FIST OF UNICORN

(Hong Kong 1973)

Original Title: Qi Lin Zhang 麒麟掌 (aka) Bruce Lee and I; The Unicorn Palm; Bruce and I; Force of Bruce Lee's Fist

Directed by Tang Ti Produced by Kuk Shing Hwa Action by Unicorn Chan, Bruce Lee Starring: Unicorn Chan, Hwang In Shik, Mang Hoi, Yasuaki Kurata, Mars, Ji Han Jae, Chin Ti, Tang Ti, Alexander Grand, Tina Chin Fei, Jackie Chan Reviewing: Cargo Movies German DVD Release Genres: Kung Fu / Drama / Comedy

Rating: 3.3 / 5

Cargo Movies German DVD Synopsis: His strongest film: He broke the chains of the karate stars and created his own film about a man who sets out to avenge his father's death. BRUCE LEE AND I is a large-scale, dramatic film, full of explosive action, as strong as a Leone Western. A worthwhile cinema evening for you too, who discovers a new, great piece of cinema with this films. Do you know this idol of millions? It's a young athletic karate fighter from Hong Kong: BRUCE LEE! He became a world star with just a few films, went to the USA with a $2 million fee and died and became a legend like JAMES DEAN. A real BRUCE LEE! Also in a supporting role: superstar JACKIE CHAN! (89 Mins)

Soulblade UK DVD Synopsis: Lung (Unicorn Chan), a peaceful traveller befriends a young boy named Tiger (Mang Hoi – The Gambling Ghost, The Buddha Assassinator), and accepts an invitation to stay with the boy and his mother. The two new friends visit an acrobatic martial arts show, whilst there, Wong, son of a local gang leader, takes a liking to Miao, daughter of the travelling acrobats, he then tries to bully them into a private performance, but this offer is rejected. Tiger seeing this insults Wong, which leads to a kung fu confrontation. Later Sun Thai (Yasuaki Kurata – Legend Of A Fighter, Fist Of Legend) Wong's henchman and his thugs go to retrieve the girl, but accidentally kill most of the performers. Lung find Miao and tries to take her under his protection, but Wong has her successfully kidnapped for his own amusement. Lung and Tiger go to rescue Miao, and once free the trio set on a quest for revenge using the hidden kung fu abilities of the Unicorn Palm. Fist Of Unicorn was made in 1972 when Unicorn Chan was offered a lead role in the movie on condition that he could arrange for his friend Bruce Lee to co-star alongside. Bruce declined, but agreed to helphis friend on the set and promote the picture. Bruce action choreographed on the movie, whilst in pre-production on The Game Of Death (1972 Uncompleted). Many top name co-stars can be seen in the film, especially from 'Way Of The Dragon', 'Fist Of Fury' and 'Game Of Death'. (82 Mins)

Views: When he parents are killed by a mysterious man, Ah-Lung spends his days in a local temple learning kung-fu to ready himself for revenge. As a young adult, he leaves on his mission to find the limping killer and soon meets a young man called Tiger. The boy invites Ah-Lung to live with him and his mum and later finds himself crossing paths with a gangster known as Wong. After a spate a killings enrages Ah-Lung, the roving warrior agrees to train young Tiger in the martial arts so they can both take revenge for their fallen friends and defeat the thugs!

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Having just gained my second copy of Fist Of Unicorn, it came to my attention that I actually had never even watched the first. My original was the UK release from Soulblade – an 82 minute version in letterbox widescreen, presented in its original language with English subtitles. A bonus in my eyes obviously. But then I watched the German DVD release from Cargo Movies which was just over 7minutes longer and a whole other story. In this longer version, the story begins with the murder of Unicorn's parents before cutting to him leaving the temple later in life. Oddly, the UK release doesn't show this and just begins with him arriving at the young kids' house. There's always been a little bit of controversy behind Fist Of Unicorn. After being offered the leading role, Unicorn Chan obtained the services of his lifelong friend Bruce Lee in assisting with the fight choreography. Oddly, the fights aren't really as spectacular as one would imagine. Another favour by Lee, it would seem, would be in having some of his regular co-stars from his past hits appear in the film. Regardless, the producers (and no doubt Unicorn himself) thought it would be a great idea to add some of the behind the scenes footage of Lee directing – something Bruce wasn't too happy about, understandably. That said, once you look past that kinda nonsense, Fist Of Unicorn isn't a bad show overall...

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Truth be told, I've never really saw the appeal of Unicorn Chan. Sometimes known as Little Unicorn, the swollen-faced kung-fu star started his career in 1950 as a young Fong Sai Yuk, quickly going onto star in almost 140 films over the following 30 years. While I no doubt caught his smaller roles in Bruce Lee's Fist Of Fury (1972) and Way Of The Dragon (1972) in my younger years, I mostly remember Chan for his role as the main bad guy in the super fun Shaolin Drunk Fighter (1983) which was also one of his last. That said, he clearly had enough of a presence to star in so much and here, in Fist Of Unicorn, he does impress on both a dramatic and physical level. Sadly, the Little Unicorn would pass away at the age of 40 in 1987. Chan's co-star, for the most part, is a young and very cute Mang Hoi – here playing a feisty bald kid named Tiger in what would only be his 6th or 7th role, with the young star would also appear in Lee's own Enter The Dragon that very same year. Of course, many of us know Mang Hoi from countless Hong Kong action classics in the 80s and 90s such as Zu: Warriors Of The Magic Mountain (1983), Yes Madam! (1985), Millionaires Express (1986), Legacy Of Rage (1986), Pedicab Driver (1989) and Lady Reporter (1989) of which he also directed.

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Joining them is a cast of many including the incredible Yasuaki 'Shoji' Kurata, the Japanese martial-artist and actor who had been impressing Hong Kong audiences previously in films such as The Angry Guest (1971), The Prodigal Boxer (1972), Four Riders (1972), and Fists Of Vengeance (1973) among others. Of course, Kurata would go onto wow audiences in many modern Hong Kong action movies such as Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars (1983), Millionaires Express (1986), Eastern Condors (1987), Fist Of Legend (1994) and So Close (2002), sharing the screen with Mang Hoi many times over the years. The lovely and talented Kitty Meng Chui does a great in the action scenes and stars as the sister of a stuttering, not to mention feisty, young Mars. Perhaps it's worth pointing out that a young Jackie Chan also appears throughout briefly (as a thug), with the future best friends also working together that year on Chan's underrated Cub Tiger From Kwantung (1973), as well as both appearing in Shaw Brothers films Ambush (1971), Village Of Tigers (1971), The Golden Lion (1971), The Black Tavern (1972) and others. Hapkido (1972) star and master, Ji Han Jae, shows up throughout but is never really utilised but for a couple of fights – one of which is an enjoyable showdown with his Korean counterpart and previous co-star Hwang In Shik. Of course, Hwang had also just worked with Bruce Lee the same year in Way Of The Dragon (1972).

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Another face from Way Of The Dragon (1972) who also appeared with Bruce Lee in Fist Of Fury (1972), is Alexander Grand – here playing another foreign fighter which he would tend to repeat in a number of Bruceploitation films such as The Dragon Lives Again (1977), Dragon On Fire (1978), The Dragon The Hero (1979), Bruce Vs Bill (1981), and The Clones Of Bruce (1981), among other Hong Kong titles. Prolific actor Chin Ti plays another silly villain, while Fist Of Fury (1972) and Way Of The Dragon (1972) actor, Paul Wei Ping Ao, co-stars as a Japanese gang boss. Tai Chi Hsia impresses as the Matriarch of the street performers, and fan-fave Lee Man Tai cameos briefly in the beginning. And finally, equally prolific actor Tang Ti stars as one of the other big baddies of the piece, Cripple Ho – a smaller role than many while doubling duties as the director of the piece. Although he made his directorial debut in 1960 with Romance In Law & Order, Tang only ever helmed 6 films over a 20 year period with Iron Bull (1973) and Drunken Arts & Crippled Fist (1979) being the only other two I've ever seen...

While hardly groundbreaking, Fist Of Unicorn still proves to be an enjoyable enough kung-fu adventure with a typical revenge storyline, but plenty of fast paced fight action on hand. I'd say that it's connection with Bruce Lee has brought it a lot more notoriety over the years than its own content has managed to do, putting itself out there as one of the earliest and obvious Bruceploitation flicks to some degree – although one I definitely don't need to hurry back to!

Overall: Watchable and entertaining for the most part, Fist Of Unicorn is a standard kung-fu revenge movie that has its moments, but there's no need to rush!

Cargo Movies DVD Extras: Premiere Footage, Trailers, Stills Gallery, Trailer Show

Soulblade DVD Extras: Re-mastered Subtitles, History Essay on Fist of Unicorn, Trailers