Tuesday, August 31, 2010

See The Hit Movie The Last Dragon

By Dwayne Todd

The Last Dragon is a film that was produced by Motown Records in the mid eighties as a sort of a Kung Fu comedy flick. It was really meant to promote some music from the company like Oh Sheila, but the flick has actually stood the test of time as one of the all time must download movies of the eighties. It's a lot of fun, it's kind of corny, and it works as an action movie.

The story follows a young man nicknamed "Bruce Leroy", a Harlem martial artist who teaches Kung Fu to the local kids. He works at his father's pizza place, delivering pies on foot and deals with his rival, Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem... Yep. Sho'Nuff... The Shogun of Harlem. This incredibly goofy martial arts tale takes place on the real streets of modern day Harlem and creates a really quirky, one of a kind movie.

He really is a great character. Maybe one of the all time classic comedy movie villains. He's colorful, ridiculous, short tempered and always funny. He wears visor sunglasses (You know, the ones that look like horizontal blinds), as well as shoulder pads, hakama (the baggy pants you always see in samurai films), and a top knot/Rick James kind of hair style. It's just plain hilarious watching him come on screen. He always starts with his big introductory piece, demanding that his lackeys affirm his meanness, badness and prettiness before engaging in any business.

There's a subplot that you probably... Won't take too much interest in. See, Leroy is after the heart of this girl who produces a local music show, and there's this sleazy promoter who's trying to get his girlfriend's new single played on her show. When you see the video, you'll grimace and shudder in embarrassment just for watching it, so... It's funny, but you find yourself wishing they'd just get back to the kung fu already!

But don't worry, it gets back to that soon enough when the promoter hires the meanest hombres in town to take Leroy down, culminating in a massive brawl with Leroy and his students on one side, and a gang of colorful thugs on the other, including a great big fat white guy with a gray Mr. T mohawk and a gold colored jumpsuit... Strange characters, indeed.

There are also some really fun, corny moments along the way. At one point, Leroy tries to seek wisdom from the guy who writes the fortune cookies at the local Chinese restaurant, only to find that they're written by a computer. Therein he finds that zen wisdom of emptiness and being.

Could the movie have been better without the weird subplot about the record promoter? Sure, but even so, it's one of the all time classic eighties flicks, and one of the best attempts at spoofing the Kung Fu genre while at the same time honoring it. It's also just plain a whole lot of fun.

So it's exciting, it's funny, and it has all the goofiness and colorful style you want from an eighties movie. Give it a download. - 40726

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