Sky High (1975) 12/19/20

Remember the 1975 action film “The Man From Hong Kong,” starring Jimmy Wang Yu and George Lazenby? Neither do I...nor do I remember it by its alternate title: “The Dragon Flies.”

The film was supposed to be a showcase for martial arts legend Bruce Lee, but he died (at age 32 of an allergic reaction to a tranquilizer) before it could be filmed, so Wang Yu got the call. As for the plot, it was designed to be a spoof of Dirty Harry and James Bond movies--which explains why former Bond Lazenby was cast.

The film was released worldwide and was a hit in some areas—Australia, for example---but overall, it made a small profit and disappeared.

On the other hand, the theme song became a “Great Song of the '70s!”

The British band Jigsaw was asked to write and perform the song...and “Sky High” became a far bigger hit than the movie ever was. The opening few measures really caught people's attention, and has become so iconic, that even today, most people can “Name That Tune” in 6 notes or less. :)

Chartwise, #3 seemed to be the big number—with the song reaching that position in Australia, Canada and the US. In Japan, it hit #1, and in New Zealand, it reached #2.

Today, while the movie may not be remembered by many, and Jigsaw ended up as a one-hit wonder, ”Sky High” is remembered by anyone who is a fan of “Great Songs of the '70s!

From (1975):