The Thundering Mantis
The Thundering Mantis (Chinese: 癲螳螂) (Also known as Mantis Fist Fighter in USA) is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Teddy Yip, starring Bryan Leung, Cheng Feng and Eddy Ko Hung.
The Thundering Mantis | |
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Film poster | |
Traditional | 癲螳螂 |
Simplified | 癲螳螂 |
Mandarin | Diān Táng Láng |
Cantonese | Din1 Tong4 Long4 |
Directed by | Teddy Yip |
Produced by | Stanley Chow |
Screenplay by | Cheung San-yee |
Starring | Bryan Leung Cheng Feng Eddy Ko Hung |
Music by | Stanley Chow |
Cinematography | Cheung Tak-kon |
Edited by | Wong Chau-kwai Cheung Kwok-kuen |
Production company | Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd. East Asia (H.K.) Film Co. |
Distributed by | Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd. (Hong Kong) |
Release date |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
Country | Hong Kong |
Language | Cantonese |
Plot
A martial artist Ah Chi (Bryan Leung) who often gets in trouble while goofing around gets in trouble as he is saving the neighbourhood. He later then meets a craft kid and finds out that the kid's grandpa is the insane mantis style master, curiously Chi goes off to challenge him and the grandpa wins without trying. later on He comes against the Jade-hood gang whom he easily beats but soon he is up against hsia ( Eddy Ko) the master of the gang... humiliatingly hsia beats up Chi who for the second time is beaten shamelessly the first came from the mantis master. desperate Chi runs to find the kid whom he befriended earlier on and his grandpa after time and time the grandpa decides to teach both the kid and Chi the mantis style. After Chi finishes training he goes to wander around with the kid. meanwhile to the grandpa's surprise hsia arrives and after a long struggle off 1 on 1 duel the grandpa gets the upper hand only to lose stamina and end up getting wounded hsia takes advantage and uses his full strength ends up murdering the grandpa. The climax has the kid and Chi caught by Hsia and the jade gang after the kid is tortured and killed Chi goes insane and suffers from mind damage thus breaking free kills every single jade member gang.
At the end he goes up against hsia for the second time and while fighting mentally he mixes his mentality mind with the mantis and brutally kills hsia.
Cast
- Bryan Leung as Ah Chi, a fishmonger
- Cheng Feng as Shu Len
- Eddy Ko Hung as Shiao Tse-tung
- Wong Yat-lung as The Kid
- Chin Yuet-sang as Grand Dad
- Lee Kwan as Fish shop owner
- Fang Mian as Shu Len's Dad
- Suen Lam as Pharmacy boss
- Ma Chin-ku as White suit underboss
- Shih Ting-ken as White Suit's lead thug
Home media releases
VHS
- In the United States the film was released on VHS 23 February 1999 by Xenon.[1][2]
- In the United Kingdom the film was released on VHS 11 March 1996 by Eastern Heroes[3] and later again 18 June 2001 by Mia.[4]
DVD
- In the United States the film was released on DVD on 26 February 2002 by Xenon, fullscreen.[5] Later 8 July 2003 Xenon re-released a digitally remastered version of the movie, widescreen but with cuts.[6]
- In the United Kingdom the film was released on DVD on 25 July 2005 by Mia.[7]
- In Austria the film was released on PAL DVD by NSM Austriain 2013, 1:85:1 widescreen, uncut.
References
- "Thundering Mantis VHS (1982)". amazon.com. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "Thundering Mantis VHS (1982)". amazon.com. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "Thundering Mantis VHS". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "The Thundering Mantis VHS". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "Thundering Mantis (DVD)". amazon.com. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "Thundering Mantis (Remastered Version) (1977)". amazon.com. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "The Thundering Mantis DVD". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
External links
- The Thundering Mantis on IMDb
- The Thundering Mantis at AllMovie
- The Thundering Mantis at Hong Kong Cinemagic.com