Shaolin Handlock (1978)
"Shi zi mo hou shou" (original title)

As an expert of the 'Cross fists' technique, a reclusive kung fu master Li Pai perfects a lethal maneuver called the 'Shaolin Handlock' while an old wolf-in-sheep's-clothing friend Fang ... See full summary »

Director:

Meng Hua Ho

Writer:

Kuang Ni

Stars:

David Chiang, Ping Chen, Lieh Lo

Cast

Credited cast:
David Chiang	...	Li Cheng-ying
Ping Chen	...	Li Meng-ping
Lieh Lo	...	Ling Hao
Wai-Man Chan	...	Kun Shih (as Hui-Min Chen)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lak Apichat
Shen Chan	...	Fang Yun-piao
Hsia Hsu	...	Li's student
Kara Hui	...	Li's student
Kuang Lo
Wai Lo
Yung-sheng Pan
Li-wei Shen
Te Hsiang Teng
Austin Wai
Dick Wei	...	Li Pai (as Tu Lung)

Storyline

As an expert of the 'Cross fists' technique, a reclusive kung fu master Li Pai perfects a lethal maneuver called the 'Shaolin Handlock' while an old wolf-in-sheep's-clothing friend Fang Yun-piao pays the unwitting Li a visit. Fang flees the country after duping and killing Li with a fatal counter-measure. Vowing revenge, surviving son Li Cheng-ying and sister Li Meng-ping follows Fang's trail that leads to Thailand. Upon killing Fang, they discover that he was acting on orders of a local expatriate criminal kingpin, Ling Hao, who partnered with their father in black-market smuggling during the war. Proving his own worthy kung fu skills, Cheng-ying infiltrates Ling's organization as a hired hand to gain Ling's confidence to get closer to him much to the chagrin & suspicions of Ling's right hand man Kun Shih who engages Cheng-ying into a deadly cat & mouse game behind enemy lines. After a failed assassination attempt on Ling by Meng-ping, the intrigue is diverted to a beautiful kept ...

---

Plot Keywords:

revenge | kung fu | kingpin | choke hold | motorcycle jump | 

---

Taglines:

The wheels of death are in motion!

---

Genres:

Action

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Handlock

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shaw Brothers

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

A mixed treat

This film by director Ho Meng Hua has a lot going for it. David Chiang in great form, backed up by Michael Chan, Lo Lieh and even Kara Hui (very briefly as a doomed pupil). The background is a beautiful Thailand for a change and several of the fights, particularly at the end are imaginative and pretty brutal, especially in the old warehouse where David and Michael have to defeat every trick Lo Lieh can throw at them (some obvious wire work though). But the let down is the ludicrous plot with more coincidences than a Dicken's novel and some real over acting, especially by Karen Yip playing the blind mother. It was Shum Lee Mei's only film and to be honest you can see why! It seems to be set in the 60's (though made in 1978) but its hard to tell as anomalies abound. Watcheable if you skip to the end scenes. There is a brief full nude scene near the beginning - for no good plot reason that's for sure

• though the actual prostitute appears again later to reveal David

Chiang's double nature.