Jul 7 2008The RZA Prepared to Unleash Some Martial Arts on You MoFos
As reported by Billboard and since confirmed by CHUD, RZA has written a martial arts movie, and will be directing the film, titled The Man with the Iron Fist, with the help of Eli Roth. Normally news of a rapper making a film would be disconcerting (see Fred Durst's Longshots trailer, if you're willing to use the term "rapper" loosely), but RZA has extensive knowledge and long-standing love for classic martial arts cinema, and he's been studying filmmaking under the tutelage of Quentin Tarantino, so there's some hope. Plus, Eli Roth gives it his dubious endorsement:
Yes, it is true. RZA's script is amazing. He has been studying directing with Tarantino for years. and he's really ready to get behind the camera. His impact on rap music and hip hop culture cannot be measured, and he's ready to add his own unique style and vision to the world of film. This movie will have everything martial arts fans could want, combined with RZA's superb musical talent. This project has been his dream for years, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. And fans should know that yes, there will be blood... This ain't no PG-13.
Of course, while this may prove a decent effort, my favorite rapper-directed martial arts film will forever be Philthy Phil Philips' 1995 masterpiece, City Dragon. If you have yet to behold this cinematic fusion of rap, kung fu, abortion issues, and workplace sexual harassment, you should pick it up at your local dollar store DVD rack, where it is widely available. Or at least watch the scene below the cut, in which MC Kung Fu is forced to unleash his nunchaku wrath on some dudes after they ruin his ice cream.
As someone in the YouTube comments pointed out, why no one has yet uploaded Philthy Phil's "Night Swim" number is beyond me.
Reader Comments
1. Phil - July 7, 2008 5:36 PM
Well, there goes Marvel's "Iron Fist" movie.
Seriously could you come up with a more cliche title? They should call this "liquid swords," like his albums I believe. Cool title/.
2. taswell - July 7, 2008 5:43 PM
I own two sealed copies of City Dragon, which I keep in safe deposit boxes on opposite sides of the country, should one of them spontaneously combust. If you want to experience something special, try watching City Dragon and Carmen Electra's tour-de-force The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven back-to-back. You will be shitting blood for a week.
3. the Real IronFist - July 7, 2008 5:57 PM
oh jeez, I'm insulted as a martial artist and well as a human being in general.
no talent hacks
seriously, the thing probably sucks donkey dick but then you bring in Eli "cocksmoker" Roth and you're just asking for an abomination of a movie.
4. Skatelip - July 7, 2008 6:09 PM
As I will likely never watch the rest of that stunning nunchakuthon I have to ask - Is he about to run over that dudes legs when he gets into the car or does he politely wait for him to crawl away?
5. JD - July 7, 2008 6:10 PM
I like and respect RZA as an artist and boy howdy does he love hims the kung-fu movies. Could be promising.
I loved Roth's Cabin Fever, Hostel was fun, 2 was only so so.
But can anybody tell me why QT is so popular? So many people seem to love his stuff, but man it's hard to watch most of it. (for me)
It's like calling Nirvana's music "visionary" because no-one understood it's true meaning. It didn't have any, it's just not that deep. It's just another reason for some small, sad group to pretend they have some imagined superiority by claiming "they really get it."
Almost always a bunch of tossers when they spout that rubbish.
As for City Dragon, I did, in fact, buy a copy at my local dollar store some time ago. It was watched at a drunken party and was fun, but not as fun as "Ricky Hoh: The story of Ricky." (depending on where you look, sometimes it's Ho and sometimes Hoh) Never before have I seen someone gut himself and strangle an adversary with his own intestines.
Now that's entertainment!
6. Poor Hurley from Lost - July 7, 2008 6:31 PM
Did you see where that fucker kicked the shit out of Hurley from lost that was fucked up. I believe Hurley just wanted to lick up that smushed Ice Cream cone.
7. Skeps - July 7, 2008 9:24 PM
#5 to say you enjoyed Hostel and didn't like pulp fiction or reservoir dogs is an insult. tarantino helped define an entire genre of fast paced interconnected multistoried movies like snatch, smoking aces, lucky number sleven,, boondock saits and thats just what comes to mind
8. Morley - July 7, 2008 10:19 PM
@#1: Liquid Swords was GZA.
BOB DIGIE!
9. RealTrues - July 8, 2008 6:21 AM
Um, how was Roth's endorsement "dubious"?
10. fkitty - July 8, 2008 6:29 AM
OMG, he looks so handsome. Just saw his profile on m'illionaire d'ating s'ite """""M e e t i n g W e a l t h y.c o m""" " last week. I am wondering what kind of relationship he is looking for on that site. Is he single now? Just curious!
--------------------------------------------------------------
11. snarf - July 8, 2008 9:20 AM
I think this will actually be a good movie. Maybe with some sharp wit, hopefully less unnecessary gore than both Roth and Tarantino usually present us with. But I love those old movies-Five Fingers of Death? Hells ya.
As for City Dragon, this would have been a pretty good sub-plot for an 80's porno.
12. momboelitist - July 8, 2008 10:17 AM
When is "Disaster Movie" opening?
13. Uncle Eccoli - July 8, 2008 11:19 AM
What a cornball.
14. Eww, gross - July 8, 2008 4:08 PM
HAHAHAHA
*speaks in Governator voice*
look at his puny woman hands HAHAHA
15. Bobeyo - July 8, 2008 7:23 PM
#5: You are a worthless human being.
16. Amy - July 9, 2008 12:40 AM
Tarantino is highly, HIGHLY overrated. I did enjoy Roth's Cabin Fever, but all his movies since then have sucked hard. And I'll wait before I make any judgement on this RZA project - it has the potentially to be totally awesome, but who knows yet?
17. Sisco - July 9, 2008 5:10 PM
Are you sure this is 1995 and not 1985? Shit, it could be 1975 for all we know.
And that has to be Hurley from Lost getting his ass kicked at the very end.