Kung Fu Cult Cinema

Story: Leroy Green is a very passionate young man. Some people may perceive this passion as obsession. You see, Leroy has a preoccupation with the eastern world of the Kung fu film. He idolizes Bruce Lee, studies with a martial arts master, and even teaches the neighborhood children at his very own dojo. All would be well, but the local bully Sho’nuff and his cronies are quickly putting a stranglehold on the neighborhood citizens and the only thing that stands in their way is “Bruce Leroy”! Add one love interest in the form of the beautiful VJ Laura Charles, and a psychopathic talent promoter with a Napoleon complex, and you’ve got all the trappings of the old chop sockey films coupled with the style and panache of mid 80’s Motown.

Review: The people of the world can, and should, be split into one of two categories; those who have seen “Berry Gordy’s THE LAST DRAGON”, and those who have not. For those of you who have had the pleasure of watching the Milquetoast Leroy transition from the timid, kung fu geek, into the ass-whooping, ass-tapping, urbanite, please sit back and prepare to take a stroll down memory lane. For those of you who have not, I ask that you adjust your seatbelts, return your trays into the upright position, and get ready to fly sucka!

The mid 80’s must have been a rough time for Berry Gordy. The mastermind behind the success of the Motown record label no longer had the popularity of traditional 70’s R&B to provide its soundtrack for his regular trip to the bank. The airwaves were changing and the name of the tune was “pop”. A dismal cloud with a Day-Glo lining was upon us, but old Berry would be damned if he was going to let a fickle fan base bring his powerhouse enterprise to its knees. He did what he does best, change with the times and make something out of nothing! With that in mind, the creation of THE LAST DRAGON often comes across feeling as much like a showcase for El DeBarge as it does an action flick. During the first part of the film, the pace is actually set by El DeBarge’s hit single “Rhythm of The Night” as we are subjected to equal doses of both the music video and footage of local hipsters getting funky on the televised dance party show, 7th Heaven. The soundtrack is a virtual plethora of all that Motown had to offer, for better or for worse.

That’s all fine and dandy, but this film is really only about one thing. THE SHOGUN OF HARLEM!!! That’s right kiddies, this film deserved an award if for no other reason than having one of the most ridiculously timeless bad guys ever. As Leroy watches ENTER THE DRAGON in a crowded Harlem theater, eating his popcorn (with chopsticks mind you), in walks one of the silliest gangs ever to suffer the wrath of Eighties fashion. Like ugly brides maids before an even uglier bride, the gang comes strolling on down the aisle, only to await their leader’s queue for one of the greatest catch phrases of all time…

“Who is the baddest-mofo-low-down-around-this-town?”

“SHO'NUFF!!!”

A similar rhetoric carries on for some time before a member of the audience takes a stand. Leroy, being the pacifist that he is, refuses to use his skills against The Shogun of Harlem and proceeds to leave as the array of movie goers suffer through the fury of The Shogun.

Meanwhile, local entrepreneur Eddie Arcadian poses as the films alternate villain and the brains behind the brawn. Seems Eddie has a new act that he wants to be showcased on 7th Heaven and he dispatches all means of dastardly deed to bring this event to fruition. Try though as he may, the lovely Laura manages to avoid his advances with a little help from the local ninja master. The union of Laura and Leroy eventually spawns the union of Eddie and Sho’nuff , bringing us towards our final showdown.

Ultimately, this film is just a lot of fun and a lot of cheese. Splitting at the seams with great one-liners, entertaining conflict, and a sense of fashion, this film stands the test of time while still managing to act as both a reminder and an introduction to the way things were in the 80’s.