Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Fighting Dragon (1975)


1975 - The Fighting Dragon (Golden Films Company) 

[Hong Kong production partly filmed in the Philippines, also released as "Challenge Me Dragon", re-released theatrically in the US in 1982 as "Fighting Dragon vs The Deadly Tiger"; also released in France as "Le Dragon Rouge Contre Les Griffes De La Mort", in Germany as Die Todesfaust der Killerkralle", in Denmark as "Dragens Blodige Hævn"]

NOTE: Sometimes confused with Call Me Dragon (dir. Ng See-Yuen, 1974), also starring Bruce Liang/Leung Siu-Lung and Yasuaki Kurata.

Director Peng Chien [sometimes listed as Pang Him] Screenplay Wu Shih [HKMDB instead lists Ng Sek] Producer Hsiao Yin-Fang [sometimes listed as C.F. Hsiao] Executive Producer Chang Hung [HKMDB lists him instead as Production Manager] Cinematography Liang Hsi-Ming [also listed as Leung Hey-Ming] Music Frankie "Chen"/Chan Fan-Kei [sometimes listed as Yung-Yu Chen] Editor Cheng Keung [sometimes listed as Kuang Cheng] Assistant Director Yue Man-Wa [sometimes listed as Wen-Hua Yue] Sound Recordist Chang Hua Costume Designer Koo Che [sometimes listed as Che Ku] Lighting Fung Man-King [sometimes listed as Wen-Ching Fung] Makeup S. S. Tang Sheung-Sam [sometimes listed as Shang-Hsin Teng]

Cast Bruce "Liang"/Leung Siu-Lung (Interpol Agent Leung Kin Sun), Yasuaki Kurata (Lung Yen Fei), Lee Ka-Ting (Red Scorpion), Bolo Yeung Sze (Red Faced Tiger), Chan Lau  (Purple Snake), Ma Chien-Tang, Chu Gam, Lam Hak-Ming (Thug), Tony Leung Siu-Hung (Taxi Driver/extra), Lee Fat-Yuen (extra), Ng Ka-Wai, Kam Ching-Yan, Yau Mei-Chi, Chow Sau-Kuen, Cheung Ang, Lau Tat-Chi, Tamagawa Isao, Mitani Noboru, Fukawa Fusayo, Yoshida Noboru        
    
SYNOPSIS: The story begins as Leung Yun Fei arrives in Hong Kong to find out the reason his master was killed. As he exits the airport, a undercover Interpol agent is intercepting a kidnapping attempt by the "Black Panther" gang. Gang leader "Red Faced Tiger" manages to kidnap a woman named Ms. Lin to be held for ransom. Now, Leung seeks to save the woman and find his master's killer. This will lead him down a dark and violent road out of Hong Kong to Japan and the Philippines, as he battles waves of formidable gang members such as "Purple Snake", "Red Dragon", and "The Blue Cat" to get some answers, and his revenge.

Review from the Hong KongMovie Database:

This flick could’ve been much better. The flick was doing good until Bolo dies. Bolo plays an unlit Marlboro chomping, Hawaiian shirt wearin’ thug named the Red Faced Tiger. What a sight! The flick reminds me of a modern day Fists of Fury. Lung Yen Fei (Yusuaki Kurata) returns from Japan in a white suit (like Bruce) to find out the cause of his Sifu’s death. Like Master Fok Yuen Gap in Fists of Fury, the death of Lung Yen Fei’s Sifu is hard to fathom as he was healthy and his gung fu was fantastic. After some snooping around, not to mention being at the right place at the right time, Lung Yen Fei finds out that that the Black Leopard criminal society is the cause behind his Sifu’s death. An Interpol agent, Leung Kin Sun (Bruce Liang) is also investigating the Black Leopard gang’s activities and at times manages to lend the Fighting Dragon a helping hand. For the most part, Bruce Liang’s appearances are temporary and do nothing to bring the flick to another level of entertainment. Forget about this flick. Watch up to Bolo’s last hurrah and then turn off your TV. Below average fare.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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