Dragon Princess
Year: 1976
Director: Yu Kahira
Rating: 7.0
Seen at Subway Cinema Fest.
It was almost like being back on 42nd Street
when they were filled with Grindhouses showing kung fu, karate and soft core
films. Minus the drunk throwing up in the corner, the homeless people sleeping
and the guy in the back getting favored by a person of indeterminate gender.
So almost like the good old days when I lived on 43rd and 8th after I first
moved to NYC in 1978 and these films were being shown. The Dragon Princess
shown was the American release of it - dubbed, cut and a weird dance sex
scene clearly inserted just for the hell of it! There was also a cheering
crowd yelling out the names of Chiba and Shiomi whenever they kicked the
crap out of someone. It made the film much more fun. Chiba Chiba!
The film in fact has three big Japanese
stars from this period who were involved in Chiba's karate films. Chiba of
course though he disappears from the story about 25 minutes in, Etsuko Shihomi
(known to the West as Sue Shiomi) and Yasuaki Kurata who also appeared in
a number of Hong Kong martial arts films. According to the introducer this
was the only film these three stars were in together. Chiba as actor and
producer was in the midst of turning out a series of terrific karate films
- his Street Fighter films and Etsuko's Sister Street Fighter films and Kurata
was in a couple of the Sister Street Fighter films. Etsuko was a pupil of
Chiba's martial arts school and he introduced her in his 1973 film, The Bodyguard,
before launching her in the Sister Streetfighter films.
The plot of this one is as basic as probably
the very first martial arts film made - revenge. A theme that just works
well and lends itself to a lot of satisfying action. Kazuma (Chiba) is badly
hurt in a duel with another martial artist who brings along a number of professional
killers to tilt the fight his way (one throws a dart into Kazuma's eye and
he continues to fight). This is witnessed by his small daughter who he then
brings up and trains to get revenge (this would be called child abuse today!).
In a bunch of near ongoing action she along with Kurata who is looking for
his revenge as well get it. The action is plentiful - even taking on four
vicious dogs with a few chops and kicks - and well choreographed. Shihomi
shines and as I mentioned a number of her films made their way over to the
USA and she became a Grindhouse star as well. It was such great fun seeing
it on the big screen in a rowdy crowd and I didn't really mind having no
drunks throwing up.
