17 recensioni
I was given the chance to watch "Enter the Fat Dragon" (aka "Fei Lung gwoh gong") from 1978 here in 2019. And with it being a martial arts movie from Hong Kong, and starring Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, of course I sat down and watched it.
Odd, how I've managed to evade this movie up until now, because this was a glorious combination of spoof and homage to Bruce Lee and his unique style of movies and movie-making. And Sammo Kam-Bo Hung was superb in the role.
There is a wonderful combination of action, storytelling, drama and comedy throughout the course of "Enter the Fat Dragon", with emphasis on comedy and action, of course.
This is definitely an old school type of martial arts, and a very enjoyable one as well. So I am sure that the movie will be enjoyable to almost anyone who has an interest in martial arts movies.
"Enter the Fat Dragon" is a movie that is well worth sitting down and watch, especially given the wonderful sense of combination of spoof and homage that they put together here.
Odd, how I've managed to evade this movie up until now, because this was a glorious combination of spoof and homage to Bruce Lee and his unique style of movies and movie-making. And Sammo Kam-Bo Hung was superb in the role.
There is a wonderful combination of action, storytelling, drama and comedy throughout the course of "Enter the Fat Dragon", with emphasis on comedy and action, of course.
This is definitely an old school type of martial arts, and a very enjoyable one as well. So I am sure that the movie will be enjoyable to almost anyone who has an interest in martial arts movies.
"Enter the Fat Dragon" is a movie that is well worth sitting down and watch, especially given the wonderful sense of combination of spoof and homage that they put together here.
- paul_m_haakonsen
- 3 lug 2019
- Permalink
"Enter the Fat Dragon" is one of the funniest martial art movies I had the opportunity to see. Sammo Hung portrays a Chinese farm boy that comes to visit a city friend. Just like Tang Lung of "Way of the Dragon." Wherever Sammo goes, trouble starts, therefore he has to rely on his martial art skills to solve the differences. Luckily, Sammo's character learns martial arts by imitating and mimicking his idol, Bruce Lee. He even strokes his nose with his thumb exactly the way Bruce Lee does and also releases his screeching yell. He also uses nunchucks in a scene. It was like watching a fat Bruce Lee. There's a great showdown near the end of the movie which consists of foreign fighters. Sammo has to encounter each opponent one by one. Sort of like "The Game of Death", where each fighter possesses a different martial art discipline from one another.
This is one of the films I really enjoyed watching and also the very first Sammo Hung movies I've seen. Excellent fight scenes and a lot of laughs. A rare classic Sammo Hung film I highly recommend for all you martial art fans out there. 8.5/10!
This is one of the films I really enjoyed watching and also the very first Sammo Hung movies I've seen. Excellent fight scenes and a lot of laughs. A rare classic Sammo Hung film I highly recommend for all you martial art fans out there. 8.5/10!
This is of of Sammo's great early comedy films. This isn't a parody of enter the dragon, the main character (Sammo) is obsessed with Bruce Lee and emulates him freakishly well for a man of his size. Nominal story about how his fighting keeps causing his loved ones trouble - then fighting. Oh, the fighting. Good, fast-paced scenes with high impact (the white guy who plays a boxer looks like he really gets hurt by one of Sammo's kicks).
The funniest bit of this movie was purely unintentional. There is a Jim Kelly looking guy (one of three experts hired to take out Sammo), but he was a Chinese guy in blackface with an afro-wig. Come on, didn't they have any real black people in Hong Kong in 1978? Well, I guess I've seen enough white fake-as-hell "Chinese people" in old American movies too.
This is one is for any Sammo or Bruce Lee fan.
The funniest bit of this movie was purely unintentional. There is a Jim Kelly looking guy (one of three experts hired to take out Sammo), but he was a Chinese guy in blackface with an afro-wig. Come on, didn't they have any real black people in Hong Kong in 1978? Well, I guess I've seen enough white fake-as-hell "Chinese people" in old American movies too.
This is one is for any Sammo or Bruce Lee fan.
- the_cheese_23
- 20 giu 2003
- Permalink
Sammo Hung directed and stars in this parody of Enter the Dragon. Parody might be a bit strong, it's somewhere between a parody and a tribute to the late great Bruce Lee. You can't take this movie too seriously, but if you go in with the right mindset it's fairly entertaining. There is a lot of comedy thrown in with a few really good kung fu scenes. No surprise that Sammo is good with the jokes, but he definitely has some kung fu skills! He has an uncredited role in the original Enter the Dragon where he fights Bruce Lee.
**1/2 (Out of 4)
**1/2 (Out of 4)
I am a big fan of movies coming from Hong Kong, though I must admit that I go for Hong Kong movies made from the early '80s to the present day - I find Hong Kong films from the '70s to be fairly dull and mostly indistinguishable from each other. But I enjoyed this early Sammo Hung movie. True, there isn't a great plot here - the plot only starts after thirty minutes, and it moves VERY slowly. And I think there will be some viewers who will be offended that a character of African descent is portrayed by an Asian man in an afro wig and blackface. But despite flaws like those, the movie overall is fun. The fights are pretty good, and the movie's sense of humor (mostly in a slapstick vein) is genuinely funny at times. The movie is a good showcase for Hung's fighting and comic skills, and will entertain fans of Hong Kong movies.
This loving tribute to Bruce Lee from Sammo is very funny and features scenes that are great homages to the Little Dragon. Something that brings the film down is its naive attempt at a Jim Kelly parody/tribute that is in rather bad taste. An otherwise worthwhile entry.
- coconutkungfu-30704
- 18 feb 2020
- Permalink
Phew, that starts with some nasty animal cruelty. Let's archive this under Time Context. In times when animals are still 'used', only packaged in a way that is less disturbing to the eyes, such filmic relics shouldn't matter anyway. Anything else is hypocrisy. Better the bizarre blackfacing in the last third, that doesn't hurt anyone. There was just no, I would now like to quote verbatim, [...] on the spot.
'Enter The Fat Dragon', a humorous Bruce Lee homage instead of Bruceploitation, which is slowly going out of fashion. However, 'The Way Of The Dragon' is more of a role model than the humorous borrowing of the name. Humour here primarily means slapstick, which is further enhanced by the German dubbing, the best in the world. Following the example of Italian action-comedy films, Peking Opera buddies Sammo Hung and Jackie Genre in particular founded their own enormously successful Eastern sub-genre. 'Drunken Master' and "Snake In The Eagle's Shadows" were classics in the same year. Hung's fighting skills are remarkable, particularly his kicking technique, especially considering his stature. Nevertheless, it has to be said that, compared to Chan, he develops less of his own style and tends to focus more on the entertaining predicate 'I'm fat and I can still do anything'. In this film, he mainly uses Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do technique in line with the premise. Always with a wink, of course. Sounds like I would be thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately, not really. 30% eye-glazing, 30% idle time, 40% sometimes unbearable bollocks.
'Enter The Fat Dragon', a humorous Bruce Lee homage instead of Bruceploitation, which is slowly going out of fashion. However, 'The Way Of The Dragon' is more of a role model than the humorous borrowing of the name. Humour here primarily means slapstick, which is further enhanced by the German dubbing, the best in the world. Following the example of Italian action-comedy films, Peking Opera buddies Sammo Hung and Jackie Genre in particular founded their own enormously successful Eastern sub-genre. 'Drunken Master' and "Snake In The Eagle's Shadows" were classics in the same year. Hung's fighting skills are remarkable, particularly his kicking technique, especially considering his stature. Nevertheless, it has to be said that, compared to Chan, he develops less of his own style and tends to focus more on the entertaining predicate 'I'm fat and I can still do anything'. In this film, he mainly uses Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do technique in line with the premise. Always with a wink, of course. Sounds like I would be thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately, not really. 30% eye-glazing, 30% idle time, 40% sometimes unbearable bollocks.
- xnicofingerx
- 21 feb 2025
- Permalink
- Leofwine_draca
- 27 lug 2020
- Permalink
This film I feel is an under the radar gem. This was Samo's first film he directed and was the main star. It's not quite one of my favorite Samo Hung films but it's close and I enjoy it all the same.
There really isn't much in plot line, which can be said about most marital arts movies; by it's nature it's really just a clothesline for the action and comedy in this film which is what we're all in this for.
I think what really makes this film stand out is that it's a tribute toward Bruce Lee. This was something that two other films did "The Last Dragon" and "No Retreat No Surrender" another under the radar gem. I really like that because it really shows how fondly remembered Bruce is and the fact we see Samo in action shows that his legacy lives on.
I love the fact that Samo's character as well as himself is a huge Bruce Lee fan which I find touching and enduring since I myself am. Heck his whole story line is sort of a tribute to one of Bruce's film's "Way of the Dragon" as that film was about the same thing on a country bumpkin coming to the city to help his family out of trouble. Even love the fact that his character has big dreams on becoming a marital arts star and making his own films like his idol, I can't help but feel there is a bit of truth in that as Samo had to struggle a long time to become a name which of course he did.
Samo impersonates/imitates Bruce a little which I felt he did a great job on he was really spot on on Bruce's mannerisms and little inflections. This isn't to insult Bruce but a way to help remember him and you can say show how strong his fandom for Bruce is. There is even one bit of music which is a remixed version of the theme of "Way of the Dragon" in one fight scene which was cool.
And of course the fight in this film are great. There are two battles in this film that stand out. From the final battle which has one of my favorite one on one fights, I really like the way it's conducted it sort of a tournament match like in the "Street Fighter" video game as we see Samo taking out one guy he then has to fight the other. The fights with each of the baddie opponents were cool as each of the opponents had a different fighting style and we see Samo has to utilize some strategy in the fights.
And of course the highlight of the film for me is the Bruce plotation film battle. It was just awesome seeing Samo just beat the crap out of the fake Bruce Lee whom of course turns out to be an egocentric jerk. He even beats the crap out of the whole production team whom were also jerks making the film. I couldn't help but cheer because that is something I sure a lot of Bruce Lee and marital arts/action fans have always thought of doing to those Bruce plotation films.
I really love what Samo's character say's to the fake Bruce after the fight which was great because what he say's is exactly how I feel about all of those crap fest Bruce plotation films that were always trying too hard to capitalize on Bruce's success but having no identity of it's own. Seeing Samo in the aftermath of that battle I thought yeah, Samo is the true action star he's the real deal we want to watch.
"Enter the Fat Dragon" is big fun.
Rating: 3 stars
There really isn't much in plot line, which can be said about most marital arts movies; by it's nature it's really just a clothesline for the action and comedy in this film which is what we're all in this for.
I think what really makes this film stand out is that it's a tribute toward Bruce Lee. This was something that two other films did "The Last Dragon" and "No Retreat No Surrender" another under the radar gem. I really like that because it really shows how fondly remembered Bruce is and the fact we see Samo in action shows that his legacy lives on.
I love the fact that Samo's character as well as himself is a huge Bruce Lee fan which I find touching and enduring since I myself am. Heck his whole story line is sort of a tribute to one of Bruce's film's "Way of the Dragon" as that film was about the same thing on a country bumpkin coming to the city to help his family out of trouble. Even love the fact that his character has big dreams on becoming a marital arts star and making his own films like his idol, I can't help but feel there is a bit of truth in that as Samo had to struggle a long time to become a name which of course he did.
Samo impersonates/imitates Bruce a little which I felt he did a great job on he was really spot on on Bruce's mannerisms and little inflections. This isn't to insult Bruce but a way to help remember him and you can say show how strong his fandom for Bruce is. There is even one bit of music which is a remixed version of the theme of "Way of the Dragon" in one fight scene which was cool.
And of course the fight in this film are great. There are two battles in this film that stand out. From the final battle which has one of my favorite one on one fights, I really like the way it's conducted it sort of a tournament match like in the "Street Fighter" video game as we see Samo taking out one guy he then has to fight the other. The fights with each of the baddie opponents were cool as each of the opponents had a different fighting style and we see Samo has to utilize some strategy in the fights.
And of course the highlight of the film for me is the Bruce plotation film battle. It was just awesome seeing Samo just beat the crap out of the fake Bruce Lee whom of course turns out to be an egocentric jerk. He even beats the crap out of the whole production team whom were also jerks making the film. I couldn't help but cheer because that is something I sure a lot of Bruce Lee and marital arts/action fans have always thought of doing to those Bruce plotation films.
I really love what Samo's character say's to the fake Bruce after the fight which was great because what he say's is exactly how I feel about all of those crap fest Bruce plotation films that were always trying too hard to capitalize on Bruce's success but having no identity of it's own. Seeing Samo in the aftermath of that battle I thought yeah, Samo is the true action star he's the real deal we want to watch.
"Enter the Fat Dragon" is big fun.
Rating: 3 stars
- hellraiser7
- 16 nov 2016
- Permalink
- donbendell
- 24 gen 2007
- Permalink
This movie is not a kung fu movie. This is a comedy about kung fu. And if, before making this film, Sammo Hung hadn't spent some time watching films by the great French comic filmmaker Jaques Tati (i.ie., e.g., esp. Jour de fête), he is certainly on the same wave length.
Personally, I think Tati's films are hilarious; but they're not to all tastes. Some have told me that they loathe his work. I've never figured out why, but I think it's because the character that Tati usually plays himself is so totally dead pan, so unaffected by the events around him (which he is usually causing) that many miss the more subtle comic bits happening around him.
At any rate, Tati's main shtick - or at least his best known - is to take a pretentiously upright petite bourgeoisie with 19th century sensibilities and drop him into 20th century France where he must confront a society that is largely defined by the gradual eroding of those sensibilities. He usually has serious difficulties with little things like record players or radios. He's a hazard in a car, but the world's no safer when he rides a bicycle. But through it all, he never loses his aplomb, which is derived from his inner recognition that the nineteenth century was more interesting than the 20th overall.
In a similar fashion, the character Sammo Hung himself plays is a country boy come to the big city of Hong Kong, utterly convinced that what makes the city interesting is that Bruce Lee made kung fu movies there. This gets him into trouble in small ways, since he takes in stride happenstance which would never be noticed in a small town but which are deemed inappropriate in a big city - such as the moment when he appears to be urinating in the street, A cop stops him, only to discover that Hung is actually just squeezing water out of his shirt, soaked during an accidental dip in the bay. What's interesting about this gag is why it is Hung doesn't understand what the cop's fuss is all about - in a country town, as long as no one's looking, if you gotta go you gotta go. In other words, Hung is not really urinating in the street - but he certainly would - and what's the problem officer? Of course Hung's obsession with Bruce Lee also gets him into big troubles as well. He beats a gang of thugs who have refused to pay his restaurant-owner uncle. Of course, in a Bruce Lee movie, the thugs would be considered trounced, and they would have learned their lesson. But in Hung's Hong Kong, reality unfortunately prevails, and the thugs return when he's not around, to trounce his uncle.
Of course, Hung finally triumphs in the end, just as Tati always did. Characters like this must always triumph (at least in comedy) because they are completely innocent, and as such, despite their comic missteps and misunderstandings, they really represent what is best in the humans we admire and wish to be. We don't really want to be Bruce Lee (who has to experience the loss of all of his friends before he gets a chance to beat the bad-guy), we, in our own innocence, really want a world where Lee's heroics are possible.
Unfortunately, that world only exists on film.
"Ah, but what if...?" - and in that question we find Sammo Hung at his comic best.
Personally, I think Tati's films are hilarious; but they're not to all tastes. Some have told me that they loathe his work. I've never figured out why, but I think it's because the character that Tati usually plays himself is so totally dead pan, so unaffected by the events around him (which he is usually causing) that many miss the more subtle comic bits happening around him.
At any rate, Tati's main shtick - or at least his best known - is to take a pretentiously upright petite bourgeoisie with 19th century sensibilities and drop him into 20th century France where he must confront a society that is largely defined by the gradual eroding of those sensibilities. He usually has serious difficulties with little things like record players or radios. He's a hazard in a car, but the world's no safer when he rides a bicycle. But through it all, he never loses his aplomb, which is derived from his inner recognition that the nineteenth century was more interesting than the 20th overall.
In a similar fashion, the character Sammo Hung himself plays is a country boy come to the big city of Hong Kong, utterly convinced that what makes the city interesting is that Bruce Lee made kung fu movies there. This gets him into trouble in small ways, since he takes in stride happenstance which would never be noticed in a small town but which are deemed inappropriate in a big city - such as the moment when he appears to be urinating in the street, A cop stops him, only to discover that Hung is actually just squeezing water out of his shirt, soaked during an accidental dip in the bay. What's interesting about this gag is why it is Hung doesn't understand what the cop's fuss is all about - in a country town, as long as no one's looking, if you gotta go you gotta go. In other words, Hung is not really urinating in the street - but he certainly would - and what's the problem officer? Of course Hung's obsession with Bruce Lee also gets him into big troubles as well. He beats a gang of thugs who have refused to pay his restaurant-owner uncle. Of course, in a Bruce Lee movie, the thugs would be considered trounced, and they would have learned their lesson. But in Hung's Hong Kong, reality unfortunately prevails, and the thugs return when he's not around, to trounce his uncle.
Of course, Hung finally triumphs in the end, just as Tati always did. Characters like this must always triumph (at least in comedy) because they are completely innocent, and as such, despite their comic missteps and misunderstandings, they really represent what is best in the humans we admire and wish to be. We don't really want to be Bruce Lee (who has to experience the loss of all of his friends before he gets a chance to beat the bad-guy), we, in our own innocence, really want a world where Lee's heroics are possible.
Unfortunately, that world only exists on film.
"Ah, but what if...?" - and in that question we find Sammo Hung at his comic best.
Good movie and funny. I guess he's been fat since his 20's. Samo wants to be like Bruce Lee And has the skills to boot. It was probably at this time Jackie Chan saw that they both could make good family fun movies together. Not something you would pay money for but would watch if you had nothing to do...at all. This includes chores and getting your hair done. Good laugh.
- BringbacktheNostalga
- 9 giu 2019
- Permalink
I saw this film as part of a Hong Kong double bill at a local arthouse cinema and surprisingly it went down pretty well. It has an endearing quality that shines through the confusing, `make it up as we go along plot', bizarrely staged action sequences and unintentionally surreal comedy. In Kung Fu comedy star Sammo Hung's second directorial effort we see him go through a series of barely connected adventures as a fat Bruce Lee fanatic working at his uncle's Hong Kong restaurant. Seemingly meant to be some kind of parody / homage to Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon, it bares little or no relation to the aforementioned film, with the exception of a fight scene involving a western boxer, a black guy and er .. some other guy. Rather than using a black actor, the film makers decided to black up a Chinese actor for the part. It's hilarious to watch the actor approximating how he thinks a black man might act, as he minces around in some kind of attempted jive swagger! Sammo does quite a good job of imitating Bruce Lee's mannerisms and although this is primarily a comedy, some of the fight sequences are great. It is easy to forget that Sammo is quite an accomplished martial artist when he spends most of his screen time as a big fat bumbling idiot!
Overall, there's a great sense of fun running through the film that makes it difficult to dislike, even though it's terrible. If you enjoyed this, check out Sammo Hung in The magnificent Butcher or My Lucky Stars, which are just as ridiculous ridiculous but with more fighting!
Overall, there's a great sense of fun running through the film that makes it difficult to dislike, even though it's terrible. If you enjoyed this, check out Sammo Hung in The magnificent Butcher or My Lucky Stars, which are just as ridiculous ridiculous but with more fighting!
- willturland
- 28 lug 2003
- Permalink
Overall I would have to say that I liked the movie. Some of the fight scenes are really good. Especially the fight against Leung Ka-Yan. One point that really bothered me was the fact that they used an Asian to play a black man. I mean really. Talk about bad taste. During a fight scene, you see one of the fighters on the floor is laughing. Otherwise, Sammo copies Bruce Lee's fighting moves perfectly. 5 out of 10 Stars.
The most agile fat guy in martial arts does it again. An early Sammo film that has him imitating his character's hero, Bruce Lee, Sammo is amazingly Lee like in his actions and fighting. The way he slips into Bruce's style and then back to his own, more familiar kung fu is a joy to watch and shows how accomplished and adaptable he is at his art. Throw in a bit of slapstick humour so beloved of this type of flick and this a movie that has it all - comedy (some unintentional, like the fake black guy), action and some incredible fight scenes.
A great beer and buddies movie that is worth an hour and a half of anyone's time.
A great beer and buddies movie that is worth an hour and a half of anyone's time.
Enter The Fat Dragon is Sammo Hung's homage to Bruce Lee. Sammo plays a country bumpkin obsessed with Bruce Lee that goes to the city to help out his family at a restaurant. Sammo is in top form here with a very fast paced and funny movie. The fights are awesome and put together by Sammo himself. After Bruce Lee's death there were a million imitators, but this is a lot better than most of them. Plus Sammo was in Enter The Dragon and fought Bruce in the beginning of the movie. Enter The Fat Dragon is really great and should be mandatory viewing for martial arts fans.
- dworldeater
- 17 giu 2021
- Permalink
This is probably the funniest movie I've ever seen. Sammo Hung plays a huge Bruce Lee fan and he gets up to some fun stuff. It's so funny because he's imitating Bruce Lee and he's spot-on. It's also funny because he is fat and is called fatso throughout the film.
It might not feature Hung's best action sequences, but it's still very good. Some scenes are great but unfortunately, the fight scene at the end is underwhelming and among the worst from Hung. It doesn't look authentic. Usually, they look like they're freestyling a bit, but this time it was a clearly rehearsed dance number that flowed quite slowly. The other action scenes are both really cool and very funny.
It just can't get any more fun than this. It's such a quirky film with humor that wouldn't have worked today. The film begins with Hung practicing his Bruce Lee impersonation on a bunch of pigs. He hits the pigs and then he rides them. Many scenes made me legitimately laugh - something that doesn't happen often. Hung's humor often consists of sexism or just legit bad jokes, but this was perfect. He is a great physical comedian. It's best when he sticks to what he knows best.
There was another hilarious scene where he somehow ends up on a movie set where they're shooting another Bruceploitation movie with a Bruce Lee look-alike. Hung kicks everyone's ass while simultaneously doing a much better Lee impersonation.
Everything is so random but it still works. He rides pigs, works in a restaurant, buys sunglasses, fights, and goes for a swim. He does everything. This is without a doubt Hung's funniest film. It doesn't have as good stunts or action as his later films, but this is a must-see for fans of Hung. 8.8/10.
It might not feature Hung's best action sequences, but it's still very good. Some scenes are great but unfortunately, the fight scene at the end is underwhelming and among the worst from Hung. It doesn't look authentic. Usually, they look like they're freestyling a bit, but this time it was a clearly rehearsed dance number that flowed quite slowly. The other action scenes are both really cool and very funny.
It just can't get any more fun than this. It's such a quirky film with humor that wouldn't have worked today. The film begins with Hung practicing his Bruce Lee impersonation on a bunch of pigs. He hits the pigs and then he rides them. Many scenes made me legitimately laugh - something that doesn't happen often. Hung's humor often consists of sexism or just legit bad jokes, but this was perfect. He is a great physical comedian. It's best when he sticks to what he knows best.
There was another hilarious scene where he somehow ends up on a movie set where they're shooting another Bruceploitation movie with a Bruce Lee look-alike. Hung kicks everyone's ass while simultaneously doing a much better Lee impersonation.
Everything is so random but it still works. He rides pigs, works in a restaurant, buys sunglasses, fights, and goes for a swim. He does everything. This is without a doubt Hung's funniest film. It doesn't have as good stunts or action as his later films, but this is a must-see for fans of Hung. 8.8/10.
- lovemichaeljordan
- 8 mar 2023
- Permalink