Are Chinese Kung Fu movies dead?

[Gweilo_Fist]

It seems that Hong Kong martial arts movie industry has lost a lot of steam since about the time Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero came out. It seems that the days of awesome kung fu choreography and all the names we used to love watching like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, etc. are getting old and no one is really taking their place.

Meanwhile, stars in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, like Tony Jaa, JeeJa Yanin, Iko Uwais, etc. are coming out with some impressive hardcore stuff while Hong Kong and Mainland China have moved into more of the Wuxia type films with actors who have virtually little to no experience in martial arts or what some like to call “Hua Ping 花瓶”.

Are Chinese Kung Fu movies becoming a thing of the past?

[doug maverick]

It seems that Hong Kong martial arts movie industry has lost a lot of steam since about the time Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero came out. It seems that the days of awesome kung fu choreography and all the names we used to love watching like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, etc. are getting old and no one is really taking their place.

Meanwhile, stars in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, like Tony Jaa, JeeJa Yanin, Iko Uwais, etc. are coming out with some impressive hardcore stuff while Hong Kong and Mainland China have moved into more of the Wuxia type films with actors who have virtually little to no experience in martial arts or what some like to call “Hua Ping 花瓶”.

Are Chinese Kung Fu movies becoming a thing of the past?

disagree... since crouching tigers, we've had movie like sha po lang/killzone, flashpoint, assassins and bodyguards, new police story, little big soldier, wuxia, ip man 1 and 2. the list goes on.

[YouKnowWho]

I believe another kind of Kung Fu movie will come up soon. There is a modern term "秒杀(Miao Sha) - 1 second kill" that used in modern Chinese language. Instead of fighting from sun raise till sun set and from montain top to the ocean side, "秒杀(Miao Sha) - 1 second kill" will be the new fashion.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=punch+through+head&go=&qs=ds&form=QBIR#view=detail&id=980E67F7A484002E7103DD912F5F12D3144CEE06&selectedIndex=22

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=punch+through+head&go=&qs=ds&form=QBIR#view=detail&id=798A7DF25011E759F4B299AC5E1301C66441DE48&selectedIndex=0

[Jimbo]

The death-knell of HK kung fu movies was due to a variety of factors:

The 1997 return of HK to Chinese rule;

The relative lack of interest in kung fu/KF movies by the younger generation, for whom they are "Old stuff my dad/uncles watched";

A far lesser pool of talent to draw from. Back in the day, there were Cantonese and Beijing opera-trained youngsters applying and adapting their skills to cinema, along with traditional and non-traditionally-trained MAists from kung fu, karate, TKD, etc. Not to mention, a variety of personalities, looks, etc. Back then, even many of the perennial extras or bit players had onscreen physical abilities that would equal or exceed today's top stars.

The great directors/choreographers of the past cut their teeth by spending years on sets and learning their craft. With few KF films being made anymore, even if there were interest in doing so, the types and low number of MA films made in HK/China today couldn't support that. Not only KF choreography, but the ability to capture it in a masterful way is fading away in HK/Chinese MA films. And even in today's Chinese MA films, the choreographers are mostly still old-schoolers, like Stephen Tung Wai, Corey Yuen, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Ching Siu-Tung, Donnie Yen, et al.

Note:
Most of the current Chinese action or MA films are mainland Chinese films, not really HK movies, which my post is actually addressing.

[Hanak]

I have above 2000 kung fu movies in my home, and what I see is, the kung fu movies are not dead.

But it fans are dead, after the comming of celestial there was a hit.
But now those day's, there are not so much people who like it anymore.

TO BAD :(

[GeneChing]

If anything, the Kung Fu film industry is growing at an alarming rate (just see our CR thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57225)). There are still the 'hardcore' films as you call them Gweilo_Fist, like some that Doug listed, but that was never a large sales demographic. If anything, Kung Fu films have expanded to encompass a much larger scope of cinema. Nevertheless, Jackie can still deliver a good fight (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53875)(at 58 no less) and who's gonna diss Donnie at this point? (no comment on Jet's recent work :o). Another major factor to consider is that Asia is getting more open, so there's a lot more cross-over. You can say that Jaa's work is Thai, and it is surely, but if you look a Panna Rittikrai's old stuff, you can see the Kung Fu influence. Choreographers and stunt people are crossing over all the time to work on films outside of China (actually, this has been going on for decades only they weren't always credited for political and work visa reasons).

[Jimbo]

If anything, the Kung Fu film industry is growing at an alarming rate (just see our CR thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57225)). There are still the 'hardcore' films as you call them Gweilo_Fist, like some that Doug listed, but that was never a large sales demographic. If anything, Kung Fu films have expanded to encompass a much larger scope of cinema. Nevertheless, Jackie can still deliver a good fight (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53875)(at 58 no less) and who's gonna diss Donnie at this point? (no comment on Jet's recent work :o). Another major factor to consider is that Asia is getting more open, so there's a lot more cross-over. You can say that Jaa's work is Thai, and it is surely, but if you look a Panna Rittikrai's old stuff, you can see the Kung Fu influence. Choreographers and stunt people are crossing over all the time to work on films outside of China (actually, this has been going on for decades only they weren't always credited for political and work visa reasons).

This is true.

But notice the Chinese films mentioned are all starring or featuring old-school stars, choreographers, etc... (Donnie Yen is definitely old school). I think the question is, how many youngsters in China or HK are poised to step into their shoes when they retire from the screen? Maybe there are a lot, maybe not, but they sure aren't so evident like they were in the '60s through early-to-mid-'80s.

Of course, the Chinese movies now are much bigger-budget affairs than the HK KF/action films of the '70s and even '80s.

[GeneChing]

To deny the generation before would be sacrilege. Donnie and Jackie have crossed cinematic paths with plenty of the old school Shaw Brothers guys. Heck, Jackie worked with Bruce...twice.

I think the real question is here is, who are the new young turks coming out of China?

[doug maverick]

sad part is im not seeing anyone remarkable from china.. i think wu jing was had the most charisma but its looking like he is a bust. the rest are plain... there wushu doesnt have that finese..wu jing was blessed to have yuen wo ping show him, same with donnie, and jet had lau ka leung... these chinese guys need to improve upon their stage fighting.. they fight like its a performance.. i dont feel a sense of conflict..just going through the motions.

[Jimbo]

Gene, that is the $100,000 dollar question.

I consider anyone who started in HK films prior to and through the '80s as old-school. Jackie, Sammo and those guys started in films in the '60s. David Chiang started as a child actor well before he made any kung fu films.

Back in the Shaw Bros/Golden Harvest/HK/Taiwan independents era, you could anticipate different onscreen 'matchups' of X-screenfighter vs Y-screenfighter, and if it wasn't already done, it would probably be at some point. That type of anticipation is rare now.

*edit to add:
I also agree with doug that none of the young guys out of China now seem exceptional or make me anticipate watching their work. Unless the movie itself is a good watch, but not because so-and-so is in it.

[GeneChing]

...but that's because I know him. It's hard for me to be unbiased here :o. Shi Yanneng - he was on our cover a few years ago (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=955). He's been in several projects already, typically as the villain. He went by Xingwu previously. You probably know him from KFH (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28036), but he was also in Ip Man (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52218), Flashpoint (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=790080), Shaolin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54940), B&A (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53158), and a few other odd flicks, including a personal guilty pleasure, Kung Fu Chefs. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57615) He was just in JttW (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61200).

He's finally scored his own vehicle - a promising project titled Wrath of Vajra (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65589) coming up.

[doug maverick]

this article is dated but very relevant to what we are talking about.



By JOYCE HOR-CHUNG LAU
Published: July 1, 2010

HONG KONG — Respect is paid when Sammo Hung lumbers down the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui, the neighborhood where he first learned martial arts as a boy.
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Filmography: Sammo Hung
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Mr. Hung in “Eastern Condors,” which was shown at the New York Asian Film Festival.

Women ask for his autograph at a cafe where he has his black coffee. Laborers stripped to the waist in the summer heat crowd against the edge of their truck and wave. Tourists snap photos as he strolls along the Avenue of the Stars — a sort of Hollywood Walk of Fame here — where his hand prints are between Jackie Chan’s and Brigitte Lin’s.

Not particularly well known among mainstream American audiences, Mr. Hung, 58, is known as the “Big Brother” of the Hong Kong kung fu film. The famously hefty actor did not go the Hollywood route that Mr. Chan has pursued but has stayed mainly in Asia, where he has directed, produced, choreographed or acted in about 200 movies. He is best known as a fight choreographer, working behind the scenes with stars like Mr. Chan and John Woo, and playing an integral role in the development of the kung fu genre.

That earned him a lifetime achievement award last week at the New York Asian Film Festival, which runs through Thursday. It is showing four of his works: “Eastern Condors” (1987), a darkly humorous Vietnam War-era film that is said to have been an influence on Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”; “Kung Fu Chefs” (2009), a comedy; and the two “Ip Man” movies (2008 and 2010), based on the life of Ip Man, a grand master of the Wing Chun style of martial arts who taught Bruce Lee, and for which Mr. Hung did the fight choreography. A sold-out screening of “Ip Man 2” opened the festival.

The entertainment business runs in Mr. Hung’s family. His grandmother, Chin Tsi-Ang, was one of the first sword-wielding martial-arts actresses, and his grandfather was a director.

Born Hung Kam-bo in 1952, he was trained in the old Peking Opera School tradition, in which parents sent young children to live on campus and to apprentice under a master who taught them martial arts, acrobatics, singing and dancing.

“I was never good at school and was always fighting in the streets,” Mr. Hung said. “So they sent me to learn to fight.”

At 9 he was sent to be trained in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood of Kowloon, where he met a younger student named Chan Kong-sang, who became Jackie Chan. Under the school’s management they became child stars in a performing troupe.

“We woke early in the morning and worked until 11 at night,” Mr. Hung said. “There was a small, square wooden stool, and we had to do a handstand on it for an hour. Of course they beat the children. I lived there for seven years.”

Decades later, in 1988, Mr. Hung played his former master in “Painted Faces,” a drama that depicts the boys’ spartan life. “Our real suffering,” he said, “was much worse than what we put in the movie.”

Mr. Hung said he did not learn kung fu specifically until after he left school. He also spent years studying a variety of fighting styles from China and other Asian nations.

He established himself as an action director, choreographing the elaborate combat scenes for which Hong Kong films are known and sometimes fighting himself. He plays the portly Shaolin monk, for example, whom Bruce Lee battles in the opening of “Enter the Dragon”(1973).

Through the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s Mr. Hung was involved in scores of movies, which the Hong Kong studio system was churning out quickly and cheaply. He specialized in the B-films so beloved by audiences here.

Hong Kong cinema began developing its own look and moving away from stylized Mandarin-language costume dramas. Filmmakers started using bawdy humor, urban settings, tight hand-to-hand combat shots and the rough Cantonese of the streets.

“Kung fu films have to move with the rest of the world,” Mr. Hung said. “You couldn’t keep on doing sword fights in historic films. People wanted superheroes. They wanted something fast and new.”

From 1998 to 2000 he starred in “Martial Law,” a CBS prime-time TV drama, in which he played a kung fu-fighting Chinese cop.

Like everyone in the Hong Kong movie business Mr. Hung is doing more work in China, as it opens up and as its entertainment industry grows. That said, he noted that “the local Hong Kong flavor is getting lost in some films.”

“I wish there were more kung fu films,” he said. “They are a part of our culture. But there are no young new stars out there. Who’s making a new generation of kung fu films now? If all young actors want is to star in romances, what do they need to learn kung fu for? The sex scenes?”

Mr. Hung’s three sons — Timmy, Jimmy and Sammy — have acted in various projects with him, but he said he was not going to push them. “I want them to see the world for themselves,” he said.

Nor did he see the film festival award as the culmination of his career. Once the festival ends, he plans to return home to Hong Kong, he said, and start shooting again.

“I’m not quite ready for a lifetime achievement award,” he said. “It makes it sound like I’m going to retire soon, and I feel like I’ve just started.”

[Gweilo_Fist]

I don't really think that the fans are dead. Again, people are really getting into what's coming out of Southeast Asian martial arts films. These guys are doing exactly what HK/Chinese Kung Fu stuntmen and actors used to do.... taking big risks and pushing limits.

HK/Chinese Kung Fu movies just seem to play it safe nowadays with more CGI and more wireworks. Don't get me wrong, I want every actor to be safe. I don't want them being sent to the hospital for the enjoyment of others. But it seems like the overuse of CGI and wireworks now have lowered the excitement level and expectations in fans. There's nothing new to expect.

[Jimbo]

IMO, even Thailand's MA films are becoming, or have become, stale. They fell into a rut a few years back with Tony Jaa's meltdown, and although still make some good stuff, nothing really special seems forthcoming.

The really big rising powerhouse is Indonesia. They've had a MA film industry since at least the '70s with Willy Dozan (a.k.a., Billy Chong), maybe even earlier. But the big international attention now is due not only to Iko Uwais, but big-time to director Gareth Evans. But right now, that's one group.

There's no comparison to the multitude of actors/performers/directors/choreographers in HK/Taiwan in the '70s and early '80s. That's probably not gonna happen again, just like a burgeoning Spaghetti Western industry won't be returning to Italy anytime soon. People nowadays know and expect CGI, bigger budgets, "pretty/handsome" young pop idols, etc., at least in HK/China it seems.

Is there still a market for KF/wuxia movies in HK/China? Of course, but not the same as for other genres. Heck, according to Don Wong Tao, Taiwan alone used to produce hundreds of KF films every year, but for many years (decades) now it's been at about zero. Trends follow interest. If the interest had remained at the same level, the industry would have done what it could to keep supplying it.

[mawali]

It seems that Hong Kong martial arts movie industry has lost a lot of steam since about the time Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero came out. It seems that the days of awesome kung fu choreography and all the names we used to love watching like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, etc. are getting old and no one is really taking their place.

Meanwhile, stars in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, like Tony Jaa, JeeJa Yanin, Iko Uwais, etc. are coming out with some impressive hardcore stuff while Hong Kong and Mainland China have moved into more of the Wuxia type films with actors who have virtually little to no experience in martial arts or what some like to call “Hua Ping 花瓶”.

Are Chinese Kung Fu movies becoming a thing of the past?
I recently have read a few stories and articles about the loss of the industry and the 'older guys say that the young, up and coming actors, want no part of the training and traditionalism associated with this. Present societal milieu is changing where the 'quick and easy' is good enough so the 'bitter' becomes useless or unnecessary. It has allowed other non Chinese styles to come to the forefront and enough to be integrated into modern USA martial cinematography! Quite a few of them are in Hollywood but they are usually unsung heroes!

[mdo7]

I stumbled upon this thread and I wanted to give my input (hence why I register an account). I also want to apologize if I necro-post, but I think you need to know this. I've been a long time Kung Fu film fan, I'm a big fan of the 70's and 80's era but sadly it looks like not a lot of Kung fu or Martial art are coming out of Hong Kong nor Mainland China these day. I know because I've been observing it for many years. Most of the films coming out of China are non-Kung fu genre.

To make this worse, do any of you ever followed Kungfucinema.com? It's now dead last month (http://www.cityonfire.com/r-i-p-kungfucinema-com-closes-down-shuts-down-offline/). Regarding the industry in Hong Kong, some of you on this thread are not exaggerating that the HK film industry (along with it's Kung Fu film industry) has suffered since the 1997 handover to Mainland China. It has been like that for the last 7 or 8 years. I read a recent but interesting article about the lack of Kung fu films coming out these day (http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/martial-arts/245862/have-kung-fu-movies-lost-their-punch).

Regarding Hong Kong film industry, I think all of you need to read these:

2004 article talking about the decline of Hong Kong industry (http://www.alternet.org/story/19610/hong_kong_film_fade-out)

2008 article on the decline of Hong Kong cinema (http://sgnewwave.com/main/2008/07/the-decline-of-hong-kong-cinema/)

1997 report-Decline of Hong Kong Cinema before 1997 (http://www.filmsasia.net/gpage101.html)

The glory days of Hong Kong cinema may have died along with kung fu mogul Run Run Shaw (http://qz.com/164213/the-glory-days-of-hong-kong-cinema-may-have-died-along-with-kung-fu-mogul-run-run-shaw/)

2013 LA Times article on HK film industry (http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/06/entertainment/la-et-mn-ca-hong-kong-film-20130407)

Lack of Successors, Shift to Mainland Chinese Market to Blame for Decline of Hong Kong Movie Industry (http://www.jaynestars.com/movies/lack-of-successors-shift-to-mainland-chinese-market-to-blame-for-decline-of-hong-kong-movie-industry/)

Even now as of this year, HK film industry is on life support according to this new report from Variety (http://variety.com/2015/film/asia/hong-kong-movie-industry-holding-steady-1201495343/). Yes, sadly the era of Kung fu film and HK cinema is over or on life support. Hong Kong is now being overshadowed by South Korea thanks to their film industry, their K-dramas along with K-pop all part of the phenomenon called the Korean Wave or Hallyu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave). I don't know how many of you are fans of Korean TV dramas, but they're getting more attention (both in the US and outside of Asia) then Kung fu film now these day, I'm not making this up:

A little disclaimer: beside being a big Kung fu film fan, I'm also a big fan of Korean pop culture that does include Korean dramas, and Korean pop music.

2004 article-Korean soaps lure unlikely audience (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-07-09/features/0407080455_1_korean-americans-korean-drama-korean-language)

2006 article from Associated Press-Korean Drama Craze Reaches United States (http://www.fredonia.edu/department/communication/schwalbe/kordrama.htm) and how Hawaii played a big role (http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2006/Media-Hello-to-Hallyu/).

2007 article on K-drama gaining popularity outside of Asia (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/issues/2014/05/229_12812.html)

2012 article-K-drama lead Hallyu (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/08/201_117894.html)

2010 article-Korean drama fever spread amongst US fans (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/01/242_59764.html)

Entertainment Weekly-article report on Korean drama popularity in US (http://www.ew.com/article/2014/04/08/korean-dramas-beginners-guide)

Variety article on K-drama successes outside of Asia (http://variety.com/2013/tv/asia/asia-tv-success-stories-korean-dramas-asian-animation-1200884808/)

Vox media-Here's why millions of Americans are binge-watching Korean dramas (http://www.vox.com/2014/9/24/6832951/heres-why-millions-of-americans-are-binge-watching-korean-dramas)

About 18 million Americans enjoy K-dramas: Korea Creative Content Agency (http://www.koreatimesus.com/about-18-million-americans-enjoy-k-dramas-korea-creative-content-agency/)

So yes K-dramas are replacing Kung Fu films. Because of it and their film (http://goldsea.com/Air/Issues/Cinema/cinema.html), Korea has now been acknowledge to be the "coolest Asian country" replacing Hong Kong, and Japan to international audiences:

2006 NPR report on South Korean pop culture dominated Asia (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5300970)

2010 CNN article-'Korean Wave' of pop culture sweeps across Asia (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/31/korea.entertainment/)

CNN-Is S. Korea the coolest place on earth? (http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/opinion/yang-korea-cool/)

How Korea became the world’s coolest brand (http://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/how-korea-became-the-worlds-coolest-brand)

Korea is Asia’s foremost trendsetter: The Economist (http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=121047)

So yes sadly, Hong Kong and the Kung Fu film industry is on life support, I don't know if I should use the word dead unless South Korea can make Kung fu cool again (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturesports/2015/08/10/0701000000AEN20150810008300315.html).

[Jimbo]

mdo7:

Welcome to the forum. Good post.

I see the Hong Kong martial arts movie industry almost in the same light as the Italian spaghetti western industry of the '60s and '70s. The exception is that HK (and/or China?) still occasionally comes out with productions like The Gallants and Kung Fu Jungle/Kung Fu Killer. But even these were tributes to the old-school KF actors, directors, etc.

Certainly, the market has changed. The big thing for young people throughout Asia for the past several years seems to be dancing, especially synchronized dancing, among other things. Also notice how all the beautiful young female Korean pop stars and actresses look nearly identical? I hear that South Korea is the No. 1 place for plastic surgery, and that virtually all the young starlets have had it to achieve some uniform 'standard of beauty'. When you think of it that way, there is almost a 'Stepford Wives' quality to them.

Some of the best current films out of Asia are indeed from S. Korea, action or otherwise. I tend to run hot and cold with them; some are excellent, even outstanding; while others can be vastly overrated, IMO. At one time I thought Thailand was taking over the torch of HK action cinema and would evolve into something great, but that seems to have sputtered out. Garett Evans and Iko Uwais seem poised to take the top action spot in Asian cinema, but right now, I don't see any growth in Indonesian action/MA cinema outside of them and their team.

Ironically, back in the old-school days, the period films were far better than their modern-day action counterparts, whereas nowadays, IMO, the modern-day action films tend to far outstrip the mostly overdone period pieces. There are some exceptions, of course, such as Kundo, which is a great film.

Donnie Yen is usually far better in modern-day action films than in period MA films, especially over the past decade or so. These days, when he's in a period film, particularly ones set hundreds of years ago, I lack interest in seeing them.

[mdo7]

mdo7:

Welcome to the forum. Good post.

Thank you, I thought people on this forum needed to know that.


I see the Hong Kong martial arts movie industry almost in the same light as the Italian spaghetti western industry of the '60s and '70s. The exception is that HK (and/or China?) still occasionally comes out with productions like The Gallants and Kung Fu Jungle/Kung Fu Killer. But even these were tributes to the old-school KF actors, directors, etc.

Yes, it's sad I missed that era of HK films where it was cool and way over the top. I wish Hong Kong could come up with something that can rival Oldboy or can make something that can rival Roaring Current:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpcR6sa_jgI


Certainly, the market has changed. The big thing for young people throughout Asia for the past several years seems to be dancing, especially synchronized dancing, among other things. Also notice how all the beautiful young Korean women look nearly identical. I hear that South Korea is the No. 1 place for plastic surgery, and that virtually all the young starlets have had it to achieve some uniform 'standard of beauty'. When you think of it that way, there is almost a 'Stepford Wives' quality to them.

Indeed, the market has changed. Now South Korea is getting a lot of spotlight. SK's celebrities are getting a lot of spotlight around the world, not only because of the film they starred in. The K-dramas (the one that have gained popularity for the last few years) are also giving Korean celebrities fame around the world. That's why stars like Lee Byung-Hun has got into Hollywood.

Regarding plastic surgery, it's true that Korea is ranked high in plastic surgery. It's one of the side effect of the Hallyu/Korean Wave (http://www.koreatimesus.com/side-effects-of-hallyu-becoming-a-concern-for-other-asian-countries/). But not all idols/celebrities get plastic surgery, there are a lot that don't have any plastic surgery at all like Seohyun of Girls Generation/SNSD, and CL of 2NE1.


Some of the best current films out of Asia are indeed from S. Korea. I tend to run hot and cold with them; some are excellent, even outstanding; while others can be vastly overrated, IMO. At one time I thought Thailand was taking over the torch of HK action cinema and would evolve into something great, but that seems to have sputtered out. Garett Evans and Iko Uwais seem poised to take the top action spot in Asian cinema, but right now, I don't see any growth in Indonesian action/MA cinema outside of them and their team.

Ironically, back in the old-school days, the period films were far better than their modern-day action counterparts, whereas nowadays, IMO, the modern-day action films tend to far outstrip the mostly overdone period pieces. There are some exceptions, of course, such as Kundo, which is a great film.


Yes, true. But the point is that Hong Kong film industry and Kung fu cinema is either dead or on life support. Now, HK film industry which used to gain a lot of international spotlights long time ago is now gone. Now it's all about South Korea not because of Korean films, but also K-dramas and K-pop music. Even Japan couldn't export their pop culture (http://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2015/07/08/gackt-has-asked-what-it-is-that-cool-japan-does) beyond anime/manga (http://www.cnbc.com/2015/05/14/who-gets-to-decide-japan-is-cool.html).

Kung fu cinema maybe dead (unless South Korea can revive it), but the popularity of K-dramas did something good. Before K-dramas, it was impossible to get a 20+ episode Chinese period Kung fu dramas (like TVB for example (http://www.spcnet.tv/Top-10-Martial-Arts-TVB-Dramas-of-the-80s-spcnet-Opinions-aID30.html)). Now thanks to period K-dramas, I've seen period Kung fu dramas from HK, and Mainland China got picked up by Dramafever and Viki. Even TVB last year has now started to cash in on the drama fad K-dramas created (http://www.dramafever.com/news/now-you-can-watch-incredible-dramas-from-hong-kong-right-here-on-dramafever/). Like for example now you can watch these:

TVB's Grace Under Fire (http://www.hulu.com/grace-under-fire-hk) (watch it on Hulu or on Dramafever (http://www.dramafever.com/drama/4607/Grace_Under_Fire/))-it's a 32 episode Kung fu drama and it has Shaw Bros's David Chiang as Wong Fei Hung. It's a must watch for any Kung fu film fan, or if you're a David Chiang fan.

Palace (http://www.hulu.com/palace) (watch it on Hulu or on Dramafever (http://www.dramafever.com/drama/4132/Palace/))-35 episode drama. I've seen clip from the show and it does have Kung fu fighting in this one.

There's a lot more, if you want I could create a new thread (a guide you can say) to help fans of Kung fu film that aren't familiar with TV dramas. So you see we may not have Kung fu films for now, but we got period drama from Hong Kong and Mainland China which does contain Kung fu/martial art fighting. So it'll make do for lack of Kung fu films.

What I like about these TV dramas is that the the plotline/storyline are more complex and complicated then a 2 hour film. That's why I'm glad K-dramas helped/allowed Chinese TV dramas (including the period one) to get an audience in the US. There's a lot of subplot in these TV dramas. As I said, if you want me to create a thread for guide to Asian TV dramas for Kung fu film fan that never watch TV dramas, I can do that.

[Bullworker64]

I have been watching South Korean films on Netflix for several months now. I have, so far, believed that The Divine Move and A Company Man have been the two that have stood out. (The Thieves was good, a much darker Oceans Eleven type film.) The Admiral was entertaining. Recently I have seen several that deal with serial killers, Monster and I Saw the Devil, again, standing out. Martial Arts are used in these films, but are not the main focus. Trends cycle, martial arts in film have faded, but will trend back in the future.

[Jimbo]

The Good, the Bad, the Weird is another excellent S. Korean film.

War of the Arrows is good, but both times I watched it, I fell asleep at certain points. IMO, it's a bit too long and parts of it become repetitive.

I'll have to check out Monster. I agree that I Saw the Devil really stands out.

A Dirty Carnival is a pretty good Korean gangster film, and The Man From Nowhere is outstanding.

Thirst is a pretty decent Korean vampire movie. Odd, because I usually do not equate vampires with Korean cinema.

[mdo7]

I have been watching South Korean films on Netflix for several months now. I have, so far, believed that The Divine Move and A Company Man have been the two that have stood out. (The Thieves was good, a much darker Oceans Eleven type film.) The Admiral was entertaining. Recently I have seen several that deal with serial killers, Monster and I Saw the Devil, again, standing out. Martial Arts are used in these films, but are not the main focus. Trends cycle, martial arts in film have faded, but will trend back in the future.


The Good, the Bad, the Weird is another excellent S. Korean film.

War of the Arrows is good, but both times I watched it, I fell asleep at certain points. IMO, it's a bit too long and parts of it become repetitive.

I'll have to check out Monster. I agree that I Saw the Devil really stands out.

A Dirty Carnival is a pretty good Korean gangster film, and The Man From Nowhere is outstanding.

Thirst is a pretty decent Korean vampire movie. Odd, because I usually do not equate vampires with Korean cinema.

Well you 2 have a good taste in Korean films. There's a lot more Korean film out there. I managed to watch several Korean films for free on Hulu (http://www.hulu.com/movies/genres/international/korean). So I agree they are kinda neat and attractive. There's a lot of interesting Korean film coming out, I don't know which Hong Kong film can hold candle against these Korean films. I mean you can't find a HK film that can rival A Werewolf Boy (http://www.hulu.com/watch/428391) or Ode to my father (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sD18Xw7bE). Even the Korean film, The Suspect (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTaFbJd-74Q) seem to outdo any recent HK films today (maybe except Wild City (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u987mRjqxVM), that can probably hold candle against The Suspect).

But for now it seem like Kung fu/martial art film is on life support or not relevent anymore. I'm hoping South Korea could be the one to revive that if Memories of the Sword does well. As I said, we may not have martial art films coming out, but we already have TV dramas that take place in period time which does contain martial arts. I've already mention Grace Under Fire, and Palace in my previous post. I'm glad you brought up Korean because I know couple of K-dramas which has enough martial art fighting scene that might make Kung fu film fans happy:

Damo aka the legendary Police Woman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damo_(TV_series)) (this is a 14 episode wuxia-style period Korean drama from 2003, it has a lot of martial art fighting in this drama which will remind you of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and some classic Kung fu films. Here's a clip from the show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ushxmJApc) if you are skeptical).

Warrior Baek Dong Soo (http://www.hulu.com/warrior-baek-dong-soo) (This is a 29 episode 2011 period Korean drama which should contain enough choreograph fighting scene. Here's a clip from the show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXI5OOIewr4) if you need a preview)

Hong Gil Dong (http://www.hulu.com/hong-gil-dong) (This amazing 24 episode Martial art K-drama from 2013 should blow you away, and IMO the production value seem to be on par with a 2 hour Kung fu film, checkout the clip below):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqSnlsJaQeg

Bridal Mask aka Gaksital (http://www.hulu.com/bridal-mask) (this is a 28 episode K-drama that take place during the Japanese occupation of South Korea. This is what I would call it the "Korean Fist of fury". This drama does have enough fighting scenes like this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHen4zGLraU) and this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnLwJ6WOr10) to maybe excite you)

So yes, we may not have a lot of martial art film coming out of Mainland China or Hong Kong, and hoping that South Korea can revive it. But the period TV dramas that contain martial art should be enough to keep us going and probably addicted.