The Black Dragon (1974)

1974 - The Black Dragon (Yangtze Productions Limited/Joseph Estrada Productions)

[Philippines title “Thunder Blow”, original release date 28th September 1974; released in Hong Kong as “Xia Nan Yang” and internationally as “Tough Guy”; also released in Germany as “Bruce Lee - Sein Tödliches Erbe”, in France as “Le Héros Du Kung-Fu” and in Greece as “O Avros Drakos Epistrefei”]

Director/Story/Screenplay “Tommy Loo Chung”/Tony Liu Jun-Guk [listed on the IMDB as Chin-Ku Lu] Producers Joseph E. Estrada, Yeo Ban Yee Associate Producer Antonio Go Executive Producer Emilio Ejercito Assistant Executive Producer Jesus M. Ejercito Assistant Directors? Mar D’Guzman Cruz, Diego Cagahastian Cinematography Albert Young Production Manager Philip Coo Unit Manager Fredy Conde Music L. Chow Schedule Master Jun Abarra Props/Effects Jesse Sto. Domingo? Makeup Ip Yat Hing, Remy Andrade English Translation Frankie Deocariza Assistant Camera Chang Hai, Boni Calsado Art/Layouts Ed Santos

Cast Jason Pai Piao (Tai-Lin), “Ronnie”/Ron Van Clief (black boxer), George Estregan [listed on the US poster as Jorge Estraga] (Filipino boxer), Nancy Veronica (Ching Kwei), Thompson Kao Kang (Chi-Fu-Shi), Subas Herrero ( The American's advisor), Mon Hu, Chen Liu [sometimes listed as Chan Lau], Bella Flores, Ruel Vernal (Siao-Mao), Philip Coo, Michael Boffrey, Mary Q. Dy, Cris Cruz, Avel Morado, Romy Nario, Arturo Moran, Tony Kwok Sze [sometimes listed as Tong Kwok-Si], Sauro Cotoco, Blanco Santos, Dy Tong, Mrs Go Ang Se, Renato Chan, Pamela Marsden (brothel owner) [hkmdb.com also lists Lau Hok-Nin, Tony Liu Jun-Guk and Yue Tau-Wan]

Ed Demko’s review on the Bloodtype Online website:

The second film in out exploitation double feature here is the kung fu flick “Black Dragon”. The film is about a young man named Tai-Lin who is a simple plantation worker. When his brother returns from the Phillippines after finding great wealth after being there. Tai-Lin’s then asks his brother for money so that he can go to the Phillippines to make a life for himself. After giving him the money Tai-Lin makes his way there and finds it much different than what was expected. Opium addicts roam the streets and the only place to work is on the docks and after getting a job there, Tai-Lin is promoted to being one of the guards that protect the docks after getting into a scuffle with them and kicking some serious ass. At the same time there is a group of fighters coming to the dock to fight and take over, which would have been possible until Tai-Lin was there. But why are they attacking the boats in the first place? Are they simply robbers looking for money or is does it end up that Tai-Lin finds their reasoning to be quite the cause himself? Either way it ends up a family affair that Tai-Lin has no choice to take part in and show that he’s the supreme fighter in the country.

Very much like the first film on this double feature, the title “Black Dragon” has very little to do with it. Ron Van Chief actually plays the “black boxer” character although he’s billed on the poster as the lead actor. In reality though the lead in the film is Jason Pay Pia playing the character of Tai-Lin. Although it is misleading I have to say that it doesn’t hurt the movie whatsoever. It’s a solid kung fu flick with a really good story that I think that anyone that’s a fan of kung fu flicks will enjoy.