# Recommend: Kung-Fu



## Brian G Turner (Oct 10, 2003)

My local video shop (rental store) doesn't seem to have anime, but it does have plenty of martial arts movies.

So, what is there to recommend as the great spots of the genre? Is there anything in patricular from Hong Kong that has "watch me!" written all over it?

And who is the Drunken Master?

Oh, I am so naive!


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## dwndrgn (Oct 10, 2003)

I said:
			
		

> And who is the Drunken Master?


Oh my Brian!  You don't know who the Drunken Master is?  Imagine a cranky drunk who carries a large (big as a breadbox) earthenware jug of his drink of choice around with him and can kick some serious booty without spilling any!  I haven't seen it in years (the original, anyway).  I don't know that I can recall any actual film names.  I can recall several plots (and variations on same) but I'm not sure I've ever actually noticed the titles!  I'll see what I can find out.


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## dwndrgn (Oct 10, 2003)

I'm searching the plots to find the ones I recognize at IMDB.  Makes me want to run out to the video store right now.  If you get any (you might as well choose at random if you don't find any recognizeable titles), let us know how they are.

Can que (AKA The Return of the 5 Deadly Venoms) (1978) four cripples (one blind, one deaf mute, one legless and one missing his sanity) fight against a weathly kung fu expert and his minions to stop them from crippling others.

Gui xin si jian (AKA Fight for Survival) (1977) a young girl is taught many forms of fighting in order to leave a monastery and recover stolen sacred scripts.

Zui quan (1978) the original Drunken Master (with Jackie Chan and his usual slapstick exploits.)

Da zui xia (AKA Big Drunk Hero) (1966) after reading the plot summary on this one I think this might be the one I was thinking about originally when describing the Drunken Master.  A girl gets hit by a poison dart while trying to free her brother from a band of thugs and gets help from a beggar who is actually a kung fu master.  This one seems more familiar.


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## littlemissattitude (Oct 10, 2003)

I've never been a fan of this genre of film, but those sound kind of cool, dwndrgn.  I think I may have to do some research at the local video store.


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## Sci-fi_gEEk (Oct 11, 2003)

Jackie Chans rendition of Dunken master was pretty good, I ecspecially liked the step mother character.  If I had to reconmend any movies I'd have a hard time narrowing them down.  It really comes down to what your in the mood for.  Jackie Chan's movies are generally humorous with some pretty crazy stunts.  Jet Li's movies tend to be more on the serious/action side, seems to like to use a lot special effects.  I reallt liked Jet Li's Fist of Legend and his Once Upon a time in China.  Chow Yun Fat (I think I spelled it right) also has a few good movies.   Of course you can't talk about martail arts with out talking about...The one, the only, Bruce Lee.  His movies are pretty much martial arts classics.  Enter the Dragon and Return of the Dragon are pretty much, must sees.  Also Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, I'm sure everyone has heard about this movie, personally I think it was awsome I never get tired of watching it.   Ok then, I think I'm going to go watch some Bruce Lee now.

gEEk


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## Twelve (Oct 11, 2003)

WELL...Bruce Lee isn't really considered KUNG-FU. He's more in the genre of "martial arts" movies...there is quite a difference.

Bryan, if you want to get a hold of the most popular, most essential, most genuine kung-fu movie ever made, get:

SHAOLIN v.s. WUTANG (1981)

Get it, watch it, and come back. Then I'll direct you to the next step.


12


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## buybuyamericanPi (Oct 11, 2003)

Sci-fi_gEEk said:
			
		

> Jackie Chans rendition of Dunken master was pretty good, I ecspecially liked the step mother character. If I had to reconmend any movies I'd have a hard time narrowing them down. It really comes down to what your in the mood for. Jackie Chan's movies are generally humorous with some pretty crazy stunts. Jet Li's movies tend to be more on the serious/action side, seems to like to use a lot special effects. I reallt liked Jet Li's Fist of Legend and his Once Upon a time in China. Chow Yun Fat (I think I spelled it right) also has a few good movies. Of course you can't talk about martail arts with out talking about...The one, the only, Bruce Lee. His movies are pretty much martial arts classics. Enter the Dragon and Return of the Dragon are pretty much, must sees. Also Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, I'm sure everyone has heard about this movie, personally I think it was awsome I never get tired of watching it. Ok then, I think I'm going to go watch some Bruce Lee now.
> 
> gEEk


   Next time you watch hidden dragon keep the following in mind, instead of thinking it is just fantasy. 

External martial arts focus on power through exercising muscles, internal martial arts focus on harnessing the electrical energy in the body, and increasing that energy with exercises that increase the body’s ability to produce electricity, as well as direct it into specific areas. Masters can even project that electrical energy (Qi) outside of the body. 
The original people that worked all this out knew what they were doing, however, mastering the techniques and creating new ones takes a long time, so it was over centuries of passing down ideas that various techniques were perfected. In Chinese culture there were different warring factions that kept their secrets guarded, and would only pass on secrets to students that had proven themselves. The students like any students only go through the motions of learning the exercises, without being instructed on what it really happening, so they wouldn’t be given the specifics of what is Qi, that it is actual electricity. Since these secrets were only passed on to a very few, and then only after a long time of training, much of what they knew was lost.
Bruce lee could stand 20 feet away from someone, as you may already know, and jump across the room, snatch a coin out of their hand, and replace it before the person could close their hand. This was only from doing the exercises without knowing what was really going on, to most martial artists Qi is more a state of mind, than an application of electrical currents. Given that a chimp is ten times as powerful as a human, it stands to reason that we still have a lot of potential, if it can be harnessed. 
The masters however, knew what they were doing and could do far more than many can today. Most things in folk lore are somehow related to fact, ancient Chinese no doubt, had occasions to see some of what they could do, but not having cameras or TV, could only rely on word of mouth to try to convey what would seem unbelievable. A helicopter works by applying a force to air, so to be able to fly or walk on water, only means being able to produce enough energy. Over time stories would have been passed down, as to what people had seen them do. Over time though, the masters would have died out before having the opportunity to pass on their secrets, so that all that was left, were the stories that became a part of Chinese culture.


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## Lacedaemonian (Oct 21, 2004)

I would like to believe that.  Shaolin Soccer is recommended as the funniest kung fu movie ever, perhaps even the funniest movie ever.  That of course discludes the Australian classic _Bad Boy Bubby _which is by far and away the funniest film I have ever seen.  Although Revenge of billy the Kidd was also funny in a base kind of way.


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## White_Tiger (Oct 23, 2004)

Those films you mentioned are really pulp flicks that no one watch.... Kung-fu films are no good. TV series are where the treasures lie. Like the 83 series, The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the 96 series of State of Divinity (both TVBS, Hong Kong), and the 2003 series Demi Gods, Semi Devils (CCTV, mainland)


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## Lacedaemonian (Oct 23, 2004)

From our 'western' experience TV movies are generally awful, except for Monkey Magic.


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## dwndrgn (Oct 23, 2004)

White_Tiger said:
			
		

> Those films you mentioned are really pulp flicks that no one watch.... Kung-fu films are no good.


I guess I just like no good films  

In all seriousness, they do show wonderful use of choreography, early special effects and a belief in personal mysticism.  That draws me.


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## Lacedaemonian (Oct 23, 2004)

Snobby Chinese girls, they think that our kung fu style is inferior to theirs!


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 23, 2004)

Thanks for the recommendations, White Tiger, and welcome to the chronicles network.


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## fallenstar (Oct 25, 2004)

Lacedaemonian said:
			
		

> Snobby Chinese girls, they think that our kung fu style is inferior to theirs!


haha! just because the good ones were never translated doesn't mean that your kung fu style is inferior!


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## Lacedaemonian (Oct 25, 2004)

I love it!


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## Crymic (Aug 12, 2006)

A good movie with Judo being the main martial arts is "Throwdown".
Basically this guy is going around fighting other people to better his skills. On his search he finds this x champion he wants to duel but, he's turned into a total drunk. 
Though bottom line of the movie is anything can be fixed by practing martial arts.


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## sanityassassin (Aug 12, 2006)

I remember a few years ago on some tv show showing some clips from old martial arts movies and I remember one about a guy travelling with a baby stroller it was quite funny in a low budget type of way


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## BookStop (Sep 28, 2006)

I love Jackie Chan's *Drunken Master - *the fu is soooo funny.


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## ravenus (Sep 29, 2006)

You may want to check out Jet Li's *Fist of Legend*, which is a (better, more serious) reworking of the story of Bruce Lee's famous *Fist of Fury*. Try to get hold of an original language version, apparently the US DVD is an awful dub with lots of narrative scenes cut out.

If you can substitute Kung Fu with Thai boxing, there's nothing more entertaining and action-wise amazing than *Ong-Bak* starring Tony Jaa...and it's all no FX, no wires, no doubles stuff


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## scalem X (Sep 29, 2006)

Fist of legend indeed. Great view on the Japanese-Chinese relations during the Sakoku period. Oh yeah and the fighting's cool too .

Never seen ong-bak, like the trailer though.Yet not really the high-standard movie we know it seems.


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## avery76 (Sep 5, 2009)

Kung Fu Panda was one of the most notable movies of 2008. This story is revolves around a  boy who is laziest boy and working as a waiter in his father's noodle restaurant . I like this movie very much....You can download Kung Fu panda movie from this website, as I too downloaded it from this website.


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