THE CHINESE MACK
- Year: 1974
- Starring: Chan Wai Man, Travador Ramos
- Directed by: Herman Hsu
In a interview I read recently with Chan Wai Man, he had the following to say regarding the "Bruceploitation" genre that arose in the wake of Bruce Lee's death:
Bey Logan: After Bruce Lee died, there was quite a demand on the international scene for a `new Bruce LeeŽ. Did you ever get approached by an overseas film company?
Chan Wai Man: Yes, but I didn't do it. Firstly, I don't want to dishonor the memory of Bruce Lee by trying to capitalize on his death. Secondly, I feel that anyone making an obvious effort to copy Bruce Lee is going to get laughed at!
Well, I guess it is time for us to start laughing at Chan Wai Man. With his film THE CHINESE MACK, he makes a pretty obvious attempt to mimic Bruce Lee. And, worst of all, he does one of the worst jobs I have ever seen.
Chan Wai Man stars as Chow Yin (not sure of the spelling there but it is phonetically similar), a young man who, along with his mother, live with a rich man and his family. As a child he would watch the hired marital arts master try to train the two spoiled sons. Over the ensuing years, he learns kung fu exceptionally well, prompting the master to take Yin to his own master to learn the "death blows." Once proficient in these deadly arts, he proves his worth by defending the family from some thugs, but things go wrong when he moves to the city and begins indulging in the "sins of the flesh." Uh, oh!
The film is pretty standard stuff. Chan Wai Man has a lot of talent and all of his fights are very good. But we are here to examine the level of "Bruceploitation" present.
Exhibit A: Chan Wai Man's clothes. As a pauper, he wears the standard THE BIG BOSS outfit (white shirt and blue pants). When he becomes rich, he switches to the FIST OF FURY outfit (all white ensemble). It is pretty obvious that they are the filmmakers are trying to make him look like Lee.
Exhibit B: The plot. While there are several sub-plots in the film, the one dealing with him being seduced by the "sins of the flesh" is straight out of THE BIG BOSS.
Exhibit C: The most damning evidence: Chan's fighting style. Although devoid of the Bruce Lee screams, he is definitely ripping off Lee here. It is most evident in a fight in a rock quarry mid-way through the film. Chan adopts the Bruce Lee stance at several points, going so far as to thumb his nose. At that precise moment, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I knew we had some "Bruceploitation" on our hands.
Given the aforementioned evidence, we the jury find the defendant, Chan Wai Man:
Reviewed by William
Bruceploitation
