#The last dragon movie split movie#
If the movie were more successful, he surely would have been a bigger Hollywood star. He portrays the role stoically and with dignity, but also injects his own subtle humor without degrading the integrity of his character. Then-newcomer Taimak stars as Leroy Green, a highly disciplined martial artist who adopts Chinese culture and philosophy and seeks greater knowledge somewhere in his home city of New York. Sure, there are one or two line readings which raise an eye-brow or two, but her acting abilities are far superior to that of Appolonia Kotero's in 'Purple Rain." (Fun fact: Vanity was originally set to co-star in Prince's breakthrough movie before going off on her own career path.) In short, she looks fantastic and she carries her role pretty darn well. Her performances and outfits are kept at a PG-level of carnal appeal, but she has an onscreen charisma which is obvious and long-lasting. Let me state that upfront that for Prince fans, Vanity alone is worth your time and trouble. Alas, I never found the time nor wherewithal to purchase a ticket to this modestly received feature film, and it took a thirty year evolution in home video technology to revive my enthusiasm for a critical viewing. So it should be of no surprise that Vanity's co-starring appearance in 'Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon' (hereafter simply referred to as 'The Last Dragon') piqued my interest during that hot, laid back summer of 1986. I can sheepishly admit that as a follower of the Minneapolis Genius, I would look forward to any movie associated with his Royal Badness, no matter how tenuous or limited, such as Sheila E's appearance in forgettable fare like 'Krush Groove' and 'The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.' Suddenly, Top 40 artists became actors as well as performers in their own five-minute commercials. So If you were a fan of photogenic musicians like Prince or Madonna, it became a real treat to see your pop idols make their big screen appearances in movies like 'Purple Rain' or 'Desperately Seeking Susan' (although such enthusiasm would prove to be short-lived by the time 'Under The Cherry Moon' and "Shanghai Surprise' came out). Of course, music and movies have been part of the entertainment landscape even during the silent era (thanks to orchestral or organ accompaniments.) But in the 1980's, the popularity of MTV heralded a new sub-genre of cinema in the form of music videos. Still, it's an inspired and lightweight piece of fluff which deserves to be on Blu-ray if only for nostalgia value. As a martial arts blockbuster, the hand-to-hand combat is not particularly outstanding, and as a musical showcase, only a handful of tunes linger in the memory. Despite some interesting ideas mixing up various genres, the movie ends up as less than the sum of its parts. 'Berry Gordon's The Last Dragon' is a silly, but good-natured satire of kung fu movies, wrapped up in a Motown-based soundtrack (hence, the reverential tribute to founder Berry Gordy within the movie's title) yearning for Top 40 acceptance, and aimed at general audiences with over-the-top villainy, broad comedic sequences and traditional superheroics.