Overview: Martial arts student Leroy Green (Taimak) is on a quest to obtain the elusive all-powerful force known as “The Glow.” Along the way, he must battle the evil, self-proclaimed “Shogun of Harlem” – a kung fu warrior also known as Sho’nuff (Julius J. Carry III) – and rescue a beautiful singer (Prince protégée Vanity) from an obsessed record promoter.

Combining pulsating music, cutting-edge dancing and the best in non-stop action, BERRY GORDY’S THE LAST DRAGON is kickin’ good fun featuring an amazing Motown soundtrack, including music by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Vanity and DeBarge performing their smash hit “Rhythm of the Night.”

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: A couple of years before he decided to sell Motown and take the money and run, Berry Gordy produced this simplistic flick; a transparent attempt to promote some of his latest acts, if ever there was.

I mean, why else would it involve a music video show? The only self-serving thing he didn’t do was set it in the Motor City. Instead, it’s set in New York, although it never feels like more than a soundstage despite things like a reference to Kew Gardens (an obscure neighborhood in Queens). That said, and accepting it as it was intended to be seen, and targeted at the teen and younger set, it really wasn’t as bad as it was painted back then and could have been a lot worse. I mean, have you seen all chop-socky films produced in Hong Kong in the ’70s and ’80s!

Watching it again now, here on this glorious 4K UHD edition, it isn’t hard to see why Taimak took a worse drubbing from film critics than Sho’nuff. OK, sure, it isn’t entirely fair, for while he wasn’t Oscar material, he was really no worse an actor than Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme (it’s just the way he delivers some of his lines, it looks like he is reading them off cue cards just off camera).

Indeed, his lack of success on the silver screen is more likely due to the unfortunate fact that the American public wasn’t ready for a black action star at the time and thus this rather kiddie-oriented film made for an inauspicious debut. That said, Taimak was still more convincing than Vanity, who was seemingly cast purely for her looks and debatable musical talents!

It’s also easy to knock Faith Prince, who played ditzy, squeaky-voiced Angela, but lest we forget that she was playing a thinly written role. Likewise, Julius J. Carry III doesn’t have much to work with as Sho’nuff, save a vicious glower and passable fighting skills. He was much better as the lower-key Abe in the occasionally hilarious Matt Frewer show, Doctor, Doctor, in my humble opinion.

Generally overlooked is Glen Eaton as a martial artist wannabe Johnny Yu, who simply steals all the scenes he appears in. A welcome bout of comic relief, he counterbalances the embarrassing Ernie Reyes, Jr., your basic overrated so-called cute kid.

In closing, and despite some forgettable music moments, there are some stand out ones, such as DeBarge’s bouncy hit Rhythm of the Night, which I have personally loved since day one.

DISC DETAILS & BONUS MATERIALS:
4K ULTRA HD DISC
• Feature scanned from the original camera negative and presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, approved by director Michael Schultz
• All-new Dolby Atmos audio + 5.1 + 2-channel surround
• Special Feature: [NEW] Fan Commentary with Comedian Amber Ruffin and Author Lacey Lamar

BLU-RAY DISC
• Feature presented in high definition
• 5.1 audio
• Special Features:
o Commentary with Director Michael Schultz
o Return of the Dragon Featurette
o Theatrical Trailer