The Karate (1974)

• 50%
• 1974
• Action
• Drama
• Yukio Noda
• Tadashi Yamashita
• Yoko Horikoshi
• Shingo Yamashiro

Bronson Lee is a Japanese-American raised by his grandmother in the harsh, poverty-stricken desert Southwest. But Bronson Lee has a dream: to return to Japan and demonstrate his mastery of karate by winning the grand international tournament scheduled to determine the first World Karate Champion. He's good enough, and fast enough - but is he man enough to stand up under an assault that goes far beyond the bounds of tournament competition, and threatens his very life? 'Bronson Lee, Champion' is a fast-paced, wild-action karate thriller that pits one lone man against an army of enemies determined, first, to stop him from competing in the contest - and finally out to destroy him. Tadashi Yamashita stars as Bronson Lee. In the best Bruce Lee tradition, Yamashita's surging spirit and deadly technique dominate battle after battle. At last chosen as Japan's best karate fighter and assigned his rightful place in the tournament, Bronson Lee faces the legendary Nicom Prancha of Singapore. Their fierce rivalry ends in a draw - and the stage is set for a final confrontation free from the restraints of official rules, where a duel can be fought to its deadly limits. But this time, the contest is unequal. Duringa a vicious attack by foes of the tournament president, Bronson Lee has been blinded. Still weak from his ordeal and hospitalization, he accepts Prancha's final challenge. And on a lonely mountainside, he prepares himself for the match of his life. Belgian cudgel play, Mexican whipping, hatchet throwing, and karate in all its esoteric forms - 'Bronson Lee, Champion' will give you a large helping of every martial arts action specialty. It's an exciting saga, spun out to its violent conclusion at breakneck speed by a fine cast of martial arts professionals who really put on a show.