(Hong Kong 1973)

Original Title: Long Hu Jin Hu 龍虎金剛 (aka) Pit of Fury; Tattoo Dragon

 

Directed by Lo Wei Produced by Raymond Chow Action by Simon Chui Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Samuel Hui, Sylvia Chang, James Tien, Lee Kwan, Simon Chui, Erh Chun, Lee Kwok Keung Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama / Gangster

 

Rating: 3 / 5

Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Written and directed by Lo Wei, the man behind the Bruce Lee’s international hits The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, The Tattooed Dragon was designed to bring martial arts superstar Jimmy Wang Yu (The One-Armed Swordsman) to a global audience still hungry for kung fu cinema in the aftermath of Lee’s death. Featuring Sylvia Chang (Slaughter in San Francisco) and James Tien (Shaolin Boxer) in a villainous role, it follows The Big Boss in pitting a legendary fighter against organised crime. Wang Yu stars as the eponymous Tattooed Dragon, a virtuous martial artist who makes a habit of defending the defenceless. After he is injured in a fight, he is taken in by a farmer (Samuel Hui, The Swordsman) and his sweetheart (Chang), and soon finds himself having to defend their local village when it becomes the target of a gangster (Tien) and his crew. Determined to lay their hands on the village’s rich resources, the gangsters install a casino and encourage the locals to gamble away everything they have. But the Tattooed Dragon has other idea. The Tattooed Dragon is a showcase for Jimmy Wang Yu following his move from Shaw Brothers to Golden Harvest in the early 1970s, boasting cinematography by Cheung Yiu-tsou (Police Story) and stunts coordinated by Simon Hsu (The Flying Guillotine). Eureka Classics is proud to present The Tattooed Dragon for the first time on Blu-ray anywhere in the world from a new 2K restoration. (98 Mins)

 

Legendary Collection/Fortune Star HK VCD Synopsis: Tattooed Dragon, a wandering knight, is injured after recovering the charity fund from a gang of bandits. He manages to escape, but then falls in faint at a riverside, but he's saved by a farmer Yeung, who lives with a dog in his hutch near the river, making a living by raising ducks. Leung, the leader of the gang, is mad at Dragon when he knows what happened. When Leung is told that the area is rich in mineral resources, he sets up a casino in the town, planning to buy up all the land from the locals if they lose money there. When recovered, Dragon is urged to stay to help them win back what they have lost. Leung us quite mad at him and comes with a group of top fighters,but Dragon has left the town. When Yeung fights against the bandits alone, his dog, senses his master is in danger and races to call back Dragon. He finds Yeung badly wounded when he returns to the town. He then storms Leung's stronghold and has the entire gang smashed. (98 Mins)

 

Views: Shot entirely in Thailand, like many other Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers productions from around this time – including director Lo Wei's Bruce Lee hit The Big Boss (1971) – The Tattooed Dragon was the third film that saw director Lo Wei and superstar Jimmy Wang Yu team-up for Raymond Chow and his Golden Harvest studios. Interestingly, their previous two – A Man Called Tiger and Seaman No.7 – where both shot in Japan just a year before. Simply put, the film tells the tale of a young hero called The Tattooed Dragon who comes to the rescue after some Thai gangsters take over a small town. Standing up to the gang members and their no-nonsense boss, the Tattooed Dragon eventually manages to bring them all down and bring peace back to the townsfolk...

 

I like The Tattooed Dragon. I don't love it, but it's a pretty decent Lo Wei picture that has a number of dramatic and impressive highlights along the way. By this stage, Wei had already been directing for two decades and had delivered over 40 films before this – including his two massive Bruce Lee hits with the aforementioned Big Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972). After it's exciting opening fight scene, viewers are treated to a colourful title sequence with shots of the actors strewn throughout as animated lightning crashes over them. While it still proves to be very creative and entertaining today, one can't help but think back to those fun animations seen in Monty Python whenever I see it. Translating as Dragon Tiger Iron King, the film ran for a week in Hong Kong cinemas but didn't exactly break any records. Of course, Golden Harvest had 15 other productions released that same year and were still getting over the loss of their biggest movie star to date – the legendary Bruce Lee!

 

Launching his career at the Shaw Brothers studio just less than a decade before, the controversial Jimmy Wang Yu stars as the titular hero. Back then, he had quickly become one of the biggest names in Hong Kong cinema with roles in films like Magnificent Trio (1966), The One-Armed Swordsman (1967), Golden Swallow (1968), Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman (1969), and The Chinese Boxer (1970) – his directorial debut which would also be his last for them. After a run of independent flicks including Zatoichi & The One-Armed Swordsman (1970), The Magnificent Chivalry (1971), The Sword (1971), and Furious Slaughter (1972), Wang Yu would join forces with the new Golden Harvest studios making the fantastic Invincible Sword (1972) and incredible self-directed One-Armed Boxer (1972) with them before starring in A Man Called Tiger, Seaman No.7 and this for director Lo Wei. Clearly taking it easy after starring in 12 features over 1972, these would be only three of nine productions Wang Yu would star in in 1973 along with the awesome Beach Of The War Gods of which he also directed. Respectively, the late star was never the most graceful of movers, but it's only fair to say that Jimmy Wang Yu never failed to entertain with his on-screen charisma and high energy.

 

The kung-fu star that never was, James Tien Chun, stars as this film's big baddie – delivering some really enjoyable moves during his fight scenes and proving that he has the ability when called for. Although he had starred in around 25 films by this stage and had worked with Lo Wei many times over the years before starring in The Tattooed Dragon. Some of those included Shaw Brothers titles such as The Golden Sword (1969) and Brothers Five (1970), as well as Golden Harvest movies The Invincible Eight (1971), The Blade Spares None (1971), The Big Boss (1971), Fist Of Fury (1971), Seaman No. 7 (1973) and A Man Called Tiger (1973) among many others. Of course, his career would go onto be quite prolific through to his final role in Sammo Hung's Blade Of Fury in 1993, of which he also worked on as an assistant director. Over the years, he did work alongside every major Golden Harvest star at the time (and then some), and definitely steals the show in The Tattooed Dragon as the best martial artist of the piece – as seen during the closing battle...

 

Both are joined by two young new stars – Cantopop idol Sam Hui and the wonderful Sylvia Chang. Clearly impressed with their performances, director Lo Wei would have them both star together once again in the fun Back Alley Princess that same year and then in it's sequel, Chinatown Capers (1974) just after it. While Sam would also star for Wei in Naughty Naughty (1974) just after that, both he and Sylvia Chang would go onto share the screen a number of times in Cinema City's fantastically fun Aces Go Places/Mad Mission (1982-86) series. Lo Wei regular and comedy character Lee Kwan, who also appeared in classics such as Fist of Fury 2 (1977), The Rebellious Reign (1980), The Legend Of The Owl (1981), Drunken Tai Chi (1984), and Fearless Hyena (1979) as well as many other Lo Wei produced Jackie Chan titles, also stars as one of the main characters in the story. And aside from a large Thai supporting cast, it's worth noting that assistant directors Erh Chun and Lee Kwok Keung also show up throughout.

 

With two lengthy fights within first ten minutes and a highly impressive final showdown, this basher style fight-flick offers some skirmishes and ring fights throughout the most of it's running time. While it's obvious that Jimmy Wang Yu and James Tien will get to show off their moves, the young Sam Hui also gets in on the action – both during kick-boxing matches and in a fight to the death with the latter and his men. These are choreographed by prolific actor and action-director Simon Chui, elder brother to the popular Tsui Siu Ming and director of kung fu films like Mantis Fists & Tiger Claws of Shaolin (1977), The Tough Kung Fu Kid (1978), The Kung Fu Warrior (1980) and The Crane (1980). While not one of Lo Wei or Jimmy Wang Yu's best efforts, The Tattooed Dragon is still a well made and entertaining piece that is definitely a product of it's time – yet holds up well over 50 years later as seen in this wonderful 2K restoration from Eureka Video!

 

Overall: Tidy, well made, and heavy on the drama at times, The Tattooed Dragon is still a worthy Wang Yu vehicle with it's end fight proving to be the highlight of the show!

 

Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Michael Worth, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Wei & The Dragon – Discussion with Wayne Wong, Alternate English Opening Credits, Original Trailer, US Trailer

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