Five Deadly Venoms
Five Deadly Venoms
五毒
Overview
"A dying master sends his final pupil to track down five former students, each taught a unique and deadly animal style, to ensure they aren't using their skills for evil. The pupil, knowing a little of each style but mastering none, must ally with the good venoms to defeat the bad ones to protect a hidden fortune."
Iconic Tracked Scenes
- ▶
The dying master explicitly warns his pupil about the dangers of the Five Venoms, showcasing their deadly animal styles.
"venom styles intro""introducing the five venoms" - ▶
The Toad is brutally tortured in prison by the corrupt chief, using an iron maiden and heated metal.
"toad torture""iron maiden scene" - ▶
The surviving good venoms and the pupil team up in a chaotic mansion fight against the remaining bad venoms.
"venoms final fight""all styles matching" - ▶
The Centipede unleashes his incredibly fast, rapid-fire strikes on an overwhelmed opponent.
"centipede lightning strikes""rapid fire centipede"
Why It's Remembered
- ★The opening sequence introducing the Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad styles.
- ★The horrific iron maiden torture of the Toad.
- ★The sprawling final battle mixing all five styles in intricate choreography.
Cultural Context
- ◈A massive cult classic that single-handedly defined the 'Venom Mob' era of Shaw Brothers.
- ◈Heavily influential on hip-hop culture, notably the Wu-Tang Clan.
- ◈Unique structure acting more like a kung-fu murder mystery than a standard tournament film.
About the Action Elements
Five Deadly Venoms is widely celebrated among martial arts cinema fans for sequences involving dying master, warning, introduction, styles, animal kung fu. One of the most memorable sequences features Kuo Chui naturally executing venom styles intro, where the choreography and unique set pieces become the unexpected highlight of the film.