Hand of Death (1976)

Dorian “Flash Legs” Tan starred as a high kicker in Hand of Death. John Woo was the writer/director for it as well as taking a supporting role as an imperiled scholar. Jackie Chan played a supporting role as a younger brother seeking revenge in this Hong Kong movie filmed in Taiwan and South Korea.

The Manchus decided the Shaolin temples had too much power and too many trained fighters. They found students willing to betray their brothers for money and soon the loyal shaolin students who remained alive were on the run. Commander Shih and his sidekicks Du Qing and Smiling Fox rule their little empire with iron fists or more accurately, Killing Crane fists. Faithful shaolin student Yung Fei has been chosen by the rebels to escort a scholar with a secret list to safety and also to kill Commander Shih. No easy feat, as Shih is protected by 8 Tiger Generals who work as his bodyguards. After failing in his endeavor to kill Shih, Yung Fei convinces two fighters to help him---The Master Sword, a wandering swordsman with a score to settle, and Little Tan, a blacksmith and delivery boy whose brother was killed by Shih and his men. Even with the extra help, it will take a miracle for the men to keep the scholar alive and to take the life of Shih.

Dorian Tan is always fun to watch with his quick, high kicks. His film career ended for the most part around 1985, but he went on to teach Taekwondo in Korea and the United States. This was the fourth film a very young John Woo directed. It was interesting seeing the larger than life director as the fearful scholar depending on others to protect him. Jackie Chan was almost unrecognizable in the role of Little Tan until he started moving and some early Chan mannerisms showed through. James Tien made for a believable villain if not fighter, with poor Sammo wearing prosthetic teeth as his #1. Never one to avoid hitting the ground or anything else, Sammo put his body through the mill during his fight with Dorian in the latter part of the film. Korean actor Kim Ki Ju made for a smarmy and dangerous #2. Yuen Wah played one of the 8 Bodyguards and was unable to hide his quick moves even in this small role. The overall fight choreography for the movie was adequate, oftentimes stilted but avoided kung fu posing. Some fights were better than other, some faster than others. You could tell a number of kicks didn’t really land, but that’s one of the safety concerns with fast, powerful kickers. Ask Jackie Chan about the tooth he lost when filming with “Thunder Leg” Hwang Jang Lee. Even at that, one stunt did go wrong involving a cable with Chan being knocked out.

Like so many kung fu movies filmed in Taiwan and Korea, most of the settings were outdoors in nature. John Woo didn’t break the mold with his story or directing, but as a young director with little experience he did an admirable job of taking a stock story and not overcomplicating it or making it a sieve of plot holes. I only wish they'd sprung for some better wigs. These hairpieces looked like they'd been shoved into a box, stored for ten years, brought out and plopped down on the actors' heads without even brushing them out.

The story was standard. There was a secret list and an almost invincible bad guy. The good guys had to train to improve their skills and weapons or be destroyed. The actors were able to lift the characters slightly above the page, but this was still average at best. The final fight was exciting because by that time, through the little band of fighters’ skills and sacrifices I’d become invested in Shih being taken down…hard. But most of all, I wanted Dorian to flash those legs of his which he kindly obliged to do. As always, graded on a curve.

3 June 2024

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