Chinatown Kid (1977)

Director: Chang Cheh

Producer: Run Run Shaw

Writer: Chang Cheh, I. Kuang

Cast: Fu Sheng, Kuo Chui, Sun Chien, Lo Mang, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng, Tsai Hung, Wang Lung Wei, Shirley Yu, Jenny Tseng, Hui Ying Hung

Running Time: 120 min.

Plot: A man involved in local gangs in his home country is forced to leave home because of trouble among the gangs. He moves to San Francisco where the same gang is just as disruptive. He puts together a plan to destoy the gangs by pitting them against one another to rid the area of these bad guys.

MIGHTY PEKING MAN'S REVIEW: "Chinatown Kid" has it all, baby! Gangsters in bad polyester suits, first-rate kung fu action, hot Asian babes, memorable villains and even a little dose "Heroic Bloodshed" years before John Woo made it official. The late Fu Sheng is terrific and his screen presence lies somewhere between Bruce Lee and Chow Yun-Fat. What I really like is that it's not your typical chopsocky ride. Martial arts aside, there are many true-to-life messages and morals that lie within the story.

Some funny notes: It is so obvious that this film wasn't filmed in San Francisco's Chinatown - it's ashamed, because as epic as this film is, it deserves to be. Even Bruce Li made a movie in Chinatown (see Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth). It was still a joy to see how creative the production team did on the fake sets; just look at all the neat and colorful pizza parlors, hot dog stands, laundry mats, etc.

"Chinatown Kid" is Chang Cheh's forerunner to "Scarface".

MIGHTY PEKING MAN'S RATING: 8.5/10

GOLDENFIST'S REVIEW: This film is not only a good kung fu flick, but also a good movie that teaches us about life's issues: drugs, gangs, power, violence, greed and materialism. You would have to see the movie yourself to see my point. This was all in the form of a digital watch.

GOLDENFIST'S RATING: 9/10