RZA and his ‘Fists’ of kung fu fury

If you see "The Man With the Iron Fists" when it hits theaters Friday, it may look like a kung fu response to the 1987 Oscar-winning drama "The Last Emperor."

Eli Roth told me he visited the Chinese movie set of "The Man With the Iron Fists" and was floored by its similarity to the epic Forbidden City.

"It looks like we're making 'The Last Emperor,' " Roth told "Fists" director RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. (Roth and RZA co-wrote "Fists.")

"Yeah," RZA told Roth. "I saw 'The Last Emperor.' I was 15. I thought that was gonna be a kung fu movie. That movie sucked."

"So basically," Roth told RZA, "you're remaking 'The Last Emperor' as the movie you wish you'd seen when you were 15."

"Pretty much," RZA said.

I talked to RZA at Roth's Goretorium haunted house on the Strip. He said that funny "Last Emperor" story is true.

Growing up in New York, RZA scoured UHF TV channels, looking for martial arts movies.

"Every time I saw Asians at that time, I thought there would be martial arts involved," he said, shaking his head at the silly naiveté of his youth.

He never outgrew his love of Asian cinema and anime, starting with the Mach 5 car in "Speed Racer" and "Cyborg 009."

"I bought the Maserati because it looks like the Mach 5."

Martial arts principles have always informed his music in the Wu-Tang Clan and in solo projects, he said.

RZA is a student of Shaolin kung fu. And for six weeks, he trained in Hung Ga's tiger crane-style just to pull off one move in one scene in the new movie.

So I asked him the most serious kung fu question I could think of: Could he have beaten Elvis in martial arts?

"He was a karate guy. There's always been a war in the old '70s movies - Chinese kung fu vs. Japanese karate" - and kung fu won in Chinese movies, and karate won in Japanese films.

"In real life, I'm a man of peace, but I'm prepared for war," he said.

RZA (Robert Diggs) always goes big. He led the Wu-Tang Clan to hip-hop royalty. He scored the music for Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill." And he's done comic acting in "Californication" and the film "Coffee and Cigarettes."

RZA is directing and co-starring in "The Man With the Iron Fists." He compares serious filmmaking to getting married, rather than pulling a one-night stand. He issued the following metaphor with a smile:

"I ain't just (gonna have sex with) this lady (filmmaking) and now I'm throwing her to the side. I'm trying to build a relationship with her."

HALLOWEEN CLUBS AND CELEBS

Here's where you can find the biggest names on Wednesday night: DJ Kaskade at Marquee. DJ Deadmau5 at XS. DJ Steve Angello at Surrender. DJ Avicii at Tryst. Nelly performs at the Bank. DJ Hollywood at Chateau's rooftop party. DJs Kirko Bangz and Quik at Tao for Dub Expo. MGK performs at Vanity. Jenny McCarthy hosts at Gallery. UFC fighter Urijah Faber and ring girl Arianny Celeste host at Lavo. Dylan McDermott and Selita Ebanks host at Bagatelle Beach & Supper Club.

SIGHTINGS

Elton John's movable birthday party for his man, David Furnish, landed them Sunday at the grand opening of Chopard boutique at Wynn, where he showed up with Malin Akerman, Christina Hendricks and Chopard's co-president, Caroline Scheufele.

Doug Elfman's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Email him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.