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Thursday, June 16, 2011

The VHS Archives: Bruce Le's GYMKATA KILLER (1980)

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GYMKATA KILLER
Bruce Le's Challenge of the Tiger (1980)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: All American Video
Catalog: AAV110
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: ?
Runtime: 88:26
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Bruce Le
Year of Release: 1980
Country of Origin: Italy / USA / Hong Kong
Stars: Bruce Le, Richard Harrison, Nadiuska, Brad Harris, Bolo Yeung
AKAs: Challenge of the Tiger, Seize the Formula

Verbatim Box Synopsis
When a mysterious doctor is brutally murdered in Spain, it seems just another case for the local police.  But when it is discovered that a secret formula, capable of exterminating the entire human race, has been stolen by the murderers, the CIA are immediately notified.  Officer Huang Lung is given the task of tracking down the terrorists before they can hold the world to ransom.  His dangerous mission takes him from Europe to the rat infested slums of Hong Kong, where rival gangs of Viet-Cong and Chinese take on the Challenge of the Tiger.  It's a race against time and Huang Lung meets out his own brand of justice, only to be met with bigger and greater dangers around every alley way.

U.S. All American Video sleeve!

 U.K. Stablecane Home Video sleeve!

Dutch PRO Video sleeve, originally scanned by "Harm!"

Bonus trailer, uploaded by "OurManInHavana"!

Notes
Another one of my favorite finds, it's movies like this that kept me buying every oddball tape I could get my hands on.  From its opening sequence, where Richard Harrison plays tennis with two topless chicks in slow motion while an incredibly infectious funk song jams in the background, to its kung fu bullfight finished with x-ray animation, to its berserk sperm-killing plotline that might as well have stepped out of an Arizal film, there's something here to put a smile on anyone's face.  When Mondo Macabro first told me they were grabbing some films from Dick Randall's estate I practically begged them to pick this one up.  Happily, they were already on the case and unleashed a great looking, properly framed release paired with the insane Filipino midget spy flick, For Y'ur Height Only.  Highly, highly recommended.  Screenplay by Poon Fan!

Producer Dick Randall relaxes with stars Bruce Le and Brad Harris.  (Photo courtesy Bamboo Gods & Bionic Boys' Andrew Leavold.)

Looking for Gymkata Killer on VHS? It's available on Amazon hereMondo Macabro's excellent, must-have DVD is available here.

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!




© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

3 comments:

  1. Totally crazoid. Wimbledon could probably improve their ratings with more slow-mo topless tennis.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wasn't aware Richard Harrison was in a movie that didn't involve Filmark/Joesph Lai/Godfrey Ho. Looks like good, violent fun.

    ReplyDelete