Mob leader Eddie Arkadian (Christopher Murney) hunts down Laura as a rival kung-fu master Sho’nuff (Julius J. Leroy’s goal is to find the “master” and obtain the final level of martial arts mastery simply known as “the glow.” While on his path to find “the glow,” Leroy becomes entangled with the beautiful pop star/music video host Laura Charles ( Vanity). THE LAST DRAGON (or sometimes known as Berry Gordy’s THE LAST DRAGON) takes place in New York City and revolves around Leroy Green ( Taimak) a.k.a. It had everything from a top-notch R&B pop soundtrack, to amazing fight scenes, and best of all dialogue that felt real enough to be relevant, but cartoonish to cement the film in cult history and continued to be quoted to this day.
In 1985, THE LAST DRAGON brought the kung-fu craze to the inner city where it belonged (and even featured scenes from ENTER THE DRAGON). So, when the whitewashed, PG-rated KARATE KID came out in 1984, it was almost a slap in the face to those theatergoers that made films like ENTER THE DRAGON (1973) popular in America.Īn answer to properly represent the true fans of martial arts films was created just a year later by executive film producer, and Motown Records super producer, Barry Gordy.
It was mostly people of color supporting these films. for martial arts films was the inner city. There was a turning point in the early ’80s where everybody was obsessed with karate, kung-fu, and martial arts in general.
It wasn’t until the early ’70s SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG (1971), SHAFT (1971), SUPERFLY (1972), and COFFY (1973) that the African American film audiences could see themselves on the big screen in powerful characters. Inclusion and representation are important aspects when creating a film, but when that movie is intended for a specific audience it’s even more imperative to mirror the core viewership.
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