Chang Shan Interview

[mickey]

Greetings,

I remember that there are people at this forum who are Chang Shan fans. I found an interview with him on youtube. He looks really well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ8rHga2UnA

Enjoy,

mickey

[jethro]

That is a great interview. He sounds like a crazy dude. I hope he is doing ok these days. I’d love to see my fav kung actor on screen again, even if it was just a cameo or something. I talked to the guy who did that interview and he said that the interview is actually an hour long. I told him I’d love to see more, but sadly, he hasn’t posted anymore.

Here’s some info I was given about Chang Shan- “Chang Shan is the toughest Kung Fu movie actor I met, he's a nutter too, he's served time in jail and has a really bad temper. his reputation is well known in Taiwan and korea. he was not working on anything last time I met him, he told me he met Benny the jet, and benny said he was one of the best fighters he'd ever met.”


Also, I think I remember you being high on Peng Kong Mickey, here’s some info on him- “Pang Gang is a bit of a Gangster he and his brother run a Gigalo agency in Shanghai now, they do many business with girls and sex stuff, they used to make porno films too, but not act in them,
he has 2 brothers they are both in kung fu films one is the skinny Abbot in shaolin v Lama who teaches Alex Lo the Buddha finger. his other Brother is the long time boyfriend of Chsang Ling, they were all at the Peking Opera school together, none of them work in movies anymore, Pang Gang was a good mate of Jackie Chan before and doubled him in Dragon fist. they fell out after Jackie gave a part he promised to Pang Gang to Chan Hui Man in Dragon Lord.”

[Jimbo]

Re: Peng Kang and Dragon Lord: When I originally saw it in the theater when it was new, I remember Peng Kang made a brief appearance as a friend of Tien Feng (who played Jackie's father). I recall it was only a few seconds of screen time, and I've seen some released versions that cut the scene entirely. Of course, Peng Kang knew Jackie from appearing in Jackie's Lo Wei-produced films, most notably in Fearless Hyena as one of the three henchmen.

Chang Shan is always fun to watch. I'll have to check this out during break at work on their computer. It would be nice if someone could compile a full-on DVD on some of the less-hyped old-school KF performers, like Chang Shan, each with their own chapter, with personal interviews, photos, backgrounds, etc. If it's a tough sell, they could sell it through kungfucinema or something.

To go a bit more off-topic, in Taiwan, I knew a big British guy who had known Bruce Liang in Hong Kong, and had dinner with him. At the time (late '80s), he said that Bruce Leung (Liang) was not a man to be messed with. I think a lot of the old-school performers/directors were "connected" and had to be, due to the nature of the biz at the time.

[mickey]

Greetings,

Thank you for updating me about Peng Kong. jethro. It is really sad to read how things have changed for him. He was a real talented choreographer.

Back to Chang Shan:

Have you or jimbo seen an uncut version of Shaolin Temple Strikes Back? I saw this film in Chinatown went it first came out. The sequence where Chang Shan goes into action was extended, showing more of his fantastic kicking. That scene overshadowed the entire movie until he went up against the elder monk at the end.

mickey

[Jimbo]

mickey:
I don't have Shaolin Temple Strikes Back on DVD, but I did see it at an Asian theater when it was first released. So I can't say if the sequence was extended or not, but I do remember Chang Shan was going crazy, doing all kinds of kicks and strikes, beating the bejeezus out of everyone. To be honest, the scenes with Chang Shan were what made the movie worth watching, IMO.

[jethro]

I hav the Videoasia version which is a few minutes longer than the Groundzero version. I don't remember any extra Chang Shan footage.

On youtube I remember seeing the scene where Shan goes to visit Mark Long at the temple, and that fight was extended. I'm guessing it comes from the Thai VCD which I heard is the most complete version available.

[mickey]

Greetings,

Thank you both for the info.

When STSB went to video, the first fight scene that Chang Shan had was shortened. I have yet to see it restored.

Additionally, the drunken fight sequence that Mark Long had with the intruder was initially shown in daylight. The second time it played in Chinatown it was shown with an evening shadow, making the techniques difficult to see.


mickey