Reviews of inspiring Kungfu Movies

[Andrea]

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family

Inspired by the two recent threads about Kungfu movies (the Taiji Patriarch http://wongkiewkit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8733 and Ip Man http://wongkiewkit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8133 ),
I was wondering which other good Kungfu movies, forum members would recommend.

Note: "Good" can refer to the quality of the kungfu shown in the movie or the story (telling something about Chinese/Kungfu history/culture, past Masters etc).

To allow others to find the movie easily, I would suggest quoting it the standard way (if possible): Name of the movie, Director, Important Actors, Production Company, Year of Production, Actual Distribution Company,Year of current version, languages spoken/subtitles and a comment why you would recommend it.

Example

The Tai Chi Boxer, Dir. Yuen Woo Ping; Act. Jacki Wu (Wu Jing), Christy Chung, Darren Shahlavi, Billy Chow; Film Chan Production 1996; Digitally remastered and distributed by:Medusa Communications (Hong Kong Legends) 2002, Cantonese/English

Review: Kungfu: There are some nice applications of Tai Chi Chuan and 1-2 other styles (Praying Mantis?). Yet as typical in movies, many fights take forever and employ "spectacular" kicks. Some use wires. Story: A young man, inspired by his famous father, fights to win the heart of a beautiful girl and combats crime. Conclusion: Personally I enjoyed watching this movie as to my knowledge there are few movies using some Tai Chi Chuan.

Andrea

[Andrea]

When thinking about movies it might be helpful to remember Ronny Sisook's comment from the Ip Man thread:

I have to clarify one important point when it comes to Chinese martial arts movies. Basically there are two kind of genres:

1. Kung fu pian = (physically) realistic kung fu movies which rely mostly on the technical and physical strength of the protagonists, gained through years of hard training, (incl. also Iron Shirt, Iron Palm (Fist); Iron Leg, Qing Gong (very high jumps) and acrobatics). Usually the fights are mostly grounded, not many high jumps and flying. Almost no special effects are used. Wires are not much used. The stories are often based on real history and/or on real heroes and villains, or, if fictional, at least the stories are somehow believable.
Classical example: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, modern example: Ip Man

2. Wuxia pian = Chinese Swordsmen/Swordswomen movies where empty hand fighting is almost absent. The stories are mostly fictional fantasy movies (but can be set in historical time). Special effects and wires are heavily used. The warriors flying around and have magic or supernatural skills. They are above the technical, physical level, and they emphasize more on the magical skills and only have to use also their (basic) kung fu if they have to fight an opponent on an equal level (which is of course the case in the movies, to make the fights more interesting). Often, also Ghosts, Monsters, Divine Beings and Demons appear and also fight.
Examples: A Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

There is a 3rd kind:

Wuda pain = movies set in modern time where guns are used but as soon as guns are empty or the protagonists are disarmed it goes over to (street fight) kung fu fighting. Often the hero is a policeman or from a special unit (who often had to give away is police badge and therefore is gun). The villains are often the Triads (Chinese mafia) or the Yakuza (Japanese mafia).

Examples: Police Story movies, Sha Po Long (Killzone)

[yasminejade]

Dear Wahnamites,

Please allow me to introduce:

Heroes of the East (中華丈夫), Dir. Liu Chia-Liang; Act. Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Mizuno Yuko, Kurata Yasuaki; Shaw Brothers Studio 1978;

Review:
Kungfu:
- Japanese style vs Chinese Crane kung fu
- Japanese katana vs Chinese Jian (double-edged long sword)
- Okinawan Sai vs Chinese Butterfly knives (short swords)
- Japanese Shuriken, darts vs Chinese needles, sleeve arrows (throwing weapons)
- Japanese Kusarigama as compared to Chinese Rope Dart (chained/roped weapons)
- Japanese Ninjatō vs Chinese Dao (single-edged broadsword/saber)

Story:
Gordon Liu stars as a Chinese martial arts student struggling to relate to his new Japanese wife. When a series of martial misunderstandings spirals into an international incident, he's forced to take on seven of Japan's most powerful martial arts masters, each an expert in a different discipline, ranging from karate to samurai to ninjitsu.

Conclusion:
1. Despite an old production, this moview shows almost all of Souther Shaolin styles: Crane Style, Drunken Boxing, Butterfly knives(!), Sword, Spear, Saber, Rope Dart.
2. Gordon Liu shows quite a few times our typical One-Finger Zen form.
3. The Chinese Sword vs. Japenese Samurai Sword scene is particularly inspiring. We can see the way Japanese Samurai culture in admitting the defeat by presenting the sword to the opponent.
4. Butterfly Knives vs Sai scene remind me of the art of Butterfly knives in our school repertoire
5. At the end of movie, both parties reconciled by respecting each other's warrior quality, instead of continuing the feud.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=3828478)

Jason

[yasminejade]

Dear Wahnamites,

Please allow me to introduce another:

Wing Chun, Dir. Yuen Woo-ping; Act. Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen; Century Pacific 1994;

Review:
Kungfu:
1. Wingchun
2. Butterfly Knives vs Long Spear

Story:
Inspired by a true historical figure. In 19th-century China, a pack of bandits attacks a remote village, attempting to kidnap a beautiful young widow named Charmy. However, they are foiled by Yim Wing Chun, a local tofu-shop owner who also happens to be a fearsome fighter; she defeats the thieves nearly single-handedly. This infuriates the evil bandit leader, who turns his full forces against the town in an effort to recapture Charmy.

Conclusion:
1. I watched this movie when I was 14. I forgot a lot of the scenes. The most unforgettable is Butterfly Knives vs Long Spear scene. The antogonist said: "One inch longer is one inch stronger", and Wing Chun replied: "One inch shorter is one inch more dangerous" (一寸长一寸强，一寸短一寸险)
2. A woman defeated the male bandits "single-handedly"
3. Although portrayed the founder of Wingchun, but the story is loosely related to actual facts

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Chun_(film))

[davie]

Hi Family,

I think Kung Fu Hustle is amazing! To me it has the heart of kung Fu

[Andrea]

Thank you for the suggestions.

Here one Ronny Sisook recommended on the Ip Man thread so that it wont get lost:

I recommend another kung fu movie with great kung fu (use see and get a explanation of many not so well known styles), great wushu and great choreography but with a horrible Chinese propaganda story. It's insofar interesting because there is a conflict between the traditional kung fu and the modern wushu.

Name of the movie: Duo biao (English Title: Champions); but I guess only available in Asia.

Duo biao (The Champions), Director:Siu Ming Tsui, Actors: Dicky Cheung, Yu Rong Guang, Xie Miao, Wu Tian Yu, Sundream Motions Pictures, 2008, Cantonese/Mandarin spoken, English and Simplified Chinese Subtitles

A 2009 2-disk DVD version is available at yesasia (No idea about how reliable they are as a shop. Does anybody know them?) For other version search there under the director's name: http://www.yesasia.com/global/champi...0-en/info.html


Andrea