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
Film poster
Traditional Chinese癲螳螂
Simplified Chinese癲螳螂
Hanyu PinyinDiān Táng Láng
JyutpingDin1 Tong4 Long4
Directed byTeddy Yip
Screenplay byCheung San-yee
Produced byStanley Chow
StarringBryan Leung
Cheng Feng
Eddy Ko Hung
CinematographyCheung Tak-kon
Edited byWong Chau-kwai
Cheung Kwok-kuen
Music byStanley Chow
Production
companies
Goldig Films (H.K.) Ltd.
East Asia (H.K.) Film Co.
Distributed byGoldig Films (H.K.) Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Release date
  • 3 January 1980 (1980-01-03) (Hong Kong)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese

Plot

A martial artist Ah Chi (Bryan Leung) who often gets in trouble while goofing around gets in trouble as he is saving the neighborhood. He later then meets a crafty kid and finds out that the kid's uncle is the thundering mantis-style master. Curiously, Chi goes off to challenge him and the uncle wins without trying. Later on, he comes against the Jade 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 uncle. Time passes and the uncle decides to teach both the kid and Chi the thundering mantis style. After Chi finishes training he goes to wander around with the kid. Meanwhile, to the uncle's surprise, Hsia arrives and duels with him. Initially, the uncle gets the upper hand only to lose stamina and ends up getting wounded. Hsia takes advantage and uses his full strength to finally him. 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 a mental breakdown. Thus, breaking free and killing every single Jade gang member.

In the end, he goes up against Hsia for the second time and while fighting, he mixes his insanity with the mantis style 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 Uncle
  • 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

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
  1. Thundering Mantis VHS (1982). ASIN 6305310807.
  2. Thundering Mantis VHS (1982). ASIN 6305310815.
  3. "Thundering Mantis VHS". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  4. "The Thundering Mantis VHS". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. "Thundering Mantis (DVD)". Amazon. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  6. "Thundering Mantis (Remastered Version) (1977)". Amazon. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  7. "The Thundering Mantis DVD". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2013.


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