5 Deadly Venoms
Introduction: Ok so this is an old kung fu movie from 1978. The plot is centered on 5 Poison clan members, and a final under trained pupil. I love this movie for its massive depth; I will attempt to wrap your heads around the basic premise of this film, without ruining the awesomeness of it. The first scene contains massive amount of expository, with the master of the poison clan instructing the last pupil he will ever have. He has a few final wishes that need to be carried out after he dies. He wants the pupil to check up on all of his students, he also wants all the money made by the poison clan to go to charity.
“What I taught them, could be used wrongly, for evil, to hurt men.”
The Poison clan master is dying of old age/too much poison and fears that what he taught his students is being used to carry out evil. So he sends his last student, who isn’t fully trained, to find them and stop them if they are doing wrong. This little element adds a layer of complexity later in the film as when he starts encountering the 5 clansmen you (as an audience) and him (the last student) don’t know who is good or bad.
There are 5 main styles in the poison clan: #1 Centipede, #2 Snake, #3 Scorpion, #4 Lizard, #5 Toad. The different styles are important as these are the only concrete clues he will have to identify them. The styles are even defined by certain moves and characteristics that are shown in this opening expository scene.
“He practiced the centipede style….in fact the speed he moves was as fast as a centipede.” He is really fast, like Bruce Lee.
“Number two, he practiced the snake style…..snake style is known for its incredible agility, agility and speed.” This guy can like jump really high and does you know, snake stuff. His style is the lamest in my opinion.
“Now the my third pupil, number three, he practiced the scorpion style, which resembles a scorpion pincer and tail.” He can like grab stuff and kick stuff behind him, and he holds his hands up like lobster claws when he fights.
“Number four, he practiced the lizard style. The lizard style is a very agile and nimble style, its particularly effective at climbing.” This guy can scale walls with ease.
“Toad style is immensely strong and immune to nearly any weapon. When it’s used properly, it’s almost invincible.” If you think you have heard that somewhere before you have. But anyways this guy cannot be cut by swords, and spears just break on him. He is a super bad ass.
The Poison clan master also details which clansmen knew each other, because they would always wear a mask while training to avoid their identities being known. #1 and #2 were friends and trained with #3 but didn’t know #3. Pupils 4 and 5 came after the first 3 but knew each other. This is important because there are essentially two groups of 2 and 1 rogue
Now that this is a blog i can just show you!
The last pupil is given this information and expected to sort it out. Good thing I don’t have too, this stuff sounds confusing. But wait it gets harder. The 5 clansmen will be very hard to find, of course nobody knows what they look like, so he gives him (the last student) a final clue. He gives him the name of a city in which a former poison clan instructor is living in, as he doesn’t know his name or his exact whereabouts; one could argue that its not much of a clue at all. He says that the poison clan made him very rich (“enough to make them(the five clansmen) all rich for life”), and he thinks that the 5 will try to get the former master's money. The current poison clan master indicates that he is living very quietly in this small village; he also wants the pupil to convince the former master to donate the money to a charity. Never once does the pupil look discouraged by this task, a stark contrast to a modern day film like Lord of the Rings; where Frodo (Elijah Wood) is very intimidated by the epic task set before him.
And that concludes the opening expository scene. This is the main reason why I love this movie, it has lots of layers like the film fight club, but it doesn’t blatantly deceive you. It gives you all the information up front, so if you watch the film again, there are clear yet subtle giveaways as to who is who. Important details that you could have caught the first time through if your brain wasn't rotten from watching lame american TV (See Discovery Channel).
The Sociological/political approach
1. Characters and their class: The main characters are the 5 clansmen and the 1 final student. 2 of the clansmen are upper/ruling class types; these are also the evil doers of the clan and authority figures in some cases. Perhaps suggesting how Chinese film makers feel about the rich and wealthy. 2 other clansmen are from the upper middle working class, they have hardworking jobs but their skill of kung fu allows them to be the best at what they do. This detail, I think, hints towards the classic (stereotypical?) Chinese view that hard work and practice pays off. The last clansman is from the lower class along with the final student. The trained clansman is able to get by because of his expertise, but the student is just plain poor. The middle and lower class characters often display a severe lack of trust in authority figures, mainly the police.
2. Social classes and their interactions: In one scene the lower class clansman is eating in the restaurant (small town there is only one). The poor student has no money and is looking longingly at the other restaurant patrons through a window on the street. Somebody who works for the restaurant attempts to shoo this 'beggar' away. The clan member sees this and says, “Are you hungry,” and tosses him a piece of silver. The student, delighted at the thought of a full stomach, rushes into the resturant to join the clansman (keep in mind they have no idea who is who at this point). The clansman tells the student he can’t sit at his table as he is expecting company. The student sits at another table and orders his food. This scene illustrates a reverberating theme in this movie; that being charitable is good and positive value. The clansman expresses sympathy for the poor beggar and extends a helping hand, however he will not let him join him at his table. This detail would suggest to me that the film makers thought that people who receive charitable donations should not try to extrude more out of a person who has given them something. In essence, he gives him a meal but doesn’t invite him into the privacy of his own home to eat it.
3. What is important to the characters? One thing that is undeniably important to all the characters involved is money. However the different social classes express different ideas as to how it should be spent. The upper class clansmen want it so they will be “rich for life,” the others want it so they can right the wrongs that the poison clan is responsible for; and then donate the rest to a charity. These 2 opposing views (one belonging to the upper class and one to the lower/middle) are the driving emotional factor behind the characters motivations and actions. One side standing for selflessness and doing what’s right, while the other stands for nothing greater than personal gain.
4. Traditional values: We all, as Americans, have many preconceived notions as to what “traditional Chinese values” are. (Insert anti-communist rhetoric here) However upon analyzing this film my original notions where challenged: That all Chinese are devoutly devoted to the government and their cause, and that they value being a wealthy and powerful nation. But in this film the ‘cool’ and good characters (who are all lower or middle class) have a rather opposing outlook. They are very distrusting of authority, especially when it comes to the police and the court system. They do show respect to their poison clan master, who is also their elder, but ultimately don’t trust his motivations and aspirations. My view of how they value money and wealth has also shifted. It would seem they value giving away wealth as much as having it. How many American films have you seen where the protagonists strive the whole movie to obtain something only to give it away to a more worthy possessor at the very end.
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