Shanghai Joe (1973) Il mio nome è Shangai Joe (original title)

Director:

Mario Caiano

Writers:

Carlo Alberto Alfieri (writer)
Mario Caiano (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

January 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Western

Tagline:

One Man Stands Alone In His Fight For Justice

Plot:

A Chinese immigrant, recently arrived in America, fights to free Mexican slaves from their cruel master.

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Mexican | Texas | Fight | Interracial Kiss

Cast

Chen Lee	...	Shanghai Joe / Chin Hao
Klaus Kinski	...	Scalper Jack
Gordon Mitchell	...	Burying Sam
Claudio Undari	...	Pedro, The Cannibal (as Robert Hundar)
Katsutoshi Mikuriya	...	Mikuja
Carla Romanelli	...	Cristina
Carla Mancini	...	Conchita
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart	...	Tricky the Gambler
George Wang	...	Yang
Federico Boido	...	Slim (as Rick Boyd)
Piero Lulli	...	Stanley Spencer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrea Aureli	...	Sheriff Corrotto
Giorgio Bixio
Lars Bloch	...	Racist
Aldo Cecconi	...	Racist
Dante Cleri	...	Manuel, Barman
Umberto D'Orsi	...	Poker player
Alfonso de la Vega	...	Craig
Roberto Dell'Acqua	...	Smitty
Raniero Dorascenzi	...	Cowboy
Lorenzo Fineschi	...	Cowboy
Tito García	...	Jesus, Slave Trader
Veriano Ginesi	...	Blacksmith
Luigi Antonio Guerra	...	Spencer Friend
Dante Maggio	...	Doctor
Enrico Marciani	...	Spencer Friend
Osiride Pevarello	...	False Teeth - Ranch Hand
Claudio Ruffini	...	Tricky's Partner
Giovanni Sabbatini	...	Old Man
Francisco Sanz	...	Cristina's Father
Angelo Susani	...	Stagecoach Driver
Sergio Testori	...	Ranch Hand
Pietro Torrisi	...	Ranch Hand
Franco Ukmar	...	Ranch Hand

Directed by
Mario Caiano

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Carlo Alberto Alfieri		writer
Mario Caiano		screenplay
Fabrizio Trifone Trecca		screenplay (as T.F. Karter)

Produced by
Renato Angiolini	....	producer
Roberto Bessi	....	producer

Original Music by
Bruno Nicolai

Cinematography by
Guglielmo Mancori

Film Editing by
Amedeo Giomini

Production Design by
Riccardo Domenici

Set Decoration by
Riccardo Domenici

Costume Design by
Orietta Nasalli-Rocca

Makeup Department
Gianfranco Mecacci	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ennio Onorati	....	production manager

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Sbrenna	....	camera operator

Music Department
Bruno Nicolai	....	conductor

Other crew
Laura Mazza	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• C.B.A. Produttori e Distributori Associati
• Compagnia Cinematografica Champion

Distributors

• Ambassador Film Distributors (1975) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Beacon Films Inc. (1976) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• ANEC (2011) (Japan) (DVD)
• Trans World Entertainment (TWE) (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• X-Rated Kultvideo (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Annamode 68  wardrobe supplier

Also Known As:

"Il mio nome è Shangai Joe" - Italy (original title)
"The Dragon Strikes Back" - International (English title)
"The Fighting Fists of Shangai Joe" - International (English title)

Runtime:

Germany:94 min (DVD version) | USA:98 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1976) | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16 | Norway:18 (video) (1982) | Italy:VM14

Company:

C.B.A. Produttori e Distributori Associati

Trivia:

The scene in which Gordon Mitchell's character sings "Chin-Chin Chinaman" while carrying a shovel was improvised on the spot by Mitchell. He also created the song.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Shangai Joe is in the bullfighting arena, at one point a red cape for attracting the bull's attention is visible.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010) (V)

The Fighting Fist Of Shangai Joe (Mario Caiano, 1973) **1/2

Minor, enjoyable and surprisingly violent Spaghetti Western, one of a clutch of such efforts embellished with an Oriental touch in the form of a martial-arts exponent hero (as can be gathered from the title). The film was enough of a success to boast a sequel – THE RETURN OF SHANGAI JOE (1975).

Chen Lee is the typical meek Oriental who becomes deadly when provoked; we're given plenty of opportunity to see him at work here, particularly after he falls foul of a slave trader. The latter despatches four ruthless assassins to exterminate the Chinaman – three of whom are played by well-known actors and popular Euro-Cult figures of the era: Gordon Mitchell, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart and Klaus Kinski, the other by Robert Hundar (ill-fated hero of CUT-THROATS NINE [1972], which actually preceded this viewing!). Kinski receives second-billing but his contribution lasts all of 7 minutes (and he only turns up 68 minutes into the film!).

Eventually, we learn that the title character is one of only two masters of a specific martial arts technique – so, naturally, the boss eventually calls on his equal to fight the hero! The most violent moments occur when Joe gouges the eye of one of the hired killers – a scene which surely must have inspired Quentin Tarantino for his KILL BILL (2003/4) saga – and the confrontation between the two Orientals, which involves dismembered limbs and busted torsos! As usual for films of this genre, the music score is a notable asset which is here provided by Bruno Nicolai.