The Karate Killer (1973)

Japan has already occupied Korea and now China. Chin, a young woman understands that the Motherland demands all her children to be brave, and sacrifice their lives for the liberation. ... See full summary »

Director:

Yeo Ban-Yee (as Ban-Yee Yeo)

Writer:

Kuang Ni

Stars:

Hao-Ran Chen, Yuan Chen, Yi Feng

Cast

Credited cast:
Hao-Ran Chen
Yuan Chen
Yi Feng
Thompson Kao Kang
Hok Nin Lau
Tung Liang
Ming Lin
Yun Liu
Chin-Ku Lu	...	(as Chung Lu)
Chien Tang Ma
Shan Pa
Jason Pai Piao	...	Fong Chin
Sau Sek
Nancy Sit
Han Ting

Storyline

Japan has already occupied Korea and now China. Chin, a young woman understands that the Motherland demands all her children to be brave, and sacrifice their lives for the liberation. Disguised as a prostitute, she will board a train to help a Chinese guerrilla group defeat a Japanese army convoy.

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Plot Keywords:

hair | infanticide | 

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Taglines:

Introducting TAE KWON DO (The Korean Karate) - The most brutal and fearsome type of fighting known to man

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

August 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gwai hak

Company Credits

Production Co:

Yangtze Film Company Ltd.

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was initially rejected for UK cinema in early 1976 (as "Stranger from Canton") and then passed with heavy cuts a few months later.

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Connections

Referenced in And Now My Love (1974)

User Reviews

My kind of kung-fu film

Featuring a solid cast of Hong Kong film luminaries and fight after brutal, bone-crushing fight, "Stranger from Canton" is the kind of movie I eagerly drank in on Sunday afternoons when I was a kid. Back then, the USA Network ruled basic cable with "Kung Fu Theater"--which aired this film under its international title, "The Karate Killer". Jason Pai Piao is one of my favorite Hong Kong stars; he went on to appear in everything from independent cheapies like Ron Van Clief's Black Dragon films to prestigious Shaw Brothers epics like "Avenging Warriors of Shaolin" and "Killer Constable". Here he plays a dapper hero (watch out for that spotless white ice cream suit!) who catches knives in his teeth and takes bites out of them. The imposing Thompson Kao Kang plays the lead villain, a dangerous fighter who wields his queue--or pigtail--as a weapon. Feng Yi of "Chinese Connection" fame appears as one of Kao Kang's minions, a Japanese swordsman. The fights in this movie are downright visceral; with the aid of the thunderous sound effects so common to mid-'70s kung-fu dramas, you practically feel every punch and kick. There are no wires...just tons of teeth-grinding action. If you enjoy the dark, violent martial arts films of this period, "Stranger from Canton" will be right up your alley.