THE HIDDEN POWER OF DRAGON SABRE (1984) presented by Fist City
February 10 : 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Fist City is a monthly series by The Saint Louis Video Society that pulls the most obscure, weird and rarely seen/ screened VHS Tapes from their archive and brings them to the Arkadin screen…for FREE!
This February, FIST CITY presents THE HIDDEN POWER OF DRAGON SABRE—a wildly strange “spin-off” of Louis Cha’s serialized, early-60s novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. Though this book had been adapted in the late-70s by Shaw Bros, they decided to give it a reboot and re-imagination in the mid-80s—and brought the original director, Chor Yuen, to retake the reins. What Shaw Bros ended-up producing is one of the most coked-out, 80s disco-psychedelic versions of a wuxia film one can possibly imagine. Though initially full of backstory and lore, HIDDEN POWER shifts gears and goes full bore into weird characters, imposing/ornate sets, and chaotic laser-blasting combat. It is a mind-bending mix of backstabbing swordsmen and shocking twists amidst background scenery from what looks like STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE or STAR TREK: THE MOVIE. This is a woefully underseen film from a period where Shaw Bros studios was throwing every half-baked idea onto the screen—after their 70s boom period had subsided—including bizarre horror favorites like BOXER’S OMEN and SEEDING OF A GHOST. Don’t miss this chance to experience a film that was never released in America, and may not ever come to Blu Ray!
Come out 30 minutes before the show for a specially curated pre-show full of rare treats!
Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.
Theater Policies
- All seats are first-come, first-served.
- The theater opens 30 minutes prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events and pre-shows when the theater opens at the listed start time.
- All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.
- Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.
- If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.
- Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.
- When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.
- All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.
- Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.