Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Sheng Chiang | ... | Yang Tieh | |
Chien Sun | ... | Ma Chou / Kao Chin, Scorpion | |
Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok | ... | Ho Yuan-Hsin / Meng Tien-Hsia, Lizard (as Chui Kuo) | |
Meng Lo | ... | Liang Shen, Toad (as Mang Lo) | |
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Pai Wei | ... | Chi Tung, Snake |
Feng Lu | ... | Chang Hsiao-Tien, Centipede | |
Lung Wei Wang | ... | Judge Wang | |
Feng Ku | ... | Old Master Yuan (Guest star) | |
Dick Wei | ... | Master (as Lung Tu) | |
Shu-Pei Sun | ... | Constable Lin Kuang | |
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Huang-Hsi Liu | ... | Men Hua |
Hui Huang Lin | ... | Prison Gaoler | |
Ching Ho Wang | ... | Constable | |
Lao Shen | ... | Fruit vendor | |
Han Chen Wang | ... | Prison Coroner |
A dying teacher instructs his final student to check on the activities of five former pupils, each of whom he taught a unique and special style of kung-fu: Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad (hence the title). His final student, who knows a little of each style, must team up with one of the other good students to destroy the evil ones, if there are any. Greed and treachery ensue as the student discovers that some of the students are indeed evil, but which one can he trust enough to team up with? Written by Ken McCary <kmccary@amaroq.ces.ncsu.edu>
After reviewing this intense martial arts movie for the first time in nearly 18 years, I must say it did not lose any of its mysticism, nor any of its eye-popping martial arts action as I had remembered from my youth. The story of a dying martial arts instructor sending his "unfinished" pupil out to find the 5 past members of his Poison Clan, so they do not seek out a fortune which the master's friend keeps hidden. Afraid that his last pupil did not have enough training, he instructs him to befriend one of the five "venoms" so as to defeat the other four.
I can't say enough about the choreography or the camera work. A fine film in its own right and quite possible one of the best martial arts movies ever made. A CLASSIC!!