The 10 Best Kung Fu Movies Of The 1970s

The 1970s was an incredible time for Kung Fu movies, as it was the heyday of the world’s biggest martial arts stars and there were so many great films to check out. From incredible historical epics to slapstick comedy movies, Kung Fu cinema during the 1970s was vast and varied as some truly unique films were being made, and the genre was being discovered by an international audience. With fast-paced fight sequences, expertly choreographed battles, and intense martial arts showdowns, Kung Fu movies were truly at their peak during this decade.

The success of Kung Fu movies during the 1970s can be partially credited to Bruce Lee, who, although Lee only starred in five movies before tragically dying at age 32, helped bring Kung Fu to the West and his legacy influenced countless subsequent movies. But it was not just Lee making Kung Fu movies during the 1970s as, for those willing to search, there was a treasure trove of underappreciated gems to check out. There were so many incredible Kung Fu movies during the 1970s.

10 Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978)

Directed by Yuen Woo-ping

Just months before Jackie Chan was propelled into martial arts superstardom for his role in Drunken Master, he starred in another film with the same director and much of the same crew called Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. Telling the story of a bullied orphan boy trained in Snake Kung Fu by an old beggar, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow mixed intense action fight sequences with an enjoyable slapstick comedy style that Chan was known for. While Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow was not an immediate success, following the success of Drunken Master that same year its reputation grew.

A major moment in the development of Chan’s comedy Kung Fu style, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow laid the template for much of his later career. The plotline of Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, where a young kid in need of guidance gets trained in the ways of martial arts, was later emulated in Hollywood movies like The Karate Kid. While Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow may not be as well-known as other Kung Fu movies it was a majorly entertaining film that was incredibly important for the career of Chan.

9 King Boxer (1972)

Directed by Chang-Wha Chung

King Boxer, also known as Five Fingers of Death, was a Shaw Brothers Studio Kung Fu movie starring Lo Lieh. Based on two competing martial arts schools and talented students who became the target of three hired Japanese samurai, King Boxer was full of fast-paced fun that showcased Lieh’s immense skill as a martial artist and Kung Fu fighter. A true classic of the genre, King Boxer was a major international success when it was released in 1972 (via The China Project), taking in over $10 million worldwide in rentals.

Released just as Kung Fu movies were reaching a major international audience, King Boxer was an early martial arts classic whose style and aesthetic still holds up to this day. With plenty of over-the-top, melodramatic dialogue, King Boxer has extravagant slow-motion leaps and enjoyably wild fight sequences. Director Quentin Tarantino even listed King Boxer among his sixth favourite film of all time (via Far Out.)

8 Executioners from Shaolin (1977)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

Executioners from Shaolin, also called Executioners of Death in North America, told an epic multi-generation story based around the disciples of the Shaolin Temple and their battle against Pai Mei, the founder of the Pai Mei Kung Fu style. A powerful martial arts movie based on a true story, Executioners from Shaolin was an old-school martial classic made by the legendary Shaw Brothers Studio. A dark story of revenge, Executioners from Shaolin had just the right amount of comedy to balance its emotionally heavy storyline.

Executioners from Shaolin was packed with legendary martial arts stars including Chen Kuan-tai, Lo Lieh, and Gordon Liu, all of whom contributed greatly to its impressive fight sequences. With incredible choreography and a clear love for its historical source martial, Executioners from Shaolin blended romance and Kung Fu through its subplot of Hung (Kuan-tai) falling in love with the pretty martial artist Lily Li (Fang Yong-chun.) With so many genres on display, there really was something for everybody in Executioners from Shaolin.

7 Crippled Avengers (1978)

Directed by Chang Cheh

Crippled Avengers, also known as The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms, may appear incredibly gimmicky at first look, but it managed to transcend its questionable concept to deliver a compelling and entertaining Kung Fu movie. Focused on martial artists who were physically disabled by an evil warlord, Crippled Avengers was a Shaw Brothers Studio production about revenge and retribution that kept the action coming and delivered consistent Kung Fu thrills. With a strong ensemble cast led by the extraordinary martial artist Chen Kuan-tai, there was a huge amount of talent on display throughout this fast-paced 100-minute story.

Kuan-tai played Dao Tian-Du, also known as the ruthless Black Tiger, the tyrannical warlord whose village was too afraid to speak out against him. With such an over-the-top villain at the helm, Crippled Avengers was a classic story of the righteous versus the wicked and this made for simple, enjoyable, and mindless fighting fun. Directed by the acclaimed Kung Fu filmmaker Chang Cheh, Crippled Avengers was a fantastic follow-up to his other similarly silly movies, such as Return of the One-Armed Swordsman.

6 The Way of the Dragon (1972)

Directed by Bruce Lee

Kung-fu legend Bruce Lee stepped into the director’s chair for the action comedy The Way of the Dragon, which showcased that had he lived Lee could have a long and acclaimed career as both star and director of his movies. The story of a man defending his family’s restaurant from dangerous gangsters, The Way of the Dragon featured one of the best fight scenes of all time as Lee faced off against up-and-coming action star Chuck Norris in the final showdown. Both thrilling and light-hearted, The Way of the Dragon walked the fine line between action of comedy.

While The Way of the Dragon does not often rank among the greatest of Lee’s five main feature films, the fact that he had so much extra creative control made this his most personal movie. Packed full of incredible visual flair, brilliant fight sequences, and an enjoyable silly style, the reputation of The Way of the Dragon has increased massively in the more than 50 years since it was released. While the more serious style of other Lee movies worked well, it’s great to see him trying something new with The Way of the Dragon.

5 Fist of Fury (1972)

Directed by Lo Wei

While Enter the Dragon may be known as Bruce Lee’s most successful film, Chen Zhen from Fist of Fury was Lee most important character as he left a massive legacy on Kung Fu movies in general. A powerful film full of incredible fight sequences, Fist of Fury was notable for pushing the boundaries of martial arts cinema at the time through its exploration of sensitive issues around Japanese imperialism. As Chen Zhen sought to avenge the death of his old Kung Fu master Huo Yuanjia, the character, and Fist of Fury itself became a symbol of Chinese patriotism.

As a sensitive story dealing with themes of grief and revenge that were deeply linked to its Asian historical context, the international appeal of Fist of Fury was not immediately apparent. However, Lee proved to be a hit with audiences all over the world as, along with The Big Boss the previous year in 1971, Fist of Fury was Lee’s breakout role. A major success at the box office, Fist of Fury earned an estimated $100 million, which was the equivalent of $700 when adjusted for inflation.

4 The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

Directed by Lau Kar-leung

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin told a fictionalized story about the real martial artist San Te, a legendary Shaolin monk who trained to fight back against the oppressive Manchu government during the early 18th century. After gaining access to the legendary Shaolin Temple, San Te was tasked with developing his skill across the dozens of chambers within the temple and over the course of ten years developed faster than any other student. Chock-full of training sequences and Buddhist philosophy, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin was an extremely absorbing film about a man’s quest for vengeance.

Led by an extraordinary performance from Gordon Liu, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin was for both Liu and its director Lau Kar-leung, who later made Drunken Master II with Jackie Chan. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin was the inception point for an entire series as it was followed by two sequels, Return to the 36th Chamber and Disciples of the 36th Chamber. The film, along with Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon, helped inspire the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

3 Five Deadly Venoms (1978)

Directed by Chang Cheh

The cult classic Five Deadly Venoms was one of the best Kung Fu movies made by the iconic Shaw Brothers Studio. An expert blend of martial arts and mystery, Five Deadly Venoms was the story of a pupil carrying out their master’s dying wish to uncover his former five students and eliminate those who had been overtaken with evil. Soon the students uncovered the pupils, based on the Five Poisonous Creatures of Chinese folklore, and plenty of intense fight sequences were carried out.

While one common criticism of Kung Fu movies was that they often lack a compelling plot, Five Deadly Venoms was full of impressive stylistic flair, interesting characters with links to Chinese mythology, and a genuine story to keep viewers engaged. Five Deadly Venoms was a notable influence on the director Quentin Tarantino, who even included an allusion to the group through the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad in Kill Bill.

2 Drunken Master (1978)

Directed by Yuen Woo-ping

The Hong Kong comedy Kung Fu movie Drunken Master was an important contribution to turning its lead actor Jackie Chan into one of the most successful martial artists the world has ever seen. Based around the real Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung, Drunken Master perfectly blended action and comedy as Chan’s incredible star power was fully on display in this early success. While Chan previously had small roles as a stuntman or minor character in legendary martial artist films like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon, Drunken Master was the moment he was truly propelled into superstardom.

DrunkenMaster was a classic Kung Fu story about a mischievous young man who must learn to hone his fighting skills under the guidance of his older, frustrated teacher. While this might sound like the kind of story that had been told countless times before, the rapport between Chan and his teacher, played by Yuen Siu-Tin, was so astounding that it ensured the movie’s success. The mix between comedy and action worked well, and it’s no surprise that Chan’s star only continued to rise after Drunken Master.

1 Enter the Dragon (1973)

Directed by Robert Clouse

As the final film completed by Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee before his untimely death at just age 32, Enter the Dragon was a massively influential movie that combined martial arts action with spy film elements. Full of epic fight sequences and truly iconic moments, Enter the Dragon has achieved a special place in popular culture as it stood as perhaps the definitive Kung Fu movie. The ripple effects of the success of Enter the Dragon were foundational to the development of fighting games (via Guardian) and it’s been parodied in everything from the Pink Panther to Dragon Ball.

Telling the story of a Shaolin martial artist who has traveled to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord, Enter the Dragon was full of high-octane action sequences and some of the best-choreographed fighting of all time. The release of Enter the Dragon coincided with the rise of martial arts in Western countries, and it was the first Kung Fu movie produced by a major Hollywood studio. A staggering success at the box office, Enter the Dragon has earned more than $400 million, which was estimated to be over $2 billion once adjusted for inflation.

Sources: The China Project, Far Out, Guardian