The Fighting Fists Of Shanghai Joe (1972)/Any Gun Can Play (1967) On DVD

The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe (aka My Name Is Shanghai Joe) (1972, Color): Shanghai Joe, one of the only disciples of a very strict Chinese martial arts cult, comes to America hoping to find honest work and live peacefully. Instead he meets with prejudice, racism, hatred and violence. Joe is finally hired by a rancher and thinks his troubles are over. He realizes too late that his new job is to help smuggle captive Mexican laborers across the border. When federal agents ambush them, the slave-traders massacre their prisoners and escape. Shanghai Joe vows to avenge the murders, but assassins are dispatched to kill him.

Starring Chen Lee, Klaus Kinski, Gordon Mitchell; Directed by Mario Caiano.

Any Gun Can Play (1967, Color): Soldiers ride along for protection as a train shipment of gold makes its way across the desert. Nervous banker Clayton is also on board, determined to see the treasure safely to its destination. But a gang of thieves, led by bandit lord Monatero, attacks the train, slaughters the armed guards and carries off the gold. One of the robbers buries the loot but is killed before he can reveal the location to his compatriots. While Clayton and Monatero play cat and mouse as they attemps to find the buried fortune, a mercenary gunslinger calling himself The Stranger plays both sides against the other. A deadly triangle of deception and treachery draws everyone into a bloody showdown.

Starring Ed Byrnes, Gilbert Roland; Directed by Enzo G. Castellari.

This double feature presents two delightfully old-school satirical spaghetti Westerns. Adding a kung-fu kick to the proceedings, THE FIGHTING FISTS OF SHANGHAI JOEY (1972) concerns a Chinese immigrant who uses his superior hand-to-hand combat skills to free Mexican slaves from their vicious master. Also included is the slyly funny and beautifully photographed ANY GUN CAN PLAY (1967).