History Film / FiveDeadlyVenoms

So begins this cult 1978 [[HongKongDub Hong Kong classic]] [[MartialArtsMovie movie]]. ''Five Deadly Venoms'' aka ''The Five Venoms'', is one of the best of the Shaw Brothers collection.

* SixthRanger: The {{hero}} is this.

* IronMaiden: The film features an iron maiden variant with the victim's head exposed. [[spoiler:Snake uses this to kill Toad, but it only takes after Snake smashes his ears and disables his "iron skin" power]].
* KangarooCourt: The murder trial devolves into this rather quickly.

[[HotBlooded Number 1]] (played by Gao Ji) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Centipede]]. His style mimics the hundred arms and legs of the centipede. He's fast. Really fast. As the {{Big Bad}} he wears [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience red]].

[[TheBigGuy Number 5]] (played by Lu Feng) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Toad]]. The movie's description of this style must be quoted and certain people may remember the line appearing a Music/WuTangClan song. "The toad style is immensely strong and immune to nearly any weapon. When it's properly used, it's almost invincible." He can bend metal. His color is [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience green]] as shown in the open sequence. However, he wears a brown or black coat or goes bare-chested for most of the film.

* IronMaiden: The film features an iron maiden variant with the victim's head exposed, which Snake uses to kill Toad. [[spoiler:It only takes after Snake smashes Toad's ears and disables his "iron skin" power]].

[[TheBigGuy Number 5]] (played by Lu Feng) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Toad]]. The movie's description of this style must be quoted and certain people may remember the line appearing a Wu-Tang clan song. "The toad style is immensely strong and immune to nearly any weapon. When it's properly used, it's almost invincible." He can bend metal. His color is [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience green]] as shown in the open sequence. However, he wears a brown or black coat or goes bare-chested for most of the film.

* FiveManBand: Read the film title. It is slightly subverted, however, since they are a FiveBadBand. Also subverted in that [[spoiler:two of them are good]].

* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedEvil: Head of Five Venoms House fears this to be the case for all his students except Number 6.

[[HotBlooded Number 1]] (played by Gao Ji) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Centipede]]. His style mimics the thousand arms and legs of the centipede. He's fast. Really fast. As the {{Big Bad}} he wears [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience red]].

[[TheLancer Number 2]] (played by Wei Pei) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Snake]]. He has a two pronged attack. He has the snake's mouth on one hand whereby using precise finger control he attacks the pressure points mimicking the poisonous affect of a snake bite. On his other hand is the stinging tail. He fights extremely well on his back. He and Number 1 trained at the same time. Nevertheless all students wore masks to hid their identities from each other. His color is [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience silver]]. His identity is a rich nobleman.

* FiveManBand: Read the film title. It is slightly subverted, however, since they are an evil Five Man Band. Also subverted in that [[spoiler:two of them are good]].

So begins this cult 1978 [[HongKongDub Hong Kong classic]] [[MartialArtsMovie movie]], one of the best of the Shaw Brothers collection.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: the informant and witness are both killed.

* TooCoolToUse: Non-item example but Brother Toad is especially frustrated that he has to pretend to just be a random strong man and keep his true skills in secret. It's due to being one of the Venoms that a signature move set is such a revealing calling card.

* TypeCasting: The movie proved so popular that the actors ultimately became identified with their characters. They collectively became known as the "Venom Mob" or simply as "The Vemons" and starred together in a number of similar action movies.

* TortureAlwaysWorks: To both Centipede and Toad during the murder trial. While neither of the tough guys actually break under torture--but they're both ''really'' anxious not to undergo it again.

[[AntiHero Number 1]] (played by Gao Ji) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Centipede]]. His style mimics the thousand arms and legs of the centipede. He's fast. Really fast. As the {{Big Bad}} he wears [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience red]].

Number 3 (played by Sun Chien) is the [[AnimalThemeNaming Scorpion]]. This style is all about striking. Hard. His kicks are like the stinging tail and his fists are like the pincer. He trained alone with the master and never met Number 1 or Number 2. He remains in the shadows for most of the movie. His color is either [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience black or purple]].

* AnimalThemeNaming: All the main characters, except for Number 6, are given an animal name and their Kung Fu style mimics the animal.

* BeardOfEvil: Number 1, aka Centipede, has this. It's even lampshaded by the witness. Number 4, aka Lizard, [[spoiler: aka Constable He]] just has a BadassBeard.

* DevilInPlainSight: Two of the Venoms are local constables, and one is a rich nobleman.

* TotallyRadical: According to at least one version of the English subtitles, Snake's full title is "Snake Spirit Dude". This is only referred to once, then never mentioned again (and it's easy to see why).