4 Star

The Dragon Hero.

It’s 1973, Golden Harvest Presentation comes on the screen, and you know you are in for a martial arts fest. Now Eureka Presents The Tattooed Dragon in 1080p 2K restoration for their (Eureka Classics) release as a limited edition Blu-ray. Written and directed by Martial Arts actor Wei Lo (The Big Boss, A MAN CALLED TIGER, SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO (aka Yellow Faced Tiger)). So you know he knows his subject, and you get all the action in this fast-paced martial arts action thriller.

Bandits have been on the rampage, and stolen all the poor people’s money, and as they count out their loot, they are intercepted by local martial arts hero The Tattooed Dragon (Jimmy Wang Yu, BEACH OF THE WAR GODS, One Armed Boxer). This is our first glimpse of their martial arts as they start to fight, and we see the skills of the Dragon, facing Hai-Feng and his men. He is making mince-meat of them until one uses a flying talon on him and rips his back open, he makes his escape.

Meanwhile, duck farm owner Xiao Yang is roused from his bed by the Chinese Lassie, Lanni. Yang lives a simple life, and he has a plan to raise enough capital to marry his girlfriend Ah-xiang.

Ducks lay eggs, we get ducks that I can sell to buy a pig, then a cow.

This long term plan is a bit too long term for xiang and her Father Uncle Fu, her father will pay for the wedding and move in with him and help run his restaurant. But he is stubborn. As Yang returns home and finds Lanni missing, there is barking and Yang is brought to the unconscious dragon. He is taken back to the farm where they decide to help him recuperate when they see his dragon tattoo.

Back with Hai-Feng and his bandits, who are visiting their Boss, who takes Feng to one side and says that there is a quiet village that is sat on top off lots of minerals. Feng must go set up a casino, and fleece the locals out of their money and the leases to their homes so they can legally oust everybody out.

We know the Dragon will be involved when he is fit, but there is much to keep the viewer enthralled. Great choreography, great martial arts, what more could you ask for with the pedigree of the ensemble.

THE TATTOOED DRAGON (Eureka Classics) Limited Edition is available on Blu-ray