The Flash Legs

The Flash Legs

Theatrical film poster
Traditional 太極八蛟
Simplified 太极八蛟
Directed by Ma Wu
Produced by Kwan Sin
Written by Hsiang Kan Chu
Starring Tao-liang Tan
Lo Lieh
Music by Fu Liang Chou
Cinematography Wan Wen Liao
Edited by Ting Hung Kuo
Production
company
Wha Tai Motion Picture Company
Release date
  • 1977 (1977)
Running time
 91 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Mandarin

The Flash Legs (Chinese title: 太極八蛟; Cantonese: Tài jí bā jiǎo. "The Ultimate Eight Feet"), also released as Shaolin Deadly Kicks, is a 1977 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Ma Wu and starring Tao-liang Tan and Lo Lieh. The film was later remade as Breathing Fire, with Tao-liang Tan serving as writer and executive producer under the pseudonym of Delon Tanners.

Plot

A gang of robbers known as The Eight Dragons have infiltrated a local residence in an attempt to steal a map. Upon its successful retrieval, when the bandits are about to make their getaway, the lights suddenly flick on, and they are accosted by the owner of the house (the map, presumably, is his as well). The owners of the house are quickly disposed of, and The Eight Dragons make off into the night with their map.

Because of the robbery not being executed as smoothly as planned, The Eight Dragons become paranoid about actually seeking the treasure divulged in the map, and decide to hold off until the heat blows over. So they divide the map into eight pieces, and promise to meet again in three years and collect their fortune.

It isn't too long after the temporary break-up that one of the Dragons (Husky) is arrested in an unrelated robbery as an attempt to cover his extensive tab at the local brothel. In jail, he meets Fong Yee (Tao-liang Tan), and together they devise an ingenious plan to escape. Actually, one of the other prisoners pickpockets a guard, gets the key to the cells, and lets them go.

Approximately ten minutes after their escape, Husky discovers that Fong Yee is actually an undercover cop out to infiltrate The Eight Dragons and recover the map. After killing Husky Dragon, Fong Yee recovers the first piece of the stolen document.

One by one, Fong Yee confronts each member of The Eight Dragons, and for the most part, kills them but gets captured by one of them, however he eventually escapes without the map pieces. Fong returns the next day, disposes of his captors, and recovers their respective pieces of the map. Unfortunately, however, he is stabbed in the process.

With the knife still embedded in his back, Fong Yee wanders into the woods and passes out. He wakes up in the house of the girl (Doris Lung) he previously saved. The recovery process proves slow; Fong not only needs to mend his body, but also regain his kung-fu prowess as well. But unbeknownst to the young couple, her father (Wong Hap), ironically, turns out to be one of the few remaining Eight Dragons, and a final showdown between him and Fong is inevitable. The second in command of the Eight Dragons arrives (Lo Lieh) as the reunion is close. The father chooses to repent and give up the map so that he can live in peace and not reveal his past to his daughter. Lo Lieh kills him and steals the map. Fong Yee and the daughter hunt down Lo Lieh to retrieve the map and achieve revenge.

Cast

Music

The film's music was composed by Fu Liang Chou under the name of Chow Fook-Leung. Pieces of John Barry's 1974 score to The Man with the Golden Gun can be heard throughout the film.

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