There is only one thing worse than a mutilated box. No box at all, but still.
(Hao xiao zi)
a.k.a. Little Rascals of Kung Fu
China - 1980
Director - Yeh Yung Chu
Trans World Entertainment, 1986, VHS
Run Time - 1 hour, 32 minutes
The uncut box claims that the film was directed by Yeh Yung Chu, and the opening credits on the tape confirm this. The actors listed at IMDB are exactly the same, but the director is listed as Wing-Cho Yip. Furthermore IMDB gives one of the alternate titles as
Cunning Kids, which was confirmed by an image search that turned up the artwork below at
Rare Kung Fu Movies under both
Fists of Dragons and
Cunning Kids. And in fact, after re watching the film, I can confirm that they are the same, except for the dubbing of course.
I picked up this film not because of
Sho Kosugi, but because it was recomended at some point as a potential film for Kung Fu Grindhouse. As I recall it was not worthy, though it's been years since I watched it. The interesting thing to me now is of course the presence of Kosugi who merely presents the film. Really it's more of an introduction, and let me tell you, at bit of a sad one at that. The series name
should give you some clue to the depths to which the video marketing industry had already sunk by 1986. Last time I checked, Ninja's didn't really have much to do with China, so why is this wu-shu movie under the title "Ninja Theater?" Because the American public were slaves to the very word ninja.
Kosugi himself offers only a brief demonstration of the use of the ninjitsu katana, noting that it is straight and shorter than the typical Japanese sword. Then he fights some guys for a minute or two before introducing the film as a "demonstration of some excellent Chinese Boxing."
There's something more than a little disheartening about lumping all of these distinct elements under the concept of martial arts.
Ninja, kung-fu, ehhhhhhhh, it's all oriental, right?
The Chinese VHS box art for Cunning Kids from Rare Kung Fu Movies
But there is more...
Over at
The Scandy Factory, the Scandy Man has posted this nice image of the Ninja Theater version of
Ninja Terminator. (right) His
awesome post includes the intro sequence with Sho Kosugi's demo, a must watch to be sure, and some ephemera from the Sho Kosugi ninja fan club. This is one of my all time favorite movies of all fucking ever, comparable perhaps only to
Challenge of the Tiger. Both of these are highly contingent on the fact that they star
Richard "God Among Men" Harrison.
Ninja Terminator was given a
fantastic DVD release from Video Asia as part of the Silver Fox collection, and
Challenge of the Tiger was double-featured by
Mondo Macabro b-sided with
For Your Height Only.
From my own meager shelves.
Not to be confused with this
Ninja Terminator, part of an Anchor Bay double VHS box from 1995. I haven't watched this specific film, but
Ninja Wars, the A-film is a chopped version of
"Black Magic Wars" (?) or
Iga Ninpocho, a graphicaly violent but ultimately slooooow Japanese samurai gorror film. Aren't they all?
This started as a post about one movie and evolved into a morass of ninja insanity. Thanks for your dedication.
