Is it the hair? It's gotta be the hair.

So, last night we watched Sammo Hung's breakthrough Bruceploitation* satire, Enter the Fat Dragon (1978 , thank you Netflix). And laughed and laughed.

First, because Sammo Hung, who's an amazing martial artist, actor, director, producer, and TV personality, who helped invent the "kung fu comedy" genre along with Yuen Biao and Jackie Chan (of whom you may have heard), is also a pretty funny guy. He acted in a few of Bruce Lee's movies and can do a killer impression of the man.

^{(* if you have to ask, here, Bruceploitation defined.)}

But we laughed mostly because we'd look at the screen and see son (son!). It's the haircut, yeah. And the round face. But there's also something else... a gleeful juggernaut quality as fists go flying and props get spilled and shattered and there's chaos with a big, happy, smiling face in the center of it.

Of course, there's some dicey racial stuff going on -- not least because one of the main baddies in the movie is supposed to be a black karate expert, but is actually obviously a skinny Chinese dude in blackface and an enormous Afro wig. But also because this is still, almost, one of *those* kung fu movies, with the lousy dubbing (even in Cantonese, the mouths don't match) and goofily plotless plots. What makes Hung a genius, though, is that he (and yes, he directed this thing as well as starring in it) makes those flaws work to the film's advantage by making it a satire. There's even a scene on a cheesy kung fu flick set. Gleeful chaos.

So, I guess, not recommended for the little kids and those who don't like to see people hitting each other with sticks. But, yeah, it's a landmark in Hong Kong culture, and, well, just look at the picture. Asian faces. Paul McCartney ca. Hard Day's Night? Sammo Hung!