hong kong filmmaker chang chang ho 1972 martial art movie epic five finger of death be widely consider by a great many film expert and kung fu movie fanatic to be the martial art movie that start it all . be release in 1972 and it be phase two of the three step process that would lead to the explosion of martial art movie in the west billy jack ( 1971 ) and with it famous hapkido showdown in the park and be release the year before and and bruce lee star in enter the dragon ( 1973 ) two year later and thereby solidify martial art movie place in western cinema . but what be all the hoopla about regard five finger of death . the movie and with it terrible dubbing and explosive ( if not highly improbable ) action sequence and technical flaw and all and have a plot and albeit a very thin one . chih hao ( the late lo lieh ) be a young and dedicated student of chinese gong fu who be select to represent his school in an upcoming martial art tournament . his teacher offer to allow him to self train in the iron fist style of fight and a style so deadly that it could very easily kill a man with only one blow . additionally and chih hao arrival at the school coincides with a violent conflict with a rival school and it student and and a trio of murderous heavy hitter from japan . before you know it and a major setback threaten chih hao training and and his ability to represent his beloved school in the upcoming tournament . let me just say that five finger of death be in fact the movie that start it all . a another viewer mention and five finger of death help to set a lot of standard in martial art movie over the next three decade asian and european and and north american martial art movie . such standard include the dedicated student and the learning of patience and endurance and conflict between rival school and the intense ethnic animosity between the chinese and japanese and and learn a system of fight for that good old fashion action movie motive represent revenge . five finger of death would also serve a a major influence on american filmmaker quentin tarantino kill bill movie ( tarantino borrow quite liberally from this project and among many others and just so you know ) . the acting be pretty good and consider the fact that this be a martial art movie from the early 1970s and the best of which be lo lieh . a the atypical student of the martial art and his performance be quite groundbreaking and though upon first glance at this movie you wouldn not really know it because of how that particular character arc have be do to death so many time over the year . he quite humble in his acting and do anything he can to persevere over his enemy and not fight them in anger or stoop to their level of stupidity or arrogance . also and when he suffer his major setback and it do make your heart sink a little bit because it so brutal and you wonder if he go to recover enough to realize his life long ambition . five finger of death be a classic in every sense . it by no mean perfect and and viewer would be crazy to expect something on the caliber of the godfather of martial art movie . what it do offer you be the ultimate example of eastern hand to hand combat from the time before eastern cinema be a major fixture in the west . positive p. s. represent enter the dragon bolo yeung also appear a the mongolian street fighter near the beginning of the film .