The Best South African Kung-Fu Film Ever Made!

Way back in the day when cable TV was newborn there was a revolutionary television concept: Uncut movies on a pay station; a "Home Box Office" if you will. What was great about the early years of HBO was the fact that the major studios had yet to catch on that this was the next big wave. HBO, needing to fill 24 hours per day with programming, took whatever film came down the pike (and usually played it ad nauseum). Great films like The Stranger and the Gunfighter, Golden Rendezvous, and The Inglorious Bastards - cheap Italian action flicks that probably played a week in the theater to hundreds ended up playing to millions of people who would otherwise have avoided them. And one of HBO's most played films was Kill and Kill Again.

They just don't make movies like this any more, folks. A totally bizarre early 80s South African Enter the Dragon/A-Team hybrid, Kill and Kill Again drips with disco-era machismo and a "what the hell" attitude.

James Ryan is "Steve Chase," the famous "four time world martial arts champion" who works as a secret kung-fu agent for hire. After kicking the crap out of a bunch of guys at an awards ceremony, Steve is contacted by Kandy ("with a K") Kane, daughter of a famous scientist who has created an alternate fuel source from potato extract(!). Dr. Kane has been kidnapped by the evil kung-fu cult leader "Marduk" who has discovered that all humans who ingest the potato fuel become brainwashed kung-fu zombies who obey only him. Steve gathers a rag-tag group of warriors (most of whom appear to be homeless alcoholics) to help him defeat Marduk: There's "Gypsy Billy" (the street brawler), "The Fly" (a zen-like white guy who talks in Confucius-speak), "Gorilla" (the huge black guy who can pick up a guy full-bodied with each hand), and "Hot Dog" (the out of shape but psychotic "A-Team Murdock" guy). After invading Marduk's secret compound, Steve and company are promptly captured and forced to compete in a "Mr. Han" competition with the best martial arts zombies in the known universe . . . All before Steve Chase can stop a bullet in midair using only his wits and a tiny metal plate!

There are too many reasons to recommend this hard-to-find flick: Steve Chase's phony Bruce Lee "zen speeches," the fact that the Fly precludes all of his questions with the word "question" (example: "Question: Why do white guys in this movie have so much kung-fu?"), ridiculous comedic interludes with Gorilla and Hot Dog (much like Murdock and Mr.T used to have), and Marduk's laughably horrid fake beard. The kung-fu fighting ain't that bad and there's lots of it. Lots. Fights break out every five minutes, most of them for little or no reason whatsoever. And there's never any doubt as to who will emerge victorious: The tight jean-wearing Steve Chase, baby! Women find him irresistible, men fear him . . . and he can levitate by sheer force of will!

While the video is out of print, there are copies floating around if you look hard. And it's just been released on DVD by a new company called Digital Versatile Disc for a measly $19.95 (follow their link in the sidebar to purchase a copy). Kill and Kill Again is actually a sequel to Kill or be Killed (released a year earlier), but Again is a far superior product.

Infantile, comedically macho, and ludicrous, but damn if it isn't one of the most entertaining martial arts flicks I've ever seen!