John

Force of Death (FOD) is an example of an Internet Meme (or Internet phenomenon ). It first appeared in late 2000 and has since circulated across forums, newsgroups, and video sharing websites such as the popular YouTube. It is not clear where FOD originated but it is likely it first appeared on IRC as a file being shared and then made an appearance on various P2p file sharing programs.

Force of Death is a movie shot most likely on Video8 which consists primarily of toy plastic figures in and around what is likely a domestic household. The figures depict various stereotypical characters that are likely a parody on certain Kung-Fu movies made in 1970's Hong Kong studios.

The story is relatively simple and it is unclear whether it is unique or a remake of a story from a mainstream movie. The main character, Chun Lee, is forced to confront an organisation known as the Force of Death whose leader, the evil Mr. Fod, is responsible for most of the crime in the fictional city.

Chun's master and dojo are destroyed within the first five minutes of the movie and the rest of the story involves Chun going after Fod. Other characters make an appearance, including a typically contrived cynical cop, a fearful bystander, and countless members of Fod.

Image of the evil Mr.Fod as depicted in Force of Death.

Contents 1 Popularity 2 The Voices 3 Trivia 4 Criticism 5 Force of Death 2

Popularity

Fod is clearly a light hearted look at the connotations of the genre of movies it aims to depict. Most of the film consists of comically choreographed martial arts fight scenes where the hands of the filmmakers occasionaly and likely deliberately come into frame. It is popular with those who are interested in this genre of movie as it represents a blatant stereotype of the genre itself and is filled with conventions that the viewer can relate to.

The Voices

The voices of the characters have become somewhat of a mystery and a topic of hot debate amongst those who have accessed this movie via forums and websites. Many have argued the voices are clearly of two teenage males whilst others are not so certain, suggesting the voices are likely taken from various other movies and dubbed into Fod. What is clear is the source of the movie has never been determined. Many claim to be the source only to then revoke such claims upon being challenged to prove it.

It is likely now impossible to determine who originally created Fod. Countless posts and anonymous comments across the Internet have made claim to who the originator was but it is now quite clear that whoever did originally make this film didn't intend on revealing themselves or being identified.

A typical scene from Force of Death. Here a friend and ally of the main character Chun Lee is struck in the neck by Mr.Fod. This particular character is represented by an old mould of a Chuck Norris action figure likely manufactered in the early 1990s.

Trivia

Fod has given rise to various phrases such as, "What can I do you boys for?" This implies someone trying to cover for something poorly by being overly helpful in a context that merely adds suspicion to their motives.

There are rumours that the film contains several subliminal messages that can impact the viewers response to the content. However no evidence of this exists even though some have painstakingly analysed the movie frame by frame.

In 2003 someone on a forum called GodlikeProductions named "BB" said they had stumbled across the set for Fod, claiming it was a mock interior of a house thrown together in a forest near where they lived in England. He promised to submit pictures of this but never posted again. This has given rise to further suspicion that the poster may have been on to something but then mysteriously vanished. This is an example of a Conspiracy.

It is clear each character represents a clear stereotype. Mr.Fod is likely a depiction of an evil bad guy whose ultimately overly elaborate ways of dealing with his enemies leads to his downfall. Chun Lee is made out to be a wet, ineffectual main star, whilst other background characters such as the Master, Mr. Fuji, die off before any personality can be established.

Criticism

It is clear Fod is not to be taken seriously as either a movie or a message. It is purely comical. However it has been argued the movie may likely be the creation of professionals working for a major studio as the toy figures within the movie clearly advertise certain popular figures such as Spider-Man, The Karate Kid, and multiple instances of Batman. Fod may be an example of early viral advertising.

The editing of Force of Death has been criticised for being unlike the movies it seems to be trying to represent. Fod consists of various fastly cut scenes with a soundtrack consisting of a mixture of dance music and more conventional dramatic 70s-esque synthesizor fight music. This editing is unlike the more slow and crude style often seen in early Hong-Kong action movies.

Force of Death 2

In 2004 a website was launched and advertised on various internet forums. The now non-existent Geocities page hosted a short 10-15 minute movie it promoted as being, "The genuine Force of Death 2." The movie file was hosted for several weeks until finally being taken down. Many have speculated the Fod2 file, now hard to come by, is clearly a hoax.

The movie is shot and edited much like the original Fod but this seems overly apparent, as if someone had tried to literally copy certain camera angles. It is also clear from Fod2 that the figure depicting Chun Lee is a different, later, version of Spider-Man than the mould from the original which likely comes from an early 1990s design.

Many still insist Fod2 is genuine, arguing the voices are alike as is the background interior. However sceptics have argued most of these elements could be easily faked and the inclusion of a slightly more wild voice for Chun Lee as opposed to his original voice suggest the origins of this file may be different to Fod.