1976 - Naga Merah/“Red Dragon” (Tim Teknis Film Metro 77 Komdak Metro Jaya/YKKP/PT Yunawati)
[Indonesian production filmed in Jakarta and the Philippines]
Director Fritz G. Schadt Story Letkol Jeanne Mandagi SH [listed in credits as “NY JN Mandagi SH] Screenplay Misbach Jusa Biran [in credits as “H Misbach Y Biran] Producer Abbas Wiranatakusuma [in credits as “Abas W. Kusumah”] Co-Producers Hidayat Saleh, Dr Achmad Danurussamsi Cameraman: Unit I Jakarta R. Husein Cameraman: Unit II, Manila Armand Dulag Music Idris Sardi Editor Rizal Amsar Sound Designer E. Sambas Production Supervisors M.H. Wahyudi, Marah Yoenoes, Soeharyono Production Manager J.A.F. Masiruw Art Director Fred Wettik Assistant Director: Manila Romeo N. Galang Stylist Sudarso Property Master Azwar Noor Manager: Unit I, Jakarta E.M. Monter Monterio Manager: Unit II, Manila Leody M. Diaz Assistant Unit Managers Bambang S. Yatno, Jose Flores, Amir Sinaga Assistant Cameraman Sofyan Harahap Lighting Agusthen Zaidt, Syahrial Sound Recordists Sutarya, Sutarno Script Supervisor Krishna W. Kusumar Assistant Editor Mulyadi Stills Albert Situmorang Publicity Manager Abdul Moeis Rachman
Cast Dicky Zulkarnaen (Kapten Edi Rosadi), Marissa Bigode, Arifin Hidayat, Meiske Sundah, Usman Effendy, Rosaline Oscar, Netty Herawati, Mansjur Sjah, ME Zainuddin, Rachmat Kartolo (Indonesian Opium Warlord), Yoseano Waas, [uncredited] Joe Sison, Rey Sagum (Henchman), Franco Guerrero (NBI Agent), Val Igelsias (NBI Agent)
KUNG FU/CRIME/THRILLER
SYNOPSIS (from Facebook): Indonesian classic movie, Red Dragon, tells about the drug eradication efforts by the police. The mid-70's became the beginning of the emergence of movies themed heroic actions of law enforcement in Indonesia.
One of the films that may still stick in the memory of classic cinema lovers of the country is the Red Dragon, which was released in 1976 and directed by Fritz G Schadt. The story of the movie is centered on the life of Edi Rosadi (Dicky Zulkarnaen), a man who works for the Republic of Indonesia Police.
One day, Captain Edi Rosadi was tasked with handling the biggest drug trafficking case in the country. In the extermination operation he led, a jackfruit managed to escape and so far its whereabouts are still unknown.
Until some time later, Captain Edi Rosadi got news that the beaver is now hiding in an area in the Philippines.
NOTES by Andrew Leavold: Naga Merah/"Red Dragon" is certainly a beast with two heads - an Indonesian and VERY Seventies crime thriller filmed in and around Jakarta until the last half-hour when Captain Edi Rosadi (thick-cut superstar Dicky Zulkarnaen) follows the trail of the drug traffickers to Manila. This final part of the film - practically a self-contained movie in itself - is where the dialogue switches to English and the local actors get to chew the local scenery. The feeling of a film-within-a-film makes sense when you consider the Filipino scenes are directed by Romeo Galang (X-44 adventure Magnum .44 [1974], The Golden Triangle [1975], and writer of Bobby Suarez's Bionic Boy and Cleopatra Wong adventures) assisted by Leody M. Diaz (director of several X-44 films and The Bionic Boy [1976]). Along with a stellar cast of local Dependables in front of and behind the cameras, you're in safe, goon-friendly hands.
Captain Edi drives from the airport past the usual markers (the "Mabuhay" sign near the terminal, Manila Bay, and the Brutalist hulk of the Cultural Center of the Philippines - "Welcome to Manilaaaaaaar!") to his hotel. In his room he is confronted by a pretty but overly-friendly Chinese girl Mai Ling, who is most probably a mole for local gangster Guerrero's narcotics ring. He then meets in the bar with local NBI contact Charito, under orders from her boss at "Manila Tours", a Mr Castro. She takes him on a performative visit and info-swapping tour around the Rizal monument - more exotica for the Indonesian audience - while being tailed by a Syndicate henchman (Rey Sagum) and his three goons.
Back at the hotel he stumbles into pretty American tourist Shirley, who Charito warns is being used as bait. But there's no stopping this budding romance; walking back arm-in-arm from a night club they're attacked by Rey Sagum and his thugs, and she is stabbed to death. Charito arrives with Mr Castro and his agents (including blink-and-you'll-miss appearances by Leody Diaz's favourite goon Franco Guerrero and Val Iglesias), who interrogate the surviving goon. Rey escapes to warn Guerrero (Joe Sison) and Indonesian connection (Rachmat Kartolo) that Rosadi and the NBI are on their way. Guerrero vows to fight to the last goon, clinging to his dream of being South-East Asia's opium kingpin while his disposable henchmen are torn to ribbons by Casto's men.
All of this is, of course, happening on a film set in the Philippines with an Indonesian production team, around the same time Bobby Suarez is realizing his own pan-Asian film empire beginning with his Filipino-Singapore-Hong Kong co-production The Bionic Boy. This makes Bobby the film industry's equivalent of Guerrero and his opium ring. And film, as we know, is as valuable as opium and twice as addictive.
1971 - The Criminals (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 26th December 1971]
Director A. Gregorio Story Quentin de Guia Screenplay Henry Cuino Producer Attorney Espiridion Laxa Cinematography Fortunato Bernardo
Cast Tony Ferrer (Tony Falcon, Agent X-44), Jessica, Georgina Fairy, Rod Navarro, Danny Rojo, Bert Olivar, Joaquin Fajardo, Max Alvarado, Jose Villafranca, Steve Alcarado, Leon Pajaron, Larry Esguerra, Greg Lansang, Romy Luartes, Rey Sagum, Pons de Guzman, Joe Cunanan, Cris Cruz, Sancho Tesalona, SOS Daredevils
SPY/ACTION
NOTE: This is number 28 in a long-running series of Agent X-44 films starring Tony Ferrer. For a full filmography and detailed article on the X-44 series, click HERE.
1974 - The Black Dragon (Intercontinental Films (HK)/[uncredited] RJR Films International Ltd)
[A Hong Kong/Filipino co-production filmed in Hong Kong in 1973, Philippines release date 2nd March 1974. Released in the Philippines by Jowell Film Productions, and internationally by Intercontinental Films (HK); other sources suggest BCMP Films is one of the production companies, as well as International Films (possibly the name of the production wing of Intercontinental). Also released by Intercontinental as The Great Dragon Boxer. Released in France and Belgium as “Le Dragon Noir”, and in Brazilian as "O Grande Dragão Kickboxer"]
Director/Editor Lo Gio [= Law Chi, sometimes listed as "Joe Law Chi"] Story/Executive Producer Bobby A. Suarez Screenplay Lo Gio, Wong Yee Wah Producer Terry Lai Composer Ruben Sabiyano Music Director Bert Santos Camera Tsui Kam Yok Production Manager Wong Sai Lap Assistant Directors Joseph Lai, Lee Man Tai Special Effects Lee Chi Wah Makeup Artist Lai Siu Wah Wardrobe Lo Shiu Lin Assistant Cameraman Ku Lee Sheng
Cast [listed in the credits; *alternate Chinese name listed on the Hong Kong Movie Database] Tony Ferrer (Lam Chih Tong, aka Jimmy Lam), Dick Chan [=Ting Hon*] (Lam Chih Chau), Jimmy Lee [=Lau Kong] (Lam Chih Yat), Alona Alegre (Yun Lan), Tong Ching [=Tang Ching] (Black Dragon Master), Wong Loi [=Wang Lai] (Mrs Lam), Ko Yuen, Kiu Wan [= Roy Chiao Hung] (Inspector Pang), Pauline Chan [Bo-Lin] [=Chan Pau-Ling] (Chow Mai), Rey Sagum [as Reynaldo Sagum] (Black Dragon Thug), Lee Man Tai (Brother Dai, the Black Dragon Thug), Yau Keung Wah, Ma Kim Tong [=Ma Chien-Tang] (Georgie the Pimp), Yum Ho [=Yam Ho] (Black Dragon Thug)
Additional Cast [listed on the Hong Kong Movie Database]: Chow Siu-Loi (Brother "Baldy" Wu, the Black Dragon Thug), Ho Pak-Kwong (Corrupt Sergeant), Fung Ging-Man, Chin Chun (Joe the Dock Foreman), Hwang Kook-Ryang (Black Dragon Thug), Mama Hung (Birthday Party Guest), Lau Hok-Nin, Kwan Yan, Chai Lam, Lau Chun, Got Ping, Cham Siu-Hung (Black Dragon Thug), Cheung Hei (Mek the Dockman), Hoh Wan, Chan Kwan (Protection Money Collector), Wan Yiu-Cho (Black Dragon Thug), Ling Fung (Funeral Visitor)
KUNG FU
Excerpt from Andrew Leavold’s essay "Bionic Guts And Exploding Huts! The Filipino Pulp Factory of Bobby A. Suarez Part One" in Weng's Chop #8 (USA), October 2015, pp.25-38
Intercontinental Film Distributors' first official foray into film production, the Hong Kong-lensed martial arts film The Black Dragon (1973), starred Filipino action star Tony Ferrer. “Attorney Laxa," Bobby told me, "is the brother of Tony Ferrer. He approached me and said, 'Bobby, this market that you are selling these Chinese pictures in, why don't you buy our old X-44 movies?' I thought, 'I'm sorry, I cannot do anything.' How can I explain to them that the quality is not saleable?”
Laxa also asked Bobby to create an overseas vehicle for Ferrer, who was by then a veteran of almost a hundred local features but was, aside from a bit role in The Vengeance Of Fu Manchu (1967) with Christopher Lee, virtually unknown outside the Philippines. From his early days as supporting player in Fernando Poe Jr and Joseph Estrada action vehicles for his older brother Espiridon (a former lawyer, known affectionately as "Attorney") Laxa's Tagalong Ilang-Ilang Productions, he became a leading man in a series of James Bond derivations playing Tony Falcon, Agent X-44. Thick-bodied and thick-lipped, hair seemingly cast in polyurethane, his trademark white suit was ever-present in a series stretching over fifteen years and more than thirty film appearances. Astoundingly, X-44 became the most popular and enduring of the Pinoy James Bonds, and Ferrer feted himself as a real-life action diva and devout ladies' man to the point where the public and private personas became inseparable. The mid-Sixties spy craze gave way to the karate kick and from 1967 to 1969 Ferrer smartened his chops as a “karatista”. Along with brothers Roberto and Rolando Gonzales (sons of renowned karate instructor Valentino Gonzales) Ferrer redefined the late Sixties Pinoy action star as a flurry of lightning kicks and film titles such as Karate Kid (1967) and Blackbelt Avengers (1969). But despite a more-than-modest personality cult and several reasonably high-profile stabs at the international market, his non-Falcon roles never had quite the same impact.
By 1973, even his domestic success as Agent X-44 was on the decline. “Now Tony is not up there anymore, he's kaput.” Bobby delivered on Laxa's request; Filipinos Ferrer, Alona Alegre, and Ferrer's frequent co-star, stuntman Rey Sagum, arrived in Hong Kong around May 1973 to begin work on The Black Dragon. Tony Ferrer stars as Lam Chi Tong aka Jimmy, one of three brothers investigating the brutal murder of their father, undercover cop Lam Senior. A tell-tale ring is left next to the body suggesting his death was the work of “the most ruthless gang in Asia”: the fearsome Black Dragon syndicate. Their goons operate on the waterfront where Jimmy's brother Lam Chih Yat (Jimmy Lee) works as a police informer, smuggling heroin in phony pottery. Middle brother Lam Chih Chao (Dick Chan) meanwhile defends a nearby neighbourhood from the mob's protection racket - they call it "squeeze", as in "Pay me some SQUEEEEZE…you bastard!" The Black Dragons' Master suspects either cops or a rival gang afoot, and orders his men to eliminate them. The brothers' superior, Inspector Pang (Kiu Wan), wants them all to go deeper to flush out the syndicate's leader, who may be one of his own policemen - or even the Police Chief (Tong Chin) himself.
Tony Ferrer karate-chops Rey Sagum to a bloody pulp
In retrospect, Bobby's official film debut is a competently shot if somewhat unremarkable and conventional karate thriller, directed by the film's Gatling Gun editing machine Lo Gio. All three leads share efficient fight scenes with Hong Kong's goons and random snatches of jazz and bombastic bongo-driven funk, and Ferrer, a veteran of the Filipino Action Film's trenches, more than holds his own in the combat scenes (a bloody beatdown with Filipino super-goon Rey Sagum is perhaps the film's highlight). Less convincing is his stint as dockside Lothario, literally sliding from one concubine's boat to another's (populated by Filipina sex kitten Alona Alegre) in one oily move. Alegre's racy nude scenes with Ferrer would have caused a riot in the Philippines, assuming it was allowed by the censors, due to the recently declared Martial Law outlawing all nudity - not to mention gratuitous violence, a staple in kung fu - from all local films.
The Black Dragon was released in Manila in March 1974, at a time when practically every second film was a kung fu film from Hong Kong, or a Filipino production starring "the Bruce Lees of the Philippines", Ramon Zamora and Rey Malonzo. Amidst the scores of Prodigal Boxers, New Fists of Fury, and the latest ballets of blood from Wang Yu, Meng Fei, Chen Xing, Angela Mao et al, did Black Dragon make any kind of impact and revive Tony's career, I asked Bobby? “I released it here, nobody wanted to come. They said, 'Tony Ferrer? He's already dead! He won't make a cent.' If you are the theatre owner you should get one date, and if the picture doesn't make money, what happened to your movie house? They're going to close it. So what I did was rent the biggest cinema at that time, Cinerama, the biggest and the best, and don't laugh – at that time I paid 5,000 pesos a day, but I have to have a theatre to show Tony Ferrer's movie. And by God, I was lucky the picture went VOOM! It opened, first day, nothing. Second day, full house. Third day, overflowing. And Tony Ferrer again came alive, and he made movie after movie, and then died again a natural death. Then he approached me again and said, 'Bobby...' I said, 'No. I helped you once, I told you don't destroy your name, make good quality movies. I spent a fortune to revive your career. And you yourself destroyed it.'"
International sales were negligible, mostly because it was a case of “Tony WHO?” “That is the problem with me. People buy my movies because I produce it. Suppose I open my movie like The BlackDragon, you don't know anything about it. Who is Tony Ferrer? I said, 'Look, for the whole of Scandinavia, I'm only asking $10,000. If you lose money, let me know and I will return it to you. You want to include it in the contract? Sure.' So people trusted me.”
Tony Ferrer (Lam Chih Tong, aka Jimmy Lam)
Dick Chan [=Ting Hon*] (Lam Chih Chau)
Jimmy Lee [=Lau Kong] (Lam Chih Yat)
Alona Alegre (Yun Lan)
Tong Ching [=Tang Ching] (Black Dragon Master)
Wong Loi [=Wang Lai] (Mrs Lam)
Kiu Wan [= Roy Chiao Hung] (Inspector Pang)
Pauline Chan [Bo-Lin] [=Chan Pau-Ling] (Chow Mai)
Rey Sagum [as Reynaldo Sagum] (Black Dragon Thug)
Lee Man Tai (Brother Dai, the Black Dragon Thug)
Ma Kim Tong [=Ma Chien-Tang] (Georgie the Pimp)
Yum Ho [=Yam Ho] (Black Dragon Thug)
Chow Siu-Loi (Brother "Baldy" Wu, the Black Dragon Thug)
Ho Pak-Kwong (Corrupt Sergeant)
Chin Chun (Joe the Dock Foreman)
Hwang Kook-Ryang (Black Dragon Thug)
Mama Hung (Birthday Party Guest)
Cham Siu-Hung (Black Dragon Thug)
Cheung Hei (Mek the Dockman)
Chan Kwan (Protection Money Collector)
Wan Yiu-Cho (Black Dragon Thug)
THEATRICAL
PHILIPPINES– released via Jowell Film Productions, 2nd March 1974
HONG KONG – Intercontinental Films [also international distributor; IFD Films eventually took over the global rights and repackaged the film as “The Great Dragon Boxer”]
JAPAN– distributor unknown
UK – released by Paladin as “The Black Dragon” as half of a double bill with Blood Of Frankenstein (aka Dracula vs Frankenstein, 1971), screened 1974-75
AUSTRALIA – released as “The Black Dragon” via Lyra Films, 1974 [the one-sheet was printed without an Australian rating for New Zealand theatres]
FRANCE– released via Mondial Film as “Le Dragon Noir”
BELGIUM – via Rossel Films as “Le Dragon Noir”
PAKISTAN – as “The Black Dragon”, distributor unknown
VIDEO
UK – VHS/Betamax release as “The Black Dragon” via Nova Video
FRANCE – VHS release as “Le Dragon Noir”, label unknown
BRAZIL – VHS release via Reserva Especial Video as “O Grande Dragão Kickboxer”
...plus other artwork from unidentifiable releases
Original 1974 Hong Kong pressbook
Australian daybill poster
mp4 files [Bobby's original release, IFD re-release, and trailer]
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