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40th Anniversary of The Last Dragon (1985) Retro Review · The K.B. Radio Network

0:21
I
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don't know what to say.
0:27
I don't know what to say.
0:30
I am your host,
0:31
Kevin Reed,
0:32
and the day has come.
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The day has finally come that we talk about a film,
0:40
that we talk about the film that changed my life forever back in
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1985. A movie that still to this day gives me all the joy,
0:55
all the excitement,
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and all of the splendor.
1:00
movie watching something that you know I've been doing since a little tight as long as I can remember but there was one film that stood out and that just just gripped me from the moment it touched the movie theater yes it is none other than
1:19
Barry Gordy's the last dragon which came out 40 years ago on March the 22nd 1980
1:30
and it's weird it's like it was destined to be i had already scheduled this episode for this week the months ago reason being it's my birthday it is today is my birthday and
1:46
i said for as a birthday present for myself i'm going to talk about the film that got me in love with movies that just gripped me from the you
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opening scene to the very last credit that ruled and it is the last dragon and doing research and re-watching the film for this show i found out that it was released on march the
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22nd it just so happened to be released two days after my birthday um i i mean it was meant to be i can't i can't put it no other way but this is you
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of film if you're in my generation or even before this is the film that everybody knew i don't care if you're black white uh hispanic whatever race whatever ethnic group that you're in whatever creed that you're in whatever is
2:48
this is a film that everybody knew we would go to school and recite lines from this movie everybody watched it everybody this
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I mean,
3:00
it's weird how this movie unified everyone,
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connected everyone.
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It hit with everyone.
3:08
It was the weirdest thing,
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you know?
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Now,
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granted,
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I was only six years old when this movie came out,
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but
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I can't think of a movie that came out before this that unified everyone like this.
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And honestly,
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I can't think of a movie after this that has unified people like this to the point where is honestly.
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you can recite every line from this movie.
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When I re-watched it the other day,
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I was sitting there and
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I'm just spewing out lines and I realized that
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I know every single line of dialogue in this film.
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One of the many reasons is because,
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of course,
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we watched it a million and one times and I'm saying we because if anybody,
3:55
anybody grew up in the 80s,
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this movie came on uh i forgot which channel it came on uh it was one of those uh local stations it either came on after soul train or after kung fu theater or creature feature it was one of those but every
4:15
saturday it felt like the last dragon came on and of course you watched it music it doesn't matter what part it was on you stopped and watched it and i know you
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every line of this movie.
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I know every kung fu move of this film.
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And that brings me to another point about this movie,
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how much of an impact,
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and I mean this in a literal sense,
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how much of an impact this movie had.
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I think back of how many times me and my cousin sat there and tried to emulate every move
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Leroy Green was making in that film.
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You know the kicks.
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the look the the little matrix style uh uh uh hand movement in slow motion that he did where he had the millions of arms coming out it was the coolest special effect we ever saw in our lives at up to that point in
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the globe and so we we emulated that and us being young and stupid we didn't realize that you know that these were actual black belts well at least
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Ty Mack was,
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but these were actual professionals.
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They didn't really kick each other.
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They didn't really punch each other.
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We didn't take it.
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We went in just all out and kicked each other in the stomach,
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kicked each other in the face.
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It was real trying to be Bruce Leroy because everybody wanted to be Bruce Leroy.
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Nobody wanted to be show enough.
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Now as you get older at least I do
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I'm more sure enough than I am
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Bruce Leroy,
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but that's neither here nor there but yet so many bumps and bruises in
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Teeth getting knocked out of your mouth for watching the last dragon the last dragon man is a film that encapsulates the early to mid-eight if
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you have children if you're around my age in your 40s mid
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40s or late 40s and you grew up in this era and you've had kids later in life and you tell your kids about the
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80s and how it was how it was the greatest decade ever and they look at you like you're stupid and like my children do if you want to show them what the
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80s was this is the perfect movie to put on
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to show them what the this is a time capsule this this movie unintentionally takes everything about the
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80s and sticks it into this 90 minute film this this i mean as far as the the the styles the clothes the music the the texture of the film that you know everything about this is
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80s everything the hairstyles the i mean everything just you
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drips
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80s it is the most dated movie ever made i mean dated beyond dated but i don't care like i said watched it earlier uh a couple of days ago and i was just drawn back to that time you know of a simpler time at least it was for me because i didn't have bills and
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i didn't have pressure of uh work and all this other stuff you know the good life
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You know,
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mama fed me,
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daddy clothed me.
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I didn't have to worry about all that back there,
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but now life is lifing.
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But it drew me back to that time,
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and man,
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it was just so much fun.
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I remember sitting in front of the TV about a foot from the television and watching this movie.
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As far as me,
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remember,
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I...
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I vaguely remember going to the theater to see this.
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I want to say I went to the theater to see this with my sisters and my brother,
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and we all went to go see it.
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I really do think that happened,
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but I'm not 100%
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so that it happened,
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but I feel that it did.
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And every time I wanted to call up my sisters and my brother to ask them,
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I forget.
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I always forget when I talk to them.
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it never pops in my mind.
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And
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I just assume at this point,
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but I believe that we did go to the theater to go see this,
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but at least the first time that I saw,
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and man,
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it was a matter of fact,
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now that I say that I do remember walking out of joy.
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Cinema city eight is a movie theater in the town that I grew up.
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It was the,
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it was the dollar show that we called it.
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Cause you go see movies for a dollar back there.
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Go figure good times people.
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good times but um i remember going to that theater to go see this so yes i did go see it in the theater but of course i was very young i was six years old but by the time i was seven or eight it was on tv non-stop and
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you know you watch movies now once or twice and you feel that's enough especially these days you know movies are really ah man for example
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went and saw Captain America,
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uh,
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Brave New World a couple of weeks ago.
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Saw it once.
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I don't need to see it again.
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I have no desire to see that movie again.
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Novocaine.
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Just saw that this past weekend.
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I thought it was a fun little movie.
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I have no desire to see that again.
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Even though
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I enjoyed the movie,
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I'm good.
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I don't need to see it again.
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But movies that came out around this time in the 80s and going into the
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90s, it's a different feel.
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It's more of,
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I don't know,
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it's just something timeless about it.
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Something precious about those type of movies.
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and uh the last dragon it just stands out to me i remember uh my cousin had called me about a year or so ago yeah same cousin that we were kicking each other in the stomach back in the day but he had called me like man you
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know the last dragon's on netflix and i don't know man it's like he told me i won the he's like he called me and told me i won the lottery you know that i have eight eight even
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million dollars in the bank you know just come down here and pick it up that's how that phone call felt and it was on one it was either netflix or max or something i forgot which uh screaming service it was on but yeah it was the greatest joy when he called and told me that and
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showing up i went to that service and i watched it i watched it but uh let's get into
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the production or the pre-production how this movie came to be what led to this cult classic that we know as the last dragon well it was based on an original screenplay by lewis uh von von noska i
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believe that's how you say his last name and he was a struggling actor and a dancer who you know he got tired around this time he got tired of being cast as
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game member number one number two or whatever and every urban film made in new york and so he wanted um to change it up he wanted to do something different he just he got tired of acting so he wrote this screenplay and it was purchased by tri-star pitchers for motown productions and
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was quickly approved for production which began in new york city on april the
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16th 1984 this was the you
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first acting role for Ty Mack who was a 19 year old black belt who learned how to act during the making of this movie and look when we go through the the actual review of this film it's
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gonna be biased I'm telling y'all straight up flat out period right now it's gonna be on it's gonna be a biased review
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um because this movie has a i don't know man it just holds a special place in my heart so it's not going to be much criticism but i will say this timex acting is the worst it
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wasn't even acting i don't i don't even know if you can classify it as acting and so to learn that tidbit actually i didn't even have to research that i knew that by watching the film
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I knew that when I was six years old sitting in the theater watching him that he didn't know how to act he got this role because he was a good looking guy 19 years old and he was a black belt in karate okay I get it you know that'll never happen these days you
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but back in the 80s sure if you can throw a kick come on stand in front this camp and they gave him a lot to do in this movie you know they gave him a lot to do now I feel
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once again we're going to touch in more on it when we review it but uh i think the stuff that he was given he did a really good job you know all things considered to say he couldn't act he never acted before in his life never never been on a film set never he never desired to be an actor and
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he did a lot because there was a lot of heavy lifting in this movie but there's neither here or there he learned how to act and i use learned very loosely
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um while on the set of this film now with all that being said in hindsight is 2020 it wasn't like uh uh timac was the you know he beat out millions
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of people for it well he did beat him out but it wasn't like he out acted a lot of people once again i understand it was
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1984 when they were making this uh and these names weren't
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names in 1984.
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I get it.
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But once again,
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hindsight,
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hindsight being 2020.
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Here are some names who lobbied hard for the role of Bruce Leroy Green in The Last Dragon.
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Wesley Snipes,
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Billy Blanks,
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yes,
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Tybo,
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he lobbied hard.
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Mario Van Peebles,
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Lawrence Fishburne,
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and according to the articles I read,
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the one actor
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who was
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I mean he tried he he broke into auditions he was doing all type of stuff to try to land his role as Bruce Leroy it was none other than Denzel Washington was
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he would try this was one of the most coveted roles at the time for young black actors now with that being said there weren't many
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i would go as far to say none so of course this was a uh a juicy project not looking for an award because you knew you weren't going to get an award for this film but to actually lead a
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film a black actor to lead a film unheard of in 1985.
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it was unheard of yeah it was happening you had
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sparingly coming out where you get a lead here or there uh definitely not as much as you see now and if you really want to be honest look around just go walk past a movie theater and look at the posters and you tell me how many black actors are
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leading films uh captain america aside how many more black actors are leading films uh in the multiplex right now not that big but ultimately
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the role went to time back and the,
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Hey,
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who knows?
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Maybe if Lawrence Fishburne got this role,
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we don't get to see him in the matrix.
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You know,
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it's not as exhilarating.
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Um,
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uh,
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when we see him do what he do in the matrix,
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you know,
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cause we seen him do it in 1985 in the last dragon,
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maybe
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Denzel Washington don't have this storied career,
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you know,
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this,
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this award just filled.
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career that he has now if he has starred in the last dragon who knows maybe wesley snipes never go on to be blade if he stars in the last dragon so on and so forth we don't know we we don't know it could have all worked out for the good and i think it all worked out for the good anyway
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because all of these actors who were just breaking down the doors trying to get this role um went on to have story
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careers definitely bigger than uh tarmac but so hey you know kudos uh uh for them you know even though they didn't get the job they still got the career instead of vanity vanity
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vanity this was my all-time crush still is god rest her soul denise matthew and she still i mean bruh
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This was the first movie.
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I was six years old.
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I was six years old and I knew I wasn't gay.
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I knew when I saw her,
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I instantly fell in love.
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There was no questions.
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I knew what I wanted.
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This woman.
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Oh,
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my God.
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She is still.
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I mean,
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bro.
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Like I said,
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watching it again.
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Man,
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she is just perfect.
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She was just perfect.
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I mean,
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just beauty personified was Vanity.
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And at this time,
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she was actually starring alongside Prince in Purple Ring.
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Well,
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she left that production.
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Her and Prince had a falling out.
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That's how Apollonia end up being in that role for Purple Ring.
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Vanity went on to star.
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in or co-star in the last dragon and good good i accept that because man this god i love her i i think i gushed about her for about 10-15 minutes when i did my uh uh action jackson review um
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as the moment when i realized i loved her because we had a uh frontal scene
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full frontal scene uh when she showed her breasts in that movie but in this one this is when i fell in love with her i crushed on her heart i cried
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like a baby when she passed away uh some years back oh man you want to talk about crushed i was crushed seriously crushed once again r.i.p to a queen the
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soundtrack to this film the soundtrack is still a soundtrack that i listen to to this day i still listen to it
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um is is on is in my queue list on on spotify i love this soundtrack you know you had uh the barge on this rhythm of the night that was that was a banger written by diane warren believe it or not diane warren who has been nominated for like 50 academy awards and haven't won one
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which is a crime against nature i don't understand how diane warren has yet to win an academy award but there's neither here nor there
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She wrote
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Rhythm of the Night.
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You had Stevie Wonder on his soundtrack with Upset Stomach.
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You had The Glow.
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You got that glow?
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Fire.
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Fire.
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Every time I hear that song,
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every time I hear that song,
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I pop the
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Bruce Leroy pose when he does the arms and the air-waving thing in slow motion.
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Every time.
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7 heaven performed by vanity for this soundtrack it's just a hodgepodge you know this film is co-produced by Motown so of course you're gonna get a banging soundtrack here this
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movie was produced on a budget of 10 million dollars and in 1985 that's a nice chunk of change you know cuz that's a nice chunk of change for films these days 10 million dollars but it had a 10 million dollar budget
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and it was a hit it grossed 33 million dollars at the box office but critics tore it apart back in 1987 i think uh 50 of the no 58 gave it a positive but the rest no
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they torched it they torched it so it's safe to say it was mixed but it was torched but this movie it has become a cult
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classic,
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deservantly so,
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because it is an
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80s wet dream.
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This is a
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1980s film personified,
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The Last
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Dragon. Let's jump into the review of this cult classic,
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this
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40-year-old film,
22:43
40 years,
22:44
people.
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The Last Dragon,
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also known as Barry Gordy's The Last Dragon.
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It is an American
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martial arts film directed by
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Michael Schultz.
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And Michael Schultz,
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at this point in his career,
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he had directed a few films.
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And believe it or not,
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I did not know he was black until I was doing research for this show.
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I'm thinking Michael Schultz.
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I thought maybe he was
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German or Polish or something like that.
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I didn't know that he was a black man,
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but he's black.
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And up to this point,
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he had directed
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Cooley High,
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Car Wash,
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Which Way Is Up,
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Bustin'
23:28
Loose.
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You know,
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he has directed some pretty cool films.
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After this,
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after The Last Dragon,
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he went on to direct even more pretty cool films.
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He directed
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Crush Groove.
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He directed
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Living Large,
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Disorderlies.
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And,
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uh,
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the most recent thing that I saw he did was,
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uh,
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in 19,
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not 19,
23:54
but in 2004,
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uh,
23:56
woman down or loose that,
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that TD J's movie that I've never seen,
24:01
but he directed dead,
24:05
but I believe he retired.
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I think he's still alive and kicking to this day.
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He's 86 years old and,
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um,
24:13
living his life.
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God bless him.
24:16
But this film stars,
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uh,
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ty mac and i'm i'm thinking i'm saying his name right ty mac or ty make whatever however it goes but he he stars in his film as bruce leroy vanity julius curly as shown enough um and
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in case you have been living under a mountain for the past 40 years the premise of the last dragon in new york city a young man searches for a master who obtains the final level of
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martial arts mastery known as the glow where do I start off with this review let's start off first and foremost
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my impressions of it you know so you can know what to expect going i'm fully aware i think i've stated it a few times i'm fully aware that this is a cheesy movie i'm
25:16
fully aware that this is full 80s cheese and 80s cheese is like no other cheese there's there there's a level to this man that cannot be matched and
25:32
Yes,
25:32
normally movies like that are dated and this movie is dated.
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Of course.
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Yes,
25:38
you can fully see that This is a 1985 film fully see is nothing here that you can take and put in 2025 America and and think it will pass as 2025 America there is no it's
25:55
no possible way,
25:57
but is unbelievably
26:01
exciting to watch this movie it is unbelievably fun how this movie is laid out for you everything is laid out but not explained to you like you're five years old you know what i'm saying it's not it's not like that there's
26:20
actual depth to this movie that makes it i don't know more than just a cheesy little
26:28
stupid little Saturday afternoon movie.
26:30
You know,
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it's more to it.
26:33
You know,
26:33
you have stories of family.
26:37
You have stories of perseverance.
26:42
You have stories of resilience.
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You have story of,
26:47
you know,
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pursuing your dream,
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going after the love of your life,
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you know,
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you know,
26:54
falling in love and all of that stuff is.
26:58
there's more too but all of that stuff is and belief in yourself that's the number one thing belief in yourself and this film was done in such a cool way it was really displayed in such an exciting way here uh
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let's begin with the acting let's get that out the way let's start with ty mac uh as bruce leroy leroy green
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I think he did a good job.
27:28
He did a good job.
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I mean,
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no,
27:31
it wasn't an Academy Award worthy performance.
27:34
No,
27:35
I don't see him in any other thing because he wasn't in any other thing.
27:40
The only thing I've seen him in,
27:43
aside from The Last Dragon,
27:45
was on an episode of A Different World where he played the abusive boyfriend to Freddy on the show when he beat up Freddy.
27:55
That was the only time or hitter didn't beat well the same thing and that was the only other time and I'm like man
28:02
Bruce Leroy's a douche.
28:05
I was so hurt by that I was really because it was such a turn from what we know this meek and humble
28:14
Individual from this movie and to really go
28:18
180 on a different world
28:21
Crushed my heart.
28:22
It really
28:24
I think I cried.
28:26
You know,
28:26
I probably cried for Freddy because I loved her character.
28:29
But I definitely cried because,
28:31
man,
28:31
that was my hero,
28:32
man.
28:32
It was a black superhero.
28:34
Like I said,
28:34
we didn't have this back then.
28:36
We didn't have Black Panther and
28:38
Sam Wilson and all this here.
28:41
All we had was Bruce Leroy.
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That's the only hero I had to look up to.
28:47
And just like that,
28:48
it was dashed away on an episode of A Different World.
28:51
But you didn't see him in nothing.
28:54
else at least
28:56
I can't recall
28:57
I can't recall and it's understandable when you know the backstory he's a martial artist he was not an actor acting wasn't his thing that wasn't something he was pursuing in life you know it's just something he happened upon and you
29:13
know good on him he did the best he could and he honestly did the bit you can honestly see him doing the best he can do in this movie
29:23
You know,
29:24
the scene where
29:27
Shonuf and his crew destroy Daddy Green's pizza,
29:32
and he comes in after the fact,
29:34
and the devastation and hurt and pain that's on his face.
29:41
when uh his little brother Richie is telling him it's his fault you know because you don't stand up you don't stand up to a show nothing you know you kissed his converse and all this other stuff in the tears running out of his face I was like man that's acting that's
29:57
acting that's why I was like man how did he get how did they get him to that point on set because this dude is not an actor you know you get all the rest of the movie aside him you
30:09
the way he delivers lines and all that other stuff yeah that's fine but in that scene like but it was something he's just got to work with somebody but it never it never came to be unfortunately but uh
30:24
good on him you know he he still has this it was a he's one thousand he bats a thousand when it comes to film you know he he got up to the plate once knocked it out the park and retired and that was that that did cool you
30:39
So
30:40
I think he did a decent job.
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Now,
30:42
do I think Denzel could have killed?
30:44
Of course.
30:45
Lawrence Fishburne?
30:47
Absolutely.
30:48
Wesley Snipes would have demolished this role.
30:52
Wesley Snipes,
30:54
Bruce Leroy,
30:57
it would have been taken to a whole nother level.
31:00
I believe if Wesley Snipes would have been cast in this role.
31:04
But we didn't get those gentlemen.
31:06
We got
31:07
Tymac.
31:08
I think he did a pretty decent job.
31:11
Vanity.
31:12
Vanity,
31:13
once again,
31:14
at this point,
31:15
wasn't a full-blown actress.
31:18
And you can make the argument,
31:21
never was.
31:23
As far as her acting.
31:24
To be honest with you,
31:26
around this time,
31:26
I didn't care how she acted.
31:28
I really didn't care.
31:32
Was it a great performance?
31:33
No.
31:33
No,
31:34
it wasn't great.
31:36
It was the 80s.
31:37
And so,
31:37
normally...
31:38
the female co-lead in the film was the danzo in distress the ditzy girl and all this here and that's what she was you know um there was a level of strength to her character that was kind of foreign around this time and
31:56
so that was good to see but i'm not gonna say that you know she was the best actress on the set the best actor or actress on this set you
32:08
was Julius Curry as Shonuf.
32:10
That dude,
32:12
bro.
32:12
That dude.
32:15
I never disliked him as a villain.
32:18
Never.
32:19
That goes back to 85.
32:21
Never disliked him because I enjoyed him so much.
32:26
He was so funny,
32:28
yet so menacing.
32:30
This was a character you believe could whoop.
32:35
Leroy Green there was no doubting it it wasn't it wasn't like oh man what he's gonna pull out of his hat well you know he's had to cheat the wind get his guys to jump in and all this no no no no no no no well number one he towered over uh
32:52
Bruce Leroy towered over the so that was that then his attitude the way he walked in the room he just he just had it man it was
33:02
God rest his soul Julius Curry it did it
33:05
excellent job as shown up one of the one of the best movie villains ever yes i'm throwing that out there i'm not saying he he is the best people i know you don't come at me i'm saying he's one of the best because he
33:20
controlled every scene every situation he was in you know never well not never you know it took to the very end and the man had to manifest the glow of the holy spirit of whatever end
33:34
and defeat him but throughout the film he controlled every situation that he was in from the scene in the movie theater from the scene when he interrupted the dojo and you know the class the scene when they were taking uh applications for these uh bounty hunters or whatever all
33:55
of that just every scene he popped up in he just chewed up the scenery and you needed it yes cheesy
34:03
Cheesy because no human being is going to walk around with shoulder pads and
34:09
I'm talking football shoulder pads and with his chest out and shaded sunglasses or whatever they were in this just freaked out,
34:21
blown out hair,
34:23
air throw,
34:24
whatever you want to call it.
34:25
It was it was it was a look.
34:28
It was a look.
34:29
But in 1985,
34:30
you didn't blink twice.
34:33
He didn't blink twice because man the 80s,
34:37
but I loved I loved
34:39
to this day still love that character julius curly god rest his soul he passed away a few years back as well uh i think he killed it in this role um our antagonist here uh played by christopher murray or or mernie uh as
34:56
eddie uh arcadian he was he was fine you know he was fine i like i liked his character he was a little manic and crazy his his
35:09
plot or his his his uh uh motivation throughout the film was kind of silly you know it was very comic booky and you know once again cheesy and unrealistic yes yes yes yes but it was it was all right for the movie it fit in this film you
35:28
know but uh yeah he was all right faith prince as his girlfriend or whatever she was angela i liked her role here
35:39
This is the first time,
35:41
like I said before,
35:42
not only did we see Ty Mack,
35:44
but first time we got to see Ernie
35:48
Reyes Jr.,
35:49
who is still working today.
35:50
I've just seen a movie he was in,
35:52
I don't know,
35:53
maybe a month or so ago.
35:55
Like,
35:55
man,
35:55
this dude still,
35:56
is he still kicking it?
35:57
No pun intended.
35:59
He's still out here working and still kicking.
36:02
But this was his first film.
36:04
I think he was 12 years old when he made this,
36:07
his first role.
36:09
as the little kid,
36:11
the little kid,
36:11
nobody expected to be a beast,
36:14
and he was a beast,
36:15
and he still is,
36:16
you know,
36:18
what was that movie with The Rock,
36:20
he was in,
36:21
The Rundown,
36:22
and he whooped The Rock a new one,
36:25
man,
36:27
and this is when The Rock was just getting into Hollywood,
36:30
just getting into the movie thing,
36:32
and The Rock was,
36:33
you know,
36:33
he's coming from wrestling,
36:34
he's this intimidating figure,
36:36
and all this here,
36:38
Ernie,
36:38
Reyes Jr.
36:41
tore The Rock apart in a little fight scene.
36:45
It was for comedy and whatnot,
36:47
but it was a cool little scene.
36:49
And he got the best of them throughout that fight.
36:54
Keisha Knight Pullen,
36:55
first time we got to see her.
36:57
You know,
36:57
Rudy Huxtable herself.
36:59
This was her first role in anything.
37:04
She was a little bitty thing.
37:05
She was like four,
37:06
five years old.
37:08
they made this she plays uh bruce leroy's little baby sister um we also see call anthony pain for the first time he was the kid in the pizza shop just a little cameo you don't know who call anthony pain is martin
37:25
it's martin uh he was on that show for many many years but the shocker that i didn't realize until i watched
37:37
did again two days ago chas pomentary is in this movie as a small cameo he's a little hood uh a little gangster in this movie that gets gets uh beat up by bruce leroy the one that was trying to kidnap uh uh laura when
37:55
she was coming out of the studio or whatever and um i'm like wait that's chas pomentary i'm like man that's crazy man and all these all these little uh
38:07
well you say cameos but it's they weren't at the time they were just actors trying to get roles you know but now you look back and revisit revisit its history and it's like man these are some prominent actors uh
38:24
william macy macy is in this movie he has a small little role you know and you barely recognize him in this movie but it it's cool to look at these
38:37
uh actors uh uh early on i love going back and watching old movies and seeing actors in little small roles that right now they're the the kings and queens of hollywood you know making
38:52
30 40 million dollars a movie probably only made 30 dollars before they're rolling in the movie back then but uh yeah the acting here look you you're not watching this for the acting so it's hard to really gauge it but
39:08
for the sake of this review yeah it's weak the acting is weak but i didn't care didn't care um the action the action was phenomenal you know it really encapsulated
39:25
the vibe of the kung fu films and karate films of that era you know with the uh just pure martial arts because let's not forget
39:37
This is pre-
39:40
visual effects cgi and all this here you know you you didn't have digital doubles pulling off these acrobatic stunts and whatnot that wasn't the thing back then whatever you saw on screen was nine times out of ten really pulled off and
39:58
so all of that stuff you know that we've seen in the matrix that we love i mean it has its place i'm not pooping on it but only when it's done too much but
40:10
It didn't need it here,
40:11
you know,
40:11
because that's not this was grounded,
40:14
you know,
40:15
and,
40:16
you know,
40:17
all glow aside,
40:19
having the glow.
40:21
But it was still grounded and exciting.
40:25
And it was just a joy to watch all of these young actors,
40:30
especially not just Bruce Leroy,
40:32
not just showing up,
40:33
going at it.
40:33
But the school,
40:35
the students that he had that that had that epic showdown.
40:39
at the uh uh seven heaven studios uh where bruce leroy was being jumped by these hoods and all this here and they all rushed in to the rescue awesome awesome uh loved it that's where we really got to see uh
40:58
little little uh uh ernie uh ray as jr do his thing man i mean he he was taking folk out like it weren't nothing
41:07
And I loved it.
41:08
I loved every bit of it.
41:11
The stories,
41:13
some of the plot lines in here.
41:15
We had the plot line with,
41:18
of course,
41:19
Bruce Leroy.
41:22
He's the star.
41:22
He's the head,
41:23
the lead of the film.
41:25
And his little journey to find the true master,
41:31
the one and only master that his sensei sends him on.
41:37
at the beginning of the film and speaking of the beginning of the film that scene the opening scene you see the montage you know
41:45
80s montage when he's training with the opening credits and uh his his sensei is shooting arrows at him and he's dodging them and all this other stuff and that one arrow that he turns around and he just chops it yes you
42:03
know in slow motion once again let's not forget
42:07
No CGI,
42:08
no visual effects.
42:10
Yes,
42:10
people,
42:11
he did that for real.
42:13
That was a actual stunt in the film.
42:16
Now,
42:16
they had to do several takes,
42:18
of course.
42:19
I think it took two hours to film it,
42:21
but he pulled it off.
42:23
They shot an arrow at him,
42:25
and he quickly turned around and chopped it in half in midair.
42:30
A beast.
42:31
That was real.
42:32
No stunt double,
42:33
no nothing.
42:34
That was actually him.
42:35
And so that was cool.
42:37
But that journey that he goes on with the,
42:41
you know,
42:42
with the belt buckle that he thought was this amulet or whatever,
42:45
and trying to find a true master.
42:49
And his sensei sends him on his journey.
42:51
But we all find out that it was within him.
42:55
It was within him the whole time.
42:57
And
42:59
I thought that was,
43:00
you know,
43:01
I didn't think of it then.
43:02
Six years old,
43:03
I didn't know what life was.
43:04
I didn't know what.
43:06
messaging was all about but now when you think back you know people around my age i'm talking to here uh now you think back like man this is some deep stuff here that they touching in on and
43:22
it was cool man it's really touching and cool how it's a story of self discovery and uh looking within yourself for strength looking within yourself to
43:36
rise up against whatever it is that's holding you down.
43:40
I think that is an awesome message that was displayed in this film.
43:45
Didn't understand it in 1985,
43:47
but I understand it now and makes me appreciate it even more.
43:51
The love story between Bruce Leroy and Laura,
43:56
I thought was played out pretty well.
43:59
It didn't feel cheap to me.
44:00
You know,
44:01
in some movies where a
44:04
you know our hero meets this woman and they fall in love three hours later and it just there's no connection there there's no chemistry there nothing nothing they go through is believable you know to make you believe that they fell in love and became this this
44:20
this this loving couple or something i i hate movies like that i really do and they still do it to this day in film i'm supposed to believe that you fell in love with this person no
44:35
No,
44:37
but I liked how this.
44:38
kind of progressed throughout the film because bruce leroy he's a virgin he never been with a woman he never kissed a woman he didn't he doesn't know how to talk to women he doesn't know what to do and laura played by vanity
44:54
who you know many believe me in that camp was the most beautiful woman in the world in 1985 and
45:02
what would she want with me what was why would she want me why would she want to talk to me but she saw something in him that she liked and was trying she was pursuing him and she saw that he wanted to pursue her but he's kind of timid you know he's a timid guy and
45:19
so it her efforts on trying to break through and get to him was was i thought that was cute and fun and it was a nice journey throughout the film you know to get to the point where we is you
45:31
earned when they have that kiss at the end of the movie it's earned and that's why i appreciate it so much the story between bruce leroy and his family the family connection you know uh the strength of the family him being the
45:51
you know the how do i put it i was about to say next of kin but ain't nobody
45:57
died here but you know what i'm saying he's the heir apparent i guess you could say in his family as being the oldest of the children and his dad owning this pizza parlor in harlem and or is it brooklyn i don't know why i'm blanking on that part but in new york or whatever but and
46:17
nobody really gave it a given it a chance they're struggling but he's pressing forward on trying to build this restaurant and
46:26
wanting his son to take the mantle when he's gone you know when he's tired when you know something to leave behind to his kids and and uh bruce leroy is on his other mission he's on he's walking a different path you know what i'm saying so it's
46:44
like a struggle there with the family cool cool little story there we've seen it a million times before of course this ain't everything i'm listing here is not original it's just i like how it was played out in this film you
46:57
the big brother little brother story you know with bruce leroy and richie you know that i'm really connected with richie because i'm the little brother you know i'm my big brother was bruce leroy to me so it's we never beef like that but
47:14
it was it was it was cool uh to kind of see that big brother little brother dynamic play out on the screen and all of this probably should have started off with this all of this
47:28
selfishly is black this is all black you know and in and that helped so much you know because like i said we've seen these tropes in movies before nothing new the
47:44
popcorn is stale we've seen this movie but to see it in color all pun intended there you know and to see it with these black folks is something you
47:57
to inspire by that's what makes black panther such a phenomenon when it came out you know to actually see a black superhero you know a black superhero that can stand with iron man and thor and captain america and be on the same level as
48:16
them not just a sidekick not just a friend of the hero or whatever no to be on that level and to have a you
48:27
to have a movie like this on the level is it's amazing even though it's not the greatest of movies in the grand scheme of it all in comparisons to the godfather or lawrence of of arabia but
48:43
it's still an amazing film um the final showdown between bruce leroy and shona the fact that they did it in a way where
48:57
Bruce Leroy didn't stand a chance in hell.
49:01
Not a snowball's chance in hell of defeating Shonuf without the glow.
49:08
And then you have Shonuf get the glow first.
49:12
He has the red glow.
49:14
And it's like,
49:16
man,
49:17
he really doesn't stand a chance.
49:20
He's really gonna die.
49:22
And,
49:23
bruh,
49:23
that beatdown was something brutal.
49:26
And the end result,
49:28
when it finally clicked in Bruce Leroy's head,
49:33
that he was the master.
49:35
And he came about that after he was being...
49:38
uh dunked in that water and he uh shown up pulled his head out for the one last time and the slow motion of it all and the water is coming off of his head and bruce leroy just stands there like i got you now and
49:55
he's like who's your master who's the master and i am and he caught showing up fists and started to glow gold man i remember
50:09
I don't know why it just came to me while recording but yes I did go to the theater to see it because now I'm starting to remember what took place in that theater.
50:21
There was cheering in that theater when he caught his fist.
50:25
One of the first interactive experiences I had in a theater.
50:30
I should have remembered this earlier but it's fine.
50:35
But that was the first time
50:37
I heard cheering.
50:38
from multiple people in the theater when bruce leroy caught his fist and started to glow and man proceeded to whip show nuff's butt in that warehouse golden
50:54
man golden i i mean once again earned earned because we've been waiting the whole movie at no point did we see bruce leroy actually fight
51:08
You know,
51:09
he was non-violent.
51:11
You know,
51:12
he was Martin throughout the whole movie until the end he turned to Malcolm.
51:17
And that's where it was such an enjoyable experience because we didn't get to see him do all of his tricks and his flips and his kicks and his punches throughout the film and none of it really
51:32
had an impact at the end because we've seen it.
51:35
No,
51:35
they held it.
51:36
They held it until the...
51:38
very end when it was time to strike and that was the unleashing of this glow oh my god perfection perfection it was it was the most joyous experience still is uh
51:54
i got tears running down my face now that's right i ain't ashamed to say it i i love this movie hands down one of my favorite movies ever made ever made
52:08
this is not a guilty pleasure this is not all it's just nostalgic i love this movie i don't care come at me come at me if you want this is a classic barry
52:23
gordy's the last dragon which came out in 1985 40 years
52:30
40 years almost to the day it gets a letter grade of an eight you
52:37
I love this movie man
52:38
40 years old still holds up still has a special place in my heart and will always hold a special place in my heart so oh man
52:53
I don't remember uh I don't think I took a breath there
52:57
I don't recall the last time I breathed I'm talking but that's how much I love this movie
53:04
I love this movie you
53:05
I would love to know what did you think of The Last Dragon?
53:09
Where were you when you first were experienced to this beautiful piece of art?
53:15
Were you around my age?
53:17
Did you go to the theaters or were you a little younger and you didn't see it until it popped up on television for like 52 weeks in a row?
53:26
Or are you of this young generation who probably and God,
53:33
shame on your parents.
53:34
Shame on them that they didn't show you the last drag and I'm saying that out loud right now
53:41
And it just dawned on me.
53:43
I don't think
53:44
I don't think my children watched the last track.
53:49
Oh,
53:49
no
53:52
Oh, no
53:54
Well shame on me.
53:56
I don't go I gotta ask some after I finished it.
53:58
I'm gonna ask them and if they didn't
54:02
I Know I did cuz I own it
54:04
I'll own it.
54:05
I actually have two copies.
54:06
I have a box that came in a special edition.
54:11
I bought that and then the regular Blu-ray I bought.
54:15
But
54:16
I don't recall showing it to them.
54:19
Well,
54:20
guess what we're watching tonight.
54:21
But in any event,
54:22
I want to know what did you think of The Last Dragon?
54:27
Email the show,
54:27
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54:30
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54:31
all social media platforms just search for the kb radio network also
54:37
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54:38
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54:39
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54:44
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54:46
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54:48
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54:50
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54:50
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54:55
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54:56
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54:57
You are currently listening to Movie Goodness here on the KB Radio Network.
55:03
Everybody,
55:03
thank you for joining me as we went back.
55:07
Jumped in a time machine traveled 40 years in the past and Reviewed the last
55:15
Dragon everybody.
55:16
I want you all to know that I love you continue to love everyone and until we speak again
55:23
I am the master