Getting Started With Kung Fu Movies
Introduction
So you've seen "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", get into Jackie Chan movies like "Shanghai Noon", and watched "Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2" and want more you say? But of course you do! I started out watching "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" and thought, "Hey, that Kung Fu stuff is pretty cool!". While it wasn't the best series in the world (That's an understatement) it sparked my interest in martial arts, and in particular Kung Fu. Fast forward a few years to when I got cable and a few movie channels. The action channel was doing a run of martial arts movies, mostly Jet Li flicks like "Twin Warriors" and "Fist Of Legend". I was hooked and my friend and I started to collect Kung Fu movies like they were going out of style. I've learned a lot since then, mostly what I like and what I don't. I hope this article inspires you to watch more Kung Fu movies, informs you enough to find what you like, and gives you plenty of resources to support your new found (or existing) habit!
One Movie, Multiple Titles
The most confusing thing about Kung Fu movies (Aside from some of Wong Jin's movies) are the multiple titles. So how can "Twin Warriors" and "The Tai Chi Master" be the same movie? Hmmmm, ancient Chinese secret. Just kidding, the answer is that when a movie is made in Hong Kong or mainland China it gets a title in Chinese. Since most Americans do not speak Chinese (or Cantonese as the case may be) the makers of the film will typically give it an appropriate English title. In the case of the "The Tai Chi Master", this was the closest English translation the filmmakers came up with. You may see the literal translation on occasion, which usually doesn't make much sense or sounds awkward. For example, Zhang Yimou's latest film's literal translation is "Ambush from all sides". Not a bad title, but not very catchy. The American title is "House of Flying Daggers", which just sounds much better. This seems to work well so far, we have a Chinese title for Chinese speaking folks, a literal translation that doesn't sound right, and an appropriate English title. Here's where it turns bad. A US based company (like Sony or Miramax) buys the US distribution rights to a film, like "The Tai Chi Master". Distributors may not like that title because, in their opinion, Americans think Tai Chi is slow and boring. They proceed to give it yet another title, like "Twin Warriors", which they think will appeal more to American audiences (even though there are no twins in the movie). These titles often cause confusion, use the word "Legend" quite often, and tend to be really annoying. Any given movie can have 4 or more titles, making it very difficult to figure out which movie is which. The solution? Use the web, especially the web sites I will list in this article. It's the only way to keep things straight and make sure you are buying the movie that you want (or worse, buying a duplicate).
Confusing Title Example
For clarification, here's a list of Bruce Lee's movies, with both the American and Hong Kong titles:
1978 - Game of Death
1973 - Enter the Dragon
1973 - The Way of the Dragon (US Title: Return of the Dragon)
1971 - Fist Of Fury (US Title: The Chinese Connection)
1971 - The Big Boss (US Title: Fist of Fury)
(Sources: http://www.imdb.com, http://www.brucelee.com)
Note how confusing it can be with regards to the title "Fist Of Fury". The US title of "The Big Boss" becomes the Honk Kong title of his next movie! Whoa. In any case, I highly recommend you watch all of Bruce Lee's films, at least twice. However, be careful of the knock off Bruce films that usually star people such as "Bruce Li" or "Bruce Le". They do not have Bruce Lee in them and are only trying to capitalize on his success.
More Than Just A Title
Different versions of a DVD are going to have different features. The most important feature to note is the language. The US versions of the DVD are typically dubbed, and the Chinese versions are usually subtitled. Other features include audio track, video quality and aspect ratio, and extras (Behind the scenes footage, etc…).
Which Version Do I Buy?
Now that we know there are multiple versions of the same film that exist you might be wondering which one to choose. This depends on the answers to the following questions:
1) Do you have a Region-Free DVD player?
A region is the code burned into each
DVD so that it can only be played on DVD players sold in a specific area of
the world, or region. For example, the US is Region 1 and China (and Hong Kong)
are Region 3. This means that the DVD player you bought at the local store in
the US will not play most discs from China.
A great write-up of DVD regions and players can be found here, "Region
Code & DVD Guide For The Martial Arts Film Collector".
2) How well do you handle subtitles?
Some people just can't get past the fact that they have to "read the movie". It can be difficult, and some films are harder to take in than others when it comes to subtitles. They sometimes go by really fast, don't make sense, or are hard to read because they are small (the worst is when you get all three of those factors at once!). I suggest that if you really can't stand watching a movie with subtitles then get the version with an English dub. Then, if you feel up to it, watch the same movie with subtitles. Also, having a big TV seems to help, so start saving for that 60" plasma screen!
3) How much do you like the movie you are going to buy?
As I mention above you may want to purchase two versions of the same film to test the waters with subtitles. You may also want to do this with movies that you really like, one copy to screen for friends and family who are in the non-subtitle category, and one for your enjoyment. Typically the dubbed version is cut and the story altered. This makes me very sad for all those who worked hard to produce a film. This is why I always recommend you learn to like subtitles and buy the original versions of your favorite movies, in the end you will be much happier, and who knows, maybe even pick up some Cantonese or Mandarin while you're at it! The subtitled versions are typically coded with region 3, so be certain to read the region code guide I link to above.
Kung Fu Movie Categories
Classic Kung Fu
Typically this is defined as Kung Fu movies made 25 years ago (or sometimes from 1965-1985). I like to think of this as movies with the bad picture, awful dubbing, funny costumes, and typically a revenge-based plot (although not always the case). The Shaw Brothers studio was by far the most popular studio cranking out movies at a rapid pace from the late 60's to early 80's. During this time period comedy-fu movies also emerged with the likes of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, as well as Taiwanese productions featuring stars Such as Hwang Jang Lee and John Liu. Some of my favorites not on my top ten list include "5 Deadly Venoms", "Drunken Master", "Warriors Two", and "7 Grandmasters".
Wire-Fu
Apparently if you develop your Kung Fu enough it gives you the ability to fly, jump around in bamboo forests with ease, and with just one small push fly over walls and onto rooftops. While this may seem silly to some, its based on popular Chinese novels called "wuxia" (A great write-up can be found here). People tend to have a love or hate relationship with these types of movies. Personally I like them, my favorites include "Once Upon a Time In China III", "Moon Warriors", "Tai Chi Master", and "The Bride With White Hair".
Modern Kung Fu
Moving into more modern times we get into a few different types of movies in this category. First, and my favorite, are the new and mostly grounded (i.e. few or little wires) movies. These include "Drunken Monkey", "Iron Monkey", "Fist Of Legend", and "Drunken Master II". They are some of my most cherished Kung Fu movies and should not be missed. We all long for more of these type of movies, and the message boards usually ask "When will the next 'Fist Of Legend' be coming out?" Also in this category we have the movies that combine action and martial arts. Some of my favorites are Drive, Kiss Of The Dragon, and Police Story 3. There are many other new genres emerging, combing Kung Fu with Horror ("Twins Effect", "Blade"), Science Fiction ("The One", which I actually did enjoy unlike most), and comedy ("Shaolin Soccer"). My suggestion would be to try a couple in each of these categories and see which ones you like best.
Samurai
My first exposure to samurai films was when the "Zatoichi" series of movies were shown on Saturday mornings (appropriately called "Samurai Saturdays"). Many Honk Kong movie makers drew inspiration from these films, especially ones directed by Akira Kurasowa. They are typically light on action with only a few hard-hitting and dramatic fight scenes. The stories usually revolve around the political climate in Japan during the Edo period. My favorites include the Zatoichi series (especially the new "Zatoichi" starring Takeshi Katano), the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series, "The Twilight Samurai", and "Lady Snowblood". A very modern version of the samurai film called "Azumi" is a wild ride and one of the most entertaining films I have seen in quite some time. I really enjoy the Japanese style and feeling they put into their movies, very different from Honk Kong and certainly Hollywood. Be warned though, these films can be very violent and are not for the faint of heart.
Kung Fu Movie Resources
Web Sites
http://www.hkmdb.com - Once you register this site will provide you with one of the most complete lists of Hong Kong movies. It also features discussion boards, reviews, and of course columns like mine!
http://www.kungfucinema.com - Mark Pollard has done an outstanding job with this web site and continues to be the staple of online Kung Fu movie goodness. His reviews are top notch, and the up to date news keeps you informed of what the stars are up to and what new movies to be on the look out for.
http://www.kfccinema.com - Another outstanding review site, very in depth and humorous reviews of all types of Asian cinema, including Japan, Korea, Thailand, and of course China and Hong Kong.
http://www.monkeypeaches.com - While the name may sound funny, it is the best resource for keeping up on upcoming releases, such as the prequel to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", or the latest from actress Zhang Ziyi.
http://www.dragonsdenuk.com - This is also another excellent review site for Kung Fu and general Hong Kong movies. Very well written, and a good source for a summary of the movies that catch your interest.
http://www.moviereviewindex.com - Plug in any movie title and access endless amounts of reviews! This is a great way to get a few different opinions on the same movie. This works for just about any movie, including Hollywood, Bollywood, and Hong Kong cinema.
http://www.imdb.com - The Internet Movie Database, great source of information for all types of movies, including Asian and Kung Fu. It's nice to pop in a director's name and see all of the movies they have done, including all of the alternate titles.
Discussion Boards
I use the following two message boards on a regular basis to channel my Kung Fu geek energy:
Kung Fu Fandom - Discuss all types of Kung Fu movies including Classic Kung Fu, Modern Kung Fu, and even a whole section devoted to the Shaw Brothers!
KFC Cinema MSG Board - Discuss Asian cinema, Kung Fu flicks and more. This board is light on activity compared to Kung Fu Fandom, but still an excellent resource.
You can look me up as "TeacherOfLesson" on the above two message boards. I use these boards to ask questions (as in, "How was movie XYZ?"), get information about upcoming movies and DVD releases, and to see what movies other people really like.
DVD Buying
http://www.dddhouse.com - This is my favorite web site to purchase Asian DVDs. They are based in Hong Kong and usually have my movies delivered within 7 days. They are one of the cheapest sites around (due in large part to the exchange rate) and have a nice selection. You won't find any dubbed classics here, almost all DVDs are Region 3 and the titles are new. I buy all my celestial releases through this site. Highly recommended.
http://www.hkflix.com - HKFLIX used to be pretty slow with delivery, but have gotten better. They also used to list items as in stock when they are not, so be certain to check with them via email before you order. I ordered from them recently and did not have a problem, and got an excellent deal on "Chunking Express" and "Fallen Angel", two Wong Kar Wai classics!
http://www.ebay.com - Ebay is great for those hard-to-find DVDs, but you have to be careful. Check the message boards before you purchase from a seller to be certain you are not being taken for a ride or purchasing "bootleg" DVDs.
http://half.ebay.com - The more commercial end of Ebay, pretty much a safe bet for general DVD buying. Don't be afraid to ask the seller a question, such as "Which version of this movie am I buying?". There is no bidding here, just click and go!
http://www.pokerindustries.com - Has a huge selection of Asian movies, including celestial releases. I have ordered from them once and had no problems.
http://www.sensasian.com - Inexpensive overseas merchant that was a bit slow to deliver my "Once Upon A Time In China" soundtrack, but has good service for DVD buying.
http://www.yesasia.com - Japanese based site that is a bit pricy, mostly due to the exchange rate. Does have a large selection, but be careful, not all DVDs and VCDs here contain English subtitles.
Online Movie Rental
This is a fantastic idea for people who always have a late fee at the video store (like I did), rent movies quite often, and are just generally lazy (like me). You pay a monthly fee which allows you to have so many movies out at a time, then return them whenever you feel like it! Here are my two favorites:
http://www.netflix.com - By far the most popular and has the best selection of movies. Many Kung Fu titles to choose from, but mostly the US versions that contain only English dubbing. They are also reasonably priced.
http://www.nicheflix.com - Same concept as above except they specialize in Asian and foreign movies. A little pricier than NetFlix, but this is an excellent service for fans of Hong Kong and Asian cinema. Their database grows more everyday and they carry some of the best, and if not you can request it! Warning: You will need a DVD player that plays all region coded discs.
The Stores
There's just something fun about going
to the store and finding a great deal on a good Kung Fu movie. It feels more
fulfilling that shopping online, you get to hold the DVD, look at it, and take
it home that day and watch it. There are many stores that carry Kung Fu DVDs.
Walmart usually has the $5.00-$7.00 bin that if you dig deep enough you can
usually find the US versions of some Jackie Chan films and a host of others.
Best Buy also carries a pretty good selection, but it seems to be hit or miss.
The local music stores are an excellent resource for finding Kung Fu DVDs, and
many foreign films as well. The sometimes will have a good selection of used
DVDs, which is great for the budget. My favorite local store is called "Newbury
Comics" and has produced quite a few good deals for me in the past. The
best thing to do is check around in your area for any place that sells music
or DVDs.
Author: Paul Asadoorian
Email: paul_AT_kungfugeeks.com
Date: January 14, 2005