The Last Dragon a.k.a Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon
Delphi III Productions, Motown Productions, USA, 1985.
'Bruce' Leroy Green (Taimak) reaches the highest level of Kung Fu that his Master (Thomas Ikeda) can teach. Leroy travels to Harlem to search for Master Sum Dum Goy to learn the secrets of mystical power the Glow. Sho'Nuff (Julius J. Carry III) , the self-proclaimed Shogun of Harlem bullies everyone and Leroy is still not prepared to oppose him. Sho'Nuff apparently has a bad memory as he is always asking his followers who he is.
| 'Bruce' Leroy Green |
| The Master |
| Sho'Nuff |
Nasty pop mogul Eddie Arkadian (Christopher Murney) tries to kidnap singer Laura Charles (Vanity) to promote awful music videos of his protege Angela (Faith Prince) but Leroy saves her. Eddie hires every hoodlum in Harlem to beat Leroy into pulp. Luckily Leroy gets new friends and also some tips about women from his bratty little brother Richie (Leo O'Brien).
| Eddie Arkadian |
| Laura Charles |
| Angela Viracco |
This is a movie I saw as a kid, and it was cool then. It is fun still although 1980s campiness is more apparent now. "The Last Dragon" is a nice 1980s- action comedy with Bruce Lee-admiring hero. The story has tongue-in-cheek humour and no-one dies. Bruce Lee's films tend to be more serious, more this follows the comedical approach of Jackie Chan. Taimak kicks well and it is a small wonder he hasn't made a bigger Film career as Kung Fu star. "The Last Dragon" has remained Taimak's most famous film role but he has made a successful career as Martial Arts instructor.
Founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy produced a blaxploitation homage, including Disco/Pop songs from his stars so the film is almost a semi-musical. Prince's protege Vanity has the role of the lady in distress. As the story is made to appeal younger generation, the sharpest edges of the 70s blaxploitation films are omitted, and so the hero is not Sexual Tyrannosaurus as many colleagues in the 70s, but a shy guy who has a lot to learn about the Power of Luuv. Still his Kung Fu skills make women have crush on him. This is probably the only film where woman tries to seduce a man by showing him a Bruce Lee movie.
Founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy produced a blaxploitation homage, including Disco/Pop songs from his stars so the film is almost a semi-musical. Prince's protege Vanity has the role of the lady in distress. As the story is made to appeal younger generation, the sharpest edges of the 70s blaxploitation films are omitted, and so the hero is not Sexual Tyrannosaurus as many colleagues in the 70s, but a shy guy who has a lot to learn about the Power of Luuv. Still his Kung Fu skills make women have crush on him. This is probably the only film where woman tries to seduce a man by showing him a Bruce Lee movie.
| Wooo! |
William H. Macy has a role as Laura's manager JJ.
| JJ |
Rating: Good
Starring: Taimak, Vanity, Christopher Murney, Julius J. Carry III, Faith Prince, Leo O'Brien, Mike Starr, Jim Moody, Glen Eaton, Ernie Reyes Jr., Roger Campbell, Esther Marrow, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Jamal Mason, B.J. Barie, Sarita Allen, Jacqui Lee Smith, Jodi Moccia, Sal Russo, Chazz Palminteri, Frank Renzulli, Torrance Mathis, André D. Brown, David Claudio, Kirk Taylor, Shonte, Janet Bloem, Lisa Dalton, Henry Yuk, Michael G. Chin, Fredric Mao, Thomas Ikeda, William H. Macy, Trulie MacLeod, Gary Aprahamian, Lou David, Verne Williams, Captain Haggerty, Ernie Reyes Sr., Robert Silver, Clayton Prince, Brandon Schultz, Carl Anthony Payne II, Anthony Cortino, Sebastian Hitzig, Lia Chang, Derek Schultz, Rhonda Ross Kendrick, Peter Traina, Freddie Stroble, Jack Meeks, Joe Dabenigno, Soo Gin Lee, Scott Coker, Julian Villanueva, Charlene, Joey Gironda, Tony D. Head, Silvia Mathis Manning, Jill Powell, Kariim Ratcliff, Monique Lisa Reilly, Ron Van Clief
Director: Michael Schultz
