Fists of Fury (1971) Tang shan da xiong (original title)

Director:

Wei Lo
(more)

Writer:

Wei Lo

Release Date:

3 October 1971 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

KARATE KUNG-FU! The new screen excitement that gives you the biggest kick of your life!

Plot:

A young man sworn to an oath of non-violence works with his cousins in an ice factory where they mysteriously begin to disappear.

Plot Keywords:

Ice Factory | Fight | Fist Fight | Fighting | Action Hero

Cast

Bruce Lee	...	Cheng Chao-an
Maria Yi	...	Chow Mei
James Tien	...	Hsiu Chien
Ying-Chieh Han	...	Hsiao Mi (The Boss)
Malalene	...	Miss Wuman
Tony Liu	...	Hsiao Chiun (Mi's son)
Kun Li	...	Ah Kun (as Quin Lee)
Nora Miao	...	Drinkstand owner (as Mao Ke-hsiu)
San Chin	...	Hua Sze
Chih Chen	...	Foreman (as Chen Chao)
Chia-Cheng Tu	...	Uncle
Tso Chen	...	Ice Factory Manager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Billy Chan		(as Hui-yi Chen)
Lung Chan	...	Gatekeeper / Blue Shirt Henchman
Ching-Ying Lam	...	Ah Yen (Cheng's cousin)
Cheng Ying Tu

Directed by
Wei Lo
Chia-hsiang Wu		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Wei Lo

Produced by
Raymond Chow	....	producer
Liang Hua Liu	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Peter Thomas		(Soundtrack for Europe)
Fu-ling Wang

Cinematography by
Ching-Chu Chen

Film Editing by
Ming Sung

Production Design by
Liu Chu

Makeup Department
Kuo Hsiung Chen	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Liang Hua Liu	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chench Chang	....	assistant director (as Chih Yao Chung)
Tso Chen	....	assistant director
Yao-chang Chih	....	assistant director

Stunts
Ying-Chieh Han	....	action coordinator (as fighting instructor)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Liu Chu	....	wardrobe manager

Production Companies

• Golden Harvest Company

Distributors

• Cathay Films Ltd. (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• National General Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Columbia Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Finnkino Video (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• PolyGram Video (1995) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2000) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• YLE Teema (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Hong Kong Legends (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1973) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (Australia) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox
• F.J. Lucas (Brazil) (VHS)
• Front Row Entertainment (video)
• International DVD Group (2008) (Argentina) (DVD) (Colección Grandes del Cine)
• Media Asia Distribution (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Wonder Multimídia (Brazil) (DVD)
• Éditions René Chateau (France)

Also Known As:

"Tang shan da xiong" - Hong Kong (original title)
"The Big Boss" - Hong Kong (English title) (imdb display title), International (English title) (imdb display title), USA (alternative title)
"Big Brother of Tongshan" - Hong Kong (English title) (literal title)
"Fists of Glory" - Europe (English title) (imdb display title)

Runtime:

100 min | UK:101 min | USA:99 min | Argentina:102 min | 115 min (uncut version)

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | USA:X (uncut Hong Kong version) | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-16 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Pak Chong, Thailand

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Despite being credited for the music score in every release of the film, Wang Fu-Ling actually only composed music for the original Mandarin version. Peter Thomas composed the score for the English dubbed versions while Joseph Koo composed new tracks and chose stock music (including music from Don Peake's score for the original The Hills Have Eyes) for the Cantonese dubbed version in the early 80s.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Cheng Chaon slides the ice down the ramp and it crashes, a bar can be seen placed on the ramp to assist the crashing.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Cheng Chao-an:Uncle, is this it?
Uncle:Yes, right over there. That's the town, Cheng. That's right. Not much further to go.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Perfect Strangers: Karate Kids (#3.7)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Moontown

Bruce Lee's Goriest Movie

Tang Shan Da Xiong/The Big Boss(1971) is of all the Bruce Lee movies the most censored and cut because of some scenes of graphic violence. The violence in its uncut form seems to be on the level of the Street Fighter flicks with Sonny Cheiba. Bruce Lee doesn't show off his fighting skills until mid way through the film. What a great fighting performance Bruce Lee gives the viewer when he beats up the big boss's factory workers. Interestingly, the film has a couple of erotic scenes that are unusual for a Kung Fu movie. Both these scenes were either trimmed or cut from the picture. Bruce Lee's films would get less bloody by the time he did Enter the Dragon(1973). Mr. Vampire actor, Ching Ying Lam has a small part as the cousin of Cheng Chao An. Film that brought Bruce Lee international stardom even though the film was not very good. For a Kung Fu flick Bruce Lee is unable to show his full ability as a martial artist due to the filmmakers concern about his appearence in film. Bruce Lee would not fully utilized his excellent skills until the fight sequence at the Japanese martial arts school in Jing Wu Men(1972)/The Chinese Connection.

The Big Boss(1971) is noted for the infamous scene cut from the film of Bruce Lee spitting a man's head in half with a saw. A scene that has been lost scene since probably the film's debut in Hong Kong theatres. Just as infamous as the lost Pirhana scene of Cannibal Holocaust or the lost eye sucking scene from Full Contact. This sequence is definitely a scene that may have influenced similar sequences in The Streetfighter(1974). This one scene makes The Big Boss(1971) a must find in its fully uncut and uncensored form. Bruce Lee does well for what little material he had to work with. One gory sequence that was trimmed for the film's US release was the scene where Cheng sticks his fingers deep into the main villain's torso. It would be great if someone would find elements from The Big Boss(1971) in order to put together the longest print possible. The Hong Kong version is superior to the badly cut and badly dubbed American version. Its the version that I recommand the most for Bruce Lee admirers and fans.