Mighty Peking Man

King Kong has never look so… well, fake.

The Shaw Brothers are the team behind some of the craziest b-movies from Hong Kong. Think of them as the Roger Corman of the Pacific Rim. But in their native Hong Kong there is nothing ‘b’ about their movies; they are considered the great film studio of Hong Kong and are behind some of the greatest ‘wuxia’ films ever made. Even though their films are very much b-quality, they really are an elite studio behind some of the best films to come out of Hong Kong. And although they were primarily producing great ‘wuxia’ films, they occasionally branched out into other genre like sci-fi, horror, and even comedy.

One such film where they branched out was The Mighty Peking Man, a ‘kaiju’ exploitation flick that is basically the Shaw Brothers doing King Kong. You see, the Mighty Peking Man, which in this case probably means ‘large man in monkey suit’, is born from an earthquake, conveniently enough, and wrecks havoc in the nearby jungle village, thus becoming king of the jungle. This sequence is highlighted by the death of several villagers from a styrofoam… I mean, giant Peking Man foot. Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, some nut job businessman decides he wants to bring this creature back to make some money, which apparently is as easy as it sounds. Here we meet our hero Johnny, who’s appropriate for the job not because he’s an experienced adventurer, but because “he just lost his girl and wants to get away”… okay…

So, off to the Indian jungle to find Mighty Peking Man, which turns out to be the most dangerous place on earth! The expedition crew faces a number of dangers on this quest, including man-eating tigers, man-eating elephants, man-eating quicksand, and man-eating cliffs. Johnny is the only one left at this point to fend for himself when he finally encounters the giant man in an ape costume… I mean, Mighty Peking Man himself. Just when it seems like it’s all over for Johnny, he suddenly rescued by the sexiest, most well-groomed jungle girl you’ll ever see. Her name is Samantha and survived a crash when she was a child and was since raised by the Peking Man to survive in the jungle… and to wear a bikini so skimpy it’s only legal in the jungle. Any other bikini like that would be falling off with each breath. But don’t get too excited here, you perverts; no boob shots, just lots of teasing.

Eventually Samantha and Johnny fall in love, complete with generic slow-motion running-in-the-jungle sequences, much to the Peking Man’s chagrin. Later, Johnny convinces Samantha to return to Hong Kong with him, who in turns gets Peking Man to follow. The businessman, who you discover is quite evil, gets wind of this and takes control of the giant ape to set up shows and make some dough. This, of course, leads to chaos. Think the old arcade game ‘Rampage’ without the giant wolf and lizard.

Between the blood made of ketchup, the near nipple slips, the Shaw Scope, boulders made of styrofoam, the unconvincing rear-screen projection shots and of course the general silliness, The Mighty Peking Man will keep you entertained. It may not be the best film to come from the Shaw Brothers, but it certainly is one of the most insane ones. The general level of insanity is always at orange, with only the level of cheesiness set higher. The jungle girl is pretty hot, and some of the scenes of carnage will make you chuckle, but the real highlight here is seeing Peking Man in action! Never have you seen a man in an ape costume… I mean, a giant ape cause so much damage with such gusto.

Sure, it’s bad (and rather weird at times), but it’s a hell of a lot of fun! It’s the good-kind-of-bad, the kind where you can enjoy by not taking seriously. You got hilarious low budget filmmaking, a giant-monkey man wreaking havoc, and a scantily clad model/jungle girl nearly losing her top. What more could you ask for from a quality b-movie?!

Final Mark: 3/5



EXTRA CRAP
The Good: This film features a match between a tiger and a cobra. How cool of a match up is that?!?

The Bad: There’s a nipple!... no, wait… there’s a nipple!!... no…. hold on… I think I see… no… damnit!

The Ugly: This movie really could have done without the romantic-frolicking-in-the-jungle-in-slow-motion-to-bad-disco-music scene.

In A Nutshell: No elephants, cobras, or giant men in ape suits were not harmed in the making of this movie.

Useless Trivia: If it wasn’t for Quentin Tarantino, you probably wouldn’t have heard of this film. He re-released it several years ago under his short-lived Rolling Thunder Pictures label, and even got a positive review from critic Roger Ebert. Hey, even the talented and respected can appreciate a good b-movie!

Favourite Quote(s):

• Johnny: There was a girl out in the jungle as well. He obeys her. Does whatever she says. If we could locate her he would settle down immediately. You’ll have to mount a search. The only thing I know is that she is dressed entirely in animal skins. That ought to narrow it down a little.
• Expedition Team Member: All you have to do is grab the monster, then you’ll be known around the world. You’ll be a hero. Why worry Johnny? You’ll be able to get any woman you want.