- Year: 1982 (1979?)
- Starring: Dragon Lee, Phoenix Kim, Philip Cheung
- Directed by: Godfrey Ho
- Running time: 90 minutes
Dragon's Snake Fist is about the much used rival schools story. The movie opens on the beach with two men about to fight to settle who's school in number one. The Chou, Snake Fist Master wins the fight leaving Wai, the Crane Master with a crippled leg. Fast forward twenty-something years later and students of the Snake Fist students go out to spread their master's kung fu style throughout the land. Wai is still out there with a crippled leg and training his son in the Crane style with relies on pressure points. Dragon Lee plays Dragon Woo the star Snake Fist student and runs into some Crane school students only after leaving his school for a whole five minutes. That starts the thing going with Wai's son killing Chou and all the other Snake Fist teachers. Then the Crane school kidnaps Dragon's fiance and then it on as Dragon storms Wai's place leaving dead bodies in his wake.
I was disappointed with Dragon's Snake Fist as I had just watched another Dragon Lee/Godfrey Ho film, Secret Ninja, Roaring Tiger not too long ago. I enjoyed that one and had high hopes for Dragon's Snake Fist as they were made about the same time. Unfortunately, DSF couldn't keep my attention; maybe if they had used some nude scenes it would've been better.
The Korean performers are talented, but the lack of decent choreography limits their skills, although there are a few flashes here and there of something cool. There also is some undercranking that I didn't like, it was too comic booky and obvious. The movie revolves around two rivals schools, the Snake Fist and the Crane, but surprisingly neither school actually uses either style. Dragon Lee's Snake Fist style seems to use more kicking than handwork.
Dragon's Snake Fist does have it moments though. Dragon Lee fights a fire breathing guy, a guy gets his eyes poked out, and plenty of guys spit up blood upon being killed. In scenes featuring the Crane school there is usually this guy in the background with no shirt and he's also short a tooth or two. He just stands there making funny faces and playing with a straight razor and/or knife. I was wondering, "Who is that guy and why is he there?" Well, he does eventually do something when he shows up as the fire breathing fighter. When he first shows up he has a stick of fire in each hand and rubs them on his head lighting his hair on fire. He had a bad haircut anyway. Later after losing his fire sticks he dumps a bunch a metal spikes on the ground and proceeds to roll around on top of them sans shirt. That guy IS weird. I'm not sure what the point of that is other than to have Dragon Lee kick the spikes into the guy's face. That part IS cool. There is also a Japanese fight who carries around a sword, but when he pulls it out of the sheath, it's only like a foot long.
Dragon Lee plays it pretty straight, there isn't as much Bruce-y business going on. The one exception is during the opening credits. Music from Enter the Dragon plays while Dragon goes through his repertoire of Bruce Lee kicks, punches, and poses. The first time Dragon runs into Wai's son, the guy is trying to get Dragon to fight him, but Dragon replies, "I cannot fight you without a reason. Master, he's the one who taught me not to fight shit."
Well, on second thought Dragon's Snake Fist might not be as bad as I had originally thought. It starts off a bit slow, but picks up towards the end. Just fast-forward to the fights and you should be okay. It does have bloody killings, fire, and...yeah that's it. Near the end when Dragon storms into Wai's he is surrounded by Wai's men who come running and flipping up to him. Watch for the guy on the right who flips in then falls on his ass.
According to online sources Dragon's Snake Fist is from 1979, but after checking out the date on the credits, MCMLXXXII, that is 1982. Maybe 1982 was the North American release? I went with the date on the credits.
"Reviewed" by Keith.
Hey yo, go read my DVD review of The Dragon's Snake Fist from DG Distributors.
Bruceploitation
