Title: Shaolin Deadly Kicks Original Title (Mandarin): Nan Bei Tui Wang (南北腿王) Release Year: 1977 Country: Hong Kong Language: Mandarin Runtime: Approximately 85 minutes Director: Chung Sun Starring: Tan Tao-liang (a.k.a. Delon Tan), Lo Lieh, Wang Yin, Lung Fei Overview Shaolin Deadly Kicks is a classic 1970s martial arts action film that showcases the high-energy kung fu cinema style that helped define the golden era of Hong Kong filmmaking. Known for its explosive choreography, colorful villains, and memorable plot, the film stars Tan Tao-liang—renowned for his lightning-fast legwork and often referred to as "Flash Legs"—in one of his most iconic roles. Plot Summary The film opens with a daring robbery: a group known as the "Eight Dragons" pulls off a massive heist, stealing a large sum of government silver. To safeguard the spoils and ensure mutual loyalty, the gang splits the treasure map into eight sections, with each member keeping a piece. Years later, the government dispatches its top agent, Fong Wei (played by Tan Tao-liang), a master of Shaolin kicking techniques, to hunt down the gang and retrieve the stolen silver. As Fong tracks down each Dragon, he finds that greed, paranoia, and betrayal have already begun to unravel the group from within. One by one, Fong confronts the gang members, each possessing a unique fighting style or weapon. These encounters set the stage for a series of increasingly intense martial arts duels, with Fong delivering justice through his devastating kicks. As he gathers the pieces of the map, the stakes escalate—especially as he closes in on the gang’s ringleader, who is willing to kill to keep the treasure hidden. Themes and Style Shaolin Deadly Kicks combines themes of loyalty, justice, and revenge with the narrative structure of a crime thriller. What sets it apart is its relentless focus on leg-based kung fu, particularly the Northern Shaolin kicking techniques. The choreography is crisp and energetic, emphasizing speed, precision, and acrobatics. The movie uses a traditional revenge-quest structure, but distinguishes itself with uniquely stylized villains, each given a brief backstory or personality quirk. This format echoes the episodic structure seen in popular wuxia novels and adds to the film’s rewatch value. The cinematography makes extensive use of wide shots to showcase the full body movements during fights, a hallmark of martial arts films from the era. Combined with brisk editing and dramatic music cues, the film delivers an adrenaline-pumping viewing experience. Legacy and Reception While not as internationally famous as some Shaw Brothers productions, Shaolin Deadly Kicks has gained a cult following among kung fu cinema enthusiasts. Tan Tao-liang’s performance is often cited as one of his best, particularly for his powerful and agile legwork that influenced a generation of martial arts performers. The movie has been released under various alternate titles, such as The Eight Invincibles, The Eight Venoms, and Silver Hermit from Shaolin, depending on the region and distributor. Its reputation has grown in recent years thanks to digital restorations, DVD re-releases, and inclusion in martial arts film collections. The combination of traditional kung fu choreography, classic 70s film aesthetics, and a revenge-driven plot makes it a must-watch for fans of old-school martial arts cinema. Notable Trivia Tan Tao-liang was dubbed “Flash Legs” because of his signature kicking style, which is prominently featured in this film. Lo Lieh, who plays one of the gang members, was a major star in Hong Kong cinema and had also starred in Five Fingers of Death (1972), one of the first kung fu films to gain international popularity. The film is often wrongly associated with the Shaw Brothers Studio, but it was actually produced independently, though it carries a similar tone and style. Despite being relatively low budget, the film makes creative use of costume, color, and fight scene variation to keep the story engaging.