1972...Pontiac Michigan,..the State theater....THIS was the start of the kung fu craze..back in the day. Eye gouging...betrayal...great fight techniques. This was the holy grail of my Shaw Bros fetish. Brings back fond memories and total excitment....Kudos!!....Also, nothing like the "Ironside" theme mix....so Iconic.
This was the film that opened the doors to Kung Fu films in America! In 1972 I watched it under the title The Invincible Boxer. I was 12 and my mind was blown away by this exotic film.
This is so different from most old king fu movies. Most, have a thousand strikes and a thousand blocks. In this, they either miss, or connect with their strikes. And when he gets knocked back into that wall! That is cool.
I quite agree with you. This was the film that started it all. It was the first film in UK. I saw it many times. It is the best film. Acting, stunts, story and especially the camera, fantastic footage. The scene the bar where he fights head butter, has to to the best martial arts clip ever.
Shaw Brothers made the best, no doubt. Imagine in the early 70's when these bombarted theatres. Genuine Karate Schools enrollment declined because students were at theatres. Now we would be smarter to give theaters coupons to our classes. The movies still entertain, but to get them produced and arriving for viewers so fast wa$ amazing.
RIP Sir Run Run Shaw who passed away yesterday aged 107 (wow). He produced this movie and arguably did more than anyone on the planet to popularize Asian martial arts.
This was the first Kung fu movie me & my brother first saw back in 1972. And all the way home from the cinema we Kung fu’d each other, pretending we could actually do the iron palm technique. Ha ha. Oh to be young again. 🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍
Remember going to see this back in 1973 on a recommendation from a friend. The title was King Boxer and I thought that it was a western type ring boxing film, imagine my surprise when it opened with a group of people walking through an old Chinese town followed by a Kung fu street fight. I had never seen anything like it, but enjoyed it hugely.
Sorry but thats not the movie hes best remembered for..Lo lieh is Shaw brothers Greatest villian of all time..executioners of Death. Spawned the white lotus movie which isnt as good.. Mad monkey kung fu..shaolin handlock.all movies that show Lo liehs diverse martial and acting skills.
I watched this movie years ago when I was in primary school. During the school holidays I’d always go the video store and I noticed this movie. The most frightening part of this movie for me at the time was when one guy got both his eyes plucked out.
I remember seeing this movie at the Duchess Theatre on Chestnut Street in Philly. It was part of a crazy double feature along with Clint Eastwood's 'High Plains Drifter' (some combo!) This was the first kung fu movie I ever saw and many martial arts movies, anime, etc. have paid homage to and taken bits and pieces from this milestone epic!
One of the best Kung Fu movie of all time. Wants to believe lo lieh greatest masterpiece the action sequences superb love it Saw it under the title invincible boxer
Really? Have you heard a movie call Heroes of the East? This movie It starred Gordon Liu and was directed by Lau Kar-Leung. Gordon have fight with different japanese style like Kenjutsu, Judo, Karate, Ninjutsu, etc. A very interesting movie.
I had only seen Lieh Lo as an awesome baddie in SB films when this popped up on Amazon Prime. Lieh Lo was a true Renaissance man. And, per Lau Kar Wing, highly intelligent and knew how to capture the full essence of his characters. King Boxer/5 Fingers of Death proves it. Lieh Lo kicks ass. Adore this man. Thanks for posting this. Now, I have to go rewatch this. :)
Years ago this was my first martial arts movie i love this movie my favorite chinese actor Lo Lieh beautiful i miss these shows i just saw it Run Run Shaw has passed away r.i.p Run Run Shaw your name will never be forgotten your a legend X D.Ngauma
I believe this is the movie that started the whole Kung Fu cinema craze. The people that saw it in the movie houses in the 70's distinctly remember it as dubbed at the time. When I used to go to 42nd st., NYC in the 80's, all the martial arts flicks were already dubbed. I don't remember ever seeing a subtitled martial arts movie over there and I probably saw about 200 movies.
I lived in San Francisco on Russian hill. I would walk down the hill to Chinatown and see Kung Fu movies in one of the Chinese theaters. I was usually the only non-Chinese guy in the theater. I was doing this before before this movie came out. It was my favorite until Fist of Fury was released. After that I could see Kung Fu in regular theaters.
Every Saturday afternoon my neighborhood movie theater in the Bronx, NY was packed with kids ages 8 - 18 watching three more karate movies from Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest!!! We were addicted to these movies and could not see enough of them!!!! Bruce Lee was not in them but that was ok because we liked all the other Asian Martial Artists too!!! However, Angela Mao Ying was our favorite star right after Bruce Lee!!!
The audio that is the motif for the red handed fist technique that Tarantino references in Kill Bill, is actually originally from the theme tune of an American cop series called Ironside, starring Raymond Burr (better known for Perry Mason) as a wheelchair bound police detective - and it was funny to hear it in King Boxer in the 70s - now with Kill Bill it is forever a martial arts reference
This was the film that started the kung fu craze in UK, Bruce lee wasn't even heard in the early seventies, its only when he passed away here in England his films came in October 1973.
Lo Lieh is much better off as a villain. It was still good to see him playing a hero role in Five Fingers of Death, but his Pei Mei character and among other films always stood out more for him because how great he played a villain role. He really was a great actor.
Yup. The first Kung Fu movie in America....1973 or 1974. I remember seeing it in the theater and thinking that it was all real. The "techniques", the leaps, the sound effects. Yup, I thought it was all real.
Most early 70s kungfu films werent very good compared to those of Bruce lee films in those days.But this is a dam good movie.Especially before the days of the Bruceploitation films which were disgraceful.Kungfu films like these were few and far between.It took at least 4 years(after his death) to get over Bruce and start making real kungfu films again.Thank god for Shaw brothers.
Right on my friend, I was on The DUCE back when it was The Duce, with all the Chop Saki flicks. May those were some good days, Funland, and Rising Sun martial Arts store on the Duce. Peace onto you
i was 13 when i saw this movie in brooklyn on fulton st. This was the start of kun fu movies in America. I always called it 5 fingers of death, never heard the title kick boxer
Derek Harris i saw it at the Banco down the street from the Regent on the right going toward Nostrand ave....but i went to the Regent many times and saw 3 movies lol.
Lol !!! I remember the Banco. I never went there, but i remember the last movie that i saw advertised there was Dr black and Mister Hyde. I lived on Fulton and Saratoga ave in those days. We moved to Flatbush in 77.
This was a great fight. But my favorite fight of all time was when the hero of this story played the role of the Red Belt in the movie "The Hammer of God". Last fight was the best!!! The hero of this story to me is the also the best villain I have ever seen!!!! Now that is great acting!!!
Saw this at our high school auditorium...back in grade 8 or 9 around 1973. I think the whole school loved it....the whole student body were still talking about it days later ha ha.
Seeing this in an African-American movie theater in New York City, black folks lost their goddamn minds. It was like a church revival. People were yelling talking to the screen. It was the greatest experience watching this movie way back in 1972.
One of my classic martial art movies favorites of all time of all day of all second of all minutes of day of all week of all month of all year forever.
