Chinese action film to aid Games fund

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33245, 7 June 1973, Page 12

Chinese action film to aid Games fund

Christchurch filmgoers will have the opportunity to see a new type of film—bloodcurdling, spine-chilling action by masters of kung fu and karate —on Sunday evening. July 8 and, at the same time, boost the 1974 Commonwealth Games fund.

The film, “The Dragon Inn,” will be screened by the Canterbury branch of the Chinese Association.

Admission prices will be S2 and $1.50 (front stalls), and if the Avon Theatre is filled to capacity (800 seats) the Games fund will benefit by $lOOO. Messrs Hing Wong and

Steven Jarm and Mrs Irma Tang are organising the event on behalf of the 300 members of the branch.

Mr Wong said that the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G. Pickering) and Mrs Pickering, and the chairman of the Games Organising Committee (Mr R. S. Scott) and Mrs Scott would be special guests. The kung fu series of films (kung fu is said to be the epitome of oriental self defence) have achieved extraordinary success in the United States after proving popular in Asia, Beirut, and Africa.

Basically, the hero is always the underdog and takes on 16 to 20 of the “baddies” with his bare fists, winning in a welter of blood and broken heads—in spite of the thugs being armed with knives, clubs and chains.

Bruce Lee, star of many of the films, is now a superstar in Asia and his fee has risen from $lO,OOO to $250,000 a film with the spread of the popularity of the productions to Europe and the United States.

Mr Wong said that the dialogue of “The Dragon Inn” is in Mandarin but there are sub-titles in English to explain the little that is not expressed in action. Applications for tickets should be made to Mr H. Wong, P.O. Box 2743, Christchurch.