However, Wang was more than just a sculptor of latex and foam rubber. He got into directing professionally starting with 1991’s The Guyver. He also directed it’s sequel Guyver: Dark Hero and even a buddy cop style action film called Drive in 1997. Prior to these direct to video films, Wang also produced, directed and starred in a passion project called Kung-Fu Rascals. The classic has been released in a beautiful Collector’s Edition blu-ray set by Visual Vengeance and Wild Eye Releasing.
Earlier this year I reviewed Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films by Dom O’Brien for PopGeeks. The film really acts as an in-depth exploration of the filmmaking of career of Steve Wang. That book detailed the production of Kung-Fu Rascals. Most of that crew ended up making The Guyver films a few years later. So, I jumped at the chance to take a look at this low-budget 8mm movie remastered with bonus content and extras.
Kung-Fu Rascals was originally released on VHS in 1992. This year marks the film’s first widely available home video release since that time. The disc comes with a great slip case design featuring the giant creatures that appear in the film’s climax. It also highlights the more comedic aspects of the film. Meanwhile the standard cover art inside the case itself projects a more epic, martial arts feel.
The first thing that struck me about this set upon opening the case was the fact that in addition to beautiful graphics on the reversible cover art and disc. It came with a poster and mini-comic adaptation of the movie. Plus, a set of video store style stickers. These are the kind that would have been placed on boxes found in video rental stores during the film’s original release. You just don’t get these extras anymore in physical media releases from the big studios, only from boutique labels like Visual Vengeance. It’s truly a thing of beauty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIa2WofWXW0
Kung-Fu Rascals is at it’s core a loving tribute to classic Kung-Fu films like Master of the Flying Guillotine. It also parodies the more outlandish tropes of the genre, with a dash of kaiju monster fun and a healthy dose of The Three Stooges. All that is to say, Kung-Fu Rascals is a wild buffet of buffoonery and boundless energy.
Wang himself stars as classic kung-fu hero, Chen Chow Mein. He is joined on his quest by Reepo (Johnny Saiko) and Lao Ze (Troy Fromin). I must say that I was caught off guard as first seeing Fromin in a Bruce Lee wig and clothes. Especially since I knew him best for playing the dumb jock, Ox on Saved By The Bell. The movie is also filled with gorgeous prosthetics and creature costumes for pig men, frog men and the almost Hellraiser-ish big bad head villain, Ba Foon.
The story is basically a series of martial art infused encounters the 3 rascals have with goofy wise men, kung-fu crime lords, hordes of ninjas and giant stone monsters. Most every scene is played for laughs with exaggerated facial gestures. It also has wild camera movements and even the familiar, dubbed voices where the audio doesn’t match the lip movement of the actors. This fantasy tomfoolery will either be endearing for its guerrilla style punk rock aesthetic or seem too amateur to endure depending on the viewer. I for one fall on the side of the latter, having been truly charmed by its ambition.
No matter how silly the film may get, it is always fun and endlessly creative in its staging of fights, playful exposition or creature attacks. Kung-Fu Rascals is definitely not about the plot and barely about the over the top characters. Rather, it’s the journey of anticipating what madness will appear on screen next. It’s an oddity, but clearly made with passion by someone who combined all their favorite genres of film into one wild adventure.
For fans of the original The Guyver film and it’s comedy/action/horror tone, Kung-Fu Rascals will definitely shed some light on Steve Wang as a filmmaker and his signature style. Kung-Fu Rascals acts as a great proof of concept for what Wang was capable of when given a budget and time to properly light and shoot scenes. One thing is for sure, you’ve never seen anything like Kung-Fu Rascals.
The extent of special features included in this set is truly fantastic. First, a behind the scenes featurette from 2022 about the making of the film features interview. It includes all the main cast and crew. Additionally, the disc also includes two commentaries. One features the cast of the movie reminiscing together about their favorite memories from filming the movie. Another is hosted by two Steve Wang superfans. There are also multiple videos of cast members reuniting on screen after many years, which are very heartwarming.
Included is the original Super 8 short film version of the movie. There’s also another Steve Wang short film tilted Code 9. Also fascinating is an interview with Chris Gore about the distribution of Kung-Fu Rascals on VHS. This is the format in which it became a cult film. Additional features of note are the still phot galleries and behind the scenes video diaries.
The care and love this set has been given is truly commendable and expands the excitement of discovering this film for the first time, as I did. But surely, it’s a true gift for the fans who’s worn out copies of the video cassette now have the best possible companion their treasured VHS, revealing all they could ever have wanted to know about this oddly lovable film.You can order a copy of the Kung-Fu Rascals Collector’s Edition blu-ray for yourself now anywhere you get your blu-rays.
Next: Discuss the Kung-Fu Rascals Blu-ray release on our Film Forum.
