhPUBZlY3TavSETq6hzlDoW8RPNPI-kpXbPIWQtxZrBSHN75Atvs6YlIzTFfgFK-WZ5hgVEtUhLVW7VByS2G_1CsS-g-eCnjHJwnXanZMIl2PZGZu-ArKSfbWBYUQ/s1919/fist33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVY7r388jFPsEc8wTh7F9ymmEOw2wvzP0DqeX5aERGkn6u4B13DEjSxtmRKAi07YhPUBZlY3TavSETq6hzlDoW8RPNPI-kpXbPIWQtxZrBSHN75Atvs6YlIzTFfgFK-WZ5hgVEtUhLVW7VByS2G_1CsS-g-eCnjHJwnXanZMIl2PZGZu-ArKSfbWBYUQ/s320/fist33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLT3eLDxEmosnC0PkEuq_Q1JfWoe2FVrT6RdXo_dax_vPO2DiGVq5bzohV-UrVW_BaifWU1pRZIPvRjT55dChz4hoQfJEf5yAw_d0LATwU9lJpVsBkTOTP4Gzd1ViApDdeNxRCZF9cQH8wOnK2ET7xMakwAU6xb6Gt4e06QjjgZqtpEAFf7qwjG0rXp0/s1919/fist36.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLT3eLDxEmosnC0PkEuq_Q1JfWoe2FVrT6RdXo_dax_vPO2DiGVq5bzohV-UrVW_BaifWU1pRZIPvRjT55dChz4hoQfJEf5yAw_d0LATwU9lJpVsBkTOTP4Gzd1ViApDdeNxRCZF9cQH8wOnK2ET7xMakwAU6xb6Gt4e06QjjgZqtpEAFf7qwjG0rXp0/s320/fist36.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One issue Tien Yue endured was confusion and fatigue. This was a common problem with so many actors and actresses employed in 1970s HK and Taiwan cinema. He remarked that he was working on films every day of the week, sometimes three films at the same time while planning appearances in two more titles. He said filming multiple pictures at once--especially driving back and forth from one film set to another--would get so chaotic, he would forget the names of the film's he was working on and the names of the companies producing them. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Neither Tien nor his wife became famous, but they had steady work throughout the 1970s and into the early 1980s. You had dozens upon dozens of actors and actresses appearing in hundreds of movies and all were trying to get noticed. Most would have limited appeal and be forgotten. THE SHADOW CHASER was one such production.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1qRzR5_-BzmA4CHR76g1a08-zQd6bBct2R73UZJioZ4CpFfy5HyJu865z-1HfdMeFYnUzDURXrhGcleTKg_QuaCNf7po5h7CRKDAslqkrG0ltzwSp5Z1HKLrudpBSqsqd6j5KxMlXmu8DoEbD5V0r2HfBIaH5nkmyY5CUf8yh8GGS5qAjF85JZR2xBA/s1911/fist10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1911" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1qRzR5_-BzmA4CHR76g1a08-zQd6bBct2R73UZJioZ4CpFfy5HyJu865z-1HfdMeFYnUzDURXrhGcleTKg_QuaCNf7po5h7CRKDAslqkrG0ltzwSp5Z1HKLrudpBSqsqd6j5KxMlXmu8DoEbD5V0r2HfBIaH5nkmyY5CUf8yh8GGS5qAjF85JZR2xBA/s320/fist10.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">However, one of the film's stars would attain a reasonable amount of stardom, that being Pearl Cheung Ling, or Pearl Chang. Her career as an actress began in 1972. She would branch out into writing, producing and directing by the early 1980s before eventually settling on working largely behind the camera producing television programs in Taiwan and on the Mainland.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVHlqyCIxKjPmrv2UqhnLPZ32neHrf5RggqFOKDqxo96NhPGE-FzxaMOYCu19-F4aTIoahLs2b7EVa4-mJmOeWEdb3k5-hdvH1EPLMGzOkP-90HtCejx8k3Ig6bObL-LbKHYgTiyaK1x6892Lr2YTRG5OpT174LQvtmTVQpoQgI-ecx2DFCl_5xgzbsQ/s1919/fist32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVHlqyCIxKjPmrv2UqhnLPZ32neHrf5RggqFOKDqxo96NhPGE-FzxaMOYCu19-F4aTIoahLs2b7EVa4-mJmOeWEdb3k5-hdvH1EPLMGzOkP-90HtCejx8k3Ig6bObL-LbKHYgTiyaK1x6892Lr2YTRG5OpT174LQvtmTVQpoQgI-ecx2DFCl_5xgzbsQ/s320/fist32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBT1qS5VYhyphenhyphen51eni1hpLWydy1hHyX6HLPOvsb4E6tswBqzW42JsdWUMMfYafhH99oKf5MTzKpDR4VOVUc_ttDLmlRJ5SKCcQHoejG9huLYoIBvkx42ZQypV3BXsmZNtZCLvIiNiIAKmQknMg6zRx5F51mMQF9VyELkFqXXZKKgkylogr8csFnoTLpsi8/s1917/fist37.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1917" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBT1qS5VYhyphenhyphen51eni1hpLWydy1hHyX6HLPOvsb4E6tswBqzW42JsdWUMMfYafhH99oKf5MTzKpDR4VOVUc_ttDLmlRJ5SKCcQHoejG9huLYoIBvkx42ZQypV3BXsmZNtZCLvIiNiIAKmQknMg6zRx5F51mMQF9VyELkFqXXZKKgkylogr8csFnoTLpsi8/s320/fist37.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the beginning, Pearl Cheung did a few Fist and Kick flicks before switching to Wuxia action in 1976. This was after the genre style become popular again due to the major big screen success of Chu Yuan's KILLER CLANS (1976). These early parts were non-fighting roles; so it's ironic that the one cast member in THE SHADOW CHASER to enjoy a degree of success is the individual who did no action at all.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzH7kW0bE8kpG010zHBS0sajtRtFa57Ak9dR0IiBYlkejgPi04U2NKWRZy4ULvQ5m-IJY1ey2fB16R4O3PODuSC0iYdXzMZrf9hKVBDgfGhEE2I1xkoYADkVGR2nku9ZQIwhvRubUxl9HpQiVuz_3s50SqsqOxkQzB-rPPCNe2cQ0EJ-HaPWIIheNsfI/s1917/fist21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzH7kW0bE8kpG010zHBS0sajtRtFa57Ak9dR0IiBYlkejgPi04U2NKWRZy4ULvQ5m-IJY1ey2fB16R4O3PODuSC0iYdXzMZrf9hKVBDgfGhEE2I1xkoYADkVGR2nku9ZQIwhvRubUxl9HpQiVuz_3s50SqsqOxkQzB-rPPCNe2cQ0EJ-HaPWIIheNsfI/s320/fist21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay-LTZB_ZNkw67uvYy_zeEamS4KRocw-sLTLcamU4wVzbckimwgQotOcEUrFU2kp7yPVo1oEGUomm_cJUbn3EUxbJCGLj9Y7g3OlFuV4oq-CuGtZNaQd6Nhrq-kFUmehMFBvBphdQW7_Q1uA-jTnCUTE2ZBItMGkjgeHwyigJhYLgx23omcAG6Yy_tYg/s1919/fist31.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay-LTZB_ZNkw67uvYy_zeEamS4KRocw-sLTLcamU4wVzbckimwgQotOcEUrFU2kp7yPVo1oEGUomm_cJUbn3EUxbJCGLj9Y7g3OlFuV4oq-CuGtZNaQd6Nhrq-kFUmehMFBvBphdQW7_Q1uA-jTnCUTE2ZBItMGkjgeHwyigJhYLgx23omcAG6Yy_tYg/s320/fist31.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By 1978, Pearl Cheung was being spoken of in the same breath as Cheng Pei Pei, Mao Ying, and Taiwanese colleagues Polly Shang Kuan Ling Feng and Chia Ling. Something HK critics pointed out about her work was that she wasn't a good actress but strong in the action department. In 1974 she garnered attention due to the popularity of a television program titled THE BODYGUARD, a Wuxia adventure series that ran for 9 months, managing a staggering 256 episodes at 90 minutes each. When the show ended, the show's producer Chen Ming Hua, mounted a movie version, CHINA ARMED ESCORT (1976), which he directed and Pearl was the leading star. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVscaQQWXk0M0qQZujN-6AGifeJPC_wiJVwLGc236Y4ZBrm4qYMp_oafuohHRmseZ3OMHP7sh9-t6ywzl4ogrJ6qHtUEubPh20XDpWP6hGu2yd3twvcKsDGqXJitAHnJI3RTThu3ktllCMWJ-x7P9SUVJVvuqKNTMsaGxLp-QNhyphenhyphenF5m7edF0fcJwwsgd8/s1917/fist20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVscaQQWXk0M0qQZujN-6AGifeJPC_wiJVwLGc236Y4ZBrm4qYMp_oafuohHRmseZ3OMHP7sh9-t6ywzl4ogrJ6qHtUEubPh20XDpWP6hGu2yd3twvcKsDGqXJitAHnJI3RTThu3ktllCMWJ-x7P9SUVJVvuqKNTMsaGxLp-QNhyphenhyphenF5m7edF0fcJwwsgd8/s320/fist20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Mostly a swordplay actress, she is best known in America for a trilogy of films she starred in and worked in various capacities behind the scenes; those films being WOLF DEVIL WOMAN <i>(WOLFEN NINJA)</i>, MATCHING ESCORT <i>(VENUS THE NINJA)</i>, and MIRACULOUS FLOWER <i>(PHOENIX THE NINJA)</i>.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKohtMzqt_5leto1b90JxivAYpd92VQGDnWAZmX1rQGhImwdag78lBPRHWcyujPpHtDjBboRzCEcAAdqFOPOkhvoAr-lHOeAyDG-qFnaw3oW0R7HsOhuqhyphenhyphen2VeMHFUgYngrcNhqvRFAkn8scecgOWO-oXGC5DJ19S9oG_tF83iLslaJc7Bz-kBI5TYzZQ/s1917/fist13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKohtMzqt_5leto1b90JxivAYpd92VQGDnWAZmX1rQGhImwdag78lBPRHWcyujPpHtDjBboRzCEcAAdqFOPOkhvoAr-lHOeAyDG-qFnaw3oW0R7HsOhuqhyphenhyphen2VeMHFUgYngrcNhqvRFAkn8scecgOWO-oXGC5DJ19S9oG_tF83iLslaJc7Bz-kBI5TYzZQ/s320/fist13.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chu Han King’s script gets wobbly a few times, but that's to be expected in this fast and furious genre, and particularly in the indy movies when you didn't know if your picture would be finished or not. There's so many aspects of this movie that are unknowns and obscurities; it's one of the peculiarities that makes it attractive. If you're a Kung Fu movie fan, then you're in for a treat. THE SHADOW CHASER is marketed directly at you.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin;">This review is representative of the Dark Force Entertainment blu-ray. Specs and Extras: New 4K scan from 35mm camera negative; 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen; English dubbed version; audio commentary with <i>'These Fists Break Bricks'</i> co-author Chris Poggiali and John Charles; running time: 01:30:08</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-88123964623273398842024-01-13T16:55:00.000-08:002024-01-23T16:32:56.953-08:00Imitating the Dragon: The Historical Significance of Bruceploitation Cinema Part 2 of 2<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeIWWlBJuVsmDkYdEakDnh_RAW4obae_eKr2yW6pXdvJGKCW6HdYxo8tf125WWGcEjGZOPiUwASAwooLesALUu6nRYgRbmOMQDBQNJ38bO-O3_iRVepptrs2akUwCDdaf00ZOyT4UgnM3GPSI090_h288ZBrc5CvxOBziGNa7hZQ6eyR5SBcJaSCElHI/s905/bruce-clone-main-final2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="905" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeIWWlBJuVsmDkYdEakDnh_RAW4obae_eKr2yW6pXdvJGKCW6HdYxo8tf125WWGcEjGZOPiUwASAwooLesALUu6nRYgRbmOMQDBQNJ38bO-O3_iRVepptrs2akUwCDdaf00ZOyT4UgnM3GPSI090_h288ZBrc5CvxOBziGNa7hZQ6eyR5SBcJaSCElHI/w400-h178/bruce-clone-main-final2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"There
is something wrong inside of them, in their hearts. If a man feels at
peace within himself he won't feel the need to challenge others.
Moreover, these people who raise challenges have often been ridiculed and they use this type of competition to achieve some ulterior
purpose."</span></i>--Bruce Lee in a 1972 interview when asked about being
challenged by other martial artists </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>ENTER THE IMITATORS: MY NAME CALLED BRUCE LE</b> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVL0owG4xf3drI1F-UUL7130Mo8xic2XVrXiQSfZEAPrDMe5ojq-39YP2hBIZZnlwlLeTuqDGiAgK6rALtoooaDlDbntxVsq0lYLgaz1HCCGlnzKsCNqENO9zKTG4RJHcWQ63FCK_XeEaERK8McxFUYVIX8IsDL818BQ2FpwIEzILgeqBDAr4ujJDCZ8/s867/bruce-clone-clones-bruce-lee-lebanese-advance-poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVL0owG4xf3drI1F-UUL7130Mo8xic2XVrXiQSfZEAPrDMe5ojq-39YP2hBIZZnlwlLeTuqDGiAgK6rALtoooaDlDbntxVsq0lYLgaz1HCCGlnzKsCNqENO9zKTG4RJHcWQ63FCK_XeEaERK8McxFUYVIX8IsDL818BQ2FpwIEzILgeqBDAr4ujJDCZ8/s320/bruce-clone-clones-bruce-lee-lebanese-advance-poster.jpg" width="231" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Easily the most flamboyant and enterprising of the Bruce's is Huang Chien Lung <i>(Huang Kin Lung)</i>.
Bruce
Li may be the most respectable of the Bruce doubles, but the most prolific on the international scene was Bruce Le. Where
Bruce Li wasn't keen on playing Bruce Lee, Bruce Le wore those roles
like a badge of honor. And there was a clear distinction in the quality
of both men's work. Where Ho Chung Tao's movies told a story and were, for the most part, reasonably well made, Huang's films lacked cohesion with barely any plot
to speak of. Oftentimes looking like they made it up as they went
along, the patchwork style of Le's flicks and the plethora of alternate
titles only added to the rampant incoherence in every aspect of the
productions.<i> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Lebanese poster announcing upcoming Bruce Lee action in THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE)<br /></span></i></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntiEwhm4c_PYsDVm6MAAeJw-2xvTjXSLRI4DYe1olhmFe3Godwp30hXBJlQaYGRrzd_YCuqV76tR-PB7GAIEH7inCJVx029a8sGkhfh1XBASp8ZaEJUFaOduSCkcFOhb1gbxthjqTctQdObxEt-1t3nWoMc7rCTjl6k-y6wHyyHh1szfgtMTHR5orPyE/s892/bruce-clone-bruce-le.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntiEwhm4c_PYsDVm6MAAeJw-2xvTjXSLRI4DYe1olhmFe3Godwp30hXBJlQaYGRrzd_YCuqV76tR-PB7GAIEH7inCJVx029a8sGkhfh1XBASp8ZaEJUFaOduSCkcFOhb1gbxthjqTctQdObxEt-1t3nWoMc7rCTjl6k-y6wHyyHh1szfgtMTHR5orPyE/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-le.jpg" width="214" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A
discovery of director Wang Feng <i>(Wong Fung)</i>, Burma-born Huang Chien
Lung <i>(a few years before he'd take the name of Bruce Le)</i> was a real
martial artist who ran a Kung Fu school in Macau. He'd began his MA
training in both Chinese and Japanese arts at the age
of 11 and later became just as hungry for the film business as he was
for martial arts. Huang signed with Shaw Brothers in 1973 after
accepting Wang Feng's invitation to appear in RIVALS OF KUNG FU, a story about famous Chinese martial arts hero Wong Fei Hung.
Huang made six movies at Shaw Brothers, the most famous of which was <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2019/12/the-super-inframan-1975-review.html"><span style="color: red;">THE SUPER INFRAMAN</span></a> (1975); a motion picture where he had no opportunity to show much skill as a KF actor. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD08BKyw5ZHzfNK5mnQFi9oq9ehrt2QfPQuNODwIYsGGz1cvTONl4SDNkekVxeEuxKYr_fc_1SHhR2PQxjlQm5YMgw7Lb1vvUSVmqBMvPdWLaOvri_uMAcBTTC1b42bacBkO7M13x3SykrTchHa3vffLwc_HC-CNwssU9Xza9gpnPnuYLO4R0HB4DfOKs/s660/bruce-clone-bruce-le-run-run-new-years-party-1975.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD08BKyw5ZHzfNK5mnQFi9oq9ehrt2QfPQuNODwIYsGGz1cvTONl4SDNkekVxeEuxKYr_fc_1SHhR2PQxjlQm5YMgw7Lb1vvUSVmqBMvPdWLaOvri_uMAcBTTC1b42bacBkO7M13x3SykrTchHa3vffLwc_HC-CNwssU9Xza9gpnPnuYLO4R0HB4DfOKs/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-le-run-run-new-years-party-1975.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Reportedly,
at the time he was shooting RIVALS OF KUNG FU, someone at the studio
told him he looked and moved like the late Bruce Lee. Huang replied
back, <i>"I look and move like Huang Chien Lung!"</i> This exchange
must've recurred to Huang a few years later, giving him the idea to
re-brand himself as a Bruce Lee imitator since it was working fairly
well internationally for Ho Chung Tao, alias Bruce Li. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Huang Chien Lung and Run Run Shaw exchange New Year well wishes at the Shaw Studios Chinese New Year Party in 1975)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRECOfcePVIpfwRlkzdMIAv9Lrk-P2oTzsC4RUAXiE_m8HK9FGbxDv3RMu1FHKSU0wCnb-aMQv_jfL5ZHIo5U333s0aJ5-akZbHn68QeKiVp0ebukxJPLsRmPcjm2DNKtnCLRiYPkjbxM7IEhJgO7Sv4W3OnXXYsAt_3nQsSpQ3TcAlSrw3F8E2HCI7TM/s747/bruce-clone36-bruce-les-greatest-revenge-1979.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRECOfcePVIpfwRlkzdMIAv9Lrk-P2oTzsC4RUAXiE_m8HK9FGbxDv3RMu1FHKSU0wCnb-aMQv_jfL5ZHIo5U333s0aJ5-akZbHn68QeKiVp0ebukxJPLsRmPcjm2DNKtnCLRiYPkjbxM7IEhJgO7Sv4W3OnXXYsAt_3nQsSpQ3TcAlSrw3F8E2HCI7TM/s320/bruce-clone36-bruce-les-greatest-revenge-1979.jpg" width="230" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Since
most of Huang's movies where he's billed as Bruce Le never played
theaters in Hong Kong, it's difficult to find information on them as
periodicals of the day seldom mentioned him; nor was he listed among
some 160 leading actors working in Hong Kong in 1978. The rarest of his
HK productions was, ironically, among the most publicized back in the
day; and seemingly, Bruce Le wasn't initially among the cast. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert:
Italian poster for 1979s BRUCE LE'S GREATEST REVENGE as BRUCE LEE THE
FLYING DRAGOON)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-_YbrhRK6Hb7CEKh245D-s1bV2XoGQz91uHghbYWcUu0ir1uo1AT4JjLPUJW_h0HtEXdWDIy1LtQDTX9yT453MvKOv7EA3wJfFNtihCdrtTUQnb4oDCvKKUCxWExDwEfcj7Z28zfOmE7U5j4VnRDi7Z5BJ_2639MaT5klMVYXc_HboC2oOtVaMwOAoQ/s762/bruce-clone-big-boss-2-promotion.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="762" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-_YbrhRK6Hb7CEKh245D-s1bV2XoGQz91uHghbYWcUu0ir1uo1AT4JjLPUJW_h0HtEXdWDIy1LtQDTX9yT453MvKOv7EA3wJfFNtihCdrtTUQnb4oDCvKKUCxWExDwEfcj7Z28zfOmE7U5j4VnRDi7Z5BJ_2639MaT5klMVYXc_HboC2oOtVaMwOAoQ/s320/bruce-clone-big-boss-2-promotion.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE BIG BOSS 2 <i>(THE SECOND BROTHER FROM TANGSHAN in Chinese)</i> began filming in 1976; it was funded by entrepreneur Chow Yi Fung <i>(Zhou Yi Feng)</i> and his HK Skylight Film Company <i>(Tian Xiang Films)</i>.
Mr. Chow was apparently far more successful in the aviation and
shipping industries than his foray into the film world. His production
house only made three movies before it shut down--the biggest of these
being CHINA ARMED ESCORT aka THE BODYGUARD starring Taiwanese TV and
movie actress, producer, writer and director, Pearl Cheung Ling. She was a martial artist who found international fame in a trilogy of Wuxia fantasies--WOLF DEVIL WOMAN <i>(WOLFEN NINJA)</i>, MATCHING ESCORT <i>(VENUS THE NINJA)</i> and MIRACULOUS FLOWER <i>(PHOENIX THE NINJA)</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA0661tCkeRfVcNvGMR3wGFq9NbO1PfiUQ_nlQ5A_Ie-3snvFaX9ycCYLdYUfnJ3v3y2SmQd3AFZUMvvlblobUdlW2-HqVDai2CyH40eSYh5CKS5XOEqGfhRAfOwJcYr0gTeeAhm-kVt000ebTPSeGCjpnBPKatH82PDRpR64unvvvxFMFGRHOtT_koM/s745/indy-KF-article-big-boss-part2-1976.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="745" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA0661tCkeRfVcNvGMR3wGFq9NbO1PfiUQ_nlQ5A_Ie-3snvFaX9ycCYLdYUfnJ3v3y2SmQd3AFZUMvvlblobUdlW2-HqVDai2CyH40eSYh5CKS5XOEqGfhRAfOwJcYr0gTeeAhm-kVt000ebTPSeGCjpnBPKatH82PDRpR64unvvvxFMFGRHOtT_koM/s320/indy-KF-article-big-boss-part2-1976.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Strangely,
THE BIG BOSS 2 was among the most heavily promoted Bruceploitation
pictures at the time and has since become the hardest of the
sub-genre to find. Judging by multiple articles about its filming in
1976, Bruce Le wasn't listed as part of the original cast. It's possible his
scenes were added and shot some time later. Director Chan Chue had a legitimate Lee
association; he'd been both an actor and the AD on the original THE BIG
BOSS in 1971. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Filming BIG BOSS 2 in Thailand; Lo Lieh at right, Wang Ping in the middle, and director Chan Chue at left)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Exterior
filming took place in Thailand. Actress Wang Ping <i>(KING BOXER; THE SISTER OF THE SHANTUNG BOXER)</i> was hired as the
female lead due to her popularity there. In the end, THE BIG BOSS 2 allegedly cost
over HK$1 million to make and only brought in HK$82,661 in 6 days when
it was released in Hong Kong in 1978.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprrG7l0IL26_NaH4Zq3Cp_k8sno7IBTVBxu9rzaUl_odKAA8PMP1DO997BclWS2vEdwOHt2wMSB_3zQPiLN8IAIlWXWq2x6S96K0CiDdAqtSkSN15wCmOUMdvf04DpHvHkKPPUAJPQlnLcyUdg4lq8viuT87vPdQ-7RSIrIbhK1HgNL_3LnRT2OBhKnI/s742/bruce-clone-bruce-fingers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="742" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprrG7l0IL26_NaH4Zq3Cp_k8sno7IBTVBxu9rzaUl_odKAA8PMP1DO997BclWS2vEdwOHt2wMSB_3zQPiLN8IAIlWXWq2x6S96K0CiDdAqtSkSN15wCmOUMdvf04DpHvHkKPPUAJPQlnLcyUdg4lq8viuT87vPdQ-7RSIrIbhK1HgNL_3LnRT2OBhKnI/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-fingers.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Apparently,
Lo Lieh and Bruce Le would shoot the fan favorite BRUCE'S DEADLY
FINGERS (1976) around the same time. This one makes about as much sense
as most Bruce Le flicks. Large chunks of this movie would turn up in
<a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2011/10/reel-bad-cinema-bruces-last-battle-1982.html"><span style="color: red;">BRUCE'S NINJA SECRET</span></a>, aka BRUCE'S LAST BATTLE; a movie strung together
using equally large amounts of footage from Joseph Kong's Filipino
lensed BRUCE AND THE SHAOLIN BRONZEMEN (1982); one of the wackiest of the Bruce Clone pictures. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu8wjG_KUoczJ_IdVJI0pUWEQVZi1wGBxfJP2qZT2xo60-Fap2Mhs09Ez-5XJGZ8mR6ctOWqht7t4ffXpueLaFfAF1JMzBlEhcup4JIK2wLyJbF9nTZbSRnu8uY_hGgzh0ZrfzIwTZ3sogo3vdbvJ67qe7B_lVMiCCiaOHDrX1qlnwMKNwM_TLUPkiSw/s960/bruce-clone-my-name-called-bruce-1978.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu8wjG_KUoczJ_IdVJI0pUWEQVZi1wGBxfJP2qZT2xo60-Fap2Mhs09Ez-5XJGZ8mR6ctOWqht7t4ffXpueLaFfAF1JMzBlEhcup4JIK2wLyJbF9nTZbSRnu8uY_hGgzh0ZrfzIwTZ3sogo3vdbvJ67qe7B_lVMiCCiaOHDrX1qlnwMKNwM_TLUPkiSw/s320/bruce-clone-my-name-called-bruce-1978.jpg" width="222" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Many
of Bruce Le's movies didn't play in Hong Kong. He frequently worked in
every other Asian market making approximately two dozen movies for P.T.
Insantra Films--owned by Robert Jeffrey <i>(Robert Theh)</i> and Duncan
Leong. This cooperation would give Huang Chien Lung a major boost on the
international market by the start of the 1980s. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: Lebanese poster for 1978s MY NAME CALLED BRUCE. The martial arts choreographers are billed as Mulo Chiba and Nelson Lee)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By the mid-70s in Southeast Asia, cooperation between territories was not only beneficial but necessary. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MsLaITMvpuEmZNYS1NcjJEBP9oaa1yqT1hqb307RpRwxL5pCmCYa9L5BELS8LQ2XxguMVqkvyfuweuj0TrCyrtKKul8E4qXhIDvPcNlL6uQJKUCIHb5CclgpY4bxVwJ4VbHt3_q_EjLhJxNpwKW76WOe35znR0jgIq-JrUJFIr-PNvkUIcuF6rJTlCg/s848/bruce-lee-sisters-bruce-lee-five-prety-young-ladies-bruce-kung-fu-girls-1975.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MsLaITMvpuEmZNYS1NcjJEBP9oaa1yqT1hqb307RpRwxL5pCmCYa9L5BELS8LQ2XxguMVqkvyfuweuj0TrCyrtKKul8E4qXhIDvPcNlL6uQJKUCIHb5CclgpY4bxVwJ4VbHt3_q_EjLhJxNpwKW76WOe35znR0jgIq-JrUJFIr-PNvkUIcuF6rJTlCg/s320/bruce-lee-sisters-bruce-lee-five-prety-young-ladies-bruce-kung-fu-girls-1975.jpg" width="220" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In
1976, Hong Kong and
Indonesia formed partnerships with their respective countries for
filmmaking endeavors after film industries in Southeast Asia were hit
hard by the oil crisis, the television market, and Vietnam falling to
the communists--resulting in the loss of that market and others like the
Khmer Republic. Moreover, the Philippines then unified with China so
that affected the industry as well. The 22nd Asian Film Festival, for
example, was supposed to have been held there but it was reassigned to
be held in South Korea due to the political conflict. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Spanish poster for FIVE PRETTY YOUNG LADIES as THE FIVE SISTERS OF BRUCE LEE)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK15LqEEEPs87Is97tNTPJuN5aYBdoH84fKZCnBlXZD2H-4UpLv8SNkdpL16XBkIb9OXXMnCP7CezqT1UtGWLqkUEa3LVHOU6lpB6OgiRMJmhUOawVtDBMeAdZrsK8p9VxfOTmqKF0R29UPMskVDQKfe04a5bjUONePuoIHm_JnJ7NuMMflQAjCmxlIM/s720/bruce-lee-roaring-tiger-strikes-again3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="720" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK15LqEEEPs87Is97tNTPJuN5aYBdoH84fKZCnBlXZD2H-4UpLv8SNkdpL16XBkIb9OXXMnCP7CezqT1UtGWLqkUEa3LVHOU6lpB6OgiRMJmhUOawVtDBMeAdZrsK8p9VxfOTmqKF0R29UPMskVDQKfe04a5bjUONePuoIHm_JnJ7NuMMflQAjCmxlIM/s320/bruce-lee-roaring-tiger-strikes-again3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWAy8ZNbNosg74wVU9bYXPH-c6xb6pwM35pBNvnFEMZldOL9lzEKjYuNvSVJ_4j5rAwc444m-9bDYtZLyxUJIj_2ZCqeAIkC2zeoNIIp2xOHG9rIPqb90TR0gJ3eLk3Pdidkxpe-3_GhUSrG-fWmkgJ81TKoSmqFtvTs_pLX-Foz4JTJebMYNFPWq9pE/s742/bruce-clone-eagles-claw-lebanese.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWAy8ZNbNosg74wVU9bYXPH-c6xb6pwM35pBNvnFEMZldOL9lzEKjYuNvSVJ_4j5rAwc444m-9bDYtZLyxUJIj_2ZCqeAIkC2zeoNIIp2xOHG9rIPqb90TR0gJ3eLk3Pdidkxpe-3_GhUSrG-fWmkgJ81TKoSmqFtvTs_pLX-Foz4JTJebMYNFPWq9pE/s320/bruce-clone-eagles-claw-lebanese.jpg" width="233" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As a result, other Asian
territories decided to focus their resources on building their domestic
product
and imposed regulations on film imports from Hong Kong. This in turn
affected the selling of HK movies to other countries like Thailand and
Indonesia. So now, distributors became more selective on
what titles they chose to pay licenses for. They also became more
stringent on the types of movies they purchased. With the growing
emphasis on stronger scenes of sex and
violence, such films were frowned upon outside Hong Kong. Naturally,
there would be multiple versions made exclusively for the various
censor-prone markets that now had tighter restrictions than before. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Italian fotobusta for BROTHERS TWO as BRUCE LEE: THE ROARING TIGER STRIKES AGAIN; insert: Lebanese poster for EAGLE'S CLAW re-titled as BRUCE LEE AND THE EAGLE'S CLAW)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-7yvNlFH7b11tplwgYv0gWio12gJejrQ1nZj7oqtJn0W1hZzSaZBeRv6o-rdF9biIvrtUj1w3JaJb2OvUhRK5Qiw6hRhOQ8BV5G9nU3fhondALhmkidn4EqRDhYxwQH6DbeUgwznsMunRHj3m1DjP99eLq5SC9UR77r856NtMmSLVwu8T0CCy0AHDbk/s756/bruce-clone-shaw-yin-CKT-li-ching.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="756" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-7yvNlFH7b11tplwgYv0gWio12gJejrQ1nZj7oqtJn0W1hZzSaZBeRv6o-rdF9biIvrtUj1w3JaJb2OvUhRK5Qiw6hRhOQ8BV5G9nU3fhondALhmkidn4EqRDhYxwQH6DbeUgwznsMunRHj3m1DjP99eLq5SC9UR77r856NtMmSLVwu8T0CCy0AHDbk/s320/bruce-clone-shaw-yin-CKT-li-ching.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On
March 15th, 1976, a delegation of five film stars and four
representatives from Cinemart Magazine were invited for the opening
ceremony of the first color film laboratory in Indonesia, called P.T.
International Cine and Studio Center, Limited. This was to be a bridge
between the two territories for mutual cooperation in their industries.
Among the stars present for the ceremony were Chen Kuan Tai, James Yi Lei, Li Ching, and Shaw Yin
Yin. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Bruce
Le would greatly benefit from this by making many incredibly cheap
action pictures not just in Indonesia, but South Korea, Thailand and the
Philippines. His movies were largely ignored in Hong Kong, and the few
that weren't made little money there.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOMVbQckkXTGLbMxSU2pTbr8FR01kj9nS9Q20ZAYw365MNVdNWjXmSJUbtYvF4k3ZFpH3VWnGBAY4KKEiJTSb9DjMiYyo6igFY3duiBFJf9JEN7nNHrayY9MPTd6CQffE8xRD1jVe6JBHSanshte2F1V0Sr-FYdOilyW6jPM2RvI2vUFnZ2EnNty3MFg/s778/bruce-clone7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="778" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOMVbQckkXTGLbMxSU2pTbr8FR01kj9nS9Q20ZAYw365MNVdNWjXmSJUbtYvF4k3ZFpH3VWnGBAY4KKEiJTSb9DjMiYyo6igFY3duiBFJf9JEN7nNHrayY9MPTd6CQffE8xRD1jVe6JBHSanshte2F1V0Sr-FYdOilyW6jPM2RvI2vUFnZ2EnNty3MFg/s320/bruce-clone7.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By
1977, Bruce Le had entered the Dragon sweepstakes and made what seemed
like a million movies aping everything memorable about Bruce Lee's
films. The actor made over a dozen pictures utilizing various
iconography from Lee's limited filmography. Le's catalog is also
confusing in the most frustrating way with a myriad of interchangeable
titles, multiple versions, and mix n' match edits. His films never had
much in the way of narratives either. What passed for plots in Le's
movies was bare minimum and built around an endless stream of fight
sequences. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjPgTyFQO7IG6mAWR_xjepLSK8Jh8Dflxn479pOb6i4UKPQuD6cO0AqfstfwaFi56hBZ6O-jruuUAe5LVmw9UCYk9qIzEJ0TSaUwdbQJy02Zwk9Q6LTaejYqXD15IhVL-5yfjsXjvPrf1zzrdFKWA51r3bTVSjyWddNhuO8KuTb1xi4cVOs4t5uNOt5I/s784/bruce-clone-bruce-li-bruce-lee-the-ravenous-cougar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="784" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjPgTyFQO7IG6mAWR_xjepLSK8Jh8Dflxn479pOb6i4UKPQuD6cO0AqfstfwaFi56hBZ6O-jruuUAe5LVmw9UCYk9qIzEJ0TSaUwdbQJy02Zwk9Q6LTaejYqXD15IhVL-5yfjsXjvPrf1zzrdFKWA51r3bTVSjyWddNhuO8KuTb1xi4cVOs4t5uNOt5I/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-li-bruce-lee-the-ravenous-cougar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzcgLAvVA6FHAVJe8_a-RqmwKpnufIYaQqBbTzydgWEPjfoyQAPSof6TEweUmGMxvtBzc4HUluVXbl9y3D0U7XivrwIk9nmRkwPJd9pdCAyVw17trvXGoBPk-vAcZyPpFmzh1HZenf678CtdxNLD_KexLxq5mohl6dbesu7y2s8tWOO9_b5JHXvNf6p0/s953/bruce-clone44-bruce-new-guinea-french.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="626" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzcgLAvVA6FHAVJe8_a-RqmwKpnufIYaQqBbTzydgWEPjfoyQAPSof6TEweUmGMxvtBzc4HUluVXbl9y3D0U7XivrwIk9nmRkwPJd9pdCAyVw17trvXGoBPk-vAcZyPpFmzh1HZenf678CtdxNLD_KexLxq5mohl6dbesu7y2s8tWOO9_b5JHXvNf6p0/s320/bruce-clone44-bruce-new-guinea-french.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">To
add even more confusion, foreign distributors would market these films
to give the impression Bruce Le was starring in a picture he wasn't
actually in. One example is the German promotion for 1978s STORMING
ATTACKS starring Bruce Li and John Cheung. Marketed as BRUCE LEE THE
RAVENOUS COUGAR <i>(see top image)</i>, the distributors decided to
deceive patrons into thinking Bruce Le was also starring in the movie by
putting his face on the advertising. Another example is a version of
the French publicity for BRUCE LI IN NEW GUINEA (1979) as BRUCE LEE IN
NEW GUINEA <i>(see insert)</i>. It's a Bruce Li picture but this particular bit of promotion gives the impression both Li and Le are starring together!<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZk7wMybOxzAfpo-L21p0BLRlFvLKu3XTJoduaRXr0jQZDO17tbgCl-1ie53tPnY8NjJD46sF4zd4MHcNxr_r00m_adcbo91xLRowaP-nM8BH5EqtJoW06PNWDXOukxW5m2OIkZSGWtzNf-gVSPOSLG1A1ukjgHG2__xkING6Rov1rG9bFSvn6iUbfpI/s838/bruce-clone43-bruce-shaolin-KF-french.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="623" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZk7wMybOxzAfpo-L21p0BLRlFvLKu3XTJoduaRXr0jQZDO17tbgCl-1ie53tPnY8NjJD46sF4zd4MHcNxr_r00m_adcbo91xLRowaP-nM8BH5EqtJoW06PNWDXOukxW5m2OIkZSGWtzNf-gVSPOSLG1A1ukjgHG2__xkING6Rov1rG9bFSvn6iUbfpI/s320/bruce-clone43-bruce-shaolin-KF-french.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One
of Huang Chien Lung's films that played HK theaters was BRUCE AND
SHAOLIN KUNG FU (1977). A P.T. Insantra production funded with
Indonesian and South Korean financing, it featured many familiar faces
both in front of, and behind, the camera. Actors James Nam <i>(who also co-directs)</i>,
Chiang Tao and Bolo Yeung appear while Joseph Kong acts as a
screenwriter. Shaolin movies were big business between 1976-1978 so
Bruce and his financiers were keen to chop off a share of the monastery market for
themselves. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: French poster for BRUCE AND SHAOLIN KUNG FU as THE VENGEANCE OF SHAOLIN)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjSZRkjqPlQ3tH9lkUETDq39HZx9AWjhcBHw7MxHbKQldNuES_SfraBuk-2hwtpdXWVdDZl-1fG_AnhJHXM7dL4s2O3zTLAuo5G2DpqfJZkVIzKATlei1MyfSev6gf1uaGx5yDHyTUs6lS-Ycwz8eBB10Ma5-pNVl6_T_myRK2M7Mhj-TM556H6PH57U/s714/bruce-clone27.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="714" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjSZRkjqPlQ3tH9lkUETDq39HZx9AWjhcBHw7MxHbKQldNuES_SfraBuk-2hwtpdXWVdDZl-1fG_AnhJHXM7dL4s2O3zTLAuo5G2DpqfJZkVIzKATlei1MyfSev6gf1uaGx5yDHyTUs6lS-Ycwz8eBB10Ma5-pNVl6_T_myRK2M7Mhj-TM556H6PH57U/s320/bruce-clone27.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When BRUCE AND SHAOLIN KUNG FU was released in HK in 1978, it only made HK$90,615. Astonishingly,
it was kept in theaters for 7 days. This longer run for a pittance box office take may be due to the film only playing English theater lines. HK theaters that played movies made by or for foreigners tended to stay in theaters longer than local product. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N2FmiRVEPnC4bNhGrh36x4d08c2ZOIAAZX6sMu7Vucsq3KlDXmQdA87ZMsTV5daVkVYidEXZwXHm9v2FpKTEEYMacc7krdH2ieEdQxiY7lpJhrbI3LmOVotF7cfmfT0KNrlOx38EYeRKBmd99_bBoxtmTT5OsQ3kQmLk-zmJbz0V8cUCuyQznO1cid4/s400/bruce-clone-bruce-shaolin-kung-fu-japanese.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="277" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N2FmiRVEPnC4bNhGrh36x4d08c2ZOIAAZX6sMu7Vucsq3KlDXmQdA87ZMsTV5daVkVYidEXZwXHm9v2FpKTEEYMacc7krdH2ieEdQxiY7lpJhrbI3LmOVotF7cfmfT0KNrlOx38EYeRKBmd99_bBoxtmTT5OsQ3kQmLk-zmJbz0V8cUCuyQznO1cid4/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-shaolin-kung-fu-japanese.jpg" width="222" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Despite not making money in HK, it
must've made money elsewhere because a sequel was released the same
year; likely shot simultaneously. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The first film managed to get a Japanese release at the tail end of the Karate Boom there, released as FIST OF FURY PART 2.</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> To accentuate how these imitator films
were largely made for foreign audiences, the word <i>'Bruce'</i> is
nowhere to be found in the Chinese titles. Part one is called
BODHIDHARMA IRON FINGER KUNG FU while part 2 is titled BURNING AT THE
GATES OF SHAOLIN. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFoU7PoR16Ux3qLWfosC7L4alu31lEAJXb7MWEM--YRMBzHoKIyYEvloNpA8hsBKdfUYKYgtFQGQ1DNOgOt4Y3IxFNEhitwgaiDHLH1F5fnOKlvwwkyFUPGRVDgfkOabkx84QXxFuQlB6fhEKq3LZouYY8gwLTFqAyKNPuaxUzyVWSjHCoC_wQF0FhHg/s960/bruce-game-of-death.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFoU7PoR16Ux3qLWfosC7L4alu31lEAJXb7MWEM--YRMBzHoKIyYEvloNpA8hsBKdfUYKYgtFQGQ1DNOgOt4Y3IxFNEhitwgaiDHLH1F5fnOKlvwwkyFUPGRVDgfkOabkx84QXxFuQlB6fhEKq3LZouYY8gwLTFqAyKNPuaxUzyVWSjHCoC_wQF0FhHg/s320/bruce-game-of-death.jpg" width="211" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When
GAME OF DEATH (1978) was finally completed and released in 1978 by
Golden Harvest, it was arguably the most polished Bruceploitation motion
picture yet made. Unintentionally funny and as offensive as any of the
no-budget imitator flicks, this was the second of three times Raymond
Chow produced a movie banking money from the dead superstar. The first was the 1973 Lee documentary that Chow rushed into theaters, BRUCE LEE, THE MAN
AND THE LEGEND; then GAME OF DEATH; and then GAME OF DEATH 2, aka TOWER
OF DEATH (1981).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">GAME OF DEATH 2 was reported to have begun filming in the summer of 1978 with shooting having commenced in Japan and Yasuaki Kurata starring. It was also reported that director Ng See Yuen was using outtakes from Bruce's movies to formulate whatever the plot of the film was originally supposed to be. Director Ng remained attached to the project but Kurata didn't by the time the film started up again in 1980.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUck495BhhHSLum_ifZp6SIqjyTOYysnZnn_xHK1st6LguBR1mnL13H7mjXyRmP8z_ejCAHvOZV3xjdqmaDH67dYxRYuWt2zQ311ncpk3Af5GlopyJ6Qc2nCYwXH39xKDpdZ-JjhbuNgWXZ0s_KeAzvzvMwsXPiuL6SkYOnWh112Uhb99cDgMYn8ldJ3I/s932/bruce-lee-tower-of-death.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUck495BhhHSLum_ifZp6SIqjyTOYysnZnn_xHK1st6LguBR1mnL13H7mjXyRmP8z_ejCAHvOZV3xjdqmaDH67dYxRYuWt2zQ311ncpk3Af5GlopyJ6Qc2nCYwXH39xKDpdZ-JjhbuNgWXZ0s_KeAzvzvMwsXPiuL6SkYOnWh112Uhb99cDgMYn8ldJ3I/s320/bruce-lee-tower-of-death.jpg" width="235" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">TOWER
OF DEATH (1981) is certainly exploitative but easily a better movie
than its even more embarrassing predecessor. Korean martial artist Kim
Tai Chung, aka Tong Long <i>(not to be confused with Lou Rei's older brother)</i>,
was Lee's stand-in on GAME OF DEATH (1978) and played his ghost in NO
RETREAT, NO SURRENDER (1986). Like many others, there was nothing about
Kim that resembled the dead Kung Fu star. As it were, Hong Kong
audiences showed an equal amount of disinterest in TOWER OF DEATH as
they did most of the others in the late 1970s. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Bruce Le, who was always game for riding a bandwagon, would do his own version of GAME OF DEATH in what would be one of his more popular movies. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KZy_-7dKIag69LyWTV4uOxj8AW_VjI7qsaWUmaKogG5cutMCnOg_HpgqRvEHw5NblsWSwcb3lp_C0p3I_2GdCxXNjdnHsTpO9RyBj81MUQIUsK_xgQwTiPVD0sr11jCTvCNf83r3nce3qhCGSuhkJZ-utiqGxrS0zo6m9HnMsGDwtONJ3GUFZdg8nI8/s809/bruce-clone-enter-game-death.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="547" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KZy_-7dKIag69LyWTV4uOxj8AW_VjI7qsaWUmaKogG5cutMCnOg_HpgqRvEHw5NblsWSwcb3lp_C0p3I_2GdCxXNjdnHsTpO9RyBj81MUQIUsK_xgQwTiPVD0sr11jCTvCNf83r3nce3qhCGSuhkJZ-utiqGxrS0zo6m9HnMsGDwtONJ3GUFZdg8nI8/s320/bruce-clone-enter-game-death.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH is not good but it's endlessly entertaining; especially the action sequences inside the <i>"pagoda"</i>,
that is nothing more than a small office lit with different color
lighting each time Bruce takes on a new opponent. Like most Le movies,
there's barely a plot and what little is there is held flimsily together
by near constant fight scenes. A co-production with South Korea, it
apparently got a HK release in 1981 after Le had attracted attention in
America in 1980 when his films were being shown on television, ENTER
being the first.<i> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: In Thailand, the distributors couldn't be
bothered to put Bruce Le as the main image on the poster, so they used
the real Lee instead)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By the start of the new decade in 1980, mainstream theater play for Kung Fu films had vanished. Drive-in's and their seedier major city equivalents were safe havens; but Chinese Fist n’ Kickers would have to find a new, more stable home.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJBSTQ8y0r5R058bTrk5wggGCNiKgl-fVsktRGMO1jjfnvGiR9e2h_e1MnkqlYjacuoGphWPmDg2BFPCcwSsR91xLe40BJQfgpubqc7p9jmkurSv7ZAE2ESpdzo6UWL_OeJSltAQIz4zcW_2bcsSxXNz-CxMTtQQQ3SKsELY6Bt2oMjUMd8pfmQayTWU/s768/bruce-clone-chivalrous-knight-aka-chinese-godfather.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="553" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJBSTQ8y0r5R058bTrk5wggGCNiKgl-fVsktRGMO1jjfnvGiR9e2h_e1MnkqlYjacuoGphWPmDg2BFPCcwSsR91xLe40BJQfgpubqc7p9jmkurSv7ZAE2ESpdzo6UWL_OeJSltAQIz4zcW_2bcsSxXNz-CxMTtQQQ3SKsELY6Bt2oMjUMd8pfmQayTWU/s320/bruce-clone-chivalrous-knight-aka-chinese-godfather.jpg" width="230" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The
owners of P.T. Insantra then struck a deal with Roy Winnick, proprietor
of Best Film and Video Corporation, to release Bruce's Insantra catalog
in America. If you grew up in the 1980s, you surely saw a multitude of
Bruce Le pictures in K-mart in the VHS section; and in video stores across the country. Winnick then licensed
the titles for television syndication. This, of course, was around the
same time the Black Belt Theater packages hit the airwaves in what
became the second Kung Fu Boom in America. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Italian poster for 1973s THE CHIVALROUS KNIGHT, aka THE CHINESE GODFATHER as THE CHINESE GODFATHER: THE LAST DAYS OF BRUCE LEE)</span></i></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32x96crv5Ba79_u1FsqkC_sGYh1_DkFidXmGfYaRsu0ObPIt1wZlajyRRnJzJxBgX5za5y0ZcpMfoHcx-M5zjN08rnvs7HeXMReeqxLPdbNCnMXu1bfc7VQCPzMo_xOildYHkvQHpQpfLGLwywd-C5prIctcIb5mrSPaqJSyuUVSpL0i9nzbsw8xmhAo/s842/bruce-clone-bruce-le-bruce-strikes-back.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32x96crv5Ba79_u1FsqkC_sGYh1_DkFidXmGfYaRsu0ObPIt1wZlajyRRnJzJxBgX5za5y0ZcpMfoHcx-M5zjN08rnvs7HeXMReeqxLPdbNCnMXu1bfc7VQCPzMo_xOildYHkvQHpQpfLGLwywd-C5prIctcIb5mrSPaqJSyuUVSpL0i9nzbsw8xmhAo/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-le-bruce-strikes-back.jpg" width="230" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another
of Bruce's films that played HK was his most ambitious feature at the
time, 1981s BRUCE STRIKES BACK; ambitious in scope and not its funding.
It was promoted as being the first Kung Fu picture fully funded by
European producers but directed by a Chinese; that being Bruce Le and
apparently an un-credited Joseph Kong, a frequent collaborator with
Bruce who also went by the name of Joseph Velasco.<i> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Italian promotion for BRUCE STRIKES BACK, aka BRUCE'S NINJA SECRET, as BRUCE LEE STILL LIVES, crediting Bruce Lee and Joseph Kong as directors) <br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_aMYxTUrD5BVFxNdXWJeF15AuxVm__slpky9pYpd2IwuJRr-li5z1YbPMnYMm6Ccr2qW26KgLvCjhvXgVQcCbSnBg6uvGAQX5fziEREHyeQU1lF31iPYeVsrIU9NAowVWqrvMHORFLb3xIgzy19uPwxDLBKvThQwBqyBw24nJMol15WzorhvhzNJl8Y/s699/bruce-clone-bruce-strikes-back.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="699" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_aMYxTUrD5BVFxNdXWJeF15AuxVm__slpky9pYpd2IwuJRr-li5z1YbPMnYMm6Ccr2qW26KgLvCjhvXgVQcCbSnBg6uvGAQX5fziEREHyeQU1lF31iPYeVsrIU9NAowVWqrvMHORFLb3xIgzy19uPwxDLBKvThQwBqyBw24nJMol15WzorhvhzNJl8Y/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-strikes-back.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One
of the highlights of the movie was the final fight with Korean kicking
sensation Hwang Jang Lee taking place inside the Roman Colosseum;
something that hadn't been allowed before. Bruce Lee got some shots of
the famed locale for his final duel in WAY OF THE DRAGON (1972), but the
actual fight was shot inside a studio. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The budget for Le’s globe-trotting KF adventure was only US$50,000. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce Le behind the camera setting up a shot on BRUCE STRIKES BACK)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDZQjLb9gDoq78-RrZg1OM1lfK_Hryx_NcuX6Gn1zAiL5YnNkVy8TOK7TX8Uz3fcgpTaAP3pufS9BydFr0l5zTq3DzRjbpOJFisVc_mqNtw7fg2H2MBpzhE0L0BvPip8ZPtBrO5DzwHcbRt-pnvBF_rrjiofbkrPoW0T9dzxhpT6byiQaW5pH7ecU4Xc/s606/bruce-clone-bruce-bolo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="484" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDZQjLb9gDoq78-RrZg1OM1lfK_Hryx_NcuX6Gn1zAiL5YnNkVy8TOK7TX8Uz3fcgpTaAP3pufS9BydFr0l5zTq3DzRjbpOJFisVc_mqNtw7fg2H2MBpzhE0L0BvPip8ZPtBrO5DzwHcbRt-pnvBF_rrjiofbkrPoW0T9dzxhpT6byiQaW5pH7ecU4Xc/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-bolo.jpg" width="256" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Actor
and bodybuilder Yang Tze, aka Bolo Yeung, was a frequent performer in
Bruce Le's movies. Bolo had taken a role as a bodyguard in ENTER THE
DRAGON (1973) after he and Bruce Lee met on the set of a cigarette
commercial for Winston cigarettes. Lee was promoting his movie WAY OF
THE DRAGON and he and the strongman became friends. Unfortunately, we
never got to see the two men fight in the released version of ENTER THE
DRAGON, but Bolo was nevertheless an integral part of the mythos; so
fans got to see the muscleman battle the fake one many times. You never
saw him in Bruce Li's films so Bruce Le rectified this by fitting him in
whenever possible. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsNdfMX4tCDtGG71OGMlQ7L04zaJacR-X0yaKIXMCBdw04bdK9zXXI_KvoKPXq9V4ECZYHMQlyBzYWQ27sdL8trq6qE8t0ACmew4wokyyR_y_WsPcILUXCFBuQVbM0qObereps2unBWRnK23-jxy9t8IROUIIHMG__Jig-ATzMDlegnmHyFOewihWlE8/s960/shaw-enter-game-of-death-bruce-le-bolo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="960" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsNdfMX4tCDtGG71OGMlQ7L04zaJacR-X0yaKIXMCBdw04bdK9zXXI_KvoKPXq9V4ECZYHMQlyBzYWQ27sdL8trq6qE8t0ACmew4wokyyR_y_WsPcILUXCFBuQVbM0qObereps2unBWRnK23-jxy9t8IROUIIHMG__Jig-ATzMDlegnmHyFOewihWlE8/s320/shaw-enter-game-of-death-bruce-le-bolo.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">To
the detriment of already shoddy productions, Bolo was rarely ever
utilized sufficiently in those films; he would get a fight scene or two
and be defeated far too quickly. There may have been reasons for this;
like his out of the blue appearance in fan favorite BRUCE'S DEADLY
FINGERS (1976). Bolo's screen-time amounts to about five minutes, which
may have been simply a favor while he was on a break from filming
another movie a few blocks down. <i>(<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Insert: Bruce Le and Bolo battle in ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJRvwhSt-ZUa0N-Y9rGXG7e4y5t9HJIxsnExzPjgtZgDIe2f_I9_puDFVBhSDi1fJuxWiYfjdg7R1Za9r0cMKzhWFnwsVgb-JqIFxjMet_-RwRvjM-_J4A5PfjZjXsDzl-OQlc8Ev_zv0AxDLyyUBTF8QYpCC-U9gAKEnjeko55uqFkDMzBRvOadnY3I/s859/bruce-clone-bruce-le-secrets-of-kung-fu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="859" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJRvwhSt-ZUa0N-Y9rGXG7e4y5t9HJIxsnExzPjgtZgDIe2f_I9_puDFVBhSDi1fJuxWiYfjdg7R1Za9r0cMKzhWFnwsVgb-JqIFxjMet_-RwRvjM-_J4A5PfjZjXsDzl-OQlc8Ev_zv0AxDLyyUBTF8QYpCC-U9gAKEnjeko55uqFkDMzBRvOadnY3I/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-le-secrets-of-kung-fu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMLvRqdjkO9UZ514rF7eGh3TwRKyyDDQUoZ9pPBmKTQ95fz3DjzqJlwWfaQvP1pFMw_v6VZpHBbe_bAzf1WaJkLrYV117OrmBghg2L7of_POSEOfirOpO2GPGfPPDN1V7Zk9BhJUHw9ygI4EUT7nUMFhnd1RpSnyUmDsK4qnOc1NLz6i7p-NscZRFJT4/s878/bruce-lee-clones.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMLvRqdjkO9UZ514rF7eGh3TwRKyyDDQUoZ9pPBmKTQ95fz3DjzqJlwWfaQvP1pFMw_v6VZpHBbe_bAzf1WaJkLrYV117OrmBghg2L7of_POSEOfirOpO2GPGfPPDN1V7Zk9BhJUHw9ygI4EUT7nUMFhnd1RpSnyUmDsK4qnOc1NLz6i7p-NscZRFJT4/s320/bruce-lee-clones.jpg" width="219" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Whether
for good or ill, the mass exportation of cheap Kung Fu pictures killed
off the genres theatrical staying power in overseas markets. The most
likely scenario is that audience tastes and expectations for how movies
were made changed due to STAR WARS in 1977. Mainstream viewers had moved
on while the Drive-in and 42nd Street crowds remained. In 1978, even HK
journalists were noting that if Chinese filmmakers wanted to maintain
and even increase the US market for their KF films, they needed to make
fewer of them and increase the quality or else they will lose what
little market share they had at the time. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Mexican promotion for
BRUCE'S SECRET KUNG FU, a cut-and-paste movie made up of footage from
BRUCE'S FINGERS and BRUCE AND THE SHAOLIN BRONZEMEN; aka BRUCE'S NINJA
SECRET)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Like
the moniker <i>"Spaghetti Western"</i>, a label that later became a term of endearment, the Kung Fu flick had a far more
condescending and derogatory term applied, that being <i>"Chopsocky"</i>.</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">
Further, the plethora of dubbed KF flicks snatched up on an almost daily basis
did nothing to change casual viewers and critics perceptions of these
movies. Leading the charge was the seemingly endless series of pictures
starring Bruce Le.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPl5E3A-01ISlB0HbeevGyCP5ptZw0piTEIVW2k-sD00jUxDinM7rj8Y0j-e58bqxI-uXbXMayjogxyLSkuKc8rlhqPOFOruBcUmx56rXAnUnHF-Bm-p1uvh1HUFo0i82EpJn1fmEGSMkowt5PA-GDoSN3S-fqLpzHmUloP-npkloQ1ULSaZyZaXZr_rE/s700/bruce-clone-bruce-vs-bill-greece.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="700" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPl5E3A-01ISlB0HbeevGyCP5ptZw0piTEIVW2k-sD00jUxDinM7rj8Y0j-e58bqxI-uXbXMayjogxyLSkuKc8rlhqPOFOruBcUmx56rXAnUnHF-Bm-p1uvh1HUFo0i82EpJn1fmEGSMkowt5PA-GDoSN3S-fqLpzHmUloP-npkloQ1ULSaZyZaXZr_rE/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-vs-bill-greece.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3RWstBroSz641sw5KJyo1J4LT5FuWtsWlJKJgQYvZgdLtXuS4laptLtM4ArZ74QdiBArwWKRtcnFbY6ZxkiwUbCowrM3FP62lNYlxaXnYBJi_4GpjM9Eis_16xEpf6oYAdFqcQpxQFGZIXxpEMf0GkJmzcz-xCJzwyve5Sl6LB5dZCywsCCfemj5gUw/s784/bruce-clone-VHS.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="784" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3RWstBroSz641sw5KJyo1J4LT5FuWtsWlJKJgQYvZgdLtXuS4laptLtM4ArZ74QdiBArwWKRtcnFbY6ZxkiwUbCowrM3FP62lNYlxaXnYBJi_4GpjM9Eis_16xEpf6oYAdFqcQpxQFGZIXxpEMf0GkJmzcz-xCJzwyve5Sl6LB5dZCywsCCfemj5gUw/s320/bruce-clone-VHS.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The
enterprising Lee-alike had successfully made the move to the US home
video and burgeoning cable television market. TV became the new home of
Kung Fu via Black Belt Theater packages. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Made
up mostly of Shaw Brothers pictures, there was an occasional Bruce-ish
flick mixed in like DYNAMO (1978) and barely bio's like BRUCE LEE'S WAYS
OF KUNG FU. Video store shelves were stocked full of titles from
companies like Saturn Video, Master Arts, All Seasons Entertainment and
Unicorn Video to name a few. Among them were a proliferation of Bruce Le
flicks like BRUCE LE'S GREATEST REVENGE, BRUCE VS. BILL, BRUCE THE
SUPERHERO, and BRUCE'S FISTS OF VENGEANCE to name a few. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Greek poster for BRUCE VS. BILL; insert: Bruce Le VHS releases)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRDfGMx7o9AEPT2tqETNIKo3oNR70IXkD__IlZ7giyiU5S4wdmEvaLf8-zLjcSU6c8BEVuQIwi2IUQH-LpFAAcdMrhIr00gKF-j9R-N9-e6xSQOIVOR-1BgDgVXva7C_hZEqqFdM-ubswO0Ya-gR94hN6kY77vyZytyuGVoH6a2LpGPJETP4fE8UGaC0/s710/bruce-le-supergang-mexico.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="710" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRDfGMx7o9AEPT2tqETNIKo3oNR70IXkD__IlZ7giyiU5S4wdmEvaLf8-zLjcSU6c8BEVuQIwi2IUQH-LpFAAcdMrhIr00gKF-j9R-N9-e6xSQOIVOR-1BgDgVXva7C_hZEqqFdM-ubswO0Ya-gR94hN6kY77vyZytyuGVoH6a2LpGPJETP4fE8UGaC0/s320/bruce-le-supergang-mexico.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Bruce Le was also a director, and guided himself in a handful of his Pretend Lee pictures. He famously turned up in the Euro-US gore-horror spectacle, PIECES (1983). Produced by Dick Randall, Bruce was a close friend of the American exploitation peddler, so he got a bizarre cameo appearing on-camera with Lynda Day George. Le's career includes movies that are outside the Bruce Lee Imitator spectrum like THE MAD COLD-BLOODED MURDER (1981) and THE SUPER GANG (1982), but it's the incredibly cheap, barely decipherable Bruce-a-thon's that fans remember best.<i> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Spanish lobby card for SUPER GANG as THE BRUCE LE GANG)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There were many more Heirs of the Dragon and others important to his legacy... <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>ATTACK OF THE CLONES: A SELECTION OF OTHER BRUCE LEE'S & CONNECTIONS <br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkxfYF0KRnD9C9tLiKRoEkv3AfVMqavko_kugXAsvi966dhK9p4QPFULdgZdKAwprpQuXA4qvrmovRa6ycS6pWuNct5Q0b1Gr7az4vZ7XYGqzWkeiYrQ6WkeW8i1_rTchZxraYk7VVWSovENvyoF3z4GpWe8WEECcLlPpm6_RAj_lahcB47rihqCIKTw/s882/bruce-clone63-dragon-fire.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkxfYF0KRnD9C9tLiKRoEkv3AfVMqavko_kugXAsvi966dhK9p4QPFULdgZdKAwprpQuXA4qvrmovRa6ycS6pWuNct5Q0b1Gr7az4vZ7XYGqzWkeiYrQ6WkeW8i1_rTchZxraYk7VVWSovENvyoF3z4GpWe8WEECcLlPpm6_RAj_lahcB47rihqCIKTw/s320/bruce-clone63-dragon-fire.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. From Korea came Dragon Lee, aka Moon Kyoung Seok <i>(or Keo Ryong)</i>;
one of the top three most recognizable and prolific of the actual Bruce
Lee clone actors. The Korean Dragon is very popular among Kung Fu fans
although few of his movies played in HK theaters; those being films like
KUNG FU FEVER (1979) and fan favorite, THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (1980).
DRAGON ON FIRE (1979), alias THE DRAGON, THE HERO is another. It's not a
leading part for Dragon Lee, but was promoted as one in some areas. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjN6WmhXcvJSlw_hF6Xu3rwhgLtitdOwgD5rRnUdDNfrrM6Rn4R3E2tPFizAP6ueLriL4t1ZdpYJxpFFDgPrtNSlMd5nqv6voc8Q_mPQapSeICHCjeBP2h03Auc-2YR3vSsTkOwwbCsm8N2LZIXyp1JKF42GWnfzlUYGyaTV8yD0Pi-3DFH1eVOJw48M/s604/bruce-clone-dragon-on-fire-dragon-the-hero.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="433" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjN6WmhXcvJSlw_hF6Xu3rwhgLtitdOwgD5rRnUdDNfrrM6Rn4R3E2tPFizAP6ueLriL4t1ZdpYJxpFFDgPrtNSlMd5nqv6voc8Q_mPQapSeICHCjeBP2h03Auc-2YR3vSsTkOwwbCsm8N2LZIXyp1JKF42GWnfzlUYGyaTV8yD0Pi-3DFH1eVOJw48M/s320/bruce-clone-dragon-on-fire-dragon-the-hero.jpg" width="229" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Directed by Godfrey Ho, it's memorable for the infamous scene where a
dog bites off Chan Lau's penis. It's actually John Liu <i>(Liu Chung Chiang)</i> in the leading role. Liu was from Taiwan and studied Japanese arts winning tournaments at 14 years old. He's also reported to have defeated Chuck Norris in Paris during a live event in 1976. Liu was discovered by Ng See Yuen through European martial arts magazines. He called Paris home and taught his own style there, Zen Kwan Do. John Liu is popular among fans, but he was never a major star in Hong Kong. In some markets, it appears John Liu was billed as Bruce Lei. THE DRAGON, THE HERO is the only movie John Liu did with a Bruce impersonator. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Lebanese poster for THE DRAGON, THE HERO with John Liu seemingly listed as Bruce Lei above Dragon Lee and Bruce Lee misleadingly top-billed over everyone else)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-3XWnbxhplDPI3VwlglPUyAH9jBnIJo05-ZhRCTdfyLMZqUvJuNvZ0a2R7W82Dug-zGOiN9tGQGY1QtjldTvZ5-7m9fynKp1QitjD7aSkkPifOaIhZp8sVW78qYYJrOMvc4wnxDx8PY_9OiWWJMI5Y1R5zpxrA1Y_MX6p56PXKoZgWHmnPzLHtjAbqI/s776/bruce-lee-5-pattern-dragon-claw-pakistani-dragon-lee.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-3XWnbxhplDPI3VwlglPUyAH9jBnIJo05-ZhRCTdfyLMZqUvJuNvZ0a2R7W82Dug-zGOiN9tGQGY1QtjldTvZ5-7m9fynKp1QitjD7aSkkPifOaIhZp8sVW78qYYJrOMvc4wnxDx8PY_9OiWWJMI5Y1R5zpxrA1Y_MX6p56PXKoZgWHmnPzLHtjAbqI/s320/bruce-lee-5-pattern-dragon-claw-pakistani-dragon-lee.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Some of the bulkier Dragon's most
enjoyable entries had him co-starring with Korean super-kicking
sensation Hwang Jang Lee; three of their South Korean-made movies being SECRET NINJA, ROARING TIGER (1982), MARTIAL MONKS OF
SHAOLIN TEMPLE and 5-PATTERN DRAGON CLAWS <i>(both 1983)</i>. These productions showcase lots of HJL kicking action and Dragon Lee in fine form. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Lebanese poster for FIVE PATTERN DRAGON CLAWS as KING OF DRAGON BOXERS)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8MpH0g6Cz5lFNeeev5Y4phMmuDHWxAlHemXg5aiuwQzPadwLu9qW8Q0psNW5dVHQR7RAEIW-DI7bxO4QHWfzTPVJ3tQZo7Ib4XXSdco-kRQaCOhKvlz-SLkbm9DhbPPFk2CJ8AXvtEZhY1i4R1BEP5XvRiLM-2RdYYbQd7j-ENxBSRUv-OxBWifFL34/s918/bruce-clone62-enter-invincible-hero.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="643" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8MpH0g6Cz5lFNeeev5Y4phMmuDHWxAlHemXg5aiuwQzPadwLu9qW8Q0psNW5dVHQR7RAEIW-DI7bxO4QHWfzTPVJ3tQZo7Ib4XXSdco-kRQaCOhKvlz-SLkbm9DhbPPFk2CJ8AXvtEZhY1i4R1BEP5XvRiLM-2RdYYbQd7j-ENxBSRUv-OxBWifFL34/s320/bruce-clone62-enter-invincible-hero.jpg" width="224" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Built
like a brick wall, Dragon Lee was a more lithe version of Bolo Yeung.
He looked like he regularly lifted weights while Bolo had a body akin to
a power-lifter. Whenever Dragon Lee did his Bruce impersonations it
looked comical, particularly when he'd shake his head wildly. Even when
he was doing films not marketed as a Bruce clone work, some of Lee's
mannerisms crept in anyway. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Turkish poster for 1981s ENTER
THE INVINCIBLE HERO. In this instance, Dragon Lee must've had marquee value since the promotion doesn't resort to
billing Bruce Lee in the title)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KzkFpTluYt34jV-FhEKz8druEOSME1flQp4xsgyccriFjbcG2RcsgNnV7tWpeq3le8nvIHzdks_IGgbByxITgbCR9Br16m7nfMNOGw-eK05xQSdR4CI9Ezz3IpMRI7pSV7uPYYFoFg7M2VBYRtGcymF2ASoA9QO8auPnC8pet7EfjMo09gmOVBMXLzQ/s784/bruce-clone-mexican-clones-bruce-lee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="784" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KzkFpTluYt34jV-FhEKz8druEOSME1flQp4xsgyccriFjbcG2RcsgNnV7tWpeq3le8nvIHzdks_IGgbByxITgbCR9Br16m7nfMNOGw-eK05xQSdR4CI9Ezz3IpMRI7pSV7uPYYFoFg7M2VBYRtGcymF2ASoA9QO8auPnC8pet7EfjMo09gmOVBMXLzQ/s320/bruce-clone-mexican-clones-bruce-lee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Easily
the most popular movie to star Dragon Lee was THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE
(1980). It also starred Bruce Le and Bruce Lai, alias Kwok Si Chi. The
latter Lee-alike had been a bit player in some Shaw Brothers pictures
and CLONES was his biggest role. Of the three Lee's featured, he looks
the least like the Little Dragon. CLONES is a favorite of many for its
kooky story, non-stop action, send-up of spy movies and the HK film industry itself. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Mexican promotion for THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEbq_vKsQoeX9ShDSKhsbke9FE7BqevBmm6FElNYssZCC5kDJ6W9fV76GIzGWEdII8mh90Zof3z9i5jTdC_Nc5eAoUHOTJVCbFIIwxEYhBSviMYLp8gf3dXLMvCAiDfkFpCMh3VUtnUk0Wfd739pR8kIr6447ZA5Zx7or8sF-UtBkIwnAhNZNLyOG094/s644/magazine%20covers%20513.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEbq_vKsQoeX9ShDSKhsbke9FE7BqevBmm6FElNYssZCC5kDJ6W9fV76GIzGWEdII8mh90Zof3z9i5jTdC_Nc5eAoUHOTJVCbFIIwxEYhBSviMYLp8gf3dXLMvCAiDfkFpCMh3VUtnUk0Wfd739pR8kIr6447ZA5Zx7or8sF-UtBkIwnAhNZNLyOG094/s320/magazine%20covers%20513.jpg" width="247" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2.
Taiwanese actor Lung Tien Sheng mimicked Lee in some of his early
movies like THE REVENGE DRAGON (1973). By the end of the decade he was
doing it again in 1979s SEA GIRLS or, as it was also known in Asian
territories BRUCE LEE AGAINST SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW; that title
cashing in on both the Lee name as well as the explosion of Jackie
Chan--who in 1978 had found the fame he'd been looking for in Yuen Woo
Ping's SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW; and to a greater degree, in DRUNKEN
MASTER <i>(both 1978)</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU-f2pLmASqKJ07Up3SAtk4RHYaUI3A-3nUH-KrqrwYxLVILni7wSfnFdhMXQt5npkhwet-wUs-SHMpuCaW9F30Rc5EKX2vJjOLIi5PzGr9Q2FtKgkqv9GuZL8-g75xcxy095-PKu3WeospAxTKfDQcKBlJSFLxYWi3T9qt4NR3o3O5XME9-kATcZ01o/s773/bruce-clone8.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU-f2pLmASqKJ07Up3SAtk4RHYaUI3A-3nUH-KrqrwYxLVILni7wSfnFdhMXQt5npkhwet-wUs-SHMpuCaW9F30Rc5EKX2vJjOLIi5PzGr9Q2FtKgkqv9GuZL8-g75xcxy095-PKu3WeospAxTKfDQcKBlJSFLxYWi3T9qt4NR3o3O5XME9-kATcZ01o/s320/bruce-clone8.jpg" width="226" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">That
same year in 1979, Lung Tien Sheng would play Bruce Lee in THE TRUE
GAME OF DEATH; and did a surprisingly good job in the role. On a par
with the utter ridiculousness of this sub-genre, some Chinese posters
pasted Lung's head onto Lee's body in an image taken from ENTER THE
DRAGON; while other versions of the poster used the unobstructed image
of Bruce Lee in the same pose. This example of false advertising may
have been inspired by the infamous shot in GAME OF DEATH where an image
of Bruce Lee's head is taped to a mirror concealing the actor's real
face.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaf5AVAaqsh8H-uo6MdcfZbKr2Um6ZZggN8I4Zy3nmwwPlFNGAd9IUtP_BBW7zaWDaYkh3Hkxzr8IMh8cLEsyfjzSKaQ5ExLADj3axmxAxop7vxm9xMiA2BMwalE8xwDjnI1CFMJSRsrFJoSXBDlwjo-_WkCRq_yco3zaP02rNVLOzsWC-ZV3adMI-wQ0/s780/bruce-clone35-true-game-death-italian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="780" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaf5AVAaqsh8H-uo6MdcfZbKr2Um6ZZggN8I4Zy3nmwwPlFNGAd9IUtP_BBW7zaWDaYkh3Hkxzr8IMh8cLEsyfjzSKaQ5ExLADj3axmxAxop7vxm9xMiA2BMwalE8xwDjnI1CFMJSRsrFJoSXBDlwjo-_WkCRq_yco3zaP02rNVLOzsWC-ZV3adMI-wQ0/s320/bruce-clone35-true-game-death-italian.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCT2KaZsCh3WyaqT-uJxjlWY9rEsWCUOABldW8jHdtasZPRcPOaNHrEWqYrCbtJcZOK037XoFE2lxyVAnSYBZPf1y5i8ThDhFhN1WrSdZSm34uKqjvptG_mGEaW2gKf22D2HemoSA3FZ5QiB4bOct7tURz6Q5Xg1PWf-b5cXGmPijebh-i9sd1OOGFms/s736/bruce-clone-true-game-of-death.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="527" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCT2KaZsCh3WyaqT-uJxjlWY9rEsWCUOABldW8jHdtasZPRcPOaNHrEWqYrCbtJcZOK037XoFE2lxyVAnSYBZPf1y5i8ThDhFhN1WrSdZSm34uKqjvptG_mGEaW2gKf22D2HemoSA3FZ5QiB4bOct7tURz6Q5Xg1PWf-b5cXGmPijebh-i9sd1OOGFms/s320/bruce-clone-true-game-of-death.jpg" width="229" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By
the end of December in '79, Lung Tien Sheng would be at Shaw Brothers
Studio in Hong Kong to start re-shoots on Chang Cheh's TEN TIGERS OF
KWANGTUNG (1980) and play a leading role in Chang's FLAG OF IRON (1980). He was a known actor in Taiwan, but in Hong Kong, he was a new face. Possessing a lot of charisma, he unfortunately never hit the big time in Hong Kong. His portrayal of Bruce Lee remains an underrated performance.
<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Italian fotobusta for THE TRUE GAME OF DEATH as BRUCE LEE, THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD; Insert: German poster as BRUCE LEE: HIS BEST FIGHTS)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQk8p4Wm5okcIUf0Cd2nfCd5W72Q69gF-bllD9OwHFOR4KxVdSo_bsTbCE_eYryYtgKdIoA-Ra26Qii1c79XAzDIeRzlRlpvhop8A1ZieheHBtuFPXLGjqIeE4XysOLbt5a1tUAYssTnkoXaE54NOYn-ZSQjpatxPVd7k3P11S50HeMXOqAWlahhNJuY/s768/bruce-clone60-fist-fear-touch-death.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="506" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQk8p4Wm5okcIUf0Cd2nfCd5W72Q69gF-bllD9OwHFOR4KxVdSo_bsTbCE_eYryYtgKdIoA-Ra26Qii1c79XAzDIeRzlRlpvhop8A1ZieheHBtuFPXLGjqIeE4XysOLbt5a1tUAYssTnkoXaE54NOYn-ZSQjpatxPVd7k3P11S50HeMXOqAWlahhNJuY/s320/bruce-clone60-fist-fear-touch-death.jpg" width="211" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3.
FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH (1980) stands out from virtually every
other movie in the Bruce impersonator sub-genre; and that's not because
it's a good movie. Depending on one's point of view, Matthew Mallinson's
1980 flick is either one of the most entertaining or the most tasteless
of the lot. It also stands out by not having an actual clone in the
movie, but Lee himself! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What's wildly offensive about it <i>(or hilarious, again depending on your POV)</i>
is that it utilizes old footage of Lee as a young teenager and adult
and dubs new, totally unrelated dialog over the footage. There's also
footage of the Taiwan-lensed Swordplay feature FORCED TO FIGHT, released
here as THE INVINCIBLE SUPER CHAN, that is used to tell the story of
how Bruce's grandfather was a samurai warrior! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUav6ontQ2JNSOolbhs2xaLT-hr4AGbTTtqT1A882LpHaAjHZyBadwP8hm7DFwg6gtwH13kbBdOh-iglOFaaZYPemA8kD4XygCikaWLoWd1UK9RiiKhQKSv7EesX4ypyxEB0-VfHmiKHsDh50fGFdpRLFE69uQUESDuCKhk3aYKwTY48FSGKel3DvSLlU/s896/bruce-clone61-super-chan.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="591" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUav6ontQ2JNSOolbhs2xaLT-hr4AGbTTtqT1A882LpHaAjHZyBadwP8hm7DFwg6gtwH13kbBdOh-iglOFaaZYPemA8kD4XygCikaWLoWd1UK9RiiKhQKSv7EesX4ypyxEB0-VfHmiKHsDh50fGFdpRLFE69uQUESDuCKhk3aYKwTY48FSGKel3DvSLlU/s320/bruce-clone61-super-chan.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It
showed that American producers could milk the Lee name as deceptively
as the Chinese producers; it's a one-of-a-kind movie that must be seen
to be believed. The reason for the sub-genres existence was to mine as
much money off the dead superstar as possible. Before his
death, the hope was to find an actor that could compete with Lee. After, it was finding one who could mimic him.... it wasn't just the men,
either. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9A5fPKsG9XFpAqYDZ559PfU0MrqeTnDoGEcK7mAa8SU6u8S7_SAbQ1LxSyT8S6SmHv6YWk5qtt-2IG-yN2ML0sf0eJJLVmbbqjeNP33ITfSyDyL2LsLb1WQvIHJX6spjhg62Dg3HbzZ4SpADjj0JFgzroy0XLuyqhWp-usdeTsmIn8cUjbGBUkXk39I/s908/bruce-clone-chia-ling.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9A5fPKsG9XFpAqYDZ559PfU0MrqeTnDoGEcK7mAa8SU6u8S7_SAbQ1LxSyT8S6SmHv6YWk5qtt-2IG-yN2ML0sf0eJJLVmbbqjeNP33ITfSyDyL2LsLb1WQvIHJX6spjhg62Dg3HbzZ4SpADjj0JFgzroy0XLuyqhWp-usdeTsmIn8cUjbGBUkXk39I/s320/bruce-clone-chia-ling.jpg" width="148" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. In February of 1973, journalists were referring to actress Chia Ling <i>(Judy Lee)</i> as <i>"the female Bruce Lee"</i>. She was a hot commodity in Taiwan after an impressive debut in QUEEN BOXER (1972) aka THE AVENGER <i>(HATRED in Chinese)</i>.
In this picture, Chia Ling plays Ma Su Chen, the sister to Ma Yung Chen
of the HK box office sensation BOXER FROM SHANTUNG starring Chen Kuan Tai and directed by the venerable Chang Cheh. A discovery of
actor-filmmaker Peter Yang Chun, Chia Ling was a student of the Fu Shing
Drama School. She studied Peking Opera alongside classmates Angela Mao
Ying and Charlie Chin Hsiang Lin for a ten year period. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVg6KnGS37Cb3diXCaN2iWmyJKOb87zVfFYJRDzcYsrJBAXJvzY4722HaMVEdFAQJFehi6idyF9N8DRahnGdJFmhDjK06nKwa4Bfzsr6KzYDIITmXvM6VXxoRQXIaN5Aw0CgZ2VkjEOdQwI_nZfJo4-i0CBZVWLG152NaXNwZ60QdPuShNk-2jL-FDLk/s766/bruce-clone-avenger.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="766" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVg6KnGS37Cb3diXCaN2iWmyJKOb87zVfFYJRDzcYsrJBAXJvzY4722HaMVEdFAQJFehi6idyF9N8DRahnGdJFmhDjK06nKwa4Bfzsr6KzYDIITmXvM6VXxoRQXIaN5Aw0CgZ2VkjEOdQwI_nZfJo4-i0CBZVWLG152NaXNwZ60QdPuShNk-2jL-FDLk/s320/bruce-clone-avenger.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Signing
with HK Fong Ming Motion Pictures in 1971, it was a new independent
company founded by the husband and wife team of Yang Chun and Florence
Yu. They had Chia Ling doing martial arts demonstrations on television
before introducing her to movie audiences in THE AVENGER and THE ESCAPE,
both directed by Florence Yu and released in 1972. THE AVENGER <i>(released in America as QUEEN BOXER where she was promoted as “the female Bruce Lee” on the poster)</i> purportedly made more money in Taiwan, but was the most profitable of the BOXER FROM SHANTUNG spin-offs in Hong Kong. It held out for 11 days in theaters, bringing in HK$753,121 at the end of its run there. In 1973, Chia Ling told
journalist Annie Wong, <i>"My greatest wish in this industry is to be a good actor, and not a movie star"</i>. Chia Ling stayed busy in movies the entirety of the 1970s.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Sekb2Oz5BYS4IO2FZa_9qhm7XWNqf9w9mq-fuz5hAf4ncqZDsDLADyKPs9wJlFakMQzQETbHQVIEu4R3kXJsH_hEXcaj2_QzP5TORiA3VcvMTh0JnEavegQbzV1PPMKBjR3rwgrO-pp9KRBBreZogerhEy2DCRcEzOVNknBJq5sdEFg_ga4Jbs1vW8/s672/bruce-clone-new-fist-israel-poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="672" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Sekb2Oz5BYS4IO2FZa_9qhm7XWNqf9w9mq-fuz5hAf4ncqZDsDLADyKPs9wJlFakMQzQETbHQVIEu4R3kXJsH_hEXcaj2_QzP5TORiA3VcvMTh0JnEavegQbzV1PPMKBjR3rwgrO-pp9KRBBreZogerhEy2DCRcEzOVNknBJq5sdEFg_ga4Jbs1vW8/s320/bruce-clone-new-fist-israel-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5.
When Bruce Lee died, there were already numerous other big stars and
many hit films; the desire was for a new performer that could hit the
off-the-chart box office highs for action movies in the HK$3-HK$5
million range the way Lee did. That didn't come till 1978 and from
Jackie Chan, a one-time pseudo Bruce imitator and an actor whose action
movie style was the exact opposite of Bruce Lee. Lo Wei tried turning
Chan into an assortment of genre personas from heroes to a villain. His
first flick for Lo Wei was an attempt to recapture an earlier glory with
NEW FIST OF FURY (1976), discussed in <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2024/01/imitating-dragon-historical.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 1</span></a>. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Israeli promotion for NEW FIST OF FURY)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSsx3_fQGVxsfyz9PgXi5KlzjxzhrL7OeCu-DTlFO7C9_qJl5ycIYsjdHRl3rZoHi1lrZrnuicBCr3j_nB5MwFT6PYq5P2p6KIbR-ovktOWEllSWM4Oos1zpWP7wzAxnVSsa0njcCp5es7JaRuYHpmjo0ySSHrpwxNhyphenhyphenQBb2BXreBhD4tFQh8an5Ru98/s861/bruce-clone28.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="861" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSsx3_fQGVxsfyz9PgXi5KlzjxzhrL7OeCu-DTlFO7C9_qJl5ycIYsjdHRl3rZoHi1lrZrnuicBCr3j_nB5MwFT6PYq5P2p6KIbR-ovktOWEllSWM4Oos1zpWP7wzAxnVSsa0njcCp5es7JaRuYHpmjo0ySSHrpwxNhyphenhyphenQBb2BXreBhD4tFQh8an5Ru98/s320/bruce-clone28.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chan's
success at the end of the decade eventually led to the destruction of
the traditional Kung Fu movie. Like Lee, Chan was even more obsessed
with topping himself; and in so doing, he killed the genre off, then
brought it back again in a different form in the early 80s with films
like DRAGON LORD (1982) and PROJECT A (1983). In reference to both men,
Bruce Le's company, Dragon Films, distributed a Bruce-Jackie combo clone
flick called BRUCE AND JACKIE TO THE RESCUE (1981).<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AMxdbRL6vRrVbIYe95NhfUtNah-HeDuHPpGuxQbmDTf3UFTgjxUBsftYWdFUt8Y-aTMTmigLyhdQTHe7HINNEF_3n3pP6vLyK7ndpyqsk9hPJuoi7pHUftuvI19sBNSo9ILEPHkPM9hSUPvI_wHLdXVEuqMwlkPnsffUBAPgFlfrOKG__xSMCppBGXQ/s605/bruce-clone-kung-fu-invisible-fist.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="393" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AMxdbRL6vRrVbIYe95NhfUtNah-HeDuHPpGuxQbmDTf3UFTgjxUBsftYWdFUt8Y-aTMTmigLyhdQTHe7HINNEF_3n3pP6vLyK7ndpyqsk9hPJuoi7pHUftuvI19sBNSo9ILEPHkPM9hSUPvI_wHLdXVEuqMwlkPnsffUBAPgFlfrOKG__xSMCppBGXQ/s320/bruce-clone-kung-fu-invisible-fist.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6.
Another HK Kung Fu flick that was re-packaged in America as a Bruce Lee
styled motion picture was 1972s KUNG FU, THE INVISIBLE FIST aka THE
GOOD AND THE BAD starring Chen Sing and Yasuaki Kurata. The latter was a
Japanese Karate master whom Chang Cheh gave a career in Hong Kong KF
movies to after putting him in THE ANGRY GUEST that same year. The poster
for KUNG FU, THE INVISIBLE FIST had the most instructive tagline of all
the US Kung Fu releases that repeatedly confused the Chinese and
Japanese arts with, <i>"Learn the difference between Karate and Kung Fu!"</i> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY5BCU1sN3X3FkcqUdTnJgrM5MPqhvsuLq3Y0z06a-YPwf8YSSGOkj7_Pm5gMQ_A_hnSoqUojfycY0DxKcgaLsqQ5ze7Rl1fvHpxDRuaJ4Xn2y6rfGn93V3t59l52Yt8Hwbc7z2aYLzovmkDyptBGQDBo69AZy9RwO_mWLOROIbbCzs55V4FlQaZfjnQ/s755/bruce-clone-kung-fu-invisible-fist-italian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="755" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY5BCU1sN3X3FkcqUdTnJgrM5MPqhvsuLq3Y0z06a-YPwf8YSSGOkj7_Pm5gMQ_A_hnSoqUojfycY0DxKcgaLsqQ5ze7Rl1fvHpxDRuaJ4Xn2y6rfGn93V3t59l52Yt8Hwbc7z2aYLzovmkDyptBGQDBo69AZy9RwO_mWLOROIbbCzs55V4FlQaZfjnQ/s320/bruce-clone-kung-fu-invisible-fist-italian.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVrlZ_3-vyDLBgIyM5gdBCvh0kkaR8kbKSERTduWtCZbryI7X0wP7do27POSbZq3imWK0zDKIU3GpnoAkn7uEugzzA6DQlSCzZncVErw2rshF2qgwkD9pRlpGUP7spBA80_1m8ahxegz90ZkMTpP4xGn1EZGjPMwq82hDQJz4W-rARdCct2tvaCbyQHY/s596/bruce-lee-the-real-dragon1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="389" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVrlZ_3-vyDLBgIyM5gdBCvh0kkaR8kbKSERTduWtCZbryI7X0wP7do27POSbZq3imWK0zDKIU3GpnoAkn7uEugzzA6DQlSCzZncVErw2rshF2qgwkD9pRlpGUP7spBA80_1m8ahxegz90ZkMTpP4xGn1EZGjPMwq82hDQJz4W-rARdCct2tvaCbyQHY/s320/bruce-lee-the-real-dragon1.jpg" width="209" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Later re-titled THE REAL DRAGON, Kurata was then marketed as Sonny
Bruce--equal parts Sonny Chiba and Bruce Lee. Kurata was also being
promoted as Bruce Lo for THE DRAGONS CLAW, a Japanese Karate picture
titled WHICH IS STRONGER, KARATE OR TIGER? (1976). Kurata has the distinction of being the sole Japanese
film actor in the American distribution of Chinese-language movies to have two monikers milking the Bruce Lee lineage. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Italian fotobusta for KUNG FU THE INVISIBLE FIST, aka THE REAL DRAGON, as THE VIOLENT ARM OF KUNG FU)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjAWIf49cRilsp_qdgLjmcesAv-c5mH99RqKvbc2N8aVTjCFoFp2pIiHiuRZGkdwN6tDPqt3ThDdJ-RtZ_KDzalML-DUc8CBSztXrKsx3fMoF83zEF37q6Q1WMOeA2XwB75RBM6tUYmFDmQBn906BZACGV_mhCMfbQqE3YFt2VsbDx2OUwFOwQnBpiQU/s901/bruce-clone52-italian-soul-of-chiba-poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjAWIf49cRilsp_qdgLjmcesAv-c5mH99RqKvbc2N8aVTjCFoFp2pIiHiuRZGkdwN6tDPqt3ThDdJ-RtZ_KDzalML-DUc8CBSztXrKsx3fMoF83zEF37q6Q1WMOeA2XwB75RBM6tUYmFDmQBn906BZACGV_mhCMfbQqE3YFt2VsbDx2OUwFOwQnBpiQU/s320/bruce-clone52-italian-soul-of-chiba-poster.jpg" width="232" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. It was KING BOXER (1972) that started the world's fascination with Kung Fu movies in 1973. But in Japan, what really caused the Karate Boom in Nipponese society was Bruce Lee. Several dozen Chinese martial arts flicks were scooped up and released in Japan in 1974 after ENTER THE DRAGON was a smash hit there. This inspired Toei executives and superstar Sonny Chiba to produce their own martial arts actioners. The boom lasted from 1974-1977; and by 1978, period-set Samurai sagas took control. Bruce Lee, though, was still very popular in Japan with re-releases of his films bringing in good box office. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the Clones were no substitute for the real thing. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: SOUL OF BRUCE LEE in Italy as BRUCE LEE'S SCREAM STILL TERRIFIES)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OrjhoZAI4woGQGZtj7cfFFeNowavAokB6MYi646HxNw1Od83e2nXfcLESOoroV-qK9St83awuUUMja8qHGP4-XSPptMS2_BvM2ytbqo7zqrDwnHLDRXiUKngPdPzbBE40Z6QetTJobs5syNuSkhx74j8Ympvk33O3Mb2ooDr4beCz0sUgLsg4exVp-E/s769/bruce-clone-soul-of-chiba.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OrjhoZAI4woGQGZtj7cfFFeNowavAokB6MYi646HxNw1Od83e2nXfcLESOoroV-qK9St83awuUUMja8qHGP4-XSPptMS2_BvM2ytbqo7zqrDwnHLDRXiUKngPdPzbBE40Z6QetTJobs5syNuSkhx74j8Ympvk33O3Mb2ooDr4beCz0sUgLsg4exVp-E/s320/bruce-clone-soul-of-chiba.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Among the last of the Karate pictures was VIOLENT DEATH! WAY OF THE EVIL FIST (1977), known elsewhere as SOUL OF CHIBA and SOUL OF BRUCE LEE. Independently co-financed by stars Sonny Chiba and Tadashi Yamashita, this Thai-shot actioner co-stars Bolo Yeung, Etsuko Shihomi and Shikamura Ito, aka Lu Chuan; a Japanese martial artist who worked frequently in Hong Kong, and primarily at Shaw Studio. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: combo Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba ballyhoo on the US poster for SOUL OF CHIBA) <br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5AY6hiM4Dztey4WdGcN_LS9vX8Xe7kRAfkqqyXS9XX4GwVJ7IO5F1GoE_wBm1zcYlbHDAug7cKVQSKSqpR-40NAU4mtXTYBlh2j_lRvAzN7vLaVV5jHUpORBaxz2O8QPre09JfrkCZDt_GZLlVM-nLk2DDT_k7kfMcnB8HrHUyrsyl2Gab0veuPIF24/s664/bruce-clone-bronson-lee-magnificent-3-french.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="491" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5AY6hiM4Dztey4WdGcN_LS9vX8Xe7kRAfkqqyXS9XX4GwVJ7IO5F1GoE_wBm1zcYlbHDAug7cKVQSKSqpR-40NAU4mtXTYBlh2j_lRvAzN7vLaVV5jHUpORBaxz2O8QPre09JfrkCZDt_GZLlVM-nLk2DDT_k7kfMcnB8HrHUyrsyl2Gab0veuPIF24/s320/bruce-clone-bronson-lee-magnificent-3-french.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Outside Japan, Tadashi Yamashita had a brief flirtation with the Bruce Clone movement. In America, New Line Cinema had some degree of success with the first in his trilogy known in Japan as THE KARATE (1974-1975). It was re-titled for US release as BRONSON LEE, CHAMPION. The film must've been popular elsewhere because Tadashi co-starred alongside Yasuaki Kurata in a Hong Kong movie produced by indy company Goldig titled THE MAGNIFICENT 3 (1980). For the HK promotion, and other territories, Tadashi was billed as Bronson Lee. Just as Bruce Lee had been, Charles Bronson was very popular in Hong Kong. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: French poster for THE MAGNIFICENT 3 as THE 3 KUNG FU PROFESSIONALS)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde7iioEtJrvfZiPpQ4H_PFTuJDZ02hB7XG9qm3LN16qSNoaTzxdIIrdwSWvxImLfuODJt2wY-eBT2IcPHy_oDwLyLEviRcZgzjMKBOwPPjqfYPcpsv6JH_IUxQ4Yo6r6dlBmJ2vtnXMPyP3w5_ceBDVFx2uNXrwXgk86R_E7Ohz2GjxG8ogjxZCth0NU/s864/bruce-clone-brave-lion-aka-revolt-of-dragon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde7iioEtJrvfZiPpQ4H_PFTuJDZ02hB7XG9qm3LN16qSNoaTzxdIIrdwSWvxImLfuODJt2wY-eBT2IcPHy_oDwLyLEviRcZgzjMKBOwPPjqfYPcpsv6JH_IUxQ4Yo6r6dlBmJ2vtnXMPyP3w5_ceBDVFx2uNXrwXgk86R_E7Ohz2GjxG8ogjxZCth0NU/s320/bruce-clone-brave-lion-aka-revolt-of-dragon.jpg" width="215" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8. Henry Yu Yang, star of 1973s THE AWAKEN PUNCH <i>(or EARTH-SHATTERING FIST)</i>,
became an unwitting Bruce Lee knock-off in America. The
1974 film THE BRAVE LION was re-titled REVOLT OF THE DRAGON for
stateside release. The film's poster infers the movie is about the late
Bruce Lee, using an image of Henry Yu Yang who isn't even in the movie.
The still used for the poster is from the 1974 Kung Fu Comedy WITS TO
WITS. Continuing </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Henry Yu's tenuous Lee connection, he co-starred with Chen Sing in 1972s TOUGH GUY. In America, TOUGH GUY was re-titled KUNG FU MASTER: BRUCE LEE STYLE; the poster featuring an image of the Little Dragon in the top corner.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_1XBlaeflfpiiuf8pi6q2CD5KZTtrBChuP3_fZ6gR0Zb5cL6mT-i_4we8XdUmLM7z8uKnhM4SfLWKAPYnmeYOIPgQm6TOe2JIsKgn6ZgXBMJsTdE_PFMdGcybX3N4rsxzF1ZreIzfHUL0KulfzPFklVbgDz1cvbFSYIPR4qYyoU2ZA5hPaJl5qVUW5E/s889/bruce-clone-henry-yu-yang.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="511" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_1XBlaeflfpiiuf8pi6q2CD5KZTtrBChuP3_fZ6gR0Zb5cL6mT-i_4we8XdUmLM7z8uKnhM4SfLWKAPYnmeYOIPgQm6TOe2JIsKgn6ZgXBMJsTdE_PFMdGcybX3N4rsxzF1ZreIzfHUL0KulfzPFklVbgDz1cvbFSYIPR4qYyoU2ZA5hPaJl5qVUW5E/s320/bruce-clone-henry-yu-yang.jpg" width="184" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A
graduate of Shaw Brothers Nanguo Experimental Theater Troupe, he
declined signing with the company and went with Cathay Pictures, the
other major company in HK at that time. When they shut down in 1971, Yu
Yang went the indy route. A student of his AWAKEN PUNCH co-star Fang
Yeh, he co-starred in Ng See Yuen's surprise hit THE BLOODY FISTS in
1972 alongside former Shaw support player and new leading man Chen Sing.
Henry Yu Yang, though, wasn't an imposing figure on-camera; so the
actor whose leading man status took off was his co-star Chen Sing. It's
important to note that Yu Yang wasn't being promoted as a new Bruce Lee
in Hong Kong; he was only being pushed as a new action star there. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi856BYMPkJrZ5VIdQkucS4S0RylxYCO24hOdi4hGJMvH8SGxFBD5BCicsm4ojrfA4T8SoXVxzx5xgsV2IYj3cuq2rRMusWPYhyphenhyphenPUi7hq3Lk2USxqrR5EGAEnqwN8KXpffERhma4anL4Vy7xdJOgsgjfHt1jKvVEG9h9k-HO86_5gm3Bhl2xkyY5Z4Jqnk/s762/bruce-clone-byong-yu-the-association.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="762" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi856BYMPkJrZ5VIdQkucS4S0RylxYCO24hOdi4hGJMvH8SGxFBD5BCicsm4ojrfA4T8SoXVxzx5xgsV2IYj3cuq2rRMusWPYhyphenhyphenPUi7hq3Lk2USxqrR5EGAEnqwN8KXpffERhma4anL4Vy7xdJOgsgjfHt1jKvVEG9h9k-HO86_5gm3Bhl2xkyY5Z4Jqnk/s320/bruce-clone-byong-yu-the-association.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdNtUverMu1WRtp7-80A7TVCmK39s4uzGVkHIUA9QvkkNKUvElev9NFf5eImzaqwvtENTekv8Pj1FHBTyFmjPhMJAQ216M0KRfsjjCytQXq6U_oNaZm9NVhcLJL58FcbFnuxuBjjE0HSzXnkbawVAvr8O0rAZZeWvOOnqbCW2DpoNHeamccM9ciavu90/s820/bruce-clone-association.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdNtUverMu1WRtp7-80A7TVCmK39s4uzGVkHIUA9QvkkNKUvElev9NFf5eImzaqwvtENTekv8Pj1FHBTyFmjPhMJAQ216M0KRfsjjCytQXq6U_oNaZm9NVhcLJL58FcbFnuxuBjjE0HSzXnkbawVAvr8O0rAZZeWvOOnqbCW2DpoNHeamccM9ciavu90/s320/bruce-clone-association.jpg" width="228" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">9. One actor who was being quietly pushed as <i>"Bruce Lee number 2"</i>
at Golden Harvest was Korean martial artist Byong Yu. He looked nothing
like Lee in any way, but apparently the producers saw something in him
that resonated the late JKD founder. The company's own publication,
Golden Movie News, heavily promoted Byong's expertise in the arts in the
hopes he would stand out in an already crowded field. After a star turn
in the modern day thriller called THE ASSOCIATION (1975), it was
one-and-done for Byong Yu's movie career.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQK-40w5DtxlNzNUymaMTCzjc03_yGUauacb-1s7gTtq4cz5-_qQ3jl0Z1wVPSDrFtcVAYtMjUelsRzJWH1bdpCZ6n2arZEoIuU5FOAbqnj5aGbXPoZ1YrOhyw239elq_O8H1yMRuWxAEr11oiKePS_pZiQ1iGRqp0omJp0gNK16ma-3z43YyLsQSe-s/s750/bruce-clone25.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQK-40w5DtxlNzNUymaMTCzjc03_yGUauacb-1s7gTtq4cz5-_qQ3jl0Z1wVPSDrFtcVAYtMjUelsRzJWH1bdpCZ6n2arZEoIuU5FOAbqnj5aGbXPoZ1YrOhyw239elq_O8H1yMRuWxAEr11oiKePS_pZiQ1iGRqp0omJp0gNK16ma-3z43YyLsQSe-s/s320/bruce-clone25.jpg" width="255" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">10.
Then there was the 1976 Korean Kung Fu fight-fest VISITOR TO AMERICA
starring Korean TKD expert Jun Chong. That title doesn't exactly scream
action so Aquarius Releasing gave it a new name and a wacky opening
scene to match the thoroughly bizarre title they saddled it with--BRUCE
LEE FIGHTS BACK FROM THE GRAVE. It's worth a watch to see an early
performance by future ninja sensation Sho Kosugi <i>(see insert with Jun Chong)</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When
he was a boy, Jun Chong's mother encouraged him to learn martial arts
although he had little interest in it. This was amplified when he
suffered a broken arm during his training. He persevered and eventually
won a gold medal in Korea's Olympic games in 1964. He came to America in
1966 and by 1970, Jun Chong was teaching TKD. Unlike Bruce Lee, Jun
competed in tournaments and won the USA National TKD Tournament's Grand
Championship in 1972.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8vKckUzHIbGs2FhGnkLvIwpKQswK520RJM7ifTc283sF-jbO-wblkxB7twNkhTSqKwJYcUGf9X4tPhzNBBt1blfSGx9fbBtkeNRsnphw1nMPWdA1mHaDj0U84M4WglcrITCKgoG0bMpqkTYTXeo3mramDyGZwHOzOzzKtNDknmFmRv0Gp8V8YQpvVD4/s921/bruce-clone-jin-chong.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="670" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8vKckUzHIbGs2FhGnkLvIwpKQswK520RJM7ifTc283sF-jbO-wblkxB7twNkhTSqKwJYcUGf9X4tPhzNBBt1blfSGx9fbBtkeNRsnphw1nMPWdA1mHaDj0U84M4WglcrITCKgoG0bMpqkTYTXeo3mramDyGZwHOzOzzKtNDknmFmRv0Gp8V8YQpvVD4/s320/bruce-clone-jin-chong.jpg" width="233" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When
Jun first became interested in making movies, he auditioned for the
role of Bruce Lee in Robert Clouse's abandoned Bruce bi-opic <i>'Tribute To Bruce Lee'</i>, later called <i>'The Life and Legend of Bruce Lee'</i>.
According to Jun in a 1976 interview, after VISITOR TO AMERICA was a
big hit in his native Korea, he returned home and made two additional
films, <i>'The Kingdom'</i> and <i>'Triple Agency'</i>, but never
learned if either picture played theaters in his homeland or anywhere
else. By 1980, Jun Chong had went back to teaching his growing number of
students <i>(in the thousands)</i> and never acted again.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfZZ07kbCN9sPnFGwuDltf9-aFKdT17UeIwBu_cRmK9WDYm-HTyzAiZC_DKS4qH7lrhREfjs6c7TULu3pNZ9MPeNIq-iD16PNrBV2Ofl68QFw9-ZcdahUcwJRKk0mj8J2h9j38OABsiGbK56vDE4JDC_FoTMI57vdfrKPhyphenhyphenWxNEdcMO3NPJHjrEwzPEw/s600/bruce-clone50-death-dimension-myron-lee-hawaiian-martial-artist.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfZZ07kbCN9sPnFGwuDltf9-aFKdT17UeIwBu_cRmK9WDYm-HTyzAiZC_DKS4qH7lrhREfjs6c7TULu3pNZ9MPeNIq-iD16PNrBV2Ofl68QFw9-ZcdahUcwJRKk0mj8J2h9j38OABsiGbK56vDE4JDC_FoTMI57vdfrKPhyphenhyphenWxNEdcMO3NPJHjrEwzPEw/s320/bruce-clone50-death-dimension-myron-lee-hawaiian-martial-artist.jpg" width="222" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">11.
Then there was a Hawaiian martial artist named Myron Lee who co-starred
with ENTER THE DRAGON's Jim Kelly in DEATH DIMENSION (1978) directed by
Al Adamson. The cast featured two James Bond alums including one-time
007 George Lazenby; Harold Sakata was the other. As for Myron, he was
re-named Myron BRUCE Lee for the film's advertising. Like other
potential heirs to the KF crown, Myron never did another movie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DdB9tjW3uy83Z-se4KxQPa86Rox-f6dHN84S_jDr40aJIOeOzSvLS75m4AW9zSevETOhJBJ3Bpkv8DyDNC-iaJFjVYRajWfHdAZBNiGe_XQbjNkJETKcd_CM-AIBh2UF7GSE1Xwfq-ES7DN0UyG9KVb5cEvtNDkT5TrNKKQERKCI0cX4ZvRK_b9Xvkk/s772/bruce-clone-growling-tiger.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="772" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DdB9tjW3uy83Z-se4KxQPa86Rox-f6dHN84S_jDr40aJIOeOzSvLS75m4AW9zSevETOhJBJ3Bpkv8DyDNC-iaJFjVYRajWfHdAZBNiGe_XQbjNkJETKcd_CM-AIBh2UF7GSE1Xwfq-ES7DN0UyG9KVb5cEvtNDkT5TrNKKQERKCI0cX4ZvRK_b9Xvkk/s320/bruce-clone-growling-tiger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm8TehJYoi-hRxKfFYA7pd0F3NniN-OElw43lVyfO2-7bqhqAM12qv7JeyNJpiJvNApcnyfnly14qwc5p1lMiTYU_elOBJLN7jjY_diwy1g5hWqv5F-eT04mC4mrz-khGk08Pol3-giaMXSywt2uc9tw5UJZJ-YOMow3q3Ij6SBGl1ricDJQn52kxkjU/s636/bruce-clone-tong-long-lou-rei.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="636" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm8TehJYoi-hRxKfFYA7pd0F3NniN-OElw43lVyfO2-7bqhqAM12qv7JeyNJpiJvNApcnyfnly14qwc5p1lMiTYU_elOBJLN7jjY_diwy1g5hWqv5F-eT04mC4mrz-khGk08Pol3-giaMXSywt2uc9tw5UJZJ-YOMow3q3Ij6SBGl1ricDJQn52kxkjU/s320/bruce-clone-tong-long-lou-rei.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">12. In Part One, the first so-called Bruce Lee imitator came from Taiwan; that man being Luo Zhen, or Lo Chen <i>(not to be confused with Lo Chen the film director)</i>, or Tong Lung, better known as the older brother to Alexander Lo <i>(or Lou or Luo)</i>
of movies like INCREDIBLE KUNG FU MISSION (1980), NEW SOUTHERN FISTS
NORTHERN KICKS (1981), SHAOLIN VS. NINJA (1983), SHAOLIN VS. LAMA (1983)
and MAFIA VS. NINJA (1985). Since very little is known about him, this
section can expand on who he was and his Chinese Connection to the
Lee-alike sub-genre. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Top: Tong Long in THE GROWLING TIGER; Insert: Tong Long and his brother Lo Rei duel in SHAOLIN CHASTITY KUNG FU)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pUgJhQz9TnaI54uiXQje1yEOtw9JFmNZllZyrBz0lsMQJ3h3-n4wc6rT8NUPvvrGPY1vAb5Ze-IzQP_VLyI-IJfVNRnUhw6R8wY-wjuquTJ3AuOqb7RNaaTlilFLuIy824ZK4i9m1YknmGW1nsFdHqp7ebbhfelyIuF46MMHeMKCGgLYaXRdTNVBFXU/s800/bruce-clone-tong-long-best-and-worst-1974.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pUgJhQz9TnaI54uiXQje1yEOtw9JFmNZllZyrBz0lsMQJ3h3-n4wc6rT8NUPvvrGPY1vAb5Ze-IzQP_VLyI-IJfVNRnUhw6R8wY-wjuquTJ3AuOqb7RNaaTlilFLuIy824ZK4i9m1YknmGW1nsFdHqp7ebbhfelyIuF46MMHeMKCGgLYaXRdTNVBFXU/s320/bruce-clone-tong-long-best-and-worst-1974.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Lo
the elder came from a martial arts family and studied TKD in Taiwan. He
had a two year period as a leading man before dropping out of the
industry and reappearing in 1976. In 1974, Tong Lung became friends with
former-actor-turned-filmmaker Lan Tien Hong. Mr. Lan would produce
Tong's last movie during his leading man phase with THE BEST OF THE
WORST (1974), aka CAPTURE THE KILLER for his Lan Tien Motion Picture
Company. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7jmcwDc34gPObFTQIR1IAONF04kus2XsZYs6KVGCdHDNxldxNyT8_Ev2m-kCgTgW3l4QLJyG4y4QP3pCRmeumX3P1xZqSAu_3oeUcwlmDhvst_5wdKyZMp0pA27XLOl8WOhF78nHPfn0CrYuTBil69SVblBqqzjLPz0sv4v6cLnrs3IhEkeVvLEINKE/s596/bruce-clone-alex-lou-chastity-KF.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7jmcwDc34gPObFTQIR1IAONF04kus2XsZYs6KVGCdHDNxldxNyT8_Ev2m-kCgTgW3l4QLJyG4y4QP3pCRmeumX3P1xZqSAu_3oeUcwlmDhvst_5wdKyZMp0pA27XLOl8WOhF78nHPfn0CrYuTBil69SVblBqqzjLPz0sv4v6cLnrs3IhEkeVvLEINKE/s320/bruce-clone-alex-lou-chastity-KF.jpg" width="314" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Lan's
connection to Tong also extends to the Bruce clone movement as he was
the producer of THE STORY OF THE DRAGON (1976), aka BRUCE LEE'S SECRET, aks BRUCE LEE'S DEADLY
KUNG FU--starring Ho Chung Tao and Carter Wong. It was through producer
Lan that Tong's brother <i>(also a MA champion)</i>, Lou Rei, got into
the film industry where he would then meet Robert Tai Chi Hsien. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2J2VzwXJ7WNRmb-8vSWVPiJcZoD2NIuq21kOTqyCSrLiya4awKT9w07wvlKEGejRV-CoVZJZrkZPBw3QN6FoliQhfsrdprfepNfD_AvPYGFV0SlnCjOUg6WHHiN5s5jdgv9gugVPioa1uKyBRGT1jd2nhm8FcY9qKrAeJ2caQm8W4TYTn8p7nqZ9a4wg/s843/bruce-clone-devil-killer.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2J2VzwXJ7WNRmb-8vSWVPiJcZoD2NIuq21kOTqyCSrLiya4awKT9w07wvlKEGejRV-CoVZJZrkZPBw3QN6FoliQhfsrdprfepNfD_AvPYGFV0SlnCjOUg6WHHiN5s5jdgv9gugVPioa1uKyBRGT1jd2nhm8FcY9qKrAeJ2caQm8W4TYTn8p7nqZ9a4wg/s320/bruce-clone-devil-killer.jpg" width="226" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The
younger Luo brother debuted in Robert Tai's DEVIL KILLER (1981), a film
that was largely made up of scenes from his older brother's CAPTURE THE
KILLER from 1974. All four men--Lan Tien Hong, Tong Lung, Lou Rei, and
Robert Tai--worked on this picture together and on subsequent films
after it. Tong never had a major leading role upon his return to the
industry, but he did receive leading villain roles in a handful of
Robert Tai's movies like SHAOLIN CHASTITY KUNG FU (1983) and MAFIA VS NINJA (1985). He should be
remembered as one of, if not the first actor, to be marketed as a Bruce
Lee-style action star in both Chinese-speaking territories and overseas
markets. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Turkish poster for DEVIL KILLER)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzc8l14Bab3yhXfcxnSStLqg34Vqo9AStoMTKqaaEJ1YBJqI1XG11sPkYr-yoYFOrChe5zyktr8aLL5idKQuRuAwXhpY9XKqgdHEQy-pqPlI_gjp09ZB-KGaNcKKDh7Vr8GLP2uP2Mbx1DJBMJ5H5Hlb4__ufPnlJMUrVBlyvRe6LBHvjdgZo98KlDRGs/s813/bruce-clone-alex-kwon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="465" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzc8l14Bab3yhXfcxnSStLqg34Vqo9AStoMTKqaaEJ1YBJqI1XG11sPkYr-yoYFOrChe5zyktr8aLL5idKQuRuAwXhpY9XKqgdHEQy-pqPlI_gjp09ZB-KGaNcKKDh7Vr8GLP2uP2Mbx1DJBMJ5H5Hlb4__ufPnlJMUrVBlyvRe6LBHvjdgZo98KlDRGs/s320/bruce-clone-alex-kwon.jpg" width="183" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">13. In 1975, it was announced that Robert Clouse would direct a Warner Brothers documentary about Bruce Lee's life titled <i>'Tribute To Bruce Lee'</i>. It was to have been based on Linda Lee's 1975 book, <i>'Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew'</i>.
The actor chosen to play Lee was a 23 year old martial artist named
Alex Kwon. Born in Hong Kong as Kwok Ki Chung, he had studied the
Northern KF style, My Jhong Law Horn, since he was 6 years old. What was
immediately evident, and something that wasn't lost on Warner
executives, was that Kwon didn't look like Bruce Lee; nor was his
traditional Kung Fu style remotely similar to Lee's JKD, a style that abandoned
traditional Chinese fighting forms. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf931wGV-wL0V9oRR5cPazxKMvraFDfw-hQ9zWXsrx3QdvlVI3tZOT85QOabzRU1BCJJdN3EqGGOF4xLwrKaU4xoJmFd595K-L-TJr1uT9qCtjq3a_RaI-D1NN8Tx3nuwfmmWE1U9esorMHFQ8Xx9r7JSR2cRt0dhM0XKUuN32WtRlkKo2gxGG816cGA/s478/bruce-clone-alex-kwon-linda-lee.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="478" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf931wGV-wL0V9oRR5cPazxKMvraFDfw-hQ9zWXsrx3QdvlVI3tZOT85QOabzRU1BCJJdN3EqGGOF4xLwrKaU4xoJmFd595K-L-TJr1uT9qCtjq3a_RaI-D1NN8Tx3nuwfmmWE1U9esorMHFQ8Xx9r7JSR2cRt0dhM0XKUuN32WtRlkKo2gxGG816cGA/s320/bruce-clone-alex-kwon-linda-lee.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ultimately,
this film was never made. Allegedly, neither Linda Lee nor director
Clouse could agree on details of the production so they parted ways. The
ENTER THE DRAGON director would return to Hong Kong to begin work
finishing Lee's THE GAME OF DEATH (1978) at Golden Harvest in 1977. In
1993, Linda Lee Cadwell's book <i>'Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew'</i> would finally be brought to the screen as DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY with Jason Scott Lee <i>(no relation)</i> in the role of the Dragon. Linda Lee would write another book about her late husband in 1989 titled <i>'The Bruce Lee Story'.</i> As for Alex Kwon, he reportedly moved to London where he went back to training students in the martial arts. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Linda Lee and Alex Kwon looking over the script for the unmade Bruce bio)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwLhPEbTE2M7BGHsKqTLTx1KQmNoreYn-5ibEVF62SPJGSOLnKTUCOqoNSalZOPARAvdtMkGjk0yJiiW5RDIpbGn5JF0zlq5w-U11ctbw8UzqQnAbDs0-ZeEDkxTsOZBQN671bO9GbpZAmyP7wXgDhjil243GD89v4dm4dWj3PHM26k11UYn-m9sxEzY/s701/bruce-clone-linda-lee-britain-book-promotion-1975.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="701" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwLhPEbTE2M7BGHsKqTLTx1KQmNoreYn-5ibEVF62SPJGSOLnKTUCOqoNSalZOPARAvdtMkGjk0yJiiW5RDIpbGn5JF0zlq5w-U11ctbw8UzqQnAbDs0-ZeEDkxTsOZBQN671bO9GbpZAmyP7wXgDhjil243GD89v4dm4dWj3PHM26k11UYn-m9sxEzY/s320/bruce-clone-linda-lee-britain-book-promotion-1975.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">14.
Bruce's wife, Linda Lee Cadwell, is also an important, if unwitting,
individual in this much-maligned sub-genre. You would occasionally see
some occidental actress playing her in some of these films. Linda Lee
sued the American producers/distributors of some of the Bruce clone
movies for using her late husband's likeness without the estate's permission. Two films were cited-- 1974s SUPER DRAGON, aka THE DRAGON DIES HARD and 1976s CHINESE CHIEH CHUAN KUNG FU, aka BRUCE LEE: SUPER DRAGON. The Los Angeles Superior Court ordered Allied Artists, Hallmark Productions, Esquire Productions and Winthrop Amusements to pay $25,000 to Lee's estate. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Linda Lee in Great Britain on her book tour in 1975)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MOoIa75I3BWhQ-lSkoTwDuUErScmDkZLdJ-e2gfzl5FvU4dn-SVM08eTrsve0NHhSHz1VlJhwcu3_JsivQfPMYCpmxAMlg15O9xP1gE3BLb33qNvT2_YzF6q3cHei4eLfelO3XuUOkAjHDwj7KquxCiMgDH_5tDoU0hFy0EKBgyZP6VkfLAwot4dgds/s777/bruce-clone-linda-butler-raymond.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="777" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MOoIa75I3BWhQ-lSkoTwDuUErScmDkZLdJ-e2gfzl5FvU4dn-SVM08eTrsve0NHhSHz1VlJhwcu3_JsivQfPMYCpmxAMlg15O9xP1gE3BLb33qNvT2_YzF6q3cHei4eLfelO3XuUOkAjHDwj7KquxCiMgDH_5tDoU0hFy0EKBgyZP6VkfLAwot4dgds/s320/bruce-clone-linda-butler-raymond.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When it came to the exploitation of her husband in Hong Kong, Linda Lee was reported to have objected to, then quietly dropped her rejection towards, the release of BRUCE LEE, THE MAN AND THE LEGEND (1973); the documentary Raymond Chow rushed into theaters a few months after Lee's passing. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Lee's butler Wu Ngan, Linda and Raymond Chow at court over the mysterious death of Bruce Lee in 1973)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyydFTtHIDgZNMrKzH5vZzAgxgxjcuXmI38qnZ-wxxmUORQ6tBtVxIIumNAsz7nstmYUWeesmtEP38005FqdPhvtEH472wt9v9E0a9nNUcF1qPokZOUekdWzTr1AsYsRzMq8spdWJX9mVqztBGFM7pJ7_m3-ORWq6srG3hcKnD4gEnzR17aigDMph0g9I/s782/bruce-clone-bruce-linda-bruce-birthday-1971.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyydFTtHIDgZNMrKzH5vZzAgxgxjcuXmI38qnZ-wxxmUORQ6tBtVxIIumNAsz7nstmYUWeesmtEP38005FqdPhvtEH472wt9v9E0a9nNUcF1qPokZOUekdWzTr1AsYsRzMq8spdWJX9mVqztBGFM7pJ7_m3-ORWq6srG3hcKnD4gEnzR17aigDMph0g9I/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-linda-bruce-birthday-1971.jpg" width="241" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Curiously, Linda was friendly with Bruce's paramour, Betty Ting Pei. At a court hearing about Bruce's death in October of 1973, Linda was seen holding Betty's hand. The following day she attracted more attention by personally taking Ting Pei to dinner. With Betty next to her, she made a public statement for citizens to please not believe the stories of Bruce and Betty, citing their friendship for the past year. This was a futile attempt to calm the fury of the public that felt a seething hatred
towards Ting Pei. In 1981, Betty Ting Pei revealed in an interview that she and Linda remained friends and that she had written her a letter after Bruce's death and that she would never reveal its contents. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce and Linda celebrate Lee's birthday in 1972)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZYClRz9E0uXMNXpB07SENuDj3u2jI75dc7blHbLuJdn1CgO1Of05v7lY9WFdl-YYgnRiT3FtCfYDOiG5zkF9Ic6Y4lED1qaNUnS8cAg1CM9FRv5MCAfEMMKw4py-rx0Gi6p4scnIt8r8Cpqd2gyk2HvdkVJeUjyxAjP80wqPc-TVrx0OLJUP57-NFwQ/s722/bruce-clone-robert-lee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="722" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZYClRz9E0uXMNXpB07SENuDj3u2jI75dc7blHbLuJdn1CgO1Of05v7lY9WFdl-YYgnRiT3FtCfYDOiG5zkF9Ic6Y4lED1qaNUnS8cAg1CM9FRv5MCAfEMMKw4py-rx0Gi6p4scnIt8r8Cpqd2gyk2HvdkVJeUjyxAjP80wqPc-TVrx0OLJUP57-NFwQ/s320/bruce-clone-robert-lee.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">15. Then there's Robert Lee <i>(Li Zhen Hui, or Li Jun Fai)</i>, Bruce's younger brother. He chose a different career path from his older, more famous brother. A popular HK musician in the mid to late 1960s, he would move to the United States in 1969 to go to college. While there, he took computer courses. In 1975, he recorded an album dedicated to his late sibling titled <i>'The Ballad of Bruce Lee'</i>. Robert Lee would return to Hong Kong in 1976 for singing engagements and to sign a three-picture deal with Golden Harvest. The reason he signed with the company was he wanted to make a film about his relationship with Bruce Lee. Raymond Chow had other plans, putting the singer and would-be actor in two comedies co-starring with Sylvia Chang. It was reported in 1978 that Robert was soon to begin shooting <i>'The Dragon's Brother'</i> for the company. Announced as being directed by LADY WHIRLWIND's Huang Feng <i>(sometimes listed as Wong Fung, but not the same Wong Fung that discovered Bruce Le)</i>, filming was to have taken place in Holland, South Korea and Macau. The younger Lee did do one more movie for the Central Motion Picture Company, A TITLE RE-WON (1979), a film that looks like a Chinese version of ROCKY (1976). Robert Lee did finally do a film about his brother's life in the 2010 Hong Kong film, BRUCE LEE, MY BROTHER.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjdTF8GwV2n37hH7Jfw9SuHIHu9GLlip__g259flDBf8mnn1_Q6XCCQcysM7L_56JHdrxAesP3zgvCXSlcvZKZfNO9Ro6rTM4FpPJz1AI2ET3OMN3i7RsA2HniYjvjWwkE7-HOfkSX75x2iIoecDqF97Xi7g2b6XzXzl1j4KW6XzTXTFPk8uLktxGDKw/s814/bruce-clone-dragon-lives-again.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjdTF8GwV2n37hH7Jfw9SuHIHu9GLlip__g259flDBf8mnn1_Q6XCCQcysM7L_56JHdrxAesP3zgvCXSlcvZKZfNO9Ro6rTM4FpPJz1AI2ET3OMN3i7RsA2HniYjvjWwkE7-HOfkSX75x2iIoecDqF97Xi7g2b6XzXzl1j4KW6XzTXTFPk8uLktxGDKw/s320/bruce-clone-dragon-lives-again.jpg" width="221" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">16.
One martial artist who is often referred to as a Lee impersonator
wasn't technically one of them; but did play Bruce Lee in one of the
more rare and popular clone pictures. Bruce Liang was the real deal. The
son of a well known martial arts instructor, Liang Hsiao Leung <i>(Liang Hsiao Lung)</i>
starred in THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN (1977), his one time playing Lee in
what amounted to a playful spoof that was intended to be a tribute of
sorts to the late superstar. The rumor that his penis was hard at death
is visualized for tastelessly comedic effect here. There's no plot to
speak of other than Lee goes to Hell and meets a variety of famous film
and pop culture characters like Zatoichi, Popeye, The Exorcist,
Emmanuelle, The Man With No Name, the One Armed Swordsman, etc, and
fights mummies and skeletons. Like most of these impersonator flicks,
moviegoers in Hong Kong weren't all that interested in the Dragon's
resurrection as depicted in Law Chi's cult favorite. It made HK$423,932
in six days.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmbcSjGHlt-mxTjF7GgJxPp48_576iYCz1f4R90Hz1z9b40fl6TV9_LDqc9nuYEJ3fSsXtYpW4AsDzKpLtRz_afNAfmW-7rvea0KXynGg4C0QuWGybeGLSbRLj7i8FL8jG1nf_nzGSfw54ZZCFoNBek1g6FIBeE0dVdIzig9VAohQ5VH0vT6rAEtUcO8/s764/bruce-clone-bruce-and-iron-finger.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmbcSjGHlt-mxTjF7GgJxPp48_576iYCz1f4R90Hz1z9b40fl6TV9_LDqc9nuYEJ3fSsXtYpW4AsDzKpLtRz_afNAfmW-7rvea0KXynGg4C0QuWGybeGLSbRLj7i8FL8jG1nf_nzGSfw54ZZCFoNBek1g6FIBeE0dVdIzig9VAohQ5VH0vT6rAEtUcO8/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-and-iron-finger.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">17. Director To Lo Po has the distinction of shooting movies starring the Big Three--Bruce Li, Bruce Le and Dragon Lee.
He started his career helming RETURN OF THE HERO OF THE WATERFRONT (1973), and would later direct BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER (1979), a movie with
ambiguous connections to the Little Dragon. The Chinese title <i>(BIG MASTER AND THE PROSTITUTE)</i>
zeroes in on the film's Kung Fu Murder Mystery plot, while the English
export title gives the impression you're in for some Lee-alike action.
Billed under his real name in the Chinese release, Ho Chung Tao plays a
cop named Bruce. Co-starring with him is Bruce Liang <i>(Liang Hsiao Lung)</i>. It's an unusual actioner that's worth your time if you're a KF fan. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: French poster for BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER as THE FIGHT OF THE KING OF KUNG FU)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1lgMDFqN4_NMKFzMliyBVk4lTyNjY9vVJNiz7jnKISD5iwSmXRuFTeJ3L5Xi_lKo9BkBtKm4iZK4anjVYSisOKVW2_rzgxLQ3besr3I2iU6_v0Tw5Pxe8L8z21-Wwa5Cpp_k0ikN4DSgBk_8Zs2I7t-aPBmlBGu3A1GKcsiacc5MRYcu_ztkxcqzBqU/s500/bruce-big-boss-II.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="370" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1lgMDFqN4_NMKFzMliyBVk4lTyNjY9vVJNiz7jnKISD5iwSmXRuFTeJ3L5Xi_lKo9BkBtKm4iZK4anjVYSisOKVW2_rzgxLQ3besr3I2iU6_v0Tw5Pxe8L8z21-Wwa5Cpp_k0ikN4DSgBk_8Zs2I7t-aPBmlBGu3A1GKcsiacc5MRYcu_ztkxcqzBqU/s320/bruce-big-boss-II.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director
To also directed JEET KUNE THE CLAWS AND THE SUPREME KUNG FU (1979),
aka FIST OF FURY III, discussed in PART 1; and BRUCE LE'S GREATEST
REVENGE (1979), another FIST OF FURY styled do-over. To Lo Po then
guided Dragon Lee in two Clone pictures, DRAGON BRUCE LEE PART 2 and
DRAGON LEE FIGHTS AGAIN (both 1981). The former is another FIST OF FURY
type actioner even though it also goes by the title of BIG BOSS 2,
confusingly enough. You'll see Bolo battling the Dragon in this one. The
latter title is also known as MUSCLE OF THE DRAGON. Shot entirely in
Korea, it's a Filmline Production that has footage from THE CLONES OF
BRUCE LEE <i>(also a Filmline picture)</i> inserted into it<i>. </i>Some of the film's advertising uses images of Bruce Le from CLONES.<br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another
vital figure in the American Kung Fu craze and Bruce Lee Mania phase in
the 1970s was producer-distributor Serafim Karalexis. Closing out this
two-part article series are 10 questions on his career in the business
of releasing Kung Fu films in America. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>10 QUESTIONS WITH PRODUCER SERAFIM KARALEXIS</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbdFVFA7DnDRhbilEJkpzPLyrVE7UxZUJFPJOUWu46JVlqHFOd9MjE3kl1O4fnjoYB4FVZ3RNiqXWuFJ6ImqFBfVjK80sjmfMRK22XROPbLrr_95mYUtdbbi5QXlfrcFo5-LEht5hG2XW_UuATp2HXG8-NZznqzxsyi336KsXMVYssHk6xujzcL1lQhE/s1000/bruce-clone32.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbdFVFA7DnDRhbilEJkpzPLyrVE7UxZUJFPJOUWu46JVlqHFOd9MjE3kl1O4fnjoYB4FVZ3RNiqXWuFJ6ImqFBfVjK80sjmfMRK22XROPbLrr_95mYUtdbbi5QXlfrcFo5-LEht5hG2XW_UuATp2HXG8-NZznqzxsyi336KsXMVYssHk6xujzcL1lQhE/s320/bruce-clone32.jpg" width="207" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>VENOMS5:</b> How did your interest in importing and producing Kung Fu movies start?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SERAFIM KARALEXIS:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">I saw 5 FINGERS OF DEATH and the next morning I was on a flight to Hong
Kong to acquire a martial arts film for distribution. I distributed the
second martial arts film in the US, a Shaw Brothers film, THE DUEL,
that I retitled DUEL OF THE IRON FIST.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> What led you to Yang Tze Productions in Hong Kong?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b> <span style="color: #04ff00;">I met Yeo Ban Yee <i>(Yang Man Yi)</i>,
the owner of Yang Tze Productions in 1973 in Cinecitta, Rome, Italy. I
had distributed a couple of martial arts films prior to meeting him, but
I wanted to produce one, and HK was where they were being made.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEn8Pu5jnkjXqr1kZA7jjIOywgtHYU511Z3uUkd2RuoOj1ei-BDgQ_4EwQEYkIbPDYwlm6XHkw82o-_WR0VzrfN4kupmJcEJNRzQ_uvon6ZYM53ZDgKD5vo-s0aWksZFhnkmItSrsQ-fb01m6qCgnrPcLF2nLWwaPnzN-H5nsgxsOO7qByDXl7sJUl-k/s751/bruce-clone-enter-three-dragons.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="493" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEn8Pu5jnkjXqr1kZA7jjIOywgtHYU511Z3uUkd2RuoOj1ei-BDgQ_4EwQEYkIbPDYwlm6XHkw82o-_WR0VzrfN4kupmJcEJNRzQ_uvon6ZYM53ZDgKD5vo-s0aWksZFhnkmItSrsQ-fb01m6qCgnrPcLF2nLWwaPnzN-H5nsgxsOO7qByDXl7sJUl-k/s320/bruce-clone-enter-three-dragons.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b>
What sort of man was Yang Man Yi? For an indy company he had a steady
number of films coming out per year. What was the average budget of a
Yang Tze picture?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">I knew him as Yeo Ban Yee, though his name was pronounced differently
by different people. He was a very nice person, polite, courteous and a
man of his word. We made deals on a handshake. He owned a film
developing laboratory and he produced a number of low-budget films,
lower than Shaw Brothers, though I don't know the exact amount of his
average budget, since they varied.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> He made several movies in South Korea with Jason Pai Piao and Tony <i>(Tommy)</i> Lu. Did you get to know them well?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNskdynrp5jC1KFyCQ-ffbmceFdxQSyhpiUEN4So2ExYfXugyO4SNqmhMOBbAnUx6OMgVLtS5WzX3XkDkw0ZDmRvcAavQOA0MxJsDmjqDuFTvneWLoMOC7nkq7j43PLQP89zKrrmRp4cAlszP43oY2Alrt1zdvEtUiPpwF-gSiyGHx-63-vnnvW45guU/s780/bruce-clone-death-promise.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="514" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNskdynrp5jC1KFyCQ-ffbmceFdxQSyhpiUEN4So2ExYfXugyO4SNqmhMOBbAnUx6OMgVLtS5WzX3XkDkw0ZDmRvcAavQOA0MxJsDmjqDuFTvneWLoMOC7nkq7j43PLQP89zKrrmRp4cAlszP43oY2Alrt1zdvEtUiPpwF-gSiyGHx-63-vnnvW45guU/s320/bruce-clone-death-promise.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">Yeo Ban Yee made films all over Asia, including South Korea, Malaysia,
the Philippines, and HK, and possibly other places. His interest was to
show a variety of locations and of course to find the best production
value to produce the film. Jason Pai Piao, Tommy Loo Chung and other
actors were used by Yeo for a number of films. I got to know them well,
since I was on the set everyday and we would go out to dinner. Thompson
Kao Kang also came to New York where I used him in DEATH PROMISE with
Charles Bonet.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> Did you interact much with cast and crew--and if so, were there any difficulties due to cultural differences?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">I was there on a daily basis, while the film was being produced. Most
of the guys were somewhat westernized, due to HK being a British colony
and they spoke English well. Tommy was less westernized than the rest.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvD7objmwI_QRG096wJjmRz9jWbPrT7E2WWgleF9wF8_1ciL6SVTJG_pC9x_lwk3zULcywwMaLMMQpkUDrj1R2oIConuoRZc5y3q1A0knUPQOP8_g-8aPmOYkpzzTHHstMPR-jczWCGH3hJWml0yleiT1W4FP-hmCw8CdwoJeAydf6EN7I07gFLXuTG4/s1000/bruce-clone-black-dragon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvD7objmwI_QRG096wJjmRz9jWbPrT7E2WWgleF9wF8_1ciL6SVTJG_pC9x_lwk3zULcywwMaLMMQpkUDrj1R2oIConuoRZc5y3q1A0knUPQOP8_g-8aPmOYkpzzTHHstMPR-jczWCGH3hJWml0yleiT1W4FP-hmCw8CdwoJeAydf6EN7I07gFLXuTG4/s320/bruce-clone-black-dragon.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5: </b>You had a great deal of success with THE BLACK DRAGON, aka TOUGH GUY. How did that picture come about?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">AMERICAN TOUGH GUY was the working title which I later named THE BLACK
DRAGON. It was my first co-production with Yeo Ban Yee. I wanted to use a
black actor as a co-star and not have him killed, since Jim Kelly and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were both killed in their movies. I proposed the
production to Yeo Ban Yee and he accepted my offer. Based on that, I
made a second film with him, THE DEATH OF BRUCE LEE (1975).</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3QDHBLfcm_lLPEDViOLLaoXH6W_d1xX2is89QhQcHkaC1nTc6HQ1Bxijgjo88FNQCqTxnIYAplXkctK8S0kjMwfRuVzjNz1wDLDUGBYrl-_hUEyrpEbEyYtQJchGuUwGdX3YY_gDLtJq9KyQoQ44060t6mSj_t4NEni4e9-3M7OCjYLMyaDj5kKFLo4/s935/bruce-kung-fu-fever.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3QDHBLfcm_lLPEDViOLLaoXH6W_d1xX2is89QhQcHkaC1nTc6HQ1Bxijgjo88FNQCqTxnIYAplXkctK8S0kjMwfRuVzjNz1wDLDUGBYrl-_hUEyrpEbEyYtQJchGuUwGdX3YY_gDLtJq9KyQoQ44060t6mSj_t4NEni4e9-3M7OCjYLMyaDj5kKFLo4/s320/bruce-kung-fu-fever.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> Ron Van Clief made a few more films in the series for them. I take it he had a good experience with Yang's company?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">I made two films with Yeo where I used Ron and he appeared in two other
films for Yangtze. Yeo Ban Yee did not interact with the cast very much
other than when they were hired. He was an arms-length producer and the
two co-productions I made with him, he never appeared on the set once.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6TzXLoHjvh3KcM71dz5Lx0yX17_eE3nSqo0JlLZ9HL4udiqEkqv_anUjq0l53_mB91L6SlwUOp-FgHqnJ18nCZ6xUNJedK4VIZ19xBDcEwHvr-18GdG8Rwe_Oq9_JCpM_4MzCiY-O4-BJ5kfyy2tpT57aVaEdH7J0odgCQaN8-pqB8BoD-t-ak-BI5I/s931/bruce-clone-real-bruce-lee-karalexis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6TzXLoHjvh3KcM71dz5Lx0yX17_eE3nSqo0JlLZ9HL4udiqEkqv_anUjq0l53_mB91L6SlwUOp-FgHqnJ18nCZ6xUNJedK4VIZ19xBDcEwHvr-18GdG8Rwe_Oq9_JCpM_4MzCiY-O4-BJ5kfyy2tpT57aVaEdH7J0odgCQaN8-pqB8BoD-t-ak-BI5I/s320/bruce-clone-real-bruce-lee-karalexis.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5: </b>How did THE LAST FIST OF FURY come about, and the casting of Dragon Lee, and how did it become THE REAL BRUCE LEE?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">THE REAL BRUCE LEE was a series of four B/W films of Bruce Lee when he
was a child actor. After his death, it was important to showcase his
early films, to see the acting experience he had, but the audience,
though interested, wanted to see action and Bruce Li and Dragon Lee
provided the action.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> Did you meet either Bruce Li or Bruce Le?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b> <span style="color: #04ff00;">No, though I did distribute films starring Bruce Le.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>V5:</b> What was your opinion of the Bruce Lee imitators then, and your opinion of them now?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpPNge98hZbrcKeqsjeFIG6g-3KhWAh5f4ACJR_jT_suEVqEgB4bp7BIpGhhnzkssObbGlo_1bBV_UKZixt7GkSgGhzMA8Kqm9ZpTLMw6UaYgEblOqhf4q83sD1eozSAn43tiL6cg75xfZjwddggvTsjYlacQGVvfOYbGWJCRSj96ZGqkkbRwMuITpU0/s593/bruce-clone-death-bruce-lee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpPNge98hZbrcKeqsjeFIG6g-3KhWAh5f4ACJR_jT_suEVqEgB4bp7BIpGhhnzkssObbGlo_1bBV_UKZixt7GkSgGhzMA8Kqm9ZpTLMw6UaYgEblOqhf4q83sD1eozSAn43tiL6cg75xfZjwddggvTsjYlacQGVvfOYbGWJCRSj96ZGqkkbRwMuITpU0/s320/bruce-clone-death-bruce-lee.jpg" width="209" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>SK:</b>
<span style="color: #04ff00;">There was no one who could imitate Bruce Lee. The look-alikes did not
look like Bruce Lee, act like him, or perform and fight like him. They
were acceptable at the time, since there was no other option, but today
they would not be considered to be used as imitators. There's one maybe
two other actors who are much better fighters than Bruce Li and Le, but
they would also not be able to pull off being a good Bruce Lee
imitator. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Fifty
years after Lee's passing, controversy surrounding his life and mystery
hovering over his death remain. There are only three people with the
answers to both and two of them are dead; those three being Betty Ting
Pei, Raymond Chow <i>(died November 2nd, 2018)</i>, and Bruce Lee <i>(died July 20th, 1973)</i>.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cGaXLcatQe64OQpmMH9cGinXG_EHR9UflRnnhXgFHDGA-sS88onysxkKEi0LbiERHkxGmjE2EzoKBWC_IFi66tgGr5VMKWzxYIupzsJNKan6ZXAZwgE8o-Qi82wwZyVfD2YnEhovMl5MSTJw5T_IbDZvZV-lIQqz0B1lFNYWx9iGGIzl_Waui619wUs/s874/bruce-clone-final.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="733" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cGaXLcatQe64OQpmMH9cGinXG_EHR9UflRnnhXgFHDGA-sS88onysxkKEi0LbiERHkxGmjE2EzoKBWC_IFi66tgGr5VMKWzxYIupzsJNKan6ZXAZwgE8o-Qi82wwZyVfD2YnEhovMl5MSTJw5T_IbDZvZV-lIQqz0B1lFNYWx9iGGIzl_Waui619wUs/s320/bruce-clone-final.jpg" width="268" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Looking back at the Bruceploitation movement, it was a sub-genre that was widely mocked by critics and largely rejected by the local audience. For occidental viewers, the films were akin to the Carnival Sideshow where the allure of seeing human oddities was hard to resist. The spirit of Bruce Lee and his short but successful life looms large over the men that copied him; and the movies that were less about keeping the man's name alive
than making a fast dollar off of it. Regardless, the evolution of the
Bruce Imitator phase was a distinctive time in HK
film history that cannot be captured again. It began and remains a contentious and
divisive subject that fans can relive, love, hate, and debate for years to come.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;">***This two-part article was sourced from Cinemart, Southern Screen, Hong Kong Movie News, International Screen, The Milky Way Pictorial, Fighting Stars Magazine, and Martial Arts Movies Magazine.*** <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If you'd like to purchase a copy of Serafilm Karalexis's 2023 book, <i>'How To Produce a Low Budget Film (Without Any of Your Money)'</i>, you can do so at Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Produce-Low-Budget-Film-without-money/dp/B0BVCWQR3V"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a> or directly from Bear Manor Media <a href="https://bearmanor-digital.myshopify.com/products/how-to-produce-a-low-budget-film-without-any-of-your-money-paperback"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If you'd like to read more on Kung Fu Cinema spanning the entirety of the 1970s, there's THE WILD, WILD EAST: DUEL OF THE INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANIES PARTS 1-5. <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/09/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 1</span></a>, <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/09/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent_11.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 2</span></a>, <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/09/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent_17.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 3</span></a>, <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/09/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent_25.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 4</span></a>, <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/10/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 5</span></a>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If you'd like to read interviews with actors in the Hong Kong and Taiwan movie industries, you can click the names below...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2016/06/cool-ass-cinema-presents-interview-with.html"><span style="color: red;">PHILIP KWOK</span></a> <i>(the Lizard of the FIVE VENOMS)<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2016/09/cool-ass-cinema-presents-interview-with.html"><span style="color: red;">LU FENG</span></a> <i>(the Centipede of the FIVE VENOMS)</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2023/02/an-interview-with-actor-and-filmmaker.html"><span style="color: red;">JAIME LUK KIM MING</span></a> <i>(if you're interested in the inner workings </i>o<i>f the Shaw Brothers Studio and the industry on the whole, you need to read this interview) <br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2016/07/cool-ass-cinema-presents-interview-with.html"><span style="color: red;">JOHN CHEUNG</span></a><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;"> <br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2021/11/kung-fu-theater-interviews-with-martial.html"><span style="color: red;">THOMAS TRAMMELL</span></a> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/search?q=john+ladalski"><span style="color: red;">JOHN LADALSKI</span></a> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If you want to read about the author's memories growing up with Kung Fu movies, there's FISTS, KICKS, AND KUNG FU THEATER: GROWING UP WITH MARTIAL ARTS MOVIES that you can find <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2014/06/fists-kicks-and-kung-fu-theater-growing_29.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-30579912032590635332024-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:002024-02-17T16:03:06.117-08:00Imitating the Dragon: The Historical Significance of Bruceploitation Cinema Part 1 of 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4ejEbvuCwsM2IZB0xZDQN92ytFtKxmurIszbNYFZDy2kg9qQYHsRtsX4Fs3TlkmKsu8APwwbSHs2BGLjrMbA4U00Lvj6doPHH5SzeDjTYV2HJoFwuqwfxoFXaLdD7RQ_B4jVyhBVLiEwM3yWYBzd1yA7fjFOdiFLBtq2NDYkFbqU4WBe-pUIhvbz48w/s904/bruce-clone-main-final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="904" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4ejEbvuCwsM2IZB0xZDQN92ytFtKxmurIszbNYFZDy2kg9qQYHsRtsX4Fs3TlkmKsu8APwwbSHs2BGLjrMbA4U00Lvj6doPHH5SzeDjTYV2HJoFwuqwfxoFXaLdD7RQ_B4jVyhBVLiEwM3yWYBzd1yA7fjFOdiFLBtq2NDYkFbqU4WBe-pUIhvbz48w/w400-h184/bruce-clone-main-final.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i>"<span style="color: #ffa400;">Violence is inevitable in human society.... Violence is the latent force of human nature. We can't get rid of it. However, as a filmmaker, we should not use violence as the driving force of the movie, but as a tool for entertainment. Depending on a film's plot development, the causes and the consequences cannot be settled without violence. For example, Chen Zhen in FIST OF FURY cannot use the law to resolve his grudges. In the end, he can only use violence to meet violence"</span>.</i>--Bruce Lee interview, Cinemart, October 1972 <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-xrNBz-RX6LmmhcmlFZR62uZMm-iUwhH1TW-0ks3WcKvP4JP3XQQrVEZR4b9h0l5DR2a4d6ZK1Vp8c4j6n3_aYX4LR0uKZFM9MMqGRv8PiW3ppliswE2XM2OaRERmVpZaPXfqsni5aLH1h69nkAwgYKSDHjm-2WrL0fH4co69U_XxffTsPeSzBuIty0/s500/bruce-lee10.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="366" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-xrNBz-RX6LmmhcmlFZR62uZMm-iUwhH1TW-0ks3WcKvP4JP3XQQrVEZR4b9h0l5DR2a4d6ZK1Vp8c4j6n3_aYX4LR0uKZFM9MMqGRv8PiW3ppliswE2XM2OaRERmVpZaPXfqsni5aLH1h69nkAwgYKSDHjm-2WrL0fH4co69U_XxffTsPeSzBuIty0/s320/bruce-lee10.jpg" width="234" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the fifty years since his death, Bruce Lee <i>(Li Jun Fan; Li Siu Lung)</i> remains the most influential and important martial arts figure of all time. For a man who only made four completed motion pictures in his adult years, his staying power is remarkable. His short 32 years on Earth made him legendary and an almost mystical figure that is talked about just as much today as he was back in the 1970s when the name<i> 'Bruce Lee'</i> was literally everywhere all around the world.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kVNJ4rWeo3kGFMBU7P7Ae8ODnzcLSh0lzdR1-fiqqMt-DhG0ootuVrQ0PERdY0KwwkHEyVaeX6Zaj7FA_N23Aa1mfIvBpKcyufzCe8y7H9Kb9ylo4j_5Tm1tvd3A_y6HVGU5wb1UJVnFO-fgOvvJZ78ojTSS1mR7724cnmOqzpveNQ81aPuavqdhsL8/s912/bruce-clone58-final-fist-fury-snake-shadow-lama-fist.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kVNJ4rWeo3kGFMBU7P7Ae8ODnzcLSh0lzdR1-fiqqMt-DhG0ootuVrQ0PERdY0KwwkHEyVaeX6Zaj7FA_N23Aa1mfIvBpKcyufzCe8y7H9Kb9ylo4j_5Tm1tvd3A_y6HVGU5wb1UJVnFO-fgOvvJZ78ojTSS1mR7724cnmOqzpveNQ81aPuavqdhsL8/s320/bruce-clone58-final-fist-fury-snake-shadow-lama-fist.jpg" width="222" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This two-part article—the most complete article series of its kind in English—takes a look at the progression of this oft-maligned sub-genre known as Bruceploitation: movies that--in one form or another--existed to make money off Bruce Lee's name and flamboyant personality. Most were cash-grabs; few were respectful to the material; some were parodies made in good fun; and a great many were wild excursions into tasteless entertainment. This exploitation of the Little Dragon wasn't limited to these cheaply made movies, but also used in the advertising of them; and every market around the world participated in it. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: US poster for 1979s SNAKE SHADOW, LAMA FIST starring Chi Kuan Chun, Tang Yen San and Chiang Tao as FINAL FIST OF FURY)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNcrxJpfLq9TdWnXTalHyG7brCCyDSN6e8AND5cMB4_1jYvCIzduR4TQiSGGTsjNzm5bubRv8oY5wqAzPWwb2mw4noaNn51zBDzgsBlIG0JqczacYlZoB0hSgwnwXAnPD1Mrh5pMjVOZq0_rMcrw-8NVV-sAAIOi6npp5GOzUA3aq809_esQhRoznrUU/s904/bruce-clone56-italian-action-taekwondo-1973.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNcrxJpfLq9TdWnXTalHyG7brCCyDSN6e8AND5cMB4_1jYvCIzduR4TQiSGGTsjNzm5bubRv8oY5wqAzPWwb2mw4noaNn51zBDzgsBlIG0JqczacYlZoB0hSgwnwXAnPD1Mrh5pMjVOZq0_rMcrw-8NVV-sAAIOi6npp5GOzUA3aq809_esQhRoznrUU/s320/bruce-clone56-italian-action-taekwondo-1973.jpg" width="227" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">But first, we go back to the time before Lee died. This sub-genre went through a gradual evolution before its primary Hong Kong-based phase between the years 1976-1978. In the beginning, there were actors and films that were being promoted as a new Bruce Lee, or those that imitated Lee before the actual Bruce Clone movement began; there were even examples of treacherous film producers attempting to secretly profit from Lee at the height of his popularity while he was still alive. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Italian poster for 1973s ACTION TAEKWONDO as THE INVINCIBLE HEIR TO BRUCE LEE)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYSvf0gCx-V-dex7qKKKY5I8QjNDj_8CirWfQ2xAcJo8iP0Drvn9k_19fQz-eRsoLFRvaXuugzMfliagXt9Igjbkr_ASbKXBGzvuJFeCIaxHLKyLxrDK4k_q5XvBXFTNmvTJQjORKfwmktxYkKe7lH-W3f2MWoXUUmqncvYf_0dSXcAlMQkRm4hyphenhyphenNtXQ/s816/bruce-clone54-italian-dynamite-trio-1982.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYSvf0gCx-V-dex7qKKKY5I8QjNDj_8CirWfQ2xAcJo8iP0Drvn9k_19fQz-eRsoLFRvaXuugzMfliagXt9Igjbkr_ASbKXBGzvuJFeCIaxHLKyLxrDK4k_q5XvBXFTNmvTJQjORKfwmktxYkKe7lH-W3f2MWoXUUmqncvYf_0dSXcAlMQkRm4hyphenhyphenNtXQ/s320/bruce-clone54-italian-dynamite-trio-1982.jpg" width="228" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">These early, pre-clone movies adopted the trend of having similarities in the film's Chinese titles. This followed in the tracks of what the Italian westerns had done in the wake of the Leone-Eastwood movies by having <i>'Dollars'</i> somewhere in the name. Selected box-office numbers are included where applicable so as to put the film's into context with their local appeal. Once we're knee-deep into the cloning stage, there's coverage of two of the major Lee impersonators; followed by a short list of other important actors, related individuals and examples of some of the trashiest movies this lowbrow sub-genre has to offer. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: 1982s THE DYNAMITE TRIO had nothing to do with Bruce Lee, but that didn't stop the Italians from marketing it as BRUCE LEE, THE IMMORTAL CHAMPION)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>THE WAYS OF THE DRAGON</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYcdrJ9oSwjRADD1j_ZDlj6uNaflxWyOH5dKaw5BpsA1R1t9XRIgfWijAdTDHJhc-WtF_CvsP6j32BzKTuoHi9xFGJgk7cn9dbF28VcFg6WWhW5_pNsg__DSKJsksonmL22mSxNC37JHkJ0U3V2tNMsfq_Wj31urdT_fnPougCEhlZ-ZA1NladVbsKHY/s621/ad-bruce-lee1a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYcdrJ9oSwjRADD1j_ZDlj6uNaflxWyOH5dKaw5BpsA1R1t9XRIgfWijAdTDHJhc-WtF_CvsP6j32BzKTuoHi9xFGJgk7cn9dbF28VcFg6WWhW5_pNsg__DSKJsksonmL22mSxNC37JHkJ0U3V2tNMsfq_Wj31urdT_fnPougCEhlZ-ZA1NladVbsKHY/s320/ad-bruce-lee1a.jpg" width="268" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In Hong Kong, Bruce Lee achieved god-like status and was summarily worshiped as one upon his return to the then British colony in the summer of 1971. His Hollywood career wasn't taking off the way he wanted; so things took an upturn when Lo Wei's wife at the time, Liu Liang Hua, lured him into a lucrative deal <i>(for Hong Kong)</i> to make films for the struggling Golden Harvest, a new independent company founded by Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho, and director Huang Feng. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce Lee in Hong Kong at a press conference discussing his upcoming films for Golden Harvest)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFUgfhq8wU4_KgVC0Up3t3zBd6WKbDf7l1G6KhPGHUitvf4Ucc3cvZ3f8wEDkZfyMMJeZemKyET9dyZEASwKpvgYniltUNFznvuOGQ4LwgKVJ14Q6svT66GR2LIHiSc_14klfnAq3IRrplki1kQa7pmZAHjNraPS2FMVO6FHUgaYFNvV8lQcOiaXiLz8/s869/indy-KF-article-lo-wei-bruce-lee.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFUgfhq8wU4_KgVC0Up3t3zBd6WKbDf7l1G6KhPGHUitvf4Ucc3cvZ3f8wEDkZfyMMJeZemKyET9dyZEASwKpvgYniltUNFznvuOGQ4LwgKVJ14Q6svT66GR2LIHiSc_14klfnAq3IRrplki1kQa7pmZAHjNraPS2FMVO6FHUgaYFNvV8lQcOiaXiLz8/s320/indy-KF-article-lo-wei-bruce-lee.jpg" width="236" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">History would be made when he began filming two movies for director Lo Wei, THE BIG BOSS (1971) and FIST OF FURY (1972). Neither movie was anything that hadn't already been seen before, but Lee's domestic popularity from THE GREEN HORNET and his onscreen charisma struck a chord with local audiences. THE BIG BOSS smashed box office records in HK with a 23-day haul of HK$3,197,416. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: One of the few times you'd see Bruce and Lo Wei genuinely happy in each others company)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">For a HK movie in those days, a poor to average showing ranged between 3-6 days in theaters; 7-14 days was generally a million grosser or more; but 20+ days was unheard of. Naturally, the Bruce imitations that followed used key elements from his movies. His TV appearances weren't off limits, either.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiB0iR0952zVXC37c6JFUxKSgNkTx2wFWa64TPADTX5IcJL2tbL5lmK2utZr3nHrW3C7gbcQ2_EFc6FdaVqze3WaonP8U15RNpYcx_V05EUPDXUts4yjS-XSY-EzV2FTA3SsQ21REepXkDqjtCE3_9ZYuWAl8VeKF6f5XlyVORZ7vva7dApj1Ry_99kI/s774/bruce-clone-kato.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="552" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiB0iR0952zVXC37c6JFUxKSgNkTx2wFWa64TPADTX5IcJL2tbL5lmK2utZr3nHrW3C7gbcQ2_EFc6FdaVqze3WaonP8U15RNpYcx_V05EUPDXUts4yjS-XSY-EzV2FTA3SsQ21REepXkDqjtCE3_9ZYuWAl8VeKF6f5XlyVORZ7vva7dApj1Ry_99kI/s320/bruce-clone-kato.jpg" width="228" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Bruce Lee had already made a name for himself in the United States playing Kato in THE GREEN HORNET and other appearances on American television shows. At the same time, he was making fast friends with Hollywood's finest. Citizens of Hong Kong treated him like a hometown hero upon his return, celebrating his breach of the American market and loving him for turning his attention to making movies for local audiences.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdJcIKLrhBTY8FODVEprg744c56DDalNSTWkyaJpLOWAzKa9_7pC_yUV5vkMoSzmyH2BMRNDOztzaXuht0uXWl1Soe0jNy2vbfN7_yyGC-teEVSl1p51eF6dZPrDT08nNXIC0d1gFzjqHiNhpulfZ1aYCDBQ2bGukb9-7U8Xi9dtViJsix_XsAcDpeHk/s595/bruce-clone-nora-miao.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdJcIKLrhBTY8FODVEprg744c56DDalNSTWkyaJpLOWAzKa9_7pC_yUV5vkMoSzmyH2BMRNDOztzaXuht0uXWl1Soe0jNy2vbfN7_yyGC-teEVSl1p51eF6dZPrDT08nNXIC0d1gFzjqHiNhpulfZ1aYCDBQ2bGukb9-7U8Xi9dtViJsix_XsAcDpeHk/s320/bruce-clone-nora-miao.jpg" width="313" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Lee would break box office records again with his second movie directed by Lo Wei, FIST OF FURY in 1972. It surpassed THE BIG BOSS's big numbers, making HK$4,431,424 in 29 days of theatrical release. Lee, the King of Kung Fu, would now be even more meticulous and decisive than he already was. His high standards meant he would have to continuously top himself. Lee was a complicated man. He was also arrogant and had a short fuse. With Lee, it was a constant climb to the top; even if he'd already reached it. If his next film made less than FIST, it would be a step backward in his eyes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiJCnqJh2V8gCru8_aHOkbDazORTCuLooXeE91s4SQhVwlxniBrkutUjMaDFRjPJjGBvdpPE5XygNCV5EU76nzc1MF0B3DeXhlh3uC0rkzxwU5y4mKjUM92MbN3uqnUoVfjuCON_CmXYAHA3XTt-avWbcdTPhr07nDlGjRFVm-JMDjmiFv3-x61SPcjo/s697/bruce-clone-bruce-raymond-1973.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiJCnqJh2V8gCru8_aHOkbDazORTCuLooXeE91s4SQhVwlxniBrkutUjMaDFRjPJjGBvdpPE5XygNCV5EU76nzc1MF0B3DeXhlh3uC0rkzxwU5y4mKjUM92MbN3uqnUoVfjuCON_CmXYAHA3XTt-avWbcdTPhr07nDlGjRFVm-JMDjmiFv3-x61SPcjo/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-raymond-1973.jpg" width="205" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">However, Bruce Lee had an extraordinary level of confidence. He knew his capabilities and that he held sway over the audience to a degree never before achieved by another actor. To the paying audience, he was a god. Magazine articles in HK at the time regularly reiterated that Lee was not a god, but a man like any other. It was an unusual magnitude of hero worship comparable to Mexico's adoration for wrestling sensation and actor El Santo, The Saint in English.<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> (Insert: Bruce Lee and Raymond Chow in 1973)</span></i> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIphzKFY64mO8vL3RRoFlf-5yJdMj9swuvwefbw3wPT34EJHx2Xw2eG3UMfHaxipPln4BLQVDQYnAK-wn_YPL1Armlt-SYMQ8YjCMDP4pnS9ERKz0X_7QTXNYlchpiD8Snysk-LmHbX8_-Sr5PRF63Scdr-X5zmmMlamvcqm_7HootPjoVNX1oQoikrho/s714/bruce-clone-bruce-way-dragon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIphzKFY64mO8vL3RRoFlf-5yJdMj9swuvwefbw3wPT34EJHx2Xw2eG3UMfHaxipPln4BLQVDQYnAK-wn_YPL1Armlt-SYMQ8YjCMDP4pnS9ERKz0X_7QTXNYlchpiD8Snysk-LmHbX8_-Sr5PRF63Scdr-X5zmmMlamvcqm_7HootPjoVNX1oQoikrho/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-way-dragon.jpg" width="261" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As for Bruce, he'd made a prediction to the media that his next movie would make HK$5 million at the local box office. Remarkably, and just as Lee had predicted, his directorial debut, WAY OF THE DRAGON, hit the unprecedented HK$5 million mark--surpassing it with a total of HK$5,307,350. Critics weren't exactly enthusiastic about his first time directing, pointing out how Bruce's WAY lacked finesse even if the action was his usual top tier showcase. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce filming WAY OF THE DRAGON)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6Am-cMD5sImjQCppKou61KszxjZnVdTtj5KYHjDbtrG8JRyXHYviN2clLKNIeit1AhWwEkYbRAN77xz2JykV-5tMzvCWOZPeflfY2JMPT7LOpE5pU4p6x_M0fSDeryFwmeYmqLT7iSX58HcInw92RUm_tMC_bTh-Pz_e1r4FFRQICPoGjTHJnhyphenhyphenf2MA/s810/bruce-clone-bruce-betty.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6Am-cMD5sImjQCppKou61KszxjZnVdTtj5KYHjDbtrG8JRyXHYviN2clLKNIeit1AhWwEkYbRAN77xz2JykV-5tMzvCWOZPeflfY2JMPT7LOpE5pU4p6x_M0fSDeryFwmeYmqLT7iSX58HcInw92RUm_tMC_bTh-Pz_e1r4FFRQICPoGjTHJnhyphenhyphenf2MA/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-betty.JPG" width="272" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Even before his success in Hong Kong, Bruce was obsessed with being a leading man in Hollywood; as much as his unhealthy preoccupation with his body and how he looked on camera. In one example not long before his death in 1972, he had the sweat glands removed from his armpits because he felt it soiled his appearance on-camera. Doing so carries with it life-changing risks to an assortment of bodily and nervous system functions. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: image of Betty Ting Pei; Bruce sweating profusely; and his family at the funeral)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWXNTLsNd0dooLQTTAdW9TC4Jg3NOp5eUNwfTP76-1LDS0_peQv4JTDK6zi9DUM0mJM-KsNst8WgkhgAkbIbxE-2dDGTAiKBYqHogA-2YFVu8Or9zzXhIRmW9xekpxlVUDgQ6V9Wi8glOhJe6UUhuqM1E_bzPxTmCu_iBYpiSMBor_rGqVj8KpH6BRIk/s768/bruce-clone-enter-dragon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="768" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWXNTLsNd0dooLQTTAdW9TC4Jg3NOp5eUNwfTP76-1LDS0_peQv4JTDK6zi9DUM0mJM-KsNst8WgkhgAkbIbxE-2dDGTAiKBYqHogA-2YFVu8Or9zzXhIRmW9xekpxlVUDgQ6V9Wi8glOhJe6UUhuqM1E_bzPxTmCu_iBYpiSMBor_rGqVj8KpH6BRIk/s320/bruce-clone-enter-dragon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">His long-desired lead status in a US co-production came in the form of 1973s ENTER THE DRAGON. Lee reportedly came up with the title--his self-recognition for penetrating the international market as a Chinese leading man in a non-Chinese production. His dream would come true, but he wouldn't live long enough to see it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>THE EXPLOITATION OF BRUCE LEE</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KbsUlM-bQhqGHB3fK9Xok1a4TxsjoSmoW2OTt5J0jIaK8fCowWzF5b8UNfV29OfmHqVf1kyKaKuUPErGF8aFaht9uFeC1wFRHvKVhSAvOI4Y7iaMWZJOQsrLhOr-QoCAeGoFigUbmlAwj0sY-CNPlgzdyauql2xL4-YVrJfQBAdqEL_wFdSdvVDMpHY/s1152/bruce-clone16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="993" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KbsUlM-bQhqGHB3fK9Xok1a4TxsjoSmoW2OTt5J0jIaK8fCowWzF5b8UNfV29OfmHqVf1kyKaKuUPErGF8aFaht9uFeC1wFRHvKVhSAvOI4Y7iaMWZJOQsrLhOr-QoCAeGoFigUbmlAwj0sY-CNPlgzdyauql2xL4-YVrJfQBAdqEL_wFdSdvVDMpHY/s320/bruce-clone16.jpg" width="276" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In America and Hong Kong, Lee had many friends; one of the closest was childhood pal Unicorn Chan. An acrobat and stuntman, his friendship with Lee was covertly used to make money off the superstar's name in a movie titled FIST OF UNICORN (1973). In the fall of 1972, Shing Hai Films <i>(Star Sea Motion Pictures)</i> took out a full page ad promoting Lee's participation. It's unclear who or how many were involved in the deception, but Bruce offered to design the fights for his friend's big break in front of the camera so long as it was understood he would not be appearing with him. While Bruce worked on the set, one or more individuals shot footage of Lee choreographing the action with the intention of using it in the movie in some way. When Lee found out, he reportedly threatened a lawsuit if his presence wasn't removed. He was featured prominently in the HK trailer, shown working on the set. It was Unicorn Chan's debut in front of the camera, but the publicity was largely focused around Lee. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This likewise didn't stop overseas distributors from trying to make bank off Lee's name when the film played in America in 1973 as BRUCE LEE AND I <i>(not to be confused with the Betty Ting Pei produced biopic from 1976)</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ouEUiAZHWHk4tlEcsyUy0WM_Ony-dlleP8KguPzwbEeWG1L-rQNdzTLON6UDbVQd-szY3aRIYEBYX8gds6-wXJyXflkIgGzNP_lOEJ8Jx7UivlHEr0k7g_tJmZwBtl9S-S2OJ2scFtVfNYH1qAh1fJkPLOFIve2Gvpq-JcbAP9D8BJDR_SS4R_5-Sik/s764/bruce-lee-fist-of-unicorn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ouEUiAZHWHk4tlEcsyUy0WM_Ony-dlleP8KguPzwbEeWG1L-rQNdzTLON6UDbVQd-szY3aRIYEBYX8gds6-wXJyXflkIgGzNP_lOEJ8Jx7UivlHEr0k7g_tJmZwBtl9S-S2OJ2scFtVfNYH1qAh1fJkPLOFIve2Gvpq-JcbAP9D8BJDR_SS4R_5-Sik/s320/bruce-lee-fist-of-unicorn.jpg" width="209" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A small company called Pacific Grove initially made up posters for the movie boasting, <i>"The most exciting Kung Fu picture ever directed by Bruce Lee"</i>. At the bottom stating, <i>"Directed by and choreographed by Bruce Lee"</i>. The company even used a still photo of Bruce working with Unicorn Chan on the set as its main image <i>(see insert image)</i>. An alternate version was also issued using an image from the movie and removed wording declaring Bruce Lee as the director; although the movie itself displays Bruce Lee as the film's director and fight designer. Additionally, the dubbed version retains the deceptive Bruce Lee footage as well as images of him that are awkwardly spread throughout the film.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8vJhz4_Byu4Swn4FoT0Edeu6WP7eLRyXlszltnrJbaqezczzbn8hEUpNoYNG7XYEDa5mCdLCh3-C6T3NRvaPsj1S2TftYbDyw01BwYqzcQ6opLGnr1I-bKwsyKm1_qoA1h3KqwcBXMRYnAhlEJ4h9xd-yU-caBGpqSwvUuCSRAQzWNDm886r888TX14/s916/ad-bruce-lee-unicorn-chan-fist-unicorn-october-1972.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8vJhz4_Byu4Swn4FoT0Edeu6WP7eLRyXlszltnrJbaqezczzbn8hEUpNoYNG7XYEDa5mCdLCh3-C6T3NRvaPsj1S2TftYbDyw01BwYqzcQ6opLGnr1I-bKwsyKm1_qoA1h3KqwcBXMRYnAhlEJ4h9xd-yU-caBGpqSwvUuCSRAQzWNDm886r888TX14/s320/ad-bruce-lee-unicorn-chan-fist-unicorn-october-1972.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This early instance of Bruceploitation foreshadows the prime ingredients the sub-genre would use a few years later. The films were frequently about the movie industry and the duplicitous figures in front and behind the camera. In the case of FIST OF UNICORN, the exploiting of Lee was occurring right in front of him. Had he lived, this eternally-scorned sub-genre would never have existed. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce Lee working with Unicorn Chan on the set of FIST OF UNICORN)</span><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIAfvnCp9jvMn789IQSLPhDZ1wLp48YXjRcpVsp6E0sp3bNQ45wOV39XQZa-tl58d1Uso-5QTUyi38Z1pwU57LKRFBWUjx36NK08iJHU0fLe458gkPZVUifbT3su887V7E0WL9WJY6MWE3v-y2Sr-OQeJXojTfjNzxznPwrFUypZLHoAWOz0ApplnFRo/s840/bruce-clone46-bruce-man-legend.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="840" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIAfvnCp9jvMn789IQSLPhDZ1wLp48YXjRcpVsp6E0sp3bNQ45wOV39XQZa-tl58d1Uso-5QTUyi38Z1pwU57LKRFBWUjx36NK08iJHU0fLe458gkPZVUifbT3su887V7E0WL9WJY6MWE3v-y2Sr-OQeJXojTfjNzxznPwrFUypZLHoAWOz0ApplnFRo/s320/bruce-clone46-bruce-man-legend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY9vqCn9_gFGzyGrfZbzVJndxd64HJ3qBueZxl__PvgtNkY2jKjsK3v8GJGHATV59c_fh6rWOw_1EOEik9iGTDDFy0wDOE2zwJbzJZuqLd51NVhjTFva79bBikK4NGdHHnzT9f7Lnv88cdnZoDRKiMF0I1WZA6fDq51H7shilueeXYjhJT01qpgIeOO4/s695/bruce-clone-bruce-brandon-shannon-1972.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY9vqCn9_gFGzyGrfZbzVJndxd64HJ3qBueZxl__PvgtNkY2jKjsK3v8GJGHATV59c_fh6rWOw_1EOEik9iGTDDFy0wDOE2zwJbzJZuqLd51NVhjTFva79bBikK4NGdHHnzT9f7Lnv88cdnZoDRKiMF0I1WZA6fDq51H7shilueeXYjhJT01qpgIeOO4/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-brandon-shannon-1972.jpg" width="251" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The earliest example of exploiting the Dragon posthumously occurred a few months after he died, and came from Raymond Chow and directed by a former AD at Shaw Brothers named Wu Shih. 1973s BRUCE LEE: THE MAN AND THE LEGEND <i>(released in America in a re-edited version in 1984)</i> was akin to a Mondo movie opening and ending with Lee's funerals in HK and in Seattle, Washington. In between, a narrator describes lots of footage of Asian and American film stars talking about Lee while odd musical cues play on the soundtrack. The emphasis on the man's life and death, married to the clips of his funeral, would form the crux of so many of the imitator movies that would slowly begin seeping into theaters between 1974-1975 and picking up steam by 1976, the Year of the Dragon. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Bruce at home in HK in 1972 with a young Brandon and Shannon Lee)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBCtCGxvU1DbjMjDxR6FsY3bNBJKnWqY0r50gLk04Ojvgx5kSpOeVsmamcW9lMgZ9xY0qdAQfqS8fdMsjrmO9i5gzMmvPcjfyJ5OoWvxyw55cqoWBkN0NCqFKjk6M8n_MTqv7mhy93oBodJidzxmeV-TrqTPwSMh9eubpClVUcluR5id_bGsGpUwIja0/s953/bruce-lee-son-of-dragon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="626" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBCtCGxvU1DbjMjDxR6FsY3bNBJKnWqY0r50gLk04Ojvgx5kSpOeVsmamcW9lMgZ9xY0qdAQfqS8fdMsjrmO9i5gzMmvPcjfyJ5OoWvxyw55cqoWBkN0NCqFKjk6M8n_MTqv7mhy93oBodJidzxmeV-TrqTPwSMh9eubpClVUcluR5id_bGsGpUwIja0/s320/bruce-lee-son-of-dragon.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Not to be outdone by devious Hong Kong filmmakers, American producers decided to stitch four episodes of the old GREEN HORNET (1966-1968) television series together and release it to theaters in 1974 as a new Bruce Lee movie. Titled THE GREEN HORNET, it made enough money to prompt producer Laurence Joachim to poach more footage from the series. This second go-round, though, was marketed like a Bruce clone picture with the title FURY OF THE DRAGON (1976). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8U9ORObEyunQlrjjqdb05-H0hyu0fNCb_kyvpvMl3LtXGgbgWrIJaM8KCeJYeo6cld787QBh3pwsySKHnAfcVM1qrBSFINH9cJWgzWW-YUZ9kr52sqAPV0gNM-BdzGRuFKtK3JVhh6oqBnADZ88C2tNndsTuqqgaqyKTyqwNlT1AawXRie6gO48x9iIk/s959/bruce-clone-fury-dragon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8U9ORObEyunQlrjjqdb05-H0hyu0fNCb_kyvpvMl3LtXGgbgWrIJaM8KCeJYeo6cld787QBh3pwsySKHnAfcVM1qrBSFINH9cJWgzWW-YUZ9kr52sqAPV0gNM-BdzGRuFKtK3JVhh6oqBnADZ88C2tNndsTuqqgaqyKTyqwNlT1AawXRie6gO48x9iIk/s320/bruce-clone-fury-dragon.jpg" width="223" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Putting aside the avarice involved in bleeding profit from a dead man's name, these two unethical productions have eye-catching comic book poster artwork, the second of which is by Philip Williams. He painted around two dozen Kung Fu movie posters in both Europe and America--some of the titles include STREET GANGS OF HONG KONG (1973), aka THE DELINQUENT, THE CHINATOWN KID (1977), and Italian posters for THE WAY OF THE DRAGON (1972), THE CHINESE BOXER (1970), and THE CHIVALROUS KNIGHT (1973), aka CHINESE GODFATHER.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0huG925ju_nEacQX8wzK-BpsYmAR2U-UqFwJvY1qmTQPXW53s4TCFcU2rqlT1tfwZ6X73vpBa0w4342LSOxcNr-CE1dhG-1P2LJRpMDJAK09ESya4ucufUKTO7E_-1YquOb-6hZ9vfy52eeN34VR_nbjWSN1qgKyiA15C0QIjQAJai42GcR_ZmCwCTY/s884/bruce-clone51-italian-poster-crippled-masters.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0huG925ju_nEacQX8wzK-BpsYmAR2U-UqFwJvY1qmTQPXW53s4TCFcU2rqlT1tfwZ6X73vpBa0w4342LSOxcNr-CE1dhG-1P2LJRpMDJAK09ESya4ucufUKTO7E_-1YquOb-6hZ9vfy52eeN34VR_nbjWSN1qgKyiA15C0QIjQAJai42GcR_ZmCwCTY/s320/bruce-clone51-italian-poster-crippled-masters.jpg" width="230" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Before there were actors performing literal impersonations of Bruce Lee, Taiwanese Kung Fu pictures had actors implementing Lee's on-screen mannerisms into their performances. In some cases, producers were seemingly lifting ideas Lee was utilizing in his then unfinished GAME OF DEATH; a movie he began shooting in 1972, but wouldn't see the light of a film projector till 1978 when it was completed and released. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Italian poster for 1980s THE CRIPPLED MASTERS as THE MASTERSTROKE OF BRUCE LEE)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>DRAGON FROM TAIWAN <br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaC7kIQjNdOfCE7n3nWJcoSYEATlUHVVA6EMQFiVMXp7xdeRkCd0M_pO_OBPF3MN55Wxa2H1ZXrSRLYTqmxOfnIlUj0rxcdu85-fkFdYjbvZRE42TrBOcLWGZJcXG8y6jscGfxHcyvt2LKnrcBdzNOjRxyduELTtaskTnhrcWrg9ivBPHKHCHr5ofJhUc/s776/bruce-clone45-tong-lung-ferocious-brothers-1972.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaC7kIQjNdOfCE7n3nWJcoSYEATlUHVVA6EMQFiVMXp7xdeRkCd0M_pO_OBPF3MN55Wxa2H1ZXrSRLYTqmxOfnIlUj0rxcdu85-fkFdYjbvZRE42TrBOcLWGZJcXG8y6jscGfxHcyvt2LKnrcBdzNOjRxyduELTtaskTnhrcWrg9ivBPHKHCHr5ofJhUc/s320/bruce-clone45-tong-lung-ferocious-brothers-1972.jpg" width="231" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In 1972, Taiwan needed their own Bruce Lee, so Taiwanese martial arts instructor Tong Lung <i>(aka Luo Chen, the elder brother of Alexander Luo Rei)</i> was being promoted as The Little Dragon's match. The media had been doing the same with Chen Kuan Tai at Shaw Brothers when BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972) grossed over HK$2 million. Chen was also a martial arts teacher and tournament champion. Tong Lung, though, had a physique that was not only comparable to Lee's, but was even more muscular. Tong's first movie was the HK-Taiwan co-production, THE FEROCIOUS BROTHERS (1972). The film's Chinese title translates to <i>'The Dragon and Tiger Cross the River'</i>. The Chinese title of Bruce Lee's WAY OF THE DRAGON is <i>'The Fierce Dragon Crosses the River'</i>. With Taiwan marketing its own action movie star as comparable to Bruce Lee, they would also give him the stage name of Tong Lung; which happened to be the name of Lee's character in WAY OF THE DRAGON.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinD4JX6ROvu1gJ4uYw4CH-xiGhwBC_NQ04BS_sOLHa72KP2tBvDn3iEPGnwcrZkM6iI85wStWF04qpSDQ8QQuuWcWh2skfz3JLEQyALavNq0hB1a3yGeXgOj-5YX4h9yq2jOmK_Me1s3fh8CIiSs5MYN8LHGVYrz240cAqTVXqvmj9zR-u3lUgJAmOWP0/s800/bruce-clone38-two-tigers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="559" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinD4JX6ROvu1gJ4uYw4CH-xiGhwBC_NQ04BS_sOLHa72KP2tBvDn3iEPGnwcrZkM6iI85wStWF04qpSDQ8QQuuWcWh2skfz3JLEQyALavNq0hB1a3yGeXgOj-5YX4h9yq2jOmK_Me1s3fh8CIiSs5MYN8LHGVYrz240cAqTVXqvmj9zR-u3lUgJAmOWP0/s320/bruce-clone38-two-tigers.jpg" width="224" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What else is notable about the Chinese name for THE FEROCIOUS BROTHERS is that it's also a reference to Jimmy Wang Yu's blockbusting trendsetter THE CHINESE BOXER (1970), known in Chinese as <i>'The Dragon and Tiger Meet'</i>. For this occasion, combining two hit films names <i>(CHINESE BOXER's HK$2+ million and WAY's HK$5+ million)</i> would hopefully equal to big box office. Similarities in these film's Chinese titles are one of the steps in the evolution of this peculiar Bruce Clone phenomenon.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k1dl5rt_K6WwaDTC-tHVd7eXic1jsALyyNjvtZ0pDZjYpszNXErVbqn1vITq8M-HMUjyY0ShYnj_gvQEgX-KiJFF4U9AtGAi96AQuR7eOa2zrWb6zKAhE7i_ndb_a9vMDk3IcGDvmC9jdD7tj4o6R7j9EG0QaiLAMV53tG6zkXuu9LotwE8LWm-6VG8/s700/bruce-clone-tong-long-bruce-vs-chinese-frankenstein.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="700" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k1dl5rt_K6WwaDTC-tHVd7eXic1jsALyyNjvtZ0pDZjYpszNXErVbqn1vITq8M-HMUjyY0ShYnj_gvQEgX-KiJFF4U9AtGAi96AQuR7eOa2zrWb6zKAhE7i_ndb_a9vMDk3IcGDvmC9jdD7tj4o6R7j9EG0QaiLAMV53tG6zkXuu9LotwE8LWm-6VG8/s320/bruce-clone-tong-long-bruce-vs-chinese-frankenstein.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Tong's other early 70s movies bore similarities to the Chinese titles of Lee's films as well. In some cases, the same applied to the English-translated titles, too. THE GROWLING TIGER's (1974) Chinese title is <i>'Tiger Killer From Tangshan'</i>. This is a play on Lee's THE BIG BOSS (1971), which is known as <i>'Big Brother From Tangshan'</i> in Chinese. In another example of title manipulation, Tong Lung's ON THE VERGE OF DEATH (1973) was released in some markets as BRUCE LEE VS. CHINESE FRANKENSTEIN.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH4AtCa9BAlUvUcsXyuiqpKSLeJ9iaEq13IILOm7pUuOUxissSFtysuukQJDEK-Chhl-bPwsfhAvXh_ElG2mJDkq5zVFts4uJ8gTh9u87jS5mA1MvMgZjuQNBc2w7JtvorRmp8eHltjFD0uvTptpPG34eyDNY4ZNDZZ2Q8acfYH3587urqXSHM5nKlBw/s765/bruce-lee-black-dragon-vs-yellow-tiger-growling-tiger-1974.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH4AtCa9BAlUvUcsXyuiqpKSLeJ9iaEq13IILOm7pUuOUxissSFtysuukQJDEK-Chhl-bPwsfhAvXh_ElG2mJDkq5zVFts4uJ8gTh9u87jS5mA1MvMgZjuQNBc2w7JtvorRmp8eHltjFD0uvTptpPG34eyDNY4ZNDZZ2Q8acfYH3587urqXSHM5nKlBw/s320/bruce-lee-black-dragon-vs-yellow-tiger-growling-tiger-1974.jpg" width="209" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Just as Wang Yu's directing debut inspired numerous <i>'Hard Fist & Kick'</i> movies using <i>'Dragon'</i> and <i>'Tiger'</i> in the title, the wildly successful Bruce Lee pictures did the same by influencing other filmmakers to mimic them in the hopes it would produce a sizable hit. Independent companies were especially hungry for a BIG BOSS-sized smash that would hopefully make the producers lots of money; and enable a fledgling company to survive in an industry cranking out 110-130 movies a year.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG0WIASDQyzH4KnmBCo2PIPjMpYzoQef6hVvXNlf6Eyk_XyRwULGmC0Fsv-RUrOWOVc2gtWoQwBqildl59xOIMimSW3hBiL1ytapHJvPEhoJW8igEV_w-01TyC7GU1jlh-qYvT1G8ozPfd23i1ZHbvLB8IU-8lrj6eUVLtFRI2uHF7Grt9HU-0O8Grig/s411/bruce-clone55-tong-lung-italian-growling-tiger.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG0WIASDQyzH4KnmBCo2PIPjMpYzoQef6hVvXNlf6Eyk_XyRwULGmC0Fsv-RUrOWOVc2gtWoQwBqildl59xOIMimSW3hBiL1ytapHJvPEhoJW8igEV_w-01TyC7GU1jlh-qYvT1G8ozPfd23i1ZHbvLB8IU-8lrj6eUVLtFRI2uHF7Grt9HU-0O8Grig/s320/bruce-clone55-tong-lung-italian-growling-tiger.jpg" width="229" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In Europe, THE GROWLING TIGER either had the name <i>'Bruce Lee'</i> in the title, or the poster artwork depicted Tong brandishing nunchucks to give audiences the impression they're getting some Lee-like action. In Germany it was called REVENGE FOR BRUCE LEE while in America it was known as THE BLACK DRAGON VS. THE YELLOW TIGER <i>(see above insert)</i>. The film's Chinese poster featured as its primary selling point, Tong Lung battling a black martial arts fighter; likely influenced by the ballyhoo of Bruce Lee battling Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the footage filmed for GAME OF DEATH in 1972. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Italian poster for THE GROWLING TIGER as THE TIGER FROM MANCHURIA)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSXMWUApym4im4QN435h6AAfScNtPdwgkKHUmX9oJdHPN5mnnVGMz6itxEJidfCOmkOmI9-TTmV-xAaCemUlo75uSHfJn6m-yzQkLrbE0gZz9y-k3nH8zAQRFoOIeSUr3H0IB-oiQIDr7Or8LZ0v0_IF6_D6hkSdN8iDWYHE5uIo4TPzcqbCNiYT43w8/s731/bruce-clone-game-death-1972.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSXMWUApym4im4QN435h6AAfScNtPdwgkKHUmX9oJdHPN5mnnVGMz6itxEJidfCOmkOmI9-TTmV-xAaCemUlo75uSHfJn6m-yzQkLrbE0gZz9y-k3nH8zAQRFoOIeSUr3H0IB-oiQIDr7Or8LZ0v0_IF6_D6hkSdN8iDWYHE5uIo4TPzcqbCNiYT43w8/s320/bruce-clone-game-death-1972.jpg" width="227" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When Bruce began shooting GAME OF DEATH in late '72, he wanted to top himself yet again. He was consumed by thoughts of giving audiences something new in every film he made. For GAME, he envisioned a plethora of martial artists battling inside a multi-level pagoda that was possibly inspired by the one constructed specially for Chang Cheh's HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL (1970). One of those fighters was 7'2" basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His casting was integral to the promotion of Lee's film; while also being crucial to the metamorphosis of Bruce Imitator cinema. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Once Warner Bros. offered Lee the lead in what would become ENTER THE DRAGON <i>(a co-production with Golden Harvest and Lee's own company, Concorde Pictures)</i>, he put GAME OF DEATH on hold till he realized his dream to be a leading actor in a non-Chinese movie. And then, a month before ENTER THE DRAGON hit American theaters, Bruce Lee died.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>CHINESE CONNECTIONS: BRUCE AND BETTY<br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbakMnkkGW6AOx_I4jfVJBrqgvp-40eZ-6T5Ds84yz_HyVQ_UpCc4KvZAVTz_35_FO74OQfyWpiShk3kH9oxfXAc4h2EfWOAH2aHEbr8vekkBAwEzzwW-TeJwjLWGwNXOlCYL0aLhhXHRufrM4OY-n-ikFXXD0cd66jo7-e1L2C8ZNHPck7lqfT22-cQ/s873/bruce-clone-ting-pei.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="589" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbakMnkkGW6AOx_I4jfVJBrqgvp-40eZ-6T5Ds84yz_HyVQ_UpCc4KvZAVTz_35_FO74OQfyWpiShk3kH9oxfXAc4h2EfWOAH2aHEbr8vekkBAwEzzwW-TeJwjLWGwNXOlCYL0aLhhXHRufrM4OY-n-ikFXXD0cd66jo7-e1L2C8ZNHPck7lqfT22-cQ/s320/bruce-clone-ting-pei.JPG" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On July 20th, 1973, a week before ENTER THE DRAGON was shown in HK theaters, Bruce Lee passed away in the apartment of actress Betty Ting Pei, a woman who was also his mistress. Media reports at the time were alight with accusations and conspiracy theories that branded responsibility for Lee's death on everything and everybody but Lee himself. Ting Pei was blamed, Raymond Chow was blamed; conspiracies abounded that Lee was poisoned by the Triads, he was a victim of the Death Touch, and so on. Lee had only been a superstar for a few short years and the public perceived him as something of a Superman; to say his sudden death shocked the masses is an understatement. Some who couldn't come to grips with the fact the man had died even
believed Lee had faked his own death. It's a fascinating topic that, in some ways,
remains shrouded in mystery 50 years later. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQY3FdjB-sxml0KRSWkqukwoOegzlbS70KlzeJt_k9mwDNRBR4JSzS2Z5tgyTeCVwC7EPOeludpdGpradR5fRtKO0-cSqa5HNvxrjPJZCXyRFt8q53Msa-1KXgKZKO1Ztb3qVHyokredbwnr3gaadDMzQCKYFLRDlYukLl3PA4XbQuqrPdPzuiBsLBwo/s994/bruce-clone-bruce-funeral.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="696" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQY3FdjB-sxml0KRSWkqukwoOegzlbS70KlzeJt_k9mwDNRBR4JSzS2Z5tgyTeCVwC7EPOeludpdGpradR5fRtKO0-cSqa5HNvxrjPJZCXyRFt8q53Msa-1KXgKZKO1Ztb3qVHyokredbwnr3gaadDMzQCKYFLRDlYukLl3PA4XbQuqrPdPzuiBsLBwo/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-funeral.JPG" width="224" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On the record, his death is listed as cerebral edema, swelling of the brain. To this day, there are only theories on how it happened. In light of recently surfaced letters between Lee and Bob Baker <i>(who played the Russian fighter in FIST OF FURY)</i>, it's possible Lee's drug addiction contributed to his death. You can't push your body past its limitations while ingesting harmful drugs like cocaine and LSD and not expect your body to give out at some point. Lee loved himself some marijuana too; but coupled with harder drugs and a fast-living lifestyle, his penchant for pushing his body far more than resting it was a recipe for disaster. His short time on Earth only fueled wild imaginations and it wasn't long before salacious movies about his life would be made... and thus the next, and highly controversial, level in the evolutionary chain of the Bruce Clone phase would begin.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvR_Dmk3KijP2-WGZ4U3K-kgjdHkvjaNDmvepTgcs5vAru9XzX3zoeP0uucZezpfoc8L7ARyEMzNF8V2fMKpCSZGZG-TsXoPqFMc1ni_pWDepTkNeYOYpILVqPwBzjjzhuHmLaxkk-0Ov5-hdgdUnXbomvf_OHl3sDYGlgOgpQhMZ7SyhgWRmmPw1xYI/s706/bruce-clone-danny-lee.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="517" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvR_Dmk3KijP2-WGZ4U3K-kgjdHkvjaNDmvepTgcs5vAru9XzX3zoeP0uucZezpfoc8L7ARyEMzNF8V2fMKpCSZGZG-TsXoPqFMc1ni_pWDepTkNeYOYpILVqPwBzjjzhuHmLaxkk-0Ov5-hdgdUnXbomvf_OHl3sDYGlgOgpQhMZ7SyhgWRmmPw1xYI/s320/bruce-clone-danny-lee.JPG" width="234" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By 1976, the sub-genre would be in full swing; spearheaded by BRUCE LEE AND I, a biopic produced in 1975 by Betty Ting Pei, filmed at Shaw Studio, and distributed by them. In the early months of 1973, it was reported that Run Run Shaw had agreed to pay Bruce Lee HK$2.5 million <i>(US$400,000)</i> to star in an historical actioner to have been directed by Chu Yuan. Filming was estimated to have begun in April of 1973. Since that production never got off the ground due to the death of the star, this serious-minded biopic was the next best thing. Till legalities were settled, Bruce Lee's name was listed only as <i>"The Superstar"</i>. Danny Lee <i>(Li Hsueh Hsin)</i> was playing the charismatic Kung Fu master. There was another film coming out with a similar Ting Pei-centric storyline called GOLDEN SUN. That picture featured actress Chen Pei Ling playing Betty Ting Pei. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Danny Lee stated in an interview at the time he wasn't pleased with his work on BRUCE LEE AND I because he wasn't given a copy of the script beforehand; all of his direction was given to him by director Lo Mar everyday he reported to the set. However, he did an incredibly good job in the role.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJFl-9f4xmMPHKPlkck9ZVDAIR1WSGlbwU1i0HxIYP3x5o46FB2Hu4_ll5QQG2loNqJd9KeVWt6JofcG-fEEGeGYkv_VxidiahEREFggpAnc-svicMqmAhpI56SnRTSCAY7Z8vLoIqRfWIthzNeIsZg_I2l8BbyBSo9ikJkjDGQf3wpGC4zZnhKrfb5g/s764/bruce-lee-bruce-lee-and-I-danish-poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="559" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJFl-9f4xmMPHKPlkck9ZVDAIR1WSGlbwU1i0HxIYP3x5o46FB2Hu4_ll5QQG2loNqJd9KeVWt6JofcG-fEEGeGYkv_VxidiahEREFggpAnc-svicMqmAhpI56SnRTSCAY7Z8vLoIqRfWIthzNeIsZg_I2l8BbyBSo9ikJkjDGQf3wpGC4zZnhKrfb5g/s320/bruce-lee-bruce-lee-and-I-danish-poster.jpg" width="234" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This one was unique in that it was told from the perspective of the last person to see Lee alive, that being his lover, Betty Ting Pei--the lead role in the movie. Curiously, this example of Bruceploitation is possibly the most respectable and accurate depiction of this time in the man's life. That's not saying a great deal, but important events are treated more tactfully than they were in other films dealing with the subject matter. BRUCE LEE AND I made HK$644,908 in its 7 days of theatrical play. In America it was released as BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST DAYS, HIS LAST NIGHTS and had additional nudity not found in the HK cut. Despite being slickly directed by award-winning director John Lo Mar--who was known for helming dramas prior to this--the picture did nothing to salvage Ting Pei's reputation. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert image: racy Danish poster as BRUCE LEE AND I)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg896hymxXpYIM28ctnQd-Qo4GCObSk-ySRqC1SwrNlTNtPS2t_J_w_tWh3xWq34Kph6qbRIyk0PWMeDcjn4Nz6G5Y1BBz6EeA8-y7obhOCRreqAp-54qaGfIebvGOXEpFmAWGr7yA3XfPVtqSd42A13jUUVHDj6IJw6IURS0qxWDEJ-RFsGfpkvLtgXWc/s821/bruce-clone-bruce-lee-and-I-italian.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg896hymxXpYIM28ctnQd-Qo4GCObSk-ySRqC1SwrNlTNtPS2t_J_w_tWh3xWq34Kph6qbRIyk0PWMeDcjn4Nz6G5Y1BBz6EeA8-y7obhOCRreqAp-54qaGfIebvGOXEpFmAWGr7yA3XfPVtqSd42A13jUUVHDj6IJw6IURS0qxWDEJ-RFsGfpkvLtgXWc/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-lee-and-I-italian.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Considering what was going on during this time period and the public's and media's seething hatred towards Ting Pei, this production is one of the most important in the Bruce imitator series. Several other Bruce-biopic films would feature actresses playing Ting Pei with varying degrees of fact vs. fiction. Prior to Danny Lee, there had already been a few films starring a man who got his first leading role playing Bruce Lee. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: Italian poster for BRUCE LEE AND I)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>ENTER THE IMITATORS: HO TSUNG TAO AS BRUCE LI</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VMgrrOf1DhJfY4xlhi4cqPlzGRClXNXORlQkMG40CvAuz9AkX5Z-09hRKFSs7JaxXaLgHH1eU1diGpjk_wZmY2aqnFTGzhJls2hRPZwhHQaRDd6mYhbAzU6_f1tuVG54x2UAmYkl9yUGDJHpdBSGsHp43zt2fuCO-x4AnvL8r_eftsq-Aw_ySLzL5JA/s910/bruce-clone-bruce-lee.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VMgrrOf1DhJfY4xlhi4cqPlzGRClXNXORlQkMG40CvAuz9AkX5Z-09hRKFSs7JaxXaLgHH1eU1diGpjk_wZmY2aqnFTGzhJls2hRPZwhHQaRDd6mYhbAzU6_f1tuVG54x2UAmYkl9yUGDJHpdBSGsHp43zt2fuCO-x4AnvL8r_eftsq-Aw_ySLzL5JA/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-lee.jpg" width="186" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When the Bruce clone sub-genre reached its final stage, those movies shared commonality with Lee's outer-body obsession by focusing on recapturing his looks, his attire, his mannerisms, his life... but tossing out his style of action choreography. Having been spoiled on Hollywood methods, Lee wasn't interested in traditional Chinese-style action design. His style was somewhere in the middle. It was superior to American action sequences but lacked the more complicated move sets seen in innumerable Hong Kong Kung Fu pictures.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOOq2-5QWNfprM32C3gVZWcVD-Qh9AuorOtEZSuINkO0HLMYruzPMbIGlxVVOU3wKfxKmoIZCrst60d68YSGGhvi4utPlDTPWCdzInAnbogZlN1DrgkX4_5JnFE-lMtd1TbkUXHMeh5KKfPX-a63IH6v7jZKeQOu47stwA1oCtpCWgPdMiRixrd0-xSc/s600/bruce-clone-new-game-of-death-spanish.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOOq2-5QWNfprM32C3gVZWcVD-Qh9AuorOtEZSuINkO0HLMYruzPMbIGlxVVOU3wKfxKmoIZCrst60d68YSGGhvi4utPlDTPWCdzInAnbogZlN1DrgkX4_5JnFE-lMtd1TbkUXHMeh5KKfPX-a63IH6v7jZKeQOu47stwA1oCtpCWgPdMiRixrd0-xSc/s320/bruce-clone-new-game-of-death-spanish.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">After his death, Chinese movie-makers ignored Lee's preference for limited kicks and punches and went for the longer fighting sequences. Lee was a perfectionist, picking and choosing his scripts wisely, and avoided shooting more than one film at the time. When he died, Chinese filmmakers would mass-produce imitator movies; including the ones that either put <i>"Bruce Lee"</i> in a pseudo-biographical adventure, or created an entirely new one that exploited his name and appearance. In some cases, these movies would use archival footage of Bruce while he was alive and even footage from his funeral that would end up as a plot point. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Spanish poster for 1975s NEW GAME OF DEATH)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHorS2jFxln0hpOCxpidT-HOgPKeTU-di9uxGM-CD3CWMThOC1qOYZxNXHyny9zU-5xZf39iflihhC1yoNT0ptdQViI3i0c3apXOfBI2Y2JYGoA4dGfM5BfkpBv5CvCbS8wy6CzcWMUm3COkGHv6VDcvWlthyphenhyphenA8wAdYTZftr_pPcjfbAkWMvwxfrZ6Lk/s707/bruce-clone9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="567" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHorS2jFxln0hpOCxpidT-HOgPKeTU-di9uxGM-CD3CWMThOC1qOYZxNXHyny9zU-5xZf39iflihhC1yoNT0ptdQViI3i0c3apXOfBI2Y2JYGoA4dGfM5BfkpBv5CvCbS8wy6CzcWMUm3COkGHv6VDcvWlthyphenhyphenA8wAdYTZftr_pPcjfbAkWMvwxfrZ6Lk/s320/bruce-clone9.jpg" width="257" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Taiwanese born Ho Tsung Tao <i>(or Ho Chung Tao)</i> was the first, and arguably the most famous of the Bruce imitators since his movies were both regularly promoted and screened in HK and Taiwan. He was the most successful, and certainly the most well known, of the three major actors to do these kinds of movies; the other two being Bruce Le and Dragon Lee. Phonetically we pronounce the name Bruce Li as Bruce <i>"Lie"</i>, but it is actually pronounced as <i>"Lee"</i>. In old HK magazines, Bruce Lee was almost always written as <i>"Bruce Li"</i>, which is the same pronunciation as Lee.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7ADuUJRs9JkU4cczPkRrlJq3jVmjaS1jbKxNRvWl3Wdjx7JxaOOVhgco3dtmcx4ZZlr5tr_ktcslnweAB-uoZp-IZwcs3nrHz2j1P_3lL9iAVJTHtC2zyWS6i7sf_wSc8ahST-mbPFcZIe_zi8lT6E8oJxqsPDwuZb5jV8s62017EB0elfJGbgVjZyg/s599/bruce-clone-enter-panther-bruce-li.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7ADuUJRs9JkU4cczPkRrlJq3jVmjaS1jbKxNRvWl3Wdjx7JxaOOVhgco3dtmcx4ZZlr5tr_ktcslnweAB-uoZp-IZwcs3nrHz2j1P_3lL9iAVJTHtC2zyWS6i7sf_wSc8ahST-mbPFcZIe_zi8lT6E8oJxqsPDwuZb5jV8s62017EB0elfJGbgVjZyg/s320/bruce-clone-enter-panther-bruce-li.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As with most of the Chinese KF stars, Ho Chung Tao got into lots of
fights when he was a boy; only it was him being bullied. Growing up a
fat kid, Ho got into physical education and studied various
martial arts like Karate, Judo and Western-style boxing. When he got
out of school he became a bit player in martial arts films. In those days, Ho was extremely poor. To his parents disapproval, he wanted to be an actor and continued pursuing his desire to become a star despite the struggle. According to Ho in an interview, during one three-month period he never had more than a dime in his pocket. When he got into movies in 1972, he was making HK$6 a day. His parents continued to try and convince him to learn a trade for more reliable income but the stubborn young man stuck it out. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(US poster for Ho's first movie, 1972s CONSPIRACY, released in America in 1976 as ENTER THE PANTHER)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">His first time playing in a lead role came in 1972 with CONSPIRACY. The film wasn't completed and released till sometime in 1975. In America it was christened ENTER THE PANTHER to try and associate itself with Bruce Lee mania. Ho was paid HK$2,000 for his part <i>(approximately US$350)</i>. The hard times would get a little easier by 1974.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI48mdpY88T4_zjT9xihjFMoGxvqkMEOXnjYBtelJadDKDqAky51IQ2LJsBV4pj9p8n7wUkg0ZEgaXGxulgYkEqpndAro8yCPTqmpSqPzwxIVm87erh_oTAvna0_BWNhOR4Z1gXutBWbVkEMrJRII8YBbk45iDK66pKcakJCkywbGOVwQzT4RpgE-tmdw/s820/bruce-dragon-dies-hard.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI48mdpY88T4_zjT9xihjFMoGxvqkMEOXnjYBtelJadDKDqAky51IQ2LJsBV4pj9p8n7wUkg0ZEgaXGxulgYkEqpndAro8yCPTqmpSqPzwxIVm87erh_oTAvna0_BWNhOR4Z1gXutBWbVkEMrJRII8YBbk45iDK66pKcakJCkywbGOVwQzT4RpgE-tmdw/s320/bruce-dragon-dies-hard.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">He got his first lead as Bruce Lee in SUPER DRAGON (1974)--a movie known in America as THE DRAGON DIES HARD and also BRUCE LEE, A DRAGON STORY. SUPER DRAGON was an amateurish start to this sub-genre and uniformly poor in all departments. Its box office take was certainly below average at HK$418,372 for six days in theaters. It must've made more money in Taiwan, Singapore or some other Southeast Asian market because more similar films were coming.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDgTtif29nHFAwzumED8ivxdh99jC0L5Oj8WwsBUvJWSetzKE1Ghg__aJpmEI8Badpxvmfl2JkWSNFLvb7KHpwp5pCpyUVgobWqyw8FFekFFv6lPJZ5wFpCl2Rr65LcGZnFv7q0z5e-HUxzZmJhh1W9Fvd9ZLgGpPlg7Bb1hkmZxLg4iyvrReRtpeHpQ/s628/bruce-clone18.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="628" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDgTtif29nHFAwzumED8ivxdh99jC0L5Oj8WwsBUvJWSetzKE1Ghg__aJpmEI8Badpxvmfl2JkWSNFLvb7KHpwp5pCpyUVgobWqyw8FFekFFv6lPJZ5wFpCl2Rr65LcGZnFv7q0z5e-HUxzZmJhh1W9Fvd9ZLgGpPlg7Bb1hkmZxLg4iyvrReRtpeHpQ/s320/bruce-clone18.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Allied Artists released it at the height of the American Kung Fu boom as THE DRAGON DIES HARD in 1974. Unfortunately, it was films like this that killed the legitimacy of Hong Kong and Taiwanese-made martial arts films in English-speaking markets. Major studio interest had all but evaporated by 1975, giving the road to a slew of smaller outfits that made tidy profits off these pictures of both high and low quality.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin00ER1Qm9_8tTmqDUNQrU-piapWxMK_38cDc7dtCdnY7hoKkAbRFwssZ1jaG3uzqc02BhzOUVmIE5D91C56DFTGIkZXzFxvVh_vhrGvMCIGWfd_yicUDM3Gp9Kk8obKkAiKx8b133uXZvO2ZsZHpVG2IikCyj4B0wSWMrJzHd9ZiUP_4_NappY6La0jA/s743/bruce-clone-super-dragon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="483" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin00ER1Qm9_8tTmqDUNQrU-piapWxMK_38cDc7dtCdnY7hoKkAbRFwssZ1jaG3uzqc02BhzOUVmIE5D91C56DFTGIkZXzFxvVh_vhrGvMCIGWfd_yicUDM3Gp9Kk8obKkAiKx8b133uXZvO2ZsZHpVG2IikCyj4B0wSWMrJzHd9ZiUP_4_NappY6La0jA/s320/bruce-clone-super-dragon.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If SUPER DRAGON was never sold anywhere outside of Southeast Asia there possibly would never have been as many of these films that came after it, if any at all. The films got more salacious and the advertising even more outrageous. The global interest in Kung Fu movies let Chinese film producers know that their style of action picture would remain a hot seller on the export market; and internationally, people wanted more Bruce Lee, even if the man himself was dead. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(US poster for CHINESE CHIEH CHUAN KUNG FU aka YOUNG BRUCE LEE released in America as BRUCE LEE SUPER DRAGON and not the same as the previous movie known in HK as SUPER DRAGON)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ho Chung Tao was reportedly unaware that his name was being changed to Bruce Li for SUPER DRAGON. He stated in 1978 he was very angry upon seeing the film with his name credited as <i>"Bruce Li"</i> instead of <i>"Ho Chung Tao as Bruce Lee"</i>. Producers encouraged him to continue being a pretend Lee so he reluctantly went along.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLTsxh2i4eXArPZlY32yT8n5X_W-SfzlzwYiiIstP3rB6tga76jqCmQXhugsPqIqVkJr7in3iI9tl0N2U5ewdcSHpXpJNpIEJ1jAadI30qX06LDK8B0yYUX80xxlNnnCxxsE6k1gAAL87UcZCmtIvGDjFSgGjjuA2jUbANYQME3LHCPaSI733MNubJ_Y/s510/bruce-clone-bruce-against-supermen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLTsxh2i4eXArPZlY32yT8n5X_W-SfzlzwYiiIstP3rB6tga76jqCmQXhugsPqIqVkJr7in3iI9tl0N2U5ewdcSHpXpJNpIEJ1jAadI30qX06LDK8B0yYUX80xxlNnnCxxsE6k1gAAL87UcZCmtIvGDjFSgGjjuA2jUbANYQME3LHCPaSI733MNubJ_Y/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-against-supermen.jpg" width="206" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The most bizarre of the Bruce Li pictures, and residing on the wacky end of the Bruce Clone spectrum, was BRUCE LEE AGAINST SUPERMEN (1975). This is easily the most ridiculous movie on Ho Chung Tao's resume next to his dueling with a Kung Fu Gorilla in BRUCE LEE, THE INVINCIBLE (1978)--a movie that has nothing to do with Lee other than its exploitative title. There's layers of Bruce-isms on display: Ho is billed again as Bruce Li; he also plays Kato and a character named Carter; and there's the obligatory mimicking of Lee's mannerisms while trying to rescue a scientist who has discovered a formula to turn petroleum into food. And then Bruce battles Superman... only it's not George Reeves but Lung Fei in black tights and a white cape. If that weren't enough, there's nudity and a sex scene.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWKIanxqMZwWcUV6UXFMoO4q1dFpx8YhH4myh6N5shZSugSBY1IQh08TMx8qIOQc10vXg9_fwPotfluBlpME9OClPsEYv9fPQ9KOqHSYsFF_eqYdKHnxuSwp45kEQQ5lKAXsFzfPuFlFItowyrKXU2GaLSYXv9dHBw4sNWVp281rrdt5O_VQZyeQwUmg/s759/indy-KF-article-bruce-lee-against-supermen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="759" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWKIanxqMZwWcUV6UXFMoO4q1dFpx8YhH4myh6N5shZSugSBY1IQh08TMx8qIOQc10vXg9_fwPotfluBlpME9OClPsEYv9fPQ9KOqHSYsFF_eqYdKHnxuSwp45kEQQ5lKAXsFzfPuFlFItowyrKXU2GaLSYXv9dHBw4sNWVp281rrdt5O_VQZyeQwUmg/s320/indy-KF-article-bruce-lee-against-supermen.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Presumably, this movie was partly inspired by Shaw's production of SUPERMEN VS THE ORIENT (1974); the first of their official co-productions with foreign companies. Bruce Li wears similar super-attire that Lo Lieh, Shih Szu and their Italian co-stars don in the Shaw picture; only these red tights are emblazoned with the Green Hornet insignia.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnn84DMjowQug-m8ZuZhCBLlhI8tJ6mpbabyZ7-wK1ikJAs2jrUWpCsjYAaBqbGtLmvrSlw-39ptsMHTc4Unfx7Bs-4jaICoVC_pdTqtih-5I8miReuvC2-yTCWFva53TPTdormTcUHNpLW54f00j-VQhdMjHlov0xEYiM_u0IQGzWnf0iDY0_YjYH49k/s845/bruce-clone-chinese-chieh-chuan-kung-fu-turkish.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnn84DMjowQug-m8ZuZhCBLlhI8tJ6mpbabyZ7-wK1ikJAs2jrUWpCsjYAaBqbGtLmvrSlw-39ptsMHTc4Unfx7Bs-4jaICoVC_pdTqtih-5I8miReuvC2-yTCWFva53TPTdormTcUHNpLW54f00j-VQhdMjHlov0xEYiM_u0IQGzWnf0iDY0_YjYH49k/s320/bruce-clone-chinese-chieh-chuan-kung-fu-turkish.jpg" width="218" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By the time Bruce Li made the more serious CHINESE CHIEH CHUAN KUNG FU <i>(TANG SHAN JEET KUNE DO in Chinese)</i> in 1976, he was able to use his real name of Ho Chung Tao. Unfortunately for Ho, some foreign territories advertised the picture as starring the actual Bruce Lee. Adding to the confusion, the movie was also known as BRUCE LEE SUPER DRAGON <i>(see above)</i>, BRUCE LEE SUPERSTAR and LEGEND OF BRUCE LEE. Additionally, this was the fourth time the actor would collaborate with martial arts colleagues Lung Fei and Shan Mao <i>(who was murdered in 1977)</i> in the ongoing series of Lee-alike movies. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: Turkish poster for CHINESE CHIEH CHUAN KUNG FU)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeB1ByXD3xYGluzkO9-4K-O8m3DGb3d6DI9UxJbIAaC7EjJgX29OdPlKwB1AZhdFyVG8_8FVnG1UlV41pjlkDiAmEqtFGaVLK9J4nojO7YOphHqOVf7_CkbV6cUHF7jyfCDtwfpnbsYWF5KdH7NPtBHhyphenhyphenVYrqKRrUDlDvfayMysCTzmq_HhnhpB5538c/s752/bruce-clone34-new-game-death-french.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeB1ByXD3xYGluzkO9-4K-O8m3DGb3d6DI9UxJbIAaC7EjJgX29OdPlKwB1AZhdFyVG8_8FVnG1UlV41pjlkDiAmEqtFGaVLK9J4nojO7YOphHqOVf7_CkbV6cUHF7jyfCDtwfpnbsYWF5KdH7NPtBHhyphenhyphenVYrqKRrUDlDvfayMysCTzmq_HhnhpB5538c/s320/bruce-clone34-new-game-death-french.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">HK audiences were largely ambivalent towards these films. Critics and journalists were mostly hostile towards them--calling them tasteless and even referring to Ting Pei, the filmmakers, and the actors that continued making them as <i>"maggots"</i> and <i>"scum"</i>. There was definitely endearment by some towards Bruce Li, though. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: French poster for NEW GAME OF DEATH bearing the tagline "the movie Bruce Lee never finished")</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78L0I5nuCtqGbevanhkZ4nC3VzBfmLrmwcZkIyAvbMOUnD9qd1y3c24FDDLvzrwM_tdMHsYtyjix8WO7aM2CKx1cE7ZJdBHR9WzNp7-tzvamrm1nHmYyV6y_sXybL6M0-YZzyLbkyd3fdstc-_P24v1sPNEMOcZG-lCQ9aSextWUfzUb5_R0Z3w6CcXE/s430/bruce-clone-new-game-of-death1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78L0I5nuCtqGbevanhkZ4nC3VzBfmLrmwcZkIyAvbMOUnD9qd1y3c24FDDLvzrwM_tdMHsYtyjix8WO7aM2CKx1cE7ZJdBHR9WzNp7-tzvamrm1nHmYyV6y_sXybL6M0-YZzyLbkyd3fdstc-_P24v1sPNEMOcZG-lCQ9aSextWUfzUb5_R0Z3w6CcXE/s320/bruce-clone-new-game-of-death1.jpg" width="226" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE NEW GAME OF DEATH was the first of the imitations to utilize motifs from Bruce Lee's postponed GAME OF DEATH film he began in 1972. An independent feature, it was picked up for distribution and released by Shaw Brothers Studio around the time they'd finished filming BRUCE LEE AND I in October of 1975. This film made even less money than SUPER DRAGON, only amassing HK$164,249 in six days of release. That didn't stop it from being snatched up and released all over the world. Most markets utilized the GOODBYE, BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST GAME OF DEATH title.<i> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Italian poster for NEW GAME OF DEATH)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZScluyUGzocU8o94bSIozK8WFpJyIizLD3HP_dwnrPGGa-1yRMG-sUzGoeYWzRJHEJCprnQsRiAmHf8c5czHwevFJla4wFyQL_LXryv4ZuBghguAxgJSOUVG_Ibq9E7GQSiP-tyEbQHV3v2mX61gEpcDSe15ddI4hh3dR2VrP9svrA5QnFB1v2Cbt-D0/s898/bruce-clone23.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZScluyUGzocU8o94bSIozK8WFpJyIizLD3HP_dwnrPGGa-1yRMG-sUzGoeYWzRJHEJCprnQsRiAmHf8c5czHwevFJla4wFyQL_LXryv4ZuBghguAxgJSOUVG_Ibq9E7GQSiP-tyEbQHV3v2mX61gEpcDSe15ddI4hh3dR2VrP9svrA5QnFB1v2Cbt-D0/s320/bruce-clone23.jpg" width="215" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In America, Aquarius Releasing re-edited the film, adding an interview with Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and then saddled the movie with the title GOODBYE, BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST GAME OF DEATH. The US poster is naturally as confusing as it is deceptive; as unscrupulous movie distributors tended to be back in the 1970s. In the case of this movie, legal action was taken against at least some Pennsylvania theaters showing it due to outrage from irate customers who paid to see Bruce Lee on the screen. Theaters were ordered to remove all misleading advertisements and potentially provide restitution to customers who felt cheated by the posters. Deception and greed are a universal language, and a dialect spoken by all industry showmen around the world.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbardYI9o2i8ekY_PNkLrhPw_7P2nQbiS8BfKxjSOVR2wm50JYgESnefzJDK-ig3L-8BqODRb2XWzN-OXlghILiLQZ4npF7HLCftwFlvbokS7D086yAOubdEpLF2c4zB1R9AMi6MR8RoUOVYebCGjxAJm8gjztQ26pQyVVlPZJfzJwMIqpkBUieW7OMY/s800/bruce-clone14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbardYI9o2i8ekY_PNkLrhPw_7P2nQbiS8BfKxjSOVR2wm50JYgESnefzJDK-ig3L-8BqODRb2XWzN-OXlghILiLQZ4npF7HLCftwFlvbokS7D086yAOubdEpLF2c4zB1R9AMi6MR8RoUOVYebCGjxAJm8gjztQ26pQyVVlPZJfzJwMIqpkBUieW7OMY/s320/bruce-clone14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7dIWdY-TWcEp2r-rA2ulGmenevY6ylObg5Sl9ox5lsQQDBpq40ZrDvRM_TYr9duFIS4GuLi9txrLswZWyjCiNRq0O_mVvAf-V060C0ABDgyCDwpSaCTAtDwMdaa84c0jQQVSUqeJKFbAzUjglPTnK5u7_8NioY7Hu-qN0PmNUSoXgTqTiiZZ08gIZeA/s812/bruce-clone-bruce-we-miss-you-yugoslavia.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7dIWdY-TWcEp2r-rA2ulGmenevY6ylObg5Sl9ox5lsQQDBpq40ZrDvRM_TYr9duFIS4GuLi9txrLswZWyjCiNRq0O_mVvAf-V060C0ABDgyCDwpSaCTAtDwMdaa84c0jQQVSUqeJKFbAzUjglPTnK5u7_8NioY7Hu-qN0PmNUSoXgTqTiiZZ08gIZeA/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-we-miss-you-yugoslavia.jpg" width="227" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">With two Bruce bombs on the domestic front, Chinese producers went a different route for Bruce Li's next interpretation of the dead superstar. Titled GOLDEN SUN (1975), it would be better known under its more descriptive moniker of BRUCE LEE, WE MISS YOU. It would also be released in Asian territories as 18 FORMS OF JEET KUNE DO and in Great Britain as THE DRAGON DIES HARD <i>(not to be confused with SUPER DRAGON released in America under the same title)</i>. This time, Bruce Li plays three roles: Bruce's ghost, Bruce in flashback, and a martial arts student trying to find out who killed him. Directed by Li Kuan Chang <i>(director of 1973s WAY OF THE TIGER starring Tong Lung, who was discussed earlier)</i>, the film is highlighted by an impressive fight on top of a moving bus; something you didn't see very often in those days. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: Yugoslavian poster for BRUCE LEE WE MISS YOU)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamGqJOhLjQt8N-QaiTI3EmiUlWgZaevlAuo7EYJqxDKfI855Sam0UazXz2rUE4STl0pAWZo-PKE1ntxxJ-83kweQV7mHO3XGtj1lUkff4CpcFtfagUl9FkYWdSuhsmuJjLVJjo5IXzXaBtGUOBIGx6w8AAIYhI6DpH8_bJSsZkiiC1kos5WhvKKOASZA/s650/bruce-clone-betty-charles-heung.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamGqJOhLjQt8N-QaiTI3EmiUlWgZaevlAuo7EYJqxDKfI855Sam0UazXz2rUE4STl0pAWZo-PKE1ntxxJ-83kweQV7mHO3XGtj1lUkff4CpcFtfagUl9FkYWdSuhsmuJjLVJjo5IXzXaBtGUOBIGx6w8AAIYhI6DpH8_bJSsZkiiC1kos5WhvKKOASZA/s320/bruce-clone-betty-charles-heung.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">BRUCE LEE, WE MISS YOU was similar in ways to Ting Pei's BRUCE LEE AND I, but a tabloid version of those events, inferring Bruce was killed by the mob and aided by Ting Pei. It probably didn't help quell the rumors that the Triads had killed Bruce since Betty--who allegedly attempted suicide in 1972 <i>(although she and her family denied this) </i>due to Lee's refusal to leave his wife for her--entered into a relationship with Triad figurehead and actor Charles Heung in 1976. Heung was allegedly married at the time he and Betty began seeing one another, so she once again found herself embroiled in another scandal that only fueled more questions about Lee's death and the citizenry's hatred of her.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCchYShTffCNoEPwdAc6v8P-d-Ou9AVDsc64QpySihIUHtxoMU4wUIgGp4KR6LmgpSe5WUrQMhuitX9i8sm1rnNB83F8DhmY9B737RN-GhE2XEAGZnZynBIdhezA1VwHgBNI_5w40nHV8UatiyT0K1rGXMvRM38VKJSP6vRooNEHYfxi3fZVlXg9aliAs/s669/bruce-clone-legend-he-a-hero.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCchYShTffCNoEPwdAc6v8P-d-Ou9AVDsc64QpySihIUHtxoMU4wUIgGp4KR6LmgpSe5WUrQMhuitX9i8sm1rnNB83F8DhmY9B737RN-GhE2XEAGZnZynBIdhezA1VwHgBNI_5w40nHV8UatiyT0K1rGXMvRM38VKJSP6vRooNEHYfxi3fZVlXg9aliAs/s320/bruce-clone-legend-he-a-hero.jpg" width="254" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On the Chinese Zodiac, 1976 was the Year of the Dragon. It was also a Bruce Boom for Ho Chung Tao. Multiple movies about Lee's life were being shot--from various point of views and with varying degrees of success. One movie in particular directed by Wang Hsing Lei <i>(director of Tan Tao Liang's first movie, 1973s HERO OF THE WATERFRONT)</i> was marketed as <i>"bringing an authentic Bruce Lee story to the screen"</i>; that film being HE'S A LEGEND, HE'S A HERO, the English title of JEET KUNE DO. The promise of authenticity couldn't entice HK patrons since the film made a barely average </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">HK$499,066</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> in 7 days of release. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpO8SzUZeX3msE_Bm7sZ0ZwlqU1_fK0Cm98VpnaE4DYVcs77HGjS_zJMDnpXuU2xHPbm2AIH7i9rG4gDjlxwDpxY_sodpN8p3_oJDcfQLKUKLbBxgcShAdEz4E5iGd0rEr5WaAkQgR18sfF5gLFsmlPWD49o6wor5-4nxTdEsUYNSWtxUymmY4YcQ2bc/s850/bruce-clone57-hes-legend-hes-hero-US-poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpO8SzUZeX3msE_Bm7sZ0ZwlqU1_fK0Cm98VpnaE4DYVcs77HGjS_zJMDnpXuU2xHPbm2AIH7i9rG4gDjlxwDpxY_sodpN8p3_oJDcfQLKUKLbBxgcShAdEz4E5iGd0rEr5WaAkQgR18sfF5gLFsmlPWD49o6wor5-4nxTdEsUYNSWtxUymmY4YcQ2bc/s320/bruce-clone57-hes-legend-hes-hero-US-poster.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In America, though, HE'S A LEGEND, HE'S A HERO was shortened to the more exploitable moniker, THE DRAGON LIVES. Director Wang was the indy scenes equivalent to Shaw's director, the revered Cheng Kang, in that he took upwards of a year to make a movie. This was indy company First Film's sole attempt at imitating Bruce Lee. It should also be mentioned that the Chinese are notoriously superstitious, so any promotion of authenticity for a film about an incredibly famous actor who died under mysterious circumstances extends to what the people believed to be true at the time. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G8E92EhfWLSAsS_VU2FPuNsdcim7KZRgRSMfo0b8jYFdGEXkCMYcFA0Gg8LeJXwX8tfQZwkMdT50ufufxUsLB_8SVb8VkHIKl0bAQz6MVD9KoEBOCt_0z8jmjPnhyphenhyphen09y0c1GmGOz-m98lEWfyHQ4jvIEDVDU14_pKQdNYkmoqwcVsPtfQhBzsQQWLA0/s675/bruce-clone-story-of-dragon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="675" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G8E92EhfWLSAsS_VU2FPuNsdcim7KZRgRSMfo0b8jYFdGEXkCMYcFA0Gg8LeJXwX8tfQZwkMdT50ufufxUsLB_8SVb8VkHIKl0bAQz6MVD9KoEBOCt_0z8jmjPnhyphenhyphen09y0c1GmGOz-m98lEWfyHQ4jvIEDVDU14_pKQdNYkmoqwcVsPtfQhBzsQQWLA0/s320/bruce-clone-story-of-dragon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another Bruce Li flick released in 1976 was BRUCE LEE'S SECRET <i>(Wing Chun Jeet Kune Do in Chinese)</i>,
a film that was also released in Chinese-speaking territories as THE
STORY OF THE DRAGON among many other alternate titles. Known in America
as BRUCE LEE'S DEADLY KUNG FU, it co-starred Carter Wong <i>(Huang Chia Tah)</i> and told of Lee's days in San Francisco. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The film had two directors, Chen Hua and Chang Si Hui <i>(William Chang Kee, director of CALAMITY OF SNAKES infamy)</i>, taking their first time at bat. The former was previously a DP for Ng See Yuen. The latter was a camera assistant for Chang Cheh and later for Ng See Yuen as well. He is also the son of filmmaker </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Lan Tien Hong, a name that will come up again in PART 2</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcAUcVmTJWaKWQVxKa9Fl43C2YgB7FMOGCMKSpUPexUQr_SQSw2n_6ofOSDoPqQSQadSh0VvUK1FD-mzkjpq2uSWfe1Hyxnd02NH3PK2NygjX22PB8o4IUczhx7QcnO8Q2nYSSS5PWXHPYja1m4GJ9If80baWh_zzQFE7Pow9c-NA_BSXhqypz1P5Geg/s696/bruce-clone-story-of-dragon-mexican1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="696" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcAUcVmTJWaKWQVxKa9Fl43C2YgB7FMOGCMKSpUPexUQr_SQSw2n_6ofOSDoPqQSQadSh0VvUK1FD-mzkjpq2uSWfe1Hyxnd02NH3PK2NygjX22PB8o4IUczhx7QcnO8Q2nYSSS5PWXHPYja1m4GJ9If80baWh_zzQFE7Pow9c-NA_BSXhqypz1P5Geg/s320/bruce-clone-story-of-dragon-mexican1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Allegedly, BRUCE LEE'S SECRET was accepted into the Milan Film Festival. Much like these films were made with foreign markets in mind, the picture played in several Western theater lines in Asian territories. The
local box office was no clone of the real Lee's Golden Harvest successes,
though--making a paltry HK$252,474 in </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">an unusually long theatrical run of 14 days for such low earnings</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">. <i><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">(Mexican lobby card for BRUCE LEE'S SECRET)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUPiW3C3_tPN47qQ-HDpzn-9l0qYX4_yASIpqD5d00nY9RcGPKxHx8SjuPJqjf5riRiNpXNHlVUJLnRG06LcHIXIy7QlB7O4sg6HnhydmxbevMO_6-DPsFEvIXvQNKALAHbNAuEoPAUzCL-Ofvviv-KGzhomMmzqAx0Tspq-fD0a2ryJMwYPBy16Al0Y/s565/bruce-clone-exit-dragon-enter-tiger.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUPiW3C3_tPN47qQ-HDpzn-9l0qYX4_yASIpqD5d00nY9RcGPKxHx8SjuPJqjf5riRiNpXNHlVUJLnRG06LcHIXIy7QlB7O4sg6HnhydmxbevMO_6-DPsFEvIXvQNKALAHbNAuEoPAUzCL-Ofvviv-KGzhomMmzqAx0Tspq-fD0a2ryJMwYPBy16Al0Y/s320/bruce-clone-exit-dragon-enter-tiger.jpg" width="227" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER <i>(known in HK as BRUCE LEE: THE STAR OF ALL STARS)</i>, directed by fan favorite Lee Tso Nam, was closer in tone to BRUCE LEE, WE MISS YOU, alias GOLDEN SUN. Bruce Li was again playing multiple roles--as both Bruce Lee and a friend of the MA superstar. In this one, Bruce tells his friend, <i>"If I die, find out why"</i>. The Betty Ting Pei character <i>(called Suzie Yang here)</i> is written differently from the BRUCE LEE, WE MISS YOU movie. Ironically, Lee's now widely known drug use is discussed in this film, but written as if it were only a rumor. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCm3izTmHqYRFa8EltEdDkU21gS5kAvxFaKSyppa8YprYVBUZCpDft77gKU48X3w7QkJ-RBH3iqNFx4p61ZA55J6vix-klM9UKRsyLgw3yFTcmjDAeeO4Yj1wIDbMSZInSIC5MhDgP78VdwvoPjFtJO8ukSUCNDdhl82pDk1iedb738WYav1UzBcYzOLo/s835/bruce-clone40-enter-dragon-exit-tiger-french.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCm3izTmHqYRFa8EltEdDkU21gS5kAvxFaKSyppa8YprYVBUZCpDft77gKU48X3w7QkJ-RBH3iqNFx4p61ZA55J6vix-klM9UKRsyLgw3yFTcmjDAeeO4Yj1wIDbMSZInSIC5MhDgP78VdwvoPjFtJO8ukSUCNDdhl82pDk1iedb738WYav1UzBcYzOLo/s320/bruce-clone40-enter-dragon-exit-tiger-french.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Lee Tso Nam's movie is superior to Li Kuan Chang's WE MISS YOU picture. The opening title of the US release is imaginatively done as the title <i>'Exit the Dragon'</i> retreats to the background as <i>'Enter the Tiger'</i> comes into the foreground. The English dubbing, however, is among the worst of the genre. Still, for an indy release, the movie made money in America and could've been titled <i>'Exit the Pocket, Enter the Cash Register'</i>. Its success meant non-Oriental producers would be unleashing more fake Lee in theaters. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert: French poster for EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER that gives both Bruce Lee and Bruce Li billing)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Meanwhile, Hong Kong producers were more than covering their costs from the licensing fees so they would continue making them. The Anglo markets were the primary target for these films, and they would become more prevalent once Bruce Le and Dragon Lee entered the impersonator fray.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJENuyeA89eSI4wGmXIeUeFymmk3BQ5lC1yHAVw-wt_G29s9so5XBKNbEU-U428IKf5UvUMdd0kEwK1wOCUfKnzBs8njgrARRdSEUoxEwRHkQr9KW5DxXDRYPzONKNMU6p3g2vRFR8ADQuSMInLwcTNYdIhLb8dxkThVT7RFYRx0kMudIbCuks82LyiY/s759/bruce-clone-fist-fury2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJENuyeA89eSI4wGmXIeUeFymmk3BQ5lC1yHAVw-wt_G29s9so5XBKNbEU-U428IKf5UvUMdd0kEwK1wOCUfKnzBs8njgrARRdSEUoxEwRHkQr9KW5DxXDRYPzONKNMU6p3g2vRFR8ADQuSMInLwcTNYdIhLb8dxkThVT7RFYRx0kMudIbCuks82LyiY/s320/bruce-clone-fist-fury2.jpg" width="235" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Filming at the same time as BRUCE LEE: THE STAR OF ALL STARS was FIST OF FURY PART 2 (1977), considered one of the best movies of its kind. Both films starred Bruce Li, both directed by Lee Tso Nam, and both made for Jimmy Shaw's production company, Hong Kong Alpha <i>(Seven Seas Motion Pictures)</i>. The latter picture would likely have never been made had it not been for Lo Wei getting drunk on his birthday and blurting out his plans to sequelize his own FIST OF FURY to his guileful friend and presumed confidant, Jimmy Shaw Shao Feng. This wacky story was written about for the first time in English in THE WILD, WILD EAST: DUEL OF THE INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANIES 5 which you can read <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/10/the-wild-wild-east-duel-of-independent.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>. The following abbreviated version is largely additional information not included in the above article.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vgUwNF0GF25T1i4i5WMEnmcOjGbWEgmkl9y3CZ9kDUm1c3oOGu3c9RDzPgwCyP9mmAtYLRHH-ule9lzX5ydChd3NxvQosJZjb9D7Im_AhjLaHa8mXT7sBMCRKaawjMEoqyV1SwWuw8roVWBpJWBZ0SeC3NEdEu3kZif1lkl5kIeUrEfKTCmTit82mdw/s754/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vgUwNF0GF25T1i4i5WMEnmcOjGbWEgmkl9y3CZ9kDUm1c3oOGu3c9RDzPgwCyP9mmAtYLRHH-ule9lzX5ydChd3NxvQosJZjb9D7Im_AhjLaHa8mXT7sBMCRKaawjMEoqyV1SwWuw8roVWBpJWBZ0SeC3NEdEu3kZif1lkl5kIeUrEfKTCmTit82mdw/s320/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-poster.jpg" width="220" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It's an extremely complicated story that would've made a great Kung Fu Comedy if shot as it happened. As funny as the details are, this key example of unprincipled film producers led to much animosity and ruined relationships. The divorce of Lo Wei and his first wife Liu Liang Hua, followed by Raymond Chow siding with Lady Liu to not give her ex-husband the rights to FIST OF FURY, was already the start of a wildfire. But when Jimmy Shaw Feng stole Lo's idea, it likewise caused a quake between him and Lo's new wife, Hsu Li Hwa. Jimmy Shaw was allegedly romantically involved with Lady Hsu's sister, so this was viewed as a betrayal. Shaw <i>(no relation to the movie mogul brothers)</i> tried to reverse the ordeal by explaining in an interview that he persuaded Lo Wei to fast-track his movie but took the idea for his own when Lo didn't move fast enough to his liking. Shaw Feng went on to state Hsu Li Hwa had previously borrowed money from him and this was her way of inadvertently paying back a debt. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgWKy66_3Q0vLZy2jtzUGTR6hA9GmlAaziW2c-01QEFP-iZZXTBHxX6dBcIhW2s76NQ5JcjPhbgY-7m4xlw7UMj_hhGY5E09rgPUJ2WlzhracBVjtvhydSHVkc_F1Z8nwMS38F3bIR2r0pecF9vDeISfeD9hFpwknasbPrrf9aschJBuF2AMw8mg3zXc/s658/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-fury-of-jacky1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="658" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgWKy66_3Q0vLZy2jtzUGTR6hA9GmlAaziW2c-01QEFP-iZZXTBHxX6dBcIhW2s76NQ5JcjPhbgY-7m4xlw7UMj_hhGY5E09rgPUJ2WlzhracBVjtvhydSHVkc_F1Z8nwMS38F3bIR2r0pecF9vDeISfeD9hFpwknasbPrrf9aschJBuF2AMw8mg3zXc/s320/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-fury-of-jacky1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The short version is Lo Wei was unable to shoot his own script as written, so he had to rewrite it and rename it NEW FIST OF FURY. An ambitious stuntman and martial arts choreographer named Jackie Chan was being promoted to lead actor status <i>(for the second of three career jump-starts)</i> in what would be a string of bombs for the increasingly frustrated Lo Wei. NEW FIST was not a promising start to a career that would unexpectedly explode two years later. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQuswuoUH7rx2n_glLvgVybQ9GGYzzWhBI8KgKp0hlJ2_cmptAh__YrO69ko1O2HGk7exVVFVpJ7aVac7RiRgMwIckmlJVhPigtiAbqYclv4_5o8RPEfUZqENsByjcjlA3Cbfaj52EVDWNuEDtNX6_ClzWSaS70FYngNIfoXMeFrdJoQ39AEiE0TJWNc/s846/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-fury-of-jacky.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="585" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQuswuoUH7rx2n_glLvgVybQ9GGYzzWhBI8KgKp0hlJ2_cmptAh__YrO69ko1O2HGk7exVVFVpJ7aVac7RiRgMwIckmlJVhPigtiAbqYclv4_5o8RPEfUZqENsByjcjlA3Cbfaj52EVDWNuEDtNX6_ClzWSaS70FYngNIfoXMeFrdJoQ39AEiE0TJWNc/s320/bruce-clone-jackie-chan-new-fist-fury-of-jacky.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Once Chan became a big star in 1978, devious film producers pulled similar stunts that so many in HK, Taiwan, and overseas had done with the Lee-alike movies. After THE FEARLESS HYENA (1979) brought in HK$5 million, producer Li Lang Guan saw dollar signs and dusted off his Shun Li Film Company's old Chan flick from 1973 titled CUB TIGER FROM KWANG TUNG (1973). He hired actor-turned-director Chin Hsin to shoot new footage </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">with
Simon Yuen Siu Tien and Korean thunder-kicker Kwan Young Moon to try
and make both a new flick and a fast buck at the box office. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This mess of a movie was called MASTER WITH CRACKED FINGERS (1979). In Spanish-speaking markets, MASTER WITH CRACKED FINGERS was promoted as LA FURIA DE JACKY<i> (THE FURY OF JACKY, or JACKIE in some instances)</i>. Lobby cards for this film used stills from NEW FIST OF FURY while listing Jackie <i>(as Chen Lung)</i> and Yuen Siu Tien as the stars and Chin Hsin as director. Some of the posters used imagery from the US promotion of Chan's THE BIG BRAWL (1980).<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-LTWAXVBhSIgUtZhdzNtN4uzbAf1-nJeU_3hsd7bNLVPS1GpbOfGRK-uOtR_5bNnpdylKmBWxXUSwV86SO-NoJ-jy0f_z5qM0TuKFB4Q-2NtBh0bu8_kx1FCiTNoPNjLVVmfp684Srjgmt3A8TiQ6GgriT_mhHyjmbI9q0jF3RRDTISe7YF9Z34ubfc/s919/bruce-clone-fist-fury3-jeet-kune-claws-supreme-kung-fu-original.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-LTWAXVBhSIgUtZhdzNtN4uzbAf1-nJeU_3hsd7bNLVPS1GpbOfGRK-uOtR_5bNnpdylKmBWxXUSwV86SO-NoJ-jy0f_z5qM0TuKFB4Q-2NtBh0bu8_kx1FCiTNoPNjLVVmfp684Srjgmt3A8TiQ6GgriT_mhHyjmbI9q0jF3RRDTISe7YF9Z34ubfc/s320/bruce-clone-fist-fury3-jeet-kune-claws-supreme-kung-fu-original.jpg" width="221" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Going back to the two dueling FIST OF FURY sequels, they had just as much action going on behind the scenes as in front of it. The publicity surrounding the battling film producers was so great, another, yet unnamed Taiwanese movie producer intended to shoot his own FIST OF FURY film. It's unknown if this particular movie got made, or if it became FIST OF FURY III that began filming in 1978 and emerged in 1979 bearing the original title of JEET KUNE THE CLAWS AND THE SUPREME KUNG FU <i>(JEET KUNE EAGLE CLAW in Chinese)</i>. This film also starred Ho Chung Tao once more playing Chen Zhen, the character he played in FIST OF FURY 2 (1977); and the same character Bruce Lee famously portrayed in the 1972 original. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Insert: JEET KUNE CLAWS original poster; the film was also titled BRUCE LEE PART 3 in some territories)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">With 1976 being the Year of the Dragon, Chinese film producers probably saw it as a sign of good luck to make sequels to Lee's breakout successes; so many more flicks of fury were coming. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD59YJSzDe7JIi9J6o4jirk9FmRdf4M80bKjdi_jHuTAUESL5r3OiSZfA6uM9C7H_LntIXJhEC7zrPT4X6Wlh27tdR4KntH13dHsUJPFGtTjCgJ4Y58SJrJZ0uLORyndqhKVw2_88QX_clQXcBny_j3J_6NG0mBKb8ldeKI6z5z72z0WKlNifLu6DJs7k/s944/bruce-clone-bruce-lee-story.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="619" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD59YJSzDe7JIi9J6o4jirk9FmRdf4M80bKjdi_jHuTAUESL5r3OiSZfA6uM9C7H_LntIXJhEC7zrPT4X6Wlh27tdR4KntH13dHsUJPFGtTjCgJ4Y58SJrJZ0uLORyndqhKVw2_88QX_clQXcBny_j3J_6NG0mBKb8ldeKI6z5z72z0WKlNifLu6DJs7k/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-lee-story.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Possibly the best of these films was BRUCE LEE: TRUE STORY, known here as BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH (1976). It was certainly one of the very few that were hits in Hong Kong. Taiwan may have yielded better box office for some of these films, but most were rejected domestically. Like BRUCE LEE AND I (1976), THE MAN, THE MYTH took the subject seriously as directed by Seasonal founder Ng See Yuen. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2cg6u4-TU4EhjX1fjzhl2Mj910oi2F0BwQTmkzn5wVTi8AZTY7a7cdTtxQdC97foiCeTQUXYfo67SPU0Gg4-tlZrd_SzfX1WwhM2tEVkSgDknyeW6DKpk2e4OAJPkvbn_6rfVgiLrh_2ah1sQ9Fwez2kKjCI_NHPtzxJmBo0LJx1b_IJ7hV5Bzj5Km8/s845/bruce-clone-bruce-man-myth-italian.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2cg6u4-TU4EhjX1fjzhl2Mj910oi2F0BwQTmkzn5wVTi8AZTY7a7cdTtxQdC97foiCeTQUXYfo67SPU0Gg4-tlZrd_SzfX1WwhM2tEVkSgDknyeW6DKpk2e4OAJPkvbn_6rfVgiLrh_2ah1sQ9Fwez2kKjCI_NHPtzxJmBo0LJx1b_IJ7hV5Bzj5Km8/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-man-myth-italian.jpg" width="227" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">However, no matter how polished the latter title was, audiences simply weren't going to forgive Ting Pei anytime soon. Likely due to the mature approach to the material, THE MAN, THE MYTH was well received by HK audiences. It had a 13-day run and amassed HK$1,282,742. If you were to be curious about this peculiar style of MA film, this motion picture would be a great place to start. In this case, starting at the top and working your way down is preferable. <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Italian poster for BRUCE LEE: TRUE STORY as BRUCE LEE: SUPER CHAMPION. The Italian distributors took the publicity as seriously as Ng See Yuen's film did)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClCAwsCf142gWgXdGy_UtRi2j0pHYOyGV9fHbQG-i0LURnwUne-fKUu8aVFVjh3Vv7Z_6owWZ6noSG9pBN5VU6fsAkMJoah9uY_wv06kQVbooTSh7UBjk4ATNBL6_3hGvjhESZGTEmWbp4CWIhgl4AnRzR5nHssfuX8J0m6GA5dbNSSGJNsZER-YvLnQ/s885/shaw-dynamo.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClCAwsCf142gWgXdGy_UtRi2j0pHYOyGV9fHbQG-i0LURnwUne-fKUu8aVFVjh3Vv7Z_6owWZ6noSG9pBN5VU6fsAkMJoah9uY_wv06kQVbooTSh7UBjk4ATNBL6_3hGvjhESZGTEmWbp4CWIhgl4AnRzR5nHssfuX8J0m6GA5dbNSSGJNsZER-YvLnQ/s320/shaw-dynamo.JPG" width="211" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By 1978, Ho Chung Tao had tired of playing Bruce Lee. His entire career had been built around imitating a dead man and he was beyond ready to be himself on-screen. Unfortunately, he had fewer opportunities to do so as a new superstar named Jackie Chan exploded onto the scene that same year. Ho Chung Tao did briefly find himself among the top ten most popular actors in 1978. DYNAMO (1978) wasn't a Bruce clone picture, but it had Ho Chung Tao wearing that yellow jumpsuit from GAME OF DEATH. It was a mostly bland, but tenuously entertaining behind the scenes look at an actor being made and manipulated by an advertising agency. HK audiences took to the story, making the movie HK$1,338,539. It spent 9 days in theaters.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADrsHJYaxC9sBDbZKayyxgMnuJk48bp8AUDTxInrpefE7lK6xbz-XF4yRBKSkQEHWuGBtEPbbbJAn692FE7WQnBeLA7uSflTSuZsxU4hKPxmYibLSKYKZO0IYGpR6F9CBG1wSC40wEp1tdRTnyMA78meP4qYRqnYXXEoW674nWQy8ivg1sXcumylk6U4/s699/bruce-clone-blind-fists-bruce.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="699" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADrsHJYaxC9sBDbZKayyxgMnuJk48bp8AUDTxInrpefE7lK6xbz-XF4yRBKSkQEHWuGBtEPbbbJAn692FE7WQnBeLA7uSflTSuZsxU4hKPxmYibLSKYKZO0IYGpR6F9CBG1wSC40wEp1tdRTnyMA78meP4qYRqnYXXEoW674nWQy8ivg1sXcumylk6U4/s320/bruce-clone-blind-fists-bruce.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What was saddening about Ho's career was that even when he starred in a movie where he was playing anyone but Bruce Lee, the marketing would find a way to keep the connection between Ho and the late film star. One such picture was 1979s BLIND FIST OF BRUCE directed by Kam Bo for his Kam Bo Motion Pictures. The Chinese title, BLIND FISTS GHOST HAND, bore no affiliation with Bruce Lee. This was also one of the many deceptive independent KF flicks that took advantage of elder Yuen Siu Tien's surprise popularity after the two hit indy Jackie Chan pictures for Seasonal Corporation.<span style="color: #3d85c6;"> <i>(Insert: Ho Chung Tao and Chan Lau with director Kam Bo on the set)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZX46nVza9gIoABEqWWzMV8-Vt6JciqgNxAUrKDq5Lzl-EADtARaa1HErm-R-iwNUOKfGfeJ6FRX041Mttjlv4TiSpD6y7aKs7fH6rztOyY7F_7WiUe2LLYY6VuxhbInr_0Z93PbnjgdrG4WpHZTerHvq5Edbsk6BwylXx1jPc_LoGxnVk3d37Ch7764/s806/bruce-clone53-chinese-stuntman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZX46nVza9gIoABEqWWzMV8-Vt6JciqgNxAUrKDq5Lzl-EADtARaa1HErm-R-iwNUOKfGfeJ6FRX041Mttjlv4TiSpD6y7aKs7fH6rztOyY7F_7WiUe2LLYY6VuxhbInr_0Z93PbnjgdrG4WpHZTerHvq5Edbsk6BwylXx1jPc_LoGxnVk3d37Ch7764/s320/bruce-clone53-chinese-stuntman.jpg" width="232" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If labeling BLIND FIST with <i>'Bruce'</i> in the title for export wasn't enough of a blow to Ho Chung Tao, other non-Lee films he did like THE CHINESE STUNTMAN (1981) were marketed in some foreign territories with both Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan on the poster! In Germany, the film was called BRUCE LEE THE UNDEFEATED. Overseas, Ho was still being marketed as Bruce Li, so he was going to be saddled with the Lee-alike brand no matter how far away he got from the Bruce mannerisms. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Insert:
Bruce Li's THE CHINESE STUNTMAN in Italy as THE LEGENDARY BRUCE LEE
using a portrait of Jackie Chan from the BATTLE CREEK BRAWL promotion
from 1980)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbggmHaMF_HZFBpEzJbGIBpS_I1JfklMuQPAPQhcDoXDcjhOzfi4LWoLA52fJVHJvzQs13vc1jRWtResKl1IfGTt_AcPL60zODvMWJVFzxrfXDHifcL9RZiWrL9S_CAHY0ydnkw4Zz0UOvRqLQM_WJJBTBVOEuyLEGDVW3VWknC2shIRHXyjvPNaiyvGM/s692/bruce-clone-bruce-li-invincible-dragon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="692" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbggmHaMF_HZFBpEzJbGIBpS_I1JfklMuQPAPQhcDoXDcjhOzfi4LWoLA52fJVHJvzQs13vc1jRWtResKl1IfGTt_AcPL60zODvMWJVFzxrfXDHifcL9RZiWrL9S_CAHY0ydnkw4Zz0UOvRqLQM_WJJBTBVOEuyLEGDVW3VWknC2shIRHXyjvPNaiyvGM/s320/bruce-clone-bruce-li-invincible-dragon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1uHCZtCr9HnMREAwdhNwlLcRiPxjioAFdAy97GkICaf-6o9o98Z6fH_jo3sfngajZT9ip3X8Y2SlXMe8UJ-hBIbKmanUVQv8radXemWwPcHa5R9jU7vwweXYECEe65OQr7k_HXz10gemGrBiVu10ViTvwt3SrhZaN1I-9oyOw75kJa9MakrrMDrriJY/s672/bruce-clone39-bruce-li-in-new-guinea-french.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1uHCZtCr9HnMREAwdhNwlLcRiPxjioAFdAy97GkICaf-6o9o98Z6fH_jo3sfngajZT9ip3X8Y2SlXMe8UJ-hBIbKmanUVQv8radXemWwPcHa5R9jU7vwweXYECEe65OQr7k_HXz10gemGrBiVu10ViTvwt3SrhZaN1I-9oyOw75kJa9MakrrMDrriJY/s320/bruce-clone39-bruce-li-in-new-guinea-french.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another example was the trashy BRUCE LI IN NEW GUINEA (1979). Like BLIND FIST OF BRUCE, BRUCE LEE THE INVINCIBLE and CHINESE STUNTMAN, Ho Chung Tao doesn't even play a character named Bruce, but the Chinese distributors felt the need to use <i>"Bruce Li"</i> in the English export title to sell it overseas. In some areas, the film was called BRUCE LEE IN SNAKE ISLAND and even THE BIG BOSS IN BORNEO. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>(Top: Mexican lobby card for BRUCE LEE THE INVINCIBLE; Insert: One of a few different examples of the French advertising for one of Ho Chung Tao's strangest movies)<br /></i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">But where Ho Chung Tao was never comfortable playing an imitation of Bruce Lee, there was another man who seemed to wholeheartedly embrace it in those days.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i> <br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">TO BE CONCLUDED IN <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2024/01/imitating-dragon-historical_13.html"><span style="color: red;">PART 2</span></a>...<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><br />venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-1345823542583708202023-10-31T21:24:00.003-07:002023-11-02T17:07:12.073-07:00Ranking the Horror: Six Franchises of Fear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTCAd11a15iECMUP8lOxlpRLKluBkgcX5Gu8CenvYPX0KpKgF4xd0hAZP8aQm41GQoCayoWdv3_ohLq4s6qJlCqO4EyOh_Nej1zHwAVZpyvnG43YynSp934SG29nx-zVCu_jqc7NIk79fv0g5j2qTeZVyJADNNU1jpok742br7DPI6ON-BZERPgZoE54/s791/horror-final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTCAd11a15iECMUP8lOxlpRLKluBkgcX5Gu8CenvYPX0KpKgF4xd0hAZP8aQm41GQoCayoWdv3_ohLq4s6qJlCqO4EyOh_Nej1zHwAVZpyvnG43YynSp934SG29nx-zVCu_jqc7NIk79fv0g5j2qTeZVyJADNNU1jpok742br7DPI6ON-BZERPgZoE54/s320/horror-final.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This year's Halloween article is a ranking of six of the major horror movie franchises. This is strictly one fans opinion ranking the films based on my own preference. Naturally, various factors figure into our enjoyment of these films. For the purposes of these lists, it’s largely based on entertainment value, a degree of the quality that went into the production, and in some instances, a bit of nostalgia, too. These rankings are not a “Best to Worst”. In some cases that applies, but largely it’s just my enjoyment of a particular series and where I’d rank them on a scale from number one to the last entry. The capsule reviews accompanying each entry explain why a title is at the top and down at the bottom.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the LIVING DEAD series: 10 entries<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. <b>NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD</b> (1968)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdI44B58_EjwvsP1VwrONLpGtCI9kTaRIZZquC974sKQ9gVuhTCgjiCcQr_H9u7tob8lNBXnR2vuGWaY4-S-3cxelVB-gDNcOMmN29D9iOObSzDHSxDF7kfVPBy2U6sb0DhprW3JmSSp3ZE4YMN0afMlzDeDXiMwhOSW2JH8_Y8PrQACylNPI1EimfGE/s859/horror-ranking5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdI44B58_EjwvsP1VwrONLpGtCI9kTaRIZZquC974sKQ9gVuhTCgjiCcQr_H9u7tob8lNBXnR2vuGWaY4-S-3cxelVB-gDNcOMmN29D9iOObSzDHSxDF7kfVPBy2U6sb0DhprW3JmSSp3ZE4YMN0afMlzDeDXiMwhOSW2JH8_Y8PrQACylNPI1EimfGE/s320/horror-ranking5.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">George A. Romero’s original depiction of civilizations apocalypse remains a haunting and relentlessly eerie vision of the beginning of Hell on Earth. The visuals of slow moving people off in the distance; or lurking in the background, has stayed with me for decades. A masterpiece that, over the years, has been colorized and had new footage shot for it; and in both cases, has shown you can’t improve perfection. Over 50 years later, they’re still coming to get you.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2. <b>DAWN OF THE DEAD</b> (1978)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbAfqal3fVJmtcbBRqPQcD9cyAOXmF4pD_ajfzU8fsr2tBSrMDTSZ2Zh3GRzPvBo15WV_H30i3-fgqRMbt3Ov5ZCpKhRo_JHHqo54cJoRij5O-awyMSma6lFX1jzPkxlJU-IvVp18GCmiN2gElt1auHjphwQfxcFQ51TEqs5DIqHvI228aME8f_YITCU/s1172/horror-ranking7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="787" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbAfqal3fVJmtcbBRqPQcD9cyAOXmF4pD_ajfzU8fsr2tBSrMDTSZ2Zh3GRzPvBo15WV_H30i3-fgqRMbt3Ov5ZCpKhRo_JHHqo54cJoRij5O-awyMSma6lFX1jzPkxlJU-IvVp18GCmiN2gElt1auHjphwQfxcFQ51TEqs5DIqHvI228aME8f_YITCU/s320/horror-ranking7.jpg" width="215" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Romero’s darkest day of horror remains the greatest in zombie history. Without question, the most influential rotting shuffler movie of them all. The visualization of man’s collapse is to the viewers gain; and the documentary filmmaking style pulls you into the movie just as before. DAWN expands on everything we experienced during the NIGHT. The 3D version that made the theatrical rounds in 2022 was stunning, and an incredible way to experience the DAWN all over again.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3. <b>DAY OF THE DEAD</b> (1985)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzhPGAKl7QPs8GHOdlrFF_Em0pECZ17-sePzZVnStqbmq2FyFQuqHnlkxApGX6uZHfFXHzjY37fnDKQM7NNVg1YidbERXtv04JgE4mas6sYIScWLaiEnqyzYgVlCb2JWD1UEDzhjOVmB-7k7ittvstttyeihPfLDq4NsSFudyGPJFsjQ9fmPB6E3vS2c/s800/horror-ranking8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzhPGAKl7QPs8GHOdlrFF_Em0pECZ17-sePzZVnStqbmq2FyFQuqHnlkxApGX6uZHfFXHzjY37fnDKQM7NNVg1YidbERXtv04JgE4mas6sYIScWLaiEnqyzYgVlCb2JWD1UEDzhjOVmB-7k7ittvstttyeihPfLDq4NsSFudyGPJFsjQ9fmPB6E3vS2c/s320/horror-ranking8.jpg" width="213" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Critics gave DAY a hard time for its over the top performances but for me it fits the depiction of society’s remnants. All that remains of civilization are pockets of humans who are forced to live underground like rats. Attempts are being made to domesticate the dead but the living continue to rot mentally. Arguably, Tom Savini’s best makeup effects work. Ironically, Romero’s future zombies would deteriorate due to the use of CGI. His NIGHT, DAWN and DAY are the only franchise entries on this list to be ranked chronologically.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD</b> (1990)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7OALg_EznWtK_OTSEE_IZchyjx9xyMBbnxpWFfraW0VjPgGv7XeK7nlpTYUMVKw3D0p_9CCgzBoKzsP82JonopffU4UEQi6IsSEU2msqrB8KkuDm2ycxUnNRv5Bt8ybG0HO8Y47cgj14K2il9wAi6RORJKkoXJRDBZAdJJR46vPtlW1C6p8PliwWocI/s860/horror-ranking6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7OALg_EznWtK_OTSEE_IZchyjx9xyMBbnxpWFfraW0VjPgGv7XeK7nlpTYUMVKw3D0p_9CCgzBoKzsP82JonopffU4UEQi6IsSEU2msqrB8KkuDm2ycxUnNRv5Bt8ybG0HO8Y47cgj14K2il9wAi6RORJKkoXJRDBZAdJJR46vPtlW1C6p8PliwWocI/s320/horror-ranking6.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Tom Savini, the horror genres most famous makeup effects artist, directs a full length feature for the first time, and it's a do-over of one of the greatest horror films ever made. If you’re looking for tributes and call-backs to Romero’s original you’re getting them in abundance. If you’re looking for goosebumps to be raised you’ll need to watch the original instead. Savini’s remake does what it’s supposed to do—show reverence for its source while putting a new spin on the material; just there’s few scares and the expected zombie chow down effects showcase never happens; the '68 zombie picnic where the living dead dine on Tom and Judy is more explicit than what we see here. Tony Todd does a remarkable job in the Duane Jones role; and Patricia Tallman's Barbara is an unexpected about-face of the original portrayal by Judith O'Dea; so there's definitely some surprises during the NIGHT. LIVING DEAD 90 does close on a surprising revision followed by a fantastic final shock—both of which equal Romero’s grim ending to his ‘68 original.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5. <b>DAWN OF THE DEAD</b> (2004)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiWsp10i2zCPQ6u96_ku9pI_Y4jLJ2XU4nwMECC8XK9hPx7MGOXVK1yqHOoEwG0j9nMsdTaH1TpVTHc4IcJkmdaMU3d_8laNzko1fHqiWJK1SP_lhXvuIxxkQ0xJ9RwFmPEuyx8gIGdpwLKKDmpIcLeoiye1Hvf4ZHb6ulT3StVs4AlfonlK4i8UFF9g/s800/horror-ranking13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiWsp10i2zCPQ6u96_ku9pI_Y4jLJ2XU4nwMECC8XK9hPx7MGOXVK1yqHOoEwG0j9nMsdTaH1TpVTHc4IcJkmdaMU3d_8laNzko1fHqiWJK1SP_lhXvuIxxkQ0xJ9RwFmPEuyx8gIGdpwLKKDmpIcLeoiye1Hvf4ZHb6ulT3StVs4AlfonlK4i8UFF9g/s320/horror-ranking13.jpg" width="214" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Right when this remake was announced it was widely panned but when it hit theaters it was a shockingly good new version of a timeless classic. It glossed over most of the consumerist subtext of Romero's original and the desperate need by the survivors to return to normalcy--the world they're cut off from--within their enclosed ecosystem. The running zombies aren't just lifted from the sprint-running infected of 28 DAYS LATER (2002), but they're symbolic of a generational change that wants everything fast with little wait time; technology at your fingertips that has aided in a societal rot metaphoric of the zombies in the movie. As for the film itself, there's a high level of intense action and varied attack sequences that kick off within the first five minutes. For me, the movie reminded me of the Italian zombie films; especially at the end when the last survivors make their way to what they believe is an uninhabited island. And it was actually scary, too. Despite inspiring numerous marathon running zombie flicks, DAWN '04 is one of the best horror remakes.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6. <b>DIARY OF THE DEAD</b> (2007)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvvS7HhfkrAwzlm5putDzZpUqlaDtBBIWLKnwkDQCOHG4cPxY12MqxG7Ul4f3Z5PI3RGYqk2_Q1Gk4MvGJI07SPGHgHKK43S3tVeYHzGQUILsWNnDoT7IuwrG7JtgwQpwOxk3iM_hi6HV_IXrMFpdwwVv0e-JvUY4wsVT-98yyxW3me159rVtyk8ZtKk/s800/horror-ranking4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvvS7HhfkrAwzlm5putDzZpUqlaDtBBIWLKnwkDQCOHG4cPxY12MqxG7Ul4f3Z5PI3RGYqk2_Q1Gk4MvGJI07SPGHgHKK43S3tVeYHzGQUILsWNnDoT7IuwrG7JtgwQpwOxk3iM_hi6HV_IXrMFpdwwVv0e-JvUY4wsVT-98yyxW3me159rVtyk8ZtKk/s320/horror-ranking4.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">I am one of the relatively few fans of Romero's post tri-decade Zombie trilogy. Each of the three zombie movies Romero made between 2005-2010 brings something new to the table. I feel like many of the fans were expecting another DAWN OF THE DEAD; but it's impossible to improve on perfection. It would've been hard to top such an epic. So for this second trilogy, Romero experimented with new ideas and budgets both big and small to get his stories up on the screen. DIARY was his return to indy cinema after LAND, and is of the Found Footage school of horror. It's essentially a road movie where a group of filmmakers document their harrowing encounters with both the living and the dead. At times haunting, and relentlessly eerie, the finale reminded me of the original Resident Evil video game where the remaining cast make their way to a mansion not realizing the horror that awaits them there. Romero builds his story around the permeation of social media and how information is distributed during a zombie apocalypse. The advancements in technology proved ironic since Romero had to resort to using CGI in some instances.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7.<b> LAND OF THE DEAD</b> (2005)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEwYW0vBlX-Xjt-jc0aFG70BJy79hu-zBA88Vht4NDoz9GCbr8BK_XZZqWU8KGjlvV2M2KOyyYqR3AFDItgHPRfG1Kr_VRpaM04O502obbf6FCxh6aKyqfMzUF1IG0METAHSO1ceWyu2RN5pSZ9n1DuCE64gLYVyGukI6G1CAcodZHqagbfVH2JdVXX0/s960/horror-ranking11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEwYW0vBlX-Xjt-jc0aFG70BJy79hu-zBA88Vht4NDoz9GCbr8BK_XZZqWU8KGjlvV2M2KOyyYqR3AFDItgHPRfG1Kr_VRpaM04O502obbf6FCxh6aKyqfMzUF1IG0METAHSO1ceWyu2RN5pSZ9n1DuCE64gLYVyGukI6G1CAcodZHqagbfVH2JdVXX0/s320/horror-ranking11.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Romero's big studio return to the living dead is a window into what DAY OF THE DEAD might've looked like. And with the results of more money to spend, I believe Romero's compromised vision of his DAY turned out all the better for it. LAND is possibly Romero at his most heavy-handed and labored with the social themes; this time it's depicting class division between rich and poor; the residents of luxury living in Fiddler's Green and the squalor of the crime-infested areas surrounding it. If civilization has fallen, where are all the high class clothing and food coming from? Then there's the zombies who, led by a dead head named Big Daddy, foment an uprising for whatever reason. The living doesn't want the dead to eat them so what's a hungry zombie to do? Aside from some plot holes big enough to drive the Dead Reckoning through, Romero's heftiest funded movie ever has a cool action movie narrative and likable characters due to Romero's witty script. I saw LAND in the theater, and afterward, had a greater appreciation for DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) and Bub the zombie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8. <b>SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD</b> (2010)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDz2Fx178KbjoHW52Swqgl2Ta_Ygz2mVENUw1phFqde1axCy68fqDJLvaTXzDAfBFThZjl_evxvXpD60W6JOZEa4jLdpJ6vfzizSX9eGz1J3rslw_RGiwuu9o6Mg1C4aDOfrP5XjS-nNRMiyxofuYXNlDxhuHLJXVTDW1USJxtK8lQE9Ex2jFba66lxE/s960/horror-ranking12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDz2Fx178KbjoHW52Swqgl2Ta_Ygz2mVENUw1phFqde1axCy68fqDJLvaTXzDAfBFThZjl_evxvXpD60W6JOZEa4jLdpJ6vfzizSX9eGz1J3rslw_RGiwuu9o6Mg1C4aDOfrP5XjS-nNRMiyxofuYXNlDxhuHLJXVTDW1USJxtK8lQE9Ex2jFba66lxE/s320/horror-ranking12.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The least of Romero's second DEAD trilogy nonetheless has some intriguing ideas shuffling around in the narrative. Easily the most bizarre of his flesh-eating flicks, it also suffers from intrusive humor and too much embarrassingly bad CGI. Both of these are distracting from an already weird plot about feuding families that's ostensibly a western that looks like it's set in Europe somewhere. Romero reuses old ideas, expanding on them in ways that allow him to tell yet another all new zombie tale. Regardless of how good or bad SURVIVAL is, it's another example of the director refusing to make the same movie over and over again. Something I noticed in DIARY and this film was that, compared to his first trilogy, low budgets with advanced tech do not mean better movies; but certainly entertaining and thought-provoking ones.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">9. <b>DAY OF THE DEAD</b> (2008)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCImKqM9GHaKzdWo9sXLzIMVOWdSj0Ew2OGRoAc1JwMCAqqCnqzVmt7NYyg9Pg3hc4t-r5hUMRzx5j7C-1DdSIf7kN_kT28Ykz6PKTrhXU4oABO7PT6HOYosTumGvPmxsb54CmX1HEB8SSsGDYI_C4IoSGeY0jhnoL_HH0-QeYkApxAJg4Cb7ZL7AcVA/s889/horror-ranking9.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCImKqM9GHaKzdWo9sXLzIMVOWdSj0Ew2OGRoAc1JwMCAqqCnqzVmt7NYyg9Pg3hc4t-r5hUMRzx5j7C-1DdSIf7kN_kT28Ykz6PKTrhXU4oABO7PT6HOYosTumGvPmxsb54CmX1HEB8SSsGDYI_C4IoSGeY0jhnoL_HH0-QeYkApxAJg4Cb7ZL7AcVA/s320/horror-ranking9.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If nothing else, the first DAY OF THE DEAD remake is of curiosity value due to its cast and director. Clearly inspired by the success of the DAWN do-over, this DAY seems to go on forever with a relentless barrage of zombie attacks aided by an endless supply of practical and CGI effects. There's nothing here remotely close to Romero's vision; it's entirely a lower-budgeted sequel to the 2004 DAWN remake. The zombies are even more spry than before. They leap into the air at abnormally high altitude; run like The Flash; and scurry across ceilings when the mood takes them. After the first 15 minutes it never slows down, nor does the camera--jostling all over the place to capture the hysteria going on all around. This would be far more palatable if it were called something else; but even so, Steve Miner <i>(director of FRIDAY THE 13TH 2,3, HOUSE, WARLOCK, etc)</i> keeps the action moving at the most frantic of paces. If you can separate this from its cash-grab title, you may derive some enjoyment out of this wacky gorefest.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">10. <b>DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE</b> (2018)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxmXtvCXwgkFS3vt5xnggYss2Pa-rO03kI4esD2CSSdlbHSE6aRvLu2T3hmXCcHqqYWOyciHB9jNmB-zS3dlKzmJ8tcUZj_WdndlyekNnLN5rK645rhSdIirc_FD6FDLrdFCMAdKmKG3Y-3th2NXjQ9nLxRjWzeBIXlPC0txOHXKc6OWlXML-Jf2qIbo/s800/horror-ranking10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxmXtvCXwgkFS3vt5xnggYss2Pa-rO03kI4esD2CSSdlbHSE6aRvLu2T3hmXCcHqqYWOyciHB9jNmB-zS3dlKzmJ8tcUZj_WdndlyekNnLN5rK645rhSdIirc_FD6FDLrdFCMAdKmKG3Y-3th2NXjQ9nLxRjWzeBIXlPC0txOHXKc6OWlXML-Jf2qIbo/s320/horror-ranking10.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This is the second remake to Romero’s classic from 1985. Unlike the 2008 do-over, this one follows Romero’s script. But like the 2008 version it’s devoid of any characterization whatsoever. The acting is poor compared to the performances of the original. The characters are never given time to breathe because its basic existence revolves around zombie attacks and machine gun battles. Probably the single dumbest thing about this remake is the main lady scientist is seeking a vaccine that will prevent a human from turning after being bitten. But I don’t see that making a difference since whenever a zombie bites a victim, they take a massive chunk of flesh with it. This film's version of Bub is also wildly nonsensical. Just like with the 2008 film, if you can separate it from the vastly superior Romero version, you might derive minimal entertainment value from the only thing this movie does well—zombie attacks and gore.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">For the LIVING DEAD series only, there are three additional films I'm not going to bother ranking; these three simply rank, period. DAY OF THE DEAD 2: CONTAGIUM (2005) is just TEDIUM, daring to be a sequel to Romero's DAY. Then there's the worthless 3D abominations: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D (2006) and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: RE-ANIMATION (2012). I couldn't finish either film, so proceed at your own risk.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE series: 8 entries.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. <b>THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE</b> (1974)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ruzlPsYuTV1mCFNCm6bHB83QpBpg8IsgDQbs9qX_51H8CCFc-iGFQ3Wl86iXV0-P7JXxP-XRQqsiub42f0qGOvyU1k7ONjkjCB4pa5dnDOU0n8q8vIce3F_c6OO8gK7LBSXCS6bubX1I_-hdQtd9nIm68UkH9-vu4JfnSpreaqCyiI4WjLb4v3dx8f8/s820/horror-ranking14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ruzlPsYuTV1mCFNCm6bHB83QpBpg8IsgDQbs9qX_51H8CCFc-iGFQ3Wl86iXV0-P7JXxP-XRQqsiub42f0qGOvyU1k7ONjkjCB4pa5dnDOU0n8q8vIce3F_c6OO8gK7LBSXCS6bubX1I_-hdQtd9nIm68UkH9-vu4JfnSpreaqCyiI4WjLb4v3dx8f8/s320/horror-ranking14.jpg" width="218" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Simply one of the greatest horror movies ever made. I've never felt it was a slasher movie even though it follows some of the sub-genres parameters. It's always been a backwoods Gothic nightmare to me, and one that gets better with every viewing. One of the finest cinematic achievements regardless of genre, Tobe Hooper was seldom this good again. An agonizing endurance test wringing fear and terror out of an audience, TCM remains a masterclass in combining imagery and nerve-jangling sounds that stay with viewers for years after. The torture suffered by the cast and crew led to one of the most terrifying films in the annals of horror history, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2. <b>THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2</b> (1986)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnAbhgkZ9moPJwD0B9LrjpFGBBvLC179BrKYQosJwyKF-d3V21z6VxbqBN92AiJ27n4iwwwPgWZ36Kx0D9GWZzMcTzkSFxw0f9jSo6efaeFe6GKcEYmxidgbxRcpESOAO8rPp1G0AdQvduEjUh2H-XaKx5BNBPQgAAkBjp9iZ3rEP7uVNTiMs_TkP4sA/s952/horror-ranking15.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnAbhgkZ9moPJwD0B9LrjpFGBBvLC179BrKYQosJwyKF-d3V21z6VxbqBN92AiJ27n4iwwwPgWZ36Kx0D9GWZzMcTzkSFxw0f9jSo6efaeFe6GKcEYmxidgbxRcpESOAO8rPp1G0AdQvduEjUh2H-XaKx5BNBPQgAAkBjp9iZ3rEP7uVNTiMs_TkP4sA/s320/horror-ranking15.jpg" width="212" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The first time I saw Hooper's sequel I rented it from the video store. It was probably my most eagerly awaited horror movie that year. I didn't know how to feel about it when it was over. There was a bit of disappointment in that I wasn't expecting the amount of humor in it. I really dug the soundtrack and bought the cassette tape with my allowance. After a few more viewings over the years, the movie and its charms that were initially lost, grew on me. The jet-black comedy is but an extension of the black pit of hell humor of the '74 original; only this was 1986 and not ten years earlier. There's a fabulous cast including a scenery-munching Jim Siedow, the elder brother and cook of the Sawyer cannibal clan. The production design is a spectacle to behold, Caroline Williams a memorable Scream Queen, Bill Moseley's Chop Top an unforgettable psychopath, and there's a classic chainsaw battle between Dennis Hopper and Leatherface. Hooper made his last great horror picture sequelizing the film that made him a great director of horror.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3.<b> THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING</b> (2006)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkshn0YDUPLDf81U6OAoY-XWCHt4w5Xl__UG9hFwmUnN-jo7xZh7Ux7TWAPqCJyV_pie0ZjjAEWhysAI8uhgN9NyUVluw4MimWVrWfl0cJghzh-I15fIhL513UsEAdisDCsq4yFlFUWYEPdjXNDVxBrbr03dbXadJ_wjDJGm10PyyhPc4UJUpWsmOknM/s821/horror-ranking19.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkshn0YDUPLDf81U6OAoY-XWCHt4w5Xl__UG9hFwmUnN-jo7xZh7Ux7TWAPqCJyV_pie0ZjjAEWhysAI8uhgN9NyUVluw4MimWVrWfl0cJghzh-I15fIhL513UsEAdisDCsq4yFlFUWYEPdjXNDVxBrbr03dbXadJ_wjDJGm10PyyhPc4UJUpWsmOknM/s320/horror-ranking19.jpg" width="223" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Set four years prior to the events in the 2003 remake, t</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">he BEGINNING doesn't really expand on the Leatherface mythos, but does capture that gritty Drive-in ambiance the remake never did. Possibly the most mercilessly violent and gory of all the CHAINSAWs, director Jonathan Liebesman's movie was, to me, more in tune with Hooper's original movie than any other entry. Unlike the remake, the script doesn't shy away from the Hewitt clan's propensity for cannibalism. R. Lee Ermey once more recalls the greatness of Jim Siedow, Andrew Bryniarski's Leatherface is even more relentless as before, and the film overall is mean-spirited and sadistic as hell.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE</b> (2003)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hT7ViBFO0ck7FTa1YtBV5bUpvMMK1_L7uf29IlBrwyjmMXrcXD4_WlyB0ICdkHAhgLKm7DUalupcb35IzO3-hYtHzZ8wYcs__wzZLLz-lcU04xrcyl01y5QFLxUeok5Ohv1MMOmM9APZhS8z4kEnf13vdRutLYmhRHmNyJx9AfAcoyEIWmwcWqwCxrI/s1007/horror-ranking18.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hT7ViBFO0ck7FTa1YtBV5bUpvMMK1_L7uf29IlBrwyjmMXrcXD4_WlyB0ICdkHAhgLKm7DUalupcb35IzO3-hYtHzZ8wYcs__wzZLLz-lcU04xrcyl01y5QFLxUeok5Ohv1MMOmM9APZhS8z4kEnf13vdRutLYmhRHmNyJx9AfAcoyEIWmwcWqwCxrI/s320/horror-ranking18.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Marcus Nispel <i>(2009s FRIDAY THE 13TH)</i> directed this remake of Tobe Hooper's genre-defining descent into Hell. That film's Director of Photography Daniel Pearl returns to camera duties on the remake and creates a new look for the torrid landscape captured in '74's CHAINSAW. The new version has a similar look, but with a dark fairy tale quality. The filmmakers manage to create a grotesque visual style that doesn't equal Hooper's vision of madness, but carves its own path while paying respectable homage to its source.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5.<b> LEATHERFACE</b> (2017)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGMghoBC4unSXk-VgjUgBJ2EL8Mkd_JIwRawdDArTxjPbmWVfK8DDKemx6aOs96jjZhOUny2dO1KTzfGKEJRU7d8Vo2DVxK4RjQ6eBWfvozsvDCAtnt5Cu0NrGwhYMD-Nl0eqS0930HC1jjVqRYx8GYACB1mIPP3qB9QlxQrTHUNoQGjPCJPhcmk9b_o/s900/horror-ranking21.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGMghoBC4unSXk-VgjUgBJ2EL8Mkd_JIwRawdDArTxjPbmWVfK8DDKemx6aOs96jjZhOUny2dO1KTzfGKEJRU7d8Vo2DVxK4RjQ6eBWfvozsvDCAtnt5Cu0NrGwhYMD-Nl0eqS0930HC1jjVqRYx8GYACB1mIPP3qB9QlxQrTHUNoQGjPCJPhcmk9b_o/s320/horror-ranking21.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It's bizarre to think there's a TEXAS CHAINSAW movie directed by two French filmmakers and shot in Bulgaria, but there is. If you've seen Julien Maury's and Alexandre Bustillo's INSIDE (2007), you know they can do ferocious horror. The two directors do an admirable job with the origins of Leatherface that turns out much better than you'd expect. The film's biggest obstacle is not being shot in Texas. No matter how much the filmmakers try with the Southern Fried accents, Bulgaria doesn't look like Texas. The lunatic lovers that kidnap the future human skin-wearing cannibal reminded me of 50s serial killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6. <b>LEATHERFACE: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III</b> (1990)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZecMB9u29IjTnwI2NzyydMrVQybQ9MgomSo32QjhSal1iwoPr1ig9wlpGCBJEqZnIWIi-pid-DbhhTjBt_ZLyS73Rsp7w05l-JZPUpIvgxR23C9YxCFriZ39spMTRTSKtMXVfHZ1JOGJTo_iTXXrqBTawV3HddEEy6zHcPDrWjQtT4CAnvr77jtXlXkc/s960/horror-ranking16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="631" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZecMB9u29IjTnwI2NzyydMrVQybQ9MgomSo32QjhSal1iwoPr1ig9wlpGCBJEqZnIWIi-pid-DbhhTjBt_ZLyS73Rsp7w05l-JZPUpIvgxR23C9YxCFriZ39spMTRTSKtMXVfHZ1JOGJTo_iTXXrqBTawV3HddEEy6zHcPDrWjQtT4CAnvr77jtXlXkc/s320/horror-ranking16.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Jeff Burr, who made an impressive splash with the sleazy and splattery anthology <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2013/06/from-whisper-to-scream-1987-review.html"><span style="color: red;">FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM</span></a> (1987), sadly went on to direct a slew of unmemorable sequels like this one. CHAINSAW 3 roars for 30 minutes then runs out of gas about the time Leatherface receives an Excalibur chainsaw as a present from his family. From there it's mediocre till the end. Ken Foree <i>(DAWN OF THE DEAD)</i> is the most welcome addition to the cast but is underused and would've helped this movie had his role been much bigger. Typical 90s franchise horror.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. <b>TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D</b> (2013)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3hydhlWZ7VA4WFQJeGCbYtsi_hkgqHMTjIlcDXrs4QwgLqeNpU4iV4QkFFPaaSQgx8l7Bi7i6rPU1_oavVg9k-ojiypoFf98b9cGdckEp2P_wpCl03RRn0Dgt7Xj7QBbcpTrYpepA_-ucdvGGNvBCXd8v7DjF5HKAX8D6E091eP_-Hf9MIYiUn7Avqc/s755/horror-ranking20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3hydhlWZ7VA4WFQJeGCbYtsi_hkgqHMTjIlcDXrs4QwgLqeNpU4iV4QkFFPaaSQgx8l7Bi7i6rPU1_oavVg9k-ojiypoFf98b9cGdckEp2P_wpCl03RRn0Dgt7Xj7QBbcpTrYpepA_-ucdvGGNvBCXd8v7DjF5HKAX8D6E091eP_-Hf9MIYiUn7Avqc/s320/horror-ranking20.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When you can't even put the word 'MASSACRE' in your TEXAS CHAINSAW movie, that's an enormous red flag. This ridiculous sequel is so awful you'd swear Rob Zombie ghost-directed it. The Sawyer's are no longer cannibalistic killers who've amassed unknown numbers of victims, but oppressed hillbillies driven to mass murder by the townsfolk they were killing off. Not only is the script a waste of paper, but Leatherface looks like he's wearing a hornets nest for a mask.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8. <b>THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION </b>(1995)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7C5ovAGcIF514Y8yy8tHYoZJuJxPUd1pnAyzpf0yrmVGaM8gyEHiO_EdjXTcRr3LiPMHo6wl7HPj5CZjl6kq4WcolH6MW0NDSMZA6bW6SFkdH2MPA3drbfZTlNunygBN9o2DyOF7h9lRZGenCaz0czxN_451v2k2IcmZG0izAU_d0yYFVCuT7Zy2DXM/s944/horror-ranking17.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="631" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7C5ovAGcIF514Y8yy8tHYoZJuJxPUd1pnAyzpf0yrmVGaM8gyEHiO_EdjXTcRr3LiPMHo6wl7HPj5CZjl6kq4WcolH6MW0NDSMZA6bW6SFkdH2MPA3drbfZTlNunygBN9o2DyOF7h9lRZGenCaz0czxN_451v2k2IcmZG0izAU_d0yYFVCuT7Zy2DXM/s320/horror-ranking17.jpg" width="214" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Absolute gutter trash of a sequel reduces Leatherface to a whimpering transvestite while making an over the top Matthew McConaughey the main villain. The only reason to watch this would be to see where McConaughey and co-star Renee Zellweger got their start. I remember reading about this in Fangoria when it was under the awkward title RETURN TO THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. It looked like a traditional sequel that would align with Hooper's picture; and with the original's co-writer Kim Henkel as director, that was all but assured. Unfortunately, there's a ridiculous subplot about the Illuminati controlling the crazed clan of killers, and barely a massacre--but it was shot in Texas, so there's that.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the FRIDAY THE 13th series: 12 entries<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. <b>FRIDAY THE 13th PART V: A NEW BEGINNING</b> (1985)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUe4_Y8t1v3jphbAkJp30sHcNEFiIqFPWSPWfYbZB9fmPa_ISpSyub1qHMKs3bD0rSt4ZOsmebRCozMWcKwLMthGMhhOnxy3_SyA5DYuaUbc19aNwycM7J1264ACzAbqTj_HjB_nDa9X6ePy23ashyMUTBOen9PEZjhu5iN1jks1-6OK-WC8liyaCzlQ/s600/horror-ranking6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUe4_Y8t1v3jphbAkJp30sHcNEFiIqFPWSPWfYbZB9fmPa_ISpSyub1qHMKs3bD0rSt4ZOsmebRCozMWcKwLMthGMhhOnxy3_SyA5DYuaUbc19aNwycM7J1264ACzAbqTj_HjB_nDa9X6ePy23ashyMUTBOen9PEZjhu5iN1jks1-6OK-WC8liyaCzlQ/s320/horror-ranking6.jpg" width="207" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">My favorite F13 is the one most people hate. It was the first one I saw in a theater and had the highest body count at the time. There's an astonishing atmosphere of sleaze the series never attempted again; and features the best acting performance next to Betsy Palmer in John Shepherd’s tortured portrayal of Tommy Jarvis—the second of three films to revolve around the character. For the first time, <i>(grungy)</i> humor is injected into the mix by way of a filthy mother and son with even filthier mouths. The main setting of a halfway house filled with troubled youths makes for an unsettling blend of madness and murder. Director Danny Steinmann <i>(SAVAGE STREETS)</i> does a great job creating a mystery as to whether it’s Jason Voorhees or someone else doing the killings—some of which are the most brutal seen up to that time. Arguably the most fascinating entry of the first 8 films, despite being widely vilified even to this day due to the killer not being the real Jason. In 1985, it received a level of flogging not seen since H3 hit theaters in 1982. Harry Manfredini’s score is a refreshing composition and his best since part 1. For me, Part 5 is a vastly underrated and immensely entertaining sequel.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2.<b> JASON X </b>(2002)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAiMu-QmcFl-mFCniP8xZfFl7aL4_AkNO5BprSq4UenLTSmMS0DfL8PaKiNjLycykq6I4RLsHYbdQPaN0csLT9e0y1oZITHopMfpThuUZWRFwAYrNWTA_XuPbb2ZbxSPEd_xmi4DT97yrp1IfSHryH91a8JPFJbi7bhKBq7J7rQ-yM59z6ZnGE9u_BX4/s720/horror-ranking12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="483" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAiMu-QmcFl-mFCniP8xZfFl7aL4_AkNO5BprSq4UenLTSmMS0DfL8PaKiNjLycykq6I4RLsHYbdQPaN0csLT9e0y1oZITHopMfpThuUZWRFwAYrNWTA_XuPbb2ZbxSPEd_xmi4DT97yrp1IfSHryH91a8JPFJbi7bhKBq7J7rQ-yM59z6ZnGE9u_BX4/s320/horror-ranking12.jpg" width="215" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">After years of stalking Camp Crystal Lake, a brief trip to New York City, and then going to Hell, Jason is finally sent into outer space. This tenth chapter has a little bit of everything. The filmmakers are clearly having fun and are hoping audiences will go along for the ride. Jason kills nearly everyone at a research facility, gets frozen in stasis, found by futurians, accidentally unthaws, goes on a killing spree aboard a spaceship, battles a cyborg, then becomes a cyborg slasher and kills even more. Some goofy dialog and the worst score of the entire series can’t ruin the fun of this 50s SciFi throwback and slasher epic. JASON X is Kane Hodder’s last role as the iconic killer and it’s possibly his best. For pure entertainment value, X marks the spot.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH</b> (1980)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiaoO6YKWTVor92pANo_w7QZyPfaLmBuKQBDXsgbn7vupZPpCARF1KG1XszCaPIMdzz_5QW_mdvVihRUFu94ksO8QWkTC7NHbRW1tQXw9Sd1AZbRB8VGw0ikyvJ-W-fAAenycaOp1DO6f_ymP-HEV6v8n3Lk0l1y2rrmVIdWrYQgtVH1Px0JL27XNG7I/s601/horror-ranking1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiaoO6YKWTVor92pANo_w7QZyPfaLmBuKQBDXsgbn7vupZPpCARF1KG1XszCaPIMdzz_5QW_mdvVihRUFu94ksO8QWkTC7NHbRW1tQXw9Sd1AZbRB8VGw0ikyvJ-W-fAAenycaOp1DO6f_ymP-HEV6v8n3Lk0l1y2rrmVIdWrYQgtVH1Px0JL27XNG7I/s320/horror-ranking1.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The one truly terrifying movie in the entire F13 series. In terms of scares and tension, it’s the best of the bunch. The use of a thunderstorm with muted lighting, the sound of a woman in the distance crying out <i>“help me”</i>, the sudden impact of the kill punctuated by Harry Manfredini’s timeless and chilling music are all unforgettable moments. Something else F13 does extremely well is creating an atmosphere of being at camp that feels tangible and real. Some handheld camerawork gives the film a documentary feel at times. And then there's that incredible ending where Jason pulls Adrienne King into the water that's like the shock moment in a campfire ghost story. <i>“… that means he’s still there!”</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI: JASON LIVES</b> (1986)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXg3l9shsPmu9qkvFqm8kkRhvzFdtiSWPdBs2p6FXqzRzK7tYVetpPBxn3Tk7uKtF_JcZFRDUAZP-zCVBYZlTQ8C1KU2f8BGNS-bfFl61jZpSBFOpTOa5vLRqv9rgQtCQXoUCtvpnBkP00QPHmgJJkLb4MAPtUHgK35Pfn46cw_eyPe1qIJ13_J2QzN8/s960/horror-ranking13.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="631" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXg3l9shsPmu9qkvFqm8kkRhvzFdtiSWPdBs2p6FXqzRzK7tYVetpPBxn3Tk7uKtF_JcZFRDUAZP-zCVBYZlTQ8C1KU2f8BGNS-bfFl61jZpSBFOpTOa5vLRqv9rgQtCQXoUCtvpnBkP00QPHmgJJkLb4MAPtUHgK35Pfn46cw_eyPe1qIJ13_J2QzN8/s320/horror-ranking13.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Paramount Pictures, the company that had utter contempt for the F13 audience, brought the machete wielding psychopath back to life in a very energetic sequel from director Tom McLoughlin <i>(<a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2017/10/one-dark-night-1983-review.html"><span style="color: red;">ONE DARK NIGHT</span></a>)</i>; the third and last of the Tommy Jarvis saga. Part 6 could’ve easily picked up where part 5 ended without making Tommy the new Jason, but that would require they maintain the same grim atmosphere; so instead, the filmmakers lighten everything up and drastically alter the Tommy Jarvis character. Consequently, Thom</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Matthews’s Tommy is not John Shepherd’s. </span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">As it were, 1986 was the year goofball comedy infiltrated the major horror franchises and only Texas’s chainsaw chili makers knew best how to mix it with horror. Other than the Three Stooges antics during a paintball sequence, the comedy isn’t too distracting. On the plus side, there’s some gothic atmosphere, fun characters, a few memorable deaths, Jennifer Cooke is hot, and there’s some cool metal tunes by Alice Cooper on the soundtrack. JASON LIVES is also Harry Manfredini’s last good F13 score.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">5. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER</b> (1984)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSeef6FLJvGdAjsP-_qybMULMbkXHmcQCkI9tkrb1QnrzzKo1yXSuWfLzI1zxInJH3z09OsRVVUXMUJSJD7FdjsYAstupRcfB2r5qME_uct768y11Tt2YTFopQZAAS5v8sf_Y5QBcb-yPM3DUxZMPhI68byinW9EOOthjgzcpiQIbFRd7L0AIqpyT9rU/s686/horror-ranking4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="439" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSeef6FLJvGdAjsP-_qybMULMbkXHmcQCkI9tkrb1QnrzzKo1yXSuWfLzI1zxInJH3z09OsRVVUXMUJSJD7FdjsYAstupRcfB2r5qME_uct768y11Tt2YTFopQZAAS5v8sf_Y5QBcb-yPM3DUxZMPhI68byinW9EOOthjgzcpiQIbFRd7L0AIqpyT9rU/s320/horror-ranking4.jpg" width="205" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">This splattery sequel gives Crystal Lake’s famous slasher a spectacular send-off… till the next sequel. It’s the same story again, but with a few tweaks. With an F13 plot, you've got a rotating cycle of camp counselors and young teens renting some house in the woods for a party. FINAL CHAPTER belongs to the latter camp. If you’re a monster kid, you’ll thoroughly appreciate Tommy Jarvis, the little boy who loves horror and makes monster masks, in his first of three F13 appearances. Something I was hoping more from was the addition of a young man hunting Jason down; it doesn't enhance the narrative the way it could have. On a brighter note, Tom Savini returns on special effects makeup and stuntman Ted White gives us a more forceful Jason who runs after his victims. Thankfully, part 4 wasn’t the final chapter, because we got some entertaining sequels after it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">6. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3D</b> (1982)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUa-i-l7o7O64j9JHUtVZJImchyphenhyphen7VVR-zaTHmIHeRwba9azJsRuFCFrwBILDT_u4Dgi5zwufky91F9WuuaLyjD7B9MgU4vv34A15T15tslvmb0zrBmaqqsIiRkWI-39AsUcJmlBNROp1GXGT3i3LuUSUAoZpQtQJUaSsen9A4p4y8vEnmbE1Xd2vq3sU/s960/horror-ranking3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUa-i-l7o7O64j9JHUtVZJImchyphenhyphen7VVR-zaTHmIHeRwba9azJsRuFCFrwBILDT_u4Dgi5zwufky91F9WuuaLyjD7B9MgU4vv34A15T15tslvmb0zrBmaqqsIiRkWI-39AsUcJmlBNROp1GXGT3i3LuUSUAoZpQtQJUaSsen9A4p4y8vEnmbE1Xd2vq3sU/s320/horror-ranking3.jpg" width="205" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">F13-3D was the first series entry I saw on television, that being the USA Network. Chapter 3 is important in horror history since this is the movie where Jason Voorhees acquires his famous hockey mask after spending a lot of the film's running time without one. There’s some grandly creepy shots of Jason either hiding behind objects or one of his unsuspecting victims that builds tension. The script adds some new characters in the form of a biker gang to go along with the teens vacationing at a friends family cabin in the woods. For horror mag lovers, Fangoria #1 has a cameo appearance. The plentiful 3D can’t distract from the occasional lag in the pacing but the final girl showdown is among the best of the series with an especially resourceful Dana Kimmell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2</b> (1981)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHzltM5LZhgJjtbG7ke_dkFsGCbbI5Czzuo10ebFMvwZa8nM8kATFMmSddZi72amS8Fw4if5Euobdfp9JV2eO4oN0rmZdGMk_wT-H6J_3B_ddsMZKSZ4_rmhaGiIgv6EX5VKGEFowvM_dqHSKdLvor659sXNYcNdNtAn8iJiiuIjHq-ZaZMh4wa3Q5W8/s900/horror-ranking2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHzltM5LZhgJjtbG7ke_dkFsGCbbI5Czzuo10ebFMvwZa8nM8kATFMmSddZi72amS8Fw4if5Euobdfp9JV2eO4oN0rmZdGMk_wT-H6J_3B_ddsMZKSZ4_rmhaGiIgv6EX5VKGEFowvM_dqHSKdLvor659sXNYcNdNtAn8iJiiuIjHq-ZaZMh4wa3Q5W8/s320/horror-ranking2.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The first sequel to the massive hit killer thriller recaptures a lot of what made the calendars most feared day such a success. The MPAA weren’t kind to F13-2, and were overly hostile to the series as a whole. Even with a lot of the gore scissored, it’s quite good, if slightly above average for me. Jason Voorhees makes his debut here wearing a potato sack with an eye-hole in it. I remember going trick r’ treating once with that look. When I was six or seven my father recorded the first two from an HBO airing. I had to sneak around to see them and both scared the hell out of me back then. Director Steve Miner started the trend of bringing the previous films survivor(s) back and killing them off. Aside from the ending, Adrienne King’s death at the beginning was a fantastic and unexpected shock moment.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">8. <b>JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY</b> (1993)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CnUR_h6KcmrYrbkwZgXzCB50Q249NLJKKgvmyhfFowWmkZMGUXX9xcgiBKX538Sb7Z9f6qnuCTbQTCvj72jznwboMKEAf4BgNTaDXOg9McwQzVwj54AN6BSA4ujhQ4pDcfCYWJwiaLwW1oojgwy0w6dtPn8hqTzaLAb7lO3y_Yj58Y5xkYlbRLV8qZM/s960/horror-ranking9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CnUR_h6KcmrYrbkwZgXzCB50Q249NLJKKgvmyhfFowWmkZMGUXX9xcgiBKX538Sb7Z9f6qnuCTbQTCvj72jznwboMKEAf4BgNTaDXOg9McwQzVwj54AN6BSA4ujhQ4pDcfCYWJwiaLwW1oojgwy0w6dtPn8hqTzaLAb7lO3y_Yj58Y5xkYlbRLV8qZM/s320/horror-ranking9.jpg" width="205" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Of
all the major horror franchises, the F13 series was the first to go
total apeshit with the most simplistic of storylines. Jason Voorhees
went from being a basic slasher killer to a body-hopping demonic force.
But why stop there? After multiple movies where Jason is hacked, shot,
burned, drowned and nearly decapitated, we now learn only a family
member with a magical dagger can kill him; or allow him to return in his
original body. It’s as super stupid as it sounds but director Adam
Marcus plays it straight. There’s self-referential humor, beautiful
girls, a high gore quotient, cameos by the Necronomicon and Freddy
Krueger, and around 15 minutes of Kane Hodder as Jason. At the time, a
lady in the theater shouted <i>“what is this?!”</i> So the not-so FINAL FRIDAY
may have the same effect on you as H3 did back in 1982 and FRIDAY 5 in
1985.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">9. <b>FREDDY VS JASON</b> (2003)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjPm-tFTPSEOKNu-72lAmv4hHEcketQGsjTnKlvwnKjcesQof-i1qSuHOMBLU9gy98IhihryAqLkEg2eJCSd3QiQqEyZwIS3tVaHZ4vmGC8zm9U9HqfNPBPTI4fyICBEpIO4ejZfDZYGblta5U4BXLlsK0TH4-gU42TAyMcetQwpcDPVMbIIpMz142EE/s755/horror-ranking10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="513" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjPm-tFTPSEOKNu-72lAmv4hHEcketQGsjTnKlvwnKjcesQof-i1qSuHOMBLU9gy98IhihryAqLkEg2eJCSd3QiQqEyZwIS3tVaHZ4vmGC8zm9U9HqfNPBPTI4fyICBEpIO4ejZfDZYGblta5U4BXLlsK0TH4-gU42TAyMcetQwpcDPVMbIIpMz142EE/s320/horror-ranking10.jpg" width="217" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Pitting
both slasher icons against each other had been in development hell
before the FINAL FRIDAY, but ten years after we saw Freddy pull the
fabled hockey mask beneath the Earth, the hellraising matchup finally
arrived. The plot is good and having Hong Kong director Ronny Yu at the
helm was a fresh approach. Yu utilized the Kung Fu and wire work
techniques of his HK films, giving the picture a distinctive visual
style. It’s overloaded with gore and the comic bits from Krueger are
thankfully not allowed to overtake the film. The biggest gripe I have
with FvJ is no Kane Hodder. Having a Jason who lumbers around like
Frankenstein’s Monster is not what this movie needed. It needed Hodder’s
hulking rage perfectly exhibited through his patented mannerisms and
body language. One of horror’s great missed opportunities.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">10. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD</b> (1988)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2eo9sNYAMPVhJJVeRtbz1FYVkB-XMEUiRPoXjnD9SoiTYdP_m0qhMmg_aswfR-ShfEGxzmYqihdrLT7B0HO1HVekIDJUa36dCRWMRfWfESKaMsPrhK-2nOCSFDh1JJLGcoFUBmlStKuK9UuVp1nU3bhDTBhjwEeZrz22MbbBeeSKNBgSAfLvYuWyySk/s1108/horror-ranking5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2eo9sNYAMPVhJJVeRtbz1FYVkB-XMEUiRPoXjnD9SoiTYdP_m0qhMmg_aswfR-ShfEGxzmYqihdrLT7B0HO1HVekIDJUa36dCRWMRfWfESKaMsPrhK-2nOCSFDh1JJLGcoFUBmlStKuK9UuVp1nU3bhDTBhjwEeZrz22MbbBeeSKNBgSAfLvYuWyySk/s320/horror-ranking5.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">A story pitting Jason against a troubled girl with telekinetic powers had a lot of potential; and you see it during the last ten minutes. Unfortunately, the rest is more TIRED BLOOD than anything new. Compared to previous entries, the characters are remarkably bland. The kills are varied and would look great if we were able to actually see them. Then the movie expects us to take it seriously that the corpse of Tina’s father was left at the bottom of a lake with powers of preservation greater than the Egyptians. Arguably the best thing about part 7 is the amazing makeup job for Jason. Director and makeup effects artist John Carl Buechler could do great work when a film budget allowed him to. Stuntman Kane Hodder <i>(the other reason to watch this)</i> dons the hockey mask the first of four times. Hodder conveys a level of rage and power unlike any other actor that played the iconic killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">11. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN</b> (1989)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjNN6SN5IvWD1jm2Q4T2Qh1bMNknuAWgdPHdGNYo6LjHTK8CV1v6A87hnC6_Gk5YiiTkaHnX2SLgWRildXd718IaQgeX7zIZHFUvQ6yatrrqiEJlz5D0QGFGJC89sSSTvBQpYro7A71byVXwT3XdW2l5Cj-Tpie7kltj6h8vTXISjU87S8lTwzRsivN0/s770/horror-ranking8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjNN6SN5IvWD1jm2Q4T2Qh1bMNknuAWgdPHdGNYo6LjHTK8CV1v6A87hnC6_Gk5YiiTkaHnX2SLgWRildXd718IaQgeX7zIZHFUvQ6yatrrqiEJlz5D0QGFGJC89sSSTvBQpYro7A71byVXwT3XdW2l5Cj-Tpie7kltj6h8vTXISjU87S8lTwzRsivN0/s320/horror-ranking8.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The F13 movie with the worst example of false advertising other than THE FINAL CHAPTER; except that one is a well made slasher picture. It took 8 movies for Jason to leave the damn woods and only spend 30 minutes in the Big Apple while taking an hour to get there aboard a cruise ship. For a slasher flick with a 20+ body count, it’s boring beyond belief. Easily the most disappointing sequel with an even worse ending than Part 7. This time a flood of toxic waste in the sewer system somehow transforms Jason back into a deformed little boy. The only redeeming quality of this sequel is watching Kane Hodder’s second incredible performance as Jason Voorhees.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">12. <b>FRIDAY THE 13TH</b> (2009)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVIzEvqpr7RQVhv_23PT44rPJVj7FMPohrPSYn2C50Wt8aiZ_XfB3Cbo5MiU3J6pI0c5QZqUr5RqDCqWWyI55egBbMp9HK5JIJQwT_bCT0BGUslbzf0LFlx45qPU_lAMxHwJ6fLDwcQYgYbnQE25HJU03qIPMFhkps3HFSQsJYGkuSGfGj3lYFBZHJPg/s960/horror-ranking11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVIzEvqpr7RQVhv_23PT44rPJVj7FMPohrPSYn2C50Wt8aiZ_XfB3Cbo5MiU3J6pI0c5QZqUr5RqDCqWWyI55egBbMp9HK5JIJQwT_bCT0BGUslbzf0LFlx45qPU_lAMxHwJ6fLDwcQYgYbnQE25HJU03qIPMFhkps3HFSQsJYGkuSGfGj3lYFBZHJPg/s320/horror-ranking11.jpg" width="205" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When these remakes of horror hits arrived in theaters, a number of them looked the same, bearing monotonous color schemes with little variation. F13 from ‘09 is one such remake. At times, it feels less like F13 than it does TCM. The kills are surprisingly bland and standard although the opening does show promise. If nothing else, it’s infinitely better than the 2010 ELM STREET do-over, but not as good as the TCM remake this film—also directed by Marcus Nispel—emulates in its visual style.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series: 8 entries<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1.<b> A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS</b> (1987)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgn7E59bc-YO8n55WlP_BAL-8Yp39-wHYl77ibQSg3hF89q04GMCA1_lJmuIk_JlEkDhogTXVJSj9Dpl7pShS4zvi0HSszc-wE7KGffPHV6902yWKViqkyew4zZVztg2LX1u1oTBXwm9XZXIhiugeelviHUPp16Cl-OAJspffO-AWGBkP7PXebYWWP-E/s800/horror-ranking9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgn7E59bc-YO8n55WlP_BAL-8Yp39-wHYl77ibQSg3hF89q04GMCA1_lJmuIk_JlEkDhogTXVJSj9Dpl7pShS4zvi0HSszc-wE7KGffPHV6902yWKViqkyew4zZVztg2LX1u1oTBXwm9XZXIhiugeelviHUPp16Cl-OAJspffO-AWGBkP7PXebYWWP-E/s320/horror-ranking9.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The Freddy Krueger series started out as a dark series of films about a dead child murderer entering the dreams of, and killing off, the offspring of the parents that burned him alive. By the time DREAM WARRIORS came around, Freddy had soared past his slasher brethren at the box office. This meant widening audience appeal by commercializing the killer. The set pieces would become bigger and Freddy’s antics would become more comical. All of that happens in ELM STREET 3; but the element of fear and horror abounds for the third and last time till the mid 90s. Director Chuck Russell <i>(1988s THE BLOB)</i> captures the spirit of Craven’s original while the special effects makeup artists expand on it. Heather Langencamp and John Saxon reprise their roles, too. DREAM WARRIORS carries on the metal-horror tradition prompted by JASON LIVES the previous year. You're not dreaming; ELM STREET 3 is one of the finest sequels ever made and expertly handled by all involved in every way.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2.<b> A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET</b> (1984)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15B1JNuurT0Dome4YZ7vKj15yLVapRYcZsrZhRgE0L-bCZLr-D2VnQ-2NvLL6Ah1U6YvcbU3Xyjdiqt-kjI2b4vsSCbjvOzaqBzegDJHtuotRq_EWK4ptXM0JPML6oO6udVBIrcq_OaAEieuQPRJ6fPmimiu9GjNWK0vqy2-sNUK1b7TvWtjrgeEJGQA/s960/horror-ranking6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="633" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15B1JNuurT0Dome4YZ7vKj15yLVapRYcZsrZhRgE0L-bCZLr-D2VnQ-2NvLL6Ah1U6YvcbU3Xyjdiqt-kjI2b4vsSCbjvOzaqBzegDJHtuotRq_EWK4ptXM0JPML6oO6udVBIrcq_OaAEieuQPRJ6fPmimiu9GjNWK0vqy2-sNUK1b7TvWtjrgeEJGQA/s320/horror-ranking6.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">I saw ELM STREET on videocassette in 1985. It remains the only legitimately scary film in the series. A few years later, I’d lose interest in the films once Freddy became a comedian and his victims the subjects of his shtick. The power of the first NIGHTMARE is in Craven’s spin on the slasher formula and his restraint in showing too much of Krueger; lighting him mostly in shadow and or low lit sources. A few years later, the corporatization of the character killed off any chance of Freddy being scary again till Craven came back to the series. In addition to the look and feel of the movie, there’s that iconic piano theme and the familiar sound of Krueger scraping his razor claws against a metal surface; things that are sorely missed as this series went on.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3. <b>WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE</b> (1994)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ5_x5wxwf-6iuuvFb3EHCSh0UL5rj0cErVY1rwljuTMvc8s_XuH298bduob3luxvrSC8SyOvCgZo_7W-ZI-i63zmJ3U314ZhX3nr9_oJMUZxxwR7YEKQN6fHFhH_vcKZML14McQMX4rbby7_Y8SvucTMIG-PAO6UaptGgf5hUOTRlSSzc3vSSuZOtWc/s800/horror-ranking18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ5_x5wxwf-6iuuvFb3EHCSh0UL5rj0cErVY1rwljuTMvc8s_XuH298bduob3luxvrSC8SyOvCgZo_7W-ZI-i63zmJ3U314ZhX3nr9_oJMUZxxwR7YEKQN6fHFhH_vcKZML14McQMX4rbby7_Y8SvucTMIG-PAO6UaptGgf5hUOTRlSSzc3vSSuZOtWc/s320/horror-ranking18.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">NEW
NIGHTMARE is the ingenious 7th entry on ELM STREET. It delivers the
<i>“new blood”</i> FRIDAY 7 promised with a unique blending of fantasy and
reality. Wes Craven returns to the directors chair and shows he hasn’t
lost his creative energy writing the innovative script bolstered by
strong lead performances—especially by the beautiful Heather Langencamp.
Krueger returns to his evil roots and the Freddy makeup is the most
sinister since the first two movies. The materialization of a fictional
monster into the real world is a welcome return to the scarier tones of
the original, and plentiful homages to that inaugural NIGHTMARE.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER</b> (1988)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX5uO8x_q_23HQlnRvRa-ipw1-JKAF_CbCHeqiA23iU932ZAIvjGs7m6KiKEL4wUnta71YTAGh4xp1RwkFaBl3YshHnLjIsQGR8Ib8ievccj8aO8zthVqA9JGIA4wGbkjHgz27VCGi5u2YFvNaETzcnS594dce3B1J9mfsyfI06Hy6Rw9mgHqxgVeFZ8/s960/horror-ranking8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX5uO8x_q_23HQlnRvRa-ipw1-JKAF_CbCHeqiA23iU932ZAIvjGs7m6KiKEL4wUnta71YTAGh4xp1RwkFaBl3YshHnLjIsQGR8Ib8ievccj8aO8zthVqA9JGIA4wGbkjHgz27VCGi5u2YFvNaETzcnS594dce3B1J9mfsyfI06Hy6Rw9mgHqxgVeFZ8/s320/horror-ranking8.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">ELM
STREET 4 is music video horror that officially turned Freddy Krueger
into a standup comedian. In the theater, the audience did lots of
laughing, cheering and clapping. That’s a good sign your movie has wide
approval but having Freddy come back after a dog pisses fire on him
doesn’t exactly evoke an atmosphere of horror. Still, there’s some
creative set pieces and some great 80s metal music that plays near
constant on the soundtrack. At the time, I didn’t like it as I was
expecting a darker spectacle akin to DREAM WARRIORS. Upon re-visitation,
I've warmed up to it a bit more. Director Renny Harlin’s overstuffed
blend of metal, teen angst, humor, nudity and gore turned the DREAM
MASTER into the most 80s entry in the ELM STREET series. Totally.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5. <b>A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD</b> 1989)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv31L_s5RD3K1e2Hhg5lSkm3oEnIRNf0djsXOhP93CF-vjx7vwQnzn-e-btVGADt5Lpgc9lC2ZvEWtmBCVfWd3IQE6OKljk5dRmO0_a7LUIule7ArR7IYjBwm3zFjdoLcW0-4-n3UI_kmtMmaS4ZLpr9uKUoX8szVbEWEunnr0chKP5OvC4P6m2DbDx8s/s1020/horror-ranking10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="660" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv31L_s5RD3K1e2Hhg5lSkm3oEnIRNf0djsXOhP93CF-vjx7vwQnzn-e-btVGADt5Lpgc9lC2ZvEWtmBCVfWd3IQE6OKljk5dRmO0_a7LUIule7ArR7IYjBwm3zFjdoLcW0-4-n3UI_kmtMmaS4ZLpr9uKUoX8szVbEWEunnr0chKP5OvC4P6m2DbDx8s/s320/horror-ranking10.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Without
entirely dumping the humor, the series returns to its darker horror
roots for the fifth film, and the second and last of the Alice
storyline. Some nice Gothic touches enhance this entry even if the plot
doesn’t make that much sense. Unlike the same years HALLOWEEN 5, it
doesn’t do anything wrong, it simply doesn’t do anything the previous
films haven’t already done and better. Compared to DREAM MASTER, the
DREAM CHILD won’t have you remembering much about it the next day. The
Freddy makeup is as average as the movie is. Director Stephen Hopkins
was more successful at building tension and a sense of impending doom
with the ultra-violent PREDATOR 2 in 1990.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6. <b>A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE</b> (1985)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10w78lp2awh0FdTFMiv4c1XQ1eiDLKm5s_zirxQL5Qabvy9dakxWqLl3N-L8oK_xb8gpOlljlU1Jh3Dl6BHTS_hZT01uuc120EiqLect0se2x1Mc5FBRL_IcDPHTB5YEhpznuE9npXGC0K6SDMmWgOTfIf0pXlxSVdugUjTxFbTW8cu5evtIXLpy3HgQ/s754/horror-ranking7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="505" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10w78lp2awh0FdTFMiv4c1XQ1eiDLKm5s_zirxQL5Qabvy9dakxWqLl3N-L8oK_xb8gpOlljlU1Jh3Dl6BHTS_hZT01uuc120EiqLect0se2x1Mc5FBRL_IcDPHTB5YEhpznuE9npXGC0K6SDMmWgOTfIf0pXlxSVdugUjTxFbTW8cu5evtIXLpy3HgQ/s320/horror-ranking7.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Jack Sholder <i>(1982s ALONE IN THE DARK)</i> takes Craven’s seat and opens his film with a fantastic set piece. Unfortunately, it slowly dive-bombs from there. Having Freddy possess the body of a high school kid and using him to kill is an intriguing premise. Where the film goes off the rails for me is in bringing Krueger into reality, lessening the fearful nature his dreamworld status gave him. He’s just another slasher here; nor is the script clear as to why Freddy wants to use the boy to enter the real world when he’s clearly more powerful stalking his victims in their nightmares. Turning the Thompson home into a cursed house was a nice touch if only they’d left the dream killer in his domain. The nonsensical ending doesn’t improve things, either. It’s an okay sequel although the REVENGE is more of a whimper than a scream.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. <b>FREDDY’S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE</b> (1991)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfiWjwDQDhVV0WJRlNRBu2iclvPeXQ6XcK5Fok1fpDaujwsOfWKVzzJHGVXX-h3yA7pRCTqaHDwfG-JPnjSgt0nIZWlKt8e9U4oZg6Nxg7ZExrQqGyF9nUWQn41WwKxrqHMzH4Df_7IVELvUDhgGvEC9y2Tw6auSZYYUlVCwwQSRcDovkAyOK2MB7RHo/s920/horror-ranking11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfiWjwDQDhVV0WJRlNRBu2iclvPeXQ6XcK5Fok1fpDaujwsOfWKVzzJHGVXX-h3yA7pRCTqaHDwfG-JPnjSgt0nIZWlKt8e9U4oZg6Nxg7ZExrQqGyF9nUWQn41WwKxrqHMzH4Df_7IVELvUDhgGvEC9y2Tw6auSZYYUlVCwwQSRcDovkAyOK2MB7RHo/s320/horror-ranking11.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This fifth sequel has the most elaborate special effects but everything else is stale. The comic shenanigans are ramped up yet again, but to ridiculously unfunny levels. Meanwhile the plot retreads past films in a surrealist style that doesn’t fit this franchise. Innovation is having FRIDAY 5 style wayward teens traveling to Springfield that’s now bereft of any children and seemingly low on adults except for Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold; and a final 15 minutes in 3D. The overlong Nintendo sequence is an embarrassment and the Freddy makeup looks like Robert Englund wearing a mask.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8.<b> A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET</b> (2010)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYTLNitJTpxOPUzwAm8JpHuva4yVMZwVt9_cUGMiLQvtCD311OoQku9wOiJ8D7G8OC7zGXQ_3tfUxbHfpyGCaA1-icU3LfIMIfWPnC6-QzqZ7uhd2NIi5dDii-R-4BIuoJa4hmkTSyb2v0yUpptLasNOOMNIXaf6jdO44-_jeaOSHEBhXfvy0Vf48hpc/s564/horror-ranking19.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="381" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYTLNitJTpxOPUzwAm8JpHuva4yVMZwVt9_cUGMiLQvtCD311OoQku9wOiJ8D7G8OC7zGXQ_3tfUxbHfpyGCaA1-icU3LfIMIfWPnC6-QzqZ7uhd2NIi5dDii-R-4BIuoJa4hmkTSyb2v0yUpptLasNOOMNIXaf6jdO44-_jeaOSHEBhXfvy0Vf48hpc/s320/horror-ranking19.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">An incredibly lifeless remake, ELM STREET 2010 will put you to sleep and potentially induce a nightmare about having sat through the whole thing. The ambiance is right but the look of Freddy is astonishingly bland and makes one reminisce about Robert Englund and how good he was in the role. There's some tinkering with Freddy's origins, making him a child molester instead of a child murderer. There was a glut of horror remakes around this time and NIGHTMARE is among the worst.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the CHILD’S PLAY series: 8 entries<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. <b>CHILD’S PLAY 2</b> (1990)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxSuDxtKBu3n5rBUL1neb2pcoHcGVMJnPU0MnoT0VBmm5JvNLkPgEuqvXsFbMWNuCmwKU-krxUsndi1eFa_85_hvGcVQbtqjk2hrnY_RPjuiad9l-T9CDe72YsVmjQH7DxN08y880NY13L-2Q2XxR_pNSz4963_0V342z2jR9kb56poRWDyLUXJS6wCQ/s755/horror-ranking16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxSuDxtKBu3n5rBUL1neb2pcoHcGVMJnPU0MnoT0VBmm5JvNLkPgEuqvXsFbMWNuCmwKU-krxUsndi1eFa_85_hvGcVQbtqjk2hrnY_RPjuiad9l-T9CDe72YsVmjQH7DxN08y880NY13L-2Q2XxR_pNSz4963_0V342z2jR9kb56poRWDyLUXJS6wCQ/s320/horror-ranking16.jpg" width="215" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A sequel that surpasses its predecessor is a rare occurrence. CP2 is one such movie. Superior to the first film, there’s legitimate fear and horror created in the sequel; nor do people have to bump into tables or fall down to ground level for Chucky to be a threat. The story unfolds so well, you forget it’s the same movie all over again. The reason sequels fail is they either don’t improve on their source, or they're unable to find alternate ways to visualize fear; CP2 accomplishes both.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2. <b>BRIDE OF CHUCKY</b> (1998)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4zWpVDpXXpfAGGCyhji_n_uFZDDBE5-_Q9mFXqMryfezUCCcUTzdFxIAPosMS3KU2j4-Ci9dBM0ixDRnXZOeCFX8vaWU40hkutOl5ry-B7uGZ6Kk2ri8sULBOj6VH0R4Jz9s77uKFS0FGfYHSa7wS56yKajxiv2yj6GlMiMrqmps5-3nTh-DoLT3h5Y/s800/horror-ranking1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4zWpVDpXXpfAGGCyhji_n_uFZDDBE5-_Q9mFXqMryfezUCCcUTzdFxIAPosMS3KU2j4-Ci9dBM0ixDRnXZOeCFX8vaWU40hkutOl5ry-B7uGZ6Kk2ri8sULBOj6VH0R4Jz9s77uKFS0FGfYHSa7wS56yKajxiv2yj6GlMiMrqmps5-3nTh-DoLT3h5Y/s320/horror-ranking1.jpg" width="217" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The fourth film in this series straddles a good balance of horror and humor. It’s a vast improvement over part 3 while going in an entirely new, and thoroughly bizarre, direction. Chinese filmmaker Ronny Yu brings a fresh approach to the material and instills Hong Kong movie aesthetics creating a unique visual style. Director Yu would amplify the HK style a few years later when directing FREDDY VS JASON. BRIDE is a darkly comical, Goth-metal melding of BONNIE AND CLYDE and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and works amazingly well.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3.<b> CHILD’S PLAY</b> (1988)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHHOOGbuozu-vsQDN9ZnTf0IAR81UvVzbWChNQANvZlkv32CQ3TboQOG958CbV4g6m4S54iVUtMyrqMkIu4HqXHMLnMTcP67qseZTs__p0tOa1yxFw3LUrYcVIRo7i9TKgJC1rOwHKPKHBOnaTVLEqANUluZvhe3msWvTXPtdWlJpQ6T0pwv9XDP2Lzs/s960/horror-ranking15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHHOOGbuozu-vsQDN9ZnTf0IAR81UvVzbWChNQANvZlkv32CQ3TboQOG958CbV4g6m4S54iVUtMyrqMkIu4HqXHMLnMTcP67qseZTs__p0tOa1yxFw3LUrYcVIRo7i9TKgJC1rOwHKPKHBOnaTVLEqANUluZvhe3msWvTXPtdWlJpQ6T0pwv9XDP2Lzs/s320/horror-ranking15.jpg" width="217" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Something special about the TEXAS CHAINSAW, HALLOWEEN, and FRIDAY THE 13th franchises was they had entries made between 1975-1985 that were genuinely scary. After 1985, horror films became homogenized and comedic. CHILD’S PLAY is a supernatural horror-action picture with comedic touches brought to you by an expletive-spouting killer doll. Tom Holland previously directed the superior Horror-Comedy FRIGHT NIGHT (1985), and later did THINNER (1996) based on the Stephen King story. CHILD'S PLAY is entertaining, only it's less interested in scares than it is one-liners. If you want to see killer dolls done right, see the <i>‘Living Doll’</i> episode of the original THE TWILIGHT ZONE and the third segment in the Made-For-TV anthology horror classic, TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975). Even though there wasn't much scary about it at the time, CHILD'S PLAY was definitely a hot-ticket celluloid toy for big kids and was very popular in 1988.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>CHILD’S PLAY</b> (2019)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXdfZUS_5o8cSlwJqiwq1JHBj9u6BN7Zu21hj2pYyhEyK13l81serm8ZQb1XY4gdlDP0lNgfN8QUIceuXjP1Xvvzx707_XFRi9AYHLz31zmCj90ydnbkDXSOV6f151_6OOx4o-sKPEEXqFn3znm_n5MI7JJrJKLAb7xLdn32jzm9a1Qh1oqbFQtjJFGI/s864/horror-ranking5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXdfZUS_5o8cSlwJqiwq1JHBj9u6BN7Zu21hj2pYyhEyK13l81serm8ZQb1XY4gdlDP0lNgfN8QUIceuXjP1Xvvzx707_XFRi9AYHLz31zmCj90ydnbkDXSOV6f151_6OOx4o-sKPEEXqFn3znm_n5MI7JJrJKLAb7xLdn32jzm9a1Qh1oqbFQtjJFGI/s320/horror-ranking5.jpg" width="218" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chucky is back but no longer a doll possessed by the spirit of a serial killer. The remake turns him into a malfunctioning robot with a propensity to kill… three years before M3GAN utilized an identical plotline. Surprisingly engaging, the filmmakers manage to make Chucky oddly sympathetic before it goes into full blown psychotic mode. The finale, though, is a slight letdown after the tension-driven first 75 minutes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5. <b>CURSE OF CHUCKY</b> (2013)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTRgMXWfIxrKyHhPiBVnNGr2tlgghXliweuWd0q7TbNWRTDebKcBGhdbwJgXYa1_E1eN8F1IRhLLfpUo2eFDnB1tbIJFzvReqX0R5LEsQXaOF_lOcVrH2zHkKSRsIfIkxx3L0p6CLVofa-FGyaMjgr495Qk5y3SdDGpu0i-e2p5JFRchsFjSvwLJjtog/s800/horror-ranking3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTRgMXWfIxrKyHhPiBVnNGr2tlgghXliweuWd0q7TbNWRTDebKcBGhdbwJgXYa1_E1eN8F1IRhLLfpUo2eFDnB1tbIJFzvReqX0R5LEsQXaOF_lOcVrH2zHkKSRsIfIkxx3L0p6CLVofa-FGyaMjgr495Qk5y3SdDGpu0i-e2p5JFRchsFjSvwLJjtog/s320/horror-ranking3.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Series creator Don Mancini returns to direct his second Chuck flick <i>(SEED OF CHUCKY being the first)</i>--the darkest entry yet; this sixth film disposes of the urban settings of the previous five films and moves the story to a rural locale set in a big spooky house. It feels like a reboot of the series, but halfway through it’s discovered this film indeed shares relation with the previous movies. As the film unfolds, flashbacks reveal more about Charles Lee Ray as played by Brad Dourif. Mancini, though, can't help himself and lightens the tone in the closing sequence where Jennifer Tilly shows up. Then, in a post-credits sequence, Chucky finally finds Andy Barclay <i>(and probably wishes he'd left him alone)</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6. <b>CULT OF CHUCKY</b> (2017)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVad1SX7DULYo9_g8NgXL45DIsgrhKWqw-RSmsy8nnPAZN1tAXGSAKBYDVVOm2NRUgDyPHJRXgWphAtOFNM7YdBEWKqq1gSYVHNXCMb_-mYdS2iJPEhQX1F-l91e9x0rG8YVhyGTiEM5Wh5x2QAH9Bdl6zuYCEM2D-x_JvTQbinrZRVbI_JJEOAJS_NdU/s800/horror-ranking4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVad1SX7DULYo9_g8NgXL45DIsgrhKWqw-RSmsy8nnPAZN1tAXGSAKBYDVVOm2NRUgDyPHJRXgWphAtOFNM7YdBEWKqq1gSYVHNXCMb_-mYdS2iJPEhQX1F-l91e9x0rG8YVhyGTiEM5Wh5x2QAH9Bdl6zuYCEM2D-x_JvTQbinrZRVbI_JJEOAJS_NdU/s320/horror-ranking4.jpg" width="215" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There's
one constant with the Chucky series and that's all the films are
connected; none of the seven films of the initial series are stand-alone
titles. Don Mancini directs CULT--weaving a tale that brings together all the main participants from
CHILD'S PLAY's Andy Barclay to CURSE OF CHUCKY's Nica Pierce. The
setting this time is a sanitarium; and like CURSE, the tone is dark with a bit of humor sneaking in at the very end. There's another post-credits sequence, too. The plot is surprisingly deep for a sixth sequel featuring a trio of murderous Chucky's and an extended cameo by the very much alive, decapitated, and nearly blown apart head of the original Chucky. Tiffany <i>(Jennifer Tilly reprising her role)</i> has a few scenes as does her doll form at the end.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. <b>CHILD’S PLAY 3</b> (1991)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmH5HF9jbtnPrsvumMLoacyUiyxJ68lWZtIB0XHb6UDHMbEHloDGa59eg3HLKJ-xVR50gbe3mbj5alvGi97AeKkRpHihYSnKhmcRfcSdIr5SBWwIKwwXQ28mMu6sF6JWFt4LYfK4vNbwvYQePvvlfK0ptORRxG72id4-LVOasAlAUP8E9Fcq2mF9GjBk/s755/horror-ranking17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmH5HF9jbtnPrsvumMLoacyUiyxJ68lWZtIB0XHb6UDHMbEHloDGa59eg3HLKJ-xVR50gbe3mbj5alvGi97AeKkRpHihYSnKhmcRfcSdIr5SBWwIKwwXQ28mMu6sF6JWFt4LYfK4vNbwvYQePvvlfK0ptORRxG72id4-LVOasAlAUP8E9Fcq2mF9GjBk/s320/horror-ranking17.jpg" width="215" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">CHILD'S PLAY 3 is
the same plot as before but 8 years later and set at a military
academy. With Andy now 16 years old, it makes no sense why Chucky would
continue to track him down when he can use any other random kid he comes
across <i>(which he ends up doing after he's found Andy)</i>. The element of
horror present in CP2 has been written out and replaced with comedy by
increasing Chucky’s cussing quotient. The script is stupid and is
seemingly channeling the plethora of military movies that were popular
in the late 80s and early 90s. CP3 does stand at attention when the
location switches to a carnival in the last 15 minutes. Otherwise it’s
mostly AWOL for the first 75.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8. <b>SEED OF CHUCKY</b> (2004)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKszlMYY_3DzfkfH_peoQ1_1ygEFUHjdYp1qf-pN8DjuX3BAM-ASlp7lYCloRMuHxtJHmyksnU_cLIMGnXXqd2s5SOqamI1m8_gY-4OFlJculQ8f6ZH436zfRTz9SIDZss_qNQXWEMegfTmgrEf4n5CVM2Tw2RKflTsu24pdWFKFZokGMyr8E7yJS2oc/s1000/horror-ranking2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKszlMYY_3DzfkfH_peoQ1_1ygEFUHjdYp1qf-pN8DjuX3BAM-ASlp7lYCloRMuHxtJHmyksnU_cLIMGnXXqd2s5SOqamI1m8_gY-4OFlJculQ8f6ZH436zfRTz9SIDZss_qNQXWEMegfTmgrEf4n5CVM2Tw2RKflTsu24pdWFKFZokGMyr8E7yJS2oc/s320/horror-ranking2.jpg" width="205" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This series is all over the place in relation to settling on a genre style; SEED OF CHUCKY takes that to the next level. SEED has a similar vibe to BRIDE; but here it's self-referential sarcasm towards Tinseltown. The film gradually abandons that sharp as a butcher knife wit when the story shifts to the doll child of Chucky and Tiffany. The homicidal parents bicker over whether their plastic offspring is a boy or a girl. Meanwhile, the Cabbage Patch killers plot to sire yet another member of their brood using Jennifer Tilly as the surrogate. SEED works best when it’s about Tilly, as herself, looking very sexy and playing a struggling horror actress in Hollywood. The self-parody are the funniest bits. Had the film stuck with the Hollywood mocking, you'd have a horror/comedy mini-classic.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Ranking the HALLOWEEN series: 13 entries.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">1. <b>HALLOWEEN 2</b> (1981)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_LqilNeAvr9ryRgelYXDNPde_PfY0QBInCCc-G9B70v_B1yLmGdVVl8XOKeXzFMOkqJ5BMlESrO0J_lJ_Nn_V7HXal7kHI1HkrrQ5Zeji1v4EpIf0DQo_ehtjDD8EY5IPuKSu9EztFnqYv4ublK95hqTjFqFeAZKLG95LlJdPdtwasivbY0122IVAzI/s859/horror-ranking9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_LqilNeAvr9ryRgelYXDNPde_PfY0QBInCCc-G9B70v_B1yLmGdVVl8XOKeXzFMOkqJ5BMlESrO0J_lJ_Nn_V7HXal7kHI1HkrrQ5Zeji1v4EpIf0DQo_ehtjDD8EY5IPuKSu9EztFnqYv4ublK95hqTjFqFeAZKLG95LlJdPdtwasivbY0122IVAzI/s320/horror-ranking9.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">I saw the sequel shortly before seeing the original movie. My dad recorded part 2 off HBO in 1982. He liked it better than the first film stating it moved faster. Not long after, he rented the original and I got to see it for myself. As a seven year old, I liked them both but came to like the sequel more by a very slim margin. What attracted me to director Rick Rosenthal's sequel was the evil ambiance permeating the movie and the sinister side of the holiday. The mask was also unforgettable. You see Michael's eyes in later films that simply do not work, such as the mask in H20. But here, the mask is almost a part of his face; and the eyes piercing through the eye-holes are surely the blackest. Rosenthal does a good job at recreating Carpenter's techniques that made the first movie so terrifying. A lot of fans have dislike for the film due to the revelation that Michael Myers is Laurie Strode's sister. I thought it was a suitable plot point and made sense considering he killed one sister and now pursues the other. Just as much as we never know what motivates Michael Myers, we never learn why he killed his sister that terrible night on HALLOWEEN.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2. <b>HALLOWEEN</b> (1978)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix31XXI6UW0jrvA3sSE1twWGiGONoM55mhbgkwLxdaKmJBNNX5eomOrjUwun4OvgHcsUMNVnPLq5X0Znuj5zLnije3tRxoyCPdQ4N02NezNLt1u7KlZSo57QBC3V19DEZmK-49bvhVzjcx7m5DJTWDO3wocIDl7FZxca20WLhyphenhyphenRS4Du5Tk1IpmGdIr2dQ/s724/horror-ranking8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="484" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix31XXI6UW0jrvA3sSE1twWGiGONoM55mhbgkwLxdaKmJBNNX5eomOrjUwun4OvgHcsUMNVnPLq5X0Znuj5zLnije3tRxoyCPdQ4N02NezNLt1u7KlZSo57QBC3V19DEZmK-49bvhVzjcx7m5DJTWDO3wocIDl7FZxca20WLhyphenhyphenRS4Du5Tk1IpmGdIr2dQ/s320/horror-ranking8.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">HALLOWEEN is more than a slasher movie to me. There's more going on than just killing teenagers. Director John Carpenter tells a chilling tale of an evil child who grows up to be an evil adult. John Carpenter's music is as unsettling as his framing of a scene. Donald Pleasence's career got a second lease on life as the determined Dr. Loomis, his most famous role. The visuals and lighting are key to why this movie is still scary 40+ years after The Night He Came Home.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">3. <b>HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH</b> (1982)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXkxePmKVugG6M9ud90tlocBIn0ubwbmsQ4zUigeU3HbeDNhIzeCkEQwsEuxNii-jTdQVYIV98hCxjUkzVAq0dmSbOIXTCaNOL5vt-dPF0og1vGVHj4dIHfEMnfgaYzqTicW21RHJYlx7WSvAY1EO3tBVMUsTKoXch1cRiyOYjTfHlU5cYWC2r7Cr_G8/s800/horror-ranking10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXkxePmKVugG6M9ud90tlocBIn0ubwbmsQ4zUigeU3HbeDNhIzeCkEQwsEuxNii-jTdQVYIV98hCxjUkzVAq0dmSbOIXTCaNOL5vt-dPF0og1vGVHj4dIHfEMnfgaYzqTicW21RHJYlx7WSvAY1EO3tBVMUsTKoXch1cRiyOYjTfHlU5cYWC2r7Cr_G8/s320/horror-ranking10.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">At the time this was the most daring horror sequel yet attempted. If you watched the trailer, everyone should've known there was no Michael Myers in this second sequel. I suppose it didn't dawn on moviegoers till they were in the theater that the cold, hard reality set in. H3 then became the most reviled horror sequel up to that time. Despite all the hate thrown at it, H3 was a valiant effort to do something fresh with the familiar slasher tropes while using the name of an iconic series. It might've been more palatable had they called it something else. In later years, audiences warmed up to its strange story of Stonehenge, witchcraft and an evil cult leader who intended to kill all the world's children with the use of Halloween masks that made their heads explode in a shower of snakes and cockroaches. A great shock ending, too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">4. <b>HALLOWEEN: H20</b> (1998)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVpq6BMDcmenDxo5lhQYm3o27r_SAY9-Cnb5w-kC97lGqZuGsNuRz36sG7tXpMeqyn-BeKJYh77-IQfuSDc3yNjLb-HDztK8chlBe-QGtso2iFVbN9Da5K_Dy028TRg2YQrEy7D6FRsrytAkkLaUfKmnd_Yc7859JyGmu5Xm2OutriWeLY_MzbNwFc38/s928/horror-ranking1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVpq6BMDcmenDxo5lhQYm3o27r_SAY9-Cnb5w-kC97lGqZuGsNuRz36sG7tXpMeqyn-BeKJYh77-IQfuSDc3yNjLb-HDztK8chlBe-QGtso2iFVbN9Da5K_Dy028TRg2YQrEy7D6FRsrytAkkLaUfKmnd_Yc7859JyGmu5Xm2OutriWeLY_MzbNwFc38/s320/horror-ranking1.jpg" width="217" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A HALLOWEEN for the SCREAM crowd, Steve Miner's go at the Myers mythology was the best sequel since part 2. The film had a damn shocker of an opening and an even bigger shock at the end that brought some finality to the series which had become increasingly absurd since 1989. If only the mask had been on par with the first two films this might rank one level higher. HALLOWEEN: 20 YEARS LATER was a breath of fresh air after being bombarded with stupidity dealing with assassins in silver-tipped boots and druid curses.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">5. <b>HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS</b> (1988)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_AZ-PChkxt_9dMCczxUdxtM-6vmakrodAlNI1q95Bz4EgzXFDz03dmQYhe_zUsZkBce4miQNsqz9aGHDxsGtIGVbmnAQooj_Db1KD4GhdXxNnE7j7A84aH9NBsvHqQUSLTVmrNJlGJUJsgRh4VF8rUFtWX_WgcqwSnsCcpins5dzJeVSqyrBRTp3f1Y/s1000/horror-ranking2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="664" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_AZ-PChkxt_9dMCczxUdxtM-6vmakrodAlNI1q95Bz4EgzXFDz03dmQYhe_zUsZkBce4miQNsqz9aGHDxsGtIGVbmnAQooj_Db1KD4GhdXxNnE7j7A84aH9NBsvHqQUSLTVmrNJlGJUJsgRh4VF8rUFtWX_WgcqwSnsCcpins5dzJeVSqyrBRTp3f1Y/s320/horror-ranking2.jpg" width="212" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">H4 was a big deal back in '88. Director Dwight H. Little had a decent command of what made the series iconic. While the RETURN took us back to familiar grounds, Michael Myers now came with a level of sophistication indigenous to the territory of Jason Voorhees. That ending, though, would be the beginning of the series heading far, far off course into areas it never needed to go. It wasn't a home-run, but it was nice to see old friends again.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">6. <b>HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION</b> (2009)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELFszd3bKhZFJJ_NB8qjayfzFziqN0LrQTSWld0olkspriuIuCtZ2pkRfKkL2RSL3OgAEsjirnDFE3kh6QBZP6N0K0tVF4KIktA8hYCRVxmxUYdUjsCyGZh77YcX9h4CXm2yggSwlbMs9dBOcS9e42YDTeRvYR4_dQASr4OHQ0vjT2Ag2tJSFhF8IJQc/s750/horror-ranking5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELFszd3bKhZFJJ_NB8qjayfzFziqN0LrQTSWld0olkspriuIuCtZ2pkRfKkL2RSL3OgAEsjirnDFE3kh6QBZP6N0K0tVF4KIktA8hYCRVxmxUYdUjsCyGZh77YcX9h4CXm2yggSwlbMs9dBOcS9e42YDTeRvYR4_dQASr4OHQ0vjT2Ag2tJSFhF8IJQc/s320/horror-ranking5.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Most fans despise this sequel, but I think it's better than many of the others by the slimmest of margins. H2's Rick Rosenthal returns to the director's chair and guides a script that insults logic a multitude of times. People do incredibly stupid things and the explanation for how Michael survived being decapitated at the end of H20 is as moronic as it gets. The plot of having Myers killing a bunch of young filmmakers shooting a reality series inside the Myers house is an interesting idea; but Michael having a Kung Fu fight with Busta Rhymes and Laurie Strode getting herself killed due to a severe lapse in common sense keeps the film way down the list. The mask is a winner, though.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">7. <b>HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS</b> (1995)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1cBobbk-wjeScU7X8yvPf1g_XOD19BnH41A5Bk7pl6iwytlaSoY36mU9ZyG-Petx-Lf3_uDRQFWfxqcQXLri_yPyWj2sZBP0KewZey-cBVcGZcfZn09d2OXK_U0rJL5Kt3gdPftS6ugW_jlMToGP9L5upE1rsy4F_-m5SU6BztbkgP12bRMe1MbDFjY/s750/horror-ranking4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1cBobbk-wjeScU7X8yvPf1g_XOD19BnH41A5Bk7pl6iwytlaSoY36mU9ZyG-Petx-Lf3_uDRQFWfxqcQXLri_yPyWj2sZBP0KewZey-cBVcGZcfZn09d2OXK_U0rJL5Kt3gdPftS6ugW_jlMToGP9L5upE1rsy4F_-m5SU6BztbkgP12bRMe1MbDFjY/s320/horror-ranking4.jpg" width="216" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Back in the 90s, reading the responses from directors about the directions they were taking the HALLOWEEN series were head-shakingly depressing. Each succeeding sequel became more idiotic than the last. There are two versions of CURSE and you'll feel like you're the victim of one upon the realization that this series has wandered off from where it started and can't find its way back. By this point, Myers is no longer a boogeyman stalking babysitters and horny teens, but an unstoppable killer used as an ancient tool of death by modern Druids. What a shame Donald Pleasence's last appearance was in this dreck.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">8.<b> HALLOWEEN KILLS</b> (2021)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY-Pp8w4u63D8trMyzH0A0mrPbRXtWWVUDGmzMOFA-bg8Pax3rYeHhwYUT1_vmrnjfo_Pf-iW36_Ykiivpj87g5VRZaHSMfATIwaupQv5F4G4mXKFwhc61cyjlHwLKambC8MSu4P0IqZx-bFj2nEhLeoR6Wa_ihkavBypkjv0E_bAie1qVbDRBgk_2nY/s1000/horror-ranking13.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY-Pp8w4u63D8trMyzH0A0mrPbRXtWWVUDGmzMOFA-bg8Pax3rYeHhwYUT1_vmrnjfo_Pf-iW36_Ykiivpj87g5VRZaHSMfATIwaupQv5F4G4mXKFwhc61cyjlHwLKambC8MSu4P0IqZx-bFj2nEhLeoR6Wa_ihkavBypkjv0E_bAie1qVbDRBgk_2nY/s320/horror-ranking13.jpg" width="212" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The <i>"best"</i> of director David Gordon Green's trilogy that ignores everything past Carpenter's 1978 original. It's more annoying than Green's 2018 HALLOWEEN with that chalkboard grating phrase <i>"EVIL DIES TONIGHT"</i> shouted over and over again. The most appealing thing about this sequel is in how it relishes in showing Michael Myers as a one-man death squad who, by the end, is pummeled into a mass of twisted flesh and bone by a mob of angry citizens. There's an unexpected shock at the end, too. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">9. <b>HALLOWEEN</b> (2018)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHk0ViAepj-Ls93_za67QEQS4W2C9O-2P7Gmz73KAIdRPSCM4fv5sw3u5jC4h0SWPV4qzMQzEOeQwjuckj5ieq7zsW1yYamPvfBbT1zzE1vLRchd_mDatcIIJQcsD5zDkKHqHcJ3GpA-72Oq_Hl3L-RYxQHi3tBLeICJx686omsiQF-6-ptdNCubmDxF8/s951/horror-ranking12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHk0ViAepj-Ls93_za67QEQS4W2C9O-2P7Gmz73KAIdRPSCM4fv5sw3u5jC4h0SWPV4qzMQzEOeQwjuckj5ieq7zsW1yYamPvfBbT1zzE1vLRchd_mDatcIIJQcsD5zDkKHqHcJ3GpA-72Oq_Hl3L-RYxQHi3tBLeICJx686omsiQF-6-ptdNCubmDxF8/s320/horror-ranking12.jpg" width="202" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">David Gordon Green's self-contained trilogy that connects itself to Carpenter's original is pretty good, even if scenes in this movie and KILLS seem to mirror scenes in the older films this terror trifecta ignore. Jaime Lee Curtis returns yet again, and yet again stated in interviews that THIS ONE is the best. If you want to see weak male characters and women seemingly impervious to everything, you may rank this one higher. It's almost neck and neck with KILLS, but I give that one the slight edge due to the unbridled brutality KILLS revels in versus the more mannered approach of this one. And the sinister doctor character who sounded like he was doing a Dr. Loomis impersonation felt out of left field and as unnecessary as any of the bizarre plot points from parts 5 and 6.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">10. <b>HALLOWEEN 5: THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS</b> (1989)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZosYy0n23mSicP45D_IoMsP5H8iX62REXKepOzRvLsDj9J91BeYMWx0lCgzhkQddv5jksifj83Z5HikTscu-jB6Xqoet9N9Yz8wvs46I19liox10w0lpVcfxjKSwbBR2wx233V5SnLPQCQotj69L0p7vOILZu5jr7-Vn8QnPW6d0deJ4wEqU3rz-xW8/s800/horror-ranking3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZosYy0n23mSicP45D_IoMsP5H8iX62REXKepOzRvLsDj9J91BeYMWx0lCgzhkQddv5jksifj83Z5HikTscu-jB6Xqoet9N9Yz8wvs46I19liox10w0lpVcfxjKSwbBR2wx233V5SnLPQCQotj69L0p7vOILZu5jr7-Vn8QnPW6d0deJ4wEqU3rz-xW8/s320/horror-ranking3.jpg" width="210" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One of the worst entries in the HALLOWEEN series is also one of the biggest wasted opportunities. French Director Dominique Othenin-Girard has a distinct visual look and opens his film in a superbly tense way, but he drives it off the cliff not long after. There are a few other good sequences, but not enough to rank this one any higher from the bottom than it already is. There's actually cartoon sound effects used in a scene with two bumbling cops; and another scene that's not supposed to be funny where the cops cuff and stuff Michael Myers and leave his mask on. It's stunning this sequel ever got the go-ahead.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">11. <b>HALLOWEEN ENDS</b> (2022)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXAHEIBH85fv_tQmdv85vnFBpdWFMuatj4982f3L057m09Qfk9-iAqWE_ogfXnt14MVNIcSSooigkTIU_1YEKTjRUH6Jv5-jxfcKAgah3IEowd337NOayhdLRQ7plxHUdZiwnn1OF6-vP1PnS9nAkc97d5MDI204AaZ0JLiA5fBaeDMC2uvOTazUoQhA/s856/horror-ranking14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXAHEIBH85fv_tQmdv85vnFBpdWFMuatj4982f3L057m09Qfk9-iAqWE_ogfXnt14MVNIcSSooigkTIU_1YEKTjRUH6Jv5-jxfcKAgah3IEowd337NOayhdLRQ7plxHUdZiwnn1OF6-vP1PnS9nAkc97d5MDI204AaZ0JLiA5fBaeDMC2uvOTazUoQhA/s320/horror-ranking14.jpg" width="202" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">HALLOWEEN ENDS currently stands as the most vilified series entry since H3 way back in 1982. After finally seeing ENDS, it would seem you'd want your finale to be the one packed with action instead of the yack-fest, dark romance this film ended up being. The storyline of a young outcast who identifies with a serial killer and ultimately becomes one himself and getting revenge on those who wronged him is a good idea for a horror film; but feels woefully out of place hogging space in the HALLOWEEN universe. You might have 15 minutes of Myers doing his thing and the ending is basically Laurie <i>"The Invincible"</i> Strode kicking his ass for five minutes before doing away with the killer once and for all. I must say though, on a performance level, this was Curtis's best turn as her most famous character. There are some genuinely good things here, they just make for a bizarre inclusion in a film that's supposed to be about Michael Myers. For many, this was more PATIENCE ENDS than a suitable send-off for a HALLOWEEN series.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">12. <b>HALLOWEEN 2</b> (2009)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe_l-EkXmSRlr0yV8jnRMbQFYQvWQDRY4kJMoVbVCYNbaA0fkrAqZeif1JWG2988BdhWFVbJx9LCRUz1cqZDKCyOTsLs8ewtDdl01pkV6WDhxpJVY58jSKs_wbcaEmJsMdZc9W1TTUje9Anml4lUPFOMCRwDim8WqA3HdcYtjgkrcQl1NOGboGdHsYe0/s1183/horror-ranking11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="801" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe_l-EkXmSRlr0yV8jnRMbQFYQvWQDRY4kJMoVbVCYNbaA0fkrAqZeif1JWG2988BdhWFVbJx9LCRUz1cqZDKCyOTsLs8ewtDdl01pkV6WDhxpJVY58jSKs_wbcaEmJsMdZc9W1TTUje9Anml4lUPFOMCRwDim8WqA3HdcYtjgkrcQl1NOGboGdHsYe0/s320/horror-ranking11.jpg" width="217" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Rob Zombie was brought back to make a mess of HALLOWEEN again, so there's more Hobo Michael and even more uses of the word <i>"Fuck"</i> in store for you. Zombie is possibly the only director in history to have to go back and do re-shoots for two films in the same series because the studio had no confidence the pictures were good enough for theatrical release. The one thing the abominable H2 does right is the <i>'Hospital Nightmare'</i> sequence. It's one of the most ferocious in modern horror cinema. If Zombie could reign himself in and control that energy level, he'd be able to put together an acceptable horror flick.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">13. <b>HALLOWEEN</b> (2007)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M-IbRX5Le394DsgKzbMip1ntsjXsX7KY0gjuPl-KzpEcze2-YPb8bFZQqALbidb5foP9_DiGOl0aZ4OR3ABVWrp7JNKq8jXPFyjFj8L3f4lRA6L7PBr6TGynttA1iiR7jth3FQ0YIIORCXX_T9cz-EWEqOVTj8hPlhvGnK5BLCe_zfHdwtHSEy3CYBs/s500/horror-ranking6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M-IbRX5Le394DsgKzbMip1ntsjXsX7KY0gjuPl-KzpEcze2-YPb8bFZQqALbidb5foP9_DiGOl0aZ4OR3ABVWrp7JNKq8jXPFyjFj8L3f4lRA6L7PBr6TGynttA1iiR7jth3FQ0YIIORCXX_T9cz-EWEqOVTj8hPlhvGnK5BLCe_zfHdwtHSEy3CYBs/s320/horror-ranking6.jpg" width="217" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">2007s HALLOWEEN is one of the absolute worst horror movies ever made. In Rob Zombie's world, there are hillbillies around every corner, citizens say <i>"Fuck"</i> a thousand times, and young girls fake orgasms in front of their parents. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Seldom had a film been as touted as this and turned out so terrible. Best thing about the film wasn't even in the movie; that being the brief beef between John Carpenter and Rob Zombie. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If ever a movie reeked of piss and flat beer, it's this one.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">And that's the end. Leave your rankings in the comments below if you wish. If you want more Halloween, there's this article from Halloween 2018 that's more expansive about the best and worst of the iconic series you can read <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2018/10/the-best-and-worst-of-halloween-series.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>HAPPY HALLOWEEN! <br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-32073120303170248442023-09-07T17:36:00.004-07:002024-02-21T17:56:40.786-08:00Reel Bad Cinema: Crocodile (1979/1981) review<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-4zNeDtR2pLU-5ai1VqXGBPwg_9UFhJ3Lk4PUrF8YtyFsFjXBkdsbjgcbaQ4KOzPp2I9_3tK6GB8R6edR4fUWkHyPoKCZAeNApyF7jqbvJ6BkQYhekTPtuVnqmzvNzQk7csMEofL9tRQD_xblKJsyhhutFslSmb6ng47QWLwR3GCy1wrnCOZOnlf6G0/s1919/croc1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1919" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-4zNeDtR2pLU-5ai1VqXGBPwg_9UFhJ3Lk4PUrF8YtyFsFjXBkdsbjgcbaQ4KOzPp2I9_3tK6GB8R6edR4fUWkHyPoKCZAeNApyF7jqbvJ6BkQYhekTPtuVnqmzvNzQk7csMEofL9tRQD_xblKJsyhhutFslSmb6ng47QWLwR3GCy1wrnCOZOnlf6G0/s320/croc1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">CROCODILE 1979/1981 aka CHORAKHE aka CROCODILE FANGS<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Nat Puvanai <i>(Dr. Anthony Akom)</i>, Tanny Tien Ni <i>(Angela)</i>, Min Oo <i>(Dr. John Strom)</i>, Angela Huang An Qi <i>(Linda)<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Directed by Won Se Lee <i>(credited to Sompote Sands)</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;"><b>The Short Version:</b> <i>This multi-Asian co-production with one of the most convoluted 'making of' histories, has a few absurdly entertaining moments even if the sum of its parts equals a giant CROC of shit. JAWS made waves in Southeast Asia (as it did everywhere else in the world)--leading to a spate of Asian-style disaster movies. CROCODILE, on the other hand, is a disaster of a different kind--in its chaotically edited, Tsunamically awful English-speaking export version brought to you by exploitation connoisseurs Herman Cohen and Dick Randall. </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPf_aMUDfMlO1d2X3IwkHCshQhmmxdmjgxwamiLcssYNVRoKsk2t6jsInPZQpFpKQBJOG5xOKTN6t5SOG8EaP4UjLWaC02pRQOKVhGlgZ3S7VZ-c4Oz04tuJyiUynRq4miRfbRQw_q3fLZWXD8ehYIbc9KTE4WojZ5KdQAB_lAlip8H2uLyNHrQLC3kI/s1919/croc24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPf_aMUDfMlO1d2X3IwkHCshQhmmxdmjgxwamiLcssYNVRoKsk2t6jsInPZQpFpKQBJOG5xOKTN6t5SOG8EaP4UjLWaC02pRQOKVhGlgZ3S7VZ-c4Oz04tuJyiUynRq4miRfbRQw_q3fLZWXD8ehYIbc9KTE4WojZ5KdQAB_lAlip8H2uLyNHrQLC3kI/s320/croc24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HxcVDJvckBVRkAnwh4PdBjucBHXmgDYtRaF0UPVPwW2wfxP9MBrSqofhhu-S-khbJhYtoJCgNBbDremdZ37p_AHhiAwogkAKM4T6H1ZVDguO0RWuQNJUSQ3WpvF6n9GoVgxuZfVZ_RBGtKiuZbVGgiw5BOjpJV_B37BbnP5u8r91Qt8ufLjt3REGGPc/s1919/croc2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HxcVDJvckBVRkAnwh4PdBjucBHXmgDYtRaF0UPVPwW2wfxP9MBrSqofhhu-S-khbJhYtoJCgNBbDremdZ37p_AHhiAwogkAKM4T6H1ZVDguO0RWuQNJUSQ3WpvF6n9GoVgxuZfVZ_RBGtKiuZbVGgiw5BOjpJV_B37BbnP5u8r91Qt8ufLjt3REGGPc/s320/croc2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Nature strikes back after atomic testing sends a giant crocodile to snack on vacationers and wipe out small villages in Thailand. Three men--two doctors and a crocodile hunter--who apparently were the only three on Earth to never see JAWS head out to sea to kill the supernatural reptile and discover too late they needed a much bigger boat.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2S7SWnkzhfg3IjbhAAxZnE9r9OJV4D7ePJe3voJmRzR1s5or3_YyytAtW0kc8YVoGIKwcJyf1M8Pxk6btfudvQc2iX5oxkDIP_Fp6arvWvadsmEQ1jQnSF1WkJ_8g6fsIf3OpxQuCVv2bPP5TPWyrvzzVARVL78a5mNx_qkdeE8lDCWitK7WDFSje1o/s1919/croc35.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1919" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2S7SWnkzhfg3IjbhAAxZnE9r9OJV4D7ePJe3voJmRzR1s5or3_YyytAtW0kc8YVoGIKwcJyf1M8Pxk6btfudvQc2iX5oxkDIP_Fp6arvWvadsmEQ1jQnSF1WkJ_8g6fsIf3OpxQuCVv2bPP5TPWyrvzzVARVL78a5mNx_qkdeE8lDCWitK7WDFSje1o/s320/croc35.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A favorite video store rental back in the 1980s due largely to its eye-catching artwork, if you were one of the many that rented CROCODILE, you were likely disappointed or possibly even thankful if you were having trouble sleeping in those days. A pan-and-scan nightmare on VHS, things are modestly improved in the widescreen format in this blu-ray presentation from Synapse. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_qHqjlYFoUKvkgg9sOe_xleKrUoO6mitZ-80k0cv17v-pDGvP8h11acaR5McpdVE8hi-bzlQOw4A8MUOiwoQMMBuRqOaCje7ebzBv8AwavGeXpKgIIOtUVmzzLv28E-bQfyPOXkCePP6vmfgad-kHeZU7tehAJo1fYPBBFDbeVBW8BHAN6PSmZLzI6g/s1919/croc13.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_qHqjlYFoUKvkgg9sOe_xleKrUoO6mitZ-80k0cv17v-pDGvP8h11acaR5McpdVE8hi-bzlQOw4A8MUOiwoQMMBuRqOaCje7ebzBv8AwavGeXpKgIIOtUVmzzLv28E-bQfyPOXkCePP6vmfgad-kHeZU7tehAJo1fYPBBFDbeVBW8BHAN6PSmZLzI6g/s320/croc13.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">JAWS (1975) redefined movies back in 1975 <i>(till STAR WARS came in 1977 and changed every aspect of cinema forever)</i>. With Spielberg's shark movie making major moolah all around the world, companies like Shaw Brothers--who distributed the Great White horror in SE Asia in 1976--were determined to break the US market with a blockbuster of their own. Shaw's, as well as other SE Asian film companies, and other industry personalities, wanted to show audiences there was more to Hong Kong cinema than Kung Fu fighting. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ljXUNuBbT0owyQGM5u7LYM6BhNoe24uKc3AZf019K_HcMmGduHbN4c2_7XB8eIUZR5qT1F44g4zUHY9rptgW2AefjfdUSsGYrYTRcnmx2orKfi9mqqhjfrYd9FRJVR9bV0FV78CCr_UvDxq01LuCP6pI6AUrtyTVZUAAw1lk5zbj50FPY9z-tyvJ-w/s1919/croc11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ljXUNuBbT0owyQGM5u7LYM6BhNoe24uKc3AZf019K_HcMmGduHbN4c2_7XB8eIUZR5qT1F44g4zUHY9rptgW2AefjfdUSsGYrYTRcnmx2orKfi9mqqhjfrYd9FRJVR9bV0FV78CCr_UvDxq01LuCP6pI6AUrtyTVZUAAw1lk5zbj50FPY9z-tyvJ-w/s320/croc11.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What Shaw's really wanted to do in 1976 was to make TAIPAN with a major American studio and a Hollywood budget to match. They'd even built new air-conditioned facilities to accommodate foreign crews filming there. While that project simmered, the thinking was to catch international attention with a JAWS-like thriller. Shaw's had collaborated with Warner Brothers on CLEOPATRA JONES AND THE CASINO OF GOLD in 1975, a large-scale and fairly large budget action movie blending the Black Action and Kung Fu genres. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvuffpPzBP4Fa57R66KQNzFosyNsbHdvJdCc-ooqfli6hB5Rt5r0R6xE9_zMgy768VXd2QuiC2AT423smaVky7rIE8iRq3sCVDe_lvTx7Wsp4nz6z8xOKCerMjY8onFJ_mBHwp2p03vuO8_m-jn-g5dcMSTc3Xgiaz-c6M6p1N3FLmG9QVQAmYhNp9pc/s1918/croc14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1918" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvuffpPzBP4Fa57R66KQNzFosyNsbHdvJdCc-ooqfli6hB5Rt5r0R6xE9_zMgy768VXd2QuiC2AT423smaVky7rIE8iRq3sCVDe_lvTx7Wsp4nz6z8xOKCerMjY8onFJ_mBHwp2p03vuO8_m-jn-g5dcMSTc3Xgiaz-c6M6p1N3FLmG9QVQAmYhNp9pc/s320/croc14.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A more ambitious sequel to 1973s CLEOPATRA JONES, the movie did poorly in both America and Hong Kong. Blaxploitation had peaked in 1974 and KF flicks were flooding the market exclusively through small outfits by 1975. JAWS took a big bite out of the industry and everything changed. The first Hollywood blockbuster, the $100 million grosser made unprecedented numbers in foreign markets as well.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgy48RaiHSsir99kE_14_e2n7_xAlcVi0LyaviGTywtsOqHNrg4jJuoiknMMhza20Jn8ZcvwoDYpazSD4vRTtHMGzjjLdufDmRmYVy2KWzd03727V2nYwAIiz4emjYlOczOIbJU_O4q-6HpvRDnX9TpnWTOZyo9RUWmVSdyflo4xSwh6JFyrgx3Vx1Trg/s1919/croc12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgy48RaiHSsir99kE_14_e2n7_xAlcVi0LyaviGTywtsOqHNrg4jJuoiknMMhza20Jn8ZcvwoDYpazSD4vRTtHMGzjjLdufDmRmYVy2KWzd03727V2nYwAIiz4emjYlOczOIbJU_O4q-6HpvRDnX9TpnWTOZyo9RUWmVSdyflo4xSwh6JFyrgx3Vx1Trg/s320/croc12.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">A shark movie wasn't practical for Hong Kong, so a movie about a giant ape was more feasible; and with a KING KONG remake going into production at Paramount, so came the cult favorite <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/01/the-mighty-peking-man-1977-review.html"><span style="color: red;">THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN</span></a> (1977). While times were hard for independents and other Asian markets, Shaw Brothers had the capital to go it alone. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Sadly, STAR WARS came out in 1977 and made a monkey out of KING KONG while changing the entirety of the American movie industry virtually overnight. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidS1Fz9au0MOAJ8H7LamgFRCNBBz1JSUILV-mnlvUQR2lBioXXky9_v8Ec_DK1fVV2gEW9iKruROx4iI49U2rqvmwo10ouJxU2AyQL8PnV9SzdswEjUJHy68BKVoSKDfZjYNyLjN0u0pKKE2PXHAkgd6WkqxgaSrSl3_CRSIPrH-ZfqAjzR66CLiPDRTU/s1919/croc17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1919" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidS1Fz9au0MOAJ8H7LamgFRCNBBz1JSUILV-mnlvUQR2lBioXXky9_v8Ec_DK1fVV2gEW9iKruROx4iI49U2rqvmwo10ouJxU2AyQL8PnV9SzdswEjUJHy68BKVoSKDfZjYNyLjN0u0pKKE2PXHAkgd6WkqxgaSrSl3_CRSIPrH-ZfqAjzR66CLiPDRTU/s320/croc17.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">By 1976 in Southeast Asia, markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, etc, put stricter regulations in place on how many Hong Kong movies they'd import. Sex was becoming more permissive as was an increase in violent content; both of which were heavily censored in markets like Malaysia and Indonesia. This, along with other market-crushing factors, impacted the HK film industry in that other territories weren't going to take just any movie anymore.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIKyFLscaRnslVpatE1vwyKwEVssnkQCvh6S05QFBO776wMGTDvjT-iPwlpkZJee-QKWodzjYk-Y6UkpRwuStocjrz_3DWuhqEcBjYcAwpONhfyznBmMCTYPAzuaiziNvqCqBL-D-jMsJnIPNFAto4OAVESvQd4YZBEBRhtnvv-QI3jTazzbXFdwua84/s1917/croc5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIKyFLscaRnslVpatE1vwyKwEVssnkQCvh6S05QFBO776wMGTDvjT-iPwlpkZJee-QKWodzjYk-Y6UkpRwuStocjrz_3DWuhqEcBjYcAwpONhfyznBmMCTYPAzuaiziNvqCqBL-D-jMsJnIPNFAto4OAVESvQd4YZBEBRhtnvv-QI3jTazzbXFdwua84/s320/croc5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">These other markets decided to focus more attention on building up their own local film industries. To compensate, Chinese companies partnered with other Asian producers to share in the cost of shooting co-productions. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Shaw's did the same, helping other territories like Malaysia build their industries by sending some of their directors and talent pool to other countries to participate in these co-pro deals. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWh7fHKPxTzqwbQ10EXkQAfaWDPnd0gxNCK5z_IxhWgOBv-K9vedNrEhYeeKoWwUjrWH9VvQsvzPGbbFPO5xHcBJhWoijyf7oYbBYiS3kFb9Nfp8vi0XA8RyvJRkbPY08GxhziAm-XIZbxp_PU7SEUHhh4DuaYJs-dFfIJ4b-_vBLM81aiUq5ZOD1ZCA/s1919/croc10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWh7fHKPxTzqwbQ10EXkQAfaWDPnd0gxNCK5z_IxhWgOBv-K9vedNrEhYeeKoWwUjrWH9VvQsvzPGbbFPO5xHcBJhWoijyf7oYbBYiS3kFb9Nfp8vi0XA8RyvJRkbPY08GxhziAm-XIZbxp_PU7SEUHhh4DuaYJs-dFfIJ4b-_vBLM81aiUq5ZOD1ZCA/s320/croc10.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Unfortunately for Hong Kong, Anglo-audiences weren't interested in anything but Kung Fu, and even that was losing favor with theater patrons. Major companies were no longer interested, but smaller ones were. So you had the US-Korea co-production, A*P*E* in 1976 <i>(a movie featuring a ridiculous sequence where the giant gorilla battles a shark)</i>; and that same year, Taiwan filmmakers signing with American porn director Michael Findlay to make two Kung Fu epics using his then new 3D process; and then there was the Thai-Korea-Hong Kong three-way, CROCODILE. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7wCE-D-0NV323ZoqqADRtyR66vtQ26503Acu1c49KsVg9JYpmPieEqo3FgV4404Iqn1A6Vs3sv-crfdjJI617mf_WhqyAO6TGcviw5j5JrssC1DSXFHdqVKwtkPPZeaTATMF1qCRm8zOMrSbHuXSbb2i4gSnuCV8WATngoyGX2RWvKnC0tCB3e40KZU/s1919/croc25.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7wCE-D-0NV323ZoqqADRtyR66vtQ26503Acu1c49KsVg9JYpmPieEqo3FgV4404Iqn1A6Vs3sv-crfdjJI617mf_WhqyAO6TGcviw5j5JrssC1DSXFHdqVKwtkPPZeaTATMF1qCRm8zOMrSbHuXSbb2i4gSnuCV8WATngoyGX2RWvKnC0tCB3e40KZU/s320/croc25.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Crocodiles are enormously popular in Thai folklore and a huge part of their culture. Thailand is the epicenter of crocodile farms with hundreds of thousands of them bred for purposes of food, clothing and medicine. Then there's the famous Krai Thong legend of Chalawan the Crocodile King.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0CSdfwnzUHuljrAtQ2_NU2_IQMh5jE2v8dL1D2bnczK2K-zpfmarQiolalF85gipcXUvUnjxKptNIpHlB1vkjihGEGh1nxkL0eDnVeHlap-eRgmkHbg0Lv8AWk0378qq1hVeK-iAiI9VIcj_1il1IvUGZg3K53pQ1hF24SMy3PW6ALn8Q-jhelkY9A4/s1919/croc15.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0CSdfwnzUHuljrAtQ2_NU2_IQMh5jE2v8dL1D2bnczK2K-zpfmarQiolalF85gipcXUvUnjxKptNIpHlB1vkjihGEGh1nxkL0eDnVeHlap-eRgmkHbg0Lv8AWk0378qq1hVeK-iAiI9VIcj_1il1IvUGZg3K53pQ1hF24SMy3PW6ALn8Q-jhelkY9A4/s320/croc15.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">CROCODILE was one of, if not the first movie of its kind, although it almost wasn't. ALLIGATOR was in pre-production in America in 1976, but wasn't made till four years later. About the only similarity that carried over to Lewis Teague's movie from its early inception was the gator ended up in the sewer system. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRnhRarWggQr7vwHc2DQBcChwcfT1fDLNDHCaem-tqkcF5u7XByEtbtB9zmmPAFzWQS3OfTnGpNk3ahO_W96CLAerf5QD60o0oGBQeeVpkNYIg_Mxm2Owt05zzGbu-z8J_bpWHBV1uM4uNIHATyYpvlCPN4qSbaWAjpmaMWAIxyCwyz23aNw9Pi-mMaA/s1917/croc29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRnhRarWggQr7vwHc2DQBcChwcfT1fDLNDHCaem-tqkcF5u7XByEtbtB9zmmPAFzWQS3OfTnGpNk3ahO_W96CLAerf5QD60o0oGBQeeVpkNYIg_Mxm2Owt05zzGbu-z8J_bpWHBV1uM4uNIHATyYpvlCPN4qSbaWAjpmaMWAIxyCwyz23aNw9Pi-mMaA/s320/croc29.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Run Run Shaw did finally get on the JAWS bandwagon, late though it were, co-producing BLOOD BEACH (1980) with American producer Steven Navelansky. Then in 1981, American exploitation producer, Dick Randall, who was good friends with Huang Chien Lung, aka Bruce Le <i>(who often made Kung Fu movies in exotic Asian countries)</i>, bought the rights to the Thai giant reptile movie and re-titled it CROCODILE.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_i-NK62ngWwa-JlSDzu8k-ZwAPxvdvVkfxHTYmhNBnf4_AEioVyqKWE0jkr_nXZt_avG1fKb0N6EjvKj7sYO9syiO7FUDw4XOw7VgSeVj887ArJ3ET2iZralpmZ_c24cOOo8X_tWtvMwwejnZyxY5oVh2R4JjPRipPz2aMx-OF643tTslSEnwmLxo7M/s1917/croc28.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_i-NK62ngWwa-JlSDzu8k-ZwAPxvdvVkfxHTYmhNBnf4_AEioVyqKWE0jkr_nXZt_avG1fKb0N6EjvKj7sYO9syiO7FUDw4XOw7VgSeVj887ArJ3ET2iZralpmZ_c24cOOo8X_tWtvMwwejnZyxY5oVh2R4JjPRipPz2aMx-OF643tTslSEnwmLxo7M/s320/croc28.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The movie has a murky history that is made slightly more clear by the film's apparently real director, South Korean filmmaker Won Se Lee. According to him, the movie was shot in 1977 and released in 1978. What's most striking about his interview on this blu-ray release is he is totally unaware that he is not the credited director on the film. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-NWcFtphCwxhfwXlaTsSzSpk46BohQ4RXf0mkXajAtje0RKxdQrjSh_9n3vaRwbtD6niL1jtFFBjfjDfT7CB5y24zIkGs2qclatshae-OvlrUStTJv1g-aLScciAioo5HWc7cCouXmBFeuERgPs57GOXxbp81x0BjBpLzsLSVJoA0Mplq4Vk-WlVFPM/s1919/croc16.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-NWcFtphCwxhfwXlaTsSzSpk46BohQ4RXf0mkXajAtje0RKxdQrjSh_9n3vaRwbtD6niL1jtFFBjfjDfT7CB5y24zIkGs2qclatshae-OvlrUStTJv1g-aLScciAioo5HWc7cCouXmBFeuERgPs57GOXxbp81x0BjBpLzsLSVJoA0Mplq4Vk-WlVFPM/s320/croc16.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">For decades, the film has been viewed as the work of Sompote Sands, the founder and CEO of Chaiyo Productions <i>(who passed away in August of 2021)</i>. He is also the man who tried to put Tsuburaya Productions out of business in a fraudulent effort to steal their ULTRAMAN properties; as well as </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> illegally producing films ripping off Toei's KAMEN RIDER series</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">. That Sands may have taken credit for someone else's work seems feasible considering the above-mentioned two-decades+ long court battle against the Tsuburaya company.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzoH7O5RiyI0cSep4ukuvptZ5cU1uXV17qKnvDsR2fQu2uq6a8Zp1lbO79xCN2VDrEwgQN8CTyi9iLPJ47Cu53GdXVD_3oMmMGb6-aOQTcgd32e1tU_19tnA3M-DRkDMGQ-X3IkQ6iP7um18NBCyxOn5MST8xCNR105gbOgW0i33HSPSOD6031F618qo/s1919/croc34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzoH7O5RiyI0cSep4ukuvptZ5cU1uXV17qKnvDsR2fQu2uq6a8Zp1lbO79xCN2VDrEwgQN8CTyi9iLPJ47Cu53GdXVD_3oMmMGb6-aOQTcgd32e1tU_19tnA3M-DRkDMGQ-X3IkQ6iP7um18NBCyxOn5MST8xCNR105gbOgW0i33HSPSOD6031F618qo/s320/croc34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It could also be argued that Sands altered Won's work enough to get away with keeping his name off CROCODILE's release version <i>(in Thailand and seemingly everywhere else in the world)</i>, as it has sequences culled from other sources. Some of the croc footage is reportedly from a different movie, too.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What sometimes happened in those days with multi-cultural co-productions is there were times where you would have two directors--one for the HK market and, in this example, one for the Korean market. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-5-5MKqMjNT_ANPrMeUb0DS_4wQ3GdbNk1UCzVWLfW1LBVeAcdACFdwZns1dAXSZGTzqJ6QSt2f7YkxU6ubNaonthf9t7YkcJfcrEwr1DTLq6C3fLgQRvVZCAxDZ9zkTl7Nkk9lfg2X1tGF0Sx2diGbTQdMuUZnIm-RMsM1n9NetoSjA2giatfRiboA/s1917/croc7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-5-5MKqMjNT_ANPrMeUb0DS_4wQ3GdbNk1UCzVWLfW1LBVeAcdACFdwZns1dAXSZGTzqJ6QSt2f7YkxU6ubNaonthf9t7YkcJfcrEwr1DTLq6C3fLgQRvVZCAxDZ9zkTl7Nkk9lfg2X1tGF0Sx2diGbTQdMuUZnIm-RMsM1n9NetoSjA2giatfRiboA/s320/croc7.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If this was the case with CROCODILE, Won Se Lee would have been assigned as director of the version for release in the Korean market. This would basically be the same movie just with sequences exclusive to Korean theaters. Meanwhile, the film is released elsewhere in the world without a clue as to who actually directed the movie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The film doesn't appear to have been a hit anywhere it played outside of Thailand--since there were more locally made croc movies that surfaced in its wake.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_oWifyvK-caFeRbethnRbw59eOzFB3TY5yEwpteGJFHwYGBuTRTaO8P1kWEDbol4O36P0kGm6NaJZzdMfHJVqrYhCiUDe4zQ2Zjek372xmkrKW0QfsX0tfxQbEZ9yKmo4dn0DOld-PE93gzs2yDqT9C7cnhQr5xVkWp7_fEXl_z9ToD2AW4S9UFAU0A/s1917/croc27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_oWifyvK-caFeRbethnRbw59eOzFB3TY5yEwpteGJFHwYGBuTRTaO8P1kWEDbol4O36P0kGm6NaJZzdMfHJVqrYhCiUDe4zQ2Zjek372xmkrKW0QfsX0tfxQbEZ9yKmo4dn0DOld-PE93gzs2yDqT9C7cnhQr5xVkWp7_fEXl_z9ToD2AW4S9UFAU0A/s320/croc27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQkjeftA-tXqP_rs0hD9dnj5xlO-Z5eRtyCy2ApANQaiVzjcTnzpVIystSkAyc3vZ0t_hyXb1UJavoNMEC-LU9cMlrgOc7vrICPHbHfu_DzvNrkTavNir3t2Tbrt0LvaaAtF7Ys_JyCH_woNPsy8hNNDapBasTuVtEFow9LoTgkpPtMhIhVF1czjvdus/s1917/croc36.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1917" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQkjeftA-tXqP_rs0hD9dnj5xlO-Z5eRtyCy2ApANQaiVzjcTnzpVIystSkAyc3vZ0t_hyXb1UJavoNMEC-LU9cMlrgOc7vrICPHbHfu_DzvNrkTavNir3t2Tbrt0LvaaAtF7Ys_JyCH_woNPsy8hNNDapBasTuVtEFow9LoTgkpPtMhIhVF1czjvdus/s320/croc36.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Judging the English cut only, it's both a dull and fairly terrible movie with a few sequences so spectacularly shoddy you simply can't look away. However, the original Thai version appears to be far more cohesive than the slipshod, drunkenly edited edition Dick Randall concocted for American release. There's even one brief scene that's repeated but with different dialog dubbed over it.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkzmmf6UhQoooCEJb5wPUapGUJUpIB_NBSn4em0VIGU3yWzZUWKKPHCHc_hBdBXuBC3WvOZnrwiXcUREkS8u_tWSf8gFlfugsIGuyt0yvcJpNYvEd0GxzFZPTORgSC60E433Qq0Rnsa4z1d-0_2DbdJXak0D3zgi68x4WJVwLwFIac3j41nLvav_guXU/s1919/croc19.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkzmmf6UhQoooCEJb5wPUapGUJUpIB_NBSn4em0VIGU3yWzZUWKKPHCHc_hBdBXuBC3WvOZnrwiXcUREkS8u_tWSf8gFlfugsIGuyt0yvcJpNYvEd0GxzFZPTORgSC60E433Qq0Rnsa4z1d-0_2DbdJXak0D3zgi68x4WJVwLwFIac3j41nLvav_guXU/s320/croc19.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The <i>"best"</i> parts are an extended assault on a Thai village that plays far better in the Thai version. Randall splits the sequence in two, so later in the movie you'll wonder why you're seeing the same people being swallowed up a second time. What's frustrating is there are decent shots in the Thai original that didn't make it into the US version. One of these is a lengthy attack by the big croc and a valiant father who fights it off; and a striking shot of a large number of body parts descending to the bottom of the river <i>(seen in the extras on the blu-ray)</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvL_EkMdUdPBk4w_jEDOiCEh9quwPlgH0coWcHbUZLZ8WsJmMoOqAgQxqVSdZd_o4yzSkaUO0cmRBbz_c6d3rTuFstVuiSuGbGCraJUy5gZyclV0OA5LTIvkcWWsTrq7LGCzUr_DIQ3OmZmn0zEP5FE-TWV00fX0B8fyruOIPzw8y4U9_PbI4_SlHbug/s1917/croc18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvL_EkMdUdPBk4w_jEDOiCEh9quwPlgH0coWcHbUZLZ8WsJmMoOqAgQxqVSdZd_o4yzSkaUO0cmRBbz_c6d3rTuFstVuiSuGbGCraJUy5gZyclV0OA5LTIvkcWWsTrq7LGCzUr_DIQ3OmZmn0zEP5FE-TWV00fX0B8fyruOIPzw8y4U9_PbI4_SlHbug/s320/croc18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkhElG_nVtfGqTRiv1Ym8Yg6CN8A8g4sgjw2gbulmEw1JDNmWjXbbvF54kxeJcmGBnZmnUtsoT9LBdIrLVgiP3bpEsIXD-rwPu1lWeULJGuQPtjQAQGVfwXM-iTeboH-C9eo4FiKi8CZKIYtSiAB1iymb4vXx6ZHgH9mruSHfwjyBy0ftEW80_QtpWfs/s1919/croc22.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkhElG_nVtfGqTRiv1Ym8Yg6CN8A8g4sgjw2gbulmEw1JDNmWjXbbvF54kxeJcmGBnZmnUtsoT9LBdIrLVgiP3bpEsIXD-rwPu1lWeULJGuQPtjQAQGVfwXM-iTeboH-C9eo4FiKi8CZKIYtSiAB1iymb4vXx6ZHgH9mruSHfwjyBy0ftEW80_QtpWfs/s320/croc22.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Elsewhere, laughter is derived from the title reptile's glow in the dark eyes <i>(that looks like the filmmakers strapped two flashlights to a piece of wood)</i>; and in probably the film's funniest moment, the image of the enormous critter pole-vaulting over a toy boat in a bathtub. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There's some nice miniature destruction although it's not known who did what. Sompote Sands <i>(or Sompote Saengduenchai)</i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> is always credited with doing the SPX, yet Kazuo Sagawa worked on the film. It wasn't his first time on a Thai picture, either. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Sagawa studied under Eiji Tsuburaya in the 1960s, became a camera assistant, and worked his way up to Special Effects Director on THE RETURN OF ULTRAMAN series that ran from 1971-1972. In 1974 he worked on some co-productions with Sompote's Chaiyo company that Tsuburaya Productions probably wished they'd never partaken in considering the thievery and lawsuits that followed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV5OhfuX-1hiLRVpDo4AFe4ZgXARWoEghvPllCW7GMUeNhGaKCkND61J0IWpnI4yAWfxODwwdigewG1vR1FILXEBlYiTgkj0-ERkNOcbbDlqAgodSbg6szb9mQOd2_mOqB9LfIJHaIR_2QF4YH_tqtoQq1Pra6WXhDl2IFr_xgpzgQ_MnnmAeiX0WG2c/s1917/croc9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV5OhfuX-1hiLRVpDo4AFe4ZgXARWoEghvPllCW7GMUeNhGaKCkND61J0IWpnI4yAWfxODwwdigewG1vR1FILXEBlYiTgkj0-ERkNOcbbDlqAgodSbg6szb9mQOd2_mOqB9LfIJHaIR_2QF4YH_tqtoQq1Pra6WXhDl2IFr_xgpzgQ_MnnmAeiX0WG2c/s320/croc9.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As mentioned earlier about Southeast Asian markets working together for mutual cooperation to bolster their respective entertainment industries, this included Japan, too. Chaiyo's CEO Sompote Sands wanted to import Japan's ULTRA shows as well as co-produce with them as superhero programming was popular outside its native Japan. Two movies were made in conjunction with Chaiyo, those being JUMBORG ACE AND GIANT and THE SIX ULTRA BROTHERS AND THE MONSTER ARMY. Kazuo Sagawa worked on both of these, although only the latter title would see release in Japan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj-gm_qgeSapyxGqgzyc_AEl6dVImaunScHAgr-Y3VhtB0rObCN1zblmS_RbMOwu5FrG0PGhGqnFgXDsSqaP87FGJk73rDGekKOe24LgPLBfvwRqcQUuEcLx8jGYdSgTg9VmoXNAAKZyp4h91OlfYuaPsvdV_pAuWLPMVwLQpx5Q4pTE6YJ1xqu1z76E/s1919/croc23.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj-gm_qgeSapyxGqgzyc_AEl6dVImaunScHAgr-Y3VhtB0rObCN1zblmS_RbMOwu5FrG0PGhGqnFgXDsSqaP87FGJk73rDGekKOe24LgPLBfvwRqcQUuEcLx8jGYdSgTg9VmoXNAAKZyp4h91OlfYuaPsvdV_pAuWLPMVwLQpx5Q4pTE6YJ1xqu1z76E/s320/croc23.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In 1995, Sands mounted a relentless offensive against Tsuburaya Productions to claim worldwide ownership of their ULTRA properties; asserting that Noboru Tsuburaya--who had just died in 1995--had signed over rights to a number of their shows in the 1970s due to money Noboru allegedly borrowed from Mr. Sands that he was unable to pay back. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfdLiSiLH9b5rXz_WhZ2EFYFlQmJv66BzxrAV5-hbPJmRpKcus8ZYCIz3pJLs09TQDd72wHI-u-q6dPE-Fyuw23V0BWIGH2rgVQktNNjgKFv4yatNfTLNLKtW-M98IqsZJvz1e1CQxkVJaAQVBwfHbpPTZahh-6M_kETF1ozx8-pVSnRSJvYpIvBcfU8/s1917/croc6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfdLiSiLH9b5rXz_WhZ2EFYFlQmJv66BzxrAV5-hbPJmRpKcus8ZYCIz3pJLs09TQDd72wHI-u-q6dPE-Fyuw23V0BWIGH2rgVQktNNjgKFv4yatNfTLNLKtW-M98IqsZJvz1e1CQxkVJaAQVBwfHbpPTZahh-6M_kETF1ozx8-pVSnRSJvYpIvBcfU8/s320/croc6.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The new CEO of Tsuburaya, Kazuo Tsuburaya, was naturally skeptical of this out-of-the-blue deal since Noboru never mentioned its existence in the 20 years it was said to have been written; not to mention that Mr. Sands waited till Noboru was dead before going public with it. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This led to a series of unnecessary court battles wherein Sompote Sands quite literally attempted to steal a property that never belonged to him. He had already illegally appropriated Toei's KAMEN RIDER character when they refused to co-produce features with him. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNuZ5axpQyNeEbppDK2T59zJ8uDTblTtlUnAN6TnXi-X-N8QHK3UxP4td7H_YanMEDRy5_h8uFaTbE6E6yoX6juvwJiNK5ZXiSZ1O6vYaQQtixl6SPahl5phj9TnAKhibVy0MNcjB7VBYJQxYOUGwG8adD-E8cZ3Hm4JWEXmkkUzHYtKEJq2uqpXOMKM/s1919/croc37.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNuZ5axpQyNeEbppDK2T59zJ8uDTblTtlUnAN6TnXi-X-N8QHK3UxP4td7H_YanMEDRy5_h8uFaTbE6E6yoX6juvwJiNK5ZXiSZ1O6vYaQQtixl6SPahl5phj9TnAKhibVy0MNcjB7VBYJQxYOUGwG8adD-E8cZ3Hm4JWEXmkkUzHYtKEJq2uqpXOMKM/s320/croc37.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As for Kazuo Sagawa, he would also work on the first two of three co-productions with the Rankin-Bass Corporation; those films being THE LAST DINOSAUR (1977) and the massive cult favorite THE BERMUDA DEPTHS (1978). At some point before, during, or after these two American projects Sagawa worked on CROCODILE, alias GIANT CROCODILE.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwhDWFzEoYXeOkPZOAwQxVPQBweOdnExFhGXtKx0q3DCAGn7fzSRWNnEUM0hJ8sLhZJFe9rZyIMPoG1i8_tcZLNSVh096w9LkBti6aybNWDqbfg8Nlo6mY_iAJoF8IBdPlxwvR19x9GhbNEZkmUTzLUKYkgcscfOeEePZMG2hRgFGrApdxXlhWSZpI1s/s1919/croc33.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwhDWFzEoYXeOkPZOAwQxVPQBweOdnExFhGXtKx0q3DCAGn7fzSRWNnEUM0hJ8sLhZJFe9rZyIMPoG1i8_tcZLNSVh096w9LkBti6aybNWDqbfg8Nlo6mY_iAJoF8IBdPlxwvR19x9GhbNEZkmUTzLUKYkgcscfOeEePZMG2hRgFGrApdxXlhWSZpI1s/s320/croc33.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the 1980s and 1990s, Sagawa would lend his talents to Hong Kong productions as well. Shaw Brothers Production Manager Cai Lan, who was fluent in multiple languages including English and Japanese, had a great working relationship with Japan and was a good friend of Sagawa's.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As for Sompote Sands, his 20+ year crusade to crush Tsuburaya Productions and lay claim to creations that didn't belong to him finally came to an end in 2018 with the Japanese giant retaining properties that belonged to them in the first place.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One the acting front... <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W0eH_f2_ptDCN0nkH3Nl0gO3M2qhhVRAcxg8Soc41OaCPSaZ1dkwwM0y0WD7a36jk83kMbGvfKpTmLEXv1ekj92JXqU8mmIZ0OLEh11jBx-FI6uazcmmG0H39lswdj4QLn21sKtHJUAZSksboc8yYumICNAphuyC5U53oHc4jgTS3bd0TTZ8Bs-4WDE/s1919/croc3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W0eH_f2_ptDCN0nkH3Nl0gO3M2qhhVRAcxg8Soc41OaCPSaZ1dkwwM0y0WD7a36jk83kMbGvfKpTmLEXv1ekj92JXqU8mmIZ0OLEh11jBx-FI6uazcmmG0H39lswdj4QLn21sKtHJUAZSksboc8yYumICNAphuyC5U53oHc4jgTS3bd0TTZ8Bs-4WDE/s320/croc3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The Shaw Brothers had nothing to do with CROCODILE, but a Taiwanese actress who worked on many of their movies had a supporting role in it to help with the marquee value. Tanny Tien Ni's contract with Shaw's allowed her to be a freelance actress. She'd been in the industry since 1969 and was something of a controversial individual in those early days; she was a bit of a wild card. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlBiGwerkxTXiZCR4yiELqtljJicGuwVo657vRsghOfX1EDjIYgiNTTdmfJJ8f-QmpAzR1gaw4YiUf_k2QVeBKt_epX00tMqDM9uq-9caAVC74UUij8Leazc5TIdRVqRXhnDcEKLzM6nhvhSV7EJsWUYt9iVtqGoelxRo1nlNdHvFrSoFnh6CcC3uWDY/s1915/croc4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1915" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlBiGwerkxTXiZCR4yiELqtljJicGuwVo657vRsghOfX1EDjIYgiNTTdmfJJ8f-QmpAzR1gaw4YiUf_k2QVeBKt_epX00tMqDM9uq-9caAVC74UUij8Leazc5TIdRVqRXhnDcEKLzM6nhvhSV7EJsWUYt9iVtqGoelxRo1nlNdHvFrSoFnh6CcC3uWDY/s320/croc4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">She'd made headlines in 1971 for having an open affair with filmmaker Mou Tun Fei, who was married at the time. He did eventually separate from his wife and promised marriage to Tien Ni. Mou Tun Fei, of course, was the director most famous for the 1988 endurance test that is MEN BEHIND THE SUN. Prior to that infamous horror film, he'd already made a name for himself with nihilistic movies like A DEADLY SECRET and LOST SOULS (both 1980). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Mistresses weren't encouraged, but it was part of the Asian culture at the time. What made this occasion different was it was being done right out in the open as opposed to keeping it as private as possible. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGS9HeKLdCf0F-YZuiszhlSDRqArz8WdwNDJTNw0Nwa8jrO_KC9u1a4EvVD3jvFYJp59JoBYWjxy2vUvLmqRXYu8KPfNWbcSLnP7SNHjnSipzhmpLw7Lqcy9HHj3PNSaM7X_LPwdlFjgxH0LWEeN649TAX8dNwilX3ihJ3WPuYqiDXbxG7vGwskgYIIWI/s1917/croc21.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGS9HeKLdCf0F-YZuiszhlSDRqArz8WdwNDJTNw0Nwa8jrO_KC9u1a4EvVD3jvFYJp59JoBYWjxy2vUvLmqRXYu8KPfNWbcSLnP7SNHjnSipzhmpLw7Lqcy9HHj3PNSaM7X_LPwdlFjgxH0LWEeN649TAX8dNwilX3ihJ3WPuYqiDXbxG7vGwskgYIIWI/s320/croc21.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When Tanny realized Mou wasn't going to marry her, the next high profile affair she was involved in was with British actor Robin Stewart; whom she met while he was in Hong Kong starring in <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2019/09/the-legend-of-7-golden-vampires-1974.html"><span style="color: red;">THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES</span></a> (1974). Stewart was so taken with her, he wrote an article in Shaw's Hong Kong Movie News about their love that was possibly leading to marriage... it didn't. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">She would then enter into a healthy and stable relationship with popular Swordplay actor Yueh Hua. The two married in December of 1975 and remained together till Hua's death in 2018.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRRERiN8fdLMFHRXiIMkAI3hfbL2MySqdikFx7XACkDae3x2htX3xxCUa0k5eZDZqIlb4PGoOPjvxi2w5cidnG6RkI0_094DdS4wAYhhct7DFtX8gMObBfioII7hvpOM5mLtvmeTDMO2cP9ZojPL-5Zw01wDNxQhAjCoHFLoXT7pF6WQjZ4pzE088V98/s1917/croc38.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRRERiN8fdLMFHRXiIMkAI3hfbL2MySqdikFx7XACkDae3x2htX3xxCUa0k5eZDZqIlb4PGoOPjvxi2w5cidnG6RkI0_094DdS4wAYhhct7DFtX8gMObBfioII7hvpOM5mLtvmeTDMO2cP9ZojPL-5Zw01wDNxQhAjCoHFLoXT7pF6WQjZ4pzE088V98/s320/croc38.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There's nothing special about any of the performances in this movie, but there's an attempt to create sympathy for Dr. Akrom who has lost his wife <i>(rather poorly)</i> to the crocodile. It's impossible since there are so many instances where scenes begin and end so randomly. Either the original production didn't have time to fill in the gaps or this was due to Randall's scissor fingers.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS3DqoBn5tORTNQ_SR_Hhje5K8Mr6Vg7yNQ1lu371D3_XTpQycXzvtaS_r8mBoBQsyb5xWSaPe0GztAg8raxf4W4NtvcuHWnvE_43CxlGV3cvIKfdiSWNjOiMzD50Pg1RnEBQS-G2xZBdBHwIywbrIKlNcrxwxBjomShCu2Jpa7mJ9wQu9hU-41IqbmE/s1913/croc26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1913" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS3DqoBn5tORTNQ_SR_Hhje5K8Mr6Vg7yNQ1lu371D3_XTpQycXzvtaS_r8mBoBQsyb5xWSaPe0GztAg8raxf4W4NtvcuHWnvE_43CxlGV3cvIKfdiSWNjOiMzD50Pg1RnEBQS-G2xZBdBHwIywbrIKlNcrxwxBjomShCu2Jpa7mJ9wQu9hU-41IqbmE/s320/croc26.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">If you can handle the awful experience you're in for, you may notice there's some things in CROCODILE that show the director was trying to make a professional movie--particularly where camera placement is concerned. Unfortunately, the English cut is so appallingly edited, these moments may likely pass you by.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHuW0r67yXaR1iY3KCRQRkOH1Rz5hr7wD7Al7BVEiQg3ctm3NvtKjojNnx4MGlU5NVhZY4EVi--ahkw3Jb_opdAufveHi_Wv0s8oWIwtJVXarsl_9JAtP8a-R3l0uSScP_plyJiaCniWbVsqMWgui7iQopVwC38C0tLbPdnpaJKc585vryvqVzDmDXGo/s1919/croc8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1919" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHuW0r67yXaR1iY3KCRQRkOH1Rz5hr7wD7Al7BVEiQg3ctm3NvtKjojNnx4MGlU5NVhZY4EVi--ahkw3Jb_opdAufveHi_Wv0s8oWIwtJVXarsl_9JAtP8a-R3l0uSScP_plyJiaCniWbVsqMWgui7iQopVwC38C0tLbPdnpaJKc585vryvqVzDmDXGo/s320/croc8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXta9enHi-hPLQhY-9qDC0-VZLx1a8Yr6gHZguVY1MbP-atzqVVZGKq7_g2skQm6D7Un2P4NPLn2Vw2qutbSr087x4utsMHbWuGv_LErnLxgbBYHzpwRq2_gUXJZy7DDMYlW6KRXn5ejaS0oNieiO7oaX_SKFM0bp5vF3DG-S7eUkfp3kG4p3vVvNLCno/s1919/croc32.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXta9enHi-hPLQhY-9qDC0-VZLx1a8Yr6gHZguVY1MbP-atzqVVZGKq7_g2skQm6D7Un2P4NPLn2Vw2qutbSr087x4utsMHbWuGv_LErnLxgbBYHzpwRq2_gUXJZy7DDMYlW6KRXn5ejaS0oNieiO7oaX_SKFM0bp5vF3DG-S7eUkfp3kG4p3vVvNLCno/s320/croc32.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">What makes CROCODILE somewhat, and unintentionally, worthwhile is the wildly disparate croc shots. The film uses what looks like a 25ft, virtually immobile model; a real croc on miniature sets; a croc head for close ups; and a tail for some splashing scenes. None of these ever match up. The critter looks normal sized in one scene and as big as Godzilla in the next. This is one of the film's charming qualities--there just isn't enough of them to make the movie endearingly bad; it's just outright bad. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There is, however, some nice natural disaster footage at the beginning that is from a different movie called LAND OF GRIEF. And 92 minutes of grief is what most will be getting.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC2-BNaT_AH-Edmd09xIbl959tqfyDCr4bPYy-8JaiLB0tabrvAsQcNqbWZXnKppBqytHfjLnuXPhxM7XMMdTdbQEBFgA0z3mSpUIes691QfRRQIpD63jupdNz0DFjwyuTpeIHBVXKbLStHhnYQraUYwSi01LK8adJ8DSkxNXSQIZoCrELzwf3K1_1i0/s1919/croc20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC2-BNaT_AH-Edmd09xIbl959tqfyDCr4bPYy-8JaiLB0tabrvAsQcNqbWZXnKppBqytHfjLnuXPhxM7XMMdTdbQEBFgA0z3mSpUIes691QfRRQIpD63jupdNz0DFjwyuTpeIHBVXKbLStHhnYQraUYwSi01LK8adJ8DSkxNXSQIZoCrELzwf3K1_1i0/s320/croc20.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Amazingly, CROCODILE, the last picture distributed by Herman Cohen, does have a fanbase; so if you're a lover </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">of bad movies, Asian horror and giant
monster flicks, you might just do a death-roll over this Far Eastern saltwater Croc schlock. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin;">This review is representative of the Synapse blu-ray. Specs and extras: 1080p anamorphic widescreen from the original 35mm camera negative; Interview with original director Won Se Lee; deleted and alternate scenes; original trailer; English subtitles; audio commentary with Lee Gambin; nude slipcover limited to 1,500 units; running time: 01:31:48.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-20465333048671562672023-07-15T21:00:00.001-07:002023-07-15T21:02:22.228-07:00JAWS 2, My Favorite Sequel to the Scariest Movie Ever Made<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrI3oasWEIXpZTlJqGzfpL57G743uKvAtwHkJ_trLYRZehpTbQ-abNc2l9WPVfwlV9qYO0LvnA0eL87Gd9ZK1djfIpnxBW1Y7YDdNGHJjWjSgS1gPF4x-EONnVMn5RMH_0xhZN068QzkECO2hC-TNhYggZ14D1mK1y_jhz_cAx5nSJJDIunmhxJ6P0Mk/s1917/jaws1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrI3oasWEIXpZTlJqGzfpL57G743uKvAtwHkJ_trLYRZehpTbQ-abNc2l9WPVfwlV9qYO0LvnA0eL87Gd9ZK1djfIpnxBW1Y7YDdNGHJjWjSgS1gPF4x-EONnVMn5RMH_0xhZN068QzkECO2hC-TNhYggZ14D1mK1y_jhz_cAx5nSJJDIunmhxJ6P0Mk/s320/jaws1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"You
have to give people more of what they had the first time around,
without being relentless, without being repetitive. It's not humanly
possible for us to catch the impact of the first film... you're talking about a sequel to the biggest success the movies ever saw. That's a big pair of shoes to step into"</span></i>.--Director Jeannot Szwarc in 1977</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHou9v6zuZfDqCtx9S_5kpftxbt4xxNn00U-VfxTbRN-oLTo0s5wtZEr0Y7cGAEu1FQ_ikbsDs_QLiZ59PuiTjuQGRCrVYhCdYG8qmnhgow3tIqOa8LwkL-jH5vVLGJfQ7_WJdd1WfUL70vzJO_sXNEOpskangKNKslIYVEsqv7n61vAHIFSi2hzMgHdM/s844/jaws16.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="844" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHou9v6zuZfDqCtx9S_5kpftxbt4xxNn00U-VfxTbRN-oLTo0s5wtZEr0Y7cGAEu1FQ_ikbsDs_QLiZ59PuiTjuQGRCrVYhCdYG8qmnhgow3tIqOa8LwkL-jH5vVLGJfQ7_WJdd1WfUL70vzJO_sXNEOpskangKNKslIYVEsqv7n61vAHIFSi2hzMgHdM/s320/jaws16.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Back in 2012 I wrote an article about JAWS being the scariest movie ever made and why I loved it <i>(you can read it <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2012/09/jaws-scariest-movie-ever-made-and-why-i.html"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>)</i>. There's never been another film that has tapped into mankind's fear of not only the water and what we cannot see beneath it, but the isolation of being alone or cut off from society with nothing around you but ocean waves for as far as the eye can see. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSgszjUJWly6rqv4onAzACm5VECT6HC4p6NzGN1T3V0kcFepmsz-rfRcIoL2BwHw9QtprIUJj0EyrcREUJNCqVDgHVBVbasgzfCar3flbaQWJ7uUcfI7ukRyDsKO5lQsZIyA_U8lDJXwSf0mwGGD6GpbQD12pVo6FFFlF0EALiaRz1qYRt46WC1edEpY/s564/jaws-behind-scenes2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="564" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSgszjUJWly6rqv4onAzACm5VECT6HC4p6NzGN1T3V0kcFepmsz-rfRcIoL2BwHw9QtprIUJj0EyrcREUJNCqVDgHVBVbasgzfCar3flbaQWJ7uUcfI7ukRyDsKO5lQsZIyA_U8lDJXwSf0mwGGD6GpbQD12pVo6FFFlF0EALiaRz1qYRt46WC1edEpY/s320/jaws-behind-scenes2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Steven Spielberg's movie was absolute brilliance in its building of tension and horror, much of which was due to the lack of a visible shark for an hour of the film's running time; Spielberg keeping it largely in the dark till its closeup 81 minutes in after Brody asks Hooper to <i>"come on down and chum some of this shit"</i>. Something else key to the film's longevity was its interactions between three men with very different personalities played by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">With the end result being a surprise smash hit upon its June 20th release in 1975, it was a given that the first $100 million grosser would quickly attract another Great White Shark to the waters off Amity Island.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"There's a natural curiosity, a public thirst, but this time the shark has to be a 747 compared to our old 707. He's a new generation, his repertoire refined and expanded."</span></i>--Co-producer David Brown in 1977 <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKCx95WmhtKSK0_VGnjTuxqRWiDYHVB8vqvk11mkMPNawyq3BJ12PzmG1iGgKkztyrCEgeeNo9GH7WroHu7DSIbx9YkRaeIsNGlEM9kERSXvnpjTbtWhnLl4CYCDfapCd1OMnxDZlzQle-uExqAbyVD2E0ZP68K0zO48peMRkSYCDMtfHGjDksLOYgwA/s500/jaws-spielberg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="500" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKCx95WmhtKSK0_VGnjTuxqRWiDYHVB8vqvk11mkMPNawyq3BJ12PzmG1iGgKkztyrCEgeeNo9GH7WroHu7DSIbx9YkRaeIsNGlEM9kERSXvnpjTbtWhnLl4CYCDfapCd1OMnxDZlzQle-uExqAbyVD2E0ZP68K0zO48peMRkSYCDMtfHGjDksLOYgwA/s320/jaws-spielberg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The shocking success of JAWS was as unexpected on the filmmakers as the difficulties they experienced making it 12 miles out on the open sea. It would not only change the way movies were made, marketed and distributed, but it inspired domestic and foreign film industries into producing a slew of imitations; most of which substituted imagination for a quick buck. As for JAWS 2, any filmmaker brave enough to take on the project would be knowingly traversing inhospitable waters in attempting to match Spielberg's masterpiece of horror. The producers, on the other hand, were determined to surpass it.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiTDcBK-Ej59x9PcVuKXv6rV5GMzJ6sh49MDN0uPkPws2RuLQQMw47R4MbWjNnFxJby5CaLwhWoxX6KPrHAZjid5BoCeYFeZTqC6A4szPGt_igcITPj-9hHSy-R0im0J6EdYJftUiZCg86jDGDhj00ap_NaNz6Tkj5NDQQjRrafzq_vD7uf9Y0U-79-Q/s1917/jaws31.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiTDcBK-Ej59x9PcVuKXv6rV5GMzJ6sh49MDN0uPkPws2RuLQQMw47R4MbWjNnFxJby5CaLwhWoxX6KPrHAZjid5BoCeYFeZTqC6A4szPGt_igcITPj-9hHSy-R0im0J6EdYJftUiZCg86jDGDhj00ap_NaNz6Tkj5NDQQjRrafzq_vD7uf9Y0U-79-Q/s320/jaws31.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This article is about my affection for this underrated sequel, what I like about it, my first time seeing it, the film's origins, comparisons to the script for the Hancock and Szwarc versions, and other odds and ends. We begin with the trouble at sea JAWS 2 found itself in before Jeannot Szwarc took it over and, against numerous obstacles, turned it into the memorably entertaining sequel we know today.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>GOING BACK IN THE WATER<br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_sV1lQIUAlx74rqhNgVuFgvUImWte5pWjEAVhpTe6S18Boxx9t3NY7lCrmQpaof-ii8m_H2jj__9nva8yxDBGs6a7qRAl3UxwdcUfYxO7SzSVN1r47OkHCZikBzut4fTO45wqF-1TBYThiB4Hok_6RzI0c6aOl5n2YVdhqYeMTuXw58yUUMbb1sszNU/s960/jaws-2-poster1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="629" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_sV1lQIUAlx74rqhNgVuFgvUImWte5pWjEAVhpTe6S18Boxx9t3NY7lCrmQpaof-ii8m_H2jj__9nva8yxDBGs6a7qRAl3UxwdcUfYxO7SzSVN1r47OkHCZikBzut4fTO45wqF-1TBYThiB4Hok_6RzI0c6aOl5n2YVdhqYeMTuXw58yUUMbb1sszNU/s320/jaws-2-poster1.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">JAWS 2 (1978) celebrated its 45th anniversary on June 16th, 2023. Over the course of the 4+ decades since its release, Jeannot Szwarc's movie has undergone an evolution of sorts--gaining appreciation over the years since Roger Ebert called it <i>"pure trash"</i> back in 1978. It's one of those movies that had many detractors despite being the biggest moneymaking sequel at the time. Spielberg's movie was such a masterstroke of cinema that it was near impossible for a sequel to attain a fraction of its respectability no matter how good it was. Even today, there are many articles that take good-natured shots at the picture; and in unison, remark how it could never be that good because the first movie was such a hard act to follow. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsgk1B7geh0QGtyLp3q1LQccsRw5SHJk9uUWAUceOvZp-rH-CREs5EUCgfzDvlp9PsbxJqBdDjWa_2XvMP9t_rWzeis2YGVoOziOHrQxxyxhG6kTd-vXG8BqrPcOtMkfvK7nLGVALe1P7_vvHa5988jUm9O6qHO_yUyzBnuiHblW88tnxHMOPNvENW0s/s1200/jaws-spielberg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsgk1B7geh0QGtyLp3q1LQccsRw5SHJk9uUWAUceOvZp-rH-CREs5EUCgfzDvlp9PsbxJqBdDjWa_2XvMP9t_rWzeis2YGVoOziOHrQxxyxhG6kTd-vXG8BqrPcOtMkfvK7nLGVALe1P7_vvHa5988jUm9O6qHO_yUyzBnuiHblW88tnxHMOPNvENW0s/s320/jaws-spielberg.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Spielberg was, at one point, interested in directing the notoriously temperamental man-eater for a second time; and to bring Hooper back to Amity. But his need to complete CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) contributed to that not happening.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">After at least two windows of opportunity were closed for Spielberg to return <i>(who wasn't all that enthused about doing a sequel in the first place)</i>, writer and diving expert Howard Sackler recommended the project be handed over to director John D. Hancock. Unfortunately, Hancock's version charted a course that was entirely different than what had been previously plotted.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>BEGINNING OF THE END--A NEW BEGINNING</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"The first day I arrived on that island I felt something missing. I
could tell from the attitude of the crew, from the attitude of the
director toward the actors, from the atmosphere of no electricity, that
the movie was in trouble. The script wasn't discussed, there was no
banter going on. We never got into it. I never went to rushes there. I
didn't look at them because I knew we weren't going to use them anyway. I
didn't see one frame in three weeks. I knew it was over."</span></i>--Roy Scheider
in 1977 on JAWS 2 under John Hancock's direction. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1vHC92_891xnuC8fiI1-6I8dWv0nXALF5TvKOLHB0f5unJFrLDTaMmljdUb6HE274y26azxCEow_fYAaVhTqXPzgSPLsgQ__cN5AjtQNFA76xEUuquU6mfn1GFIJTCBmqhiYv_s4GuVM9cwiUBvYF4UgeEVqEm9WhuS_kCF3rbnoMPNVdfwXTqexNK8/s897/jaws-2-david-brown-richard-zanuck1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="897" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1vHC92_891xnuC8fiI1-6I8dWv0nXALF5TvKOLHB0f5unJFrLDTaMmljdUb6HE274y26azxCEow_fYAaVhTqXPzgSPLsgQ__cN5AjtQNFA76xEUuquU6mfn1GFIJTCBmqhiYv_s4GuVM9cwiUBvYF4UgeEVqEm9WhuS_kCF3rbnoMPNVdfwXTqexNK8/s320/jaws-2-david-brown-richard-zanuck1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">When Sackler was asked to pen the script for the sequel, he wanted to go back to the Indianapolis speech he helped write on the first movie. Zanuck and Brown seemed briefly intrigued by this direction, but--along with input from Universal's president Sidney Sheinberg--quickly decided the best course of action was to return to Amity. Audiences around the world knew those people and liked them. America alone paid $270+ million to watch them and it seemed logical that audiences would want to see those characters again.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6ilGQwmCDN1nRLpmCnNh6j0hM2J4-tCGLCfNqYYYVZb_LjAwLOk_9XDvf0R7s9rcJUMZ5dv8EfLv_6nE1IJab68wQHNe4gQDXWOyRsArK9nKyRAOoN_H6GJ5Hvtkj9gdsdoeQqjKVnNXlJYkk6-fXUbFILLVtSJfCi84IsELLNweV1IqL98AfUjAGIo/s1919/jaws13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6ilGQwmCDN1nRLpmCnNh6j0hM2J4-tCGLCfNqYYYVZb_LjAwLOk_9XDvf0R7s9rcJUMZ5dv8EfLv_6nE1IJab68wQHNe4gQDXWOyRsArK9nKyRAOoN_H6GJ5Hvtkj9gdsdoeQqjKVnNXlJYkk6-fXUbFILLVtSJfCi84IsELLNweV1IqL98AfUjAGIo/s320/jaws13.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Sheinberg reportedly made the suggestion to Sackler to place an emphasis on teens in peril for his script. His work in this area largely ended up on screen but minus Quint's son; a character that was removed when filming began under John Hancock in June of 1977. The writer himself was tapped to play a scuba diver in the movie before he vacated the movie.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i>"<span style="color: #ffa400;">I read the first script they had--Howard Sackler had written it--and was intrigued with the challenge of doing a sequel to this enormous-grossing picture. I had liked the first film a lot, and I was impressed when the producers told me they were trying to top it."</span></i>--original director of JAWS 2, John D. Hancock, in May of 1977. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OEw7ZefeanXc0eBUKqSoJ2y-m3TMNiaes2gsr32zp3xKtCSeX7H_AKX9DNNvhO5MPdlcpcXWc_iHQM-NBTDV3TVV3Wa18JtKcfHdHW5MZczmQ2jeKoiZ8zJGkcb3dIFMJFT3RTTp_hBL-pa4pH5nTEMDQXzffPht2ANOtbv0BAeSRc6fSBXscOZVzkk/s747/jaws-2-teens-in-peril.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="747" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OEw7ZefeanXc0eBUKqSoJ2y-m3TMNiaes2gsr32zp3xKtCSeX7H_AKX9DNNvhO5MPdlcpcXWc_iHQM-NBTDV3TVV3Wa18JtKcfHdHW5MZczmQ2jeKoiZ8zJGkcb3dIFMJFT3RTTp_hBL-pa4pH5nTEMDQXzffPht2ANOtbv0BAeSRc6fSBXscOZVzkk/s320/jaws-2-teens-in-peril.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Approximately two weeks before filming began on June 6th, 1977, Hancock
stated in an interview that producers David Brown and Richard Zanuck saw
his drama BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1973) and wanted him to direct the
sequel to the biggest movie of all time. They hoped lightning would strike twice by going with a similarly inexperienced director. Even so, Spielberg's DUEL (1971) showed the young filmmaker's masterful hand at guiding not just suspense, but intense action; so he had that in his favor. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Moviemaking is like gambling, so Universal execs rolled the dice on a new director with a new vision.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"The Tristan script was either short on character or its emphasis was misplaced. I had to make people's behavior recognizably human, to make them real"</span></i>.--Writer, Carl Gottlieb in 1977 when he was brought in to rewrite the script<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICViJmUA5yFvDQFzfxmiPVNJ0DINzmrjlJZci_WjIig5b0ygcUSbDTV2HDBMLpumVQ2NRrwZEKLO-s56j1kEt5tdPYNhgel8tt4RluJ5PUUtkZT5YPd7dyZvnrOm_U_dZtPs7-maYTd4waABpPsvu0r2L03nHTKQv448qmdQ-vn_rP-pJG7E9_njpq3c/s524/jaws4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="524" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICViJmUA5yFvDQFzfxmiPVNJ0DINzmrjlJZci_WjIig5b0ygcUSbDTV2HDBMLpumVQ2NRrwZEKLO-s56j1kEt5tdPYNhgel8tt4RluJ5PUUtkZT5YPd7dyZvnrOm_U_dZtPs7-maYTd4waABpPsvu0r2L03nHTKQv448qmdQ-vn_rP-pJG7E9_njpq3c/s320/jaws4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Personally, looking at the bigger picture, Universal made the right decision in replacing original director John D. Hancock whose wife Dorothy Tristan shared a co-writing credit with Howard Sackler. It was a very different type of story from what came before and what was eventually shot. Tristan added stronger sexual themes, a darker tone with more explicit shark attacks, and made Ellen Brody a much bigger part of the movie, on top of other additions. Sackler, who had a hand in getting Hancock the job, had a falling out with the husband and wife duo over the direction they were going and left the picture. Problems were exacerbated from there.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There was foreshadowing of trouble ahead a few months before filming even began. Right after everything was set in stone, Hancock reportedly ruffled feathers by heading off to Los Angeles to direct a play his wife was starring in. He was expected to begin preparatory work on what was to be his biggest job yet, JAWS 2. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvTnaKLJOBF3q27AcGLH-j1H_rjAp-3Ts3qDAX8MPpYkiL9uh5ED5UQKctjK1PxbLQCCjaB0I1fjcC79DbcmAJrZnuAHlmCVzh9Sp0mX-40fr_zDWKXLIhE_y0-9euAQa0baiuEF68wS3MIEcAQnQbkdVOojLb8_93IN5a0TeUehQJGlJTM5nGNr7EY4/s672/jaws-2-hancock.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="672" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvTnaKLJOBF3q27AcGLH-j1H_rjAp-3Ts3qDAX8MPpYkiL9uh5ED5UQKctjK1PxbLQCCjaB0I1fjcC79DbcmAJrZnuAHlmCVzh9Sp0mX-40fr_zDWKXLIhE_y0-9euAQa0baiuEF68wS3MIEcAQnQbkdVOojLb8_93IN5a0TeUehQJGlJTM5nGNr7EY4/s320/jaws-2-hancock.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Hancock had previously directed the cult horror favorite LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971). His vision for JAWS 2 was treading familiar, foreboding waters but looked nothing like the original movie. As it were, his version would've packed the picture with political nonsense, mafia characters <i>(featured in Benchley's novel)</i>, and a town that was boarded up and in its death throes from the shark attacks three years earlier. In reality there are shark attacks every year; it's not an unnatural occurrence. What doesn't happen is towns being economically devastated by them. Far-fetched? No. Improbable, yes. It's a shark, not a politician.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"A lot of my friends keep asking me 'what's the premise?' and that's embarrassing, because we don't have a premise."</span></i>--original director of JAWS 2, John D. Hancock, in May of 1977.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Since Hancock wanted Amity to look like a ghost town, many residents were as happy about it as he and his wife were on Sackler's script. Residents grew frustrated with the lengthy shoot on the first movie as well, but there was no plan to alter their small businesses. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf67Xoi_DyBRN4JVnNyXeVWD9jYbeOt6JBp_o7lWhd6zwoH5Q7qusoAqdNKurNQlSO48X8Bs6YBFCZnkFKfUSVmUTUxMKBUdRl9mrp-i7cr-vpJrVvCLaBkOTkJMk8ncjiAXhE2hSZV5VP4R2v7isbPQrOUFfkYbEQsSAUkezbbOnZmweCfomStWpmG4/s523/jaws2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="523" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf67Xoi_DyBRN4JVnNyXeVWD9jYbeOt6JBp_o7lWhd6zwoH5Q7qusoAqdNKurNQlSO48X8Bs6YBFCZnkFKfUSVmUTUxMKBUdRl9mrp-i7cr-vpJrVvCLaBkOTkJMk8ncjiAXhE2hSZV5VP4R2v7isbPQrOUFfkYbEQsSAUkezbbOnZmweCfomStWpmG4/s320/jaws2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The town's businesses didn't like their windows being boarded up, and the director had little patience for handling scenes with lots of extras and dealing with the residents of Edgartown in Martha's Vineyard. He complained about the difficulties of filming there, that people had too much money, and lamented the journey to Florida and how much worse it would be filming at Navarre Beach. Much like Spielberg, it seemed Hancock wasn't prepared for the stress of such a large production; but unlike Spielberg, he was unable to pull it off. If Hancock was having problems handling the filming on land, the trouble would only increase once he began shooting major sequences on the water. Spielberg told Hancock prior to filming that the shark would be his greatest challenge to shoot.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsQ7KVazyY_v1HdjfxphG6X8_qD3JTfUInWSeWvM04UkbWjAnV6cmBzyoObJO5rLIgrLKAhPLgFsk-fLVcKpc1lclmLY4gHbW3jE9yjmvK4Z53nN3UCppmc2kvJL5XBfc7o50PsWmTTIR2FYP4UyeQDYVMyDl5P4RTlQF8m1ML-dJNPSUa9S9hAWT6ZY/s640/jaws-2-hancock-footage1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="640" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsQ7KVazyY_v1HdjfxphG6X8_qD3JTfUInWSeWvM04UkbWjAnV6cmBzyoObJO5rLIgrLKAhPLgFsk-fLVcKpc1lclmLY4gHbW3jE9yjmvK4Z53nN3UCppmc2kvJL5XBfc7o50PsWmTTIR2FYP4UyeQDYVMyDl5P4RTlQF8m1ML-dJNPSUa9S9hAWT6ZY/s320/jaws-2-hancock-footage1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As documented in Ray Loynd's <i>'The Jaws 2 Log'</i>, the last scene Hancock filmed after 18 days on the picture before he was let go was a scene between Lorraine Gary and one of her on-screen sons. Upon viewing the footage Hancock had shot, studio execs became alarmed and held a meeting where it was decided a new man was needed at the helm. Hancock would go on to blame studio politics for the reasoning behind his firing. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Meanwhile, unnamed members of the cast and crew said Hancock was incapable of controlling the movie, had filmed a lot of unusable footage, and wasn't fit for such a large-scale action picture.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Hancock's movie would've been an easy R rating if shot as written. The script he was working from had 8 deaths. When Carl Gottlieb took over, it became 11 deaths. This was later shaved down to 5 then grew to 7 by the time Jeannot Szwarc came aboard. Szwarc's movie almost received an R rating itself; particularly the death of Marge proving to be hugely problematic as scripted. Compared to what Hancock's movie might've been, Szwarc's version is a far more believable, and adventurous horror film with a few really good jump scare moments. JAWS 2 also has the highest body count of the series with 7 deaths.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-u-m6u3-bGZnNEEMwi_6n6UmEZmIqgbLwYgW5yKIxkz_My0e9-rUr_JVX2OGXEDP_xIayHqj-9oTg2IMb5FLAasQMXAXAT3eaAld5JvS9atlNZt3OWE6EUhLsw6vTBmzReGjgLbTneGETu6OsxKLfhD5DiF4pT03HG--q9rLy4xnJUGZz95Xm4n071CI/s1919/jaws9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-u-m6u3-bGZnNEEMwi_6n6UmEZmIqgbLwYgW5yKIxkz_My0e9-rUr_JVX2OGXEDP_xIayHqj-9oTg2IMb5FLAasQMXAXAT3eaAld5JvS9atlNZt3OWE6EUhLsw6vTBmzReGjgLbTneGETu6OsxKLfhD5DiF4pT03HG--q9rLy4xnJUGZz95Xm4n071CI/s320/jaws9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bk0zWfbHNekbyn6im_bMrtx0jDsa2L61FydsjeGs0CNZ92kedR3X6nsrVtcqxrAIYFtgfqi0_FOxWfIxGyvsJJHgeg991tjCXF8a-MfCDefNaNMXzNttQVrAQOhgABMBVMXuhw7YGqFMSFhPV1BnnFM7hoQZsybsZQKlvRFEhcXW11sZCV_dpgFhU88/s1918/jaws8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1918" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bk0zWfbHNekbyn6im_bMrtx0jDsa2L61FydsjeGs0CNZ92kedR3X6nsrVtcqxrAIYFtgfqi0_FOxWfIxGyvsJJHgeg991tjCXF8a-MfCDefNaNMXzNttQVrAQOhgABMBVMXuhw7YGqFMSFhPV1BnnFM7hoQZsybsZQKlvRFEhcXW11sZCV_dpgFhU88/s320/jaws8.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As for director Hancock, two scenes he shot remain in the release version--one is near the beginning, an ominous scene where we see the shark's dorsal fin break the surface of the water in Amity harbor. This shot occurs much later in the script. The second is parasailing footage where the shark narrowly misses an afternoon meal.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>TWO DIRECTORS--TWO VISIONS</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It's difficult to think about <i>"what could have been"</i> and not be curious to see the footage Hancock had shot, or ponder how his version would have turned out; but it doubtlessly wouldn't have resembled the original in any way. JAWS was veritable perfection and unlike anything seen at the time. Any radical detour from what came before would likely have been widely rejected. As it were, keeping familiarity with Spielberg's work was going to be harshly judged as well.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8fDZHRSoy39lKJGLweDdUK9XYqRrlmOM9AClXgG2OyQzzIUtYIIEFhVggUHDIuVb90ZQsRSTPmHdtQXSVYaicn_s3HybP2xFu3Tkf0wTe6IsbnhTpazchxI29JlGhYcMKMiGVyQmnF234z8sosfQgi00TLUjUBkPsWsk7QrO1l8C36xfjB92ulIQC7w/s1919/jaws7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8fDZHRSoy39lKJGLweDdUK9XYqRrlmOM9AClXgG2OyQzzIUtYIIEFhVggUHDIuVb90ZQsRSTPmHdtQXSVYaicn_s3HybP2xFu3Tkf0wTe6IsbnhTpazchxI29JlGhYcMKMiGVyQmnF234z8sosfQgi00TLUjUBkPsWsk7QrO1l8C36xfjB92ulIQC7w/s320/jaws7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O1IQItdnEfmMM5EZRKiSK2veYuTJF2_d2xukxH2hEiG0h1g6BQFmzt5MkUDzMVSjO9AX01ZxMDqR-v8RLSa9h_u7HNNutZX_Ejw2nLtuAK5sJrMKbFAEjHatPgzcVPUoQWDGz1M-xSG71Xi-0Jyv7Q22jm8y0CqXWieOECfJSUofKubCHhxu5Cn4Reo/s1919/jaws10.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O1IQItdnEfmMM5EZRKiSK2veYuTJF2_d2xukxH2hEiG0h1g6BQFmzt5MkUDzMVSjO9AX01ZxMDqR-v8RLSa9h_u7HNNutZX_Ejw2nLtuAK5sJrMKbFAEjHatPgzcVPUoQWDGz1M-xSG71Xi-0Jyv7Q22jm8y0CqXWieOECfJSUofKubCHhxu5Cn4Reo/s320/jaws10.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Among the many differences in what was to be Hancock's version was the attack on the skier and boat about 20 minutes into the movie; it differs in major ways. One of these is the element of speed. The original version was more vicious with a start and stop rhythm. The biggest alteration is in the physical action. It's two couples: two skiers and two in the boat. The woman skier is bitten repeatedly while her husband--the other skier--tries to hold onto her. She dies from massive blood loss and he's flung away, gets tied up in the line, and drowns. Meanwhile, the other couple in the boat frantically try to get the shark away from their friends. They toss a lit gasoline can that explodes when it hits the shark's face. The shark rams the boat and the boat explodes. Afterward, the corpse of the drowned husband is found but nothing else.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWIDVskwnetmnNZALUZ5mbBtCHR7-R-mh2Xo_3bDJdIkY_ZOIzzmmt2NVHPbaaIBHPn_VG0-l1V9YmK_vpqjrEegXCRkS6qNPwF3jgiC-zUAU9iq0NjS0gmCZfGBNpZpYFng6g5KpQfTPwI2Ln32DY5K0KWnl2tbO2ALVC3TjgVZSNXTM0P9qeto3aWk/s1919/jaws6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWIDVskwnetmnNZALUZ5mbBtCHR7-R-mh2Xo_3bDJdIkY_ZOIzzmmt2NVHPbaaIBHPn_VG0-l1V9YmK_vpqjrEegXCRkS6qNPwF3jgiC-zUAU9iq0NjS0gmCZfGBNpZpYFng6g5KpQfTPwI2Ln32DY5K0KWnl2tbO2ALVC3TjgVZSNXTM0P9qeto3aWk/s320/jaws6.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The scene as it plays in the movie is streamlined and reduced to two females--a skier and boat driver. It plays much better, and makes more sense logistically. There's some great editing using real shark footage for the moment it latches onto the skier. The attack on the boat is a powerful moment ending with a huge explosion that leaves the shark with a new, scarier visage bearing burn scars. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XTCGdsZx9V5a8wO87uSSD4pnyee6rRniZR7QztXJIdiTUPSt-62PKVXXs6TCsAl9XKJ5uYKc2gt_yLHQ7RuMLYk34Y4M0rclzUGMYSVWnLT2JdquaiGZcrFxf82RsBuBsiivI4J2uYIU1VQrGJiNQV5fTIlsrZ-J-ZdIDRuWO3htMUs0ieZ-qJfDz7k/s1917/jaws11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XTCGdsZx9V5a8wO87uSSD4pnyee6rRniZR7QztXJIdiTUPSt-62PKVXXs6TCsAl9XKJ5uYKc2gt_yLHQ7RuMLYk34Y4M0rclzUGMYSVWnLT2JdquaiGZcrFxf82RsBuBsiivI4J2uYIU1VQrGJiNQV5fTIlsrZ-J-ZdIDRuWO3htMUs0ieZ-qJfDz7k/s320/jaws11.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another alteration in the aborted script involved the dead Orca. In the Sackler-Tristan version, the dead Orca is spotted out at sea. Brody goes out on his patrol boat and takes pictures and measures some of the bite marks. The scene following it took place inside a laboratory where Brody talks about vengeance-seeking sharks while Dr. Elkins lectures Chief Brody on how sharks may save human lives due to their antibodies that protect them from cancer. Below is an example of the differences in dialog for this sequence and what was possibly the genesis of JAWS: THE REVENGE (1987). The first exchange is from the aborted script and the second is what was filmed:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>ABORTED SCRIPT: SACKLER-TRISTAN <br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>Brody:</b> <i>"</i>That [shark] I killed... how do we know it didn't communicate with other sharks before it died. Maybe it had a mate or something. Maybe I left a trace in the water, a smell-or maybe they just sense me in some way you don't know about yet. They never go for revenge or anything like that do they?"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>Dr. Elkins:</b> <i>(grinning)</i> "Sharks, Mr. Brody, never take anything personally".</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RELEASE VERSION: SACKLER-GOTTLIEB</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>Brody:</b> "I know dolphins communicate, they send signals... you don't think if a shark was destroyed that another shark could, could in... "</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>Dr. Elkins:</b> "Sharks don't take things personally, Mr. Brody".<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1fqgPl6BLxlPhjM2x9XyWM7Ts0xRYtk3DSnozZjoRBfOD1LE-mfNr0XmI5MC_7xudd0jLCjON7seaqg7ighzGNygDJCqhLn8O8MLFje1HTOiIkXWmBC5qmipsMdPL5NCjemeHHiRthkYPu1PeNRZ7qub6ZKr88NbReXLaWrsoVezkJnjEP6kelAcQmY/s1919/jaws12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1fqgPl6BLxlPhjM2x9XyWM7Ts0xRYtk3DSnozZjoRBfOD1LE-mfNr0XmI5MC_7xudd0jLCjON7seaqg7ighzGNygDJCqhLn8O8MLFje1HTOiIkXWmBC5qmipsMdPL5NCjemeHHiRthkYPu1PeNRZ7qub6ZKr88NbReXLaWrsoVezkJnjEP6kelAcQmY/s320/jaws12.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The sequence as it plays out in the movie is the superior one. It removes a few scenes and melds them into one while creating an element of impending dread. The audience knowing Brody's intuition is correct versus Elkins reluctance to accept his fears makes for better banter. Further, Killer Whales are known to hunt and eat Great Whites; because of that, this sequence makes the shark in the movie even more fearsome. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">On a side note, the year prior, Dino De Laurentiis's production of ORCA (1977) featured an opening sequence where a killer whale saves Robert Carradine from being eaten by a Great White Shark. The highly intelligent mammal ramming it so hard it sends the big fish out of the water, into the air, and crashing down into the sea and dying. The De Laurentiis production is basically taking a shot at JAWS (1975). So in JAWS 2, a dead Orca washes up on the beaches of Amity having been fatally wounded by a Great White in what feels like a defensive jab at the JAWS inspired, MOBY DICK-ish ORCA. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"When Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes and everyone screamed for more I don't think he felt like a professional hack. I see nothing wrong with bringing back a story that gives people a terrific time."</span></i>--Roy Scheider on JAWS 2 in 1977 <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LqfVzDLTwU0TgXCrXlb_XS3xqDNMjYBH3SiLbl0qZ-3WXZHZuE492drYdiH2s1VADyds78NwWJYM3UMTiTOFPMAS39JMuyw_9PYbOIxMyRBHYV9JG06VmS4qrcOzFe-wKON-YGvtIlqlRiGN9stLVcfH03gIgOjA26u35YSHkhGh-seCqvfUZXeDUiA/s900/jaws-2-ending3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="900" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LqfVzDLTwU0TgXCrXlb_XS3xqDNMjYBH3SiLbl0qZ-3WXZHZuE492drYdiH2s1VADyds78NwWJYM3UMTiTOFPMAS39JMuyw_9PYbOIxMyRBHYV9JG06VmS4qrcOzFe-wKON-YGvtIlqlRiGN9stLVcfH03gIgOjA26u35YSHkhGh-seCqvfUZXeDUiA/s320/jaws-2-ending3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The ending of the movie as written in the Sackler-Tristan script takes place at night and differs in some key ways. For one, the destruction of the chopper occurs at the end. The pilot is killed by the shark when he tries to swim to the pile of wrecked sailboats that become engulfed in flames after the helicopter explodes. The teens end up underwater attempting to breathe from air pockets below the catamaran's as they burn. Sideburns <i>(who was later changed to Bob)</i> is bitten in half as Brody tries to pull him in. Brody then stabs the shark in the eye with a dragging rake. From there, the death of the shark mirrors the movie except Sean is in the rubber raft with his father.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvpzeoikA-Bx4KCAcTExZtpZ3UYbq7Nch_-w14RR0zayLjBZMTZoyJjXBBYEwf6DRM_0vqqJlbb-ekcAZdfoclq11WAQ-jWGbhnAzQSlkLMmSspZnN8amVzJ_zEgqQvUzZGazEnp4rZL4ZmZsSc-d6RSbUH9HWwmzP_uYYrrnAqm-50R-LUx6jn0YvH8/s1915/jaws15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1915" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvpzeoikA-Bx4KCAcTExZtpZ3UYbq7Nch_-w14RR0zayLjBZMTZoyJjXBBYEwf6DRM_0vqqJlbb-ekcAZdfoclq11WAQ-jWGbhnAzQSlkLMmSspZnN8amVzJ_zEgqQvUzZGazEnp4rZL4ZmZsSc-d6RSbUH9HWwmzP_uYYrrnAqm-50R-LUx6jn0YvH8/s320/jaws15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm-5cEDpXMPHX2qjmhPNdcJ3FF3dGBFmEpiE2c7IV-ebb0lZ6veBu5Dvm65FgugP7FzQY07dTWNZ_DOlFPVRuHaE2kx7pNVx92rA1jMWBBO6pzvz-IZj4oPjEWqMpgn-DD6lfwda5cIwZHGBREJQdzzsROCnFevVwLmmpd5FYaTjBZWopGdVdbEgw44c/s1917/jaws18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEm-5cEDpXMPHX2qjmhPNdcJ3FF3dGBFmEpiE2c7IV-ebb0lZ6veBu5Dvm65FgugP7FzQY07dTWNZ_DOlFPVRuHaE2kx7pNVx92rA1jMWBBO6pzvz-IZj4oPjEWqMpgn-DD6lfwda5cIwZHGBREJQdzzsROCnFevVwLmmpd5FYaTjBZWopGdVdbEgw44c/s320/jaws18.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As shot, it's difficult to imagine a better finale than the one director Szwarc delivered. The helicopter sequence is separated and moved a bit earlier. John Williams soaring cue for the electrifying finish packs as big a wallop as the first movie. Brody has another close encounter with this film's big fish, and the scene is a bit busier in that he's trying to bring the shark towards him while it tries to feast on his youngest son and actress Donna Wilkes, Screaming Champion of 1978.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyoeg4USSgmr6H-sqYwFInFOoq4LK2w57eqXlFguGzvU8AKlhGGXhhg8_qITvnQmUoSApWKVXfXJoL25lxfLdvAVb5RfIFtJIJ4Ch046w8057gO3pZzziwlSJ4nSZGj8r1lfrSltoTAAiYuKwHbOih2ZTHTQYXVUN_7yiyc_keHVEzZwvMnOMjRshGWI/s1919/jaws17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyoeg4USSgmr6H-sqYwFInFOoq4LK2w57eqXlFguGzvU8AKlhGGXhhg8_qITvnQmUoSApWKVXfXJoL25lxfLdvAVb5RfIFtJIJ4Ch046w8057gO3pZzziwlSJ4nSZGj8r1lfrSltoTAAiYuKwHbOih2ZTHTQYXVUN_7yiyc_keHVEzZwvMnOMjRshGWI/s320/jaws17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4J-5hiWtu1RiWDd_Nm50PbddPmBpktAdJymMe6PDGJqcc_0x_dryL8tJJT_KUIGljlrCf29o4KqRE_QHkWR3rE26mClrEPa-3YWkCkKvoi13NhPUFvaDWRgPKs_1FKJZlw5SxEjUXICWiedvVxDNpNTwnwvsITkXJ4ve5PvrKJm6gpfR2AvPvzUOgZ8/s1919/jaws16.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4J-5hiWtu1RiWDd_Nm50PbddPmBpktAdJymMe6PDGJqcc_0x_dryL8tJJT_KUIGljlrCf29o4KqRE_QHkWR3rE26mClrEPa-3YWkCkKvoi13NhPUFvaDWRgPKs_1FKJZlw5SxEjUXICWiedvVxDNpNTwnwvsITkXJ4ve5PvrKJm6gpfR2AvPvzUOgZ8/s320/jaws16.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There's that fantastic shot of the camera behind Brody as the shark approaches. The enormity of the beast and the wide breaking of the waves leave an intimidating impression. As the shark burns, there's a great shot of smoke pouring from its eye just before the charred man-eater descends for the last time. It's basically the same ending and tempo as the first movie but with more participants and a power line replacing the air tank.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>TWO DIRECTORS--TWO VISIONS PART 2</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Spielberg
and Szwarc had something in common in that they both worked on Rod
Serling's NIGHT GALLERY series. And while both their killer shark
pictures are tonally different, they share kinship in other ways. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPyS_715vdCfkOp1-rB7XIPMD_jLDVCaVyvb3noTegolX6K5nG3ZUI74s0oe3pXseVsgzWTLXv9S9uxpHVYnCgh2oDNJHMd_ADy4Pr2r9Lpkr4TV4m1iUhxo4z-rttRSsGPrd4eDUgu1TtLi5E9RTF3Bi1_lGty17ZfS8n9Q_Ri8XQaUq87YzxrPEhhQ/s711/jaws-2-chief-brody-ellen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="711" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPyS_715vdCfkOp1-rB7XIPMD_jLDVCaVyvb3noTegolX6K5nG3ZUI74s0oe3pXseVsgzWTLXv9S9uxpHVYnCgh2oDNJHMd_ADy4Pr2r9Lpkr4TV4m1iUhxo4z-rttRSsGPrd4eDUgu1TtLi5E9RTF3Bi1_lGty17ZfS8n9Q_Ri8XQaUq87YzxrPEhhQ/s320/jaws-2-chief-brody-ellen.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Szwarc mimics Spielberg's style to the point that some scenes feel like he directed them. The manic interactions between Brody and the townsfolk are identical in the performances and the dialog. In JAWS, Ellen Brody asks Martin if he wants to <i>"get drunk and fool around"</i>. In JAWS 2, Ellen asks Martin at the unveiling of the new resort if he wants to leave and <i>"fool around"</i>. This can also be a shared contribution with screenwriter Carl Gottlieb. He wrote the script for JAWS and was brought back <i>(at high expense)</i> to rewrite the Dorothy Tristan version. With Tristan gone, Gottlieb now shared co-writing credit with Howard Sackler.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpjOowlOA-wAmE_NKxQHyV9UYJ1QImR0wLYdN_x8S-4y1S7sCBeW0EaMQvPDxC3HTNRxoE478M5v5eSN5ujCGzHepwl0RUjcoZF7LYXU2wnJv3Uecsg2QzibGlc75Yq3LrkhMuxqydZyJk1Q_HrIT-FgjvWV3UsydCrG1JdR_ypA9_IYuugS7fciX00/s1919/jaws24.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpjOowlOA-wAmE_NKxQHyV9UYJ1QImR0wLYdN_x8S-4y1S7sCBeW0EaMQvPDxC3HTNRxoE478M5v5eSN5ujCGzHepwl0RUjcoZF7LYXU2wnJv3Uecsg2QzibGlc75Yq3LrkhMuxqydZyJk1Q_HrIT-FgjvWV3UsydCrG1JdR_ypA9_IYuugS7fciX00/s320/jaws24.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There are a few jump scares scattered throughout, one of which is the <i>'Ben Gardner' </i>moment of JAWS 2. In it, a group of divers go down for lobsters. John Williams beautiful underwater cue is playing while one diver strays from the group. He is about to enter a patch of underwater fauna when the scarred shark suddenly enters the frame, mouth wide open. What's startling about this scene is there's no warning. The soothing music plays, never silencing to alert the audience that something is going to happen, it just does--interrupting the music and jarring the viewer who isn't expecting anything at that given moment.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Whether it was intended or not, Spielberg's approach was to not show much of the shark and that greatly contributed to the lasting power of his film. Ironically, the director allegedly intended to show a lot more of it had the mechanical contraption worked more frequently. Filming out on the open sea aboard a flotilla of over a dozen boats with shifting currents, a fickle sun, and the salt water damaging the shark's mechanisms worked remarkably well in the film's favor.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUecmzbMLV2byQQpZgIgPbPaGY5s6JwDxF7-oAF7hD3XMxCRr90c2cLVtE0LLkCiC7VwCUAngysZWMKHFcSdUHZvi5bgm8oB3m2EvqKQrrHFbTcfLsNl__VKk83AEzoZSfyZIJ7bPS27_GFinpTjshuATRlR-pRCcubrVHLJY3H-a40QfsId33smu29Q/s526/jaws1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="526" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUecmzbMLV2byQQpZgIgPbPaGY5s6JwDxF7-oAF7hD3XMxCRr90c2cLVtE0LLkCiC7VwCUAngysZWMKHFcSdUHZvi5bgm8oB3m2EvqKQrrHFbTcfLsNl__VKk83AEzoZSfyZIJ7bPS27_GFinpTjshuATRlR-pRCcubrVHLJY3H-a40QfsId33smu29Q/s320/jaws1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">For the sequel, Szwarc knew going in that it would be impossible to recapture that same level of fear and terror since everybody had already seen the shark the first time around. So his approach was to devise new ways of showing the man-eater swimming and eating <i>(but not making little sharks as Hooper told Mayor Vaughn in the first movie)</i>. There's so much shark action in J2 you probably see the beast more than all the other films combined. That meant there were more opportunities for the shark to take a lot of breaks, as it were. Even with improvements to the complicated mecha-shark, it broke down just as often.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This same approach occurred in 1979 with Ridley Scott's ALIEN. That movie was a horror-SciFi picture that was essentially a haunted house in space story with a terrifying monster waiting in the wings. In its first sequel, ALIENS (1986), James Cameron upped the ante like J2 did and went for action-horror. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">From filming on the back of the mechanical shark to get those amazing shots, to designing new ways of showing victims being consumed, director Szwarc succeeded admirably. One of these was the rescue of Mike Brody after he's knocked unconscious and ends up in the water with the shark somewhere nearby. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1FH4NJiFz0FZb_DkwafPMjWBrjjcfHDS84uhn3tQoy76nKa5PcJDW7gjp01S1N31wO9NArMXhR1gux_dlprh2QuXqw6rQpuNw8glYH4J3kyZZf4fkJt0TBOXmRK8JVFZoSW9Ha0t433yGuYXY0KEmX1rrspwNZ3Xu_wqKG72wK0v65Xd_h14K6H2J0k/s1919/jaws29.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1919" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1FH4NJiFz0FZb_DkwafPMjWBrjjcfHDS84uhn3tQoy76nKa5PcJDW7gjp01S1N31wO9NArMXhR1gux_dlprh2QuXqw6rQpuNw8glYH4J3kyZZf4fkJt0TBOXmRK8JVFZoSW9Ha0t433yGuYXY0KEmX1rrspwNZ3Xu_wqKG72wK0v65Xd_h14K6H2J0k/s320/jaws29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOn1q5j19GXfw_oFdC5JdBaPaz84R3JJdah1zA0J4_L-v-Xj4CV7xNxybGwmWGb4FwYkGLzy335bsZxNvjdoE65k608dE1icZsDUVf1A4NdD4CQuHLwOfmO2W1UqgOXTQ-BXDq6QdEIH_CNSHuPF7tJuHeITRwq1Efpzuv5sNx6HUIoi-lCBvclT2iMY/s525/jaws27.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="525" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOn1q5j19GXfw_oFdC5JdBaPaz84R3JJdah1zA0J4_L-v-Xj4CV7xNxybGwmWGb4FwYkGLzy335bsZxNvjdoE65k608dE1icZsDUVf1A4NdD4CQuHLwOfmO2W1UqgOXTQ-BXDq6QdEIH_CNSHuPF7tJuHeITRwq1Efpzuv5sNx6HUIoi-lCBvclT2iMY/s320/jaws27.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the Sackler-Tristan script, he's pulled out without threat. But in Gottlieb's revision, it becomes one of the movie's most memorable moments. Actors John Dukakis and G. Thomas Dunlop pull him in just as the shark nearly shaves his legs off. Despite getting a quick glimpse of the hydraulics inside the shark's mouth, the scene is an amazing example of editing to create an intense moment of action. At the top you can see how the scene looked in the movie; and in the insert image, you can see how they filmed it. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscMkTtwj2LD2I4yCyG4lM7G2lH6J0xr8l1rWxumVYYHERc51RPf1qd4mzkRaAOkv0sAXXas-kAE0VxKSfrszE91vUcf-77b9pi6jt338C1STPcYorpSCIIhsdPIPMFZzNplLvdAMB7sbPnVOE8Eazilkl93CRklja5M_bsC5FGrbVW7_jqXnbgerrnOM/s1919/jaws19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscMkTtwj2LD2I4yCyG4lM7G2lH6J0xr8l1rWxumVYYHERc51RPf1qd4mzkRaAOkv0sAXXas-kAE0VxKSfrszE91vUcf-77b9pi6jt338C1STPcYorpSCIIhsdPIPMFZzNplLvdAMB7sbPnVOE8Eazilkl93CRklja5M_bsC5FGrbVW7_jqXnbgerrnOM/s320/jaws19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33IwYLBrgV6ngac800Zx3zuei_8WDTZQG5A857MG9JqXjNinpfvzhg4dWp72UCqS9y2r0fsmJEFD0Ry61x9xjNj3n_sHsYlOLLqlwa_EzrMdIAJC9OUxbc-DNLZhgEuvHDCsN6kvTG0Ruf_PCWvAnVhMOrrNOhLInqD1VYE-WtoHBtOu7tYXt8YG_qsE/s1919/jaws21.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33IwYLBrgV6ngac800Zx3zuei_8WDTZQG5A857MG9JqXjNinpfvzhg4dWp72UCqS9y2r0fsmJEFD0Ry61x9xjNj3n_sHsYlOLLqlwa_EzrMdIAJC9OUxbc-DNLZhgEuvHDCsN6kvTG0Ruf_PCWvAnVhMOrrNOhLInqD1VYE-WtoHBtOu7tYXt8YG_qsE/s320/jaws21.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Another
of these showstopper sequences is Marge's death; one of the most frightening moments in the
picture. Marge desperately tries to climb onto the flipped over boat.
Behind her, the shark comes into frame, ascending till its jaws are in
view. The shark emerges and swallows her whole. We don't see the act
since the camera is behind the shark, but we know what has transpired
once the shark descends and Marge is gone. This occurs right after the
helicopter attack. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">At first, there was concern this sequence was going to pole-vault the movie into the land of the R rating. It was changed a few times and at one point, it was going to be that the pilot,
trapped inside the up-ended chopper, had an oxygen mask and was able to
rescue Marge. The two would swim away to safety unbeknownst to the
others.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">That shot of the shark coming up to the surface to eat Marge gave me chills back then. You're in the water and suddenly this shark appears without warning. You can't see it till it's too late. The image is still potent all these years later. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpWNg4WPsCTCaZHeFbH1u2gqmaVH965ptyw9uOpoxiP1kNykTjF9AgnLzMpmWUC3i3QtfgoXPY7OHdLNkU5kqFNjQ9lWtqXsA77KrvM58gAyw8A_CV70zgy3hAUsotx9czRlZjiPI0jitGi6aKqctTbqRKb7eFxtexuK7tWbJNNDyEubMoqshGLwFI0Y/s1919/jaws25.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpWNg4WPsCTCaZHeFbH1u2gqmaVH965ptyw9uOpoxiP1kNykTjF9AgnLzMpmWUC3i3QtfgoXPY7OHdLNkU5kqFNjQ9lWtqXsA77KrvM58gAyw8A_CV70zgy3hAUsotx9czRlZjiPI0jitGi6aKqctTbqRKb7eFxtexuK7tWbJNNDyEubMoqshGLwFI0Y/s320/jaws25.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In the Sackler-Tristan script, the teens encounter the coast guard chopper before the shark does. The first time the pilot orders them to return to port. The second time the helicopter is sent out to get them the pilot isn't so lucky, and suffers a more explicit demise than the one implied in the movie. I'll discuss it in more detail later in the article. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3dB3MmZz4b1YNd17Fa_pS6l6UWU7apMTDtSSWOiuytBFBctZ8AmYFvXYGn1-bGKg08elyv23SAXLTI2xix2WwlABzanLBPB0NJuQY6wZgTW6eKJvVG0L_9e0cUQScdqsVJJIvyR5Jaslg6YsZonr-ZKdc2tjaintaMUGkn7-orzJkFdzJmtdsT3r_qA/s1919/jaws20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3dB3MmZz4b1YNd17Fa_pS6l6UWU7apMTDtSSWOiuytBFBctZ8AmYFvXYGn1-bGKg08elyv23SAXLTI2xix2WwlABzanLBPB0NJuQY6wZgTW6eKJvVG0L_9e0cUQScdqsVJJIvyR5Jaslg6YsZonr-ZKdc2tjaintaMUGkn7-orzJkFdzJmtdsT3r_qA/s320/jaws20.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Speaking of the helicopter pilot, that scene is the one many people remember the most. It's easily the wildest moment in the movie. Nobody was expecting it despite the fact you knew something was going to happen. When J2 arrived on television, I remember being surprised when I saw extra footage of the pilot being attacked underwater while trying to escape the up-ended helicopter and wondering why it wasn't left in the theatrical version. You never see him being killed, but presumably he drowns before the shark gets to him. The helicopter attack obviously made an impression on other filmmakers. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OL36RmbN98PgrVbXn0XRQnqhNhIRWuq2OpQ2pqVaBBtPsdi6jLc_gzrc6IIBKungsUT2NRsN9huOtEtu57b7McbZh9HWNOoqTFItQY2z1FMu1tdJYf7u92asA8C7GzkyNeaw0Rlxx2k2oNGJ8MIbZpfbuO9LUU6b6hqvnvaXyxsOIfT0NBzP4-m1NT8/s1919/jaws22.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OL36RmbN98PgrVbXn0XRQnqhNhIRWuq2OpQ2pqVaBBtPsdi6jLc_gzrc6IIBKungsUT2NRsN9huOtEtu57b7McbZh9HWNOoqTFItQY2z1FMu1tdJYf7u92asA8C7GzkyNeaw0Rlxx2k2oNGJ8MIbZpfbuO9LUU6b6hqvnvaXyxsOIfT0NBzP4-m1NT8/s320/jaws22.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The scene was copied for Enzo G. Castellari's utterly awful JAWS clone, THE LAST SHARK (1981), briefly released here in 1982 as GREAT WHITE. It was copied again for Cirio H. Santiago's bland 1987 monster flick DEMON OF PARADISE wherein an ancient lizard leaps out of the water and pulls a helicopter into the water. That same year, the shark in JAWS: THE REVENGE would take Michael Caine's airplane below the depths.<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbqWjEo-OwcNjreF_MdESRWovRk9zZr_ZcDWg-uYDUmNecTQc4oTl3Ec5SFh4Z0D7QJjAeUBJ2non6L3f7Tq7s2UHMX94xmXAWElOp2UKto7Y4IQvxYi90Noi3RFhpRHQ3EXcUmK_b1nuklt0jmANsQfPYeG4bu5Z-kxr6DKIkfq1r_s9cM9bgPaTeqk/s792/jaws-2-bob-death.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="792" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbqWjEo-OwcNjreF_MdESRWovRk9zZr_ZcDWg-uYDUmNecTQc4oTl3Ec5SFh4Z0D7QJjAeUBJ2non6L3f7Tq7s2UHMX94xmXAWElOp2UKto7Y4IQvxYi90Noi3RFhpRHQ3EXcUmK_b1nuklt0jmANsQfPYeG4bu5Z-kxr6DKIkfq1r_s9cM9bgPaTeqk/s320/jaws-2-bob-death.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">One
of the death's that was shot but cut from the release version was Bob's gruesome end at the teeth of Bruce II. Bob was killed a few different
ways--the goriest was being bitten in half. Played by Billy Van Zandt, he was originally cast as Quint's son as written in Howard Sackler's script. When that character was dropped by Dorothy Tristan, he became the character of Sideburns and then just Bob under Carl Gottlieb. Since this gory fatality put the movie into the realm of the R-rating, it was eventually decided Bob would
live. He must've appreciated the change as his last words in the movie
are <i>"thank you, thank you, thank you"</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RETURN OF CHIEF BRODY</b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">"They sent me scripts for films I didn't want to do until it became time
to do JAWS 2. They arranged it so I refused almost everything. So they
got me into a situation where I either did this or crap. That's the
business, the way it works. Two other bad pictures could've been the end
of my career. And if I were running the studio, I would've done the
same thing."</span></i>--Roy Scheider in 1977, The Jaws 2 Log.</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgFSIEOOdzT9lsEATUyNaNzKUUvYuesEXpGLkBNBPpqBU59mhU9XLrHJtVe9rfSf3yglTKLMacdJCVmr7WDlw9h9_7d0mWdTKtWEQCQTe1i8wpROr4Y229zaeNOXYyYOksp7R8PciHH4DOTd33FJdoMZPrzMFqUtkmMpG4YYuozJ11XAOzxo5qMk5wXY/s863/jaws-part2b.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="863" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgFSIEOOdzT9lsEATUyNaNzKUUvYuesEXpGLkBNBPpqBU59mhU9XLrHJtVe9rfSf3yglTKLMacdJCVmr7WDlw9h9_7d0mWdTKtWEQCQTe1i8wpROr4Y229zaeNOXYyYOksp7R8PciHH4DOTd33FJdoMZPrzMFqUtkmMpG4YYuozJ11XAOzxo5qMk5wXY/s320/jaws-part2b.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Roy Scheider famously didn't want to do the sequel. He is the strongest link in the chain connecting it to the first movie. Because of his participation--in addition to Szwarc's recreating some of Spielberg's style--JAWS 2 feels like an expansion pack to the original. Scheider felt if he hadn't done the movie, they would've went with somebody else and made it anyway. In this writer's opinion, JAWS 2 wouldn't have been even half as good as it is without him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUflOmqx-ErNafVY9TLKP5auA04M_ok_PpdXgv9fp4jEEWY6eO0GpZsyYlkrqaGWd4CQMxfINuqu4V1kowv1WFTY75-cTRzxVoaqJA8DvDV-syG4ksn2wW1yeXcRKQHbLv9QwIQUVKX7vSahXR7SVXlbENHGuN00uod8gZrHhQUZJ8TeXX63ezSFxkWyM/s1919/jaws14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUflOmqx-ErNafVY9TLKP5auA04M_ok_PpdXgv9fp4jEEWY6eO0GpZsyYlkrqaGWd4CQMxfINuqu4V1kowv1WFTY75-cTRzxVoaqJA8DvDV-syG4ksn2wW1yeXcRKQHbLv9QwIQUVKX7vSahXR7SVXlbENHGuN00uod8gZrHhQUZJ8TeXX63ezSFxkWyM/s320/jaws14.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Unlike
Hancock, Szwarc bonded with the cast quickly. A much publicized
altercation between Szwarc and Roy Scheider inside a Holiday Inn was said
to be the actor's intent to create on-set tension he needed for his
performance that was lacking with the previous director. Scheider himself stated in 1977, <i>"<span style="color: #ffa400;">Everyone starts pushing their weight around, their power around, and usually what results is good stuff, the electricity of tension... You need argument. We had that on the first JAWS... usually what happens is something better comes out of that struggle"</span></i>. Afterward,
everything was fine between the two men and Scheider delivered one
helluva encore as Chief Martin Brody.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>MY FIRST TIME SEEING JAWS 2</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsCtFz1Ms9Kig19nQXhUVPCQsMSxczJGTFn2mvoqmehUWGX2Si6ecV5x4HEIg7tW_anpZrSk-uCgg4PtnHiv5V4PmcjdQaz0FYZ8ci6D_5SA1jBTlixFhfTghDlQbiNIK3ZkrjeM8vYF0gbKEhk90NDuT6inXEGQ_TmqDKOB-vZKb-L8mn0R6MemzJXc/s1919/jaws26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsCtFz1Ms9Kig19nQXhUVPCQsMSxczJGTFn2mvoqmehUWGX2Si6ecV5x4HEIg7tW_anpZrSk-uCgg4PtnHiv5V4PmcjdQaz0FYZ8ci6D_5SA1jBTlixFhfTghDlQbiNIK3ZkrjeM8vYF0gbKEhk90NDuT6inXEGQ_TmqDKOB-vZKb-L8mn0R6MemzJXc/s320/jaws26.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">My mom took me to see JAWS 2 when it first swam into theaters back in 1978. I didn't see the first movie till some time later. The sequel was the first movie theater experience I vividly remember. I was so taken with the picture that whenever we stopped at a local convenience store I'd ask my mom to buy me some JAWS 2 trading cards from Topps. They'd always be at the register. I recall we were in a Waldenbooks around the same time and she bought me the J2 novelization. I likely just pointed at it and said <i>"Jaws"</i> and she got it for me. Something else, JAWS 2 made such a great impression on me, it led to an interest in sharks that rivaled my interest in dinosaurs. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DWPDaBvj_ZqxBGB7lNqBgaRYMCmsDfWOn11WxKYzbuFogw2AyCDQZBUJy-8HMDwj456kUb43l1NK5WUpfbg_vKgoMbLQffq2r_PD6f841k9dV-r8FMm79LoIvt_L_cFOkvjYCJO5GvHs-xauLgDHCWfDLomocZg8wE6n30XFoWjuYCIw_aQw_y6OhQM/s1919/jaws32.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DWPDaBvj_ZqxBGB7lNqBgaRYMCmsDfWOn11WxKYzbuFogw2AyCDQZBUJy-8HMDwj456kUb43l1NK5WUpfbg_vKgoMbLQffq2r_PD6f841k9dV-r8FMm79LoIvt_L_cFOkvjYCJO5GvHs-xauLgDHCWfDLomocZg8wE6n30XFoWjuYCIw_aQw_y6OhQM/s320/jaws32.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In a related story the following year, MOONRAKER came out. My mom wanted to go see it and took me. Before we went I must've been hesitant at first because I didn't know who James Bond was, so she told me, <i>"Jaws is in it."</i> Naturally I had to see MOONRAKER now. The movie starts and there's this giant man with metal teeth on a plane and I ask who the guy with the steel chompers is and she says, <i>"That's Jaws."</i> Needless to say I was confused by this revelation but ended up enjoying MOONRAKER a lot; so JAWS subterfuge led to my first James Bond theatrical experience.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>THE SEQUELS: 3D AND THE REVENGE<br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr-Fmc86MRk5GEaKTSHCQqy2Pwq-Sjb6qDpaUsOq4SwqK-8GwjycCMMfsa3XRYrtLJQ2RJbGuQGmul5hxZrIY6aAe1kGGXJwCyOSIFWx0RKjY9oU5YWrLipCw0Emx8HkKfNx5hVKoXZPdFbO6lGQ9DJe6V9OMzuALUB_L6BFFl_YDxYkx6pheAuU3SJs/s870/jaws-3D-poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr-Fmc86MRk5GEaKTSHCQqy2Pwq-Sjb6qDpaUsOq4SwqK-8GwjycCMMfsa3XRYrtLJQ2RJbGuQGmul5hxZrIY6aAe1kGGXJwCyOSIFWx0RKjY9oU5YWrLipCw0Emx8HkKfNx5hVKoXZPdFbO6lGQ9DJe6V9OMzuALUB_L6BFFl_YDxYkx6pheAuU3SJs/s320/jaws-3D-poster.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As with JAWS 2, I saw JAWS 3D in the theater with my mom. I was 8 years old in 1983 and hoped this second sequel would be good. I was a bit disappointed there was no Chief Brody and the setting was no longer Amity, but a Sea World style underwater theme park. It was a great plot for a sequel but not executed nearly as well as JAWS 2. The tone and feel of the movie was entirely new. By this point, a new direction seemed the next logical step. There's mention of Scheider's character and the Brody boys return--this time played by Dennis Quaid <i>(as Mike)</i> and John Putch <i>(as Sean)</i>. I remember enjoying the 3D as a kid, and the packed theater reacted how the filmmakers intended for them to. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTX_uDBVa159d-CNYNCeuuvZLiuzMhf1tCsNP2nO3rcYFCKsWaxhhYlQEGxthEqoF3ah9pxKckPFxzh0rIosH8pO7zqh40ug9BoFBMR139RSrsqfTPQ1Z8dItKI7rP-1gHbcqQxaNS19KeBkb5dCfvP-l8rTU1KoSu4fMgTsBBKPuonNHHr8HuEMg1EQ/s1919/jaws-3-shark.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1919" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTX_uDBVa159d-CNYNCeuuvZLiuzMhf1tCsNP2nO3rcYFCKsWaxhhYlQEGxthEqoF3ah9pxKckPFxzh0rIosH8pO7zqh40ug9BoFBMR139RSrsqfTPQ1Z8dItKI7rP-1gHbcqQxaNS19KeBkb5dCfvP-l8rTU1KoSu4fMgTsBBKPuonNHHr8HuEMg1EQ/s320/jaws-3-shark.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The shark in JAWS 3D is possibly the best of the quartet in terms of its operation and movements; it's certainly the biggest of the series at 35 feet in length, you just don't see much of it. Unlike the two previous movies, you never see the shark break the surface of the water, just its dorsal fin. The shark hunter character played by Simon MacCorkindale is memorable. Aside from having the biggest shark, JAWS 3D is the goriest of the four films with five deaths. Production designer and 2nd unit director from the previous two movies, Joe Alves directed for the first time and never did again after JAWS 3D.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhVLpNwphRvwPYKW0HzLL5v4vuaTGfzxR_ho-j07FCrCp_QrIteuNQt9WmInpAG6Ts2_PVB0jtEddVe-_5CMel26f_KyXbnpdejTRLmrEwuKUrxirNxmDFpL2XxNRRZF98BWRIoHVmyZnMqHArh-50kIlftmCmOOdB78iUhHvUrrzxUviKlgRTlEw1Jo/s852/jaws-revenge-poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhVLpNwphRvwPYKW0HzLL5v4vuaTGfzxR_ho-j07FCrCp_QrIteuNQt9WmInpAG6Ts2_PVB0jtEddVe-_5CMel26f_KyXbnpdejTRLmrEwuKUrxirNxmDFpL2XxNRRZF98BWRIoHVmyZnMqHArh-50kIlftmCmOOdB78iUhHvUrrzxUviKlgRTlEw1Jo/s320/jaws-revenge-poster.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">As with JAWS 2 and 3, I saw JAWS: THE REVENGE with my mom in 1987. I remember at the time of the film's release, Universal wouldn't allow any photos of the shark prior to it hitting theaters. This seemed odd till the studio secrecy was revealed on the screen in what is the worst shark of the four films. There are some good shots of the beast, but for the most part, the shark looks like a freshly painted float. The film briefly goes back to Amity and puts the focus on Lorraine Gary's Ms. Brody, now widowed. The opening Amity sequence is quite good, beginning with an impressive shark attack that takes the arm, then the life, of now deputy Sean Brody. From there, JAWS 4 becomes a drama-love story where Ellen Brody tries to get her life back together and finds the way via a charismatic airplane pilot played by Michael Caine. JAWS 4 would work better as a love story. You don't see the shark much so if you removed the few scenes it's in, you'd have a better movie; and there's only two deaths. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jTXU_V6NNiWqV-VUcB7MQEBFfw8sADpBTF14xp0meaMUk81-5n5qI4pyuqWg2erV_JVYYGCT48jL339DXNsgD42PMNc95HHfqrszhhcFLYKJzkxiV4NEFgrYHTV9ZINGjx0fD-LtwFFtZaNdanSdsUfr_DX1d72O7nDKB1g5b9esSvix-sq1cFncn-U/s1917/jaws-4-ending.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jTXU_V6NNiWqV-VUcB7MQEBFfw8sADpBTF14xp0meaMUk81-5n5qI4pyuqWg2erV_JVYYGCT48jL339DXNsgD42PMNc95HHfqrszhhcFLYKJzkxiV4NEFgrYHTV9ZINGjx0fD-LtwFFtZaNdanSdsUfr_DX1d72O7nDKB1g5b9esSvix-sq1cFncn-U/s320/jaws-4-ending.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The ending of the movie when it played theaters, though, gave the impression of THREE deaths--the third being Mario Van Peebles' character of Jake. The shark is killed when it's impaled on the prow of the boat, breaking it off and sinking below the depths and taking the vessel with it. When the movie hit home video, I remember seeing this blurb up in the corner of the video box: <i>"Contains new footage not seen in US theaters"</i>. I rented it and the new footage was a new ending. Jake somehow survives, but the stupidest new addition is a new death for the shark. As soon as we see it impaled there's a quick edit to a toy boat in a bathtub that breaks apart in what is supposed to be an explosion. It then cuts to footage of the headless shark from JAWS (1975) sinking to the bottom of the sea. For whatever reason, all US home releases on DVD/Blu-ray have this moronic alternate ending while the original is a deleted scene. One of the few things JAWS: THE REVENGE did that was good--the ending--was sabotaged AFTER the movie came out. Former actor Joseph Sargent was a highly respected director but seemed like a fish out of water when it came to doing a JAWS movie.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>ODDS AND ENDS</b> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"<span style="color: #ffa400;">It's
a very tough picture. Nothing works all the time, the boats, the
sharks. It's punishment out there. It must be the most difficult picture
ever attempted. Things work and then break down; that's how it's going
to be all the time... we're doing things never done in the first JAWS...
the shark shots have to be more exciting and there has to be more
shark... whenever we see the shark and the shark does something it has
to be spectacular, otherwise it is better to suggest"</span></i>.--Director Jeannot Szwarc
in 1977, The Jaws 2 Log</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmVcVAVhpbtrsueT20n7wyVormfWvx_aNAvkimG8KwLdQBQNLur53vOlJNvur126UFqSZTWcBXLlxvgFtI7CTvUvEMoz7lzm2EyndXtsCbsZAFKdZxGNmqARJYFv9b2F0fouPxxisc6lMHXNZ4Fu76Cg4MlBj2ywFSs_zJGNImGZk1Cc7j51PWNyQ2-Q/s1919/jaws5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmVcVAVhpbtrsueT20n7wyVormfWvx_aNAvkimG8KwLdQBQNLur53vOlJNvur126UFqSZTWcBXLlxvgFtI7CTvUvEMoz7lzm2EyndXtsCbsZAFKdZxGNmqARJYFv9b2F0fouPxxisc6lMHXNZ4Fu76Cg4MlBj2ywFSs_zJGNImGZk1Cc7j51PWNyQ2-Q/s320/jaws5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'd always been struck by the shot of the bent and broken boats all crunched together; their miserable cargo awaiting death as the crippled mass tediously floats to an island off in the distance. As explained by Carl Gottlieb on the <i>'Making Of'</i> documentary on the DVD/Blu-ray release, that image was based on a painting,<i>'The Raft of the Medusa'</i> by Theodore Gericault.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqJbKUk1Lx4bRHtzRHQxQ1QkXKAXebUpXABgyS5_JU_mAqkWVSp9m6GTpu-qvn0dzVpVW86aHat0c1BECrA60NxuSflOtXA5cVdG3_RfwdS7RJ-QgF-v0nMtw_VAJjZdLujQaqi0DsDXB_6_aJsoYl7ODU4oppP6gKmeeKPaIQH1fIqxHH9iKrSfW9hA/s526/jaws33.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="526" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqJbKUk1Lx4bRHtzRHQxQ1QkXKAXebUpXABgyS5_JU_mAqkWVSp9m6GTpu-qvn0dzVpVW86aHat0c1BECrA60NxuSflOtXA5cVdG3_RfwdS7RJ-QgF-v0nMtw_VAJjZdLujQaqi0DsDXB_6_aJsoYl7ODU4oppP6gKmeeKPaIQH1fIqxHH9iKrSfW9hA/s320/jaws33.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Another comparison between the two movies is that both productions were deeply troublesome to finish. The sequel was even more problematic in that it was nearly canceled barely a month into the shoot. When Szwarc was given the job of saving the picture, he had a reported three week time-frame to do ten months of preparatory work. With its mountainous problems, JAWS 2 ended up being Universal's most expensive movie at the time at $30 million dollars.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oftentimes when movies encounter near derailment, it shows in the finished product. In the case of JAWS 2, the end result was a slick 2 hours of good performances; a return to a familiar town of memorable characters; a variety of impressive shark attacks; lots more shark; and an amazing score by returning composer, John Williams.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjiZ5rRjVy0VL3b545ovZ2VOAFHkCnetV1ARmz9DrUqYiTMKMAUQ9fmS5ZGVrrxW6DTHuvVUXG4lozFMuqMmC8IgoFIx9nRRH6ovBfst0i5M4IU-2Eur_0ZcNgqjrpwhRSDO0gxkavYPix92lD5BXI7QG2YOn5TYkKTmniaU_l099SkvKVlG9oB-HO60/s1919/jaws34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjiZ5rRjVy0VL3b545ovZ2VOAFHkCnetV1ARmz9DrUqYiTMKMAUQ9fmS5ZGVrrxW6DTHuvVUXG4lozFMuqMmC8IgoFIx9nRRH6ovBfst0i5M4IU-2Eur_0ZcNgqjrpwhRSDO0gxkavYPix92lD5BXI7QG2YOn5TYkKTmniaU_l099SkvKVlG9oB-HO60/s320/jaws34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yN1-tM5CDYCbGbUWsRpwn-yqfwjKVFjBhV4X_lUbjSyiCLV1TzgoGiKaKROVJMGkISOJEhylhz2U-HbwQCIGfbLlA7ZPKYA2dXQdYXAag-MntAy-V--9AWrbH1yZhLt5pDIkFAN_fEvMuuj5qpJPRBPF6u79Y3eqJfY-41kC_eQmUWZBg0op8P1Mr10/s1919/jaws35.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yN1-tM5CDYCbGbUWsRpwn-yqfwjKVFjBhV4X_lUbjSyiCLV1TzgoGiKaKROVJMGkISOJEhylhz2U-HbwQCIGfbLlA7ZPKYA2dXQdYXAag-MntAy-V--9AWrbH1yZhLt5pDIkFAN_fEvMuuj5qpJPRBPF6u79Y3eqJfY-41kC_eQmUWZBg0op8P1Mr10/s320/jaws35.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The score for JAWS (1975) is arguably the most recognizable movie music ever conceived. It's easily the most effective music in spite of its simplicity. The cues are largely horror-oriented with a heightened sense of intensity. The rest has a seafaring quality about it. For the sequel, John Williams amplified everything; even the most famous 2-note theme for the Great White. Regardless of whether or not the crew equaled or even surpassed Spielberg's original, John Williams score for the sequel exceeds his work on the first picture.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJZVtolUddywHQweB1jsBupxAfNqAkVI1w9YAx6mx3lgFCrFp_KigVLwH_G7YhEx6-l9gjLhK9Sak9SJNc0TtB7ng1UKURrGbonlmb9z9KIDJQL1e8TCcxYq9_btg1-umOqNlCHONwacNoblKRwKkQmwMfFpSioSkCjfjAGi2GTZIhmSD5rQQv5CkDXs/s1917/jaws23.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJZVtolUddywHQweB1jsBupxAfNqAkVI1w9YAx6mx3lgFCrFp_KigVLwH_G7YhEx6-l9gjLhK9Sak9SJNc0TtB7ng1UKURrGbonlmb9z9KIDJQL1e8TCcxYq9_btg1-umOqNlCHONwacNoblKRwKkQmwMfFpSioSkCjfjAGi2GTZIhmSD5rQQv5CkDXs/s320/jaws23.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Like the music, the tagline for JAWS 2 is one of the most famous ever written. It has to be the most imitated and parodied. <i>"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water..."</i> One of the movies influenced by JAWS was BLOOD BEACH (1980). Its tagline was <i>"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... you can't get to it"</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Spielberg made a comment about using the word <i>"shit"</i> in JAWS. He remarked how you didn't hear it much at the time. Too many expletives can affect a film rating and they're frequently uttered in JAWS 2. <i>'Shit'</i> is said seven times, <i>'bullshit'</i> three times, <i>'ass'</i> and <i>'goddamnit'</i> are spoken once each. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQU-kH3lZcXQSGsUNvduBRJdGoO1q8dm8Wwu359CvQ4hyQ1F6rNRQha-wpu4MzjWvk2VCGjRmX-axmVCfw437bpeeCoX5Bmyjllo0ZfQivfQKtsNl1AFxn92eHu_mRClBjSMJb7I3-jz6pLmVxIlbEU4u7EgdIUFzCWBSx80bW4gPwqKS54r_aDuGOJo/s525/jaws3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="525" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQU-kH3lZcXQSGsUNvduBRJdGoO1q8dm8Wwu359CvQ4hyQ1F6rNRQha-wpu4MzjWvk2VCGjRmX-axmVCfw437bpeeCoX5Bmyjllo0ZfQivfQKtsNl1AFxn92eHu_mRClBjSMJb7I3-jz6pLmVxIlbEU4u7EgdIUFzCWBSx80bW4gPwqKS54r_aDuGOJo/s320/jaws3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From an entertainment perspective, I am possibly the only person on Earth who likes JAWS 2 slightly better than the first movie. The nostalgia has a lot to do with it, as does the fact that I saw it first before seeing Spielberg's achievement. One is a deeply primal, terrifyingly visceral motion picture; the other is more focused on building tension through action for entertainment purposes only. Szwarc's movie should be viewed as an achievement, too. He saved the picture basically at the last minute. Other than Zanuck and Brown, there were no preconceptions on Jeannot's part to surpass what Spielberg had done; just to make a movie audiences would want to see and have a good time seeing it. In my opinion, he certainly succeeded. Where JAWS retains its power to scare the hell out of you, JAWS 2 only wants to entertain you in the most thrilling way possible, in the hopes you'll return to the water--over and over again.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></div><br />venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-50164349088954532692023-06-21T19:41:00.002-07:002023-06-21T19:41:35.959-07:00The Bells of Death (1968) review<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuqlbNabQVz1SmfwPAqWiYZu1kIhxi67WtgtD-LS77prdVwl7xXDB9brWY_vYRL-E0jGlAmk5SCX44mgo2afQd62ZSkkG-DTvq06IKI9uonOuebndnD_KUvpZlPRzVBW8i3QmdoBer2038K314mQ2FPgR_KkFjR4faVYxQQdP_BDwqsNI2rL9FH5msds/s1919/bells1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuqlbNabQVz1SmfwPAqWiYZu1kIhxi67WtgtD-LS77prdVwl7xXDB9brWY_vYRL-E0jGlAmk5SCX44mgo2afQd62ZSkkG-DTvq06IKI9uonOuebndnD_KUvpZlPRzVBW8i3QmdoBer2038K314mQ2FPgR_KkFjR4faVYxQQdP_BDwqsNI2rL9FH5msds/s320/bells1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE BELLS OF DEATH 1968</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chang Yi <i>(Chang Wei Fu)</i>, Chin Ping <i>(Hsiang Hsiang)</i>, Lin Chia <i>(Tso Ching Lung)</i>, Tien Sheng <i>(Ye Ying)</i>, Ku Feng <i>(Yang Chang)</i>, Chao Hsin Yen <i>(Chang Wei Yun)</i>, Yang Chi Ching <i>(Elder Swordsman)</i>, Wu Ma <i>(Yuan Ke)</i>, Sammo Hung <i>(Thug)<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Directed by Griffin Yueh Feng</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;"><b>The Short Version:</b> <i>Simply put, THE BELLS OF DEATH is one of the most astonishing and eerily macabre martial arts films from Hong Kong you're ever likely to see. The plot is simplicity, but everything else surrounding it is a buffet of sights and sounds these films were seldom ever afforded. It's not only a fabulous accomplishment of novelist-turned-director Griffin Yueh Feng, but also director of photography Pao Hsueh Li--who would begin a directing career of his own two years later. It's violent, bloody, exceedingly bleak, and highlighted by some of the greatest visages of villainy the genre ever incorporated. Yueh's BELLS herald an eccentric and distinct swordplay film unlike any other.<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aBHUMCuJ2jxK2DxiSPpWJ0EI9WJ9duG0aygHXjradVQ6UV9UaQB-pMIgbz04JNIWDpZ9zJTJ94YgZ8sRZ56QMZv8_kn-fJwsMqzR2iwmcbU1utXNf_21yGCBkdZJ-hfmB0FRReIzOw1-X_FMwF80n1n5WHVpBpicEPLs4Ulf8bafZwvz_tbppVungNc/s1917/bells2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aBHUMCuJ2jxK2DxiSPpWJ0EI9WJ9duG0aygHXjradVQ6UV9UaQB-pMIgbz04JNIWDpZ9zJTJ94YgZ8sRZ56QMZv8_kn-fJwsMqzR2iwmcbU1utXNf_21yGCBkdZJ-hfmB0FRReIzOw1-X_FMwF80n1n5WHVpBpicEPLs4Ulf8bafZwvz_tbppVungNc/s320/bells2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4K4V8B2RMJMDX2eCY2BdCNBhs4L35u9RMLLl0MqBJZuHuisMAgIbzh1GfxmadFEhutOUA3eECrttSG1pFML55QytA1BZYdVCzdu8IWzF2Qxrx56jgAhevAHWQBtEFHBPOh63DiLPT90fbAT-Qw5Uklxw5dXA-_BTTuG0vVdsCwGnARgvmoLqte7PXsw/s1919/bells3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4K4V8B2RMJMDX2eCY2BdCNBhs4L35u9RMLLl0MqBJZuHuisMAgIbzh1GfxmadFEhutOUA3eECrttSG1pFML55QytA1BZYdVCzdu8IWzF2Qxrx56jgAhevAHWQBtEFHBPOh63DiLPT90fbAT-Qw5Uklxw5dXA-_BTTuG0vVdsCwGnARgvmoLqte7PXsw/s320/bells3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Wei Fu, a young woodcutter, returns home and finds his family massacred and his sister kidnapped by three bandits he met on the road. Seeking retribution, he runs across an elder swordsman killing multiple foes. Wei Fu follows the old man for miles, begging him to teach him the art of the sword. Taking him as a student, Wei hones his skills and tracks down the men that killed his family and took his sister. Along the way he rescues a young lady sold into prostitution after her father was murdered. She travels alongside her savior, who wears his dead mother's bracelet of copper bells--heralding death upon his family's killers.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiICoKVjnOEYVkNXXNTn3p9QZrP6lAHyW6PVtczmae7KWf3J_gQHaahIuM1idlcHOxYQneTFjF_X6b3zdnSShDSEUObvwqDMIcnmfYiGPz5HfH_FBlEwqnoHK7pQJghvFUU1adBBhaiuEngB9xCNv31bXBB07RQhNGHNxMd00LUhaSDDCPcKDEmK33J2A/s1917/bells5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiICoKVjnOEYVkNXXNTn3p9QZrP6lAHyW6PVtczmae7KWf3J_gQHaahIuM1idlcHOxYQneTFjF_X6b3zdnSShDSEUObvwqDMIcnmfYiGPz5HfH_FBlEwqnoHK7pQJghvFUU1adBBhaiuEngB9xCNv31bXBB07RQhNGHNxMd00LUhaSDDCPcKDEmK33J2A/s320/bells5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE BELLS OF DEATH or, as it's known in Chinese, THE SOUL-REAPING BELLS, began shooting in January of 1968 under the direction of revered filmmaker, Griffin Yueh Feng. The film was completed approximately one month before its June '68 release. Easily one of the sleekest of all Hong Kong Swordplay thrillers of the industry's Golden Age, director Yueh wanted to go in a different direction from the normal genre outing; he more than surpassed expectations. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVdN1z-Um_1hTISVEJKDTbSs6J1-F9NIVhaM6gfqZwmSfo4GvkQbdDJprv50lU5AGPPokfHIjbgzCBFcOtC-xtq1QPYKxWPdvtOBQI1wWtbvSAhOtkgN5S68UrLVn6_fC2A12ViOWfkqA2wKLZO3x2shMR0Yt8tB7dz-pcShq2r9QscKRsq9-eyR3lFg/s1919/bells14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVdN1z-Um_1hTISVEJKDTbSs6J1-F9NIVhaM6gfqZwmSfo4GvkQbdDJprv50lU5AGPPokfHIjbgzCBFcOtC-xtq1QPYKxWPdvtOBQI1wWtbvSAhOtkgN5S68UrLVn6_fC2A12ViOWfkqA2wKLZO3x2shMR0Yt8tB7dz-pcShq2r9QscKRsq9-eyR3lFg/s320/bells14.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Yueh wanted to go beyond the standard Wuxia sword-clanger and delve into unexplored areas that paid off both audibly and visually. One of these areas was using psychological tension to enhance suspense; at times this approach in BELLS OF DEATH borders on horror. The psychological take comes from the bells of the title; representing tiny bells adorning the bracelet on the wrist of one of Wei's slaughtered family members. Once the villains hear the death jangler in the distance, fear overtakes them. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR2sfCdxVDQ0zRaP3FgIDdrFtwqsov5nSGFZnqg5NFksiuVTJV83SPzD-HUuu10IHzwIhgfSTudflhlYOT95OYRpsniGxGIhgPRlorbaR7DvxVVhgP3cZogy1yZK52YWE3IfjIp5PAFWcxoFfMJoIDv5Z3KLLjiMnsQaoSuak-xUlz-3ZmxPHyKFMgrM/s1919/bells8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR2sfCdxVDQ0zRaP3FgIDdrFtwqsov5nSGFZnqg5NFksiuVTJV83SPzD-HUuu10IHzwIhgfSTudflhlYOT95OYRpsniGxGIhgPRlorbaR7DvxVVhgP3cZogy1yZK52YWE3IfjIp5PAFWcxoFfMJoIDv5Z3KLLjiMnsQaoSuak-xUlz-3ZmxPHyKFMgrM/s320/bells8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInGMY0VXzZZBbQCxIW7doKkHmzdMfG667Oa4k--LhLYYivVY0uTpoVIMbWIMg2O7q-fIkFuFWOb9OM1lZQByQpJIxv_WRX6Ako4BtHJ2G_qVx0XyYUJdynLdN325cL0mPWL3jzqs4RRdeTES7y1FrQ1jMMrDmIeDe9leg8huxhV80j5l6lNiF96NLNS0/s1917/bells29.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInGMY0VXzZZBbQCxIW7doKkHmzdMfG667Oa4k--LhLYYivVY0uTpoVIMbWIMg2O7q-fIkFuFWOb9OM1lZQByQpJIxv_WRX6Ako4BtHJ2G_qVx0XyYUJdynLdN325cL0mPWL3jzqs4RRdeTES7y1FrQ1jMMrDmIeDe9leg8huxhV80j5l6lNiF96NLNS0/s320/bells29.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This was one of a few ways Yueh wanted to express sword action in a new way. Upon completing RAPE OF THE SWORD (1967) and THE MAGNIFICENT SWORDSMAN <i>(1968; co-directed with Cheng Kang)</i>, he took a brief respite before starting work on THE BELLS OF DEATH. This break in the action so to speak, potentially helped in his next movie turning out as good as it did. In what is a thickly atmospheric pseudo-remake of Henry Hathaway's NEVADA SMITH (1966), first-time writer Chiu Kang Chien hits a home-run in his first game out. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RkLJnw5H3qy4xsqHk8-smybb1ECJQXgEnyA_CdfDoc27ftIrj_3JhgKSgtb4vRjIN9aI3e7vWqbG12JnRkZWKmKnFr8Aam6txMkXKbUocB7MHvn62e7YOKxfU-PNMOswHayIyd-pzD7bFPN6a4UQg6XYwhseuqCnd7gRvrm2zGQy0Ib_4dXuWpaPpPQ/s1919/bells26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RkLJnw5H3qy4xsqHk8-smybb1ECJQXgEnyA_CdfDoc27ftIrj_3JhgKSgtb4vRjIN9aI3e7vWqbG12JnRkZWKmKnFr8Aam6txMkXKbUocB7MHvn62e7YOKxfU-PNMOswHayIyd-pzD7bFPN6a4UQg6XYwhseuqCnd7gRvrm2zGQy0Ib_4dXuWpaPpPQ/s320/bells26.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Screenwriter Chiu Kang Chien was not prolific like I Kuang or Szeto An, but he penned some of the finest swordplay/martial arts thrillers of all time. His debut work on THE BELLS OF DEATH is among that list. It's also among the short list of Chinese-language martial arts films that deviate from the standard action movie formula in terms of its visual style and the handling of the material by director Yueh Feng. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cDOtk-kUzULRRdXyqy_6a5WXBIfe5IXko8nkcR_njxLH8opC9SrWN9SFNYEFTWx72Cj1vzZarPlD00tMpSgwMW59vVr6EltG0IzJIodVBh8xHSbzwNS4Bs0yo4Kptt3SWMkbkiYooB8Rfbridd9mN0plihNa6KyYSSja-4pjtxJ4iKddZgfAnMu2Oxg/s1919/bells4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cDOtk-kUzULRRdXyqy_6a5WXBIfe5IXko8nkcR_njxLH8opC9SrWN9SFNYEFTWx72Cj1vzZarPlD00tMpSgwMW59vVr6EltG0IzJIodVBh8xHSbzwNS4Bs0yo4Kptt3SWMkbkiYooB8Rfbridd9mN0plihNa6KyYSSja-4pjtxJ4iKddZgfAnMu2Oxg/s320/bells4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCaKGzqtZEItQT8h-32nWuhM_-GkfG1TIwrxuyX7xxJnunpsXy3ItfxlKDhscbmVy5JjcIAPC_R5DHETK4MEe5zUsi8uH1jtt5qOSsOU_GNFX76GIQzwvL0IU1FgYunmm7oOODlvUP3_HYUbPa93r60FktlyZtCj_Y7ffthTTlaeBKeRrAGe9XybVm4U/s1919/bells13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCaKGzqtZEItQT8h-32nWuhM_-GkfG1TIwrxuyX7xxJnunpsXy3ItfxlKDhscbmVy5JjcIAPC_R5DHETK4MEe5zUsi8uH1jtt5qOSsOU_GNFX76GIQzwvL0IU1FgYunmm7oOODlvUP3_HYUbPa93r60FktlyZtCj_Y7ffthTTlaeBKeRrAGe9XybVm4U/s320/bells13.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Two years after BELLS, whether by his own request or the studios recommendation, writer Chiu Kang Chien was promoted to the directors seat. His first film where he'd be giving actors directions was intended to be 'The Drinking Knight' in 1970. Publicized as a direct sequel to King Hu's COME DRINK WITH ME (1966), it had newcomer Tsung Hua in the title role previously played by Yueh Hua; Chiao Chiao, James Nam and beautiful newcomer Yu Feng were among the cast. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnsi9ICzRSzJSfjNU9qioNoDS8CO1tOa_LwWOglhuVnY86qstAfBQFMME8gMeOleU7KpBz_WGFROw890T583pSrktso81mj8i2pFzYXgV4zmjB5tqFrXJoVWM3xkSA6ZBct7dOrpVgQmyZIE_LQSRVygdKxQgCoYph2nlI316w6lDOQsDtbHlRgiBZu0/s1917/bells18.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnsi9ICzRSzJSfjNU9qioNoDS8CO1tOa_LwWOglhuVnY86qstAfBQFMME8gMeOleU7KpBz_WGFROw890T583pSrktso81mj8i2pFzYXgV4zmjB5tqFrXJoVWM3xkSA6ZBct7dOrpVgQmyZIE_LQSRVygdKxQgCoYph2nlI316w6lDOQsDtbHlRgiBZu0/s320/bells18.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">It's unknown what transpired shortly into the filming, but it's possible Run Run Shaw wasn't satisfied with Chiu's progress or he wasn't moving fast enough; or there could've been other issues involving members of the cast. Actors had obligations to multiple other films, so whatever the reason was, <i>'The Drinking Knight'</i> under first-time director Chiu Kang Chien was canceled.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi276Nftf1TmtmOhtjYcpigdbv6Eo5_xYXMiit3yL6Wo7POBQkpUiFeeCydklh8DfV1lV7wVws8X0ua9_8a8D6JfdIKiq9Z94gW8RhtEq2ADcnFfFnD6QxtHWBR8duI3l0GcgvCmd-kVz2QqTkFebsReVB6CK1K2NyBoWRJTFLR3bvp5zFkoicgRwe_408/s1917/bells19.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi276Nftf1TmtmOhtjYcpigdbv6Eo5_xYXMiit3yL6Wo7POBQkpUiFeeCydklh8DfV1lV7wVws8X0ua9_8a8D6JfdIKiq9Z94gW8RhtEq2ADcnFfFnD6QxtHWBR8duI3l0GcgvCmd-kVz2QqTkFebsReVB6CK1K2NyBoWRJTFLR3bvp5zFkoicgRwe_408/s320/bells19.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The film was then turned over to director of photography Pao Hsueh Li where it was recast and promoted as less of a direct sequel and more of a new adventure with the same or similar characters. The second incarnation of <i>'The Drinking Knight'</i> was likewise canceled. FINGER OF DOOM (1972) ended up being Pao's directing debut where his skills as a cinematographer were much more evident than his directing abilities. And rarely, if ever, did Pao match his skill levels with the camerawork he designed for THE BELLS OF DEATH...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEnEG0ZlLjqUrMTtJKN6tshIygN54ZiFhYr87DZEVib4bUtLv-Brze6uwMxc2weYxKmek1eGsNP_AS19MWTa12AzRUJnsLrzN8DbGdDrl4SpBU1r_3U_HpRadp4Nko863iMHYHK9xECt707aGWjn-FKwUPAyP8IJIG1DN0YZscyGUFlZw87IVwzSh7hE/s1919/bells22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEnEG0ZlLjqUrMTtJKN6tshIygN54ZiFhYr87DZEVib4bUtLv-Brze6uwMxc2weYxKmek1eGsNP_AS19MWTa12AzRUJnsLrzN8DbGdDrl4SpBU1r_3U_HpRadp4Nko863iMHYHK9xECt707aGWjn-FKwUPAyP8IJIG1DN0YZscyGUFlZw87IVwzSh7hE/s320/bells22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj7DIScvbmw3rU6mP7LIBAhDUJw6tRkg3O5coHsXGM7wbA1zH4RP7hw0vzx-zn0Oi4TAkkPiU-AtueUL7ADkhwixviiSePRN5ZmEI_qKt_SD7EodWjriQ4GOum61G2dhLSowPKxbmA-s9xtfDWn_hT-jstOdD4vSIusvateeY_vFZ-4rVNsOoEB1Ue8c/s1919/bells11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj7DIScvbmw3rU6mP7LIBAhDUJw6tRkg3O5coHsXGM7wbA1zH4RP7hw0vzx-zn0Oi4TAkkPiU-AtueUL7ADkhwixviiSePRN5ZmEI_qKt_SD7EodWjriQ4GOum61G2dhLSowPKxbmA-s9xtfDWn_hT-jstOdD4vSIusvateeY_vFZ-4rVNsOoEB1Ue8c/s320/bells11.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The visuals and photographic style is another way Yueh's BELLS is a landmark in swordplay cinema. Pao's camerawork captures a bleak landscape rife with intense rain, fog, thunder and lightning. One of the best examples is the lighting effects during the duel with the second of three killers, Ye Ying played by Tien Sheng <i>(or Tien Chun)</i>. Instead of a typical sword duel, Ye offers a suggestion they test their mettle by balancing a chunk of a lit candle on their blades; the one who loses the candle loses the fight.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZSd2qg9VTuOvgFHXYhrr_08Hychjh8vDrwSSEDVeG62X4xtH72Or_-tHiprxZODRZ9Ah-Dbxe16zzZdoqIL78RED0YCJZTFBAPsdURIuvTXgAow4ldx-JpJpfGmpGWV2FxIH7y9WICKerIw_1BrsqQ-jdh3gw9JglsV7QaIlkBp8BZKKeL-EY3T567w/s1917/bells23.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZSd2qg9VTuOvgFHXYhrr_08Hychjh8vDrwSSEDVeG62X4xtH72Or_-tHiprxZODRZ9Ah-Dbxe16zzZdoqIL78RED0YCJZTFBAPsdURIuvTXgAow4ldx-JpJpfGmpGWV2FxIH7y9WICKerIw_1BrsqQ-jdh3gw9JglsV7QaIlkBp8BZKKeL-EY3T567w/s320/bells23.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Actor Tien Sheng already had a big nose, but the script called for an even more pronounced proboscis. Something else the filmmakers gave Tien's character was a bizarre muscle twitch; moving his head to the left and to the right when he becomes startled or prepares to kill a victim. Ye Ying is undoubtedly one of martial arts cinema's most memorable bad guys.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gwXpvayitojXbRMM1re3z23BYjxcNk-Vh7HrNQTLPyKNeUMAvWohTv1XStyKJuivzzR0ucHKciZgqRpBc4QPo5GNAo7yAyEgcp4BJ8orYxenXwhdxHTqjr1hkqeLhscm2Fcx1t-jj84EhGwQhWMpCzEed42UIqx6-yLPwXL3vQY6ltwjiRNSdeeK7Tk/s1918/bells20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1918" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gwXpvayitojXbRMM1re3z23BYjxcNk-Vh7HrNQTLPyKNeUMAvWohTv1XStyKJuivzzR0ucHKciZgqRpBc4QPo5GNAo7yAyEgcp4BJ8orYxenXwhdxHTqjr1hkqeLhscm2Fcx1t-jj84EhGwQhWMpCzEed42UIqx6-yLPwXL3vQY6ltwjiRNSdeeK7Tk/s320/bells20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWp3bd2XNkUDPavs9QqMfyTtNSlbl16RLkLOAOE5lsq005AzV9oKExCp3-BzlaZYiF72lmndr-Fisr6HUyFzlKFQJEuYWEf6fBnYAur2Ah3rGER0j0ZmmsJ-ACvwC7EJXaTXoTxEpEmPZodAlYdj6aokL-pCxHwtwuZ2DeRWSZmrXu4rqvYDzS0yUZI8E/s1917/bells6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWp3bd2XNkUDPavs9QqMfyTtNSlbl16RLkLOAOE5lsq005AzV9oKExCp3-BzlaZYiF72lmndr-Fisr6HUyFzlKFQJEuYWEf6fBnYAur2Ah3rGER0j0ZmmsJ-ACvwC7EJXaTXoTxEpEmPZodAlYdj6aokL-pCxHwtwuZ2DeRWSZmrXu4rqvYDzS0yUZI8E/s320/bells6.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The leader of the gang, Tso Ching Lung, played by actor Lin Chiao, has a stylized look to his character as well. On the left side of his face is a burn that has seared his ear off. His weapon of choice is an enormous bow but he also uses a sword as well. Lin Chiao is yet another great face for villainy and adding an appliance to simulate a burn and a missing ear gives Tso Ching Lung additional character.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZhiChGMYeuiJpGnBxPEdqxPczCmJfHrSZUFdd0Dpn3OOMjGi-wZ8rXIQgDl4xzkax5q96fwaBgKxsoB4U9Fvw2-4P8jcM_VHKc-bpp2jhaPPBu7Vu1MLaaudmqLfgA1CPssL__c5yg7Tk1owtCiJ-OuCc98F3WwppFoTM9YR15oVjjOskSzoyR2vlvY/s1917/bells25.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZhiChGMYeuiJpGnBxPEdqxPczCmJfHrSZUFdd0Dpn3OOMjGi-wZ8rXIQgDl4xzkax5q96fwaBgKxsoB4U9Fvw2-4P8jcM_VHKc-bpp2jhaPPBu7Vu1MLaaudmqLfgA1CPssL__c5yg7Tk1owtCiJ-OuCc98F3WwppFoTM9YR15oVjjOskSzoyR2vlvY/s320/bells25.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Rounding out this terrible trio is Ku Feng as Yang Chang, an erratic
bald-headed murderer who is the first to encounter Wei Fu. This first
duel is another beautifully grim set piece taking place at night inside a
bamboo forest. Ku Feng, of course, is one of the most recognizable faces in HK cinema and has played countless memorable characters in his lengthy and prolific career.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPnlSjU-0M-q--BIZ6n5x2Fn5YUw7vh-XbcoKfLHZf7CXACcCiIZqtCsvGPOMX6-I74zkdJRpAL_ulXIGDbkHPqD7VBZa88h8VAIfMoMkHGKS5629TSWC_J2O9QJi4QMV5nAov9aR8UmqJ7xw3ebEHolDB2GnjzqxJ26SSA8VC_CpK_w9jS1Go8TQTCw/s1919/bells27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPnlSjU-0M-q--BIZ6n5x2Fn5YUw7vh-XbcoKfLHZf7CXACcCiIZqtCsvGPOMX6-I74zkdJRpAL_ulXIGDbkHPqD7VBZa88h8VAIfMoMkHGKS5629TSWC_J2O9QJi4QMV5nAov9aR8UmqJ7xw3ebEHolDB2GnjzqxJ26SSA8VC_CpK_w9jS1Go8TQTCw/s320/bells27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The actor playing Wei Fu, Chang Yi, hadn't been in the business long. His first movie THE THUNDERING SWORD (1967) garnered him good notices. Expectations were high for THE BELLS OF DEATH since it was a different type of action film for him. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTUu71J3OskP8c2O9s5sFU5rMseCO7dip5x3IOf1wUu1g8hBNAEVk3oTmWa0jLBuRiV6hg__pSjqbCciN_tBSqqerKc06zOdAKbEogxcCp8F9ZK9wdUZPpV4wWTNtw_HWdQcmGX0Vnk0cHyibicw9Me0iafHMFhusAq7cgyi04J4QO8E3hJBvufZUepU/s1919/bells17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTUu71J3OskP8c2O9s5sFU5rMseCO7dip5x3IOf1wUu1g8hBNAEVk3oTmWa0jLBuRiV6hg__pSjqbCciN_tBSqqerKc06zOdAKbEogxcCp8F9ZK9wdUZPpV4wWTNtw_HWdQcmGX0Vnk0cHyibicw9Me0iafHMFhusAq7cgyi04J4QO8E3hJBvufZUepU/s320/bells17.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Much like the actors playing the villains, Chang Yi had a great face for playing heroic figures. Later in his career, he would switch to playing lead bad guys. Early on, though, he became dissatisfied with the direction of his career and pay at Shaw Brothers. Instead of seeing his contract through to the end, he decided to follow Wang Yu and break it--becoming what the media dubbed <i>"Rebel Actor #2"</i>. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF44hw3aNTZ2UDHCj4_ancb_NIP_0nHifRHmObiuwVr63RDliby9QWZUQtUga_8eAj584_weiQ7Ul6wov5TLlH4TaOBXWR0i6eHH735xqp2GANaImRprPzzeiOlXK6-BrGzUtqwpq1-KSsdLocq8bNrIKgUsCRDlgmCU7YL_WkGrrfSzYjG-Wdk8-Cmhw/s1919/bells24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF44hw3aNTZ2UDHCj4_ancb_NIP_0nHifRHmObiuwVr63RDliby9QWZUQtUga_8eAj584_weiQ7Ul6wov5TLlH4TaOBXWR0i6eHH735xqp2GANaImRprPzzeiOlXK6-BrGzUtqwpq1-KSsdLocq8bNrIKgUsCRDlgmCU7YL_WkGrrfSzYjG-Wdk8-Cmhw/s320/bells24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__uuJKqnkssknxH2OGjeW0L464BElLXi8xnflmI3WZcNJaUy1bFWfqORI12YFqj5_pPE73HalXPcCV3Nho3ClSlkavBJq3VyW8pMltOGMePFH-YIeZBsxJoKtSYNY_nQ0xuO7vi_ha6izU3eE_LCMQvvxEgI-lW7rjNFALOsbwv4cawEAXNOlEg_9CM8/s1917/bells16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__uuJKqnkssknxH2OGjeW0L464BElLXi8xnflmI3WZcNJaUy1bFWfqORI12YFqj5_pPE73HalXPcCV3Nho3ClSlkavBJq3VyW8pMltOGMePFH-YIeZBsxJoKtSYNY_nQ0xuO7vi_ha6izU3eE_LCMQvvxEgI-lW7rjNFALOsbwv4cawEAXNOlEg_9CM8/s320/bells16.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">THE BELLS OF DEATH is arguably Chang's best Shaw production, and one of his best in his career. His stay at Golden Harvest was a brief one before moving on to independent work, trying his hand at directing as many of his fellow actors were doing at the time. Chang Yi was said to have been a stubborn man, doing things the way he wanted. He preferred dressing casually as opposed to looking the part of an actor in the film business; and resisted prodding to switch from costume pictures to modern day movies. It would seem the characters he played were close to his own personality.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YHbqUDDd8evr1GZISTfQIzXxZkPSIHYIg5PXeORLU9zKPXTzU6WSCnRkmPyjQmm9-DMusKk13x-TIV2SYwUdbkNHmI8fuydDK6oUT7SykdYBOQi8eT9l0La8Sodsv_rzlUKBuTj85ap2TpSRt78Jo2uuAgfKO29Qo7cm2seGOCr3WxKh8zyTD-f_zFM/s1919/bells21.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YHbqUDDd8evr1GZISTfQIzXxZkPSIHYIg5PXeORLU9zKPXTzU6WSCnRkmPyjQmm9-DMusKk13x-TIV2SYwUdbkNHmI8fuydDK6oUT7SykdYBOQi8eT9l0La8Sodsv_rzlUKBuTj85ap2TpSRt78Jo2uuAgfKO29Qo7cm2seGOCr3WxKh8zyTD-f_zFM/s320/bells21.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Chin Ping was a much bigger draw than Chang Yi was. Her star as an action heroine was rising so it was a surprise seeing her playing a more timid feminine role. She was just as proficient in love stories so this kind of role wasn't a stretch for her, but definitely unusual during a time when she was already popular at essaying swordswomen parts in Wuxia pictures. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zQps-lsomV2gq1mJeByCLEs0pLobbE7504MsU1edlV53GMbUcEuUa9HzTNr-E39klEwzIufKl1yMEpRRAtACFiyP17-eTWTZ-3hTeeC6tAQFdK9Zg12oPPp_ydcopxfXyJPYMIo6JNbETzV0E7YAlD3ugYIBSrTSCopx7UTusxe8pRiSoP_6FPG9emQ/s1919/bells31.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zQps-lsomV2gq1mJeByCLEs0pLobbE7504MsU1edlV53GMbUcEuUa9HzTNr-E39klEwzIufKl1yMEpRRAtACFiyP17-eTWTZ-3hTeeC6tAQFdK9Zg12oPPp_ydcopxfXyJPYMIo6JNbETzV0E7YAlD3ugYIBSrTSCopx7UTusxe8pRiSoP_6FPG9emQ/s320/bells31.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Going back to the production side of things, there's another area where BELLS rings louder than the competition and that's in the film's use of sound effects. Noises such as the sound of water being splashed, wood being chopped, footsteps... the use of these are amplified in some cases giving the film an avant-garde effect. It's unlike any swordplay picture of its time, and stands out 55 years after its theatrical release. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">The action design is standard, and often rough around the edges. It's not slow by any means, just that it frequently looks very natural on top of visualizing a heavy Japanese influence. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXkq_fc4f4zek5aQmjO3RL1LU84oE4UlIwBi6mz6qcXEe-c-0bnnmsfo7yEAIjDk0AjTJgTTFlt9cNKQaG41XUvhbsFtUOfiCtgjH2-iq_rsvfBRxxW3yQkxTn2AP3z4Ez4U_pjfV5Kcfu6PNi6IeGf1HUtv5MfFXTJKc9cWVPpNLTkl2shTT2RvKVJI/s1917/bells15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXkq_fc4f4zek5aQmjO3RL1LU84oE4UlIwBi6mz6qcXEe-c-0bnnmsfo7yEAIjDk0AjTJgTTFlt9cNKQaG41XUvhbsFtUOfiCtgjH2-iq_rsvfBRxxW3yQkxTn2AP3z4Ez4U_pjfV5Kcfu6PNi6IeGf1HUtv5MfFXTJKc9cWVPpNLTkl2shTT2RvKVJI/s320/bells15.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There's no credited MA choreographer <i>(the same thing occurred on Ho Meng Hua's <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2023/06/killer-darts-1968-review.html"><span style="color: red;">KILLER DARTS</span></a> from the same year)</i>, but Sammo Hung has a small part as a background thug who, early in the movie, is seen pulling leaves off his face after Wei Fu uses his inner power to use harmless leaves from a nearby tree as a deadly weapon <i>(see insert; Sammo at far left)</i>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFklAWoAE4EDLOCK15yGynqUW6vfc-7Nu-_NmE-eHgJpXNRrYROQUik_2o2_oTTqMIYVfJIwmbN7T2uu6RO0BnCEXJvfOMCtpO_U291-V_DpAKkwK5rJ_p1cO4P7fbwSWjX7Foe19gp67Qzai7WA0-BcR4-hj9ePFl9Pj1GqPAzGqYx1byKoMgFocJyg/s1919/bells28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFklAWoAE4EDLOCK15yGynqUW6vfc-7Nu-_NmE-eHgJpXNRrYROQUik_2o2_oTTqMIYVfJIwmbN7T2uu6RO0BnCEXJvfOMCtpO_U291-V_DpAKkwK5rJ_p1cO4P7fbwSWjX7Foe19gp67Qzai7WA0-BcR4-hj9ePFl9Pj1GqPAzGqYx1byKoMgFocJyg/s320/bells28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Sammo would begin his action director phase that year so it's possibly he worked in that area for Yueh's film, but not enough to garner a credit </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i>(you can see him when he was thin in the image above)</i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">. There are a number of sword fights, but many of them we don't see or only involve a single strike.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jtt1dOhn8zp-gaAwjKdXL2aXa9fgvQeGmBaoNRIAp_4MmAg_wfuYGGnA2LYqWl1rIhhrPTJH01sYL8ao8UE5LFF7ZTbmrBA51QvvA-HfoM6CsPFR_MB7ktVsvM9mGCte0Y5h0-8wF6BD4K7ANJ6hQ71J4twiZJHFIrVi4J_I4cFwEhreHaLw83C66bg/s1919/bells30.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jtt1dOhn8zp-gaAwjKdXL2aXa9fgvQeGmBaoNRIAp_4MmAg_wfuYGGnA2LYqWl1rIhhrPTJH01sYL8ao8UE5LFF7ZTbmrBA51QvvA-HfoM6CsPFR_MB7ktVsvM9mGCte0Y5h0-8wF6BD4K7ANJ6hQ71J4twiZJHFIrVi4J_I4cFwEhreHaLw83C66bg/s320/bells30.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Yueh Feng was an incredible talent who had already been making movies for some 30 years when he made this film. The last five years of his directing career is what he's most recognized for due to the unavailability of his earlier works. His star power as an award-winning filmmaker was key to his being given the opportunity to work with new firebrands, Chang Cheh and Cheng Kang when Run Run Shaw announced the impending shooting of TRILOGY OF SWORDSMANSHIP in October of 1970 after a reporter suggested an anthology at a press conference.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaUyy3XRth3UfvnZ8w8L4nVwnMVvKWnw2zg9WikrEg3MSe6Uk7cQZmK2glIAfnLG5knfstBALpA1tH02fze1cSL10LZKmbSntjX_Cua-2eY5sXpTS7dfW3fZlnKH7oc0O_qnhrvCw5DodUMSAWBagHEaJx9OhszZ5hBAix8UeFp_q04-g8CK8fFrvI4g/s1917/bells12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaUyy3XRth3UfvnZ8w8L4nVwnMVvKWnw2zg9WikrEg3MSe6Uk7cQZmK2glIAfnLG5knfstBALpA1tH02fze1cSL10LZKmbSntjX_Cua-2eY5sXpTS7dfW3fZlnKH7oc0O_qnhrvCw5DodUMSAWBagHEaJx9OhszZ5hBAix8UeFp_q04-g8CK8fFrvI4g/s320/bells12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzQR1FbHfg41Ep8FYGdsExPaks4HPu925h6zpuJTnhrgVcI873dajYLu_DJtExJCR5EWWyOAm_CoOWJFmYGYrxZsJsF7mKNQ6h7srtXX_NPLa_GSskIEWZcM26IIO-PyD91XXuIfFr0YCQGGRNnHmUnb8s_FdJWB3Lin-izWsugZ-wK9jPvwyDASZdSs/s1917/bells9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzQR1FbHfg41Ep8FYGdsExPaks4HPu925h6zpuJTnhrgVcI873dajYLu_DJtExJCR5EWWyOAm_CoOWJFmYGYrxZsJsF7mKNQ6h7srtXX_NPLa_GSskIEWZcM26IIO-PyD91XXuIfFr0YCQGGRNnHmUnb8s_FdJWB3Lin-izWsugZ-wK9jPvwyDASZdSs/s320/bells9.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">Director Yueh's last couple of years were troubled waters for him as he struggled to finish projects <i>(he's credited on the TRILOGY poster but not the film itself)</i> and get others off the ground such as a 1970 version of DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER. He did earn accolades one final time in 1969 with the opera comedy THE THREE SMILES starring Ivy Ling Po and Li Ching. He would vacate the studio in January of 1972 after Run Run Shaw refused to allow him to direct a Ma Su Chen movie while Chang Cheh was finishing up THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972). By 1973, he was retired. THE BELLS OF DEATH was his last great martial arts picture.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpD2F5IS0cmelaoS1WO0hVLd-Me1aWrIBzA6LVqg04Nx45vNTTFOl-UUuxf3_psJ7mfka_OWNEeotwQ-XhNsMbUjNMPxo4UjCZlgbfYGqjcJfCauy1Z6-wiQZDEHyMy1xKEIuuAg2vmHHuIEnqVULkkf71iQkFW9vwwdxEzEI37U-_kBLD-vtAimrNIU/s1919/bells10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpD2F5IS0cmelaoS1WO0hVLd-Me1aWrIBzA6LVqg04Nx45vNTTFOl-UUuxf3_psJ7mfka_OWNEeotwQ-XhNsMbUjNMPxo4UjCZlgbfYGqjcJfCauy1Z6-wiQZDEHyMy1xKEIuuAg2vmHHuIEnqVULkkf71iQkFW9vwwdxEzEI37U-_kBLD-vtAimrNIU/s320/bells10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">There are so many areas of THE BELLS OF DEATH that make for an incredible presentation. From the visuals, the sound design, the characters, the writing, the directing... all of these combine to turn a basic revenge plot into something uniquely special. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin;">This review is representative of the Shout! Factory 11-disc Shaw Brothers Collection Volume 1 blu-ray box set. Specs and extras: 1080p anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1; commentary with Eastern Kicks James Mudge; Celestial trailer; running time: 01:28:22.</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-22681356994385215942023-06-18T12:22:00.000-07:002023-06-18T12:22:29.042-07:00Killer Darts (1968) review<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0ZatpX6cCDkRkOlu1BOm5YYM9RHnUMtwYerZzE-0GDTaSPuVD_eKgp4EjPTUoZN-Ip4dz-fBYaSLnTqIhqDl0eJtUtrJWd95np3N1P5lnHY8wtXpgDeaJcvY638J6v-sP6oyEYY9-0gEZ1379hhHzztJmg1vu797Y4bINMvYK8lrzaY5l3ILoQRP/s1919/dart1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0ZatpX6cCDkRkOlu1BOm5YYM9RHnUMtwYerZzE-0GDTaSPuVD_eKgp4EjPTUoZN-Ip4dz-fBYaSLnTqIhqDl0eJtUtrJWd95np3N1P5lnHY8wtXpgDeaJcvY638J6v-sP6oyEYY9-0gEZ1379hhHzztJmg1vu797Y4bINMvYK8lrzaY5l3ILoQRP/s320/dart1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">KILLER DARTS 1968</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Chin Ping <i>(Jin Yu Sien)</i>, Yueh Hua <i>(Liu Yu Long)</i>, Fang Mian <i>(Liu Wen Lung)</i>, Shen Yi <i>(Lin Heung Kam)</i>, Peng Peng <i>(Ah Fu)</i>, Chang Pei Shan <i>(Hu Chi Feng)</i>, Ma Hong Sin <i>(Chu Chao)<br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Directed by Ho Meng Hua</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Short Version:</b> <i>KILLER DARTS is one of Ho Meng Hua's lesser known films outside of Asia; a surprisingly dramatic, and character-varied swordplay-romantic-thriller. Occasionally bloody, it doesn't drench its cast in crimson as many others did at that time. Instead, screenwriter Du Yun Zhi (Tu Yun Chih) creates a wild world of swordsmen and swordswomen with unique abilities and a variety of projectile weapons including the "Soul-Chasing Darts" of the film's Chinese title. It's an engaging Swordplay feature with occasionally stunning photography and a healthy dose of tracking shots that pull the viewer into the scene. However, the complex plot woven around a typical revenge narrative is far too big for its 87 minute duration; and may not appeal to those seeking an emphasis on Chang Cheh-levels of violence.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK9H-En50mVIC-2lDzxGbbwmIH5RoD5z-GSpMUNaGJZWrmAAnWblCwqi7hRq9rOc4lcCGQm6_PmbqUCI9cFFuNp6oZQ-JIJoDavdDs3ZzYCsEUbDk6X7QqFkD6FxwBnZt0bvPruZ6gRkGN-gJpKUp0N-ZWOqP7_pnX2viRvwvzMo4oSJy7lNvnPPC/s1919/dart9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcK9H-En50mVIC-2lDzxGbbwmIH5RoD5z-GSpMUNaGJZWrmAAnWblCwqi7hRq9rOc4lcCGQm6_PmbqUCI9cFFuNp6oZQ-JIJoDavdDs3ZzYCsEUbDk6X7QqFkD6FxwBnZt0bvPruZ6gRkGN-gJpKUp0N-ZWOqP7_pnX2viRvwvzMo4oSJy7lNvnPPC/s320/dart9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LV32mX471PAYMruTujRPt2AOrXkdXVTTBHJeZ-E68_nN7a-D3iLYA7POqbCJNbyP2EAGwxsqFgmZaJ9EVCy05KsfUXcSRnV0JlyP971Cv_STqnBuhBLDxVqwKRlnpzBxyfArsMD-Yz8uOn934SIp_Gtn1W6lnZhLySkueJHiq2T7-PedN2Kyw_mj/s1919/dart13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LV32mX471PAYMruTujRPt2AOrXkdXVTTBHJeZ-E68_nN7a-D3iLYA7POqbCJNbyP2EAGwxsqFgmZaJ9EVCy05KsfUXcSRnV0JlyP971Cv_STqnBuhBLDxVqwKRlnpzBxyfArsMD-Yz8uOn934SIp_Gtn1W6lnZhLySkueJHiq2T7-PedN2Kyw_mj/s320/dart13.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Swordsman Liu Wen Lung returns home to find his village being razed by bandit chief Chu Chao and his gang. Liu's wife is killed in the fray--leaving Liu to raise their son along with his faithful servant Ah Fu. Not long afterward, Liu's student, Hu Chi Feng, rapes and murders a young mother using his teachers secret dart weapon. Before dying, the woman tells her little daughter, </span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Jin Yu Sien,</span><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> that her killer used a lethal projectile and to find her murderer. Master Liu takes the girl and raises her as a foster child. Ten years later, love blooms between Liu's son and Jin but their vendettas take a fateful turn once the bandit chief Chu Chao returns to settle a score with Liu Wen Lung.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAPL3PjKlrNUvEQ0THZJRFrrOrUIXz0PfsPfUBPYfN9ss6lPfKafCL0iVoXjYtfpSAU0B28_ASkVaSlAoBoGmYm4E8hEkqE34M7DhF0UeMQsq70bKqi0PzKKVOu0xWOUVbQ_j4r8hUFTnBNvI2VReHQ5i8VsFFYSDbgZVGo_g5NCFUomtmyBu2Vfm/s1917/dart22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAPL3PjKlrNUvEQ0THZJRFrrOrUIXz0PfsPfUBPYfN9ss6lPfKafCL0iVoXjYtfpSAU0B28_ASkVaSlAoBoGmYm4E8hEkqE34M7DhF0UeMQsq70bKqi0PzKKVOu0xWOUVbQ_j4r8hUFTnBNvI2VReHQ5i8VsFFYSDbgZVGo_g5NCFUomtmyBu2Vfm/s320/dart22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIv8ycm1R1g1A4J-WKBIeTvLuQp2tkcNd2s_3rmIUT--ZGineqWqm02H6hobffYo1DcGxHnmPkrgD1PVL2ddRS0FEnrPyNMA7-nQqrxkBYZ5vhSQsk_INTcRFtlO8uf2Zr3-5WG5CSk6ungE_TlHmRK55jmGpf8RgW9a3pQFptRzD3pa07ooU6z60/s1917/dart23.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIv8ycm1R1g1A4J-WKBIeTvLuQp2tkcNd2s_3rmIUT--ZGineqWqm02H6hobffYo1DcGxHnmPkrgD1PVL2ddRS0FEnrPyNMA7-nQqrxkBYZ5vhSQsk_INTcRFtlO8uf2Zr3-5WG5CSk6ungE_TlHmRK55jmGpf8RgW9a3pQFptRzD3pa07ooU6z60/s320/dart23.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Director Ho Meng Hua was riding high in 1968 with one accomplishment after the other. He'd received recognition for his imaginative and innovative quartet of JOURNEY TO THE WEST fantasy movies; following those with the surprising critical acclaim for his drama, SUSANNA (1967)--that film winning Best Picture among a reported total of 12 awards at the 14th Annual Asian Film Festival held in Japan in October of 1967. Chang Cheh's ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN won high praise but it was Ho Meng Hua's shining moment. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZrBKVIZGhKapv8MygUbo5K6560gkqN3pln9nyQfcGfB_LIJtLb-0dHG7bC2-oTjDOpkf4WVlw7wEL3GOfmtvyhVLoSxMCgjm55aBEtQwF7CCBDn4WOXrojwDEytSfOMRAFbfzPXjT7n3SAzIRgU8G_IgJGOt2xlCsTdJnGtasMwfLNxLvsBfY6q_/s1917/dart3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZrBKVIZGhKapv8MygUbo5K6560gkqN3pln9nyQfcGfB_LIJtLb-0dHG7bC2-oTjDOpkf4WVlw7wEL3GOfmtvyhVLoSxMCgjm55aBEtQwF7CCBDn4WOXrojwDEytSfOMRAFbfzPXjT7n3SAzIRgU8G_IgJGOt2xlCsTdJnGtasMwfLNxLvsBfY6q_/s320/dart3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">After the success of SUSANNA, director Ho then moved into doing Wuxia adventures. His swordplay pictures were different from Chang Cheh's in that they often dealt with familial tragedy or a clan dispute as opposed to the travails of devout swordsmen and blood brotherhood. Director Ho did nine swordplays between 1967-1971, one of them--THE GOLDEN LION--wasn't completed and released till 1975. If you're looking for something more violent and bloody, then Ho's AMBUSH<i> (filming began in 1971 but it wasn't released till 1973)</i> would be more in that vein.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO6MwzRBZwUA1Lz5tfJy5UN86danz48GUo0PaVsp9JRGq7-N-FDCkHT998JavUovjLiUoiTqLLwrMSsOBUVAKdzJka4bzZsAabFsBwMvNcyUzumuDbCOeDl0brkRA-HTMDx2uop5qWUL5nMs1d-vEysHBj5kwgOvr8SKdSzBJlRUzuIEOuucY_Vrx/s1919/dart17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1919" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO6MwzRBZwUA1Lz5tfJy5UN86danz48GUo0PaVsp9JRGq7-N-FDCkHT998JavUovjLiUoiTqLLwrMSsOBUVAKdzJka4bzZsAabFsBwMvNcyUzumuDbCOeDl0brkRA-HTMDx2uop5qWUL5nMs1d-vEysHBj5kwgOvr8SKdSzBJlRUzuIEOuucY_Vrx/s320/dart17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGqkL6K0qvp9lxHIV7U1Z7VBH-XhDwVaQYu36fejSu2Ahakq5FZffHsOGiaOEi3Zy9MHoqEFHVdCa5T7K2h_ysR7G2J0g9OtXRUAeggUuKv7gOk7aOy2CEmIGusQw9Y7By2M0IJx84QL-97Uu0p0Q4TjWmG_Puo2ng3DAK5gZJnUi4nYfCkRy0Q0l/s1919/dart24.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGqkL6K0qvp9lxHIV7U1Z7VBH-XhDwVaQYu36fejSu2Ahakq5FZffHsOGiaOEi3Zy9MHoqEFHVdCa5T7K2h_ysR7G2J0g9OtXRUAeggUuKv7gOk7aOy2CEmIGusQw9Y7By2M0IJx84QL-97Uu0p0Q4TjWmG_Puo2ng3DAK5gZJnUi4nYfCkRy0Q0l/s320/dart24.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The year 1968 was a huge year for Swordplay pictures, and KILLER DARTS was Ho Meng Hua's next movie--followed by THE JADE RAKSHA and VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE. Since ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN grossed over HK$1.2 million <i>(some Chinese sources list the gross at HK$1.5 million)</i>, the then new wave of sword-swinging heroes and heroines rejuvenated the genre style. The Shaw Brothers compensated by adding a Swordplay division to their Nanguo Experimental Theater Troupe; this was an actor training course that was greatly expanded upon when the Shaw's founded their Actor's Training Academy for Film and Television in 1971.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Filming on KILLER DARTS began in September of 1967. Ho's take on Wuxia would be very different from Chang Cheh, who had redefined the genre. To compare the styles with American filmmakers, you could say Ho was more John Ford than Chang's Sam Peckinpah.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMZ7iMUW_f-hFhCym-cNMe8TYqCFO8IWf1PkYRFUoi8AX_B3nqiLlJOs7-WQT6rsd8xh9R3BFrrjs6J-1EVIbUKCIgKDEhOkYnAJ7MMWmlHv-lfdAcjC5gdYp6Rjw3Z1yjfz6g34IWeoXYXunFBH6CNQMD81ieUFz2X8xhj72PCaJqlje2noWMYVD/s1919/dart18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMZ7iMUW_f-hFhCym-cNMe8TYqCFO8IWf1PkYRFUoi8AX_B3nqiLlJOs7-WQT6rsd8xh9R3BFrrjs6J-1EVIbUKCIgKDEhOkYnAJ7MMWmlHv-lfdAcjC5gdYp6Rjw3Z1yjfz6g34IWeoXYXunFBH6CNQMD81ieUFz2X8xhj72PCaJqlje2noWMYVD/s320/dart18.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Screenwriter Du Yun Zhi fashions a typically complex story with diametrically opposing moods. You have a love triangle between Chin Ping, Yueh Hua and Shen Yi; and familial clashes between Chin Ping, her adoptive father played by Fang Mian and his treacherous pupil played by Chang Pei Shan <i>(at left in insert)</i>--one of the great villain character actors who also was Chen Kuan Tai's dubber during his first few years at the studio. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIlifVqO9U-C1uYkWXtXZscX3XerhgEPrY7dQtzYkU0O4rM6FEkxFGTYIlA2xGRa72BoofwNoU6-fLhsCLfh_GMWNGJqfr95MB18WwIOrASuX_uKzagalCuoRxLVmNn-EiljhRUsIGZvcSptROB3CSGwE8Aft1KXlntLrL60M-vk8i7nHnGSVNK8K/s1919/dart25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIlifVqO9U-C1uYkWXtXZscX3XerhgEPrY7dQtzYkU0O4rM6FEkxFGTYIlA2xGRa72BoofwNoU6-fLhsCLfh_GMWNGJqfr95MB18WwIOrASuX_uKzagalCuoRxLVmNn-EiljhRUsIGZvcSptROB3CSGwE8Aft1KXlntLrL60M-vk8i7nHnGSVNK8K/s320/dart25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81ZssiNZUeJcU3QzUOkJGH8lCoIpQW15j6X2i1TPTXEBZ22DbSHzRTLVYtDR8kYwvhk9HywCvMJlEhfJ5DeGFmM9MoV9DJIEMmIx3B5xV0euofIZpSZEaF8sChMfpPqHdKpL4xenIHCixJAbU61BYXipqlqs5oxg5iML26EH14-uz_TqtbjbF7ZJe/s1919/dart7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81ZssiNZUeJcU3QzUOkJGH8lCoIpQW15j6X2i1TPTXEBZ22DbSHzRTLVYtDR8kYwvhk9HywCvMJlEhfJ5DeGFmM9MoV9DJIEMmIx3B5xV0euofIZpSZEaF8sChMfpPqHdKpL4xenIHCixJAbU61BYXipqlqs5oxg5iML26EH14-uz_TqtbjbF7ZJe/s320/dart7.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Originally, Du's script went deeper into Chin Ping's loneliness--having her uncover her dead father's martial arts manual that detailed a devastating palm technique. This part of the script was either dropped or cut from the release version. What remains is Fang Mian discussing her Inner Strength training; and a scene where an angry Chin Ping knocks down a few trees with a single palm strike.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The action scenes aren't as varied as the weapons the myriad number of characters possess. The title projectile is more than just a weapon--it's an important plot point that is the main focus of the movie. It is certainly a <i>"Soul-chasing Dart"</i> as the film's Chinese title specifies. Once the skin is pierced by the weapon, your exit from Earth is only seconds away.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTg2zK1-s_ZjmODifHvCGWh1cyojXXQ0OUqipoG_HVQgUpe1cqZAXZJDRXXngKitD5TWYgd6zLAteghGZPKbN0el9DUtNo2ILDiD6MYQ3j5m6qbjm7g7kZpZw0VGAoZTzzxue5bdcTX-U0-m589evB_lzG_I_KEI4oj7qI_ty743umjJ2llSZCbLZ/s1917/dart8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTg2zK1-s_ZjmODifHvCGWh1cyojXXQ0OUqipoG_HVQgUpe1cqZAXZJDRXXngKitD5TWYgd6zLAteghGZPKbN0el9DUtNo2ILDiD6MYQ3j5m6qbjm7g7kZpZw0VGAoZTzzxue5bdcTX-U0-m589evB_lzG_I_KEI4oj7qI_ty743umjJ2llSZCbLZ/s320/dart8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">There are other dart-like weapons scattered about the script, including
one that is fired from a metallic appendage worn by the main villain
after his arm is cut off near the beginning. There are even mystical
powers where one character uses inner force to control objects in
mid-air. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Going back to the action, there's not a credited martial arts director. The reasoning is unknown; although one could surmise that since the Shaw's would produce a staggering 45 movies in 1968, there weren't enough action designers on the payroll to go around--leaving the work to the actors and background players.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTnu1T5HUYUMt8t123ju2ZzezJAIdX-9a8_bZAvIfVrPVxKa3dK9PuoBd-w3P98k3ydzBCRleJZkGBEAm98cL7dFPlm5286iFV93zrphi9jnZZSAj_9qEP6lmT0zrh041FEBeWtTCoDYGG1U18QOyH8ue57WXb4fxueBliZr5LHpKVXcXPa3DdxEx/s1919/dart6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTnu1T5HUYUMt8t123ju2ZzezJAIdX-9a8_bZAvIfVrPVxKa3dK9PuoBd-w3P98k3ydzBCRleJZkGBEAm98cL7dFPlm5286iFV93zrphi9jnZZSAj_9qEP6lmT0zrh041FEBeWtTCoDYGG1U18QOyH8ue57WXb4fxueBliZr5LHpKVXcXPa3DdxEx/s320/dart6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The action design is largely standard but enhanced by periodic optical effects, wires, and in-camera trickery. One such scene is a wide-angle shot where Chin Ping practices with the title death darts using cups as targets. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ3EPUBmuhw2gFVRSvJtUzkwugBs8j2Tynt3S9sbSM_vhF74kg2ZmgjBFmsVQa6AyZLWYwJohHwfFn8GlGZeqhKiyGBRBO9xARFipqdk5bXOU2aRNGwFGk5pM18XR4dtWm3NAmLzLGzWsFRplXKKrr8_7PkoC5NbT0BQBUOzwY-Jo5mUC6SmzudGl/s1917/dart11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1917" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ3EPUBmuhw2gFVRSvJtUzkwugBs8j2Tynt3S9sbSM_vhF74kg2ZmgjBFmsVQa6AyZLWYwJohHwfFn8GlGZeqhKiyGBRBO9xARFipqdk5bXOU2aRNGwFGk5pM18XR4dtWm3NAmLzLGzWsFRplXKKrr8_7PkoC5NbT0BQBUOzwY-Jo5mUC6SmzudGl/s320/dart11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYx0wlMy5JpZOY84Kqjw4H6B3-04yRhZ4SB6Bpic1B0TEIWKAlebh0kXIW3KED9nDJ2rXW_0F4V1wTh8KiXFv_4HkPg7mpxbeQ14wwx4CKt0KJPWCFGLG5hG-i9MS4Wxa2mLJiMeOsJ8YPVdaiceJ5Z_u4sBWX-_yXZF5jZvIBytZqYH5ZkBsPG97/s1919/dart26.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYx0wlMy5JpZOY84Kqjw4H6B3-04yRhZ4SB6Bpic1B0TEIWKAlebh0kXIW3KED9nDJ2rXW_0F4V1wTh8KiXFv_4HkPg7mpxbeQ14wwx4CKt0KJPWCFGLG5hG-i9MS4Wxa2mLJiMeOsJ8YPVdaiceJ5Z_u4sBWX-_yXZF5jZvIBytZqYH5ZkBsPG97/s320/dart26.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Actress Chin Ping was one of the biggest names in HK at that time. She would regularly switch between dramas and action pictures during her brief seven-year acting career. She'd just finished Lo Chen's drama THE RAINBOW (1968) when she began working on two swordplay pictures, THE BELLS OF DEATH for director Griffin Yueh Feng and KILLER DARTS--both films not only have two opposing atmospheres but Chin's roles are totally different between them. She's a meek and delicate young lady in the former and an emotionally-torn martial artist seeking revenge in the latter.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Miss Chin gets the chance to both act and do action here. It's a different sort of role than normally written for these movies. She's raised to avenge her family then deceived into believing her master is the killer she seeks. It's one of a few sword-opera styled twists in Ho Meng Hua's movie.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvTjMUjynEvb0cCY7WNuGIzqPwToazGgPUR-35xVrV_jgLWeiciKRHyBmhBNrFt8u1ntTZASGihztThonc1v0GExhlOWuef9-udrvqYZYf9D_3I0k9_nfwIab89ERxJaVyEQQndmY9M3oKPaR1flFxSoJG3qVV36pGRCmCT4IwfOjaZQdw8xPRCb3/s1917/dart19.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvTjMUjynEvb0cCY7WNuGIzqPwToazGgPUR-35xVrV_jgLWeiciKRHyBmhBNrFt8u1ntTZASGihztThonc1v0GExhlOWuef9-udrvqYZYf9D_3I0k9_nfwIab89ERxJaVyEQQndmY9M3oKPaR1flFxSoJG3qVV36pGRCmCT4IwfOjaZQdw8xPRCb3/s320/dart19.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">To gauge her popularity, Chin Ping was voted the #2 most popular swordswoman in a newspaper contest in 1969. She would retire from the industry in December of that year to get married. Her last action picture was the top 10 hit THE TWELVE GOLD MEDALLIONS (1970). She was also working on Ho Meng Hua's THE BLACK ENFORCER in 1969. Due to her retirement, all her footage had to be re-shot with a new leading lady; that turned out to be newcomer, the gorgeous Wang Ping. Chin was also the co-star in Ho's <i>'The Golden Mace'</i>--a movie that was never finished, but may have morphed into Ho's VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (1969); another swordplay featuring Chin and Yueh Hua again. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Possibly due to her short run, Chin Ping seldom gets mentioned these days among fans but she was certainly an important actress in 1960s Hong Kong cinema. Sadly, she died from cancer on September 6th, 2017 at the age of 68.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavYC0hvdOV5rx87MXF5KgMnd06t4dGxbrdUntln1YDifMHnmwHOLqZSTkgrXKk-HlblYC7WoqaC9YqcY4Vu0Oii-NnCFiS9_SyFu5lmhS9hSkD5-jdpSMxzqA_KhskLklefSTK2W8QdSpiRYz3Kb6hbUb-aW8bprkRSofKSvVlzPIt7ajs9mHr2YZ/s1917/dart14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavYC0hvdOV5rx87MXF5KgMnd06t4dGxbrdUntln1YDifMHnmwHOLqZSTkgrXKk-HlblYC7WoqaC9YqcY4Vu0Oii-NnCFiS9_SyFu5lmhS9hSkD5-jdpSMxzqA_KhskLklefSTK2W8QdSpiRYz3Kb6hbUb-aW8bprkRSofKSvVlzPIt7ajs9mHr2YZ/s320/dart14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbqiLFn86aVHB7MT7A4mUGUJGxEPH7N30a6QAKkTrWUgyEZY6fsOW4y48yK9P6NOTQjtGcLB1w_o780alvTktEsoPLkpmpiwyke-U9ohesKzyvZ20Ho7S5BdY34Vrngr3Nhd9hGAsb2jIj7XQ-NDq92lSWq6nqyI6jbDQVVebsXvgF4B4DvyuOtpT/s1919/dart10.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbqiLFn86aVHB7MT7A4mUGUJGxEPH7N30a6QAKkTrWUgyEZY6fsOW4y48yK9P6NOTQjtGcLB1w_o780alvTktEsoPLkpmpiwyke-U9ohesKzyvZ20Ho7S5BdY34Vrngr3Nhd9hGAsb2jIj7XQ-NDq92lSWq6nqyI6jbDQVVebsXvgF4B4DvyuOtpT/s320/dart10.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Yueh Hua is one of the genres finest actors; and a mainstay of the industry's Golden Age. Along with classmate Chin Ping, Yueh Hua was a graduate of the Nanguo Experimental Theater Troupe alongside Swordswoman Supreme Cheng Pei Pei. Arguably his most celebrated role was as the Drunken Knight in King Hu's COME DRINK WITH ME (1966). He'd actually been tapped to reprise the role in the second attempt at a loose sequel titled <i>'The Drinking Knight'</i> under the direction of Pao Hsueh Li in 1971. The film was never completed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD59Ckm7Aw_BTKCsVyB77ReHG1S8RB8sFddbb90qL1H9tMnoHK-ids1bEZ4vOVAM6KDYbhq1t__TPqK9WJD179rmq-JWVb8GZozP_2-PWc75PszvgqeU4lpRliMTcrrUsgVBNnh9ShG8nohIUi46NWe5CIu34_J4sJ6Q7eelGlL1sTMMel_ogNS7Vc/s1919/dart21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD59Ckm7Aw_BTKCsVyB77ReHG1S8RB8sFddbb90qL1H9tMnoHK-ids1bEZ4vOVAM6KDYbhq1t__TPqK9WJD179rmq-JWVb8GZozP_2-PWc75PszvgqeU4lpRliMTcrrUsgVBNnh9ShG8nohIUi46NWe5CIu34_J4sJ6Q7eelGlL1sTMMel_ogNS7Vc/s320/dart21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG_0zsSRkiFsZbVxi0p7tyA4WNS2IUcomV9f2DY48NC2yNJS24-oqWmi-WHCPreRYlY3Zhz9N8id0U4dkx4aQ5Df9iRuJQI-ZWaX436KwONEELSAY8zDOLu4D5BcTetqvXJhpK1l9wnXMnaheBHcK_VL5Jw06DqQ8qX6AgSWrpKYNLjf5GsK3HAe7/s1919/dart15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG_0zsSRkiFsZbVxi0p7tyA4WNS2IUcomV9f2DY48NC2yNJS24-oqWmi-WHCPreRYlY3Zhz9N8id0U4dkx4aQ5Df9iRuJQI-ZWaX436KwONEELSAY8zDOLu4D5BcTetqvXJhpK1l9wnXMnaheBHcK_VL5Jw06DqQ8qX6AgSWrpKYNLjf5GsK3HAe7/s320/dart15.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The character he plays in KILLER DARTS is the object of two women's affections; those being Chin Ping and Shen Yi. The latter lady was one of Shaw's sexy actresses--frequently playing concubines and other aggressive, or alluring personality types. The love triangle involving her, Yueh and Chin's characters isn't as interesting as the other angle dealing with Chin Ping's private vendetta, although both plots are woven together by the end.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7o2gCosDa-mR5CLolnzXtQNZyC-hZPZjR-VzmBJytHZg7iau8VaznTJgNNwsi9rIJMKgDHEwwpttBttysJkHmlIfEnXiGz8w2emXhGjTmBgwJbSTIkwJG8gaKYbRw0BW12jkqAErtg1LkosZ7NWnTHE12xxtZOQP3F7q27yUOvfYrVNSK5STOlLJ/s1919/dart16.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7o2gCosDa-mR5CLolnzXtQNZyC-hZPZjR-VzmBJytHZg7iau8VaznTJgNNwsi9rIJMKgDHEwwpttBttysJkHmlIfEnXiGz8w2emXhGjTmBgwJbSTIkwJG8gaKYbRw0BW12jkqAErtg1LkosZ7NWnTHE12xxtZOQP3F7q27yUOvfYrVNSK5STOlLJ/s320/dart16.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Miss Shen would request her release from her contract in 1970 presumably due to a long stretch where she wasn't working. She was said to have been a consummate actress who never complained and did everything asked of her. She ended her career in 1976 after two final appearances in back-to-back <i>'Women In Prison'</i> pictures, GIRLS IN THE TIGER CAGE and REVENGE IN THE TIGER CAGE, both released to theaters simultaneously.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O2fPQdApB1i2bT8P2EcQdDQC6uIZ8NhdRdRbFWuV1ACbZBUADZ2yOy91QrRH6knsI5Fna7UJKnhmtCNOXuIwwrCfN2x4zuQUDP-hvVuHi7fvtoYjXIEk9wP4zl7-d8saVHMSO4FPJyS74JAiuzaMtPS277It-Kvp_-3nDVo7UGkGAz8XPtPHUw2F/s1916/dart4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1916" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O2fPQdApB1i2bT8P2EcQdDQC6uIZ8NhdRdRbFWuV1ACbZBUADZ2yOy91QrRH6knsI5Fna7UJKnhmtCNOXuIwwrCfN2x4zuQUDP-hvVuHi7fvtoYjXIEk9wP4zl7-d8saVHMSO4FPJyS74JAiuzaMtPS277It-Kvp_-3nDVo7UGkGAz8XPtPHUw2F/s320/dart4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5BlrkeYpTZU31djMF2LEZ343o8jQmcfN2JbA5f-B_d5zTjJqcMjWQTGyi-cJ0LQIoQw_abqblINkmZGhWRTmpIjTlvElCl77Fzg1dF44z2IHuZem7YI6TQkDdMSvghL59jmSqhhQq-DlOVuFNrsOuFgIngoT91Xw1VIjmzaLHZ-IjYcMe7-THYE5/s1919/dart12.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1919" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5BlrkeYpTZU31djMF2LEZ343o8jQmcfN2JbA5f-B_d5zTjJqcMjWQTGyi-cJ0LQIoQw_abqblINkmZGhWRTmpIjTlvElCl77Fzg1dF44z2IHuZem7YI6TQkDdMSvghL59jmSqhhQq-DlOVuFNrsOuFgIngoT91Xw1VIjmzaLHZ-IjYcMe7-THYE5/s320/dart12.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The sword pictures made by director Ho are quite good and have long been overshadowed by his more globally well-known works <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2011/02/flying-guillotine-1974-review.html"><span style="color: red;">THE FLYING GUILLOTINE</span></a> (1975), <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2019/05/black-magic-1975-review.html"><span style="color: red;">BLACK MAGIC</span></a> (1975), and <a href="http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/01/the-mighty-peking-man-1977-review.html"><span style="color: red;">THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN</span></a> (1977). The first ten years of his career entails his best directing work. THE FLYING GUILLOTINE was his last truly great motion picture. The final five years of his career is dominated by exploitation movies and low-grade martial arts films. THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN is a unique title on his resume in that it was one of the most expensive Shaw Brothers productions, if not the most expensive. It's a great film, but mostly from an entertainment perspective. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72Hl0a2X2JMBu7AUBU_XhVnL95Jm-ACv_QoLoSY14r413BRajg29u05fiU7vHxPAP4hvTJICiQ8UA5tlHDuhdGKfN-GuUe2GZq8RaPnyGrRge9BjhtCqUuiBE2zvVj0SGCRUmMuod4KOnnHh7ZyNyBf3uWLkWzwDMes7rZypVN9rz1j6rFlMPluzu/s1918/dart20.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1918" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72Hl0a2X2JMBu7AUBU_XhVnL95Jm-ACv_QoLoSY14r413BRajg29u05fiU7vHxPAP4hvTJICiQ8UA5tlHDuhdGKfN-GuUe2GZq8RaPnyGrRge9BjhtCqUuiBE2zvVj0SGCRUmMuod4KOnnHh7ZyNyBf3uWLkWzwDMes7rZypVN9rz1j6rFlMPluzu/s320/dart20.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">As for KILLER DARTS <i>(the English title on the poster as 'KILLER DART' is in an unusually large font while the onscreen title adds an 's')</i>, the film's script is quite good, but also the area where the movie falters to a degree. There's so many vendettas and dramatic arcs that the most important one isn't explored enough; that being where Chin Ping's character is deceived into believing the man that raised her is her mother's killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXaax5R8SqtD_yBHirNhe_ViCiGkaY_ogDG2798ft2OQFjqAeODSkGfVDVAFKMvVj33EMpG_3r1SBB75lIh1PJJggeIvTZTHNK0UsGEMeKN7TpHufDXqPJitMOuC_lXcf0z4X241QsSJLGe6iwMtAxlIdbyDoq8AkY2Cuprgg1LLF9W7pxir20wN8/s1917/dart27.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXaax5R8SqtD_yBHirNhe_ViCiGkaY_ogDG2798ft2OQFjqAeODSkGfVDVAFKMvVj33EMpG_3r1SBB75lIh1PJJggeIvTZTHNK0UsGEMeKN7TpHufDXqPJitMOuC_lXcf0z4X241QsSJLGe6iwMtAxlIdbyDoq8AkY2Cuprgg1LLF9W7pxir20wN8/s320/dart27.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">Another area is Chu Chao's return, bringing a slew of cutthroats back with him. The menagerie of malcontents appear to be loosely based on characters from Shi Nai'an's famous novel, <i>'Outlaws of the Marsh'</i>. Among them are actors Ku Feng, Dean Shek, Liu Kang, Han Ying Chieh and Wei Ping Ao. None of them figure heavily in the final fight at all; whether due to time or footage was edited out for pacing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The film has so much going for it you may not even notice the minor shortcomings. One thing you will notice is how the colors pop off the screen in this blu-ray presentation, part of an 11-film set in Shout's Shaw Brothers Collection Volume 1. The picture quality is nothing short of amazing.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoXVKosHDGw7xLCI2J-CurnVp5Ui3eO-opWDHWHR1qe1DezE1YnNl-L0p9n7P_nnF-37E8GUBw7KfF9GojjQXuacNuuA9STMWzQGU_1cGLsLdRzINRn0MztVukBu754zm_oQ8dRJHsRCQLmW-XLzLhx9DCLsCt_He2U9E-iWoiqDKs_eSkHEAanUm/s1917/dart2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1917" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoXVKosHDGw7xLCI2J-CurnVp5Ui3eO-opWDHWHR1qe1DezE1YnNl-L0p9n7P_nnF-37E8GUBw7KfF9GojjQXuacNuuA9STMWzQGU_1cGLsLdRzINRn0MztVukBu754zm_oQ8dRJHsRCQLmW-XLzLhx9DCLsCt_He2U9E-iWoiqDKs_eSkHEAanUm/s320/dart2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqE3moHdT0s8MOl1DnkhOn7re7uy99CFKH7go9-zBdRgIPvc7T_heIxH5qM69gyV6CPy4y8IPgnjw3X-60-cxFKlZxZX5g_idxClz9YsES8YyODUcXJPUjhQHeBhGmNAwBFYAMKX14RBSrHd562q7rtmTSmse4ESegsXzxLmi6QLkzOyGTCPCbzlg/s1918/dart5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1918" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqE3moHdT0s8MOl1DnkhOn7re7uy99CFKH7go9-zBdRgIPvc7T_heIxH5qM69gyV6CPy4y8IPgnjw3X-60-cxFKlZxZX5g_idxClz9YsES8YyODUcXJPUjhQHeBhGmNAwBFYAMKX14RBSrHd562q7rtmTSmse4ESegsXzxLmi6QLkzOyGTCPCbzlg/s320/dart5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">The late filmmaker's earlier works like KILLER DARTS need more exposure and hopefully greater appreciation from martial arts film fans. They're surprisingly classy pictures next to what the director would be doing in the last half of the 1970s. If you enjoy 1940s swashbucklers with the likes of Errol Flynn, you'll possibly find enjoyment in these Chinese-language variants, but with more blood and melodrama.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin; font-size: x-large;">This review is representative of the Shout! Factory blu-ray, part of their 11-film set, Shaw Brothers Collection Volume 1. Specs and extras: 1080p anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1; commentary with Eastern Kicks James Mudge; Celestial trailer; running time: 01:27:50.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467807781586384838.post-25635060776666747212023-05-11T20:42:00.003-07:002023-05-12T07:08:15.594-07:00Shaw Brothers Cinema Presents: Raymond Chow Talks Shaw Brothers Productions<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bjdpFfLmAmamqjLu4T8hG4173ItoqYoP_n1XGk3ekCxvN7OQbsO_k-cfTLlrNdZgprsCdyMIYcWQaRSnnnyJWwhcSXobsI1mtaLrILDlC4f0pXhpaT1bbXVNKMRkGOUca4dzkasVE-yoF92jBUiiG4tSYdweC25iK6Gq7B_v6ZxfeeZgAQZvLmZ/s705/golden-harvest-chow-radio-HK-june-1969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="705" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bjdpFfLmAmamqjLu4T8hG4173ItoqYoP_n1XGk3ekCxvN7OQbsO_k-cfTLlrNdZgprsCdyMIYcWQaRSnnnyJWwhcSXobsI1mtaLrILDlC4f0pXhpaT1bbXVNKMRkGOUca4dzkasVE-yoF92jBUiiG4tSYdweC25iK6Gq7B_v6ZxfeeZgAQZvLmZ/w400-h254/golden-harvest-chow-radio-HK-june-1969.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">In June of 1969, then Deputy General Manager of Shaw Brothers Studio, Raymond Chow gave an interview for TVB's Radio Hong Kong <i>(now RTHK)</i> about how films were made at Movie Town--the magic factory where the Shaw Brothers produced dozens of films a year for an entertainment-starved populace. Reporters and members of the audience asked Mr. Chow detailed and thorough questions about the inner workings of the company, its stars, how the films were made, and the HK film industry itself. This vintage discussion offers a unique look into HK film production at the time, and from the perspective of Run Run Shaw's then right-hand man, the future president of Golden Harvest, Raymond Chow. <i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Top: Raymond Chow answering questions on Radio Hong Kong)<br /></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;">This interview contains a dozen images, many of which are rare, from when Chow was at Shaw Brothers Studio and various times at Golden Harvest from 1970-1973.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtsY1J6OvhOL_DfH7xDtwtaK4ONrWJiFl071y7y9lGDQB9lBUwRLoSghG4fUhtIbEYJpzei34GiXAIZWxOlW5i4PKviGE2AbVm_7QrV-heGbl5wDlTfxtznnQAVix2VOl2pzSDRTP0DOjzi8v4H1zEV8vkeidDAFU9sgzAHXwtGm_KB6YbMasaDGT/s694/golden-harvest-chow-run-run-shaw-1966.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="515" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtsY1J6OvhOL_DfH7xDtwtaK4ONrWJiFl071y7y9lGDQB9lBUwRLoSghG4fUhtIbEYJpzei34GiXAIZWxOlW5i4PKviGE2AbVm_7QrV-heGbl5wDlTfxtznnQAVix2VOl2pzSDRTP0DOjzi8v4H1zEV8vkeidDAFU9sgzAHXwtGm_KB6YbMasaDGT/s320/golden-harvest-chow-run-run-shaw-1966.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW OPENING STATEMENT:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hong Kong is a small place with a large population that's limited by its surroundings. Forms of entertainment are limited for its 4 million residents. The cinema has become one of the most important forms of entertainment for us here in the last ten to twenty years. According to statistics from the UN, Hong Kong residents accounted for the largest number of moviegoers in the world. There are 115 movie theaters in Hong Kong--24 of which show first-run Western films. Ten years ago there were only four theaters in Hong Kong showing Mandarin films. In ten years the audience has increased twenty-fold in comparison. In HK, Taiwan, and Singapore and Malaysia, Chinese films continue to win over foreign viewers. In the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam trends are moving in a similar direction. This is one of the great rewards of HK filmmakers.</span> <i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Run Run Shaw and his protege Raymond Chow study films in a screening room in 1966)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhN0m-SYv9D75JJRRfe506UP0GKj-9gbtFf3t80PUIxnvkykcnFLkSe-iebF-i6ocJg0Z-yBoxACvE38t8Qv_9NMycH3XQMOQEIIQHn0qJ2XwNZaKWKv3QvAHsuo-9mjgjWT2vEWqMiIA_nQlJmjpnPRpPsk6dhqPiRcKwpdk0ajYb6M1woiZ_aMS/s647/golden-harvest-chow-ho-mao-nora-miao-1970.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="647" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhN0m-SYv9D75JJRRfe506UP0GKj-9gbtFf3t80PUIxnvkykcnFLkSe-iebF-i6ocJg0Z-yBoxACvE38t8Qv_9NMycH3XQMOQEIIQHn0qJ2XwNZaKWKv3QvAHsuo-9mjgjWT2vEWqMiIA_nQlJmjpnPRpPsk6dhqPiRcKwpdk0ajYb6M1woiZ_aMS/s320/golden-harvest-chow-ho-mao-nora-miao-1970.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Aladin;">Our film industry has made a significant contribution to its development in foreign markets. If we hire foreign directors and actors to work in HK, the Immigration Bureau will try its best to give us conveniences. However, compared with other industries, the assistance we receive is still not ideal. For example, it is necessary to relax film censorship. We know their responsibility is to uphold the law and morality, but if it is too strict, and although we have the opportunity to appeal, it is far too time-consuming and troublesome. This can have an impact on the box office. This is especially true in regard to how scenes involving exposure of the human body are handled. We don't see this doing much harm to society. On the contrary, there are pornographic books and periodicals with far more revealing pictures and obscene words that can be purchased at anytime out on the street. The bad influence of such material is many times worse than what little we show on-screen. Film has a cultural and educational responsibility, so we all try our best to find good themes. The film industry hopes that the government can provide more support to help Hong Kong's economy and prosperity. </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Aladin;"><i>(Insert: Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho, Angela Mao, Nora Miao and others at Golden Harvest's first New Year's Party in February of 1971; the company had 70 employees at launch)<br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> What are the qualifications to become an actor, and how can one become a successful actor?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">The most basic requirement for an actor is fate. What makes an actor pleasing to viewers isn't necessarily their appearance or how pretty they are. It is mainly due to their acting abilities. Unfortunately, there is no special training school for this in Hong Kong. We often hear about the miracle of becoming famous overnight, but for every young person who is interested in joining our industry, we point out quite frankly that success in the movies can only be achieved through continuous hard work; which is by no means as easy as ordinary people might think it is.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> We want to know what is the basis for trends in Mandarin movies made in HK? Can Mr. Chow predict the next trend in Hong Kong?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWyjpYSJt13V7AyBmUn6E44Ba6l4KwntYI_vVHc1i4OEc8kYhq4o9-hk8uM0FsROXjoAiYkolEaBUtSDpdIXXXCf3uLCLgWAKUiMFoWRWKbVDLo-n9H13Ifdn0AsPWP04q3nLzFLD_viUaXlGeW1PUFN-hdsApYgpXTbCRaBFaiflwcOapQ34pNl1/s944/golden-harvest-chow-lee-yu.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWyjpYSJt13V7AyBmUn6E44Ba6l4KwntYI_vVHc1i4OEc8kYhq4o9-hk8uM0FsROXjoAiYkolEaBUtSDpdIXXXCf3uLCLgWAKUiMFoWRWKbVDLo-n9H13Ifdn0AsPWP04q3nLzFLD_viUaXlGeW1PUFN-hdsApYgpXTbCRaBFaiflwcOapQ34pNl1/w195-h400/golden-harvest-chow-lee-yu.jpg" width="195" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Here in HK, action films are currently the most trendy. In a narrow sense, martial arts films are quite popular today. The birth of a trend, such as something like clothing styles or automobiles, is difficult to analyze. According to our opinion, at certain periods of time, there were two or three films from a particular genre that were especially well-shot and became very popular and successful due to word-of-mouth. When this happens others will follow suit and the trend is created. The same is true for the rise of James Bond and other spy pictures in the United States. Chinese martial arts films are booming and for a reason. Further analysis shows that action movies are more welcomed by audiences because there are plentiful action sequences and fewer dialog scenes; there's less for the viewer to think about and just be entertained by the maneuvers on-screen. In foreign countries, for example, the tide has turned to films with a heavier emphasis on sex. But Hong Kong's Chinese people have different tastes and our inherent morality is also different. Even with the exposure to more Western films, our martial art productions should continue to maintain their current popularity. </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Bruce Lee, Raymond Chow, Jimmy Wang Yu at Chinese New Year Party in 1973)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> If the world trends towards more sex on-screen, will Shaw Brothers also make sex films to cater to the audience tastes?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">As I said moments ago, movies with heavier doses of sexual content may not be accepted by Chinese audiences. It is currently impossible for us to make such movies.<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> As for revealing scenes in motion pictures, the government's Film Censorship Office often prohibits showing anything too revealing, which may seem unfair to you or some viewers. In the US, producers have their own organization that rates their films into four categories. Mr. Chow, do you think this system could work in Hong Kong?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oabPNqIks2V0A6VY8J8gNU924bP0Weiy-fegzKoOd07103WaPAcfY6MnedcIHEwJZV4S1JcSuP8uk5ifoX0NLzK4-yx7bjyHmaZC10DnWAoHnUnfAfaxeR_mp5PT3UUnykysKShc3kBgawQ66x8XYrEtdpXrwkZtbtyQa1ApH3mheG2O-fzNA98V/s644/golden-harvest-chow-leonard-ho-1971.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="644" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oabPNqIks2V0A6VY8J8gNU924bP0Weiy-fegzKoOd07103WaPAcfY6MnedcIHEwJZV4S1JcSuP8uk5ifoX0NLzK4-yx7bjyHmaZC10DnWAoHnUnfAfaxeR_mp5PT3UUnykysKShc3kBgawQ66x8XYrEtdpXrwkZtbtyQa1ApH3mheG2O-fzNA98V/s320/golden-harvest-chow-leonard-ho-1971.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">This is not only the case in America but in Japan as well. There is no government film inspection agency in Japan. The five major film companies there set up their own organizations to review their own works. This system may not be very ideal in Hong Kong. The government here is different from other places so we cannot generalize it. We hope that our industry can have its own committee to receive certain issues in a consultative manner with the governments prosecutorial office. For political review, the government's inspection office can take care of itself. That is, what we want is a self-regulating body, but we are not advocating to completely replace government censorship. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho and Wang Yu off-camera on the set of BEACH OF THE WAR GODS in 1971)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> In addition to local films, there are many Mandarin films made in Taiwan. Can Mr. Chow explain the difference between the two markets?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Most of the Chinese films made outside HK are produced in Taiwan. Generally speaking, Hong Kong is better than Taiwan in terms of technology. Taiwan has the advantage in terms of location because of their geographical environment. Taiwan also puts more emphasis on literature and art because it publishes more books and novels, and the movies are mostly adapted from them. Hong Kong has a majority of action films; by that I mean there are more action movies shot in HK. Taiwan's literary productions are much better than ours due to the lack of locations here. We often have to go to Korea and Japan and Taiwan.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> There seems to be a shortage of film directing talent in HK. Many of our films rely heavily on foreign talent as directors. What is the reason for this?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgjwQ5lCbJYfTnwbmPsCmzPEdqxhZU_HuyXN3dGgqc_a_mZJQGOlQ83S_fw65XyUhcUwNjnUnV8UugPH_hLAoQBLybTpOjmbIjZ94iLVl6Tn06donEr9NmKRopdUSbgc4O4hligsWwFA7SaIJ4a8HuRPpU5a6ybCNoIIcNuv6qqSuSQvuNFO9hcfG/s738/golden-harvest-chow-lee-new-year-1972.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgjwQ5lCbJYfTnwbmPsCmzPEdqxhZU_HuyXN3dGgqc_a_mZJQGOlQ83S_fw65XyUhcUwNjnUnV8UugPH_hLAoQBLybTpOjmbIjZ94iLVl6Tn06donEr9NmKRopdUSbgc4O4hligsWwFA7SaIJ4a8HuRPpU5a6ybCNoIIcNuv6qqSuSQvuNFO9hcfG/w265-h400/golden-harvest-chow-lee-new-year-1972.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Film is a comprehensive art that requires talents from various fields to make your company more successful. Take Hollywood for example, the most developed film industry in the world. Its success is due to to its eclectic ability to recruit talents from all over the world. Many famous directors are not American, but British and Italian. Many famous stars are Swedish are European. The distinction between national borders should be discarded and there should be no mentality of rejecting foreigners in our industry. By integrating talent from various countries, we can exchange experience and absorb more knowledge from different countries. We often hire Japanese directors and technicians to collaborate on our productions. At the same time, we also send our staff to Japan and Europe to study. Recently, we have sent five university graduates to Japan to specialize in five-year university film courses because we lack these facilities in HK to train talents. We hope that they can apply what they have learned to our industry upon their return. </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Raymond Chow with Bruce Lee at the Golden Harvest New Year's Party in 1972)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER: </b>We hire Japanese filmmakers, but what about foreign actors like Brigitte Bardot participating in our domestic pictures?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">If there is a suitable script and production costs are possible, we are of course very willing to invite Brigitte Bardot or other equally famous foreign stars to perform in HK. What matters is the issue of money. At present, our market is still narrow and cannot be distributed worldwide like American or European films. However, if stars like Brigitte Bardot were to come to HK to make movies, the remuneration would be extremely high and we may not be able to afford it.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER, HO DE CHONG:</b> I feel that female movie stars are favored in HK over male stars. What is the reason for this?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">I think this isn't accurate. Perhaps Mr. Ho is biased towards female stars so he feels they are more valued. In our company, there are 75 male actors and 73 female stars. I think most male audience members welcome female stars. Women viewers mostly love the male stars though they may be reluctant to express this feeling due to their conservative values. The industry has evolved beyond female stars being more popular than the men. This is my personal observation.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Although I like some female stars, I agree with Mr. Ho's statement that the women are more valued in HK. I wonder if Shaw Brothers promotion of female actors is more obvious? Take the Asian Film Festival as an example; it is always a woman that wins Best Actor. I have never heard of a man winning for Best Actor. I am wondering if the acting skills of male actors seen as inferior to the women?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqFvnongYrWg6zKRIRiOPvbDPAg0eOsaxwX9-BWtwHtf_dmleT_QEBqnfLRWAHD5PiJwN1ndT_2uTZC4kzBV253sTqHS7U4Tlq010vOd-9hk50-G9ph4KiMekDrZwgtpp4phn-2k8rOdhgN64WeKUBD9cf5N0S1kaEJdtGcuc7ir_nV0e7ASO7uOb/s756/golden-harvest-chow-kuo-nan-hung-december-1968.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="756" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqFvnongYrWg6zKRIRiOPvbDPAg0eOsaxwX9-BWtwHtf_dmleT_QEBqnfLRWAHD5PiJwN1ndT_2uTZC4kzBV253sTqHS7U4Tlq010vOd-9hk50-G9ph4KiMekDrZwgtpp4phn-2k8rOdhgN64WeKUBD9cf5N0S1kaEJdtGcuc7ir_nV0e7ASO7uOb/s320/golden-harvest-chow-kuo-nan-hung-december-1968.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">This is also an inaccurate statement. For film companies, promoting the women is just as important as promoting the men. And our publicity is mostly based on the film itself as opposed to a particular star headlining it. As for the Asian Film Festival's methods of selecting stars for their awards, the judging committee of the festival is composed of two well-known locals who have knowledge of the film industries within the seven participating regions. The selection meeting is made up of a 14-member committee that is held two weeks prior to the festival. The judging process is not influenced by any one person. In fact, representatives from the various countries do not gather for the local meeting at the festival. They rate the pictures after watching each film individually. Therefore, it is impossible for Shaw Brothers or the Hong Kong Producers Association to deliberately promote a certain actor or actress as the Best Actor. The real power of selection lies with the committee. Then it's in the hands of the four judges. </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Raymond Chow signing Joseph Kuo Nan Hung at Shaw Brothers in 1968)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> How many Shaw Brothers movies are made each year?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> Based on our current production numbers, it is about 40-45 films per year. Last year we produced 41.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> What is the scope of your company's distribution?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklO9hPyuJZjzinGCItFFHyQNtLdnjUYcNpfKxNAmarIlUMeGL3gSZeL9Qm5mWHhESuM4bxKqb1eH50q74sk83Te3Iy-wpM3_G8bM7zlDPD0NviBI0xc8CL_OLjPKAC0VoVWICQpUWPj-H8T0jr1YzabpkD2wDNBdaU1qW1PYuoFIbncNVqiUw5Ahq/s842/golden-harvest-chow-chang-cheh-kao-po-shu-shaw-february-1970.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="842" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklO9hPyuJZjzinGCItFFHyQNtLdnjUYcNpfKxNAmarIlUMeGL3gSZeL9Qm5mWHhESuM4bxKqb1eH50q74sk83Te3Iy-wpM3_G8bM7zlDPD0NviBI0xc8CL_OLjPKAC0VoVWICQpUWPj-H8T0jr1YzabpkD2wDNBdaU1qW1PYuoFIbncNVqiUw5Ahq/w400-h188/golden-harvest-chow-chang-cheh-kao-po-shu-shaw-february-1970.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Our main markets are Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan; and other Southeast Asian regions such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, Indonesia, etc, are all important markets. We also have a reach as far as North and South America, but those are markets are comparatively smaller at the moment. Recently we have enacted a plan to open up the market in South America by dubbing some of our films in English to be released there. ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN (1967) is to be the first to see release in Brazil. </span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> <i>(Top: Chang Cheh, Raymond Chow, Kao Pao Shu at Shaw's New Year's Party in 1970)</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Is the Hong Kong market more important in comparison to the foreign market?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">In terms of the current domestic film market, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia are all equally important. The number of viewers is difficult to estimate accurately. In our experience, in HK along, the number of viewers for a popular movie ranges anywhere between 600,000 to 1,000,000 viewers. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER: </b>In terms of taste, is there a preference for one type of film with audiences in different regions?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">There's not much difference between regions. What Chinese and foreign viewers want are good movies. Currently martial arts films are the most popular. The level of excitement and the styles and movements is attractive to men, women and children. Literary films are quite popular with audiences too.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Are local producers creating their own trends or just following what's fashionable overseas?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFezreZWWxUaBQVFp5JnoDr2e679WaaWrg4TGAKwSYIQ-JqZ39x6iJGdiTbrkFfsiS8Uewk55_3n3RRsyz3BwXcI_SVqaXoPa7kDEmkTC1IM33qCwgdbymGqxue284isoRVPK6esHO9VC1gwOSXU25v0jEkY-gAz8QL0ILJgInJ8zvaoomylJAtcz/s716/golden-harvest-chow-lo-wei-airport-america-1973.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="716" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFezreZWWxUaBQVFp5JnoDr2e679WaaWrg4TGAKwSYIQ-JqZ39x6iJGdiTbrkFfsiS8Uewk55_3n3RRsyz3BwXcI_SVqaXoPa7kDEmkTC1IM33qCwgdbymGqxue284isoRVPK6esHO9VC1gwOSXU25v0jEkY-gAz8QL0ILJgInJ8zvaoomylJAtcz/s320/golden-harvest-chow-lo-wei-airport-america-1973.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">At present, the production of domestic films is undoubtedly more prosperous than in previous years, and more popular. The market is also expanding but not yet stable. As a result, many producers aren't comfortable taking chances with doing something different, and almost always make films to cater to the interest of the audience. Our film industry is different from foreign countries like the United States and India and other places. The distribution in their own countries can more easily recover their costs. </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Raymond Chow seeing Lo Wei and his crew off at the airport on their way to America to shoot YELLOW FACED TIGER, aka SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> How many stages do you have inside the studio and how many workers are there?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Shaw Brothers currently has ten indoor film studios and five permanent outdoor sets with a staff of 1,700 people. <br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Do you always use the same outdoor sets?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Before shooting we often change the scenery slightly. It's not easy to notice in the film. Like one of the street sets, if you change the color or replace the signboards on the shops and rearrange interior furnishings, the same set will take on an all new look.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Of the 1,700 staff members, how many are actors and how many are other personnel?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Of all the male and female actors who have signed contracts with the company account for 160 to 170 people; and we still recruit other performers and extras at any given time. These are temporarily hired from outside the company. The rest are workers--most of which are carpenters, then electricians, painters and masons. Shaw Brothers has many departments so the number of people employed for each department is quite large.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Mr. Chow, please take us through the entire filmmaking process--from the pre-production to the film's release.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPR3hBJqu-rbDpeT3HyD1OFW51nDzi1FXlsyM8qZRVUsnBPq_P9JwBfj2XSoDEERUC6GRc-XIb5d6Hc-hI_K1tFYrV0-cWkGktrmMgYeoa3cwQ6tKEMXlcFbw_TXpU_TKXAeG6tGA8U6XHVFnZnpuhHKzSx2G2nGwz1vpmmO1dAmpOn4mI3MvuTVq/s618/golden-harvest-chow-runme-shaw-1966.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPR3hBJqu-rbDpeT3HyD1OFW51nDzi1FXlsyM8qZRVUsnBPq_P9JwBfj2XSoDEERUC6GRc-XIb5d6Hc-hI_K1tFYrV0-cWkGktrmMgYeoa3cwQ6tKEMXlcFbw_TXpU_TKXAeG6tGA8U6XHVFnZnpuhHKzSx2G2nGwz1vpmmO1dAmpOn4mI3MvuTVq/s320/golden-harvest-chow-runme-shaw-1966.jpg" width="280" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">The first step of course is writing the script. We currently have 18 screenwriters. Everyone selects stories from famous works and novels and submits them for review. A screenwriter then compiles an outline and then passes it along to prospective directors. Once a director is appointed and goes over the outline with the writer, then the script can be written. After it has been reviewed and has been deemed satisfactory, it is handed over to the production department for planning and preparation for shooting. The next step is to make decisions on the staff and the actors. The producer then assembles the personnel and the sets, costumes and props are ordered. The leading protagonist is decided upon first, followed by supporting players. After the actors are finalized, a formal meeting is held to discuss the roles with the actors. A few days before the start of shooting, the actors participate in wardrobe tests and the director and producer study over them to ascertain if the costuming meets the needs of the plot. If there are no major problems then shooting can officially begin. </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Runme Shaw in Hong Kong discussing the business with Raymond Chow)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> How long does it take to get the actual stage of filming?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">From the moment we begin pre-production, if the script doesn't encounter any problems, filming can officially begin within six weeks time.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> How long does it take from the start of shooting to completion?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Generally speaking, the working days for a film range between 40 and 60 days. The so-called working days are not continuous. The impact of weather conditions, for example, are unpredictable. As per our past experiences, it takes about 3 to 4 months to complete the shooting portion of a film.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> Can you tell us about the shooting process itself?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XfA5vloqgVestjBabdLs8bM74nb_qjFxdRi-eoY5OVCRIL40G3RckQEWIZi8SvCJ-KeL2_5dIBz2U61lVkEJzT-nSF9CZMzp-28D3wtnyLtjA9GVfwYITHo3d8inOPLPAe5opSNzQFUTrFlsb0OF9qqm_GlKi3juWKqk3CkWwEoO7qW3VW0Fww55/s916/golden-harvest-chow-katsu-1971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="916" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XfA5vloqgVestjBabdLs8bM74nb_qjFxdRi-eoY5OVCRIL40G3RckQEWIZi8SvCJ-KeL2_5dIBz2U61lVkEJzT-nSF9CZMzp-28D3wtnyLtjA9GVfwYITHo3d8inOPLPAe5opSNzQFUTrFlsb0OF9qqm_GlKi3juWKqk3CkWwEoO7qW3VW0Fww55/w400-h217/golden-harvest-chow-katsu-1971.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">A film usually runs for one and a half to two hours, but the shooting process can last up to 60 days. The movie you watch may look very beautiful and move at a fast pace, but the actual shooting of those scenes is arduous for the performers in ways viewers can't understand. Before we shoot a scene, the staff has to get the set ready for filming; this includes the background of the stage and the lighting of the set. The luminosity alone is very hot. Especially in summer months when actors may be wearing heavy clothing, beards and hoods as seen in period costume films. You can't be seen sweating even though the heat from the lamps can feel like the equivalent of five thousand electric stoves. This is extremely uncomfortable for the actors and unimaginable for viewers who haven't experienced it for themselves. Moreover, the working hours on any given day are 8-10 hours. In some cases when filming on exterior locations, the actors must leave for the set before the sun rises. Depending on where they are, actors may be filming out in the scorching sun or in heavy rain or snowfall. The suffering of the staff lasts for days to capture what the audience sees on-screen for only a few minutes.</span><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Top: Raymond Chow and Shintaro Katsu on February 12th, 1971 celebrating a joint production company between them)</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> After filming wraps, what other work is there to do?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">After we finish shooting, we go into post-production and that takes between one to two months to complete. Normally, we shoot 40,000-50,000 feet of film, but we only need to use 9,000 feet of what was shot for the official screening. So, we discard the unsatisfactory and damaged parts and edit the rest together. We then dub in the dialog, the sound effects, and the music. Fortunately, we have our own color printing equipment in HK which saves a lot of time instead of printing abroad.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin39AMsF9MIWWgxIGOGD8riR2NI4O2rIehQxOLHqeYVGXm62gm3_uvxorgjxOfv3hPXVpx9MxOKWOWQarHrkVu-4FuTOeZS4xi5H5Me6VI1itqdhEsLh-HJLhNlmcJRUGR_ZGzXcTvase8zY0soEeaVPA_BPFImPFX3JywlQMZVrIIrOMr_KiDlyDS/s849/golden-harvest-chow-leonard-ho-1-arm-sword-court-1971.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin39AMsF9MIWWgxIGOGD8riR2NI4O2rIehQxOLHqeYVGXm62gm3_uvxorgjxOfv3hPXVpx9MxOKWOWQarHrkVu-4FuTOeZS4xi5H5Me6VI1itqdhEsLh-HJLhNlmcJRUGR_ZGzXcTvase8zY0soEeaVPA_BPFImPFX3JywlQMZVrIIrOMr_KiDlyDS/w205-h400/golden-harvest-chow-leonard-ho-1-arm-sword-court-1971.jpg" width="205" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><b>QUESTIONER:</b> The production process of a Mandarin film is so complicated with so much manpower used, how much is the average cost of a production?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Aladin;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>RAYMOND CHOW:</b> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">It depends on each film company. The cost of an ordinary independent production company is relatively low. According to our estimation, it is about HK$500,000. For Shaw Brothers, the production costs required can range between HK$800,000 to HK$1.5 million. For some large-scale pictures, if they need to go to foreign countries to shoot location filming, the cost can reach HK$2 million. </span></span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">(Insert: Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho at court in 1971 over the lawsuit involving similarities between ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN and ZATOICHI MEETS THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN)</span></i></span></span><br /></div>venoms5http://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com0