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THIS IS MY NEW PAGE ( ILL AL UK ) DEDICATED TO ASIAN ACTION CINEMA.
SHAW BROTHERS..
SHAW BROTHERS POSTERS..
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It is not an overstatement to say that without the Shaw Brothers there would not have been a kung fu movie industry, such was the importance of their contribution.
Before the Shaws machine cranked into action, Hong Kong martial arts and swordfight films were strictly low-budget and usually about Wong Fei Hung.
Headed initially by Run Run Shaw, Chow To-Man, and Raymond Chow Wai-Man, Shaw Brothers Studios was Hong Kong's main movie engine in the 1960s and 1970s. The brothers began by buying up cinemas all over south-east Asia, creating an almost monopoly situation whereby THEY controlled what was shown in those cinemas. Their profits were re-invested back into the company in the form of finance for their own movies, Shaw Brothers Films. These films found a 'captive' audience, but as the money poured in from all over Asia it was the increasing quality of the films produced that 'sustained' their success.
Shaw Brothers achieved their first international success when THE KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY (GONG SHAN MEI YAN) won the Best Picture prize at the Sixth Asian Film Festival. In 1965, it launced the successful ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN series of movies starring Jimmy Wang Yu.
The first kung fu film to get a general release in the west was "King Boxer"(Aka: Five Fingers Of Death) directed by Chang Cheh and starring Lo lieh.
Some of the best kung fu films made by SHAW BROTHERS were made by Lau Kar Leung,
LAU KAR LEUNG..
Lau Kar Leung is himself a part of martial arts history with a link back to the real Wong Fei Hung. Lau Kar Leung was born in 1934 and his father, Liu Charn, was a student of Lam Sai Wing, also known as Butcher Wing, who himself was a student of Wong Fei Hung. Kar Leung began learning kung fu at the age of 8 and by 15 had his first introduction to the world of movies when his father was approached to play his sifu, Lam Sai Wing, in a series of Wong Fei Hung movies.
Starring in many of his films was his brother Gordon liu.
GORDON LIU..
Gordon Liu ( Lau Kar Fai),born November 30, 1955, is a Chinese martial arts actor. He was born in Guangdong Province, China and is the adopted brother of famed Shaw Brothers director and actor Lau Kar leung (Liu Chia Liang).
He is best known by recent Western moviegoers for his role as Pai Mei in Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), and as Johnny Mo in Kill Bill: Volume 1, the head general of the Crazy 88, O-Ren Ishii's (Lucy Liu) personal army. Elsewhere, Liu is known for his role as San Te from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and its sequels from which he adopted his shaved head style. Some fans call him the Master Killer after the alternate title to The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.
Liu is a real-life practitioner of Hung Gar, a traditional kung fu style.
Here are a few of their films..
HEROES OF THE EAST aka SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA..
MAD MONKEY KUNG FU..
MARTIAL CLUB..
SAMMO HUNG (HUNG KAM BO)..
SAMMO is one of my favorite kung fu stars and directors,
mixing great fight scenes and comedy, and can still kick ass even though he is quite large..See blog for more info.
PEDICAB DRIVER.. Sammo fighting Lau Kar Leung..
YUEN BIAO..
little brother to Jackie Chan & Sammo Hung at opera school has starred in many films, and has been stunt double for many other HK action stars, and has been used in this way in many of Sammo Hung's films due to his great acrobatic and kicking ability..
YUEN BIAO fighting in the movie EASTERN CONDORS..
KWAN TAK HING..
During the '50s and '60s, Cantonese performer Kwan Tak Hing appeared in nearly 80 films and frequently portrayed high-kicking, hard-punching action hero Wong Fei Hung. Kwan took his first feature film in 1949 and gradually cut his film performances to concentrate on television productions during the '70s. Born in Guangzhou, China, Kwan started out with a Cantonese troupe. He helped entertain troupes as part of the U.S.O. He also was an important fundraiser for the war effort. Kwan was an expert martial artist and this is what led him to play Wong Fei Hung. Later in life, Kwan ran a martial arts school and became known for his humanitarian efforts toward the sick. Kwan died of pancreatic cancer at age 91 on June 28, 1996.
JET LI..
Jet Li was a martial arts champion as a child and a martial arts movie star as an adult. His first Hong Kong action movie, 1979's Shaolin Temple, helped make him a national hero in China. He appeared in dozens of kung fu movies in the 1980s and '90s, including Tai Chi Master (1993) and Fist of Legend (1994). Later in the 1990s he made the leap to Hollywood, appearing in Lethal Weapon IV (1998), Romeo Must Die (2000) and The One (2001). He returned to China to star in Ying xiong (2002); the movie was released in the U.S. in 2004 as Hero. In 2005 he appeared in the French-made action movie Danny the Dog (released in the U.S. as Unleashed),and in 2006 he starred in his newest film Fearless.
here's a scene from FEARLESS..
JACKIE CHAN..
Jackie Chan (born Chan Kong-sang, as a tribute to his native Hong Kong) can trace his origins to Hong Kong, where he was born to parents Charles and Lee-Lee Chan on April 7, 1954.
In childhood, he suffered terrible poverty and the most painfully rigorous of educations. In his early career, he was almost cast aside as just another in a long line of failed Next Bruce Lees. In perfecting his craft, he's broken his nose three times, and also cracked his ankle, most of his fingers, both his cheekbones and his skull (patched together with a steel plate). You can't say Jackie Chan hasn't paid his dues. But finally, after nearly 40 years in the business, the guy's reached worldwide stardom. As he always wanted, pretty much everyone knows his name.
Here's a scene from DRAGONS FOREVER..
DONNIE YEN..
The son of martial arts master Bow Sim Mark, Yen was born in Guangdong (Canton) and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a well known film and television actor in Hong Kong and, more recently, in the West, having been featured in many movies with prominent, internationally known actors such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh.
From a young age, Yen was interested in martial arts of all kind, experimenting with various styles, from Taekwondo to Wushu. Yen decided to stick with Wushu, moved to Beijing to train further and even joined the Beijing Wushu Team for two years (Yen became the first non-PRC Chinese to be accepted at the school). When he wanted to return to the United States, he made a side trip to Hong Kong and it was there that he met Yuen Woo-ping, an up and coming fight choreographer. Yen's first film role was at age 19 in 1984 in the film Xiao Tai Ji. The film revolved around drunken Tai Chi, and although not a critical success, the film helped Yen to achieve further notability.Donnie Yen has starred in many top kung fu movies, here are some of the best..
SPL..ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2..
IRON MONKEY..
HERO..
and his new film..DRAGON TIGER GATE..
Fight scene from 'Sha Po Lang'
ANGELA MAO..
angela mao was the biggest female kung fu star of the 70's
and made many films..HAPKIDO, LADY WHIRLWIND, FATE OF LEE KHAN,& ENTER THE DRAGON..to name a few.
clip from deadly china doll.
TONY JAA..
Tony Jaa is one of newest martial arts stars to hail from thailand, who took the world by storm when his first film 'ONG BAK' was released, and again with his second film 'TOM YUM GOONG'..
here's a clip from ONG BAK..
HERO..
HERO is one of my favorite films of the last decade, starring JET LI, TONY LEUNG, DONNIE YEN, ZHANG ZIYI & MAGGIE CHEUNG, visually stunning, great fight scenes, and a good story about the first emperor of china & a plot to assasinate him, with action directed by TONY CHING SIU TUNG..
SHADOWLESS SWORD..
Shadowless Sword (Muyeonggeom)is a 2005 South Korean film. A martial arts epic filmed in China, the film follows the exploits of the last prince of the Balhae Kingdom, who hides his identity in a small village until he is called to battle invaders from Khitan.The action choreography is the best thing about this film.
DRAGON TIGER GATE..
The Gate of Dragon and Tiger, created by media magnate Tony Wong Yuk-long in the 1970s, was a milestone in the history of Hong Kong comics. More than one generation of Chinese youngsters have been mesmerized by its tales of heroism and heart-pounding martial arts scenes. Inspired by the basic human values that the series upholds, the film revisits a bygone era, where back street boys can fight for justice in the community. While the spectacular action will appeal to Chinese and international audiences, the film is also an attempt to rekindle the passion and vitality lost in a mercenary and morally ambiguous society.
Cast: Donnie Yen Ji-Dan, Nicholas Tse Ting-Fung, Shawn Yu Man-Lok, Dong Jie, Li Xiao-Ran, Yuen Wah, Chen Kuan-Tai, Sherin Teng Shui-Man, Tommy Yuen Man-On, Sam Chan Yu-Sum, Tony Wong Luk-Wong, Louis Koo Tin-Lok (voice only), Ella Koon Yun-Na (voice only), Isabella Leong (voice only)
UNDISPUTED 2..
Undisputed 2 is probably the best martial arts film to come out of America since Bloodsport. It's not an original plot but the pace of the film is so well crafted and the acting so much better than your usual action movie fair. The quality of the drama was not what I expected at all. The fight scenes are top notch and you can feel every brutal bone crunching punch and kick. The villain Scott Adkins performs moves that put him in the same league as Ong Bak's Tony Jaa but he really can act as well. I loved the whole movie and I urge everyone to see it as soon as possible.
ODD COUPLE..
Two old rivals, Sammo Hung and Lau Kar-wing meet every 10 years to find out whose weaponry skills are better. These duels always end up in a draw and as the two warriors are aging they decide to each take on a pupil so that the duel may continue. The most interesting part is Sammo also plays Lau's student and lau at the same time plays Sammo's student. In the end before the rivalry students come to an ultimate duel just as their mentors have done in the past, they must unite to defeat a common foe. Incredible and brilliant fight scenes ensue. This film is seen by many to be the best weapon film made..
PRODIGAL SON..
Directed by: Sammo Hung
Starring: Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-ying, Sammo Hung, Frankie Chan, Dick Wei, Wu Ma..
Yuen Biao is the pampered son of a wealthy businessman who discovers his kung fu training has been a sham. He struggles to learn real kung fu (Wing Chun) from a Chinese opera performer (Lam Ching Ying) and his oddball martial brother (Sammo Hung) and seeks revenge on the fighters responsible for the deaths of the other opera performers.
This film is one of my all time favorites, a must see for anyone who is crazy about kung fu films.
Here is the whole film to watch..about 140 mins..
OTHER FILMS WORTH A LOOK.
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STEPHEN CHOW..
Stephen Chow has been the king of hong kong comedy movies for a long time, mixing outrageous comedy with some martial arts, some of his best films are..
KUNG FU HUSTLE..
FIST OF FURY 91..KING OF COMEDY..FORBIDDEN CITY COP..and my favorite, SHAOLIN SOCCER..
Here's a clip from KUNG FU HUSTLE..
CHOW YUN FAT..
CHOW YUN-FAT has been the king of cool in hong kong cinema for a long time, he starred in many of JOHN WOO'S early heroic bloodshed films, some of his best films are..THE KILLER..HARD BOILED..TIGER ON THE BEAT..A BETTER TOMORROW 1&2..
Here's a clip from HARD BOILED, it's quite long but worth a watch.
YUEN WOO PING..
one of the greatest action directors in hong kong.'Yuen Woo Ping' grew up in a family of stunt men and martial arts performers, his father'Yuen Siu Tin' played sam seed in DRUNKEN MASTER. he has worked on many films in hk & usa
including..MATRIX TRILOGY..KILL BILL 1&2..IRON MONKEY..FIST OF LEGEND..MIRACLE FIGHTERS..LEGEND OF A FIGHTER..FEARLESS..DREDNAUGHT..to name but a few.
Here's a clip from FIST OF LEGEND.
LEUNG KAR YAN..
The most amazing thing about Leung Kar Yan, also known affectionately as "Beardy", is that he never underwent any formal martial arts or Opera training. His greatest asset lies in his uncanny ability to faithfully recreate any movement shown to him by the action director.
1978 would see a collaboration with Sammo Hung which has rarely been outdone - 'Warriors Two'.
Some of his other films are..
THE VICTIM..THUNDERING MANTIS..KNOCKABOUT..LEGEND OF A FIGHTER..THE ODD COUPLE..
Here's a clip from THE VICTIM..
LAM CHING YING..
Lam Ching-Ying began his performing career as a student of China Opera under Madame Fan Fok-Fa. He specialised in playing female roles. Lam entered the film industry as a martial arts stuntman, working at both the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest studios. At the latter, he joined Sammo Hung's stunt team, and worked as actor in "The Magnificent Butcher". In 1985, the film "Mr. Vampire" brought him success in several official sequels to horror comedy hit. He also proved himself as a good dramatic actor in Ringo Lam's "School On Fire" and Alex Law's "Painted Faces". Lam returned to the role that made his name for two hit "Mr. Vampire" TV series.
Here's Lam Ching Ying fighting Yuen Biao from the film MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER,(Lam Cing Ying is the one using the fan)