Fist of Fury

This article is about the 1972 film. For other uses, see Fist of Fury (disambiguation).

Fist of Fury
Hong Kong poster
Traditional	精武門
Simplified	精武门
Mandarin	Jīng Wǔ Mén
Cantonese	Zing1 Mou2 Mun4
Directed by	Lo Wei
Produced by	Raymond Chow
Written by	Lo Wei
Starring	Bruce Lee Nora Miao
Music by	Joseph Koo
Cinematography	Chan Ching-kui
Editing by	Peter Cheung
Distributed by	Golden Harvest Miramax Sony Pictures
Release date(s)	March 22, 1972 (1972-03-22)
Running time	108 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Mandarin Cantonese
Box office	Hong Kong: HKD$4,431,423 North America: $3,400,000

Fist of Fury, also known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei, starring Bruce Lee in his second major role after The Big Boss (1971). Lee plays Chen Zhen, a student of Huo Yuanjia, who fights to defend the honour of the Chinese in the face of foreign aggression, and to bring to justice those responsible for his master's death.

Fist of Fury is one of Bruce Lee's most influential works, as it is one of the main reasons behind the shift in Hong Kong cinema from swordplay to bare-handed fighting, which initiated the "Golden era of kung fu cinema" in the 1970s.^{[citation needed]}

Plot

The film is set in the early 20th century in Shanghai. Chen Zhen returns to Jingwu School to marry his fiancée. However tragic news awaits him: his master Huo Yuanjia had died, apparently from illness. Chen is deeply saddened and traumatised by the sudden demise of his teacher. During the funeral, people from Japanese dojo in Hongkou District show up to insult and taunt the Jingwu students.

Shortly after, Chen Zhen goes to the Hongkou dojo alone to engage in a fight. Chen defeats all of them.

Chen takes a stroll to a park after that. He is refused entry into the park by a Sikh guard. After the guard allows a foreigner to bring her pet dog into the park, a Japanese man approaches Chen and tells him that if he behaves like a dog, he will be allowed to go in. Chen beats up the man and his friends in anger.

Meanwhile, the Japanese students retaliate by attacking Jingwu School on the orders of their master, Hiroshi Suzuki. After causing severe damage, the Japanese students leave. They warn Jingwu School to hand over Chen Zhen. Chen returns and realises that he has caused big trouble. His fellow students are reluctant to hand him over to the Japanese so they make plans to help him escape from Shanghai.

That night, Chen discovers that his master was poisoned by the cook. Chen kills them and hangs their bodies from a lamp post. Chen's fiancée finds him hiding near Huo's grave. They share a passionate moment together briefly. At the same time, Suzuki forces the local police inspector to arrest Chen but he eludes them. Then while Suzuki welcomes his visiting friend Petrov, Chen kills his translator and adviser, Wu.

The angry Suzuki sends his men to attack Jingwu School and kill everyone inside. On the same night, Chen barges into the dojo to take his revenge. Afterwards Chen defeats Petrov and Suzuki. Chen returns to Jingwu School and finds everyone (from both schools) dead, and the police there to arrest him. Chen agrees to surrender himself to the police to protect his master's legacy. In the final scene, Chen charges and makes a flying kick at a line of armed soldiers as they open fire at him.

Cast

• Bruce Lee as Chen Zhen
• Nora Miao as Yuan Li'er (Yuan Le-erh), Chen Zhen's fiancée
• Riki Hashimoto as Hiroshi Suzuki, the master of the Hongkou dojo
• Robert Baker as Petrov, a Russian gang boss and Suzuki's friend
• Tien Feng as Fan Junxia (Fan Chun-hsia), the eldest student in Jingwu School
• Paul Wei as Wu En, Suzuki's translator
• Feng Yi as Yoshida, the head instructor in the Hongkou dojo
• Lo Wei as Inspector Lo, the police inspector
• Wong Chung-shun as Tien, the cook in Jingwu School
• Han Ying-chieh as Feng Guishi (Feng Kwai-sher), the caretaker in Jingwu School
• James Tien as Fan Jiaqi (Fan Chia-chi), a Jingwu student

Notable stuntmen / actors in minor roles

• Maria Yi as Yen, a Jingwu student
• Lee Kwan as Hsu, a Jingwu student
• Tony Liu as Chin, a Jingwu student
• Chin San as Tung, a Jingwu student
• Jackie Chan
• Yuen Wah
• Yuen Biao
• Corey Yuen
• Lam Ching Ying
• Chan Wui-ngai
• Unicorn Chan
• Mars

Title

Fist of Fury was released in the U.S. under the title The Chinese Connection, which was originally intended for an earlier film The Big Boss (also starring Bruce Lee), as a means of tapping on the popularity of another film The French Connection (starring Gene Hackman) released earlier in the U.S.. However, the U.S. titles for Fist of Fury and The Big Boss were accidentally switched places, resulting in the former being released in the U.S. under the title The Chinese Connection until 2005, while the latter was released as Fists of Fury. This led to much confusion.

Recent television screenings and the current official DVD release (by 20th Century Fox, originally available in The Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection box set) in the U.S. have restored the original titles of all the films starring Bruce Lee. Fist of Fury is now officially known as Fist of Fury in the U.S.. The current DVD version also has a subtitle that says "A.K.A. The Chinese Connection" when the Fist of Fury title appears on screen, as the source material is the Fortune Star digital remasters.

Box office

Fist of Fury grossed HK$4,431,423 in its Hong Kong release.

Dubbing

Sync sound was not widely used in Hong Kong cinema for a long time so the voices (even on the original Mandarin track) for the film were dubbed. The voice of the Russian fighter Petrov on the original Mandarin track was dubbed by Bruce Lee, with added reverb.^{[citation needed]}

This film marks one of the few times that a DVD has an alternate new commentary. Media Asia UK distributor Hong Kong Legends has released this film as a "Special Collector's Edition" and a "Platinum Edition". Bey Logan recorded two alternate commentaries for both releases. The usual process with re-releases on DVD is that the commentary is passed onto the next release. Logan decided to re-record his second commentary as he wanted to give it a new light, being an avid fan of this film. The theme song is played by Mike Remedios.

Sequels and remakes

Further information: Chen Zhen (fictional character)#Appearances in media

Release

the film was released in 1972 in Hong Kong by golden harvest and released in America by Columbia Pictures in February 1981

DVD releases

Australian DVD artwork

Mega Star (Hong Kong)

• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
• Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish
• Supplements: Trailer, trailers for The Big Boss, Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, Game of Death
• All regions, NTSC

Mega Star 2nd Release (Hong Kong)

• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
• Sound: Cantonese (DTS), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish
• Supplements: DVD: Commentary by Donnie Yen, Commentary by Bey Logan, trailer, Trailers for The Big Boss, Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, Game of Death, secret area, production notes, photo gallery, Mini Nunchaku's Additional VCD: Music video with clips from Bruce Lee films
• All regions, NTSC

Fortune Star – Bruce Lee Ultimate DVD Collection (Hong Kong)

• Released: April 29, 2004
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Cantonese (DTS 5.1), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Mandarin (DTS 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English
• Supplements: Original trailer, new trailer, still photos, slideshow of photos, celebrity interviews, unseen footage, Game of Death outtakes, Enter the Dragon alternate opening, 32-page booklet
• Region 3, NTSC

Fox (America)

• Released: May 21, 2002
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
• Sound: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: None
• Supplements: None
• Region 1, NTSC

Fox – Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection (America)

• Released: October 18, 2005
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Supplements: Original trailer, new trailer, celebrity interview, still photos, slideshow of photos, bonus trailers
• Region 1, NTSC

Hong Kong Legends – Special Collector's Edition (United Kingdom)

• Released: February 19, 2001
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:43:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Dutch
• Supplements: Original trailer, UK promotional trailer, rare photo archive with rare stills, posters, lobby card artwork, interview with Max Lee, interview with Tony Liu
• Region 2, PAL

Hong Kong Legends – Platinum Edition (United Kingdom)

• Released: January 23, 2006
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Dutch
• Supplements: Disc 1: Commentary by Bey Logan, biography of Bey Logan; Disc 2: "Reflections on the Master: A First Amongst Equals – Interview with Sifu Dan Inosanto", "Tracking the Dragon: Interview with Linda Palmer", "Legacy of a Master: Interview with Jeff Imada", "Friend to the Stars: Interview with Joe Torreneuva", "Fist of Fury Remembered: Master of Bushido – Interview with Jun Katsumura", "The First Lady: Interview with Nora Miao", "Blade of Fury: Interview with Riki Hashimoto", "Fist of Fury Location Guide with Bey Logan", Promotional archive: original Cantonese trailer, UK promotional trailer, Fist of Fury Platinum promo, HKL promotionals and Premier Asia promotionals, "The Magic Lantern: Rare Photo Archive"
• Region 2, PAL

Blu-ray Disc release

Kam & Ronson (Hong Kong)

• Released: August 6, 2009
• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1)
• Sound: Cantonese (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), Cantonese (Dolby True HD 7.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital EX 6.1), Thai (Dolby Digital EX 6.1)
• Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Thai
• Supplements: Yuen Wah Interview
• Region A

External links

• Fist of Fury at the Internet Movie Database
• Fist of Fury at the Hong Kong Movie DataBase
• Fist of Fury at AllRovi