The Last Dragon (1985) + Extra [w/Commentary]

Leroy Green (Taimak), a young martial artist living in New York City, trains tirelessly to attain the same level of mastery as the great Bruce Lee. One night, his life changes forever when he rescues television personality Laura Charles (Vanity) from evil businessman Eddie Arkadian (Chris Murney). Impressed by Leroy's bravery, Laura falls for Leroy – but to keep her safe, he will have to defeat a gang leader named Sho'nuff (Julius J. Carry III), the self-styled Shogun of Harlem.

This movie is like a guilty pleasure- nobody really talks about it, but every time it comes up in a crowd, within seconds people are using classic lines like "Who's the master?" and "Hey my man, what it look like?" and laughing like maniacs.

This was my favorite movie as a teenager and I've probably seen it 100 times. From the hilarious over-the-top performances to the hybrid karate/comedy/musical genre, it's a movie that kept me laughing the whole way through.

If you like classic movies, then don't waste your time- you'd be better off watching "The Sound of Music" for the 800th time. But if you didn't like this movie, odds are you tried not to.

Audio Commentary: Director Michael Schultz offers an insightful and satisfying look at the film, including its racial components, casting and performances, fight choreography and actor training, stories from the behind-the-scenes process insofar as details like script and budget are concerned, cinematography, production design, budget and box office performance, and much more. Though softly spoken, the track is informative and enjoyable.

Extra:
– Return of the Dragon (24:08): A fine and newly minted retrospective piece that looks back at the film's core qualities – music, martial arts, setting, cast, characters – and also explores its era, casting and performances, Berry Gordy's involvement in the film, crafting some of the key scenes, the film's legacy, and more.