Ip Man 2

[RAYNYSC]

As director Wilson Yip’s kung fu sequel IP MAN 2, starring Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung, draws closer to its Asian and Australian premiere, we have gotten our hands on a host of newly released images including a new teaser poster and pics depicting stunt actor Darren Shahlavi as Yip Man’s boxing opponent, more shots of Donnie Yen vs. Sammo Hung, and our first glimpse of child actor Jiang Daiyan as a young Bruce Lee. These images reveal much more of the film than we’ve yet seen from either the teaser trailer or previously released images.

In IP MAN 2, Wing Chun master Yip Man (Yen) leaves mainland China to begin teaching the art in Hong Kong where he comes into conflict with a local Hung Fist master (Sammo Hung) and foreign aggressors.

IP MAN 2 is scheduled for release in Asia and Australia on April 29, 2010.

The Oz release is courtesy of Dream Movie, a distributor committed to bringing first-run Chinese films to Australia on the same day they’re released in Asia. They’re currently showing the new Hong Kong Lunar New Year movie, 72 TENANTS OF PROSPERITY. For details on all Dream Movie’s current and future Oz releases visit http://dreammovieaustralia.blogspot.com.

[GeneChing]

I don't know Huang at all. Anyone?

Huang Xiaoming in Upcoming Kung-Fu Biopic (http://english.cri.cn/6666/2010/02/26/1261s552665.htm)
2010-03-01 09:03:42 CRIENGLISH.com Web Editor: Xie Tingting
Huang Xiaoming, an actor whose name is not usually associated with action movies, will be the biggest surprise in the upcoming martial-arts film "Ip Man 2", director Wilson Yip has said.

Now introducing the next king of kung-fu - Huang Xiaoming.

Huang, an actor whose name is not usually associated with action movies, will be the biggest surprise in the upcoming martial-arts film "Ip Man 2", director Wilson Yip has told Sina.com.cn.

The new film is a sequel to the 2008 blockbuster "Ip Man", a biopic of Bruce Lee's mentor, Yip Man.

In the sequel, Huang plays Yip Man's sullen yet outstanding student Huang Jin, a key character in the development of the film's story.

Wanting to expand into kung-fu movies, Huang Xiaoming has been diligently practicing Wing Chun martial art both on and off the "Ip Man 2" set, according to Sina.com.cn. His efforts have won praise from action star Donnie Yen, who told Sina that he could envision Huang becoming "the next king of kung-fu." Donnie Yen plays Yip Man in the film.

"Ip Man 2" is slated to hit theaters this summer. The film also stars Lynn Hung and Sammo Hung.

Huang Xiaoming's notable screen characters include a Japanese spy chief in the 2009 film "The Message", and Xu Wenqiang in the 2006 TV remake of "Shanghai Bund".

http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2010/02/26/4220xtylnipman2.jpg

[Jimbo]

It's nice to see that good KF movies haven't completely died in HK. It should be very good.

With all the movies out about Ip Man, I'd like to see a movie about Chan Heung. It's amazing that as popular as CLF is, it's been featured relatively little in KF movies. As adaptable as Donnie Yen is to different M.A. styles, I'll bet he could portray a role like that onscreen very well.

[GeneChing]

Opening April 29, 2010 in Asia & Oz.

Ip Man 2 葉問2 (2010) - Shooting Diary 1: COMING TO AUSTRALIAN CINEMAS 29 APRIL 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XllDwaM6Sg)

Ip Man 2 葉問2 (2010) - Shooting Diary 2: COMING TO AUSTRALIAN CINEMAS 29 APRIL 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yoUJm56y9)

Donnie vs. Sammo again like in SPL (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38795). I'm all in.

[GeneChing]

Didn't know there was a Madame Tussauds in HK.


Donnie Yen's wax figure to display at Madame Tussauds in HK (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/entertainment/2010-03/11/c_13207100.htm)
English.news.cn 2010-03-11 20:47:19

HONG KONG, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen will have his wax figure displayed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong next month, announced the wax museum on Thursday.

The wax figure, mimicking Yen's role in the Chinese martial arts movie Ip Man, portrays Yen in traditional black Chinese clothes. The movie, which has been proved a success after its release at the end of 2008, is about the legendary story of Ip Man, the father of Chinese martial art Wing Chun.

Yen's sitting was conducted in Shanghai in September last year, when he was filming Ip Man 2. Sculptors from Madame Tussauds took hundreds of photographs of Yen and detailed measurements from every angle to perfect the wax figure, said the museum.

Donnie Yen, who attended the press conference held by the museum Thursday, said it was not easy to be a wax figure model, and "it took me hours".

He was also fascinated by the variety of sample hair, eye balls, teeth and tools that the sculptors used.

The wax figure will be unveiled in late April.

Madame Tussauds HK, the first permanent Madame Tussauds in Asia, opened in August 2000, featuring over 100 local and international celebrity wax figures in six themed areas.

The other eight Madame Tussauds wax museums are located in London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Washington D.C., Berlin and Hollywood.

[RAYNYSC]

By Mark Pollard | Published March 10, 2010

Have you grown tired of all the Yip/Ip Man-related film projects yet? Donnie Yen, star of IP MAN and IP MAN 2 has. He has made it clear to Chinese media that after IP MAN 2, which now has an earlier Asian release date of April 29, Yen will have nothing more to do with films pertaining to the Wing Chun master.

“This will be my final film on the subject,” said Yen. “Whenever something becomes a success, everyone would jump on the bandwagon. This is very frightening. Did you know how many IP MAN films are in production? Under such condition we would not progress. It’d only lead to over-saturation of the subject matter.”

In addition to IP MAN 2, directed by Wilson Yip, there are two other major Yip Man films coming out in 2010. One is Wong Kar-wai’s long in development biopic THE GRAND MASTER, starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Herman Yau’s THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN, starring real-life Wing Chun practitioner Tu Yu-hang as a younger Yip Man.

As of last year, Taiwanese producer Yang Pei-pei (FLYING DAGGERS) has also been reportedly trying to get a 40-episode TV series on the life of Yip Man made as well.

In case your answer is no to my initial question of whether or not you’ve had enough of Yip Man – I certainly haven’t – here are two shooting diary clips from IP MAN 2. They reveal more action, including a brief glimpse of a fast-moving bout between Yen and Sammo Hung.

I really wish some of the shots in this behind-the-scenes footage end up in the movie. I’m talking about the wide angles and even the raw audio of Sammo’s kiai. The speed of Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung is impressive. This is what kung fu in the 21st century should look like. There is clearly a high degree of speed, precision, power, and intensity that exists on set, some of which can actually get lost or deemphasized by a director’s sometimes stifling vision. This is the kind of movie where the cameras should just pull back and let the screen fighters take charge.

[RAYNYSC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XllDwaM6Sg

[GeneChing]

There's a few subsidiary articles in the wake of this THR one today on the web.

Donnie Yen set for 'Ip Man' sequel (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i6e499b206b4e48abb88513d8d36b0bea)
Martial arts film to be released April 29 in Hong Kong, China
By Karen Chu

March 21, 2010, 07:50 PM ET
HONG KONG -- Donnie Yen fights Western powers in "Ip Man 2," the sequel to the 200 million yuan ($29.3 million) grossing 2008 Chinese hit, the films' producer Raymond Wong told The Hollywood Reporter.

Scheduled for release April 29 in Hong Kong and China, the $10 million sequel on the martial arts master will hold a press conference Monday at Filmart.

"Ip Man 2" marks the last film Wong will produce for Mandarin Films, the company he founded in 1991. He resigned from the position of chairman in 2009 and remains as a director and shareholder.

The next films he produces will be under Pegasus Motion Pictures, the production outfit he set up with son Edmond. Upcoming will be an untitled action drama starring Louis Koo, who has signed with Pegasus, a HK$60 million seven-picture deal including the recent comedy "All's Well Ends Well Too 2010," and a project with longtime collaborator Donnie Yen.

"Ip Man 2," helmed by the original's director Wilson Yip, written by Edmond Wong and featured action choreography by Sammo Hung, follows the story of the original blockbuster biopic and details the renowned Wing Chun expert's life after he relocated to Hong Kong from Southern China and his struggle to survive in the then-British colony by teaching martial arts.

"The film deals with how Hong Kong people were treated under British colonial rule, and Western attitudes concerning Chinese kung fu," Wong said. "In the first 'Ip Man,' Donnie Yen fought Japanese invaders; in this installment, he fights boxing Westerners with Wing Chun."

Wong intended for the premise to appeal to the audience in China, where nationalistic sentiments run high.

"The Chinese audience responded enthusiastically to the depiction of the traditional culture of martial arts in the original, and they appreciated the fact that the film was more than just a kung fu actioner, but also a drama with a nationalistic undertone, as in the portrayal of the Chinese resistance against Japanese invasion," Wong said. The title character also fights opposite Sammo Hung, who plays a grand master of Hung Kuen, a traditional discipline of martial arts.

But before the series turns into the "Rocky" of China, where the title character faced opponents of different nationalities in consecutive installments, producer Wong said they would give him a rest, especially in light of the competing Ip Man projects, such as Wong Kar-wai's "The Grand Master" under his own Jet Tone and China's Sil-Metropole, and the Herman Yau-directed prequel "Young Ip Man" for National Arts Entertainment.

[GeneChing]

Ip Man 2 Trailer 2010 (葉問2) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_uzG-WPQRA)

I like this teaser - it's short but very provocative: Ip Man 2 葉問2 Teaser Trailer with English Subtitles COMING TO AUSTRALIAN CINEMAS 29 APRIL 2010!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NDuMdWf3Bo)

[GeneChing]

...if you're in Asia... :(


Yip Man 2 continues kungfu legend (http://english.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20100426/102828.shtml)
2010-04-26 13:26 BJT

As the opening selection for the Beijing Student Film Festival, "Yip Man 2", the sequel of last year's biopic about Kungfu master Yip Man, is getting a lot of attention even before its general release at the end of April.

Based on the success of the first installment, producers have high expectations for "Yip Man 2". Next, Culture Express shines its spotlight on this highly anticipated movie.

"Yip Man 2" sees the re-pairing of Director Wilson Yip and kung-fu star Donnie Yen as they try to repeat the magic of the original award-winning Yip Man blockbuster. The sequel will be released next Thursday, April 29th, and run through the May-day holiday.

The sequel is about Yip Man being elevated from a master and hero, to a grandmaster. The plot focuses on disputes between the disciples of two schools of Kungfu... Yip Man's school Wing Chun and another, Hung Ga. The conflict and rivalry between the two practitioners is ultimately set aside as they combine forces to fight against British colonial rule in Shanghai.

Besides the director Wilson Yip and lead actor Donnie Yen, co-stars Lynn Xiong, Simon Yan, and Louis Fan reprise their roles from the first installment. Some new cast members include Huang Xiaoming and Sammo Hung. Huang plays an outstanding disciple of Yip Man. But making a film is challenging for him... in real life, Huang is a layman of Kungfu.

Huang Xiaoming, actor, said, "On the first day I fought with Donnie Yen, I knew it was not a job that could be done by normal people. I was about to quit. It was not like fighting with a dummy, cause a dummy would move if you strike it. But his arm is totally hard, there is no way to slack off even a little."

Donnie Yen, actor, said, "While we were shooting, I told him I'd been fighting with real opponents for over twenty years. And you have to fight with the hard bones. After so many years, I have gotten used to it. And in his case, his face turned pale, his arms couldn't be raised up, and it seemed that he couldn't stand it any more. I came up to him... asked him "are you OK?" He says, "I'm OK, I can make it". I said to him, "Have a rest." And when he really couldn't bear it any more, we let him have a rest. But in less than five minutes, he said, "let's go on." I appreciate such spirit in him."

Compared to "Yip Man" 1, the highlight of this movie is the fighting between the two kungfu schools Wing Chun and Hung Ga. And playing the master of Hung Ga is none other than Sammo Hung, the choreographer of the kungfu sequences of movie. Hung cooperated with Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen in the 2005 movie "Sha Po Lang", where Hung and Yen fought against each other. But this time, the fighting scenes of the two are said to be more wonderful and heart stopping.

At the end of 2008, "Yip Man" 1 turned out to be a black horse in the year-end film market bringing in 100 million yuan, or close to 15 million US dollars. It pocketed Best Film at the Hong Kong Film Awards the following year. Donnie Yen's portrayal of the Kungfu master won him the title of "King of Kungfu".

Donnie Yen said, "I think for an actor, if someone calls you your role's name, it's a big success. From last year till now, I have a new name "Yip Man". Since the film won tremendous applause from the audience, we've cherished the honor very much. The whole crew and I are trying our best to shoot a sequel that both makes Chinese proud, and dazzles the whole world, to see how splendid Chinese culture is. This Yip Man might be the last one of Yip Man series. But we'll continue to shoot films that introduce the essence of Chinese culture to the world."

"Yip Man 2" won wide applause from college students during its screening at the Beijing Student Film Festival. It is expected to arouse both admiration for Kungfu and patriotism from the general audience when it is released next Thursday.

[kristcaldwell]

i greatly enjoyed the first one, and am always happy to see sammo hung in a movie...but i think they should have just left well-enough alone.

[solo1]

the first one rocked, love donnie yen cant wait to see this one. Thought it was going to be anotherr run of the mill kung fu flick it was an extremely well done bio pic, great photography , great music, little was lost having to read the subtitles, my mandarin is a little rusty.

[GeneChing]

I just realized that this thread is mis-titled. The Legend is Born — Ip Man is not Ip Man 2. I'm changing that now.

FILM REVIEW: Ip Man is back … and more or less the same (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2010/04/30/2003471857)
The fictionalized life story of kung fu master Ip Man continues in Hong Kong under British colonial rule
By Ho Yi
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Apr 30, 2010, Page 16

FILM NOTES
Ip Man 2 (葉問2)

Directed by:
Wilson Yip (葉偉信)

Starring:
Donnie Yen (甄子丹) as Ip Man, Samm o Hung (洪金寶) as Hung Chun-nam, Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明) as Wong Leung, Ly nn Dailin Xiong (熊黛林) as Zhang Yong Cheng

Running time:
104 minutes

Language:
In Cantonese and English with English and Chinese subtitles

Since its release last year, the immensely successful Ip Man (葉問) has elevated its eponymous grandmaster of the wing chun (詠春) martial arts school to an icon of Chinese kung fu and propelled action star Donnie Yen (甄子丹) to superstardom.

The highly anticipated sequel, Ip Man 2 (葉問2), closely follows the format that made its predecessor a blockbuster hit. But this time the Chinese hero-versus-foreign invaders narrative is fleshed out without wire fu or CGI-enhanced martial arts moves.

Yen is joined by action director Sammo Hung (洪金寶), who plays a supporting but important role in the follow-up that won’t disappoint fans, though it doesn’t offer many surprises.

The story begins with Ip Man (Yen) fleeing to Hong Kong having defeated the Japanese general in Foshan. To support his family, Ip Man sets up a wing chun academy. But as a newcomer to the British colony, the unassuming kung fu master soon catches the attention of master Hung of the powerful Hung Ga school. Respected by various martial arts schools, Hung insists that, in order to earn his right to teach wing chun in Hong Kong, Ip Man must win duels against local masters.

The challenge leads to a masterfully choreographed fight between Ip Man and Hung that dazzles with its sheer intensity and virtuosity, a scene that deserves to be considered one of the most memorable fighting sequences in kung fu cinema.

The duel ends in a draw, and despite the combatants’ differences, the two come to respect each other’s skills and integrity.

As with the first installment, the second half of the film follows the martial arts hero rising up against foreign oppressors. Only this time, it is not the villainous Japanese our Chinese hero does battle with, but an evil white man in the form of boxing champion Twister (Darren Shahlavi), who brutally beats master Hung to death in what was supposed to be a friendly match.

Outraged, Ip Man challenges the vicious pugilist to a final battle in front of a cheering crowd.

Veteran martial arts star Hung once again creates the adrenaline-pumping, close-range combat sequences that show Yen fighting his way through a fish market melee, tabletop duel and ringside battle.

Director Wilson Yip (葉偉信) and scriptwriter Edmond Wong (黃子桓) neatly tie these action sequences closely to the plot.

One thing that this old-school kung fu fare has gone too far with, however, is its overly caricatured portrait of foreign villains. Though in the first Ip Man movie, the Japanese general, played by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, seems to have a shred of humanity left within him, the white men in the follow-up are comically wicked and corrupt, prompting the contemporary viewer to wonder why the villains are still as embarrassingly witless and one-dimensional as they were in Bruce Lee’s (李小龍) heyday.

Despite its plot holes, the Ip Man series has potential and recalls the 1990s’ Once Upon a Time in China (黃飛鴻) franchise starring Jet Li (李連杰). The brief appearance toward the end of the film of a young Bruce Lee, Ip Man’s famous disciple, hints at the possibility of another sequel, though Yen has reportedly said he won’t be in another Ip Man movie.

What is certain is that competing Ip Man projects will soon hit the silver screen, including Wong Kar-wai’s (王家衛) The Grand Master (一代宗師), currently in development, and Herman Yau’s (邱禮濤) prequel The Legend is Born — Ip Man (葉問前傳), slated for commercial release in July.


Cinema: Spirit of Wing Chun lives (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20100428171124/Article/index_html)
2010/04/28
PHILIP LIM
nstent@nst.com.my
OPENS TODAY : IP MAN 2

Directed by Wilson Yip
Starring Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Lynn Hung and Huang Xiaoming

WITH the great success of Ip Man last year, it was inevitable that a sequel would follow close on its heels. True to its original concept, Ip Man 2 continues with the sifu and his family moving to Hong Kong in 1949.

From a man of means in Foshan, China, Ip Man was reduced to living in a decrepit rented room and surviving on almost nothing. As a result of greatly reduced circumstances, Ip Man (Donnie Yen) started advertising his Wing Chun martial arts.

Initially, nothing happened but Ip Man didn’t lose hope. One day, a brash young man Wong Leung (Huang Xiao-ming) went to the rooftop where Ip Man was waiting for his students.

But instead of signing up as a student, Wong challenged Ip Man to a duel. After he was soundly beaten, Wong brought along his friends and they all became Ip Man’s first batch of students. The story of Ip Man and his slow rise from adversity in British colony Hong Kong would touch the hearts of many Chinese who remembered what it was like immediately after the war. Thankfully, this sequel has not lost its direction and has retained its essence of its successful original.

The earthy colours of the entire film reflect the mood of Ip Man’s early years. Even though Part 1 had a more heart-rending tale, Ip Man 2 carried more action-packed scenes.

Much of the angst in this sequel can be credited to the appearance of Sammo Hung, who was the action director for Part 1 & 2 of Ip Man. He played Master Hung of the Hung School of martial arts.

As top dog in that part of colony where Ip Man made his home, Hung collected money from all the other wushu centres, so that order may be maintained. Ip Man was at odds with Hung’s practices and they settled their feud with an exciting match on a round table-top.

The table-top wushu scenes are arguably the most exciting in the entire film. Hung’s practical approach to the realities of life was in total contrast to Ip Man’s philosophy.

Although both men were not the best of friends, there was an inherent understanding of the core principles of wushu that linked both their lives together. Although the fight scenes are in no way more extraordinary, the tenets of brotherhood, honour, loyalty and the indefatigable spirit of human dignity form the foundation of Ip Man 2. For those who have enjoyed Part 1, the sequel has illuminated the Wing Chun path that Ip Man has painstakingly paved in the ghettos of Hong Kong. The strength of Ip Man 2 must be attributed once again to Donnie Yen who has delivered a superb portrayal of Wing Chun master Ip Man.

The persona of Ip Man has been exemplified in Yen’s onscreen gentle demeanour, scholarly bearing and philosophical mien. Simon Yam also returned to reprise his role as Ip Man’s best friend Chow Ching-chuen.

Although his role was minor and tragic, Yam gave credence to some of the personal pains that Ip Man suffered in a new chapter of his life. Other players in Ip Man 2 include Fatso (Kent Cheng), a Chinese police officer who was in cahoots with his British superiors but later redeemed himself, and Leung Kan (Pierre Ngo), the chief editor of the Chinese daily who faced great odds to expose the truth to the people. What cinematic biographical account of Ip Man would be complete without the mention of his most famous pupil, Bruce Lee? So I was a little disappointed when Bruce Lee showed up in the dying minutes of the film. A plucky kid introduced himself to sifu Ip Man as Lee Siao Loong, he rubbed his nose with his right thumb and says he wanted to learn Wing Chun because he wanted to beat up those people he doesn’t like. Ip Man laughed, shook his head and the rest was history. Fans of Ip Man and worldwide practitioners of this wushu art would be pleased to know that the spirit of Wing Chun is still very much alive in this film. Director Yip Wai-shun had taken great pains not to deviate too far from the path of his original success.

After all, Ip Man did win Best Picture at the 28th Hong Kong Films Awards last year. Thus, it is expected that wushu fans will be as greatly entertained by the well choreographed fight scenes in this sequel as they have been in Part 1.

[GeneChing]

Don't these people know that all of us fans will have seen the DVD long before early 2011?

Well Go Picks Up ‘Ip Man’ (http://www.homemediamagazine.com/pipeline/well-go-picks-up-ip-man-19211)
By : Chris Tribbey | Posted: 27 Apr 2010
ctribbey@questex.com

Well Go USA has picked up the North American rights to Ip Man and Ip Man 2, two Chinese martial arts films starring Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen.

Semi-autobiographical in nature, the films are based on the life of Ip Man, a martial arts master who was the first to teach the Wing Chun style openly. He was teacher and mentor to Bruce Lee.

“Ip Man is an amazing story, and the film has had such a phenomenal response overseas from critics and audiences alike that I am so proud to be able to bring it to the American audience,” said Doris Pfardrescher, Well Go president of home entertainment. “This acquisition is a big move forward for Well Go USA especially as the popularity of Asian cinema continues to grow in North America.”

The first film pulled in more than $21 million at the Asian box office and won Best Film honors at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Well Go will release it on DVD July 27.

The second film will see a limited theatrical release in the United States in early 2011.

“No one ever imagined that Ip Man would be such a huge sensation,” said producer Raymond Wong. “The box office success and public praise of Ip Man did not only create a public longing for the sequel, it also inspired the production team to work together again.”

[Dale Dugas]

Nope. They will think the opposite.

[GeneChing]

Still behind Hollywood, but gaining.

UPDATED: May 5, 2010
Ip Man 2 Sold $15 Mln in First Week (http://bjreview.com.cn/movies/txt/2010-05/05/content_270090.htm)
Wilson Yip's martial-arts blockbuster Ip Man 2 has taken 100 million yuan in its first week of release at Chinese mainland cinemas

Wilson Yip's martial-arts blockbuster Ip Man 2 has taken 100 million yuan ($15 million) in its first week of release at Chinese mainland cinemas, M1905.com reports.

Over 300,000 people watched the film on its opening night on April 27, and ticket sales were close to 9 million yuan ($1.3 million). The distributor said the film also topped the box office over the 3-day May Day holiday.

However, industry observers said that with the releases of Iron Man 2 and How to Train Your Dragon in the Chinese mainland, Ip Man 2's goal of grossing 300 million yuan is far from guaranteed.

(CRIENGLISH.com May 4, 2010)

[Water-quan]

I thought it was racist.

[GeneChing]

Most of the people I know that have seen this feel it's a strong sequel, but not quite as good as the first (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52218). I think I concur with that, but feel I should see the first one again, just to be sure. It the very least, I'd say it's on par with the original. This is a sequel in the truest sense, picking up right where the first film left off. There's some enjoyable action for sure. You just can't beat Sammo and Donnie fights. That's always satisfying. Like True Legend (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52398), it has Caucasian baddies and ends in a showcase political ring match, but instead of wushu versus wrasslin, it's wing chun versus boxing. China is still trying to get over being occupied by the UK. Overall, it's pretty entertaining and I loved the ending, which totally set up Ip Man 3 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57165).

Donnie is talking about abandoning the role, which I think would be sad. It reminds me of Jet leaving Wong Fei Hung (OUATIC), but that ended on a bizarre note (and restarted on even a more bizarre note). What with The Grand Master (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53227) & Herman Yau's The Legend is Born: Ip Man (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57189), Ip Man is in for a convoluted franchise.

[Jimbo]

I'm really glad that the Ip Man franchise has reignited, at least temporarily, an interest in MA films in HK/China. But I can totally understand Donnie's reticence to drive the series into the ground by doing too many of the movies. Rather than create an oversaturation of Ip Man/Wing Chun films, why don't they make movies about other historical KF figures? How about films about Chan Heung, or Kuo Yun-Shen, or Dong Haiquan? Or any of a number of others. Over-saturation of just one character/historical figure/KF style will be a sure way to kill the resurgence of MA films in HK/China sooner rather than later. Like when they overdid the Wong Fei-Hong movies in the '90s. Sometimes it's best to switch gears in a particular genre before it gets too old and tired.

[Sardinkahnikov]

“This will be my final film on the subject,” said Yen. “Whenever something becomes a success, everyone would jump on the bandwagon. This is very frightening. Did you know how many IP MAN films are in production? Under such condition we would not progress. It’d only lead to over-saturation of the subject matter.”

Righteous.

Saw Ip Man 2. The fight scene were really entertaining, but I didn't care much for the story tho. An all around good fu flick, I'd say.

[Sardinkahnikov]

Rather than create an oversaturation of Ip Man/Wing Chun films, why don't they make movies about other historical KF figures? How about films about Chan Heung, or Kuo Yun-Shen, or Dong Haiquan? Or any of a number of others. .

They could make a movie about that Eagle Claw guy master beat senseless about 5 unarmed missionaries and bragged about it :)

[blackjesus]

watched it last night in Melbounre.
Great fighting seq.
It shown the bad tradition and the good tradition of Kung Fu culture.
When Sammo Hung fight, i told my friends: that's MY STYLE! :)
The 8 diagram plam and monkey fists are entertaining.
I thought there will be praying mantis, CLF or Eagle Claw cos that's the popular styles back then.

[SPJ]

just picked up the dvd from the bookstore.

and viewed it

it is kind of a depressing movie. no money, 9 month before first student showed up------

some good things I like

1. lei tai on a dining table.

monkey style, ba gua, wing chun, hong fist---

2. without paying 100 hk $ due to the fishmarket boss (hong fist si fu) , yip man had to close the school.

smartly, the students practicing in the public park, no rents, no people harassing you to shut down the school, there is no school yard to close---

----

[SPJ]

3. the contest of no contest
the dispute of no dispute

the spirit of --

4. eating the dinner with family is more important than winning the challenge fight--
actually there are many more important things in life than just winning a fight --

5. the theory of cutting into or occupation of the center line/road

from ankle, knee, thigh to hip/waist (from inside of the opponent both legs)
from wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, temple (from inside of the opponent both arms) to the center on top of the head.

monkey style is about tumbling, and changing postures fast, however the dinner table was too small and slippery to do a monkey style, WC protected its center line.

ba gua was not able to attack from side and the back, YP protected its center line from the ankle to the top/head and faced ba gua si fu with his front facing. ironically, YP was able to cut into his centerline by grabbing his leg and go along the center line of his back all the way to the head and hit his temple---

6. hong si fu wanted a son, so he kept trying and ended up with many daughters and the last kid being a son--

7. bruce lee entered the movie at the end. BL was a child actor in HK. He certainly brightened the movie, it was kind of depressing till BL showed up and the rest is history.

---

[GeneChing]

Yen emerges from shadow of Chan, Li (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izsds-uVHHN6ZJlYWN6PzG0T0T-wD9HCE60G0)
By MIN LEE (AP) – 12 hours ago

HONG KONG — For years, Donnie Yen worked in the shadow of Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Having fought both on-screen, the 47-year-old actor was considered a worthy opponent but not necessarily a leading man in his own right.

The dynamic changed after Yen took on the role of Bruce Lee's kung fu master in 2008. "Ip Man" was a hit and two years later, the sequel was also successful. "Ip Man 2" is the top-grossing local film in China in the first half of the year with a box office take of $34 million, second only to "Avatar" and beating other Hollywood blockbusters like "Iron Man 2" and "Clash of the Titans."

With Chan and Li cutting down on output and seeking more dramatic roles, Yen is now the most prolific action star. Last year, he had three releases. This year, four are scheduled, including "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen," which was chosen as one of the two opening movies at the Venice Film Festival in September.

His breakthrough role as Ip best showcased his personality and was right for the times, Yen told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

Yen said Chinese viewers have tired of the superhuman feats of action heroes like Lee, Li and Chan and found Ip more accessible because he "just comes off as your friend, a friendly neighbor."

"What people want to see is someone closer to the people, someone with family values, maybe even a man who's afraid of his wife, a domesticated man. We crafted this character — but at the same time he excels at kung fu. He's powerful. He can protect his family and the people around him," he said.

Film scholar David Bordwell said it's exactly that pedestrian quality, the lack of a "star persona" that has defined Yen's career.

"He isn't fierce and short-tempered like Bruce Lee was, or a comic figure like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung," said Bordwell, a leading expert on Hong Kong cinema.

"He can play many different roles, so in a sense he might be considered the first top-rank Hong Kong martial arts star who is a character actor rather than automatically a hero," the retired University of Wisconsin at Madison professor said.

"Ip Man" marked a "major step forward" for Yen because it was a good fit and the veteran actor skillfully handled Ip's transformation from a reserved martial arts teacher to fearless defender of Chinese pride, Bordwell said.

Three years shy of 50, Yen, who was born in China and raised in Hong Kong and Boston, is capitalizing on his new level of stardom and says he has no plans to slow down. In "Legend of the Fist," he plays the nationalistic fighter Lee made famous in his 1972 movie "The Chinese Connection." In two other upcoming releases, Yen tackles the Three Kingdoms period general Guan Yu from ancient China and the mythical Monkey King. He's also working on a martial arts film with Peter Chan, a Hong Kong director best known for his love stories. The actor, who was trained by his mother, a martial arts teacher, is also fight choreographer on all four productions.

"I want to continue to make breakthroughs in kung fu film and action film," Yen said, adding his biggest challenge now is to combine dazzling fight scenes and compelling storytelling.

"Flashy, fierce and fresh fight sequences are no longer the only requirement. Now they also need to move the emotions of the audience," he said. "If the drama is unsuccessful, no matter how spectacular your fight sequences, it doesn't matter."

However, Yen, who appeared in "Highlander: Endgame," "Blade II" and "Shanghai Knights," isn't interested in a Hollywood career, preferring to focus on cultivating his following in the growing mainland market, calling it a "golden opportunity."

"For an actor, a Chinese-speaking filmmaker, given how gloriously the mainland Chinese market has developed in the past few years — foreign markets can't match the kind of creative space that brings," he said.
Donnie is spot on with this closing comment.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Donnie is, by far, my fav MA actor, period.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Anyone seen Legend of the fist yet?

[GeneChing]

The last release date I heard was Sep 21 - see here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1029983&postcount=5).

Here's our Legend of the Fist thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55650).

[SPJ]

I just viewed ip man biography before ip man 1 and ip man 2.

really enjoyed it.

:cool:

[Yoshiyahu]

I have just seen Ip Man the movie 2. It was great. Although I was kinda of disappointed with his fight with the White guy who does boxing. It almost glorifies western style fighting and gives off the impression that western fighters are stronger and more comptent fighters than the chinese?

What do you think about this movie?

[pmosiun]

..........

[Paul T England]

you hooked me :(

Ok,

1) Good movie
2) not historically correct (from my understanding)
3) Western boxing is great, fighters are tough and would beat many wing chun guys! (Sorry but its true)
4) Ip Man won in the end (in the film!)
5) Asians are sometimes easily dominated by Westerners in many respects. (because they play our game instead of thier own) Chi Sau, push hands, ufc etc


If you want to be good, foget about Ip Man, respect yes, understand your history yes, and train you ass off in a constructive and illegient way.

paul
www.moifa.co.uk

[Lindley]

Boxing has weight classes. The boxer has sparring partners, training preparation etc. Boxer runs, jumps rope etc. Boxing is a sport. Ip Man is clearly much smaller, and only had "kung fu" preparation. Not used to gloves coming at him, nothing to really engage. His arsenal was limited as shown by the incident where they questioned and made illegal his using kicking. So the hero had so many things making him such an underdog. Now, imagine if Ip man ran 5 miles a day, did cardio, sparred, and weighed within 20 pounds of that guy! priceless..

[Yoshiyahu]

In your opinion do you believe the Hung Gar guy was beaten that easily? I mean really? In real life someone strong who practices Hung Gar would they be beaten that easily?

Give me your opinion?


Boxing has weight classes. The boxer has sparring partners, training preparation etc. Boxer runs, jumps rope etc. Boxing is a sport. Ip Man is clearly much smaller, and only had "kung fu" preparation. Not used to gloves coming at him, nothing to really engage. His arsenal was limited as shown by the incident where they questioned and made illegal his using kicking. So the hero had so many things making him such an underdog. Now, imagine if Ip man ran 5 miles a day, did cardio, sparred, and weighed within 20 pounds of that guy! priceless..

[GeneChing]

New Trailer And Poster For US Release Of 'Ip Man 2' (http://blog.seattlepi.com/lastthing/archives/230529.asp)

The Ip Man movies have generated a ton of buzz over the last few years, with good reason, as they're some of the best martial arts films in recent memory. Following the eponymous Ip Man, the founder of Wing Chun, who famously instructed Bruce Lee, the second installment, Ip Man 2 will hit US theaters for a limited release on January 28, 2011. In accordance, a new trailer and poster have been released.

Here's a summary:

After escaping the Japanese occupation of his hometown of Foshan, China, Ip Man and his family have arrived in Hong Kong, which is living under the iron fist of British colonial rule. Ip wants to support his family by opening up a martial arts academy to teach his unique Wing Chun style. But a corrupt cabal of Hong Kong martial arts masters, led by Hung Chun-nam, refuses to allow Ip to teach until he proves himself – and prove himself he does, in an intense series of fights against the masters showcasing a dazzling variety of martial arts styles, culminating in a highly anticipated brawl between Ip and Hung atop a rickety table. But even after gaining the respect of the masters, Ip's troubles are far from over. Hong Kong under British rule is a world of corruption, and when a Western-style boxer named Taylor "Twister" Milos comes to town to entertain the British upper-class, and insults both Chinese martial arts and the native citizens in a horrifically violent way, Ip must step up and fight for the honor of both his kung fu and the Chinese people. Forced by honor to enter a brutal "King of the Ring" boxing match against Twister, it's East versus West in an amazing, knock-down drag-out fight to the finish.

If nothing else Ip Man 2 is worth a look to see martial arts badasses Donnie Yen and Samo Hung (who have both been in too many amazing films to name here) engage in an epic battle of legends. That alone promises to be worth the price of admission.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/lastthing/library/Ip_Man_2_Poster.jpg

A U.S. release...finally.

[doug maverick]

poster looks dope.

[GeneChing]

Enter the Teacher to the Dragon of Martial Arts Films (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/movies/23ipman.html)
By DENNIS LIM
Published: January 21, 2011

NEARLY four decades after his death, Bruce Lee remains one of the most potent symbols of Hong Kong cinema’s golden age. The original crossover martial artist, a local child star turned celebrated creator of Jeet Kune Do, the art of the intercepting fist, Lee made only a handful of films after his international breakthrough. (He died in 1973 at the age of 32.) But kung fu classics like “Fist of Fury” (1972) and “Enter the Dragon” (1973) are the stuff of countless homages and imitations, and Lee’s life and career have been chronicled in dozens of books and films. While the Hong Kong martial arts drama has long been in decline, it’s only fitting that the latest stirrings of a revival are connected to Lee: the most popular kung fu screen hero of the moment is none other than Lee’s mentor, Ip Man.

Born in the southern Chinese city Foshan, Ip Man (1893-1972) settled in Hong Kong after the Communist takeover of 1949 and devoted his life to the practice and popularization of the Wing Chun fighting style, known for its explosive, close-range strikes. Until recently his cinematic afterlife has been confined to brief appearances in films about his most famous student, but a growing wave of Ip Man movies has elevated him to a folk hero in his own right.

First came Wilson Yip’s “Ip Man” (2008), a biopic set in the 1930s, before and during the Japanese occupation, with the action star Donnie Yen in the title role. (A big hit in Asia, it received a brief theatrical run in the United States last year.) Mr. Yen and Mr. Yip reteamed — along with the illustrious fight choreographer Sammo Hung — for “Ip Man 2,” which covers its hero’s years in 1950s Hong Kong, as he contends with rival instructors and thuggish British colonialists. The top-grossing local film in Hong Kong last year, “Ip Man 2,” opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles.

Rushed into production on the heels of the first “Ip Man,” “The Legend Is Born — Ip Man,” directed by Herman Yau, is a prequel of sorts, focused on a teenage Ip. The filmmakers behind “Ip Man” and “Ip Man 2,” in taking on bite-size portions of their protagonist’s life, are leaving themselves open to a continuing franchise.

And Wong Kar-wai, perhaps the most revered and singular of Hong Kong auteurs, is finally shooting the Ip Man project that he has been developing for years. Titled “The Grandmasters” and featuring Mr. Wong’s regular collaborator Tony Leung in the lead role, it remains, as tends to be the case with Mr. Wong, shrouded in secrecy. (The fights are being choreographed by Yuen Wo-ping, known for his work on the “Matrix” trilogy and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”)

Mr. Yen said in an e-mail interview that the films have sparked interest in Ip Man’s biography and philosophy. “People now see Ip Man as a legendary master of his time,” Mr. Yen said, adding that the movies have done “a good job promoting Wing Chun to the world.”

Many a kung fu film is predicated on a contrast of fighting techniques — the saying “Northern leg, southern fist” broadly sums up the regional differences. To prepare for the role, Mr. Yen, who described himself as a mixed martial artist, lost 10 pounds and boned up on Wing Chun, a characteristic of which, he said, is “conquering the unyielding with the yielding.”

He spent hours late into the night practicing with a wooden dummy. Character research was inseparable from mastery of the discipline. “Using your bare fists with this traditional equipment is the best way to experience the character and his martial arts legacy,” Mr. Yen said.

Less a flesh-and-blood character than an allegorical abstraction, Mr. Yen and Mr. Yip’s Ip Man continues the long tradition of the kung fu master hero, exemplified by the much mythologized 19th-century physician and martial artist Wong Fei-hung (incarnated on screen by, among others, Jackie Chan and Jet Li). He also echoes the Bruce Lee persona in being an emblem of racial pride.

Born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, Lee appeared on American television in the late ’60s (on “The Green Hornet” and “Batman”). But it was his Hong Kong productions of the early ’70s that ignited his global superstardom. There was often a chauvinistic edge to Lee’s self-appointed role of kung fu ambassador: his films were designed as showcases of his skill, and by extension, of the superiority of Chinese martial arts. (Still, he was hardly a purist, inventing his own camera-friendly style and often incorporating non-Chinese elements.) “Fist of Fury,” set in the early 20th century in the Shanghai International Settlement, pits Lee against a variety of colonialist adversaries; “Return of the Dragon” builds to a gladiatorial showdown with Chuck Norris in the Roman Colosseum.

Mr. Yen’s Ip Man is likewise compelled to demonstrate the dominance of his technique, facing down northern interlopers in “Ip Man” and a rival master of the Hung Ga school (played by Mr. Hung) in “Ip Man 2.” The main villains are caricatured foreigners: a glowering Japanese general and karate expert in the first film and a barbaric British boxing champion in the second.

The Ip Man films speak to the tricky economics and politics of post-hand-over Hong Kong cinema. For many the return of the British colony to Chinese rule in 1997 brought down the curtain on what was once one of the world’s scrappiest and most vibrant film industries.

The scholar David Bordwell points out in the updated edition of his landmark study “Planet Hong Kong” that the decline was already under way before 1997, thanks to a combination of factors that included piracy, a defection of talent, the iron grip of Hollywood and the ascendance of other Asian cinemas. The upshot: In the past decade Hong Kong cinema, an export business even in its prime, has grown more dependent on the financing power and large audiences of mainland China.

Li Cheuk-to, a film critic and the artistic director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, had a twofold explanation for the nationalist bent of the Ip Man films, which are Hong Kong-China co-productions. “On one hand it is an homage to, or an exploitation of, the Bruce Lee films,” Mr. Li said by e-mail. “On the other hand it is a calculated move to please the audience, especially the Chinese in the mainland market, where anti-Japanese and xenophobic sentiments are stronger than in Hong Kong.”

Mr. Yip, the director of the films, acknowledged that their patriotic tenor might partly account for their appeal. Ip Man, he said, “survived a difficult period in his life, as did China, and still became one of the great masters in martial arts.”

But politics is ultimately secondary. As martial-arts throwdowns, the Ip Man movies live or die on the strength of their fight scenes, and the response from the kung fu cognoscenti has been mostly favorable. Mr. Li characterized the fights as a continuation of the “hard-hitting, dynamic yet intricate style” that Mr. Yip, Mr. Yen and Mr. Hung developed in their first collaboration, the crime thriller “Kill Zone” (2005).

In Hollywood brawls, digitally abetted staccato edits and shaky, off-center perspectives increasingly create a visceral impression of tumult at the expense of coherence (as in the Bourne and Batman movies). But even at their most kinetic the best Hong Kong movies generally ensure that a viewer is able to follow the action in an action sequence. Even in an age of computer-generated imagery, Mr. Li said, the priorities of Hong Kong genre cinema remain “intricate action choreography and a shot breakdown that shows each movement clearly.”

This visual legibility is a point of honor for the martial arts performer, a confirmation of his bona fides. Bruce Lee was often filmed in shots that framed him head to toe, the better to show off his moves. “New technologies should really only be used to enhance the visual quality, not to manipulate the entire fight choreography,” Mr. Yen said. He noted with pride that an especially demanding scene in “Ip Man 2,” in which he and Mr. Hung square off on a teetering table surrounded by upturned benches, took eight days to film.

For the kung fun fan sheer physical ability remains the greatest special effect. “To do an action as simple as standing on a wooden pole takes great skill,” Mr. Yip said. “No amount of technology can recreate that, even today.”
Opens in U.S. theaters this Friday, but only a limited release. I'm sure S.F. will have it. Not sure about where else yet.

[GeneChing]

Ip Man 2
will open in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco/San Jose, Honolulu, Portland, Dallas and Austin on January 28, with more markets to follow.
Debating whether or not I'll go to see it on the big screen. I've got STRIKEFORCE: Diaz vs Cyborg (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59561) this Saturday - not sure if I can sneak in a movie that I've already seen in there too. I suppose it depends on where exactly it is showing for me. I know, I know, I should go out and support. We all should.

[Jimbo]

I hope it eventually plays in San Diego. I'd like to see it on the big screen first. I wouldn't expect it to become a big hit, but maybe it will play in one of the art house theaters.

If it gains enough attention, it *may* give some impetus for a possible future Donnie Yen/Tony Jaa onscreen pairing.

[GeneChing]

'Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster' review (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/28/MV9V1HE7AH.DTL)
Amy Biancolli, Hearst Movie Writer
Friday, January 28, 2011

Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster
ALERT VIEWER Action. Directed by Wilson Ip. Starring Donnie Yen. (R. 108 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.)
Well Go USA/Variance Films

If there is one cardinal rule of action movies, it's this: Any sneering bad guy who informs the hero that he's "making a big mistake" is, at that very moment, making an exceptionally big one. That's doubly true when our hero is Ip Man (Donnie Yen), the hallowed Wing Chun instructor of Hong Kong and the transcendently awesome butt-kicker of "Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster."

Wing Chun is a form of kung fu that combines offense and defense in fleet, close maneuvers. Ip Man (also spelled Yip Man) was a revered practitioner whose many illustrious students included Bruce Lee. You wouldn't know it from the movies, but the real Ip Man used opium and worked as a cop, and never went mano-a-mano with a kung-fu fighting Japanese general.

That was in the first "Ip Man," released in 2008 and directed, like this one, by Wilson Yip. It was a magnificent, ridiculous, audaciously overwrought story, which included a delightful bit in which he uses a feather duster to beat the snot out of a sword-wielding bully.

He can use just about anything to beat the snot out of just about anyone, but he never revels in this ability. He's a man of modesty. Slim, mild-mannered and committed to the Confucian principles of the Chinese martial arts, Master Ip approaches his opponents with an otherworldly calm that explodes in a flurry of darting kicks and punches when circumstances require.

Whereas "Ip Man" was set in mainland China during the late 1930s, "Ip Man 2" takes place in Hong Kong after his arrival there with wife and son. Instead of sadistic Japanese occupiers, we now have cartoonishly slimy British expats and a clubby old group of rival kung fu masters. They're annoying and imperious - Ip Man's martial arts school is muscling in on their turf, darn it - but they're certainly a limber group of seniors.

Yen brings the same coiled, quiet power he brought to "Ip Man," carrying himself with grace until the time comes to pulverize his opponents. The fight scenes are super-crunchy fun, relying more on tightly choreographed moves and judicious enhancements than all-out airborne CGI. It honors the law of gravity, more or less. If the movie packs a weaker punch than the original, it has less to do with the action sequences than the script (by Edmond Wong, son of Raymond, who wrote the first), a flimsy affair with subpar villains. Try as they might, smarmy British twits and one overly muscled goon just don't measure up.

-- Advisory: Violence.
@Jimbo - I think Tony Jaa is done for a spell - haven't heard anything on him since this: tony jaa calls it quits (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57381). Nevertheless, we'll have something on ONG BAK 3 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53169)next week. Stay tuned.

I feel ya - it will be fun to see IM2 on the big screen. I hope everyone here can go out and support it.

[Jimbo]

@Jimbo - I think Tony Jaa is done for a spell - haven't heard anything on him since this: tony jaa calls it quits (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57381). Nevertheless, we'll have something on ONG BAK 3 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53169)next week. Stay tuned.

I feel ya - it will be fun to see IM2 on the big screen. I hope everyone here can go out and support it.

Gene:
Looks like Tony Jaa is back:
http://www.tony-jaa.net/index.php/topic,58.0html

[doug maverick]

why does it say 07/01/2011 were these pictures taken in the future?

[Hardwork108]

I have just seen Ip Man the movie 2. It was great. Although I was kinda of disappointed with his fight with the White guy who does boxing. It almost glorifies western style fighting and gives off the impression that western fighters are stronger and more comptent fighters than the chinese?

I agree with you there totally. The attitude you are referring to ruined an otherwise great film, as far as I am concerned.

So, we have the same Ip Man who destroyed around 10 Japanese Karate black belts, at the SAME TIME, almost not surviving his challenge with a mere boxer? LOL! A boxer who had previously somehow managed to kill a Hung Gar master (without the use of a machine gun)?????:rolleyes:

We are talking about one of the best known kung fu masters of the last century and not some forum member who practiced couple of years of Wing Chun is some Mcdojo!!!

Maybe someone involved in the production of the movie was an Anglophile.....

I don't know, but IMHO on some level the movie can be seen to be disrespectful as regards the TCMAs.


What do you think about this movie?

It was a great movie that was ruined by the producers paying too much "respect" to an art such as boxing, to the point that they may be seen as disrespecting the all of the TCMAs and TJMAs.

Could the movie makers' attitude be the result of the recently discovered secret traditional Western boxing technique of skipping rope?????:rolleyes:

[Jimbo]

why does it say 07/01/2011 were these pictures taken in the future?

Doug:
They probably say the dates like they do in Britain, i.e., day/month/year.

[goju]

i saw at it last night and didnt care for it:p

[GeneChing]

She's a wushu pioneer in America.

The martial arts hub (http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/02/02/the_martial_arts_hub/)
Bow Sim Mark’s legendary martial arts school in Boston is a world-class institution of learning
http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2011/02/01/1296612956_0229/300h.jpg
ABOVE: Bow Sim Mark with her daughter, Chris Chi-ching Yen. BELOW: Donny Yen in IpMan. ABOVE: Bow Sim Mark with her daughter, Chris Chi-ching Yen.
By Carlo Rotella
February 2, 2011

BOSTON DOESN’T fit with most people’s idea of a martial arts capital — not unless you broaden the range of disciplines to include dirty looks, tenure battles, and reserving shoveled-out parking spaces. But a tour of places that have played an important role in shaping today’s global martial arts media complex could make some interesting stops around here.

There’s Southie, which produced Dana White, impresario of the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand of pay-per-view mixed martial arts cage fights. There’s the Lowell boxing scene that produced Micky Ward and ****ie Eklund, heroes of “The Fighter,’’ nominated for seven Oscars. And then there’s the Chinese Wu Shu Research Institute, founded in 1976 by Bow Sim Mark and currently housed in a low-ceilinged basement space on Lincoln Street near South Station.

Master Mark’s martial arts school may not look like Harvard or MIT, but it’s one of Boston’s world-class institutions of higher learning. Dedicated students move here to study with her, and her most famous pupil, Donnie Yen, who is also her son, is one of the biggest martial arts movie stars in the world. (Her daughter, Chris Chi-ching Yen, is also in the movie business.)

I dropped by the school for a visit on Friday, the day that “Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster,’’ which stars Yen, opened in a dozen US cities (but not Boston). Master Mark, a small, self-possessed woman wearing red sweat pants and a white hoodie, was sitting around with students before class began.

Master Mark, who is best known for her virtuosity in a flowing style called Wu Dang Sword, insisted that she wants her students to practice martial arts in order to “be healthy and develop artistry,’’ not to fight. But the movies that popularize her calling are all about kicking butt. For all his rigorously proper mom-derived technique, Donnie Yen still has to blast stunt men through fake walls to make a living. Master Mark looks past the necessary exaggerations of cinematic spectacle to what matters most. “He has good form,’’ she said.

Veteran students got to telling stories about Yen as a teenager in Boston in the late ’70s, before he broke into the Hong Kong movie industry. His star persona now tends to emphasize a modest, studious discipline, but in his Boston days he was considerably more brash.

One student recalled that Yen used to go around dressed in pink from head to toe, hoping someone would give him a hard time about it. Another said that Yen once leaped entirely over an opponent and back-kicked him in the back of the head, causing a bystander to exclaim, “That stuff they do in the movies really happens!’’

The students also talked about their paths to their teacher. Nick Gracenin relocated from Pittsburgh in 1980. Rick Wong, who runs a martial arts school in Melrose, came from New York to attend Boston University so that he could study with Master Mark. Jean Lukitsch, who came to Master Mark in 1978, said, “It can take 10 years just to start feeling that you’re doing it right, but the longer you do it, the more you get out of it.’’ David Kessler said, “This isn’t just about fighting or art; I’m learning the grammar of movement, a working sense of how my body’s put together.’’

The Ip Man movies, like so many in the genre, are all about how people invest masters, schools, and styles with particular virtues, especially local or national pride. It’s funny to think of Boston as akin to the town of Foshan in the first Ip Man movie, a center for the dissemination of martial arts, but it is.

I would dearly love to report that, during my visit to Master Mark’s school, interlopers from a rival school attacked and were defeated after a great deal of acrobatic combat, but life is not as eventfully plotted as a movie. Instead, teacher and white-clad students got to work. Moving with preternatural ease and fluidity, Master Mark led them through preliminary exercises and into an extended sword routine. A lead student called out the moves — Fairy Shows the Way, Swallow Skims the Water — as the small group traced the elegant forms in the air.

Carlo Rotella is director of American Studies at Boston College. His column appears regularly in the Globe.

[Jimbo]

I was finally able to catch this at the theater. I actually enjoyed it, but even though part 2 has more fighting in it, part 1 was a lot better, IMO. Although, as has been pointed out in reviews, there's a lot of foreign stereotypes, I'll bet there were plenty of guys in HK like the British racists in the movie. I guess the stereotyping worked, because this movie had me despising the British boxer. He came across as even worse than the Japanese general in part 1, though not worse than the general's underling.

BTW, the movie takes its biggest credibility hit when "Twister" is announced as the "world boxing champion." I thought in 1950 the heavyweight champ was Rocky Marciano (or Ezzard Charles?). Whoever he was, he wasn't a British fighter taking on Chinese kung fu guys. And I seriously doubt the initially smirking British audience members would have given Ip Man a standing ovation at the end. They would probably have reacted more like that lone guy shaking his head and walking out, or probably a riot. Another credibility hit is that Ip Man can beat like 20 guys(?) who are armed and coming at him with big chopping knives w/out breaking a sweat, but can barely beat one (albeit large) boxer?

Besides Sammo, it was nice to see old-schoolers like Lo Meng, and Feng Ke-an (Cantonese: Fung Hark-On) still making appearances. And I feel that Ip Man is Donnie's best-acted role.

I'm not sure the Ip Man films do much for kung fu in general, since in each film, only Ip Man is able to win against the main foreign fighter. The other CMA teachers get trounced. However, the choreography is both 1 and 2 are leagues above most other kung fu and wuxia films coming out of China/HK in recent years, excepting Flash Point.

[SIFU RON]

AN EXCELLENT MOVIE, DONNIE YEN AND SUMMO HUNG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC1XuSkpBxI

[sanjuro_ronin]

Is it out on blu-ray yet?

[Jimbo]

sanjuro ronin:
I believe Ip Man 2 will hit the stores in April.

[GeneChing]

Funnier if you understand Cantonese

Ip Man 2 Parody Short FIlm "MoMent"- 葉問2的 Parody 冇問 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSviFPg5kN8)

[GeneChing]

Enter to win a IP MAN GRAND PRIZE (http://www.kungfumagazine.net/index.html) (3 DVDS: Ip Man, Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster & Ip Man: The Final Fight)! Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 11/14/13. Good luck everyone!

[GeneChing]

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[GeneChing]

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