“Flying Fists! – The Definite Guide to Western Martial Arts Films of the 1970s” Book Cover
Here at cityonfire we’re always supportive of our readers kung-fu cinema related endeavours, and John Beckett recently released the tomb Flying Fists! – The Definite Guide to Western Martial Arts Films of the 1970s, an entertaining look at the state of the martial arts genre outside of Asia during the funkiest decade!
Read the full press release below, and it can be purchased from the usual retailers –
It all began in 1973. A television series called Kung Fu was transmitted, and a film called Enter the Dragon was released. Together they revitalised a genre!
This book concerns itself mainly with what occurred after those two events, and how interest in martial arts cinema left Asia and exploded across the Western world throughout the 1970’s, inspiring offerings from countries as far-flung as Italy, the USA, Turkey, Mexico and Australia.
From Wonder Women in April 1973 to The Deadly Art of Survival in 1979, John Beckett has donned his tightest pair of bell-bottomed trousers, and teased his remaining hair into the most impressive of bouffants in order to watch and comment on every Western film featuring martial arts to be released in the decade. Join him as he meets characters like Ron van Clief and Bolo Yeung, faces Golden Vampires as well as Golden Needles, discovers not one but two martial arts versions of The Three Musketeers, and watches more planes flying over Hong Kong Harbour than you can shake a pair of nunchuks at.
Encounter a variety of suave action heroes, a ninja or two and at least one kung-fu fighting ape and prepare to endure the best, and the absolute worst, that martial arts cinema has to offer.
Get ready for the irreverent adventure of a lifetime …
