After getting in trouble with local gangs, a young man (Fu Sheng) flees to San Francisco, where the same gangs are still causing problems. He becomes a part of a rival gang, and eventually d... Read allAfter getting in trouble with local gangs, a young man (Fu Sheng) flees to San Francisco, where the same gangs are still causing problems. He becomes a part of a rival gang, and eventually decides to play them against each other in order to clean up the town.After getting in trouble with local gangs, a young man (Fu Sheng) flees to San Francisco, where the same gangs are still causing problems. He becomes a part of a rival gang, and eventually decides to play them against each other in order to clean up the town.
Susan Yam-Yam Shaw
- Hsin Wa
- (as Yin Yin Shaw)
Jenny Tseng
- Yvonne
- (as Jenny)
- …
Kara Wai
- Girl in brothel
- (as Kara Hui)
Sheng Chiang
- White Dragon gang member
- (as Chao Kang Sheng)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsDespite the fact that the majority of the film takes place in San Francisco, all cars shown have the steering wheel on the right-hand side and drive on the left-hand side of the road.
- Alternate versionsThe original cut of the film (which was a Cantonese/Mandarin hybrid, depending on the characters speaking, and would also be used for the English dubbed export release) and the Mandarin language-only re-release version are almost two completely different films. The Mandarin cut is about 90 minutes and ends with the hero and the villain being arrested. The original/export cut is 115 minutes, features far more fight footage, additional "darker" footage of the hero's more villainous ways, and alternate sequences including the original ending in which the hero dies in the final battle along with the villain. For years this original cut was only available in an English dubbed VHS from South Gate Entertainment in the US, while Celestial Pictures had prioritized the 90 minute re-release cut with the film's restoration for DVD and blu-ray. However, in 2021, Arrow Video released a blu-ray as part of their "Shaw Scope Vol. 1" box set of the original cut of the film (scanned primarily from an internegative), available in the original Cantonese/Mandarin hybrid as well as the export English dub.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Trailer Trauma Part 4: Television Trauma (2017)
Featured review
Shaw Brothers Mania: The Chinatown Kid
The Chinatown Kid (1977) is another masterpiece from Chang Cheh. Alexander Fu Sheng stars as Tang Dong, a bumpkin who illegally immigrates to Hong Kong (with the aid of his uncle) and works odd jobs whilst dreaming about becoming rich and successful. The film also tells the story of a young Taiwanese man who just did a stint in the military who works hard and aspires to become a success. His chance comes when he's offered a scholarship at U.C. Berkely. Two lives that parallel each other eventually cross paths in San Francisco's Chinatown. This film is somewhat similar to Chang Cheh's other films Boxer From Shan tung and The Delinquent. Both of them have the same theme and they're all equally excellent. Ni Kuang reworks the theme by not only modernizing it but by bringing it to "Chinatown". The future Five Deadly Venoms all have small parts in this movie. The movie is cheesy and preachy at times but it's all done in jest. Alexander Fu Sheng shows that he's a lead actor in this movie and it's sad that his life was cut short several years later. His future wife Jenny Tsang has a small part as his girlfriend (but strangely disappears after a couple of scenes) and Philip Kwok co-stars as Tan Dong benefactor. Overall Chinatown Kid is not as deep or heavy as Chang Cheh''s other films but it's good fun and nicely paced and edited.
Highly recommended.
There are a few things I found strange about this film. One, Chinatown in this movie is very dusty. Two, the car's driver side is on the right hand side.Three, someone forgot to convert Hong Kong Dollars into U.S. Dollars
(i.e. five dollars for a hot dog in 1977?). What's even funnier is the fact the sign outside the hot dog stand says 5.00 USD for "hot dogs" and sold canned beer. (Tan Dong called them "dog sausages"). The biggest laugh was the Orange Julius that sold noodles.
Highly recommended.
There are a few things I found strange about this film. One, Chinatown in this movie is very dusty. Two, the car's driver side is on the right hand side.Three, someone forgot to convert Hong Kong Dollars into U.S. Dollars
(i.e. five dollars for a hot dog in 1977?). What's even funnier is the fact the sign outside the hot dog stand says 5.00 USD for "hot dogs" and sold canned beer. (Tan Dong called them "dog sausages"). The biggest laugh was the Orange Julius that sold noodles.
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- Captain_Couth
- May 28, 2004
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- Der Kung Fu-Fighter von Chinatown
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