Xia nan yang (1974)

Xia nan yang (1974). Xia nan yang: Directed by Chun-Ku Lu. With Tony Ferrer, Alona Alegre, Dick Chan, Jimmy Lee. Decent, simple, honest Chinese farmhand and ace martial artist Tai-Lin goes to the Philippines to seek his fortune. He befriends scruffy petty street hoodlum Siao-Mao and gets a job as a dock worker. When Tai-Lin discovers that the people he works for are involved in a crime syndicate that specializes in smuggling opium, he quits his job and joins forces with two fellow martial artists against the evil organization.

“u0026quot;Black Dragon,u0026quot; as itu0026#39;s known in the West, is a rare martial arts film that offers a lot more than great fight scenes. Unlike countless other kung fu movies from the 70u0026#39;s this one has a story that is as engaging as the stellar, high octane fight scenes on display. Jason Piao Pai plays one of the most likable characters in cinema history, as illiterate farmer Tai-Lin, who heads to the Philippines in hopes of escaping poverty. Once in the big city Tai-Lin must face thieves, drug smugglers and killers. The story becomes one of redemption, when he decides to take a street urchin under his wing after the guy tries to rob him…twice! Believing in his motheru0026#39;s advice that nobody is beyond help, his thieving sidekick eventually becomes a loyal friend and a good person. And when Tai discovers that his boss is using Chinese laborers to secretly traffic heroin to mainland China, Tai joins a rebel gang who are attempting to crush the drug syndicate. This is where Ron Van Clief comes in, as the muscle of this anti-crime cartel, and his martial arts skills are pretty ferocious; the guy is like a charging bull here. Of course Van Clief is presented as the central character on all the posters State Side, which is understandable for marketing reasons. No matter, Van Clief is still a strong presence throughout, and Jason Piao Pai easily carries the film with his charisma and incredible kung fu moves. Why this guy didnu0026#39;t become big the way Bruce Lee did is a mystery, because he really had the magic. Sadly u0026quot;Black Dragonu0026quot; is only available in various poor quality prints, although the one released on the u0026#39;Exploitation Cinemau0026quot; label does preserve itu0026#39;s widescreen picture ratio. This movie is one of the undiscovered gems of the martial arts genre, featuring a fantastic story, likable characters and some truly bloody, mean spirited fight scenes. Itu0026#39;s also got Ron Van Clief kicking serious ass, so fans of the genre should track this one down..”