Yellow-Faced Tiger

This movie is so bad I couldn't stop laughing. I've seen it like a dozen times because I find new screw ups every time! Why is there sirens in the police station? Why do the bad guys follow the cops while driving in front of them? How come punches, kicks, chains, 2X4's etc all make the same thump noise? The Best part: Chuck Norris's fake hairy chest. It looks like a vest. That can't be real. Plus why is Chuck dubbed? Does he even speak chinese?

My review was written in September 1981 after a Times Square screening:

Filmed in 1973 but just released domestically to cash in on the presence of currently hot chop-socky star Chuck Norris in the cast, "Slaughter in San Francisco" is a curiosity item representing an early by Raymond Chow's Golden Harvest ("Cannonball Run", "The Big Brawl") to shoot a film in the U. S. Entirely lensed on the West Coast", "Slaughter" nevertheless retains all the defects of a Hong Kong entry (atrocious dubbing and sound effects, tinny score, zoom-crazed camera and wooden acting). Martial arts fans may feel ripped off by the presence of supposedly "starring" Norris in a supporting role.

Clearly designed for the Far East audience, pic is set in a mythical "Daly CIty" (supposedly near S. F.) where the police are so ruthless they will kill suspects who refuse to confess. This exaggerated parallel world has all the Caucasian cast members portrayed as evil, including Norris, who looks and dresses much the same as in his familiar heroic roles, but is cast here as a mean gang leader so nasty that he tries to rape his brother's fiancee.

Don Wong is the nominal Chinese hero, an ex-cop out to avenge the murder of his Black partner. Norris' gang is responsible and after numerous 20 against one kung fu battles for Wong, the agile thesp finally goes up against Norris in a well-shot finale. If his fans can last out the tedium until this point, they may get a kick out of seeing invincible Chuck get soundly thrashed.

I understand it's a couple different versions of this film released. I saw an English dubbed "Slaughter in San Francisco". The other is called Yellow Faced Tiger, I believe.

To me this is the type of movie that's perfect when looking for an action packed, humorous movie that wasn't intending to be humorous. It's a typical plot that follows two police around who are trying to stop Chuck Norris's ruthless gang of thugs. It has to be one of Chucks earliest roles. The fighting scenes are entertaining, with wild, over the top sound effects.

If you are looking for a "so bad it's good" karate movie, Slaughter in San Francisco fits the bill perfectly. The action never really slows down so you can be entertained through the whole movie. You just need the right level of expectation when watching this 1974 made movie.

Yes it's a low budget martial art film, but the fight scenes, particularly the big boss finale with Chuck and the hero aren't bad with acrobatic moves a plenty. Also of note are the many driving scenes in Daly City specifically Westlake including DC City Hall (the main characters are DCPD not SF), Westlake Shopping Center, Marjorie Tobias Elementary, Southgate Ave, and other locations just outside SF including local residences. Additionally, movie was obviously making a point about racist cops which was ahead of its time. Nice work featuring the Great Highway, and Twin Peaks. (Notice the poor air quality over SF at the time in that scene)

Slaughter in San Francisco is a different film. Don't let the box of the film or anything fool you because even though the film stars Chuck Norris he is barley in it! The movie really focuses on Don Wong most of the time. What does Norris do in the film being the crime boss? He eats, smokes, practices the martial arts on boards and at all different times of the film all of this only takes a couple minutes. At the end he finally fights Don Wong and the star of the film gets beat up! Also Chuck's voice is dubbed and speaking of dubbed. It seemed like the entire cast was dubbed! Even the police dog! The dog was barking while you saw him panting! It was crazy! The fighting however is really great and the sound effects used was funny! One thing I wanted to point out is when Wong's partner gets out of the bar and he and Wong are both drunk they fight each other and the punching sounds sound really loud but it looks like they are just easily throwing punches instead of aggressively doing so and after this they split up and Wong's partner is stumbling around very drunk on the street and several seconds later he is ambushed by a bunch of Norris' henchmen and he fights like a sober miracle happened! It was hilarious! The quality of the movie isn't too good but it really makes the nature of the film like the dubbing and sounds even better! Fans of Chuck Norris will probably be disappointed due to his small part and the lack of his real voice but fans of martial arts films in general will think of this as a special treat!