dave j
Some bad Japanese martial artists clashing with Chinese martial artists over a rare Chinese herb.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
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Audience Member
The plot is pretty standard 'evil japanese vs good chinese' but the fighting is cool and there are some great cheesy moments and dubbing comedy.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/12/23
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Audience Member
When Japanese badguys want the antidote Dragon herb in order to squeeze people sick from the plague, a small village that makes is must defend themselves with a fighting tournament. However, they are not strong enough and a fugitive becomes their champion.
Its your usual action fare,with choreography done by Woo Ping Yuen. The fights aren't amazing, but a very nice vicious battle on the beach caps it all off.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
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Audience Member
You know there's going to be problems when you horde the herb. The Japanese are down with the herb so when a small village isn't sharing, these crazy Judo chopping fools decide it's time to take their share of the magical healing herb. Wouldn't you?
This film is jam packed full of crazy martial arts goodness. While the dub was classic bad, the music is what really sets this film apart. If you get a chance to watch the film, try and pay attention to the music. You may just find it a little familiar.
While the story might seem a little cliche and standard fair for a kung fu flick, the abundance of action makes up for it.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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Audience Member
Bad guys come looking for 'the dragon herb' and they pronounce herb with a hard h sound every single time. And I laughed every single time. Highlights also include a guy with crazy eyebrows, a hero who combs his hair before any big fight, and a villain who covers his face with a hankie for the first quarter of the film. And the opening credits say Edithing instead of editing. It's pretty fun, though not very good.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
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Audience Member
Yuen Wo Ping choreographed, Ng See Yuen directed tail of Chinese wanderer and wanted outlaw, played by Chen Sing, set against a background of a Chinese small village threatened by a group of brutal Japanese thugs. The latter plot device was common to HK flicks of the â70s (Bloody Fists was released in â72). As was also common of such plot contrivances it is a local outcast Chinese slime ball who brings the Japanese to town. In âBloody Fistsâ the Japanese are coming to town for Dragon Herb, a dried up looking little perennial that apparently is a cure for some plague both the Chinese and Japanese fear.
The first fight of the movie introduces us to Singâs character as he tries to hold up a car along a country road in what is obviously a set-up to catch him. Before he kicks butt he pulls a pimp move this reviewer has never before seen in an HK flick, he pulls a short comb out, runs it through his hair and break the comb before going absolutely Fu-nuts and jabbing his fist into a dudes chest! After a short lull in the action to set up the story, the Japanese finally come to town and chaos ensues as the Chinese do not want to sell the Dragon Herb to the Japanese. Get ready for the first of many snickers youâll have during this flick as we meet the top Japanese thug who is played by Chan Kuan Tai, at least later in the movie â at this point heâs played by a poor stand-in who wears a black mask over his nose and mouth to disguise that heâs NOT Tai. This guy talks but doesnât fight, thatâs saved for Kuan Tai when he joins the film. Kuan Tai was âon loanâ from Shaw Brothers at the time âBloody Fistsâ was made and one can thus imagine that he was unavailable during the initial sequence filming so a stand-in was needed. Anyhow, the guy looks goofy as all get out in this disguise and you will find yourself laughing out loud. But wait it out the real Kuan Tai is coming!
The next major fight is a formal âduelâ between a Japanese and village representative with the prize being access to the Dragon Herb. The Japanese dude (with big bushy eyebrows) kicks the first villagerâs ass while Sing watches on, almost getting involved as he starts to pull his pimp move but stops short of breaking the comb and getting involved as another villager takes over. Soon the duel spreads to two Japanese and two villagers (more evenly matched) but before a winner is determined the Kuan Tai stand-in stops the fight when Sing throws a coin into the âringâ. The only one who apparently sees the man who throws the coin is the Kuan Tai stand-in who in telling his underlings dramatically takes off the mask to tell them he wants Sing dead, at which point we see a brief glimpse of the man who clearly NOT Kuan Tai. The very next scene when the Japanese meet Sing walking through a field, the Japanese head thus IS played by an unmasked Kuan Tai. After a short fight with a couple underlings, Sing simply walks away from Kuan Tai and his gang â again a very MacDaddy move! Not to worry Sing isnât gone for long as heâll soon come down with the âplagueâ and need of Dragon Herb (and thus need the villagers again, and of course soon be in conflict with the Japanese again).
Soon the Japanese fighters begin to come out the woodwork (including some Samuri sword-wielding fellows) to challenge the villagers for Dragon Herb, and the blood begins to flow in a major way. Solid Chinese vs. Japanese fu choreography Woo Ping style. As was typical of Chinese vs. Japanese plot lines, the Japanese are brutal, ruthless and heartless sadists, and rapists (yes there is an obligatory rate scene), while the Chinese are peace loving, good-doers trained with Kung Fu only as a defense against those like the Japanese.
On a little side note, the music in âBloody Fistsâ is hilarious: there are snippets from Connery era James Bond movie music, stuff from Black Sabbathâs debut album, and even one American viewers familiar with daytime soaps will get a chuckle out of. Remember the title song from âthe Young and the Restlessâ (âNadiaâs Themeâ)? Well itâs here, although âBloody Fistsâ probably lifted the incidental music (called "Cotton's Dream") from the 1971 theatrical film âBless the Beasts and Childrenâ, since âBloody Fistsâ was released in â72 and Y&R began to air â73. Anyhow, watching Sing recover from the âplagueâ to the Y&R theme is funny!
The final showdown between Sing and the Japanese, especially Kuan Tai, is set in motion when Sing, who has recovered from the âplagueâ and is leaving town again, finds the slain mute boy who, along with the âgrandfatherâ character, helped nurse Sing back to health. On taking the boy back to âgrandfatherâ Sing catches the Japanese killing âgrandfatherâ, thus sealing the ultimate fate of the Japanese. The finale takes place on the beach where the Japanese are torturing the locals to give up the Herb. Sing wastes no time dispensing of Japanese henchmen, although the last couple give him a temporary run until he pulls his pimp comb move (complete with âTemple of Doomâ chest punch). Now itâs Kuan Taiâs turn â these two beat the bloody hell out of each other, first hand-to-hand, then via weapons, then hand-to-hand again. This is an ending to wait for â the first real fighting Kuan Tai has done the whole movie. Simply awesome!
While the story is a tad lame and overdone, the fighting is brutal and frequent. 4.5 stars and well deserved as an old skool classic.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
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