Kung Fu Arts [1978]

[Cross-posted on the Bad Movie Night Facebook page.]

Because Erik wasn't there, we decided to wait on watching "Dolemite," Rudy Ray Moore's classic, and instead opt for a movie that Adam could verify the quality of. The title isn't much but during the very cheap credits we got a very interesting detail about an actor who is described as the "French monkey star." Kay automatically assumed this meant the actor is a monkey but Adam pointed out the monkey could be a nickname for some Frenchman. Kay was right and it wasn't just a little cameo either.

The plot involves a large rivalry for the throne and a king's daughter getting poisoned. He decides that to cure her he will offer her hand in marriage to whoever can make her better. The one who does is a monkey. So she marries a monkey. And the father, in shame, sends her away on a boat with her monkey husband. There is no irony in this premise. The daughter has a son with a non-monkey. Lots of poorly-lit fighting happens. You never get accustomed to the fact that this women is just married to a monkey. Some political stuff happens but it's pretty irrelevant to all the monkeyness.

This one is definitely worth a watch, but it's probably a more enjoyable watch if you don't know where it's going. In addition to the absolutely wild premise, there's a lot of bad camera work, bad lighting, gloriously bad dubbing, and some really wild costumes.

Spoon Rating: 6