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Comedy documentary

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (1980): Cast & Plot

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (1980) movie poster

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a 1980 comedy documentary directed by Matthew Mallinson, starring Bruce Lee as The Martial Arts Master (archive footage), Adolph Caesar and Aaron Banks. It runs 1 hour 26 minutes.

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Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (1980) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 26m (86 min)
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Fist of Fear, Touch of Death About?

The premise of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A TV reporter conducts interviews with three renowned martial‑arts masters, along with fighters and promoters, discussing Bruce Lee while a tournament is organized to determine who will inherit the “Successor to the Bruce Lee legacy” title. The program weaves archival footage from Lee’s movies and real interviews into a pseudo‑documentary presentation.

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death Themes & Keywords

· 15 tags
  • bruce lee
  • green hornet
  • nunchaku
  • kung fu master
  • kung fu
  • martial arts
  • karate
  • bruceploitation
  • jeet kune do
  • repetition in title
  • library music score
  • bare chested male
+3 more
  • shuriken
  • madison square garden manhattan new york city
  • 42nd street manhattan new york city
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Cast & crew

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death Cast & Characters

Bruce Lee leads the cast as The Martial Arts Master (archive footage), with Adolph Caesar as TV Anchorman and Aaron Banks as The Promoter. Directed by Matthew Mallinson; 13 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death

· 9 more
Plot

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death Plot Summary

What happens in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Outside Madison Square Garden, TV reporter Adolph Caesar is on the scene as a martial arts tournament looms, framed as the event that could crown bruce Lee’s official successor. Promoter Aaron Banks speaks about Lee’s supposed death at the hands of a kung fu move called “The Touch of Death,” insisting the move can be deadly in three to four weeks. The segment includes flashbacks that purport to show Bruce Lee backing Banks’ assertion.

Full summary

The whole story of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Fist of Fear, Touch of Death?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the TV reporter seen outside Madison Square Garden at the start of the film?

Cars

Cars in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death

16 cars on screen, including the 1973 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I and the 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine.

All 16 cars
  • 1973 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death 1973 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I Important role
  • 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine Minor role
  • 1974 Checker Taxicab in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death 1974 Checker Taxicab Minor role
  • 1949 Morris Minor in Fist of Fear, Touch of Death 1949 Morris Minor Minor role
Details

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death Also Known As

6 alternative titles, including “Puño de furia, contacto mortal” and “Conspiração Bruce Lee”.

Also known as
  • Puño de furia, contacto mortal
  • Conspiração Bruce Lee
  • Il tocco della morte
  • Касание смерти
  • Fist of Fear - Il tocco della Morte
  • मौत का साया

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FAQ

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Fist of Fear, Touch of Death?

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death runs 1 hour 26 minutes (86 minutes).

When was Fist of Fear, Touch of Death released?

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death was released on September 1, 1980.

Who directed Fist of Fear, Touch of Death?

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death was directed by Matthew Mallinson.

More films by Matthew Mallinson

Who is in the cast of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death?

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death stars Bruce Lee as The Martial Arts Master (archive footage), Adolph Caesar as TV Anchorman and Aaron Banks as The Promoter, among 13 credited actors.

Does Fist of Fear, Touch of Death have a post-credit scene?

No. Fist of Fear, Touch of Death has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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