Bruce Lee the Invicible (1977)

Nan yang tang ren jie
Bruce Li the Invincible
Bruce Li the Invincible Chinatown Connection
Game of the Dragon
The Invincible

Cast:

Sing Chen is Master Fok Ging Ha
Bruce Li is Yu Fong
Wai-Man Chan is Chen
Tin Hei Tong is Monk Damo

What the box says:

Shaolin master Fok (Sing Chen) banishes his renegade pupil Cheung Li Kung to Malaysia, hoping the Cheung can redeem himself out in the providences. Defying his master, Cheung quickly sets him self up as the owner of a local mine and casino, exploiting the locals for labor at one and hustling them for what little money they have at the other. After Cheung senselessly batters another of Master Fok's students, Fok and his assistant Yu Fong (Bruce Li) take it upon themselves to teach Cheung a lesson. After smashing the casino into a pile of splinters, Fok and Yu chase cheung into the hills, thinking they finally have him cornered. But Cheung has allies in unexpected places... including a pair of gorillas trained in kung fu! Up against odds like this will Master Fok and Yi Fong be able to stop the Cheung Li?

Plot:

Several guys are fighting after refusing to quit being patriots. Master Fok banishes his student Cheung Li to go to Malaysia to learn a new way. Later, the master will teach his remaining students a new technique. While training, Master Fok explains how 500 years ago a monk while traveling from India to China watched the animals which led him to develop his fighting styles: snake, tiger, and dragon.

Don't turn around, there's a giant boulder after me... At the Shaolin temple, he passed his techniques on to the other monks.

The students have heard that Cheung Li has become a killer. Su Sung, a student of Master Fok’s, will find out what Cheung Li is involved in.

Cheung Li learns his girlfriend is married. A number of the local guys want to get rid of him. However, he gets the drop on them.

Why of course I'm the hero until my master comes to pull my fat out of the fire. Su Sung meets his uncle, aunt, and Yi Sim, his cousin. Cheung Li’s goons hit on Yi Sim until Su Sung layeth the smack down on them.

Cheung Li has a casino and a mine. The miners get paid and go straight to the casino. The goons tell their boss about Yi Sim.

Later, Cheung Li stops at the general store. The goons want to arrange a dowry so Cheung can marry Yi Sim. Yi Sim’s dad refuses. Su Sung learns that Cheung Li is in the area and told of how evil the man is. He sends a cable to inform Master Fok what’s happening.

That night, the goons kidnap Yi Sim and beat her parents. Su Sung finds his battered relatives.

Cheung Li is putting the movies on Yi Sim who shoots him down in a non-Bon Jovi “Blazy of Glory.” Cheung Li sends her to the Madame to properly train her.

Don't know anything about Big Trouble in Little China. I'm not Lo-Pan's sister Su Sung is able to break in and rescue her away.

The goons surround Su Sung. The fight is on.

The is the highest state of spirtual enlightnement. Cheung Li gets involved in the fight and handles him.

The cable gets to Master Fok and Yu Fong, student. They’re going to handle Cheung Li. Fok will use his ability to disguise himself to keep from being recognized. They reach the general store to see the goons demanding Su Sung. Fok and Fong are to the rescue and handle the goons. Cheung Li arrives but doesn’t yet recognize the disguised Fok.

Some of the villagers are tending to the injured Su Sung.

Fok and Fong plan to attack Cheung Li’s business before finishing his casino. The quickly finish the goons. They have Su Sung guard his uncle and aunt while they take care of the casino.

At the casino, let the wild gambling ensue. Fok and Fong make a few bets before showing everyone the place is rigged with loaded dice.

The uncle and aunt get beaten again. When Fok and Fong arrive, Fok vows to finish Cheung Li.

Cheung Li learns his casino was ruined. He has his goons attack Fok and Fong. Yi Sim is to be taken to a mountain village guarded by gorillas.

Fok, Fong, and Su Sung learn that Yi Sim was taken into the mountains by Cheung Li. The fight is on. Su Sung is sent into the hills.

Su Sung versus Gorillas? Master Fok versus GORILLAS?

No Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle can stand against as Martial Arts Monkey...

Yi Sim is brought to the village. Su Sung is caught before reaching the village. Yi Sim is chased by the chief. Finally, she and Su Sung are staked out in the blazing sun. Fok and Fong go to rescue them. They free them but are surrounded by the villagers who start throwing rocks and spears.

Playing possum, Fok and Fong are able to overwhelm the villagers.

The goons and Cheung Li arrive. The heroes handle the goons before Master Fok fights Cheung Li who begs for mercy. Master Fok shows mercy but cripples him so he can’t fight anymore.

What I say:

To B-movie fans, one of the lesser known of the 1970s "-sploitation" subgenres was the infamous "Brucesploitation" genre. Brucesploitation had nothing to do with Bruce Campbell but of the often imitated but never duplicated Bruce Lee. Movie studios gave the world Bruce Li, Dragon Lee, among others with names to confuse people into thinking Bruce Lee was involved with those movies such as Bruce Lee: the Man, the Myth, Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, Real Bruce Lee, Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave, and others.

Considering how some of those movies had a few scenes with Bruce Lee and mostly with just random other actors, people would think it is awfully strange. However, it is very similar to the number of movies that used a few scenes of Boris Karloff in Snake People and other movies after he died. Bela Lugosi died 3 days into the making of Plan 9 From Outer Space, and we sawhow that turned out.

The fights are the typical movie martial arts. I'd say it was vaguelly realistic except for martial arts monkeys and the teleporting jumps in the final battle. However, how can anyone not think Kung Fu Gorillas is one of the greatest ideas in the history of the world?

Many low budget movies aren't known for for excellent acting or stories. Mid-1970s martial arts movies have never be considered for its epic story-telling or even mediocre story-telling. I figure roughly half the 1970s martial arts mvoies can almost be explained by a Kenny Rogers song. His duet with Dolly Parton: Islands in the Stream would make an interesting plot. However, I was referring to Coward of the County. Boy who tries not to fight but is continually harrassed until he's had enough and unleashes his sweet Kung Fu vengeance.

Who'd want to fight anyone who's invincible? Who'd want to fight Bruce Lee? Granted, Bruce Lee is synonmous to invincible to most of us fish-belly white gawkward folks believe.

Quotable Dialogue
"The picture's hung."
"I'm being polite and, you're yelling at me."
"Uncle...Auntie...relax....."
"Are you trying to damage our casino's reputation?"
"The gorillas are dead."
Morals of the Story
Dragons really existed.
Pith helmets are stylish.
Knives make whooshing noises in the air.
You can easily throw knives into their sheaths.
Wedding proposals must end with massive apologies.
Kidnapping shoul;dn't anger the victim.
Kung Fu masters are masters of disguise.
Monks wear bowler hats.
Hand fans are weapons.
Monks are notorious gamblers.
Gorillas know Kung Fu.
Evil renegade Kung Fu students wear Hawaiian shirts.