Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog (1978)

With a wacky title like Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog, I know that convincing some people that its one of the greatest kung fu movies ever made will be a challenge. Then again, if you’re turned off by the title you wouldn’t fully appreciate the film anyway. Simply put, this juicy little top sirloin of cinematic beefiness is a martial arts masterwork from the zany minds of Karl Maka and Eric Tsang, and the action mastery of Sammo Hung and Lau Kar-wing.

The film’s theme is the very best kind for a comedy kung fu movie. All nonsense. That’s right. There’s no revenge tale, training sequences, or contrived idiocy about smuggling opium, Japanese invasion, or mastering the deadliest of deadly kung fu techniques. Well, almost no idiocy except for a chainmail vest known as the ‘Invincible Armour.’ You see, it was a gift from Marco Polo to a Chinese family. The last rightful owner is this 80-something-year-old bint who marries a twenty-something year-old fatty known as Frog (Sammo Hung). Frog sacrifices his rotund body for the sake of getting his hands on the vest and nearly succeeds until in walks Dirty Tiger (Lau Kar-wing) with an appetite for money and a whole bagful of dirty tricks. Both men are first-rate kung fu practitioners, but Dirty Tiger outwits Frog who ends up back with his old lady.

Not enough nonsense for you? Enter the ‘Multi-hand Chick’ (Meg Lam), a lovely thief with an endless supply of detachable arms, suitable for quick getaways. She’s nabbed the vest and now Dirty Tiger enlists the aid of Frog in getting it back. The pair bide their time by selling a fake vest to a coffin maker (Cheng Hong-yip) who ends up needing his own coffin. The pair eventually trick the Chick into leading them to the real one. Frog gets a hold of it again, but foolishly hides it at home where the lead villain, White Brow Monk (Lee Hoi-sang) settles while waiting for it’s owner to return. An attempt to get the vest back only puts it in the hands of White Brows. Dirty Tiger and Frog take on the villain’s top two men, then White Brows, and then each other in one magnificent melee after another.

Old school kung fu action doesn’t much better than this. Sammo Hung proves once again why he is one of the genre’s top three filmmakers. (The other two shall remain nameless in order to give me some breathing room for future reviews.) The action is endlessly creative and relentless. A lot of comical movements mixing Jackie Chan-like use of various objects and Three Stooges antics dominates most of the film and keeps all but the final match between Lau Kar-wing and Sammo light-hearted. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this is child’s play. The tag-team moves Lau and Sammo use against Lee Hoi-sang are amusing, yet very impressive. They flip over each other, spin as a single unit, and alternate attacks with practiced precision sure to befuddle most stunt actors today. Other cast members contribute as well. Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-ying, Chung Faat, and other experienced stunt actors play either casino fighters or thugs. These are bit parts and most of the actors would go on to feature more prominently in later films. But they help to make the brawling scenes come alive with their performances opposite Sammo and Lau. Watch for a scene where Sammo plays four thugs like a piano, complete with sound effects! Special mention goes to Dean Shek Tin who does the idiot role perfectly and provides the kind of humor that flavored lesser films like His Name is Nobody.

After 90 minutes when the lead villain is dispatched with and the average kung fu classic ends, Sammo and Lau kick things up a notch by going at each other. No disrespect to Hoi-sang who makes a terrific baddie, but this last fight is even more fun and intense. The two begin with poles. Eventually both poles break apart into three-section staffs and we get to see one of the best fights ever filmed using this unique weapon. The fight concludes with a ridiculous series of kicks, leaps, and tumbles as the two fighters make a grab for a bundle of money. Both Sammo and Lau are the best of the best when it comes to this sort of acrobatic and weapons intensive action. Watching this scene is like watching Charlie Chaplin hobble about or Bruce Campbell deliver a one-liner. Genius’s in their element, all of them.

Now the only thing that could make Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog even better is a funky, ’70s, synthesizer soundtrack with throbbing drum work and its in there! Therefore, giving this film anything less than a perfect score is a crime. And the only thing more criminal would be to miss out on this classic.