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Dragon Fist

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Dragon Fist
File:DragonFist DVDcover.jpg
DVD cover (UK Ultrabit edition)
Directed byLo Wei
Written byWang Chung-pin
Produced byHsu Li-hwa
Lo Wei
StarringJackie Chan
Nora Miao
James Tien
Wu Wen-sau
CinematographyChen Yung-hsu
Edited byLeung Wing-chan
Music byFrankie Chan
Distributed byLo Wei Motion Picture Company
Release date
  • April 21, 1979 (1979-04-21)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryHong Kong Hong Kong
LanguageMandarin

Dragon Fist (simplified Chinese: 龙拳; traditional Chinese: 龍拳) is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts film directed and produced by Lo Wei, starring Jackie Chan, Nora Miao and James Tien. The film was released in the Hong Kong on April 21, 1979.

Like Chan's Spiritual Kung Fu, Dragon Fist was filmed in 1978 but could not be released because the studio was running out of money. As a result, both Lo Wei productions only saw a release after Chan returned from his loan period with Seasonal Films, where he made Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master with director Yuen Woo-ping. Unlike most of Jackie Chan's early films, Dragon Fist had a more serious tone, with little in the way of comedic moments.

Plot

Tang How-yuen (Jackie Chan) is a disciple of kung fu master San-thye. San-thye wins a martial arts tournament, only to be killed by evil kung fu master, Master Li (Yen Shi-kwan). Tang tries unsuccessfully to fight Chung, and leaves the evil master unharmed. Tang, along with San-thye's wife and daughter head after the killer to seek revenge. When they find him, Chung has repented and has cut off his own leg as penance. The master's widow becomes ill, so Tang goes to work for a gang in order to get her medicine. However, whilst in their employ, he is blamed for the death of a young boy, and San-Thye's widow is poisoned. Tang and the one-legged master join forces to defeat the evil lord who poisoned San-thye's widow.

Cast

  • Jackie Chan - Tang How-yuen
  • Hsu Hsia - Master King
  • Ou-Yang Sha Fei - Master King's wife
  • Nora Miao - Zhuang Meng-lan
  • Yen Shi-kwan - Master Li
  • Pearl Lin - Zhong Qiu-ping
  • James Tien - Fang Gang
  • Eagle Han-ying - Nan Qing
  • Ko Keung - Master Wing
  • Chui Yuen - Wing's student
  • Wong Kwong-yue - Wing's assistant
  • Chui Fat - Wing's assistant
  • Peng Kang - Wing's student
  • Wang Yao - Wing's student

DVD releases

  • On 15 February 2001, Seven 7 released the French language theatrical version entitled Le Poing De La Vengeance, with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. It contains no other language options.
  • On 22 October 2001, Eastern Heroes released the film in the UK, uncut (except for many frame-cuts). However, it's poorly cropped from 2.35:1 into 1.78:1 and only contains an English dub.
  • On 4 June 2002, Columbia Tri-Star released the film in the US, in 2.35:1 with English and Cantonese language options. However, it contains a heavily edited version produced by Aquarius Releasing (roughly 15 minutes missing) and is dubtitled.
  • On 24 February 2006, Universal Japan released the film in Japan, in 2.35:1 and with a Cantonese soundtrack. This version was the first completely uncut release on DVD, however, it does not feature any English subtitles.
  • On 11 June 2007, Hong Kong Legends released the film in the UK, in 2.35:1 and uncut in Cantonese language with newly-translated English subtitles.

Box office

The film grossed HK $1,004,000 HK in 1979 at the Hong Kong box office.

See also