The Hand of Death

When Golden Harvest first released this movie, no one knew who director and writer Wu Yu-sheng, actor Chen Yuen-lung or fight choreographer Hung Chin-pao were. Today we know them as John Woo, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. After Shih Shao-Feng (James Tien), a traitor to the Shaolin eliminates thousands of their number for his own power, a surviving Shaolin master named Yun Fei (Tan Tao-Liang) has one goal. Revenge. The problem is that he's going up against an army - and Tu Qing (Sammo Hung) - all by himself. He's already lost one battle against Tu Qing and his extended iron claw technique. Saved by a blacksmith by the name of Tan Feng (Jackie Chan), and soon joins forces with a swordsman named Zorro (Yang Wei) who has refused to draw his weapon since he accidentally killed a lover. You can see the influence of Chang Cheh on Woo, as he allows us to get to know every single hero so that their heroic sacrifice means something at the end of the movie. The action is great in this, giving you an idea of the magic that Woo would bring in the 80s, as well as the loyalty between violent men, another theme that continually comes up in his movies. It's interesting to see Woo tackling a traditional Hong Kong film, one about the Shaolin Temple, the brave warriors who defend it and the cruel ones who attempt to tear it down. Tao-Liang Tan fights literally armies of people in this all by himself and looks great doing it. Credit for the fight choreography goes to Hung, who also has to wear a ridiculous set of teeth.

full movie

source: The Hand of Death

There's nothing much to say about this film except that it was a typical and straightforward Shaolin centered martial arts revenge action film, but with a Seven Samurai-like narrative. It was kinda draggy at parts, but overall, it's a nothing-too-special kung fu flick that is somewhat entertaining.

The Hand of Death (1976) is a movie that I recently rewatched on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows the Manchu invasion of China and the decline of the Shaolin. The Manchu take advantage of the dwindling Shaolin and kill the Abbot. A student of the Abbot will set out for revenge while also helping his people during the invasion. This movie is written and directed by John Woo (Face/Off) and stars Jackie Chan (Rush Hour), Tao-Liang Tan (Breathing Fire), James Tien (Fist of Fury), Ching Chu (The Brave Archer 1 & 2) and Sammo Hung (Prodigal Son). Everything about this movie is really entertaining. The choreography is excellent and includes a nice range of hand to hand combat and weapons. Jackie Chan is amazing and easy to root for. The flashback scenes are well done and the ruthlessness of the various villains are perfectly depicted. The arrow scene really set up the final battle to perfection. The final battle is really good and the beach closing and stabbing was great. Overall, this was a martial arts genre gem that's an absolute must see. I would score this a 8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.

Before the era of heroic bloodshed John Woo the master of gun-fu make some martial arts movies and the one i particular interest in is The hand of Death starring Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung.The movie is quite genetic with a plot has been done many time before and even when it featuring a young Jackie Chan he not even the main character.Fan of old school martial arts will enjoy this movie

From the 'Golden (Harvest) age of kung fu comes this old school period style film from a bunch of young guns lead by director Wu Yu Shang (later to become famous as John Woo) featuring Tao Liang Tan (Dorian Tan) James Tien, Chan Yuan Lung (Jackie Chan), Hung Kam Bo (Sammo Hung) and Biao Yuen (Yuen Biao). Good solid stuff with Woo adding some touches of class with some nice scenic shots wrapped around the usual broad brush story and frequent action. Being 'old school' means the action is generally rather contrived and stiff, two guys going through a set series of moves and counters in a kind of rythmic dance, but it seems to improve as the movie progresses (either that or this viewer became less discriminating). A taekwondo champion in Korea, Tan was renowned for his outstanding high kicking technique, which is impressive, however he's not much of an actor and nothing special to look at. James Tien is far more charismatic in the lead villains role, with Hung providing trademark support as a semi comedic henchman. Jackie Chan fills one of the two main friend of the hero roles and gets a couple of spots to show his wares, including what may be the best fight sequences in the film, as one of his adversaries has the most interesting weapon in the movie, a sort of sword blade on the end of a chain. Yuen Biao has a minor role, but was mainly on hand to act as stunt double for the two leads apparently If pre Bruce Lee 70s kung fu is your bag, then this won't let you down.

Funny how most of the DVD covers for "Hand of Death" has Jackie Chan all over it, despite him only having a supporting role in the movie. But his face sells. Regardless, then "Hand of Death" is one of the more interesting movies to Jackie Chan's impressive movie list, prior to making it on an international scale. The story in "Hand of Death" is fairly simple, yet straight to the point. It is a story of revenge and for the downtrodden to stand up against their oppressors. The story doesn't really leave much to the imagination and requires absolutely nothing from your intellect. This is straight from point A to point B; and beating up everyone in between these two points. The fight sequences were good, although some of them were painfully choreographed, where you saw the opponents, just waiting for the kick or punch to be thrown. And, of course, the sound effects here are hilarious - as they tended to be in many of these old action movies. Tao-liang Tan was doing quite a good job in this movie, and it wasn't Jackie Chan who was in focus in this movie. As much as Sammo Hung Kam-Bo used to make great movies back in the day, then the buck-teeth he had to wear in this movie was just a bit too over the top. It was also good to see Wah Yuen in the movie, despite a very small and brief appearance only, not to forget about Biao Yuen as well. "Hand of Death" is well worthy of a place in the movie collection of anyone who is fan of martial arts movies (or Jackie Chan's movies). This is simple, yet entertaining entertainment.

Well this movie has a few firsts and a few unique qualities about it, but as far as that, it has little else. It is Jackie Chan's first movie (at least according to Microsoft's Cinemania, and I will leave it up to you to whether it is to be considered a legitimate source) and it is the only movie in which Jackie Chan has worked with John Woo. It is John Woo's third movie, and as such we cannot expect that much out of it. In fact, compared to his later masterpieces, this is a fingerpainting. It is also the only movie where Jackie Chan has been killed on screen. Basically an evil emperor is banning all Shou-lung warriors and one particular warrior has betrayed the order and has joined the emperor. The monks are being slaughtered but one escapes and vows vengeance. He tries to sneak into the order but he is found out and swiftly beaten, but he manages to escape, builds up his force, and then returns to kick butt. The plot is basic and has no interesting character developments and interactions as the later Woo movies, though one of the characters refuses to fight because he accidentally killed his mistress. This struggle is not developed though as he is found, talked to, and convinced to take up arms again. The cinematography is really bad, and I can see why they say that you not use the zoom in professional film-making, namely because it looks very bad. This movie does not have any of Woo's dazzling camera effects that become obvious in later movies, nor does it focus on minor things that bring out the characters more, but it does show a side that we rarely see, and that is that a great filmmaker must come from somewhere. Though it is not the best, it is a start for somebody who goes on to become a famous, and much admired film-maker. It goes to show that just because you begin by making bad movies, that you will not go anywhere.

THE HAND OF DEATH most definitely rates a ten on a scale of one to- due, in no small part, to John Woo's masterful direction, coupled with Kat's superb cinematography: some of the leisurely tracking shots alone are worth the price of a rental; there are moments when this one borders on becoming an art-house film. Both James Tien and Sammo Hung make for the kind of villains you can't help but love to hate. Tien is particularly good as the baddest of the bad. It's a role reversal the likes of which I don't think I've ever seen before (Tien normally played a hero and, in fact, with his moustache, I didn't even recognize him at first). Sammo's goofy "buck teeth" only make an already unsavory character seem even more flawed; that he also happens to be a skilled martial artist makes him even less likable- in a villain you love to hate kind of way. His choreography of the fight scenes throughout is fantastic. Jackie Chan appears briefly (early on and late in the going) as a blacksmith, and I believe I actually glimpsed Yuen Biao somewhere along the way. Tan as the lead is nothing less than magnificent.