A Shaolin monk journeys to New York City to care for his orphaned nephew, and is forced to compete in a series of underground fights in order to rescue his friends from vicious Russian gangsters. Li Long lives a peaceful existence outside of society, where he works for years to become a master of the martial arts. Upon receiving word that his brother in the U.S. has been killed in a car accident, Li moves to the East Coast, and becomes the primary caretaker for his young nephew. Meanwhile, Li and his best friend Dave open a dojo in order to make ends meet. By the time Li realizes the business was funded with a loan from the Russian mob it’s too late, and Dave has been abducted. Dave’s time is running out fast, and now in order to rescue him, Li must rise through the ranks of an illicit fight ring by defeating a series of ruthless contenders - each more vicious than the last.
Frank Webster (John Ireland) is a man on the run. Newly broken out of prison, the former truck driver and convicted murderer takes Connie Adair (Dorothy Malone) hostage at a lonely roadside diner and commandeers her car, a racing job than she intended to drive in a rally. At first Connie is as frightened as any woman should be in such a situation, but she soon sees that Frank is more than a wanted criminal — he’s an innocent man trying to redeem his life, and forced by circumstance to commit acts of violence. Soon the two are on the run together, lovers and fugitives using the cover of the road rally as a dodge so he can get to the border and freedom. Connie tries to convince Frank to take a stand, get the evidence out that framed him, and redeem his honor, as the authorities close in on the fast-driving pair. The second movie ever produced by Roger Corman, The Fast and the Furious marked the first release of Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson and the beginning of their American Releasing Corporation, soon to be renamed American International Pictures.
In order to pass through Comanche territory, the stranded passengers of a West-bound wagon train must sell the Indians their rifles in this western from Carl Hittleman.
American-International’s Hot Rod Girl is a whole lot less exploitaitonal than its title. Chuck Connors stars as Ben, a policeman who hopes to stem an outbreak of juvenile delinquency. Overcoming great obstacles-most of them created by prejudiced adults-Ben hopes to build a drag strip, where hot-rodding teenagers will be allowed to race their motors in safety. The title character, Ben’s pretty sister Lisa, is played by Lori Nelson. Among the hot-rodders in Hot Rod Girls is a young Frank Gorshin (here billed as Frank J. Gorshin), who ten years later would reteam with director Leslie H. Martinson on the set of the theatrical-feature version of TV’s Batman.