Martial arts choreography for this film is credited to "Chen Lung" - this is almost certainly Jackie Chan using a pseudonym. The release date of the film is 1980, but it was probably made in '78, when Chan worked with director Chen Chi Hwa on a couple films, including "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu" (early Chan starring vehicle) and "36 Crazy Fists" (which Chan choreographed without performing in. "Dance of Death" apparently uses the same crew and many of the same players, and looks and moves very much like the two Chan films. Those with a sense of different 'Fu styles should pay special attention to Mao's use of the middle-finger-knuckle fist (sometimes called phoenix fist or - wrongly - dragon fist in other films) - Chan actually introduced this into the 'Fu film idiom in a film credited to Low Wei (but probably directed by Chan himself), "Dragon Fist". Also pay attention to Mao's use of Snake-fist moves; her interpretation of this style is pure Chan - compare with his use of this style in "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow".
This said, the film would be little worth noting, due to a very weak script - the comedy is second rate, and the film feels incomplete - except for one essential element - Angela Mao.
Introduced to the 'Fu film world by Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon", Angel Mao's career gradually withered away due to an apparent lack of acting skills. She seemed capable of only two emotions, impatience and outrage. Thanks to this film, we can now see that her real curse was the type of role into which she was frequently cast. In "Dance of Death" Mao is allowed an opportunity to play comedy with a much wider range of emotional response, and frequent moments of humor. This may be the first performance I've seen from her in which she actually smiles. And she is quite charming when she does. In fact she handles comedy very well, and overall comes across as a performer one would like to see again and again. I should also mention that, although she wears male clothing throughout the film, she exudes a captivating femininity and sexuality - which actually becomes part of the plot and action of the film at the end. This film thus becomes a testament to the abilities of a performer who was otherwise underestimated throughout much of her career.
