Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
Encyclopedia
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, also known as The Dragon and the Cobra, is a 1980 martial arts
film about a martial arts tournament at Madison Square Garden
that will determine the supposed "successor" to Bruce Lee
. Within the film, the tournament is hosted by Adolph Caesar
. The film consists of several pieces of film including footage from old Bruce Lee movies, kung fu television television shows and new film footage, all of which is brought together by the plot-line of the tournament to find bruce Lee's successor. Lee was deceased before the film went into production. It is considered to be an exploitation film
, in this case exploiting the namesake of Bruce Lee by cheaply producing a film with found footage of the deceased star.
, who says that Lee was actually killed by a kung fu move called "The Touch of Death."
From inside Madison Square Garden, Caesar talks about some of the competitors (including Bill Louie, who, while in the ring, pokes an opponents eyes out and flings them into the audience). He talks about the legacy of Bruce Lee, and shows some "interview" footage he did with Lee shortly before his death. (The Lee footage is actually scenes of him on the TV show Longstreet
with new dialogue awkwardly dubbed in the soundtrack). Then, Caeser flashes back to earlier in the day, when action star Fred Williamson
went through a number of wacky obstacles to get to the tournament. Another action star, Ron Van Clief
is also profiled and interviewed. Van Clief is then seen saving a woman from being raped.
The middle section of the film is devoted to "The Bruce Lee Story," a chronicle of Bruce Lee's early years in China
, where he is depicted as being "karate
crazy," much to the dismay of his parents (the footage from this section of the story is from the 1957 Bruce Lee film Thunderstorm, and has been redubed). The film purports that he was learning karate to live up to the legacy of his great grandfather, who was "one of China's greatest Samurai
masters" (China did not actually have Samurai, which were Japan
ese warriors; in addition, the footage for this sequence is from Invincible Super Chan). Later, Lee leaves home and lands a career as an actor, which leads to a scene of Bill Louie, dressed as Kato from The Green Hornet
, saving two female joggers from being raped near the World War II
memorial in Battery Park
in broad daylight.
After Caesar announces the conclusion of "The Bruce Lee Story," we're back in Madison Square Garden, where a number of performers are showcased. Caesar interviews Fred Williamson, who denounces the idea of a contest to determine Bruce Lee's successor.
The grande finale is devoted to a two-round kickboxing match, in which Louis Neglia reigns victorious. Adolph Caesar concludes the film with a final thought.
's life, but of its apathy towards the culture of China (karate and samurais are constantly referred to as being Chinese, even though they are actually Japanese). Fans are also usually disappointed to learn that Bruce Lee
had no actual involvement in this film (it was released 7 years after his death), despite the fact that his face is invariably plastered on posters and DVD boxes for the film.
A typical reaction comes from the website "Movies in the Attic":
On his Bruceploitation
website, "Keith" calls the film the worst Bruceploitation
movie of all time.http://web.archive.org/web/20091028231635/http://www.geocities.com/many_bruces/
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
film about a martial arts tournament at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
that will determine the supposed "successor" to Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
. Within the film, the tournament is hosted by Adolph Caesar
Adolph Caesar
Adolph Caesar was an American actor.-Biography:Born in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, he is best remembered for his role in director Norman Jewison's film, A Soldier's Story for which he received a nomination for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" from both the Academy Awards and the...
. The film consists of several pieces of film including footage from old Bruce Lee movies, kung fu television television shows and new film footage, all of which is brought together by the plot-line of the tournament to find bruce Lee's successor. Lee was deceased before the film went into production. It is considered to be an exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
, in this case exploiting the namesake of Bruce Lee by cheaply producing a film with found footage of the deceased star.
Synopsis
TV reporter Adolph Caesar is outside Madison Square Garden before the start of a martial arts tournament that will apparently determine the "successor" to the legacy of Bruce Lee. He interviews martial arts promotor Aaron BanksAaron Banks
Aaron Banks is a Grand Master Martial Artist born in 1928 in Bronx, New York and made it his personal mission to distribute the different forms of martial arts to the western world. He has brought Chinese Kung Fu, Korean Moo Duk Kwan, Japanese and Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate, judo and boxing under the...
, who says that Lee was actually killed by a kung fu move called "The Touch of Death."
From inside Madison Square Garden, Caesar talks about some of the competitors (including Bill Louie, who, while in the ring, pokes an opponents eyes out and flings them into the audience). He talks about the legacy of Bruce Lee, and shows some "interview" footage he did with Lee shortly before his death. (The Lee footage is actually scenes of him on the TV show Longstreet
Longstreet (TV series)
Longstreet is an American crime drama series that was broadcast on the ABC in the 1971-1972 season . A 90-minute pilot movie of the same name aired prior to the debut of the series as an ABC Movie of the Week.-Synopsis:...
with new dialogue awkwardly dubbed in the soundtrack). Then, Caeser flashes back to earlier in the day, when action star Fred Williamson
Fred Williamson
Fred "The Hammer" Williamson is an American actor, architect, and former professional American football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League during the 1960s.-Football career:...
went through a number of wacky obstacles to get to the tournament. Another action star, Ron Van Clief
Ron van Clief
Ron van Clief is an American martial artist and an actor in Hollywood and Hong Kong action films. He is the father of poet Shihan van Clief.- Early life :Van Clief was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City...
is also profiled and interviewed. Van Clief is then seen saving a woman from being raped.
The middle section of the film is devoted to "The Bruce Lee Story," a chronicle of Bruce Lee's early years in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where he is depicted as being "karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
crazy," much to the dismay of his parents (the footage from this section of the story is from the 1957 Bruce Lee film Thunderstorm, and has been redubed). The film purports that he was learning karate to live up to the legacy of his great grandfather, who was "one of China's greatest Samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
masters" (China did not actually have Samurai, which were Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese warriors; in addition, the footage for this sequence is from Invincible Super Chan). Later, Lee leaves home and lands a career as an actor, which leads to a scene of Bill Louie, dressed as Kato from The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
, saving two female joggers from being raped near the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
memorial in Battery Park
Battery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
in broad daylight.
After Caesar announces the conclusion of "The Bruce Lee Story," we're back in Madison Square Garden, where a number of performers are showcased. Caesar interviews Fred Williamson, who denounces the idea of a contest to determine Bruce Lee's successor.
The grande finale is devoted to a two-round kickboxing match, in which Louis Neglia reigns victorious. Adolph Caesar concludes the film with a final thought.
Criticism
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is routinely lambasted by fans of martial arts movies for its complete ignorance not only of the facts of Bruce LeeBruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
's life, but of its apathy towards the culture of China (karate and samurais are constantly referred to as being Chinese, even though they are actually Japanese). Fans are also usually disappointed to learn that Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
had no actual involvement in this film (it was released 7 years after his death), despite the fact that his face is invariably plastered on posters and DVD boxes for the film.
A typical reaction comes from the website "Movies in the Attic":
"I can't even explain how mind bogglingly awful Fist Of Fear Touch Of Death is.The worst part is how it insults the intelligence of the viewer who has even mildly enjoyed a Bruce Lee movie. We hear Bruce Lee's grandpa was a samurai.(The fact that samurais were from Japan and Bruce Lee is Chinese notwithstanding) Just adds to the overall stupidity. Oh and then we get footage of Bruce Lee explaining to his mother that he beats people up because of his tradition of his samurai grandfather, what makes this movie so unbelievably bad is that this footage is shot like a soap opera and is then spliced in with a bad samurai movie. Actually I take that back the samurai movie maybe indeed good but taken in this direction it just shows adds up to the overall futile surroundings. Williamson is wasted, the tournament footage is lackluster and the Bill Louie cameo is just unbelievably stupid. This is without a doubt the worst movie I've ever seen."http://web.archive.org/web/20091027122107/http://www.geocities.com/pistolsblazing85/MovieReviewsFistOfFearTouchOfDeath.html
On his Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation is a cultural phenomenon mostly seen in the 1970s after the 1973 death of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. Movie makers in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan hired a great number of Bruce Lee look-alike actors to star in many cheap knock-off martial arts movies to cash in on...
website, "Keith" calls the film the worst Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation is a cultural phenomenon mostly seen in the 1970s after the 1973 death of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. Movie makers in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan hired a great number of Bruce Lee look-alike actors to star in many cheap knock-off martial arts movies to cash in on...
movie of all time.http://web.archive.org/web/20091028231635/http://www.geocities.com/many_bruces/