Tough Guys Files #3: Hwang Jang Lee Part 2

***A Special Thanks to Achillesgirl for translations that helped to make this installment a satisfying piece***

DRUNK MONKEY IN THE TIGER'S EYE was such a resounding success, the monetary floodgates were obliterated with hundreds of similar movies that were more or less remakes, even down to the films titles--DIRTY TIGER, CRAZY FROG (1978), CRAZY HORSE, INTELLIGENT MONKEY (1982), MONKEY FIST, FLOATING SNAKE (1979) and even a SNAKE IN THE MONKEY'S SHADOW (1979).

"This is where your graves are gonna be!"--YOUNG HERO (1980)

But all of these and many others lacked one thing--Hwang Jang Lee and his demolishing repertoire of kicks and powerful fist fighting.

Going back to his alleged difficulty in pulling punches from the previous chapter, one only need watch Hwang in action to see he's putting his all into his movements. It's quite easy to discern he's getting into his part; possibly too much! Still, Hwang obviously had a great rapport with the Yuen clan, among others. In most all of his movies, Hwang is choreographed by the Yuen's; ranging from Yuen Woo Ping to Yuen Shun Yi to Brandy Yuen and Corey Yuen Kwai.


It's here where Hwang Jang Lee was signed on to co-star in one of his best loved movies, DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS (1979). The film was the official sequel to DRUNKEN MASTER. This time, Hwang shared the screen with Yuen Shun Yi, who was pushed up to leading man status ever so briefly. To add additional box office value, the Yuen patriarch, Yuen Siu Tin reprised his drunken beggar role that made him wildly popular in the two Jackie Chan trendsetters just two years before his death.

Having done around 250 movies prior, Old Yuen's career got an amazing kung fu burst late in the game. He forever became associated with this particular beggar character, known as Sam Seed. For whatever reason, Jackie Chan refused to appear, or was too busy with other endeavors, particularly his own directorial debut with the Lo Wei produced THE FEARLESS HYENA (1979). Then again, it could have been he simply didn't want to work with Hwang Jang Lee again.


4. The 'Fanning Legs of Fury' kick is Hwang, while holding the other fighter's wrist, kicking his victim with his leg, but furiously fanning his leg from left to the right while smashing his opponents face in the process.

Tan Tao Liang has a variation of this same kick, but Hwang's is more kinetic. Hwang also did another variation of the 'Furious Fan' during the opening of HITMAN IN THE HAND OF BUDDHA. Instead of whacking a single man in the face, it's two bruises for the price of one as Hwang's feet sway from one guys face to the other.

"I'm glad you've got here. You can help bury your old man, shit face!"--DRUNKEN MASTER (1978)

DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS didn't replicate the super success of DRUNKEN MASTER, but managed half of that films box office take. Not long after, actor Chen Hung Lieh (famous for playing villains in countless Shaw Brothers swordplay epics and independent features) had turned to directing and, like Hwang would soon do, formed his own production company. This film, which began production sometime in late 1979, was to feature much of the stars and crew that had made the low budget actioners of Seasonal such a success.


This new picture was to reunite Hwang Jang Lee with Yuen Shun Yi and with Pan Ying Zi (numerous Shaw Brothers erotic films and actioners like SWORDSWOMEN THREE from 1970) in a guest starring role. The name of this mysterious movie was MONKEY OVERTAKES MANTIS (photos above and below). Judging by images from ever how much footage was shot indicates it was among the many others that followed in the wake of Jackie Chan's two Seasonal hits.

The Yuen clan, who reportedly demanded high sums at this point in their careers, were hired to do the choreographic duties in an effort to replicate past successes on this new production.

The Yuen's could regularly be seen as background players, or thugs in hundreds of Shaw Brothers movies from the 60s to the late 1970s. Their work on Ng See Yuen's Seasonal movies were the breakout to success that catapulted them to later stardom; particularly Cory Yuen Kwai and the most successful of the bunch, Yuen Woo Ping.

Hwang Jang Lee's look is different in this one as the accompanying photos attest. He's clean shaven, but I presume still the bad guy with Yuen Shun Yi as the hero.

It would seem the life of Chen's Brothers Film Company was short-lived as there's no record that MONKEY OVERTAKES MANTIS was ever released, or even completed for that matter.

Chen Hung Lieh's last known directed effort was 1979s THE BONE CRUSHING KID and no mention of this MONKEY title on either his, or the stars' long list of credits. It's one of those great mysteries of HK cinema. With such a bang up cast and behind the scenes pedigree, one would think this movie would have surfaced had it been completed. Then again, it may have come out and simply disappeared like some of these movies tend to do.


5. This next kick is not only a punishing blow, but it's also a bit humiliating for those who get caught with it. It too, has some variables. Essentially, Hwang catches an opponent by using one of his legs as a tentacle, or lasso. While holding the victim in a downward position with his leg wrapped around their head or arm, Hwang pounds away at them with kicks from his other leg, or punches from his free hand!


A variation of this sees Hwang holding onto one man while kicking the holy hell out of a second opponent with his free leg. While that second guy writhes in pain, Hwang then focuses his wrath on the man trapped in a head lock by his other leg.

This is one of Hwang's more versatile, spectacular kicking displays. I call this one 'In the Clutches of the Dragon'. This kick also applies to catching an opponents weapon, thereby opening them up to a painful attack from Hwang's fists, or his free leg. This is also one of Hwang's most oft used attacks and one of the most unusual, not to mention impressive when seen in execution.

"Come here and lick my feet and I might consider letting you go... lick... QUICK! Lick it!"--MARTIAL MONKS OF SHAOLIN TEMPLE (1983)

While Hwang Jang Lee became notorious for getting a little too carried away in his fight scenes, he often worked with the same co-stars on multiple movies.

Hwang co-starred with his SECRET RIVALS nemesis, John Liu in a few additional flicks for other independent companies such as SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION and INSTANT KUNG FU MAN (both 1977) for Fortuna Film Company and INVINCIBLE ARMOR (1977) for Lai Wah Company; the latter production being directed and written by Seasonal's owner Ng See Yuen and looking virtually identical to any of Seasonal's output at the time. I guess that's the Ng Touch.

"I don't give a damn who you are... you're gonna die!"--INSTANT KUNG FU MAN (1977)


THE INSTANT KUNG FU MAN, also from 1977, had the look and feel of a Seasonal picture even down to the participation of the Yuen's doing the choreography. The films climax is also in the same surreal valley location where the finale of THE SECRET RIVALS 2 took place.

The storyline is a bit more complex than normal about two brothers, the oldest a criminal, the other a cowardly trickster. The elder sibling sends his brother to Shaolin to learn kung fu, but he could care less and eventually escapes the temple. A student well versed in kung fu is sent after him.

The elder brother is partnered with Hwang Jang Lee's character and betrays him. Hwang runs off to train (that's an unusual element) to take revenge. In a bad case of mistaken identity, the clownish brother goes around pretending he is a kung fu master and attracts the attention of the vengeance seeking character played by Hwang.

In addition to Hwang having to go train to take revenge, John Liu isn't in this movie as much as you'd expect. He crops up late in the final fight to deliver a few kicks and that's it. This pictures end fight is an explosive piece of ferocious choreography at times, which flies in the face of the lighter tone of the preceding 90 minutes.


6. 'Embracing the Dragon's Fury' kick is a simpler form of 'In the Clutches of the Dragon'.

This attack is essentially Hwang placing his right leg behind a victims neck as if they're resting their head on a pillow. He then sends them flying backwards with his left leg straight to their face or chest. This maneuver is usually preceded by a slew of kicks to various body parts.

There's also a variation of this blow. Sometimes, as pictured above, the opponent is caught from the rear; a dangerously precarious position.

"May I present my friends... Red Man... and Green Man!"--DRAGON'S CLAWS (1979)

Hwang also worked with the youngest of the famous Liu (Lau) family, Jimmy Liu, in the lesser known THE FEARLESS DUO (1978) and the Joseph Kuo favorite DRAGON'S CLAWS (1979); two films out of hundreds of others that mimicked the silliness of SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW and its buffoonish Jackie Chan clown character.


Hwang fought a lot more than usual in the latter film. He was also a slightly less insidious villain than normal, but this doesn't take anything away from how powerful he comes off in his fight scenes. This was down to him preferring to kill a man after he'd either returned to good health, or actually learned kung fu sufficiently before Hwang sent them to hell.

"You were lucky you got away the last time. But today no one escapes!"--THE FEARLESS DUO (1978)

THE FEARLESS DUO is quite possibly the weirdest movie to feature Hwang Jang Lee. The plot is very basic, if stripped to the barest essentials. The family of two sisters is murdered by Ghost Leg (Hwang Jang Lee). The kung fu fighting sisters later fight him and cripple one of his legs in the process just prior to making their escape.

The two women then spend years searching for Ghost Leg again to finish the job till they cross paths with a young punk who is anally raped by the ghost of a famous kung fu hero. Yes, Jimmy Liu has his ass violated in this movie from the same director of the amazing THE REBELLIOUS REIGN (1980).

Hwang Jang Lee has very little to do here till the end, so the filmmakers shoot a scene that shows him as some sort of gangster who runs an Opium syndicate in a local town. The use of two women as major kung fu fighting heroines is a nice change of pace, but having martial arts cinema's supreme leg fighter crippled by them is something else entirely!

However, during the last five minutes of the end battle, they pretty much throw the crippled plot device out the window and Hwang suddenly unleashes a near constant stream of kicks after having lost his bronze walking stick.


After both male and the remaining female have been pounded with dozens of kicks from every possible angle, Jimmy Liu suddenly goes insane immediately after pissing all over himself. Yes, when all else fails and you don't know how to end your movie, simply turn the good guy into a babbling, pissing, homicidal idiot.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3

Tough Guys Files #3: Hwang Jang Lee Part 1

The Korean super kicker, Hwang Jang Lee has long been a fixture of oldschool kung fu movies and the fans that love them. He's easily one of the most popular big screen Asian villains and instantly recognizable due to his amazing kicking skills, his penetrating stare and deliciously evil laugh.

"It's my pleasure to send you both to hell!"--DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS (1979)

Hwang was a true to life Tough Guy in every sense of the word. He is a real martial artist whose status within the martial arts world has attained legendary proportions. Considering the chaotic nature of Asian cinema, and the voluminous number of their movies, a lot of information is out there about the man; some of it reportedly having been exaggerated.

An upcoming documentary entitled THE ANONYMOUS KING is supposed to reveal the truth behind the legend about this fascinating individual whose cult status doesn't seem to have diminished over the years.

Up until the last several years, there had been little to no interest on the Asian front in terms of preserving their cinematic heritage. There are still films being discovered and unearthed, not to mention the 'needle in a haystack' approach to finding out information detailing what went into the making of these fascinating, action packed and often times misunderstood movies.

The career of Hwang Jang Lee is varied and not too far removed from many of his kung fu colleagues. Unlike most all of today's Asian film headliners, many of the big screen kung fu stars from back in the day were real martial artists whose time offscreen often yielded many occurrences that mirrored their onscreen personages.

While there are a fair number of other kickers who are famous in their own right, like Tan Tao Liang and John Liu, Master Hwang is unique in his own inimitable way.

The sheer breadth of kicks he had in his arsenal is staggering. And all the most often used and most bone-crushing examples of lethal leggery are showcased and discussed here in addition to looking over his movies, the lesser talked about titles, and even some that never got completed, or released.

It wasn't all leg work in his movies, though. Hwang also used the Eagle Claw style quite often. It's generally the one he used most of the time, or some other claw form. It also owes much to what is possibly his signature pose--standing on one leg, arms extended, hands in a claw form and his other leg ready to strike.

Hwang Jang Lee had one helluva mean face, too. Even when he smiles, his facial features are saturated with a potent level of guileful villainy. And when he was mad (which was pretty regular), no one possessed such a piercingly evil scowl.

"What makes you think you'll live that long?"--INVINCIBLE ARMOR (1977)

Bearing a persona and natural charisma that rivaled the late Bruce Lee, Korea's ultimate kicking export could pull off spectacular moves that anybody else would require wires and harnesses to do. The man was so popular, he even had his own demonstration video in the early 80s, THE ART OF HIGH IMPACT KICKING. If that weren't enough, in the credits of movies he co-starred in, he was frequently top billed over the star playing the lead protagonist!

Hwang Jang Lee was most famous for his devastating array of kicks. Picking a favorite is a difficult task. It's like deciding which flavor to get at the ice cream shop as there are so many. The same applies with Master Hwang and his lethal leg work.

Spread out over the course of this five part article are 14 of the most oft seen examples of leg combat maneuvers used by Korea's King of Kicks. I am not sure if a technical name exists for all of these, but I have applied my own definition for them just for "kicks", haha.


1. The most popular it seems is Hwang's 'Bicycle Kick'. This punishing, video game worthy instance of chest and sternum crushing foot devastation is often shown in slow motion so we, the audience can soak up every rapid fire motion at the expense of the man receiving the series of blows to his upper regions. Even slowed down, it still looks fast! The term 'Bicycle Kick' has been applied elsewhere and that's what it looks like--Hwang leaps into the air and postures himself like he's riding a bike. His legs and feet do the rest.

"Bastard! Very well... you've chosen to die!"--SECRET RIVALS (1976)
Hwang was born December 13th, 1944 in Osaka Japan. At age 14 he moved back to South Korea with his parents where he learned the powerful kicking art of Taekwondo. Excelling in this style, Hwang eventually was assigned to train the national army which was stationed in Vietnam at the time. It was at this point in his life that one of the more widely circulated stories of Hwang's life was passed around.

Allegedly, while training the troops in Vietnam, Hwang was challenged to a fight by an eager Vietnamese knife fighter. As the story goes, an unarmed Hwang accidentally killed the man with a swift kick to the noggin; presumably in a similar fashion to Sun Chien putting Yang Hsiung to sleep (permanently) in INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN (1978).

Around 1975, Hwang began appearing in movies where he would put his amazing flexibility and powerful leg work to good use.

After several obscure Korean action films, Hwang got a burst of recognition after appearing as the lead villain in the modestly successful fan favorite, THE SECRET RIVALS in 1976.

This Korea lensed production was a departure from other kung fu pictures of the day; mainly in that it showcased kicking styles. I can't recall another film before it that highlighted various kicks to the extent of THE SECRET RIVALS. Considering Hwang Jang Lee specialized in Taekwondo, the leg-centric choreography suited him perfectly.

Wearing a white wig and sporting white facial hair, Hwang played Silver Fox, a name that came to be closely associated with the Korean kicking sensation.
The inclusion of a white haired villain was popularized in Liu Chia Liang's EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN (1977), a film that was released in early 1977, yet began shooting sometime in the latter part of 1975. In that film, Lo Lieh made the iconic Pai Mei, Priest White Brows, a household name; the color white symbolizing 'death' in Asia. And where kung fu movies were concerned, white often signified near superhuman strength.

While Hwang essayed a different white haired villain, the character of Pai Mei was also seen in Chang Cheh's THE SHAOLIN AVENGERS (1976); which was released the same day as THE SECRET RIVALS in June of 1976.


With the huge box office receipts incurred via EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN, and the equally fan favorable appearance of Lo Lieh as Pai Mei, Hwang was often referred to as the White haired 'Silver Fox' by his fans. Some of the credits in his movies even refer to him as such whether he was playing a white haired villain or not. Hwang's vastly impressive kicking abilities in THE SECRET RIVALS no doubt added immeasurably to the near mythic status his career would seize upon in the coming years.

"You are buuullllshittiiiinnng! I must teach you to watch what you say in the future!"--DRAGON'S CLAWS (1979)

Master Hwang returned in a sequel, SECRET RIVALS 2 (1977), where he played the Gold Fox, the twin brother of the previous pictures Silver Fox. Fellow super kicker, John Liu reprised his role, but Don Wong Tao did not return, instead former Shaw star Tino Wong took his place.

More white haired villain roles followed for the busy actor/martial artist. Such films as HERO OF THE WILD starring Chen Sing, the Qing Dynasty thriller SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION and the heavy independent classic, INVINCIBLE ARMOR (all 1977) all feature Korea's deadliest export donning a thick mane of white hair.

The latter film, INVINCIBLE ARMOR, heavily replicated the Pai Mei character from Shaw's EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN. The 1983 Filmark production of RAGING MASTER'S TIGER CRANE directed by the likely pseudonymous Sammy Lee is another.

"Female blood may get rid of tricks!"--DEMON STRIKE (1979)

Hwang would again sport a head full of white follicles in two absolutely absurd movies; the near worthless, if overbearingly wacky DEMON STRIKE and Joseph Kuo's 36 DEADLY STYLES (both 1979); the former is especially disappointing in that it has a great cast. Both Liang Chia Jen and Pai Piao star in what amounts to a chintzy, El Cheapo quickie capitalizing on a similar film in production at Shaw Brothers at the time under the guidance of Kuei Chi Hung; that film being KILLER CONSTABLE (1980).


DEMON STRIKE rips off that story almost scene by scene (even down to the sword Chen Kuan Tai uses in the Shaw picture!) and adds a Mao Shan magical element to the storyline including voodoo dolls and palm emitting laser beams fired into women's vaginal regions.

All sources list this as a 1979 production, but the choreography and wirework look like it could have possibly been made a few years later.

The latter loser (36 DS) showcases some of the worst wigs ever seen in any movie (check out the raggedy mop on Bolo Yeung's head) as well as being a lazily put together film by noted indy director, Joseph Kuo. I remember little of the film, but remember those stupid wigs very well.


2. Hwang's 'Flying Triple Kick' is fairly simple; unless you're on the receiving end. This is basically seen when Hwang becomes enraged; he flies through the air and hammers his opponent with a rapid fire exchange of three kicks. Similar to the 'Bicycle Kick', this series of blows instead has the legs extended, but operates in much the same fashion. The difference is mostly in the targeted areas. It's often the pectoral regions or even the face.

"I can give you a one way ticket to hell."--TOWER OF DEATH (1981)

Bad hair was a mainstay in HK cinema and Hwang would wear some bewilderingly sloppy hair pieces in other movies like the three years in the making, semi offensive Bruceploitation movie TOWER OF DEATH (which bears the distinction of having Hwang responsible for the death of Bruce Lee!!! [1981]) and the hilarious patchwork crapola, NINJA TERMINATOR (1985) helmed by crap film king, Godfrey Ho. In both these movies, Hwang sported wigs that gave him an effeminate appearance with the latter title particularly embarrassing for the subject of this article in his blonde hair piece.

"Well, boy, you've got lots of guts. And I shall kill you later, too!"--SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW (1978)

1978 was a turning point for the formidable fighter. Former Shaw Brothers executive, Ng See Yuen had founded Seasonal Films in 1976 forming the most successful independent company during the Shaw Brothers era of theatrical dominance. Having already used Hwang Jang Lee to great success in the kicking showcase, THE SECRET RIVALS, Ng wanted him for the Hong Kong production, SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW (1978).

While the main star was then box office poison, Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang Lee rips the screen to shreds as Eagle Claw stylist, Master Shang. Personally, I find this influential box office smash a mediocre affair and highly overrated. Still, Hwang makes it worthwhile in this movie that formally introduced kung fu comedy to the masses. Sadly, and just like in many of Hwang's movies, you only ever see him sporadically aside from the opening and towards the end.

"You impertinent young fool! I promise you... I shall have your teeth now!"--SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW (1978)


For years it's been widely reported that Chan and Hwang didn't get along during the shoot. This story is given weight by Chan getting one of his teeth knocked out during the final fight by one of Hwang's devastating kicks. It's made all the more ironic in that Master Shang tells Chan's character he's about to take his teeth!

"What's that supposed to be... kung fu? Who taught you that load of shit?!"--DRUNKEN MASTER (1978)

The incident in SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW was one of two times the Korean bootmaster was reported to have injured Jackie Chan. The second time was on the Seasonal follow up, the even bigger box office blockbuster, DRUNK MONKEY IN THE TIGER'S EYE (1978) aka DRUNKEN MASTER. Here, a well placed kick to the head reportedly sent Jackie Chan to the hospital.

If one puts Hwang's two Chan flicks into context, he doesn't come off as imposing as he does in so many of his other movies; in relation to his wide array of kicks.

The final fight in SNAKE is unusually short for a HK picture. Hwang's kicks are more sporadic spread evenly with hand to hand combat. And while the end fight in DRUNKEN MASTER is longer and better, Hwang doesn't unleash his merciless kicking canon as he does in his other movies.

Both films have Chan in control intermittently. One gets the impression egos may have been rearing their heads here and Chan wasn't about to be shown up in his own movies.


3. Things go great in three's and in Master Hwang's case, three is a pulverizing number. The 'Hurricane Kick Array' is seen when Hwang unleashes a series of kicks on two to three adversaries. They are either lined up one behind the other, or situated in a triangle formation. Either way, they all feel the Force flowing through them from the power of Hwang's foot to their faces. Depending on the formation of the receivers, the kicks are all from a single leg. For a triangle formation, the furious flurry comes from both legs.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2