Here's a trailer for the 1980 film "Young Hero" starring Hwang Jang-Lee, Tino Wong Cheung, and Kwan Yung-Moon. I haven't actually seen this one, but just seeing the trailer makes me want to seek out a copy. I loves me some Hwang Jang-Lee!
Hwang Jang Lee, best known as The Silver Fox from Secret Rivals, is up to his old high kicking games in this tale of revenge and counter revenge. Hwang Jang Lee is the leader of a local band of Japanese thugs whose only obstacle is Master Lok and his sons, in particular Loks fourth son who secretly practices Kung Fu. His skills eventually surpass his brothers and it is up to he and his father to stop Lee. The final fight scene alone is worth the price of admission.
Solid kung fu throughout the film with impressive acrobatics and skillful agility, but it's Hwang Jang Lees fine form and his high kicking that is the real highlight of Young Hero.
Well looky here! It's Leg Fighters Week at the Roxy! 4 Smash hits, one admission price! Can't beat that! First up we have 'Twister Kicker,' a 1974 melodramatic basher, with a little bit less action than one would expect from a movie with that title. Next up is 'Dual Flying Kicks,' a 1978 Taiwanese production starring Chan Sing, and ol' Flash-Legs himself, Dorian Tan! Feature number three looks like 1979's 'The Magnificent,' with Carter Wong, Chan Sing, and a bunch of other familiar faces. Here's a pressbook (.PDF format) for what looks like a recent video release. And finally we have "Eagle's Killer," a 1981 flick featuring spectacular bootmaster villain Hwang Jang-Lee. What a line-up! Looks like I better get to work on my time machine!
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"Quickly as you can, snatch the pebble from my hand. .."
Hwang Jang-Lee, also known as the "Silver Fox," is one of the most recognizable kung fu villains of the genre. He was born in Japan in 1944, and his family soon left for Korea. Around the age of 14, Jang-Lee took an interest in Taekwondo. After a few years, and becoming proficient in the art, he joined the Korean Army as a Taekwondo instructor. After leaving the army he began acting in Korean cinema, where he was noticed by famed Hong Kong producer/director Ng See-Yuen. In 1976, Hwang Jang-Lee was invited back to Hong Kong by Ng See-Yuen to make films for his new independent Seasonal Films Corporation. That year Hwang Jang-Lee would cement his villainous image in "The Secret Rivals," in which he played the evil Silver Fox, earning him his nickname. Hwang Jang-Lee's trademark fast, hard-kicking style has also garnered him the nickname "King of the Leg Fighters." It is said that while in the Korean Army, Hwang once unintentionally killed a man with one of his lethal kicks. Apparently, the man challenged Jang-Lee with a knife. Hwang refused to fight, but the man lunged at him with the knife. Attempting to only subdue the man, Hwang Jang-Lee underestimated the strength of his own kick, and instantly killed the man in self defense with a shot to the temple. Definitely not a man to be messed with!
Hwang Jang-Lee made many great films from the mid-70's through the early 90's. He left acting in 1991 and returned to South Korea to concentrate on personal business ventures, most notably running a hotel, a bodyguard agency, and manufacturing golf tees. In 2003, Hwang Jang-Lee earned his 9th degree black belt in Taekwondo, achieving the title of Grandmaster.
Although no longer acting, Hwang Jang-Lee's legacy remains in some of the greatest kung fu films of the late 70's and early 80's. If you're ever in the mood to see some classic ass-kicking (literally!) kung fu bad guy action, just pop in a Hwang Jang-Lee flick, and you're sure to get your fix!
RECOMMENDED VIEWING
The Secret Rivals 1 & 2 (1976/1977)
The Invincible Armor (1977)
The Snuff Bottle Connection (1977)
Drunken Master (1978)
The Hell's Windstaff (1979)
