Wu du (1978)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Cheh Chang

Writers:

Cheh Chang (writer)
Kuang Ni (writer)

Release Date:

12 August 1978 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action

Tagline:

Pick Your Poison!

Plot:

A dying teacher instructs his final student to check on the activities of five former pupils, each of...

Plot Keywords:

Kung Fu | Mask | Martial Arts | Kung Fu Master | Judge

Cast

Sheng Chiang	...	Yang Tieh
Philip Kwok	...	He Yuan-xin, Gecko / Lizard (as Kuo Chui)
Feng Lu	...	Zhang Yiao-tian, Centipede
Pai Wei	...	Qi Dong, Snake
Chien Sun	...	Ma Chow, Scorpion
Meng Lo	...	Liang Shen, Toad
Lung Wei Wang	...	Judge
Feng Ku	...	Yuen
Shu Pei Sun
Liu Huang Shih
Lao Shen
Hui Huang Lin
Ching Ho Wang
Wan Han Cheng
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fai Wong Lam
Dick Wei	...	Master (as Tu Lung)

Also Known As:

Five Venoms (International: English title) (UK) (video title)
Five Deadly Venoms (USA)
Ng duk (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
The Five Deadly Venoms (USA) (dubbed version)
The Five Venoms (Hong Kong: English title) (original subtitled version)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:97 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB

Company:

Shaw Brothers

Trivia:

The "snake" role was originally intended for a woman.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Near the end where Lizard, Scorpion and the last pupil confront Snake and Centipede at the Snake's home, Lizard addresses Centipede as, "Number 5." The Centipede was actually "Number 1," and was referred to as such throughout the rest of the movie. The Toad was "Number 5," and was referred to as such throughout the rest of the movie. This is undoubtedly an error in the English dubbing, not in the original Chinese dialogue.

Quotes:

Qi Dong, Snake: I came from a wealthy family. I've joined the clan because I wanted to learn a special kung-fu, be a real expert, but in actual fact, I've just become a killer. Killings : That all I know. Damn. Every day. Another. When Liang Shen died, it was the first time I felt it prick my conscience. Then to hide that one, we've killed again : First Wong Fa and then Ling Xuong.
Ma Chow, Scorpion: You've just asked me "When will it end?" Well let me tell you: Once an evil deed is done, then it never ends... it goes on and it goes on forever.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu (2003) (TV)

as good as it was twenty years ago

I first saw this movie in early eighties and saw it again lately in a newly remastered DVD (thanks to Celestial and Shaw Brothers; the picture is very nice).

In this movie Chang Cheh (the director) relied on six relatively new actors: Kuo Chui (who choreographed Tomorrow Never Dies), Chiang Shen, Sun Chien, Lo Mang, Lu Fung, and Wei Pai (who left the club after Invincible Shaolin, the next movie, to join Golden Harvest). Chang Cheh then made many movies later on starring some of these actors (I saw most of them).

I think this movie is one of their best (other notable movies include Five Element Ninjas and House of Traps). I liked it twenty years ago and still like it today.