Most clever, underrated plot theme that deserved better
BAMBOO GODS AND IRON MEN is best known as either an unknown, little-known, or largely forgotten, low-budget martial arts flick from the early 70s that carried one of the most clever and entertaining plot ideas that effectively supported the movie's action throughtout.
SPOILERS ***** SPOILERS ***** SPOILERS ***** SPOILERS ***** SPOILERS
DO NOT READ BELOW IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIE AND DISCOVER ITS PLOT FOR YOURSELF.
The plot encompasses an unscrupulous and well-to-do American who looks to be something between a funky college archeological professor researcher and remorseless criminal collector of illicit archeological artifacts. He has financed an American mercenary's search for a little-known ancient Chinese alchemist's grave which, according to myth and legend, may contain some substance discovery that would endow its possessor with superhuman qualities, possibly immortality, and the reputed ability to rule the world. But it was supposed to be such a most vastly dangerous substance or potion that the ancient Chinese alchemist took it and its secret with him to the grave so that it would never be discovered and misused. Shortly after uncovering a leather pouch on top of the dessicated corpse in its ancient grave, the mercenary himself is double-crossed and murdered. The enraged American archeological collector hires and dispatches an well-dressed, sophisticated, but still thuggish Asian hit-man type who wears white suits in the hot, humid Southeast Asian climate to track down the stolen potion, killing anyone who gets in his way. This Asian hit-man mercenary type is one of the best Asian martial arts villains I've ever seen. He's good-looking...can't tell his true Asian ethnic group; he almost looks Hispanic. He's well-dressed in a white suit, speaks fluent English with no accent, comports himself oddly with outward respectability like some white collar professional and good manners, except when he's killing someone with his bare hands. His demeanor reminds me of one of those human-looking Terminators programmed with a distinctive personality. My memory of the movie suffers a gap. The good guy is a Afro-American martial artist, newly-wed with his pretty, young black wife in the Philippines. Don't ask me how the ancient secret Chinese potion made its way to the Philippines. For some reason the Asian mercenary killer comes to believe the black guy has knowledge of the Chinese alchemist's secret. At first the Asian hit-man tries subterfuge by introducing himself to the black martial artist as a free-lance journalist. When the black martial artist isn't giving the right answers the hitman expects, the Asian thinks the black dude is holding out. That's when things get really violent.
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING? IF SO, READ ON. IF NOT, STOP HERE.
In a well-choreographed, hand-to-hand martial arts fight-to-the death, the black guy hero kills the Asian hitman mercenary. It was a real hard fight. The Asian hitman was very skilled and tough. He was adept at killing with the edge of his hands utilizing lethal karate chops, known as sword hand or knife hand. You don't see too much use of the sword or knife hand in martial arts, even the movies, even though karate chops are equally popular strikes next to the closed fist. The Japanese in particular, were fond of employing what was then called, jujutsu or judo 'chops', before karate became known in the West. Karate chops, judo chops, sword hand, knife hand - all the same - are highly effective and lethal; popular with people who especially do not have strong fists or wrists or much arm strength and cannot stike as effectively with the fist. The only limitation is that sword/knife hand strikes require being closer to an adversary than with a fist. Therefore there's no guarantee a martial artist sword/knife hand fighter will prevail over a fighter skilled with the use of fists and feet.
Okay, I led you on, hoping you won't read any further. But if you're still reading this, you want to know the ending and the secret. At the climax, the Afro-American martial artist, depicted in the movie as a real nice guy, but no push-over, has survived everything thrown at him and saved his kidnapped wife. The Filippino police arrive, led by a police detective lieutenant in a suit, to help clean up the bad guys, led by the American archeological collector, who traveled to the Philippines to personally lead the crime operation. The police lieutenant detective confiscates the pouch and asks everyone present what is it. The American collector, now in handcuffs, replies that it's supposed to be something that will make one powerful enough to rule the world. The dubious, skeptical detective opens the pouch, looks inside, dips a finger in and tastes it. (My high school biology teacher warns everyone never to taste unknown chemical substances!). Everyone, the handcuffed American, the black hero, his wife, and some of the defeated, handcuffed henchmen still standing, looks on in puzzlement as the detective bends down and carefully pours out the black, powdery substance on the concrete floor in a line. Pulling out a lighter, he lights the substance. Immediately a huge flash fills the whole screen with black smoke. When it clears, every one present except the detective has smoke-blackened faces. When it becomes apparent the terrifying ancient Chinese alchemy secret potion was simply the first gunpower invented, everyone starts laughing hysterically at the insane revelation, including the bad guy American, the black martial arts hero, the detective, and the few handcuffed henchmen. The movie viewer can't help but laugh as well. Gunpower did indeed change the world by revolutionizing warfare. It was a secret that didn't stay buried with the dead ancient Chinese alchemist. Other ancient Chinese and possibly Indian scientists stumbled upon the chemical formula for primitive gunpower: powdered charcoal, sulfur powder, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). All that intrigue, violence, murder, and expense were for....nothing.