Hand of Death (1976 film)

Hand of Death
Hand of Death
	Theatrical poster
Directed by	John Woo
Written by	John Woo
Produced by	Raymond Chow; Peng Chien;
Starring	Doran Tan; James Tien; Jackie Chan; Sammo Hung;
Cinematography	Liang Yung-chi
Edited by	Chang Yau-chung; Yuan Tung-chun;
Music by	Joseph Koo
Distributed by	Golden Harvest
Release date	15 July 1976;
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Mandarin
Box office	HK$797,921.20

Hand of Death (simplified Chinese: 少林门; traditional Chinese: 少林門; pinyin: shǎolínmén, also known as Countdown in Kung Fu) is a 1976 Hong Kong vigilante martial arts film written and directed by John Woo, who also supporting role. The film stars Doran Tan and James Tien in leading roles, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung in supporting roles and also features cameo appearances by Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, and Chiang Sheng. In addition to their acting roles, Hung also worked as stunt co-ordinator, whilst Biao (as well as additional stunt work from Chan) also performed much of the stuntwork, including doubling for both of the principal stars.

Plot

During the Qing Dynasty the Shaolin disciples are hunted down by a powerful warrior, Shih Shao-Feng, who wants to rid China of the Shaolin. At a remote training camp a group of Shaolin train together. Their best student Yun Fei is given the task of taking down Shih and his reign of terror. Along the way he befriends Tan Feng, who is a blacksmith.

Yun Fei arrives at Shih's camp and tries to take him, but fails. His Shaolin techniques are useless against Shih's "extended iron claw". When Shih beats him, he leaves the rest to his eight bodyguards, who each have weapons such as swords, shields and spears.

Yun Fei escapes with the help of the blacksmith, goes to a village and discovers Shih's men are taking apart the village and pillaging anything they can to scare the villagers into submission.

Tan befriends two people along the way, including a brilliant swordsman who has never drawn his sword after he accidentally killed a prostitute he loved.

The team forms a coalition to defeat Shih Shao-Feng.

With battle plans laid and the heroes trained, they prepare themselves for the battle ahead of them. After their training, Yun Fei's friends cut off his pigtail. Yun Fei and all the heroes will create a diversion, where they will assail Shih's headquarters in separate groups.

The diversion and ambush on the following day is ultimately successful. Luring away Shih's lieutenant Tu Ching. Tan Feng is the first to act in the climactic battle. Arriving at the gate of the pagoda which is the stronghold of Shih Shao-Feng, he proceeds to kill off several guards, including two of Shih's elite fighters. The rest of the characters reach a grassland where four more elite fighters under Shih's command come by, leading to a prolonged fight between the heroes and four more of Shih's warriors.

Unfortunately for Yun Fei's gang, the battle goes on longer than anticipated, and Shih realises their plans. Tan Feng returns to rendezvous with his friends and assist them in battle, but is mortally wounded whilst killing another elite. Yun Fei and the other heroes manage to kill the rest of the elite fighters and they escape, with Shih, Du and a small troop of their men in pursuit.

More and more of the heroes are killed as the film reaches its end, while on a nearby beach Yunfei beats Tu to death and kills off Shih's last elite fighter.

In the end, Yunfei faces off against Shih and his remaining soldiers, defeating them all single-handedly, then he fights Shih and wins.

The movie ends with Yunfei riding past the graves of all his friends, paying his respects.

Cast

Dorian Tan as Yun Fei
James Tien as Shih Shao-Feng
Jackie Chan (Credited as Chen Yuen Lung) as Tan Feng (Also a Stunt Double for Dorian Tan)
Sammo Hung as Officer Tu Ching (as Hung Chin-Pao)
Yuen Biao as Arrow Guard killed by Shih (Also a Stunt Double for Dorian Tan)
Yeung Wai as Zorro, "The Wanderer"
Kim Ki-Joo as Ma Lieh, "Smiling Fox"
Chu Ching as Autumn Moon
Jin Bong Jin as Patriot
Wilson Tong as Senior Shaolin Student
John Woo as Scholar Cheng
Yuen Wah as Shih's Bodyguard with Spear
Jang Jeong-Kuk as Shih's Bodyguard
Jo Chun as Shih's Bodyguard
To Wai-wo as Shih's Bodyguard with Twin Swords
Tong Kam-Tong as Shih's Bodyguard with Spear
Lam Hak-ming as Shih's Bodyguard with Chain Whip
Sin Chan-il as Shih's Bodyguard
Mang Ding-Goh as Shih's Bodyguard
Kao Chiang as Tan Sung, "Tan Feng's Elder Brother"
Robert Tai as Ching's Soldier
Philip Kwok as Ching's Soldier
Chiang Sheng as Shaolin Student
Lu Feng as Shaolin Student
Ricky Cheng as Shaolin Student
Wang Chi Sheng as Shaolin Student

Production

According to his book I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action, Chan was completely knocked unconscious when he did the stunts on this film.^[2] Woo recalled that the stunt, which involved Chan getting launched back by wires after getting kicked mid-air, caused Chan to land on his head and become unconscious for around 20 minutes.^[3]

Trivia

This is the only film collaboration from both Golden Trio of members from members of Seven Little Fortunes from China Drama Academy with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao, and Shaw Brothers, Venom Mob fame from Taiwanese Fu Sheng Opera School with Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng and Philip Kwok, were involved together.

References

^ "The Hand of Death (1976)". Hong Kong Movie Database. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
^ Jackie Chan. "Jackie's Aches and Pains: It Only Hurts When I'm Not Laughing". Random House. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
^ Fu, Nelson (August–September 1994). "Woo's on first!". Transpacific. Vol. 9, no. 5. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via Gale General OneFile.

External links

[1] "The Hand of Death (1976)". Hong Kong Movie Database. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

[I_Am_Jackie_Chan-2] Jackie Chan. "Jackie's Aches and Pains: It Only Hurts When I'm Not Laughing". Random House. Retrieved 19 December 2012.

[3] Fu, Nelson (August–September 1994). "Woo's on first!". Transpacific. Vol. 9, no. 5. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via Gale General OneFile.

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v t e Films by John Woo
Directed	The Young Dragons (1974, also wrote) The Dragon Tamers (1975, also wrote) Princess Chang Ping (1976, also wrote) Hand of Death (1976, also wrote) Money Crazy (1977, also wrote) Hello, Late Homecomers (1978, also wrote) Follow the Star (1978) Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979, also wrote and produced) From Riches to Rags (1980, also wrote) Laughing Times (1980, also wrote) To Hell with the Devil (1982, also wrote) Plain Jane to the Rescue (1982, also wrote) The Time You Need a Friend (1984, also wrote and produced) Run, Tiger, Run (1984, also produced) Heroes Shed No Tears (1984, also wrote) A Better Tomorrow (1986, also wrote and produced) A Better Tomorrow II (1987, also wrote) The Killer (1989, also wrote) Just Heroes (1989) Bullet in the Head (1990, also wrote and produced) Once a Thief (1991, also wrote) Hard Boiled (1992, also wrote) Hard Target (1993) Broken Arrow (1996) Once a Thief (1996) Face/Off (1997) Blackjack (1998) Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) Windtalkers (2002, also produced) Paycheck (2003, also produced) All the Invisible Children (2005, segment "Song Song and Little Cat") Red Cliff (2008, also wrote and produced) Reign of Assassins (2010, also produced) The Crossing (2014, also produced) Manhunt (2017) Silent Night (2023, also produced) The Killer (2024, also produced)
Written only	A Better Tomorrow (2010)
Produced only	A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon (1989) Peace Hotel (1995) Somebody Up There Likes Me (1996) The Big Hit (1998) Bulletproof Monk (2003) Blood Brothers (2007) Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (2007) Seediq Bale (2011)