Shaw Brothers Faces of Kung Fu Death Top List

I have been meaning to do this post for a very long time. Now, that I’m better setup to create this type of post, I figure it’s time I write it up because this is going to be a fun one. Despite being a fan of the Shaw Brothers and Chang Cheh, one notorious thing I’ve noticed is the very “expressive” manner in which Chang Cheh shoots key death scenes. I’ve dubbed this technique the “kung fu death face” shot where Chang Cheh usually does some form of a close up so the actor can react in an intense manner for their demise for dramatic effect. The problem though is that sometimes this does not have the intended effect of drawing the audience into the actor’s pathos; instead, because of certain individuals in how they look or how they make this expression, it occasionally becomes quite humorous. As a result, I’ve come up with my top list of various scenes, close ups and exaggerated reactions that deserve modern memeification.

Lam Chi-Tai as Tam Chung in Ten Tigers of Kwangtung

Perhaps, the greatest kung fu death face on my list comes from this guy. In fact, he’s going to make this list a few times. But in Ten of Tigers of Kwangtung, Lam Chi-Tai as Tam Chung gets assaulted from the rear by Wong Lik, who appears to employ a kind of tiger claw hold to the back of Tam’s head. It’s so brutal because it’s very gangsta in the way Wong Lik approaches the guy and just delivers this sneak attack.

I love how he goes from this arrogant brute to someone with a prune face as he grits his teeth, gets launched in the air onto a table and then stabbed by the little shit of a nephew. The best part is that this guy’s hair is thick and nearly helmet-like so the tiger claw style in being applied manages to penetrate this Chinese semi-fro where Tam’s hands are bloodied from gripping his head and rattling around on the table. It’s even funnier when you think how many times this guy dies in these movies and how Wong Lik says, “He’ll be a tough one” only to turn out to be easily killed off.

Lam Chi-Tai as Tong Qianjin in Shaolin Rescuers

Once again poor Lam Chi-Tai gets a brief scene at the very beginning of the movie where the Leopard Kid sits on the ground with a brass ring and laughs at him. Lam Chi-Tai is supposed to be Tong Qianjin, who in Two Champions of Shaolin, is played by Lo Meng and more of a super bad ass. In this movie, Lam Chi-Tai’s character barely does anything resemble Lo Meng’s heroic version and gets bashed in the cranium by Leopard Kid’s brass ring while some goofy horn music plays. Along with the reddish background, implying the burning of the Shaolin monastery, this scene looks supremely cheap and is beyond funny when you think about how this guy just gets cracked in the noggin by some kid because he didn’t take the little dude more seriously. Heck, even as Lam Chi-Tai goes down unceremoniously, the Leopard Kid gives him a “you big moron!” laugh.

Teng Weng-Hao as Hu Weigan in Shaolin Rescuers

This is another hilarious death because this guy is supposed to play the famous Hu Weigan. Most people would recognize the character’s name because of how Chi Kuan-Chun in previous Chang Cheh movies had played the same character but with more guts and depth. Here, this guy gets roughly 5 or so seconds of fame, does a single blocking move then receives Lu Feng’s hair whip for his troubles. But hey as a typical Red Shirt type, this guy does have some nice pearlies to show off as he dies, don’t you think?

Liang Yao-Wen as Ling Bing’s Brother/Coolie in Ten Tigers of Kwangtung

This might be the purest form of the funniest death expression in existence. I mean, how can you NOT laugh at this guy? Basically, this guy watches his brother get murdered by the little shit nephew and goes on the attack, using his bald head (iron head?) to assault the nephew. He breaks through jars which the nephew uses to defend himself to show how hard his head is. Then the nephew places his secret bootknife into one jar and this idiot comes charging in and stabs himself through the head. I mean, he practically deserves to die like this for being a shit fighter.

Wong Lik as Kao Tung in The Flag of Iron

Actually, there are two pictures of this guy doing a great death face in the movie.

Kao Tung is a ruthless thug as both an Eagles member and under Cao Fung’s new clan. However, Cao Fung betrays Kao in trying to shift some of the blame onto Kao and turning him into the scapegoat in front of Luo Xin. At some point, Cao Fung maneuvers Kao towards his partner Chin Chiang and takes a swing with the giant unfurled flag attached to his long spear. Kao somersaults over the attack but doesn’t see Chin Chiang move with his twin swords for the kill. The English dubbed version has Kao calling Chin Chiang a “filthy scum” before Chin Chiang rips the twin blades from Kao, rolling him over onto his stomach and making him do his pignose/stinky expression. Because this was the first movie I had a serious look at Wong Lik, this scene/fight stuck out in my mind especially his death. Also, the way in which he dies with that final expression made me give him the nickname “Stinky” because it looks like he’s sniffing someone else’s shit.

Philip Kwok as White Dragon in Chinatown Kid

 

It’s rare to find Philip Kwok as the bad guy in many of his Shaw Brothers movies. The older ones might have him as an extra playing a bad guy but generally he’s more of a side character rather than someone with any importance. In Chinatown Kid, Philip Kwok plays the main villain, White Dragon, who controls San Francisco’s Chinatown. Eventually, he must fight the vengeful Fu Sheng and Sun Chien at the end of the movie. Interestingly enough though, there are two versions of the ending. The Chinese version has the police interrupt the final fight and arrest White Dragon and Fu Sheng’s characters. However, the English dubbed one is more tragic where Fu Sheng has been stabbed in the belly by a specialized belt knife and he uses it to kill White Dragon.

Now, the humorous part for me is Philip Kwok’s face here as he’s dying. I dub this expression the “Schmoo” face in the way he moves his mouth. Also, the angle of the camera makes Philip Kwok’s face really flat so it makes him look like he’s mouthing the words “schmoo” as he dies. It’s pretty damn funny to me at least.

Wang Lung-Wei as General Liang Sz Guei in Ten Tigers of Kwangtung

If you haven’t realized by now, but Ten Tigers of Kwangtung is accumulating quite a number of hits from me. But I think it’s because they have such bizarre death scenes that make it funny and odd. Here, Wang Lung-Wei gets an embarrassing one where Ti Lung uses General Liang’s “golden Oscar naked booby statue” against General Liang and smashes it over the top of his head.

Besides three of the Venoms members helping with the action sequences here, Robert Tai, one of the more creative guys associated behind the camera with the Venoms, helped with the action direction. So I think his mind for action works in a completely different manner than most, which is why you see these highly unique and stylized deaths. But for poor Wang Lung-Wei, I think his death is not only embarrassing but his final expression shows almost a mild smile as though he were laughing at the whole thing before the scene got to the cutting board. Because if you watch closely, after Ti Lung smashes the statue over his head and pulls it away, there’s this really bizarre jet spray that erupts from behind Wang Lung-Wei’s back. It’s so fake and ridiculous looking that I wouldn’t doubt that was the cause of him attempting to stifle his laughter here.

Shan Mao as Master Hui Xian in Shaolin Temple

Shan Mao plays a ruthless, traitor insider in Shaolin Temple named Master Hui Xian. He not only poisons the water but he recruits Wang Lung-Wei to his cause and lets the Qing army into the temple. However, he fights both Fu Sheng and Li Yi-Min where Fu Sheng leaps onto Hui Xian’s shoulders and delivers a pair of Crane Bill blows to the side of his temples. Afterwards, Fu Sheng hops off as Li Yi-Min pierces Hui Xian’s chest with his polearm and grinds his guts up in a crunchy, satisfying, “Goo-gee-goo-gee” type of sound.

While the sound itself is probably one of my favorite things to listen to (and something I wish I could do to certain deserving people), it’s this particular close up of Shan Mao receiving Fu Sheng’s finger tips to the temple area where his ears are bleeding from the pressure of the blow. While not as humorous as say the various forms of death in Ten Tigers of Kwangtung, this is one of the most satisfying onscreen deaths in Shaw Brothers/Chang Cheh history. Also, unlike say Wang Lung-Wei who collapses with a partial grin on his face, Shan Mao chokes up from having his intestines ground up then collapses in a heap.

Wong Ching as Teeth/Lips in Shaolin Temple

Okay, he’s really called General Shin in this movie but the blood covering his mouth really emphasizes the thickness of his lips and shape of his teeth. And yes, this death was supposed to be serious but it’s hard to see this as being serious because he’s fighting against Bruce Tong, who is notorious for dying in almost everything. He’s kinda like the Barry Horowitz of Shaw Brothers kung fu movies. These two have a lame fight where Bruce uses his version of a light skill technique to walk on stone sutras and trap General Shin inside with him. General Shin eventually becomes off balanced and collapses over some with his throat along the point edge. Bruce jumps up and lands on him then kicks him over, which causes General Shin to crack his head against the sharp stone. This image is how we find him as he lies on the pit probably concussed and brain dead from injury. He’s in a few other movies where you can really see his large shaped almost bucked teeth flashing out from his massive gums/lips. And now that I’m looking at this picture, he kinda reminds me of Sulu with longer hair here!

Bruce Tong as Zhu Dao in Shaolin Temple

Again, I’m being facetious but I have to add this picture right after General Shin’s death. A little before in the movie, some of the soldiers realize that General Shin is trapped in the pit with Zhu Dao so they send for archers. After killing General Shin, Zhu Dao attempts to escape but gets shot down by archers in a freeze frame moment. It’s funny because of how awkward this shot was setup. He does get another close up death face expression but it’s this freeze frame that cracks me up because he’s like leap for the fucking air. Do jumping jacks. Something. Also, what’s more ironic is that despite his training, he cannot outrun the arrows. On the other hand, plot armored Ti Lung and David Chiang, neither of who study the light skill technique, easily jump to the second floor of the building as arrows fly at them. But it just goes to show that Bruce Tong was just a jobber to the Shaw Brothers.

Lung Feng as General Gu Bei Zi in Shaolin Temple

Shaolin Temple is also getting a high degree of nods from me. But some of the deaths are a riot. I pick on poor Lu Feng here even though he’s supposed to share the scene with Philip Kwok. The Manchu soldiers surround Philip Kwok and create an enclosure so the General can kill Philip Kwok (Lin Guang Yao). However, Lin is quick and agile, floating away from the spears like a feather. However, he’s trapped and tells General Gu, “Let’s die together.” He grabs General Gu and lifts him skyward with him as the soldiers aim their spears upward and skewer both men.

General Gu cries with his kitty cat face while Lin laughs at General Gu for dying. Maybe he’s laughing at that scuffed mustache that’s making Lu Feng have that kitty cat appearance.

Chen Han-Kuang as Lin Bin in Ten Tigers of Kwangtung

So this joker wants to practice kung fu with a nefarious appearing fellow (the shit nephew) and completely trust this guy. The two clear the area of the audience and practice on a stage. Mirt follows the guy around and the nephew flips on down, retrieving his knife boot and stabbing this guy in the back then front.  The guy stands back up then does a rigor mortis into this funny as Mirt Face. I mean, what else do you call it? He looks like a fucking Mirt here.

On a side note, this guy never made it although I think Ten Tigers of Kwangtung was attempt to build a new generation of stars. But as you can see here, when you have Mirt Face, you ain’t going places except maybe washing out toilets for a living.

Yu Tai-Ping as Li Dezong in Two Champions of Shaolin

Two Champions of Shaolin has its share of moments too with various death faces. Li Dezong has one not so much in the above image which comes in the after math of Lo Meng wrapping his tail around his throat and smashing this guy’s brains in but the close up shot of his initial reaction.

I love his expression here especially the little dab of blood on the side of his pupils. Then when he falls over motionless, the guy’s face has streaks of blue, demonstrating that all his veins must have popped out of the skin at once from Lo Meng’s incredible strength. Again, it’s just another one of those cases where someone receives a highly unusual death and has a funny reaction.

Huang Pei-Chih as Blood Blood Blood in The Avenging Eagle

This scene as a kid used to terrify me because I was so vehemently against seeing mass quantities of blood. But it’s a great scene where Ti Lung wraps half his fighting sticks around this guy’s throat in slow motion while a crunching sound occurs in the background. Then he spews out blood while he’s eyes are popping out as his throat is crushed. When the guy falls to the ground, Ti Lung snatches the eagle pendant from around his neck in victory. This isn’t a Chang Cheh style death but it’s one that is very memorable and the only way to show it is in full motion to exhibit the raw gore of this scene. The only thing missing is the sound of the man’s bones crunching under Ti Lung’s vengeful grip.

Two Champions of Shaolin

I’m not sure whom this person is. But it’s one of the monkey pupils who gets the literal shaft (from Chiang Sheng’s metallic pole) to the back of his head. There’s a weird flash of silver when this guy gets hits and he falls to the ground face first while that mucous spews over the back of his head. You can also see some blood which may hint at a hole that Chiang Sheng’s staff penetrated and that the milky fluid (which looks like cum or spit) might be this guy’s brain fluids. Since they had the whole monkey fighting style trope going, I’m wondering if the inside joke here was that this was like one of those infamous dishes in China where people eat monkey’s brains. I think this might be Mirt though again or the shitty nephew guy from Ten Tigers of Kwangtung.

Li Chen-Piao as Iron Face/Kao Fung in Five Shaolin Masters

Li Chen-Piao generally plays a sacrificial lamb in Shaw Brothers movies. He gets a few key scenes in the mid 70s but never makes it until the end. In this one, he plays the tragic Kao Fung who goes to help David Chiang and Fu Sheng but ends up fighting Wang Lung-Wei. Wang Lung-Wei grabs an axe and smashes through a pair of wooden boards Kao tries to use to block the attack. Then as his members recall the scene in a sepia colored flashback, Kao valiantly fights to the end but gets further stabbed by two more soldiers as he dies pinned against the wall.

Despite the tragedy, his death is funny as fuck to me because he kinda grunts, “Ahhhh, eeee, oooh, ugh…” as he dies. Maybe if he wasn’t so cocky towards David Chiang earlier and didn’t have that raspy voice, I would have felt more sympathy towards this guy. But for me this guy mostly comes off as an asshole in almost every movie I’ve seen him in, even though he’s generally on the Ming/Patriots’ side.

Final Thoughts

To tell people the truth, these are merely a collection of images and gifs I’d send to friends to annoy them and to entertain myself. I’ve found these Kung Fu death faces hilarious and occasionally representative of my mental state. In a few cases, I almost wish I could inflict the same punishment to certain deserving individuals to give them their own kung fu death face. Anyone want a gatlin gun to the stomach? How about a crushed larynx? Or maybe I’ll grab my brass ring and bash your brains in like Grimlock.