What's Inside?
- Quentin Tarantino hails Blood of the Dragon as the most violent martial arts film, praising its intense battles and gripping final act.
- Jimmy Wang Yu’s fierce performance as White Dragon showcases brutal action scenes that define the film’s unforgettable martial arts legacy.
- Director Kao Pao-shu broke barriers as the first woman to helm a martial arts film, earning Tarantino’s admiration for her bold vision.
A lesser-known film from the early 1970s has captured the admiration of one of Hollywood’s most passionate cinephiles. Released in 1971, Blood of the Dragon didn’t enjoy the global attention that followed some of its peers, yet it carved a permanent place in film history through its bold action, relentless violence, and the unforgettable presence of Jimmy Wang Yu. Today, the movie continues to find new fans, including Quentin Tarantino, who openly praises it for embracing the full force of martial arts cinema’s most extreme qualities. His endorsement has reignited curiosity about this gritty classic and the filmmaker behind it.
Blood of the Dragon and its ultra-violent martial arts legacy
Blood of the Dragon fits squarely into the category of martial arts movies that push violence far beyond simple hand-to-hand combat. Instead of stopping at victory, its heroes often cross into darker territory, choosing to kill their opponents with a level of intensity that defines the film’s identity. This approach places it among the most graphic entries in the genre, alongside titles like The Raid: Redemption, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, the Ong Bak series, and even Quentin Tarantino’s own Kill Bill saga.
The film unfolds in historical China with Jimmy Wang Yu starring as White Dragon, a mysterious swordsman whose calm exterior hides lethal skill. When he rescues a woman and a young boy carrying an important message, he pledges to help complete their mission. His promise leads to a fierce confrontation with invading Mongolian forces, and the final battle becomes the movie’s most unforgettable element.
Tarantino highlighted this very stretch of the film during an appearance on the Pure Cinema Podcast in 2020. Calling Blood of the Dragon “the most violent” among its kind, he added that it is “in the, if not ‘the’ top of the most violent of the martial arts movies.” His appreciation carried an almost nostalgic excitement as he described the film’s last hour as “a blast,” celebrating the sheer audacity of its action choreography.
White Dragon’s rampage in the final act is a spectacle of raw brutality. He cuts through dozens of enemies with a spear, stabbing and slashing until the ground is covered in bodies. One kill in particular stands out, where he stabs and slices an opponent several times more than needed. These moments, shocking even by today’s standards, separate Blood of the Dragon from other martial arts titles that rely on stylized or sanitized violence.
Tarantino also honored the film’s director, Kao Pao-shu, who broke barriers as the first woman to direct martial arts films. He praised her work on the movie, saying it was “pretty f****** great” that she was behind one of the most violent kung fu films ever made.
Blood of the Dragon, Kill Bill and Jimmy Wang Yu’s lasting influence
Given Tarantino’s well-known love for martial arts cinema, many have wondered whether Blood of the Dragon influenced Kill Bill. While he acknowledged the similarities, he made it clear on the podcast that this particular film didn’t directly shape his approach. Instead, he explained that it was part of a “collective” of films he had in mind, drawing from his lifelong enthusiasm for kung fu storytelling.
What did influence Kill Bill more directly was Jimmy Wang Yu’s body of work. Tarantino has repeatedly referenced The Chinese Boxer, another Wang Yu film and the first true kung fu movie. Unlike Blood of the Dragon, Wang Yu wrote, directed, and starred in The Chinese Boxer, giving him full creative control. That film inspired one of the standout action sequences in Kill Bill.
Wang Yu headlined many of Tarantino’s favorite martial arts films, including A Man Called Tiger, The One-Armed Swordsman, The One-Armed Boxer, Master of the Flying Guillotine, and Beach of the War Gods. His influence spanned decades, shaping not only Eastern cinema but also the Western filmmakers who admired the genre.
His presence in Blood of the Dragon and The Chinese Boxer shows how consistently he delivered top-quality martial arts films. Whether leading or directing, Jimmy Wang Yu set a standard that continues to inspire new generations of action lovers—and filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino who keep these classics alive in the global imagination.
