The Terror of the Tongs

1961
Approved
1h 16m

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

Christopher Lee in The Terror of the Tongs (1961)

Play trailer2:30

1 Video

26 Photos

Action Adventure Crime

In 1910, Hong Kong members of a secret Tong crime syndicate protect their identities by murdering the daughter of a British sea captain who vows revenge.In 1910, Hong Kong members of a secret Tong crime syndicate protect their identities by murdering the daughter of a British sea captain who vows revenge.In 1910, Hong Kong members of a secret Tong crime syndicate protect their identities by murdering the daughter of a British sea captain who vows revenge.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This was the first "Hammer" film for which Christopher Lee received top billing.

Goofs
The film is set in 1910, but the knee length female costumes, revealingly slit to the hip, are strictly 1960 Suzie Wong.

Quotes
The Tong Leader: Have you ever had your bones scraped, Captain? It is painful in the extreme I can assure you.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: HONG KONG - 1910

A bustling, growing city - but hidden deep amongst its teeming thousands was an organisation that thrived on vice, terror and corruption- THE RED DRAGON TONG

Alternate versions
The film suffered extensive BBFC cuts which removed shots of bloody bodies and a mutilated hand, and also heavily edited the infamous 'bone scraping' scene where Jackson Sale's chest is pricked with needles. A scene featuring Helena's fingers being severed with an axe was also re-edited, so it appears she passes out before the impact of the blade. All later releases have featured the same print and the uncut version may no longer survive.

Connections
Spoofed in Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible: Frenzy of Tongs (2001)

User reviews27

Review

Featured review

8/10

Christopher Lee As the Ultimate Villain

Hammer Studios once again proves that they knew no bounds when it came to film making. Here we see a tale of corruption, torture, murder and revenge and it actually works very well for a studio renowned for it's horror films. Christopher Lee plays the leader of, *The Red Dragon Tong* in Hong Kong at the beginning of the 20th century, this organization used torture and murder to keep the people of the city under it's rule and when they kill an English sea Captain's daughter in an attempt to keep information from being brought before the authorities, the film becomes a story of revenge with scenes of torture and murder. Hammer Studios did a great job with this film and if you're a Hammer fan, this is definitely a film you'll want to see.