The Man from Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The Man from Hong Kong, known in the U.S.A. as The Dragon Flies is a 1975
action film that was the first Australian-Hong Kong co-production being filmed in both nations. The film was also the first Australian martial arts film
. It was produced by Raymond Chow
and John Fraser, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith
and starred Jimmy Wang-Yu and George Lazenby
. The film was restored by the Australian National Film and Sound Archive
.
detective
s arrest Hong Kong drug courier Win Chan (Sammo Hung
). The film switches to the Royal Hong Kong Police Police Training School at Wong Chuk Hang
where a hang glider piloted by Australian Caroline Thorne (Rosalind Speirs
) runs out of air currents and lands on the parade square. She is met by Inspector
Fang Sing Leng who has coincidentally been chosen to travel to Sydney to interview Win Chan.
Fang is met by Detectives Gross (Hugh Keays-Byrne
) and Taylor (Roger Ward) who have been unable to obtain any information from Win Chan. Fang uses traditional but illegal police methods to elicit cooperation from Win Chan. Fang discovers the connection between Win Chan's drug imports and Sydney "colourful identity" (gangster) Jack Wilton (George Lazenby
). Inspector Fang becomes a target of death by various firearms, edged weapons, explosives, fast cars, a crossbow
and martial arts by both Australian and Chinese criminals. He also reacquaints himself with Caroline who trains him how to fly a hang glider at Stanwell Park that the Inspector uses to gain access to Wilton's crime headquarters.
. According to some sources, Wang Yu directed parts of the film. English expatriate Brian Trenchard-Smith making his directing debut received nine offers of co-production after the film's release. At a screening of a restored print in Sydney, Trenchard-Smith stated that the film didn't do as well as was hoped due to its R adults only rating.
The film was originally costed at $450,000 but the budget increased when the producers wanted more action sequences and a hit song on the soundtrack. A band called Jigsaw
recorded 'Sky High
' which was used over the opening credits and went number one in several countries.
Wang Yu was injured in a hang gliding sequence whilst Lazenby had severe burns on his hands during a fight scene.
1975 in film
The year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London....
action film that was the first Australian-Hong Kong co-production being filmed in both nations. The film was also the first Australian martial arts film
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
. It was produced by Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow Man-Wai is a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter and was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage...
and John Fraser, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith
Brian Trenchard-Smith
Brian Trenchard-Smith is an English film and television director, producer, writer, consultant and actor who is notable for his contributions to the horror and action genre during the 1970s and 1980s in Australia. Most of his work has been in television, and the majority of his films have been...
and starred Jimmy Wang-Yu and George Lazenby
George Lazenby
George Robert Lazenby is an Australian actor and former model, best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.-Early life:...
. The film was restored by the Australian National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...
.
Plot
At Ayers Rock, undercoverUndercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s arrest Hong Kong drug courier Win Chan (Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
). The film switches to the Royal Hong Kong Police Police Training School at Wong Chuk Hang
Wong Chuk Hang
Wong Chuk Hang is an industrial and residential town to the east of Aberdeen and to the north of Nam Long Shan and to the west of Shouson Hill, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong...
where a hang glider piloted by Australian Caroline Thorne (Rosalind Speirs
Rosalind Speirs
Rosalind "Ros" Speirs is a retired Australian film and television actress. She starred on several television series during the 1970s including Silent Number, Heidi and the television miniseries Power Without Glory...
) runs out of air currents and lands on the parade square. She is met by Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
Fang Sing Leng who has coincidentally been chosen to travel to Sydney to interview Win Chan.
Fang is met by Detectives Gross (Hugh Keays-Byrne
Hugh Keays-Byrne
Hugh Keays-Byrne is an English character actor who moved to Australia in 1973. He is well-known in Australia as a television and film actor...
) and Taylor (Roger Ward) who have been unable to obtain any information from Win Chan. Fang uses traditional but illegal police methods to elicit cooperation from Win Chan. Fang discovers the connection between Win Chan's drug imports and Sydney "colourful identity" (gangster) Jack Wilton (George Lazenby
George Lazenby
George Robert Lazenby is an Australian actor and former model, best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.-Early life:...
). Inspector Fang becomes a target of death by various firearms, edged weapons, explosives, fast cars, a crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
and martial arts by both Australian and Chinese criminals. He also reacquaints himself with Caroline who trains him how to fly a hang glider at Stanwell Park that the Inspector uses to gain access to Wilton's crime headquarters.
Production
The first Australian/Hong Kong co-production was made during the height of the kung fu film craze and the Australian New WaveAustralian New Wave
The Australian New Wave was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema...
. According to some sources, Wang Yu directed parts of the film. English expatriate Brian Trenchard-Smith making his directing debut received nine offers of co-production after the film's release. At a screening of a restored print in Sydney, Trenchard-Smith stated that the film didn't do as well as was hoped due to its R adults only rating.
The film was originally costed at $450,000 but the budget increased when the producers wanted more action sequences and a hit song on the soundtrack. A band called Jigsaw
Jigsaw (band)
Jigsaw were an English pop music group, fronted by the singer-songwriter duo of Clive Scott and Des Dyer. In Australia the group was called "British Jigsaw" due to the existence of a local band of the same name.-Overview:...
recorded 'Sky High
Sky High (song)
"Sky High" is the name of a 1975 single by British pop music group, Jigsaw. The song, the main title theme to the film entitled The Man from Hong Kong, was a world-wide hit in the latter part of 1975, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and #9 in the UK Singles Chart.Two...
' which was used over the opening credits and went number one in several countries.
Wang Yu was injured in a hang gliding sequence whilst Lazenby had severe burns on his hands during a fight scene.
External links
- Australia's Role in the Global Kung Fu Trend http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/01/16/man_hk.html
- The Man from Hong Kong at National Film and Sound ArchiveNational Film and Sound ArchiveThe National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...