The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture

1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 2 00:00:16,950 --> 00:00:21,046 Hosted By Samuel Jackson 3 00:00:26,826 --> 00:00:31,024 This is a story of how the martial arts film genre was born.. 4 00:00:32,766 --> 00:00:35,133 In a bloody rebellion... 5 00:00:36,669 --> 00:00:38,933 and transformed itself... 6 00:00:39,005 --> 00:00:42,703 into a spiritual and creative revolution. 7 00:00:52,452 --> 00:00:55,649 Edited By Jeff Werner 8 00:00:58,224 --> 00:01:02,923 Music By Steve Rucker 9 00:01:09,903 --> 00:01:13,965 Director of Photography Steven Finestone 10 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,910 Production Design By Michael Gaw 11 00:01:18,978 --> 00:01:22,915 Written By Keith Clarke 12 00:01:22,982 --> 00:01:27,715 Co Written By Christopher Sliney 13 00:01:27,787 --> 00:01:32,691 Produced By Joni Levin 14 00:01:32,759 --> 00:01:36,923 Directed By Keith Clarke 15 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:10,118 A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself.. 16 00:02:10,196 --> 00:02:13,598 And accept the consequences of his own doing. 17 00:02:13,666 --> 00:02:16,567 What is the highest technique you hope to achieve? 18 00:02:16,636 --> 00:02:18,798 70 have no technique. 19 00:02:19,873 --> 00:02:22,365 What are your thoughts when facing an opponent? 20 00:02:22,442 --> 00:02:24,774 - There is no opponent. - And why is that? 21 00:02:24,844 --> 00:02:28,337 Because the word "I" does not exist. 22 00:02:29,082 --> 00:02:32,609 A good fight should be like a small play... 23 00:02:32,685 --> 00:02:35,313 but played seriously. 24 00:02:35,388 --> 00:02:38,949 When the opponent expands, I contract. 25 00:02:39,025 --> 00:02:41,460 When he contracts, I expand. 26 00:02:41,528 --> 00:02:43,758 And when there is an opportunity... 27 00:02:45,198 --> 00:02:47,030 I do not hit... 28 00:02:48,701 --> 00:02:50,897 it hits all by itself, 29 00:04:20,326 --> 00:04:25,230 Martial arts films have a Chinese expression — "wu xia." 30 00:04:25,298 --> 00:04:29,064 "Wu" means martial arts, which signifies action. 31 00:04:29,135 --> 00:04:31,297 "a" conveys chivalry. 32 00:04:31,371 --> 00:04:35,103 "Wu xia" expresses the greatest dichotomy that martial arts is... 33 00:04:35,174 --> 00:04:38,940 deeply spiritual, yet potentially deadly. 34 00:04:41,214 --> 00:04:43,205 In the best of martial arts films... 35 00:04:43,283 --> 00:04:47,743 the themes are profoundly noble and yet filled with breathtaking action. 36 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:51,017 It is this combination, infused with romance and humor... 37 00:04:51,090 --> 00:04:54,549 that has made this genre one of the most popular in the world. 38 00:04:54,627 --> 00:04:58,655 It is enjoying both box-office and critical success. 39 00:05:00,667 --> 00:05:03,728 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 40 00:05:09,008 --> 00:05:11,875 Rush Hour 2 (2001) 41 00:05:15,448 --> 00:05:18,850 The Matrix (1999) 42 00:05:22,855 --> 00:05:25,256 Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... 43 00:05:25,325 --> 00:05:28,852 was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture, and won four. 44 00:05:31,998 --> 00:05:33,727 Jackie Chan's Rush Hour 2... 45 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,362 was America's number-one live-action comedy film of 2001. 46 00:05:40,173 --> 00:05:41,299 Help! 47 00:05:42,442 --> 00:05:44,274 And the Wachowski brothers' The Matrix... 48 00:05:44,344 --> 00:05:47,780 pushed special effects and choreography to a whole new level, 49 00:05:51,984 --> 00:05:55,750 You are about to discover who its original pioneers were... 50 00:05:55,822 --> 00:05:59,622 and who is driving this phenomenal film revolution today. 51 00:06:00,893 --> 00:06:02,827 David Carradine - Actor 52 00:06:02,895 --> 00:06:05,557 Everybody's got the idea wrong. They think it's about kicking and punching... 53 00:06:05,631 --> 00:06:08,066 and they don't understand the way of life thing about it. 54 00:06:08,134 --> 00:06:11,069 And the idea that what it's really supposed to do... 55 00:06:11,137 --> 00:06:15,768 is improve the texture of your life... 56 00:06:15,842 --> 00:06:17,367 and the people around you. 57 00:06:18,778 --> 00:06:21,748 How and where did the original Chinese filmmakers... 58 00:06:21,814 --> 00:06:25,182 discover the possibilities of martial arts? 59 00:06:42,101 --> 00:06:45,731 From that, came this. 60 00:06:48,141 --> 00:06:51,167 The Bride With White Hair (1993) 61 00:07:16,736 --> 00:07:20,639 Yes, martial arts films derived from opera. 62 00:07:20,706 --> 00:07:22,902 But not just any opera. 63 00:07:23,943 --> 00:07:26,742 A unique style known as "Peking Opera"... 64 00:07:26,813 --> 00:07:30,113 that has been part of the Chinese culture for centuries. 65 00:07:30,716 --> 00:07:33,651 And how did martial arts become a part of opera? 66 00:07:35,855 --> 00:07:38,017 Well, it occurred in the mid-1760s. 67 00:07:41,260 --> 00:07:43,194 Roger Yuan - Actor 68 00:07:43,262 --> 00:07:45,492 When the Manchu Dynasty was taking over... 69 00:07:45,565 --> 00:07:50,696 they basically made Shaolin, the monastery, illegal. 70 00:07:53,039 --> 00:07:57,033 So they set about destroying the Shaolin Temple. 71 00:08:04,150 --> 00:08:07,518 And five men, students, disciples... 72 00:08:07,587 --> 00:08:10,579 out of hundreds, were able to escape. 73 00:08:10,656 --> 00:08:14,320 And they see that their whole livelihood... 74 00:08:14,393 --> 00:08:17,124 their brothers, everyone is dying... 75 00:08:17,196 --> 00:08:20,894 and they decide to challenge the Manchu masters. 76 00:08:20,967 --> 00:08:22,867 The Shaolin Temple (1979) 77 00:08:22,935 --> 00:08:25,802 And out of the ruins, the charred ruins, they find their weapons... 78 00:08:25,872 --> 00:08:30,833 they find whatever speciality that they want to use to express themselves... 79 00:08:30,910 --> 00:08:32,901 in this battle, in this last pitched battle. 80 00:08:35,281 --> 00:08:37,215 And they train, and they train hard 81 00:08:37,283 --> 00:08:40,947 And it's life and death, and it's a battle and, you know... 82 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:45,423 three out of the five survive their battle. 83 00:08:45,491 --> 00:08:48,517 But they preserve the Shaolin lore. 84 00:08:48,594 --> 00:08:51,222 36 Chambers of Shaolin (1978) 85 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,764 Like a phoenix coming out of its own ashes... 86 00:08:56,836 --> 00:09:00,830 they found their strength from the ashes of the monastery. 87 00:09:00,907 --> 00:09:05,242 They went back to their roots to have this battle, to fight... 88 00:09:05,311 --> 00:09:08,281 to do something grander, bigger than yourself 89 00:09:10,650 --> 00:09:12,641 And I think that's what... 90 00:09:12,718 --> 00:09:15,585 makes for heroes, you know. 91 00:09:15,655 --> 00:09:20,388 Whether real life or, you know, cinematic heroes... 92 00:09:20,459 --> 00:09:23,759 you always look for something that is worth fighting for... 93 00:09:23,829 --> 00:09:28,027 and it's greater, grander a concept than just for yourself. 94 00:09:28,100 --> 00:09:31,400 One of the three surviving monks of the burning of the temple... 95 00:09:31,470 --> 00:09:33,268 was Master Zhi Shan. 96 00:09:33,339 --> 00:09:36,001 While the battles were taking place in 1765... 97 00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:39,511 he taught his skills to the traveling Peking Opera actors. 98 00:09:39,579 --> 00:09:41,707 Zhi Shan did this for two reasons. 99 00:09:42,815 --> 00:09:47,150 First, to continue teaching the Shaolin 100 00:09:47,219 --> 00:09:50,120 that the Ching Empire was trying to eradicate. 101 00:09:51,057 --> 00:09:54,220 And secondly, to spread the seeds of revolt... 102 00:09:54,293 --> 00:09:57,319 to anyone who might want to rise up against the tyrant of that time. 103 00:10:02,068 --> 00:10:04,332 The opera players passed on this knowledge and skill... 104 00:10:04,403 --> 00:10:07,031 as they performed and toured around the province. 105 00:10:10,843 --> 00:10:13,141 Nearly a century later, in 1850... 106 00:10:13,212 --> 00:10:15,772 and for the first time in Chinese history... 107 00:10:15,848 --> 00:10:19,648 a group of actors joined a rebellion against the Ching Dynasty. 108 00:10:19,719 --> 00:10:21,585 Peking Opera Blues - 1986 109 00:10:21,654 --> 00:10:24,624 When it failed, the authorities banned all theater and opera. 110 00:10:27,493 --> 00:10:30,827 Actors performed in secret... 111 00:10:30,896 --> 00:10:33,365 so that their 112 00:10:33,432 --> 00:10:36,197 enhanced by the dynamics of martial arts... 113 00:10:36,268 --> 00:10:38,032 would not be lost. 114 00:10:38,104 --> 00:10:41,233 Twenty years later, the new government relented. 115 00:11:08,434 --> 00:11:12,029 That's the remarkable connection between the Peking Opera... 116 00:11:12,104 --> 00:11:16,371 and the Shaolin Temple's martial arts and its predominant Buddhist teachings. 117 00:11:18,511 --> 00:11:20,240 Ronny Yu - Director 118 00:11:20,312 --> 00:11:21,939 You learn martial art not to fight 119 00:11:22,014 --> 00:11:25,279 You learn a martial art to discipline yourself, you know. 120 00:11:25,351 --> 00:11:31,256 And I found that quality in martial arts film fantastic. 121 00:11:34,126 --> 00:11:37,926 When movies began in China in the early 1900s... 122 00:11:37,997 --> 00:11:40,091 actors were needed. 123 00:11:40,166 --> 00:11:43,192 They were found at the local Peking Opera shows. 124 00:11:43,269 --> 00:11:47,263 Peking Opera had no women. It was male dominated 125 00:11:47,339 --> 00:11:50,673 Don't make the mistake of thinking this was theater for guys... 126 00:11:50,743 --> 00:11:53,576 who liked to dress in women's clothes. 127 00:11:53,646 --> 00:11:55,910 There are many major actors today... 128 00:11:55,981 --> 00:11:58,348 who grew up in the Peking Opera schools... 129 00:11:58,417 --> 00:12:03,287 and one thing that has not changed over the years is the training. 130 00:12:03,355 --> 00:12:08,350 It is still intense, exhaustive, extreme... 131 00:12:08,427 --> 00:12:11,397 and often downright brutal. 132 00:12:11,464 --> 00:12:13,398 Jackie Chan - Actor 133 00:12:13,466 --> 00:12:15,491 When I was seven, I was in the school... 134 00:12:15,568 --> 00:12:17,662 training in the daytime, from 5:00 in the morning until night. 135 00:12:18,838 --> 00:12:19,964 Very tough training. 136 00:12:26,378 --> 00:12:29,837 The teachers aid, "Come. Come here. 137 00:12:29,915 --> 00:12:33,715 I think it's about time you have a xia xia min." 138 00:12:33,786 --> 00:12:36,118 I was in big shock. 139 00:12:36,188 --> 00:12:38,714 Even my father, my parents never hit me like that. 140 00:12:40,693 --> 00:12:42,559 Sammo Hung - Actor/Director 141 00:12:42,628 --> 00:12:48,431 Your master punished you. I think at that time, whipping is very popular. 142 00:12:48,501 --> 00:12:51,027 Not only when you're learning Peking Opera... 143 00:12:51,103 --> 00:12:53,367 but even when you're in 144 00:12:53,439 --> 00:12:55,635 you're open to punishment from your master. 145 00:12:57,176 --> 00:13:00,635 I saw it with my own eyes that at that time... 146 00:13:00,713 --> 00:13:03,045 whipping was quite effective. 147 00:13:05,918 --> 00:13:08,979 Through the centuries, 148 00:13:09,054 --> 00:13:11,887 as a dishonorable career. 149 00:13:11,957 --> 00:13:14,983 Men performing as women in Peking Opera... 150 00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:17,119 was an acceptable practice. 151 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:21,258 When movies began, it was considered such an inferior art form... 152 00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:25,236 that male actors would not lower themselves to perform in them. 153 00:13:25,304 --> 00:13:27,398 So, women became the stars. 154 00:13:27,473 --> 00:13:32,411 The tough martial arts were performed by women dressed as men. 155 00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:33,536 Go figure. 156 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,610 The first female martial artist star was Fen Juhua. 157 00:13:38,684 --> 00:13:42,382 She later taught martial arts, mainly to actresses. 158 00:13:44,023 --> 00:13:46,117 Tam Sau-zhen started her own opera company... 159 00:13:46,192 --> 00:13:50,129 before having a successful 40-year career in films. 160 00:13:50,196 --> 00:13:52,790 But without a doubt, the most accomplished.. 161 00:13:52,865 --> 00:13:56,927 Female martial artist in Chinese cinema is Chin Tsi-ang. 162 00:13:57,002 --> 00:13:59,699 In the 1930s, she formed a film company... 163 00:13:59,772 --> 00:14:02,798 where she starred in and produced many martial arts films. 164 00:14:05,010 --> 00:14:09,174 Swordswoman from Huangjiang (1930) 165 00:14:11,617 --> 00:14:16,248 Chin Tsi-ang's eldest grandson Is one of today's innovators... 166 00:14:19,058 --> 00:14:20,457 Sammo Hung. 167 00:14:21,527 --> 00:14:23,461 Li Cheuk To - Film Historian 168 00:14:23,529 --> 00:14:25,463 The martial arts trend started with the huge success... 169 00:14:25,531 --> 00:14:28,432 of a film called Burning of Red Lotus Monastery... 170 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:32,198 in 1928, in Shanghai. 171 00:14:32,271 --> 00:14:36,367 Strong stories, marred with notable action... 172 00:14:36,442 --> 00:14:39,901 has been the basis of the best martial arts films. 173 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:46,208 The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple established that tradition. 174 00:14:46,285 --> 00:14:51,951 The film was so popular, it spawned a series of 27 movies. 175 00:14:52,024 --> 00:14:56,018 Sadly, not one of those films exists anymore. 176 00:14:56,095 --> 00:14:59,463 Fortunately, we did find several popular martial arts movies... 177 00:14:59,531 --> 00:15:01,158 from the silent period. 178 00:15:01,233 --> 00:15:06,069 None of these early films have ever been seen outside of Asia before. 179 00:15:06,872 --> 00:15:09,136 Red Errant Knight (1929) 180 00:15:09,208 --> 00:15:13,076 Fantasy and magic are powerful elements in Chinese culture... 181 00:15:13,145 --> 00:15:18,413 and were very much a part of the florid Peking Opera style of storytelling. 182 00:15:18,484 --> 00:15:20,384 A Valiant Woman Nicknamed: The White Rose (1929) 183 00:15:20,452 --> 00:15:24,912 These enchanting components were utilized in early film making. 184 00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:27,459 My Son Was A Hero 185 00:15:27,526 --> 00:15:29,927 As visually fantastic as these stories seem... 186 00:15:29,995 --> 00:15:31,724 Swordswoman from Huangjiang 187 00:15:31,797 --> 00:15:33,731 they invariably had deep meaning for their audiences. 188 00:15:34,967 --> 00:15:38,369 Many were based on historical events, 189 00:15:38,437 --> 00:15:41,031 legends and on popular novels. 190 00:15:42,107 --> 00:15:46,305 The techniques might seem a little crude by today's standards... 191 00:15:46,378 --> 00:15:48,437 but look closely and you'll notice... 192 00:15:48,514 --> 00:15:52,075 how they're still being incorporated into today's films. 193 00:16:31,023 --> 00:16:34,118 With the introduction of talking movies in the early 1930s... 194 00:16:34,193 --> 00:16:36,594 a law was passed in mainland China... 195 00:16:36,662 --> 00:16:39,188 that all films were to be shot in Mandarin... 196 00:16:39,264 --> 00:16:41,198 China's predominant dialect. 197 00:16:42,401 --> 00:16:46,804 This caused many Cantonese-speaking filmmakers to flee from China... 198 00:16:46,872 --> 00:16:50,308 to Hong Kong, 199 00:16:50,376 --> 00:16:53,141 and many more movies were shot. 200 00:16:53,212 --> 00:16:56,238 Shanghai 201 00:16:56,315 --> 00:17:00,377 With the outbreak of World War Il and the occupation of Hong Kong by Japan... 202 00:17:00,452 --> 00:17:03,387 film production stopped. 203 00:17:05,190 --> 00:17:08,649 It wasn't until the dusts of war and revolution settled.. 204 00:17:09,828 --> 00:17:13,958 That one of the most beloved folk heroes in China... 205 00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:17,333 literally came to the rescue of the martial arts film industry. 206 00:17:20,205 --> 00:17:22,367 Everyone knows it's Wong Fei Hung. 207 00:17:22,441 --> 00:17:23,704 -Wong Fei Hung. -Wong Fei Hung. 208 00:17:23,776 --> 00:17:26,575 Wong Fei Hong represents a kind of... 209 00:17:26,645 --> 00:17:30,513 .my honest and upright sense of justice. 210 00:17:30,582 --> 00:17:34,382 He eliminates the bullies and helps the downtrodden... 211 00:17:34,453 --> 00:17:36,512 anytime, anywhere. 212 00:17:36,588 --> 00:17:38,454 John Woo - Director 213 00:17:38,524 --> 00:17:40,458 He helps others, and he never gives in to evil forces. 214 00:17:40,526 --> 00:17:42,324 Dreadnaught (1981) 215 00:17:42,394 --> 00:17:45,853 He also has a very kind and sympathetic heart. 216 00:17:45,931 --> 00:17:51,097 Not only does he use his medical skills to save and heal people... 217 00:17:54,039 --> 00:17:58,476 but at the same time, he's also a very patriotic hero. 218 00:18:02,815 --> 00:18:06,274 Wong Fei Hung was a martial arts master. 219 00:18:06,351 --> 00:18:08,342 His hand-to-hand fighting style... 220 00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:11,583 appealed cinematically to the film's director, Wu Pang. 221 00:18:11,657 --> 00:18:13,591 Wu Pang - Director 222 00:18:13,659 --> 00:18:15,753 Wu Pang broke with tradition 223 00:18:15,828 --> 00:18:18,525 instead of Peking Opera trained choreographers. 224 00:18:18,597 --> 00:18:21,567 One of them was Master Lau Kar Leung. 225 00:18:21,633 --> 00:18:23,567 Lau Kar Leung - Director/Action Director 226 00:18:23,635 --> 00:18:25,694 I learn Hung Gar or Hung-style boxing. 227 00:18:30,943 --> 00:18:36,211 My master, who is my father, is Lau Jham. 228 00:18:36,281 --> 00:18:40,946 And my father's master was Lam Sai Wing. 229 00:18:41,019 --> 00:18:45,479 And who was Lam Sai Wing's master? Everyone knows it's Wong Fei Hung. 230 00:18:45,557 --> 00:18:49,221 Who is Wong Fei Hung's master? Luk Nga Choi. 231 00:18:49,294 --> 00:18:52,594 Who was Luk Nga Choi's master? 232 00:18:53,665 --> 00:18:58,728 Monk Zhi Shan. He was Southern Shaolin. 233 00:18:58,804 --> 00:19:02,104 When Wong Fei Hung started filming... 234 00:19:02,174 --> 00:19:06,304 then of course I was useful, because I fought the martial art. 235 00:19:06,378 --> 00:19:10,315 In the beginning, we had to really fight with real kung fu 236 00:19:10,382 --> 00:19:12,180 That"s how we shot Wong Fei Hung. 237 00:19:12,251 --> 00:19:17,519 The actor who originally played Wong Fei Hung was Kwan Tak Hing. 238 00:19:17,589 --> 00:19:20,024 Let's first talk about Kwan Tak Hing. 239 00:19:21,093 --> 00:19:24,028 He was in opera, Cantonese opera. 240 00:19:25,597 --> 00:19:27,964 At the time when they were casting.. 241 00:19:28,033 --> 00:19:32,061 They liked Kwan Tak Hing's body language, his height. 242 00:19:32,137 --> 00:19:34,868 It all resembled the real Wong Fei Hung. 243 00:19:34,940 --> 00:19:37,966 And because he was not familiar with Hung-style kung fu... 244 00:19:38,043 --> 00:19:41,104 my master and their brothers had to teach him. 245 00:19:43,849 --> 00:19:46,580 And Kwan Tak Hing was extremely intelligent... 246 00:19:46,652 --> 00:19:49,314 because, after all, he was an opera actor. 247 00:19:49,388 --> 00:19:53,450 The spell Wong Fei Hung held over Chinese audiences then... 248 00:19:53,525 --> 00:19:55,653 is still powerful today. 249 00:19:55,727 --> 00:20:00,187 His magic has worked wonders for the careers of two of today's top stars... 250 00:20:00,265 --> 00:20:03,895 Jackie Chan in a comedy and Jet Li in a drama. 251 00:20:06,471 --> 00:20:09,736 Once Upon a Time in China (1991) 252 00:20:36,835 --> 00:20:40,772 Kwan Tak Hing made approximately 90 Wong Fei Hung movies. 253 00:20:40,839 --> 00:20:43,672 He became so identified with the character of Wong Fei Hung... 254 00:20:43,742 --> 00:20:47,303 that Kwan Tak Hing himself became a living legend, 255 00:20:47,379 --> 00:20:49,871 Magnificent Butcher (1979) 256 00:20:49,948 --> 00:20:52,280 When he retired, he became a healer... 257 00:20:52,351 --> 00:20:54,911 opened up a pharmacy and taught martial arts. 258 00:21:06,632 --> 00:21:10,728 Even though Kwan Tak Hing's Wong Fei Hung films were incredibly popular... 259 00:21:10,802 --> 00:21:15,069 women were still the real stars throughout the 1950s. 260 00:21:15,140 --> 00:21:17,074 Cheng Pei Pei - Actor 261 00:21:17,142 --> 00:21:19,668 In my first movie, it's not a woman in the movie. 262 00:21:19,745 --> 00:21:22,874 In the movie, I'm a man, a guy. 263 00:21:22,948 --> 00:21:28,478 At that time, maybe early on, stage acting was very low. 264 00:21:28,553 --> 00:21:32,285 The man in the family, they'd rather the wife... 265 00:21:32,357 --> 00:21:35,383 to watch a lady do it 266 00:21:36,662 --> 00:21:40,530 The female stars of that period 267 00:21:40,599 --> 00:21:43,398 Josephine Sao.. 268 00:21:44,603 --> 00:21:46,401 Suet Nei... 269 00:21:46,471 --> 00:21:48,838 and Chan Po Chi. 270 00:21:48,907 --> 00:21:52,468 Every one of them regularly portrayed a man in a film. 271 00:21:54,413 --> 00:21:59,078 Asian society's attitude toward movies had not changed since the 1920s. 272 00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:04,756 The 1950s and early 1960s had two major film companies. 273 00:22:04,823 --> 00:22:08,885 One came to be known as the Cathay Film Company... 274 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:10,553 the other was... 275 00:22:17,703 --> 00:22:19,398 the Shaw Brothers. 276 00:22:20,138 --> 00:22:21,902 Shaw Studio 277 00:22:22,908 --> 00:22:27,106 In the 1950s, the Shaw Brothers built a huge, secluded.. 278 00:22:27,179 --> 00:22:32,709 And totally self-contained studio on Clearwater Bay, Hong Kong. 279 00:22:32,784 --> 00:22:38,086 It was a city unto itself where everyone worked, lived, ate and slept. Everyone. 280 00:22:38,156 --> 00:22:43,492 Set painters, directors, actors, prop masters, cameramen. 281 00:22:43,562 --> 00:22:46,259 Anyone who had anything to do with making a film... 282 00:22:46,331 --> 00:22:50,199 [lived on the studio lot, miles from anywhere. 283 00:22:50,268 --> 00:22:51,861 Raymond Chow - Producer 284 00:22:51,937 --> 00:22:55,134 In the early 1950s, Raymond Chow joined Shaw Brothers... 285 00:22:55,207 --> 00:22:56,697 and is credited, along with owner Run Run Shaw.. 286 00:22:56,775 --> 00:22:58,436 Run Run Shaw - Producer 287 00:22:58,510 --> 00:23:01,241 with improving production and story standards. 288 00:23:01,313 --> 00:23:03,475 Under the watchful eye of Raymond Chow... 289 00:23:03,548 --> 00:23:07,178 Shaw Brothers continued with the popular swordplay-influenced stories. 290 00:23:07,252 --> 00:23:09,880 However, he and his directors were beginning to take note... 291 00:23:09,955 --> 00:23:14,188 of Japanese filmmakers, particularly Akira Kurosawa. 292 00:23:14,259 --> 00:23:16,193 Ang Lee - Director 293 00:23:16,261 --> 00:23:18,730 I think Shaw Brother has a deliberate attempt... 294 00:23:18,797 --> 00:23:22,358 to copy samurai movies. 295 00:23:22,434 --> 00:23:26,837 Because I think back then, it's big moneymakers in Asia. 296 00:23:26,905 --> 00:23:28,430 They're very influential. 297 00:23:30,075 --> 00:23:33,943 Some of them get into artistic levels such as Kurosawa's. 298 00:23:34,012 --> 00:23:37,573 I think the Japanese, at that time, at that period in history... 299 00:23:37,649 --> 00:23:43,144 were very, very realistic in their depiction of what happens... 300 00:23:43,221 --> 00:23:46,088 in terms of a battle, a sword fight. 301 00:23:47,058 --> 00:23:51,393 Akira Kurosawa was a great humanitarian. 302 00:23:51,463 --> 00:23:56,492 His themes were powerful and counter to the nationalistic fervor of the time. 303 00:23:56,568 --> 00:23:59,003 He was one brave man. 304 00:23:59,070 --> 00:24:00,196 Steven Seagal - Actor 305 00:24:00,272 --> 00:24:02,206 All of the great Kurosawa classics were... 306 00:24:02,274 --> 00:24:05,141 brilliant personification of not only film making... 307 00:24:05,210 --> 00:24:09,909 but the philosophies and the spiritual aspects of the martial arts. 308 00:24:10,982 --> 00:24:14,384 The Shaw Brothers management regularly screened Kurosawa's... 309 00:24:14,453 --> 00:24:18,788 and other Japanese films for its producers, writers and directors. 310 00:24:18,857 --> 00:24:23,988 The message they got was that powerful drama and realistic action was possible. 311 00:24:24,062 --> 00:24:28,761 Three Shaw Brothers directors— King Hu, Chang Che and Lau Kar Leung— 312 00:24:28,834 --> 00:24:31,030 Were particularly influenced. 313 00:24:31,102 --> 00:24:34,970 This trio would change the face of martial arts films... 314 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,032 and in very different ways. 315 00:24:38,109 --> 00:24:40,043 John Woo - Director 316 00:24:40,111 --> 00:24:42,239 King Hu and Chang Che are of tremendous influence... 317 00:24:42,314 --> 00:24:45,443 to the martial arts films of the era.. 318 00:24:45,517 --> 00:24:48,509 because almost everyone is imitating their work. 319 00:24:48,587 --> 00:24:50,521 King Hu - Director 320 00:24:50,589 --> 00:24:54,116 He is, I think, very, very important people... 321 00:24:54,192 --> 00:24:56,160 for the Hong Kong 322 00:24:56,228 --> 00:24:59,027 because he totally changed the style. 323 00:24:59,097 --> 00:25:04,501 It's a line there. Before that, martial art movie just Beijing Opera. 324 00:25:04,569 --> 00:25:07,766 Then, start from Come Drink With Me... 325 00:25:07,839 --> 00:25:12,106 the martial art movie, it's an action movie. 326 00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:15,340 So, I think that's totally different. 327 00:25:15,413 --> 00:25:17,347 Come Drink With Me (1965) 328 00:25:17,415 --> 00:25:19,509 Make me very famous, that's right. 329 00:25:19,584 --> 00:25:22,383 This, the movie, changed my whole life. 330 00:25:24,956 --> 00:25:28,551 Because after that, I do a lot of martial art movies. 331 00:25:39,170 --> 00:25:43,505 Even Crouching Tiger, I'm still in martial art, right? 332 00:25:43,575 --> 00:25:45,441 So it changed my whole life. 333 00:25:46,177 --> 00:25:49,545 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 334 00:26:03,094 --> 00:26:05,825 Most obviously, of course, King Hu... 335 00:26:05,897 --> 00:26:08,389 I think he sets tone for many things. 336 00:26:11,069 --> 00:26:17,031 The use of negative space, due to Chinese watercolor paintings. 337 00:26:17,108 --> 00:26:20,373 I think that's a lot of his background, 338 00:26:20,445 --> 00:26:23,142 And also Peking Opera influences. 339 00:26:23,214 --> 00:26:26,548 I think mast of his films, at least the best ones... 340 00:26:26,618 --> 00:26:28,950 are about the warm-up... 341 00:26:30,021 --> 00:26:34,151 paragraphs in a nice program, Peking Opera performing. 342 00:26:35,894 --> 00:26:40,695 Hero characters, bad characters, they come to one milieu. 343 00:26:40,765 --> 00:26:45,498 Bing bam bing. Good guys win, something happens. 344 00:26:45,570 --> 00:26:48,801 But the rhythm, the performing art... 345 00:26:48,873 --> 00:26:53,640 the music aspect of it, the choreography, the poses... 346 00:26:56,448 --> 00:26:57,882 the rhythm— 347 00:27:00,685 --> 00:27:02,380 And all those rhythms. 348 00:27:06,992 --> 00:27:10,326 Along with some, I guess... 349 00:27:10,395 --> 00:27:14,992 Hitchcockian or Eisenstein influences. 350 00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:24,573 In addition to the beauty of the movement... 351 00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:27,874 there was also a very, very strong element of suspense. 352 00:27:29,180 --> 00:27:33,117 So, his films and Chang Che's are very different... 353 00:27:33,184 --> 00:27:38,315 because King Hu emphasized the poetic romance between men and women... 354 00:27:40,625 --> 00:27:44,391 whereas Chang Che's films placed greater importance... 355 00:27:44,462 --> 00:27:47,659 on the righteousness and bonds between men. 356 00:27:47,732 --> 00:27:50,167 Director Chang Che was profoundly inspired... 357 00:27:50,235 --> 00:27:53,227 by Kurosawa's realism and masculine approach. 358 00:27:53,304 --> 00:27:56,103 In Chang Che's movies, women don't mean a thing. 359 00:27:56,174 --> 00:27:59,337 They're a drag, at the best. At the best. 360 00:27:59,411 --> 00:28:03,143 Most of the time, you never see them, so I don't think he cared for women. 361 00:28:03,214 --> 00:28:05,911 He enjoyed the beauty of men. 362 00:28:05,984 --> 00:28:07,918 Raymond Chow - Producer 363 00:28:07,986 --> 00:28:09,920 In those days, most of the leading stars... 364 00:28:09,988 --> 00:28:12,320 were ladies. 365 00:28:12,390 --> 00:28:16,759 One Armed Swordsman was one of the first pictures... 366 00:28:16,828 --> 00:28:20,264 that emphasized on the male lead. 367 00:28:22,333 --> 00:28:26,099 One Armed Swordsman (1967) 368 00:28:35,780 --> 00:28:37,839 One Armed Swordsman. 369 00:28:37,916 --> 00:28:40,886 I think that is the one that really blew me away. 370 00:28:40,952 --> 00:28:42,886 Ronny Yu - Director 371 00:28:42,954 --> 00:28:44,888 And for me, it means a lot... 372 00:28:44,956 --> 00:28:49,416 because I had polio when I was, like, a baby. 373 00:28:49,494 --> 00:28:53,897 So, I sort of consider myself a little bit inadequate... 374 00:28:53,965 --> 00:28:56,263 not as normal as anybody. 375 00:29:00,939 --> 00:29:02,873 And when I watched that movie... 376 00:29:02,941 --> 00:29:07,071 it sort of like give me an electric jolt... 377 00:29:07,145 --> 00:29:09,512 you know, like, "You can do it." 378 00:29:09,581 --> 00:29:13,540 The guy with one arm can even fight the best martial artist in the world, 379 00:29:17,422 --> 00:29:20,585 And that has a lot of great impression... 380 00:29:20,658 --> 00:29:23,491 that movie, when I was growing up. 381 00:29:27,499 --> 00:29:29,433 Roger Yuan - Actor 382 00:29:29,501 --> 00:29:33,062 To make use of the fact that other people's perceived perception... 383 00:29:33,138 --> 00:29:36,699 of his weakness or his inability is his strength. 384 00:29:36,775 --> 00:29:40,075 That is a concept of— 385 00:29:40,145 --> 00:29:44,173 That’s a true adaptation of the philosophy of martial arts. 386 00:29:44,249 --> 00:29:47,549 The 1967 film One Armed Swordsman... 387 00:29:47,619 --> 00:29:50,054 was a movie very much of its time. 388 00:29:50,121 --> 00:29:53,216 The youth in Hong Kong, just as in the United States and Europe... 389 00:29:53,291 --> 00:29:56,317 was finding its voice, rebelling against the status quo... 390 00:29:56,394 --> 00:29:58,590 and Chang Che realized that. 391 00:29:58,663 --> 00:30:02,429 For him, that was what this film was about. 392 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:07,336 Master, I no longer believe in your ways. 393 00:30:07,405 --> 00:30:10,067 I have my own path to go. 394 00:30:12,644 --> 00:30:15,841 He was saying, don't et your youth be a weakness. 395 00:30:15,914 --> 00:30:19,873 Understand and train it to become your strength. 396 00:30:20,952 --> 00:30:23,182 He acknowledged 397 00:30:23,254 --> 00:30:26,656 of the American classic Rebel Without a Cause. 398 00:30:28,426 --> 00:30:31,987 One Armed Swordsman was just one of nearly a hundred movies... 399 00:30:32,063 --> 00:30:35,465 Chang Che directed, many of which became classics. 400 00:30:35,533 --> 00:30:37,467 Golden Swallow (1968) 401 00:30:37,535 --> 00:30:41,028 And it wasn't just his marriage 402 00:30:41,105 --> 00:30:44,939 and intellectual insights that made him revered.. 403 00:30:45,009 --> 00:30:49,037 Burt also his stylized way of shooting and editing. 404 00:30:49,113 --> 00:30:53,050 He was influenced by Arthur Penn's 1967 seminal gangster movie... 405 00:30:53,117 --> 00:30:56,280 Bonnie and Clyde, and its use of slow motion. 406 00:30:56,354 --> 00:30:59,619 Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 407 00:31:45,870 --> 00:31:48,805 I imitate a Jot of things of Chang Che. 408 00:31:52,176 --> 00:31:56,636 When I had the chance in 1973 to shoot my first film Young Dragons... 409 00:31:58,716 --> 00:32:02,414 there are many shadows of Chang Che in it. 410 00:32:04,088 --> 00:32:07,820 And the kind of spin it of the male lead character in my film... 411 00:32:07,892 --> 00:32:10,862 The Young Dragons (1975) 412 00:32:10,929 --> 00:32:14,422 His sense of justice, of passion and righteousness... 413 00:32:14,499 --> 00:32:16,934 are very close to Chang Che's. 414 00:32:19,704 --> 00:32:21,900 Chang Che's films very much emphasized.. 415 00:32:21,973 --> 00:32:24,567 the so-called righteous and just spirit. 416 00:32:24,642 --> 00:32:27,270 And it made me idolize him very much. 417 00:32:29,247 --> 00:32:32,342 The third important director from the Shaw Brothers studio... 418 00:32:32,417 --> 00:32:34,647 is Lau Kar Leung. 419 00:32:34,719 --> 00:32:37,086 He's a true martial arts master 420 00:32:37,155 --> 00:32:40,682 can be traced all the way back to Monk Zhi Shan. 421 00:32:41,826 --> 00:32:44,921 Monk Zhi Shan was the master... 422 00:32:44,996 --> 00:32:47,192 who, after the second Shaolin Temple was burned down... 423 00:32:49,233 --> 00:32:52,635 taught martial arts to the Peking Opera actors in the first place. 424 00:32:54,439 --> 00:32:57,534 It has been Lau Kar Leung's life's work... 425 00:32:57,608 --> 00:33:00,543 to bring real martial arts to the big screen. 426 00:33:00,611 --> 00:33:03,103 With Lau Kar Leung, we have come full circle... 427 00:33:03,181 --> 00:33:07,140 to the two primary traditions of martial arts films— 428 00:33:07,218 --> 00:33:10,848 Peking Opera and the Shaolin Temple. 429 00:33:10,922 --> 00:33:14,153 Gordon Liu - Actor 430 00:33:14,225 --> 00:33:17,217 At that time, no one had yet shot a film about monks. 431 00:33:17,295 --> 00:33:19,229 No one would shoot a film about monks. 432 00:33:19,297 --> 00:33:21,595 Usually they would shoot martial arts hero films... 433 00:33:21,666 --> 00:33:23,828 with handsome guys and great heroes. 434 00:33:23,901 --> 00:33:25,960 Why would anyone be so bold as to use a new actor... 435 00:33:26,037 --> 00:33:27,971 Gordon Liu, to play a bald monk? 436 00:33:28,039 --> 00:33:30,804 36 Chambers of Shaolin (1978) 437 00:33:30,875 --> 00:33:33,708 No matter how well you fight, it's useless, 438 00:33:33,778 --> 00:33:36,338 Monk films have no romantic interest. 439 00:33:36,414 --> 00:33:39,679 Martial arts hero films have romantic elements. 440 00:33:39,751 --> 00:33:41,981 So, at the time, the producer 441 00:33:42,053 --> 00:33:44,715 Lau Kar Leung, argued over this concept— 442 00:33:44,789 --> 00:33:46,848 "How can a film be without a love story?" 443 00:33:46,924 --> 00:33:49,052 But monks can't have a love story. 444 00:33:50,128 --> 00:33:52,062 So what did we finally shoot? 445 00:33:52,130 --> 00:33:54,394 The story of the spirit, the kung fu moves... 446 00:33:54,465 --> 00:33:56,399 and the perseverance of the monks. 447 00:33:56,467 --> 00:34:00,097 We finally finished the film, The 36 Chambers of Shaolin. 448 00:34:00,171 --> 00:34:02,105 Lau Kar Leung - Director/Action Director 449 00:34:02,173 --> 00:34:05,370 Now "36 Chambers of Shaolin", I wanted to show this thing called kung fu. 450 00:34:05,443 --> 00:34:09,607 What is kung fu? Kung fu does not rely on fighting. 451 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:11,614 Many things have to do with awareness. 452 00:34:11,682 --> 00:34:15,118 Your eyes, your ears to listen... 453 00:34:15,186 --> 00:34:17,211 and all kinds of weapons. 454 00:34:17,288 --> 00:34:20,622 And everyone must train in all of these chambers. 455 00:34:21,459 --> 00:34:24,224 Chamber of blades. Chamber of kicks. 456 00:34:24,295 --> 00:34:27,629 Chamber of eyes. Chamber of ears. 457 00:34:28,900 --> 00:34:31,733 They must train in each chamber. 458 00:34:31,803 --> 00:34:34,795 50, I came up with the idea, 459 00:34:34,872 --> 00:34:37,500 each part that moves has feeling of motion. 460 00:34:37,575 --> 00:34:40,601 Every part that moves has feeling of motion. 461 00:34:40,678 --> 00:34:45,013 Feeling of motion. It has its own kind of charisma. 462 00:34:45,083 --> 00:34:49,111 So, I decided to show it in the 36 Chambers. 463 00:34:49,187 --> 00:34:53,920 Human kung fu cannot be attained by sitting there and moving one part. 464 00:34:53,991 --> 00:34:55,925 The whole body must move. 465 00:34:55,993 --> 00:34:57,927 Hui Yin Hong - Actor 466 00:34:57,995 --> 00:34:59,929 For other directors it may be a difficult thing... 467 00:34:59,997 --> 00:35:02,694 Burt I felt that for director Lau Kar Leung, it was not difficult... 468 00:35:02,767 --> 00:35:05,327 because he is known as the "Dictionary of Kung Fu." 469 00:35:08,206 --> 00:35:13,440 In my understanding, I feel that the so-called real martial arts... 470 00:35:13,511 --> 00:35:17,880 is not to teach people how to kill others... 471 00:35:17,949 --> 00:35:19,940 or to beat up people. 472 00:35:20,017 --> 00:35:25,922 Real martial arts is a kind of discipline for the heart and passions. 473 00:35:25,990 --> 00:35:29,620 It is how to train yourself to become a virtuous... 474 00:35:29,694 --> 00:35:31,924 Just and righteous man. 475 00:35:33,564 --> 00:35:36,864 Although martial arts films were increasingly popular in Asia... 476 00:35:36,934 --> 00:35:39,596 they had not yet penetrated the world market. 477 00:35:39,670 --> 00:35:42,105 In 1970, two main events occurred... 478 00:35:42,173 --> 00:35:45,632 that would radically change the martial arts film genre. 479 00:35:45,710 --> 00:35:49,078 First, producer Raymond Chow left Shaw Brothers... 480 00:35:49,147 --> 00:35:52,208 and with Leonard Ho, formed their own company... 481 00:35:52,283 --> 00:35:54,149 Golden Harvest. 482 00:35:54,218 --> 00:35:57,449 I think in the late '60s... 483 00:35:59,123 --> 00:36:02,149 television was beginning to... 484 00:36:02,226 --> 00:36:06,185 become popular in the United States. 485 00:36:06,264 --> 00:36:09,598 I think the management of Shaw Brothers... 486 00:36:09,667 --> 00:36:14,002 felt that the same effect may hit Hong Kong... 487 00:36:14,071 --> 00:36:18,065 and was thinking of cutting down the operation... 488 00:36:18,142 --> 00:36:23,103 and using half of the manpower... 489 00:36:23,181 --> 00:36:26,845 to go into— and capital— to go into television. 490 00:36:28,586 --> 00:36:31,419 I didn't quite agree with that. 491 00:36:31,489 --> 00:36:36,928 We left in 1970, and we made... 492 00:36:36,994 --> 00:36:40,453 first year, I think we made four or five pictures. 493 00:36:40,531 --> 00:36:42,124 Four pictures already. 494 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:46,831 The other main event of 1970 was a guy named... 495 00:36:46,904 --> 00:36:48,599 Bruce Lee. 496 00:37:03,254 --> 00:37:05,848 Return of the Dragon (1972) 497 00:37:17,368 --> 00:37:20,030 There’s some things I still think up to this day... 498 00:37:20,104 --> 00:37:22,766 nobody do better than he does. 499 00:37:27,044 --> 00:37:29,172 The spirit of fighting. 500 00:37:31,649 --> 00:37:36,382 The charismatic, the stark kind of attraction that comes along... 501 00:37:36,454 --> 00:37:39,048 not only with his performances... 502 00:37:39,123 --> 00:37:43,082 but his philosophy in fighting... 503 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:44,889 and deal with life. 504 00:37:44,962 --> 00:37:48,956 That was very straightforward, 505 00:37:49,033 --> 00:37:50,467 Ang Lee - Director 506 00:37:50,534 --> 00:37:52,468 very gung-ho, can-do spirit.. 507 00:37:52,536 --> 00:37:56,803 Than the repressed Chinese zigzagging kind of attitude. 508 00:37:56,874 --> 00:38:00,970 Bruce Lee, who would have such an impact on martial arts films... 509 00:38:01,045 --> 00:38:05,312 was actually born and raised in San Francisco, California. 510 00:38:05,383 --> 00:38:06,680 David Carradine - Actor 511 00:38:06,751 --> 00:38:08,685 Bruce was an actor before he was a martial artist. 512 00:38:08,753 --> 00:38:11,120 He did his first commercial when I think he was five. 513 00:38:11,188 --> 00:38:14,590 And he didn't start studying kung fu until he was 10. 514 00:38:14,659 --> 00:38:17,458 And, you know, his father was an opera singer. 515 00:38:17,528 --> 00:38:20,259 And, I mean... 516 00:38:20,331 --> 00:38:22,493 that guy, he's a showbiz guy. 517 00:38:22,566 --> 00:38:25,968 The first martial arts film for television actually... 518 00:38:26,037 --> 00:38:28,005 was Bruce Lee's Green Hornet. 519 00:38:28,072 --> 00:38:32,839 And one day I was watching this obviously Asian guy... 520 00:38:32,910 --> 00:38:37,006 with a mask on, jumping up and down and doing flying kicks. 521 00:38:37,081 --> 00:38:39,982 Green Hornet was a successful series... 522 00:38:40,051 --> 00:38:44,420 but the United States wasn't ready for Bruce Lee to become a leading man. 523 00:38:44,488 --> 00:38:46,422 Stanley Tong - Director 524 00:38:46,490 --> 00:38:48,424 I admire Bruce Lee. I remember in one interview... 525 00:38:48,492 --> 00:38:49,982 when he was saying that... 526 00:38:51,495 --> 00:38:55,056 the Kung Fu TV series is supposed to be written for him. 527 00:38:55,132 --> 00:38:58,466 And because his Asian, you know, Chinese face... 528 00:38:58,536 --> 00:39:02,029 and back then American television, they don't believe that... 529 00:39:02,106 --> 00:39:05,371 you know, they can, they would like to see an Asian hero. 530 00:39:05,443 --> 00:39:07,878 Bruce Lee left the United States... 531 00:39:07,945 --> 00:39:10,744 and headed back to his adopted country, Hong Kong. 532 00:39:10,815 --> 00:39:13,716 When Bruce first joined us... 533 00:39:13,784 --> 00:39:19,314 the first picture we had him make was done in Bangkok. 534 00:39:20,257 --> 00:39:24,421 And after the first day's work... 535 00:39:24,495 --> 00:39:26,589 the director called and said... 536 00:39:26,664 --> 00:39:31,124 "| want to change Bruce Lee because he can't fight" 537 00:39:31,202 --> 00:39:33,728 I said, "Why?" He said, "Everybody in the unit.. 538 00:39:33,804 --> 00:39:38,264 Knows that we're now calling him Lee Three Kicks... 539 00:39:38,342 --> 00:39:40,606 because he can kick only three times." 540 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:46,646 So, I flew to Bangkok... 541 00:39:46,717 --> 00:39:49,277 looked at the situation and asked Bruce what happened, 542 00:39:49,353 --> 00:39:51,287 Big Boss (1971) 543 00:39:51,355 --> 00:39:56,156 Bruce said, "This director is useless because these guys are just soldiers. 544 00:39:56,227 --> 00:39:59,629 Very low-down soldiers who can't really fight. 545 00:39:59,697 --> 00:40:03,156 If I have to spend five minutes 546 00:40:03,234 --> 00:40:08,195 what am I going to do when I meet the real good martial artists?" 547 00:40:08,272 --> 00:40:12,641 "And besides," he said, "the way I kick these three kicks... 548 00:40:15,846 --> 00:40:20,579 is so strong, they should be out completely." 549 00:40:20,651 --> 00:40:23,848 So, I look at the film, and I think I agree with him. 550 00:40:23,921 --> 00:40:27,289 And we just quietly change the director. 551 00:40:27,358 --> 00:40:30,384 And really, the rest is history. 552 00:40:42,706 --> 00:40:44,834 Sammo Hung - Actor/Director 553 00:40:44,909 --> 00:40:48,140 I think he has an effect on each of us who are Chinese... 554 00:40:48,212 --> 00:40:50,146 and work in the movie industry. 555 00:40:50,214 --> 00:40:55,778 His ethnic identity is very strong, and it makes everyone excited, 556 00:40:55,853 --> 00:40:59,153 He stands out from the crowd and is proud of being a Chinese. 557 00:41:00,090 --> 00:41:05,529 His sense of identity of being a Chinese is really strong. 558 00:41:06,630 --> 00:41:08,724 The Chinese Connection (1972) 559 00:41:27,318 --> 00:41:30,117 I think Bruce... 560 00:41:30,187 --> 00:41:32,918 you know, he was much more than just a martial artist. 561 00:41:32,990 --> 00:41:38,724 And he was much more than a martial arts actor or superstar. 562 00:41:39,964 --> 00:41:42,194 The philosophy that he had... 563 00:41:42,266 --> 00:41:44,997 the things that he wrote... 564 00:41:45,069 --> 00:41:47,003 The Tao of feet Kun Do... 565 00:41:47,071 --> 00:41:51,372 the ideas that he had were so far and ahead of his time. 566 00:41:51,442 --> 00:41:53,376 Bruce Lee - Actor 567 00:41:53,444 --> 00:41:58,780 I said, "Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water." 568 00:41:58,849 --> 00:42:02,877 Now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. 569 00:42:02,953 --> 00:42:05,251 You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. 570 00:42:05,322 --> 00:42:08,348 You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. 571 00:42:08,425 --> 00:42:12,453 Now, water can flow or it can crash. 572 00:42:12,530 --> 00:42:14,055 Be water, my friend. 573 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:21,832 His most special quality is that he had his own character. 574 00:42:21,906 --> 00:42:26,070 He allowed his character and acting to be different from others. 575 00:42:27,111 --> 00:42:29,637 His confidence is very high and he combined.. 576 00:42:29,713 --> 00:42:33,240 The Chinese ways and Western styles. 577 00:42:33,317 --> 00:42:35,581 His style is not purely Chinese... 578 00:42:35,653 --> 00:42:38,384 but he included the Westernized ingredients.. 579 00:42:38,455 --> 00:42:43,188 In expressing his loyalty to his country and race. 580 00:42:43,260 --> 00:42:47,390 Watching him is not only seeing an actor... 581 00:42:47,464 --> 00:42:50,229 but more and very special. 582 00:42:50,301 --> 00:42:55,137 Styles tend to not only separate man... 583 00:42:55,205 --> 00:42:57,139 you know, because they have their own doctrines... 584 00:42:57,207 --> 00:43:01,906 and then the doctrine became the gospel truth that you cannot change. 585 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,442 But if you do not have style, if you just say... 586 00:43:05,516 --> 00:43:08,952 "Well, here I am as a human being... 587 00:43:09,019 --> 00:43:13,354 how can I express myself totally and completely?" 588 00:43:13,424 --> 00:43:17,190 Now, that way, you won't create a style... 589 00:43:17,261 --> 00:43:19,696 because style is a crystallization. 590 00:43:19,763 --> 00:43:23,631 That way it's a process of continuing growth. 591 00:43:23,701 --> 00:43:26,727 And when you do punch— now I'm leaning forward a little bit— 592 00:43:26,804 --> 00:43:29,967 Hoping not to hurt any camera angle. 593 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:32,407 I mean, you gotta put the whole hip into it... 594 00:43:32,476 --> 00:43:36,538 and snap it and get all your energy in there... 595 00:43:36,614 --> 00:43:38,742 and make this into a weapon. 596 00:43:38,816 --> 00:43:43,276 I never see anybody do change of rhythm in a fight so well as he does... 597 00:43:43,354 --> 00:43:45,448 even up to these days. 598 00:43:45,522 --> 00:43:47,957 And it's choreographed— boom, boom, boom, boom. 599 00:43:48,025 --> 00:43:50,494 It takes rhythms, and nobody fights like that. 600 00:43:50,561 --> 00:43:54,555 But his fight looks 601 00:43:54,632 --> 00:43:57,158 and more spiritual because... 602 00:43:57,234 --> 00:43:58,861 every punch he throws, every block he does... 603 00:43:58,936 --> 00:44:00,870 every change of rhythm he does... 604 00:44:00,938 --> 00:44:04,533 even eye shifting, means something. 605 00:44:04,608 --> 00:44:08,169 And that's very intriguing. It's great entertainment and inspiring. 606 00:44:10,114 --> 00:44:12,048 Mang Hoi - Actor 607 00:44:12,116 --> 00:44:14,050 His eyes always looked forward. Those movements were so tremendous... 608 00:44:14,118 --> 00:44:16,280 that on set they made fling-flung sounds. 609 00:44:16,353 --> 00:44:18,412 The winds from his fists scare you to death. 610 00:44:18,489 --> 00:44:20,787 I remember I went to see Enter the Dragon... 611 00:44:20,858 --> 00:44:23,520 and I came back and said to Jerry Thorpe... 612 00:44:23,594 --> 00:44:26,325 "Have you seen this movie?" He said, "No." 613 00:44:26,397 --> 00:44:29,059 I said, "You haven't? You gotta see this movie." 614 00:44:29,133 --> 00:44:31,568 And I decided to make it mandatory... 615 00:44:31,635 --> 00:44:35,299 that everybody on the crew see the movie. 616 00:44:40,711 --> 00:44:43,237 Enter the Dragon (1973) 617 00:44:45,115 --> 00:44:48,141 He said, "We're up against the James Bond... 618 00:44:48,218 --> 00:44:51,188 of martial arts, you know." 619 00:44:51,255 --> 00:44:55,783 And I said, "No, Jerry, we're up against the James Dean of martial arts." 620 00:44:55,859 --> 00:44:57,258 Big difference. 621 00:44:57,327 --> 00:44:59,955 To me, okay? To me... 622 00:45:00,030 --> 00:45:04,968 ultimately martial art means honestly expressing yourself. 623 00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:07,902 Now, it is very difficult to do. 624 00:45:07,971 --> 00:45:10,463 I mean, it is easy for me to put on a show... 625 00:45:10,541 --> 00:45:12,066 - and be cocky - Yeah. 626 00:45:12,142 --> 00:45:14,372 And be flooded with a cocky feeling. 627 00:45:14,445 --> 00:45:17,107 And then feel like pretty cool and all that. 628 00:45:17,181 --> 00:45:20,913 Oh, I can make all kinds of phony things, you see what I mean? 629 00:45:20,984 --> 00:45:25,854 Blinded by it. Or I can show you some really fancy movement. 630 00:45:25,923 --> 00:45:31,225 But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself... 631 00:45:31,295 --> 00:45:33,286 and to express myself honestly... 632 00:45:33,363 --> 00:45:36,958 now that, my friend, is very hard to do. 633 00:45:38,235 --> 00:45:40,932 Audiences often wonder why most martial arts films... 634 00:45:41,004 --> 00:45:43,701 were period pieces set in centuries long ago. 635 00:45:43,774 --> 00:45:46,266 Bruce Lee had a simple answer for that. 636 00:45:46,343 --> 00:45:48,641 Nowadays, I mean, you don't go around on the street... 637 00:45:48,712 --> 00:45:51,409 kicking people or punching people. 638 00:45:51,482 --> 00:45:56,511 - Because if you do, that's it. -Yeah. 639 00:45:56,587 --> 00:45:58,316 -You're done. - I don't care how good you are. 640 00:46:04,461 --> 00:46:07,692 In spite of this belief, Bruce Lee was one of the first innovators... 641 00:46:07,765 --> 00:46:10,962 to portray martial arts in a contemporary setting. 642 00:46:34,191 --> 00:46:37,752 In 1973, at the age of 32... 643 00:46:37,828 --> 00:46:41,264 Bruce Lee tragically died from a brain edema. 644 00:46:41,331 --> 00:46:44,323 He had only completed four movies, but they would open up the world... 645 00:46:44,401 --> 00:46:46,529 to the martial arts genre. 646 00:46:46,603 --> 00:46:50,301 Almost as soon as the world got to appreciate him... 647 00:46:50,374 --> 00:46:52,536 he passed away. 648 00:46:58,115 --> 00:47:01,380 Over 20,000 fans showed up for his funeral, 649 00:47:25,042 --> 00:47:26,976 Teddy Chan - Director 650 00:47:27,044 --> 00:47:29,206 People still love Bruce Lee, and also States. 651 00:47:29,279 --> 00:47:33,910 He makes this keep on. His spirit is still there. 652 00:47:33,984 --> 00:47:37,386 The movie is now still keep on showing. We still look at it. 653 00:47:37,454 --> 00:47:39,616 So many things to impress us. 654 00:47:39,690 --> 00:47:44,719 He's the only kung fu master I think... 655 00:47:44,795 --> 00:47:47,662 in our show business, in our Chinese show business. 656 00:47:54,204 --> 00:47:56,639 Not because he's a real kung fu martial artist.. 657 00:47:56,707 --> 00:48:02,441 But he can make the kung fu become a kind of kung fu plus ballet. 658 00:48:14,691 --> 00:48:17,558 Plus a kind of soul, 659 00:48:21,565 --> 00:48:23,829 To some, something to explain... 660 00:48:23,901 --> 00:48:28,304 that he’s a spirit that can show on pictures. 661 00:48:29,206 --> 00:48:33,700 Bruce Lee's death created a vacuum unprecedented in martial arts films. 662 00:48:35,779 --> 00:48:39,374 Suddenly, the future was looking bleak for the genre. 663 00:48:39,449 --> 00:48:41,713 Fortunately, in 1973... 664 00:48:41,785 --> 00:48:43,981 a television series from the United States... 665 00:48:44,054 --> 00:48:47,820 helped keep martial arts alive and popular around the world. 666 00:48:47,891 --> 00:48:53,421 Ironically, it was the series that Bruce Lee had hoped to star in. 667 00:48:53,497 --> 00:48:55,727 Kung Fu (1972) 668 00:48:55,799 --> 00:48:57,631 Learn this, Grasshopper. 669 00:48:57,701 --> 00:49:00,295 The mind of every creature, great or small.. 670 00:49:00,370 --> 00:49:03,305 Is the master of his own body. 671 00:49:03,373 --> 00:49:06,172 But only if the mind flows with nature... 672 00:49:06,243 --> 00:49:09,577 may that mastery be exercised to its fullest. 673 00:49:09,646 --> 00:49:13,776 There is no limit to 674 00:49:13,850 --> 00:49:17,309 nor is there a limit to the ways one may ha mess those powers... 675 00:49:17,387 --> 00:49:20,186 to the mastery of the harmonious mind. 676 00:49:20,257 --> 00:49:25,525 It may take half a lifetime to master one system. 677 00:49:25,595 --> 00:49:27,927 - What do you hear? - I hear the water. 678 00:49:27,998 --> 00:49:30,558 I hear the birds. 679 00:49:30,634 --> 00:49:34,764 Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet? 680 00:49:37,774 --> 00:49:42,610 Old man, how is it that you hear these things? 681 00:49:42,679 --> 00:49:47,378 Young man, how is it that you do not? 682 00:49:47,451 --> 00:49:48,885 John McGinty Nichol - Director 683 00:49:48,952 --> 00:49:51,114 When I was a kid, I would watch Kung Fu and try to grab the grasshopper... 684 00:49:51,188 --> 00:49:53,122 out of the hand and replicate what was happening on Kung Fu. 685 00:49:55,492 --> 00:49:57,358 No one will die today. 686 00:50:00,364 --> 00:50:03,994 You wish to save this worthless devil? 687 00:50:05,635 --> 00:50:07,660 A Shaolin. 688 00:50:10,107 --> 00:50:14,203 A coward. A peasant who carries vegetables. 689 00:50:14,277 --> 00:50:17,144 An old woman who runs in the night from shadows. 690 00:50:17,214 --> 00:50:20,445 And that was always sort of a fantasy in that here was a guy... 691 00:50:20,517 --> 00:50:23,179 who was interested in righteousness and doing the right thing.. 692 00:50:23,253 --> 00:50:26,154 And sort of representing the common man and the little man. 693 00:50:26,223 --> 00:50:29,386 But when called upon, he could step up and make it happen... 694 00:50:29,459 --> 00:50:32,485 and, you know, sort of kick ass. and fight in the name of righteousness. 695 00:50:32,562 --> 00:50:34,860 1 always found that very sort of magical. 696 00:50:47,711 --> 00:50:49,372 Go. 697 00:50:51,548 --> 00:50:56,213 I feel sort of privileged to have managed to fall into— 698 00:50:56,286 --> 00:50:59,153 You know, I think I may be the only martial arts star... 699 00:50:59,222 --> 00:51:02,783 who came to it from the point of view of an actor. 700 00:51:02,859 --> 00:51:05,794 Many roads often lead to the same place. 701 00:51:05,862 --> 00:51:09,059 Many roads lead to places where no one wishes to go. 702 00:51:09,132 --> 00:51:11,066 You're up to something, Kane. 703 00:51:11,134 --> 00:51:15,571 It is said that a moth that lives too close to the flame leads a short life. 704 00:51:15,639 --> 00:51:17,869 But in China, it is said... 705 00:51:17,941 --> 00:51:21,400 there is little difference between along life and a short one. 706 00:51:21,478 --> 00:51:24,379 Both are but moments in time. 707 00:51:27,617 --> 00:51:30,279 By and large, the people 708 00:51:30,353 --> 00:51:32,412 are martial artists... 709 00:51:32,489 --> 00:51:34,856 who have gone out and devoted their lives to martial arts... 710 00:51:34,925 --> 00:51:36,620 and then given that up... 711 00:51:36,693 --> 00:51:38,627 and decided to try to be actors... 712 00:51:38,695 --> 00:51:40,789 you know; kind of late in life. 713 00:51:40,864 --> 00:51:43,196 And I'm a born and bred actor. 714 00:51:46,636 --> 00:51:50,800 It wasn't about revenge. 715 00:51:50,874 --> 00:51:53,605 It wasn't about crime. 716 00:51:54,511 --> 00:51:57,105 It was about philosophy. 717 00:51:59,049 --> 00:52:00,983 And it was historical. 718 00:52:01,751 --> 00:52:03,480 Enough! 719 00:52:04,521 --> 00:52:07,684 And I felt like that. When I first started doing it... 720 00:52:07,757 --> 00:52:10,055 and all the way through that series, I felt like... 721 00:52:10,127 --> 00:52:12,425 you know, I'm getting to say these things that... 722 00:52:12,496 --> 00:52:14,123 you just don't get to say in movies. 723 00:52:17,334 --> 00:52:21,362 After Bruce Lee died, the whole movie industry going down. 724 00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:25,204 Everybody thinks that Bruce Lee is the best. 725 00:52:25,275 --> 00:52:28,301 Some other action movie, nobody could see it. 726 00:52:28,378 --> 00:52:31,973 And|, at that time, I was very disappointed. 727 00:52:32,048 --> 00:52:35,348 The martial arts genre desperately needed a breakthrough... 728 00:52:35,418 --> 00:52:39,787 and in the late 1970s got the shot in the arm it required... 729 00:52:39,856 --> 00:52:41,483 from its old friend— 730 00:52:43,493 --> 00:52:46,292 Peking Opera and comedy. 731 00:52:46,363 --> 00:52:48,297 Corey Yuen - Director 732 00:52:48,365 --> 00:52:52,859 In the theater, there is a troupe where we all performed, 733 00:52:52,936 --> 00:52:56,167 For example, Jackie Chan... 734 00:52:56,239 --> 00:52:59,174 Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao and all of us lived together.. 735 00:52:59,242 --> 00:53:02,303 And we learned what was called Peking Opera. 736 00:53:02,379 --> 00:53:05,212 Wheels on Meals (1984) 737 00:53:05,282 --> 00:53:09,048 We all became stuntmen. Actually, it was really Sammo. 738 00:53:09,119 --> 00:53:11,679 Sammo Hung was the first to get started, 739 00:53:16,159 --> 00:53:18,093 Then, it was Jackie Chan. 740 00:53:20,964 --> 00:53:23,592 Then me, then Yuen Biao. 741 00:53:37,380 --> 00:53:41,317 Sammo Hung got out of school three years ahead of us. 742 00:53:41,384 --> 00:53:43,409 The Prodigal Son (1981) 743 00:53:43,486 --> 00:53:47,320 When we learned opera, he was the first to enter the school.. 744 00:53:47,390 --> 00:53:50,917 And was considered to be our eldest martial arts brother. 745 00:53:54,130 --> 00:53:57,225 So, he had to start looking out for us, then. 746 00:54:00,103 --> 00:54:03,300 If he did not look out for us, he would not be given food... 747 00:54:03,373 --> 00:54:05,398 50 he had to look out for us. 748 00:54:09,079 --> 00:54:11,741 Painted Faces is an autobiographical movie... 749 00:54:11,815 --> 00:54:15,046 of Jackie, Corey, Yuen Biao and Sammo's young lives... 750 00:54:15,118 --> 00:54:17,212 growing up in the Peking Opera school. 751 00:54:17,287 --> 00:54:18,721 Sammo Hung - Actor/Director 752 00:54:18,788 --> 00:54:20,916 Audiences who see the movie think it's harsh enough. 753 00:54:20,991 --> 00:54:24,154 For us who actually lived through 754 00:54:24,227 --> 00:54:26,025 it doesn't show all that went on. 755 00:54:26,096 --> 00:54:28,292 Painted Faces (1988) 756 00:54:28,365 --> 00:54:30,993 For us, it doesn't tell the truth adequately. 757 00:54:31,067 --> 00:54:34,970 As I said, since the audience already considered it bad enough... 758 00:54:35,038 --> 00:54:38,975 if we added more into it, 759 00:54:41,111 --> 00:54:44,809 the audiences would never be able to accept the truth. 760 00:54:45,749 --> 00:54:48,081 It was decided to romanticize 761 00:54:48,151 --> 00:54:51,883 and show the audience some of the training we went through. 762 00:54:51,955 --> 00:54:53,923 I still think it's a pretty good movie. 763 00:54:56,293 --> 00:55:00,958 Sammo Hung, Corey Yuen and Yuen Biao each have successful careers... 764 00:55:01,031 --> 00:55:05,059 but Jackie Chan would be the one to really be embraced by the world. 765 00:55:05,135 --> 00:55:07,365 It wasn't an easy road at first. 766 00:55:07,437 --> 00:55:10,634 Producers tried to make Jackie into Bruce Lee. 767 00:55:18,481 --> 00:55:21,883 All those films failed. 768 00:55:21,951 --> 00:55:23,919 Raymond Chow - Producer 769 00:55:23,987 --> 00:55:25,250 Jackie is quite different— 770 00:55:25,322 --> 00:55:27,620 Id say entirely different from Bruce. 771 00:55:27,691 --> 00:55:31,355 And I think it's very wise of him to take that route. 772 00:55:31,428 --> 00:55:34,864 Jackie relies more on comedy... 773 00:55:36,066 --> 00:55:40,230 to increase the attraction... 774 00:55:41,504 --> 00:55:43,438 of his martial arts. 775 00:55:43,506 --> 00:55:47,170 Jackie's first breakthrough movie utilized his strengths— 776 00:55:47,243 --> 00:55:49,678 His comedy and imagination. 777 00:55:49,746 --> 00:55:51,407 Jackie Chan - Actor 778 00:55:51,481 --> 00:55:54,849 A snake mouth. I make the reason why you have to— like this. Okay. 779 00:55:54,918 --> 00:55:56,943 You just block somebody arms. 780 00:55:57,020 --> 00:56:00,046 Okay, that's a snake mouth. 781 00:56:00,123 --> 00:56:02,956 And when you turn around, that's a snake tongue. 782 00:56:04,394 --> 00:56:07,557 Then I go home. I look at a mirror. 783 00:56:07,630 --> 00:56:09,598 I just like this. 784 00:56:12,235 --> 00:56:14,932 When everybody's asleep, I practice. 785 00:56:15,004 --> 00:56:17,996 Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978) 786 00:56:18,074 --> 00:56:20,600 It looked good for the movie. 787 00:56:24,714 --> 00:56:26,648 That’s a new style. It’s not like— 788 00:56:27,917 --> 00:56:29,407 It’s like coming— 789 00:56:31,421 --> 00:56:33,446 Do some comedy, you know. 790 00:56:33,523 --> 00:56:35,150 These kinds of things. 791 00:56:44,401 --> 00:56:48,031 Jackie followed Snake in the Eagle's Shadow with Drunken Master. 792 00:56:48,104 --> 00:56:51,699 And this made him Asia's number one star. 793 00:56:51,775 --> 00:56:53,709 Each temple, one Buddha. 794 00:56:53,777 --> 00:56:55,802 Each master, his own technique. 795 00:56:57,213 --> 00:57:00,774 Drunken Master (1978) 796 00:57:35,318 --> 00:57:37,150 Jackie has acknowledged... 797 00:57:37,220 --> 00:57:40,485 his influences have been the early American silent stars... 798 00:57:40,557 --> 00:57:43,185 Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. 799 00:57:43,259 --> 00:57:46,820 Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) Project A-2 (1987) 800 00:57:51,334 --> 00:57:54,326 Safety Last (1923) Project A (1983) 801 00:58:13,890 --> 00:58:16,723 Older movies, Chinese movies, every movie— 802 00:58:16,793 --> 00:58:18,625 When you see the double, you can tell. 803 00:58:19,662 --> 00:58:21,096 Everybody do— 804 00:58:22,765 --> 00:58:23,698 Like this. 805 00:58:23,766 --> 00:58:26,258 When you look at a Jackie Chan movie, when I'm doing the stunts... 806 00:58:28,505 --> 00:58:29,631 that's me. 807 00:58:45,455 --> 00:58:47,389 Man, I hate violence. 808 00:58:47,457 --> 00:58:50,324 Yes, I do. It’s a kind of a dilemma. 809 00:59:22,292 --> 00:59:26,058 Every time I would see him perform, I would go home and copy moves. 810 00:59:26,129 --> 00:59:27,563 Cynthia Rothrock - Actor 811 00:59:27,630 --> 00:59:30,622 I would remember what he did and try them because he was my inspiration. 812 00:59:36,205 --> 00:59:37,764 John McGinty Nichol - Director 813 00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:39,774 People recognize that that stuff, it's not CG. 814 00:59:39,842 --> 00:59:41,742 It's not created in a computer somewhere. 815 00:59:41,811 --> 00:59:43,040 Police Story (1985) 816 00:59:43,112 --> 00:59:45,547 And that's just someone who's worked very diligently... 817 00:59:45,615 --> 00:59:47,674 and studied for a long hard time... 818 00:59:47,750 --> 00:59:49,809 and is able to pull it off in front of the cameras. 819 01:00:07,537 --> 01:00:10,768 Jackie Chan has now been the top martial arts actor... 820 01:00:10,840 --> 01:00:12,501 for nearly 30 years. 821 01:00:12,575 --> 01:00:15,476 In the last few years, he has arguably become... 822 01:00:15,545 --> 01:00:18,446 the number one box-office star in the world... 823 01:00:18,514 --> 01:00:20,209 in any genre. 824 01:00:21,818 --> 01:00:24,617 Here's Jackie. 825 01:00:24,687 --> 01:00:27,384 Everybody have a dream. I have a dream. 826 01:00:27,457 --> 01:00:32,293 I hope one day, my name and footprints on this star row. 827 01:00:32,362 --> 01:00:36,230 -Jackie's my hero. -Jackie Chan, he's a great man. 828 01:00:38,368 --> 01:00:41,065 - Hey, buddy. You bet. You got it. -Thank you very much. 829 01:00:41,137 --> 01:00:43,868 He's got a good sense of humor, which is good. 830 01:00:43,940 --> 01:00:49,709 You see a wonderful actor. It's just innocence and charm. 831 01:00:49,779 --> 01:00:54,478 And suddenly, this wonderful physical activity going on. 832 01:00:54,550 --> 01:00:56,484 And how many people can do that? 833 01:00:58,521 --> 01:01:01,855 Almost simultaneously to the needed and much-hailed comedy boost... 834 01:01:01,924 --> 01:01:04,894 Hong Kong created its own international film festival. 835 01:01:04,961 --> 01:01:08,591 This encouraged new talent to become more experimental. 836 01:01:10,967 --> 01:01:13,664 A new wave of filmmakers emerged, 837 01:01:14,837 --> 01:01:17,670 Led by the likes of Tsui Hark... 838 01:01:17,740 --> 01:01:20,402 John Woo, Yuen Woo Ping... 839 01:01:20,476 --> 01:01:23,468 Jet Li, Corey Yuen... 840 01:01:23,546 --> 01:01:26,572 - and Jackie Chan. -You have to watching me. 841 01:01:26,649 --> 01:01:28,139 In Asia... 842 01:01:28,217 --> 01:01:30,686 writer, director and producer, Tsui Hark... 843 01:01:30,753 --> 01:01:32,983 is often mentioned in the same class... 844 01:01:33,056 --> 01:01:37,584 as distinguished director Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock. 845 01:01:38,394 --> 01:01:40,260 Born in Vietnam... 846 01:01:40,329 --> 01:01:43,890 he found his way to Texas to learn American film making. 847 01:01:43,966 --> 01:01:47,596 One of his favorite movies Is the classic Citizen Kane. 848 01:01:48,438 --> 01:01:54,002 In 1977, Tsui returned to Hong Kong and began a prolific career. 849 01:01:54,077 --> 01:01:58,207 His early work Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain... 850 01:01:58,281 --> 01:02:02,650 was the first major special effects movie made in Hong Kong. 851 01:02:02,719 --> 01:02:04,187 Mang Hoi - Actor 852 01:02:04,253 --> 01:02:07,382 Tsui doesn't like to wrap for the day. He's mad. His passion scared us to death. 853 01:02:07,457 --> 01:02:09,892 This is a good director... 854 01:02:09,959 --> 01:02:12,291 Burt his crew will find their work to be rather physically straining. 855 01:02:17,100 --> 01:02:18,067 Kirk Wong - Director 856 01:02:18,134 --> 01:02:19,624 He's very creative. 857 01:02:19,702 --> 01:02:24,697 He was never just happy to do the usual thing. 858 01:02:26,175 --> 01:02:29,167 Peking Opera Blues (1986) 859 01:02:32,682 --> 01:02:35,379 And he was always figuring out a new way... 860 01:02:35,451 --> 01:02:39,115 to do things in a more innovative fashion. 861 01:02:42,558 --> 01:02:44,253 In 1984... 862 01:02:44,327 --> 01:02:47,388 Tsui formed his own production company, Film Workshop... 863 01:02:47,463 --> 01:02:51,730 and experimented with historic dramas, horror, swordplay movies... 864 01:02:51,801 --> 01:02:55,863 fantasy, science fiction, comedy and romance. 865 01:02:59,075 --> 01:03:01,567 There's not a style Tsui Hark hasn't attempted... 866 01:03:04,080 --> 01:03:07,675 a camera angle he hasn't tried... 867 01:03:08,584 --> 01:03:11,053 and a technology he hasn't sampled. 868 01:03:11,821 --> 01:03:14,916 He is truly a forerunner of the MTV generation. 869 01:03:15,925 --> 01:03:18,360 The Butterfly Murders (1979) 870 01:03:18,427 --> 01:03:21,761 Burt his films are not style over substance. 871 01:03:21,831 --> 01:03:26,792 I'm afraid to recall my father's death. 872 01:03:32,241 --> 01:03:36,576 He invited new writers and directors to work with him... 873 01:03:36,646 --> 01:03:38,808 by stating simple goals— 874 01:03:38,881 --> 01:03:40,747 "Develop your own style. 875 01:03:40,817 --> 01:03:44,276 There must be a point to your story. 876 01:03:44,353 --> 01:03:47,516 It must be cathartic and make the audience feel better. 877 01:03:47,590 --> 01:03:50,651 Hopefully, we will become one 878 01:03:50,726 --> 01:03:54,754 because they go to the movies to feel, not to understand." 879 01:03:56,165 --> 01:03:57,690 Li Cheuk To - Film Historian 880 01:03:57,767 --> 01:04:00,759 I think Tsui Hark is the modernizer of both the kung fu subgenre... 881 01:04:00,837 --> 01:04:02,635 and the swordplay subgenre. 882 01:04:02,705 --> 01:04:04,195 Kung fu, of course everybody knows... 883 01:04:04,273 --> 01:04:06,401 is the Once Upon a Time in China series. 884 01:04:06,475 --> 01:04:09,706 The star of the Once Upon a Time in China series, Jet Li... 885 01:04:09,779 --> 01:04:12,510 was a Chinese martial arts champion. 886 01:04:12,582 --> 01:04:15,677 His career has exploded into the international arena. 887 01:04:28,297 --> 01:04:32,200 The Shaolin Temple (1979) 888 01:04:41,978 --> 01:04:45,744 Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) 889 01:04:53,823 --> 01:04:56,986 Fong Sai Yuk/The Legend (1993) 890 01:05:09,238 --> 01:05:12,936 Tsui Hark collaborated with many of the riveting new talent... 891 01:05:13,009 --> 01:05:15,307 either as a producer, director or writer. 892 01:05:15,378 --> 01:05:16,903 Amongst them is director... 893 01:05:16,979 --> 01:05:19,573 and one of the great contemporary choreographers... 894 01:05:19,649 --> 01:05:21,139 Yuen Woo Ping. 895 01:05:21,217 --> 01:05:22,207 Ang Lee - Director 896 01:05:22,285 --> 01:05:24,481 Every 10 years, I notice, when martial art films... 897 01:05:24,553 --> 01:05:27,352 the energy, the genre is beginning to die down— 898 01:05:27,423 --> 01:05:31,951 He did something that will blossom the genre for another 10 years. 899 01:05:32,028 --> 01:05:34,827 There will be at least four or five years of people copying him. 900 01:05:34,897 --> 01:05:37,889 So, Yuen Woo Ping, obviously, he was one of the pioneers. 901 01:05:37,967 --> 01:05:39,332 Donnie Yen - Actor 902 01:05:39,402 --> 01:05:41,393 One of his specialties actually is acrobatic movements. 903 01:05:41,470 --> 01:05:44,235 If you notice in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow... 904 01:05:44,307 --> 01:05:47,436 and some of his earliest work and Drunken Master... 905 01:05:47,510 --> 01:05:50,207 there was a lot of acrobatic elements in it 906 01:06:05,027 --> 01:06:07,928 Playing with a stool, playing with a chopstick. 907 01:06:09,832 --> 01:06:12,324 Because he grew up in that environment. 908 01:06:14,937 --> 01:06:16,405 The Tai Chi Master (1993) 909 01:06:16,472 --> 01:06:18,497 He grew up learning from his father... 910 01:06:18,574 --> 01:06:23,239 which was a very influential martial arts choreographer. 911 01:06:31,620 --> 01:06:34,317 And his father started off 912 01:06:34,390 --> 01:06:39,260 So they all teared all their physical skill from Beijing Opera. 913 01:06:43,199 --> 01:06:45,668 Same as Jackie Chan and Sammo. 914 01:06:54,744 --> 01:06:56,940 He's an artist. He cares for those things... 915 01:06:57,013 --> 01:07:00,278 although I think he doesn't want to admit it. 916 01:07:04,854 --> 01:07:08,188 And I think with his experience... 917 01:07:09,125 --> 01:07:11,617 and talent and mastery in the art... 918 01:07:11,694 --> 01:07:15,824 he still has an open heart, like a child, 919 01:07:20,536 --> 01:07:22,129 That's why I love him so much. 920 01:07:22,204 --> 01:07:26,573 I think he inspired me, not only in making martial arts scenes... 921 01:07:26,642 --> 01:07:29,270 Burt as a filmmaker in general, 922 01:07:32,948 --> 01:07:36,407 You know, what if a Baryshnikov or a Nureyev... 923 01:07:36,485 --> 01:07:37,919 were to do a martial arts film? 924 01:08:47,022 --> 01:08:49,354 From choreographer Yuen Woo Ping... 925 01:08:49,425 --> 01:08:51,484 to someone who moves his camera... 926 01:08:51,560 --> 01:08:54,962 like Woo Ping manipulates a body to highlight a moment. 927 01:08:55,030 --> 01:08:57,727 - He's the Woo man. -The Woo man... 928 01:08:57,800 --> 01:09:01,998 - He's the Woo. - Is director John Woo. 929 01:09:02,071 --> 01:09:02,970 He's the man. 930 01:09:32,334 --> 01:09:37,170 So, first of all, I really loved The Wizard of Oz 931 01:09:37,239 --> 01:09:42,871 What impressed me the most was Judy Garland and her three friends. 932 01:09:42,945 --> 01:09:44,811 One was the Tin Man. 933 01:09:44,880 --> 01:09:46,609 One was the Lion. 934 01:09:46,682 --> 01:09:49,708 The Tin Man was actually very weak. 935 01:09:49,785 --> 01:09:53,744 And so I felt that he was similar to my personality. 936 01:09:53,822 --> 01:09:56,154 The Wizard of Oz (1939) 937 01:09:56,225 --> 01:09:58,557 Well, you're perfect now. 938 01:09:58,627 --> 01:10:00,721 My neck. 939 01:10:00,796 --> 01:10:04,164 Perfect? Bang on my chest if you think I'm perfect. 940 01:10:05,301 --> 01:10:07,133 Go ahead, bang on it 941 01:10:09,505 --> 01:10:12,372 Beautiful. What an echo. 942 01:10:12,441 --> 01:10:14,102 It’s empty. 943 01:10:14,944 --> 01:10:17,379 The tinsmith forgot to give me a heart. 944 01:10:18,747 --> 01:10:20,738 No heart? 945 01:10:20,816 --> 01:10:23,808 No heart. All hollow. 946 01:10:26,889 --> 01:10:32,384 You know, I felt that I was him. I related to his character. 947 01:10:32,461 --> 01:10:35,396 And so later in the story, he became very strong. 948 01:10:35,464 --> 01:10:37,694 50 he gave me a lot of encouragement. 949 01:10:43,639 --> 01:10:47,234 My favorite was the theme song of the film... 950 01:10:49,044 --> 01:10:50,773 "Over the Rainbow." 951 01:10:50,846 --> 01:10:55,408 "Over the Rainbow" gives me great emotional support. 952 01:10:56,952 --> 01:11:00,855 For me, it means at the rainbow's end... 953 01:11:00,923 --> 01:11:03,551 there is still 2 very beautiful world, 954 01:11:03,626 --> 01:11:06,061 People should not give up their hope. 955 01:11:06,128 --> 01:11:10,793 They should forever endlessly work hard to find hope. 956 01:11:13,569 --> 01:11:17,904 And at that time when I was living in an environment which was so difficult... 957 01:11:17,973 --> 01:11:20,237 it gave me great encouragement. 958 01:11:21,777 --> 01:11:24,269 From Wizard of Oz to The Killers, Face Off... 959 01:11:24,346 --> 01:11:26,781 and Mission: Impossible II? 960 01:11:26,849 --> 01:11:30,285 Let's back up for a moment and see the evolution of John Woo... 961 01:11:30,352 --> 01:11:34,653 the man who has made martial arts films, comedies, a musical, action... 962 01:11:34,723 --> 01:11:38,057 and some of the bloodiest scenes ever shot. 963 01:11:38,127 --> 01:11:40,596 When I was about five years old... 964 01:11:40,663 --> 01:11:44,099 my whole family moved from China to Hong Kong. 965 01:11:44,166 --> 01:11:46,828 And at that time, we were very poor. 966 01:11:46,902 --> 01:11:48,961 We lived at a squatter area at shek Kip Mei... 967 01:11:49,038 --> 01:11:51,200 and we slept on the street. 968 01:11:51,273 --> 01:11:54,402 I lived in that poverty il I was nine. 969 01:11:54,476 --> 01:11:57,138 I never had the chance to go to elementary school. 970 01:11:58,180 --> 01:12:00,945 Burt later, we received help from the Christian church... 971 01:12:01,016 --> 01:12:02,745 and an American family. 972 01:12:02,818 --> 01:12:07,119 The American family sent money to the church for my education. 973 01:12:07,189 --> 01:12:09,590 At that time, I really loved watching movies... 974 01:12:09,658 --> 01:12:11,558 and I entered the world of films. 975 01:12:19,401 --> 01:12:23,668 Besides opera films, I watched a lot of martial arts films... 976 01:12:23,739 --> 01:12:26,265 especially the Wong Fei Hung films. 977 01:12:31,513 --> 01:12:36,144 It was because I felt the place where I lived was just like hell.. 978 01:12:36,218 --> 01:12:40,746 That life was very dark and gray and very hopeless... 979 01:12:40,823 --> 01:12:45,989 because I was living in a world full of evil and sins. 980 01:12:47,096 --> 01:12:50,066 In the cinemas and in the church... 981 01:12:50,132 --> 01:12:51,861 they were my only refuge. 982 01:12:51,934 --> 01:12:54,130 John Woo has never forgotten... 983 01:12:54,203 --> 01:12:58,003 how transcendent the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was... 984 01:12:58,073 --> 01:13:00,098 in his violent childhood. 985 01:13:00,909 --> 01:13:04,777 He used a contemporary version of the song in his film Face Off. 986 01:13:04,847 --> 01:13:07,282 Don't be scared, all right? 987 01:13:07,349 --> 01:13:10,375 Face Off (1997) 988 01:13:14,623 --> 01:13:18,389 Skies are blue 989 01:13:23,665 --> 01:13:25,929 And the dreams 990 01:13:26,001 --> 01:13:29,960 That you dare to dream 991 01:13:30,973 --> 01:13:35,376 Really do come true 992 01:13:37,846 --> 01:13:39,837 And so in my films... 993 01:13:41,283 --> 01:13:46,449 my characters sometimes are between good and evil, 994 01:13:49,291 --> 01:13:51,385 We've got something in common. 995 01:13:52,127 --> 01:13:53,526 We both know our guns. 996 01:13:53,595 --> 01:13:55,529 When I shoot gunfight films... 997 01:13:55,597 --> 01:13:59,158 1 use the same feelings as in a martial arts film. 998 01:13:59,234 --> 01:14:02,329 Only I use double guns in place of the sword, 999 01:14:03,272 --> 01:14:06,435 For example, the layout of my scenes... 1000 01:14:06,508 --> 01:14:09,773 character design 1001 01:14:09,845 --> 01:14:14,180 are all very close to Chang Che's martial arts film style. 1002 01:14:14,249 --> 01:14:18,846 The heroes in my films shoot many times continuously... 1003 01:14:18,921 --> 01:14:21,913 and people get hit continuously. 1004 01:14:21,990 --> 01:14:26,120 That feeling has the Chang Che's martial arts film's shadow. 1005 01:14:27,262 --> 01:14:28,889 When I deal with my hero... 1006 01:14:28,964 --> 01:14:34,232 his stance as he holds the gun 1007 01:14:34,303 --> 01:14:38,331 Is the same as the heroes' in the martial arts film... 1008 01:14:38,407 --> 01:14:40,501 but he holds a sword, 1009 01:14:40,576 --> 01:14:44,171 How he uses his sword and the way he sees his sword.. 1010 01:14:45,180 --> 01:14:47,979 The feeling is exactly the same. 1011 01:14:51,320 --> 01:14:56,850 So my personality will forever stand on the side of justice. 1012 01:14:59,862 --> 01:15:04,197 So I will always believe Justice will win. 1013 01:15:08,804 --> 01:15:11,569 In the 1980s, in the middle of this creative eruption... 1014 01:15:11,640 --> 01:15:14,610 and after nearly two decades out of the spotlight... 1015 01:15:14,676 --> 01:15:18,704 women found themselves center stage again. 1016 01:15:18,780 --> 01:15:20,214 Corey Yuen - Director 1017 01:15:20,282 --> 01:15:22,273 Because a woman's body... 1018 01:15:22,351 --> 01:15:25,321 the beauty in movement Is very beautiful, 1019 01:15:25,387 --> 01:15:28,584 So when I first shot Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock... 1020 01:15:28,657 --> 01:15:30,921 at that time it started a new trend. 1021 01:15:30,993 --> 01:15:32,654 Because when that film came out... 1022 01:15:32,728 --> 01:15:36,528 I saw the fame of Michelle Yeoh and also of Cynthia Rothrock. 1023 01:15:36,598 --> 01:15:39,465 A lot of women started to be in action films. 1024 01:15:39,535 --> 01:15:40,502 Cynthia Rothrock - Actor 1025 01:15:40,569 --> 01:15:43,038 People would say, "You can wear lipstick when you do martial arts?" 1026 01:15:43,105 --> 01:15:44,732 It’s like, yes, of course you can. 1027 01:16:48,537 --> 01:16:50,335 Hui Yin Hong - Actor 1028 01:16:50,405 --> 01:16:55,275 Kung fu is something I have to use when I shoot films. 1029 01:16:55,344 --> 01:17:00,339 Kung fu is my tool with which I make a living. 1030 01:17:00,415 --> 01:17:03,316 Kung fu... 1031 01:17:03,385 --> 01:17:06,844 is what destroyed my health. 1032 01:17:06,922 --> 01:17:07,912 Okay? 1033 01:17:07,990 --> 01:17:12,120 And so tome, kung fu is a love-hate thing. 1034 01:17:12,194 --> 01:17:17,564 I can't be without it. But with it, I feel I hurt myself very much. 1035 01:17:17,633 --> 01:17:20,694 But, of course, when you don't use it, you won't be doing your best. 1036 01:17:20,769 --> 01:17:22,931 So /do love it, yes. 1037 01:17:23,005 --> 01:17:25,770 But in my personal life... 1038 01:17:25,841 --> 01:17:28,310 I would not be in contact with it. 1039 01:17:28,377 --> 01:17:29,776 Very contradictory. 1040 01:17:32,648 --> 01:17:35,208 With so many successful contemporary martial arts films... 1041 01:17:35,283 --> 01:17:37,809 in the 1970s and 1980s... 1042 01:17:37,886 --> 01:17:39,718 it came as a surprise to the outside world... 1043 01:17:39,788 --> 01:17:42,553 to see a resurgence of period films. 1044 01:17:44,693 --> 01:17:48,721 Hong Kong, however, was not mystified 1045 01:17:48,797 --> 01:17:51,926 In the colony, there was great political uncertainty... 1046 01:17:52,000 --> 01:17:55,231 as the British government prepared to hand back the province... 1047 01:17:55,303 --> 01:17:58,500 to mainland China in 1997. 1048 01:18:02,277 --> 01:18:04,109 Audiences embraced... 1049 01:18:04,179 --> 01:18:07,979 and seemed to want to be reminded of a familiar and rich history. 1050 01:18:10,485 --> 01:18:11,714 Full of heroes... 1051 01:18:11,787 --> 01:18:15,189 that somehow might lead them 1052 01:18:32,941 --> 01:18:35,672 With the renewed interest in period stories... 1053 01:18:35,744 --> 01:18:38,372 it seemed certain that contemporary martial arts films... 1054 01:18:38,447 --> 01:18:40,609 would fall into a cyclical slump. 1055 01:18:40,682 --> 01:18:42,616 But that hasn't happened. 1056 01:19:02,938 --> 01:19:07,535 It seems as if martial arts in movies has matured beyond simple trend... 1057 01:19:08,710 --> 01:19:11,202 and has become fully accepted as a genre... 1058 01:19:13,348 --> 01:19:17,581 allowing all kinds of stories to be simultaneously produced, 1059 01:19:17,652 --> 01:19:19,450 From high action... 1060 01:19:20,889 --> 01:19:22,550 to science fiction... 1061 01:19:26,628 --> 01:19:28,756 to comedy... 1062 01:19:32,200 --> 01:19:33,929 romance... 1063 01:19:35,604 --> 01:19:38,266 and period. 1064 01:19:40,142 --> 01:19:43,373 This is proven with the huge success of films like The Matrix... 1065 01:19:47,249 --> 01:19:48,978 Rush Hour 2... 1066 01:19:50,719 --> 01:19:52,278 and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 1067 01:19:54,923 --> 01:19:59,656 Finally, Shaolin Temple and Peking Opera influenced styles... 1068 01:19:59,728 --> 01:20:02,356 live side by side. 1069 01:20:04,533 --> 01:20:09,027 Undoubtedly, the pinnacle of the world's respect for martial arts films... 1070 01:20:09,104 --> 01:20:13,337 is highlighted by international awards, accolades and success... 1071 01:20:13,408 --> 01:20:16,639 of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 1072 01:20:16,711 --> 01:20:19,976 All of the best qualities of the genre have been captured... 1073 01:20:20,048 --> 01:20:22,881 spiritual, mythical, dramatic, romantic... 1074 01:20:22,951 --> 01:20:25,477 beautiful photography and choreography... 1075 01:20:25,554 --> 01:20:27,886 and fantastic action. 1076 01:20:27,956 --> 01:20:30,186 I was surprised, of course. 1077 01:20:30,258 --> 01:20:32,022 A decade ago... 1078 01:20:32,093 --> 01:20:37,998 I would never expect Chinese language martial art epics... 1079 01:20:38,066 --> 01:20:40,660 to be mainstream and win an Oscar. 1080 01:20:40,735 --> 01:20:44,365 There's no shortage of heroines in the movie... 1081 01:20:44,439 --> 01:20:47,204 but I suspect that's men's fantasy or society's fantasy... 1082 01:20:47,275 --> 01:20:49,607 to see heroic women fight. 1083 01:20:49,678 --> 01:20:52,306 It's something to watch... 1084 01:20:52,380 --> 01:20:53,745 to admire. 1085 01:21:10,098 --> 01:21:13,728 This Chow Yun Fat character Is giving his young prodigy.. 1086 01:21:13,802 --> 01:21:16,703 Who happens to be so attractive looking... 1087 01:21:18,240 --> 01:21:20,572 some lessons on bamboo top. 1088 01:21:25,847 --> 01:21:27,679 What do you think I'm after? 1089 01:21:41,730 --> 01:21:44,700 I think Ang Lee is a genius... 1090 01:21:45,700 --> 01:21:48,169 in the way that he sort of like... 1091 01:21:51,406 --> 01:21:55,968 find a very authentic Chinese period story. 1092 01:21:56,044 --> 01:21:59,036 Period. I mean, it's not contemporary, right? 1093 01:21:59,114 --> 01:22:01,708 They all dress funny, right? 1094 01:22:01,783 --> 01:22:05,481 But then, the subject matter... 1095 01:22:05,553 --> 01:22:08,750 of the character inside the story... 1096 01:22:08,823 --> 01:22:11,554 are telling a very contemporary story. 1097 01:22:15,063 --> 01:22:19,091 You know? The situation with the girl, the young girl. 1098 01:22:19,167 --> 01:22:22,159 It's just like nowadays teenagers— 1099 01:22:26,374 --> 01:22:29,241 Very rebellious against tradition... 1100 01:22:29,311 --> 01:22:30,972 like free spirit... 1101 01:22:31,046 --> 01:22:33,037 looking for identity... 1102 01:22:33,114 --> 01:22:34,809 you know, trying to break through. 1103 01:22:38,853 --> 01:22:41,185 And then you have... 1104 01:22:41,256 --> 01:22:43,657 this forbidden love.. 1105 01:22:43,725 --> 01:22:46,353 Between Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh. 1106 01:22:46,428 --> 01:22:51,992 That's sort of like they love each other because they're bound by the tradition. 1107 01:22:52,067 --> 01:22:55,367 I want to interrupt you. I will say... 1108 01:22:55,437 --> 01:22:58,532 I'm sort of a hopeless romantic also. 1109 01:22:58,606 --> 01:23:01,371 And the martial arts in its true sense... 1110 01:23:01,443 --> 01:23:04,743 is a fairly sort of.. 1111 01:23:05,947 --> 01:23:07,608 Solitude path. 1112 01:23:08,950 --> 01:23:13,387 I think there's some dialogue when Chow Yun Fat is dying... 1113 01:23:15,023 --> 01:23:17,390 and he looks up to Michelle Yeoh... 1114 01:23:19,728 --> 01:23:24,063 and he's had trouble all his life in telling this woman that he loves her... 1115 01:23:24,132 --> 01:23:26,499 which has sort of been another problem I've had. 1116 01:23:26,568 --> 01:23:30,300 I'm not very good at that kind of thing either. 1117 01:23:30,372 --> 01:23:34,639 I'd rather be a ghost, drifting by your side... 1118 01:23:35,744 --> 01:23:37,508 as a condemned soul... 1119 01:23:40,348 --> 01:23:44,114 than enter heaven without you. 1120 01:23:46,121 --> 01:23:47,486 Because of your love... 1121 01:23:51,059 --> 01:23:55,053 I will never be a lonely spirit. 1122 01:24:15,216 --> 01:24:18,584 The martial arts are also the essence of love... 1123 01:24:18,653 --> 01:24:24,114 and the nurturing, motherly protection of love... 1124 01:24:24,192 --> 01:24:26,058 that love should have. 1125 01:24:26,127 --> 01:24:29,791 The filmmaker that directed and made it, Ang Lee... 1126 01:24:29,864 --> 01:24:33,698 brought a sensitivity of character development in the story... 1127 01:24:33,768 --> 01:24:35,099 and that the way he shot it 1128 01:24:36,671 --> 01:24:38,161 The most memorable thing for me... 1129 01:24:38,239 --> 01:24:41,539 is when Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh are having a conversation... 1130 01:24:41,609 --> 01:24:45,773 she's sitting, he's standing in this kind of cement, almost building.. 1131 01:24:45,847 --> 01:24:48,873 And in the backdrop 1132 01:24:48,950 --> 01:24:53,512 it's 3 beautiful green scenery of mainland China in the backdrop... 1133 01:24:53,588 --> 01:24:55,454 and you realize that. 1134 01:24:55,523 --> 01:24:58,322 And, you know, the confinement that they're in... 1135 01:24:58,393 --> 01:25:02,227 because they can't consummate their relationship. 1136 01:25:02,897 --> 01:25:05,025 Just outside is the beauty of nature. 1137 01:25:06,301 --> 01:25:08,861 Everything is available to them... 1138 01:25:08,937 --> 01:25:11,634 but yet they can't go beyond, they're closed in. 1139 01:25:13,808 --> 01:25:15,503 And I thought, "Wow." 1140 01:25:15,577 --> 01:25:20,413 And that's a real filmmaker and storyteller's sensibility. 1141 01:25:21,082 --> 01:25:26,486 The first question he asked me is, "Do you mind being a bad guy?" 1142 01:25:26,554 --> 01:25:29,717 Because I've never been a bad guy. That's my first time. 1143 01:25:29,791 --> 01:25:31,623 But, of course, not the last time though. 1144 01:25:33,495 --> 01:25:38,865 Because I think maybe in person I'm very kind... 1145 01:25:38,933 --> 01:25:40,367 very sweet. 1146 01:25:40,435 --> 01:25:43,666 So nobody thinks I could be a bad guy. 1147 01:25:43,738 --> 01:25:45,536 But he's the first one. 1148 01:25:45,607 --> 01:25:47,871 But I said, "It's okay. I don't mind. 1149 01:25:47,942 --> 01:25:52,379 As long as you think I can do it, then I can do it" 1150 01:26:07,162 --> 01:26:09,494 And so you die. 1151 01:26:11,199 --> 01:26:12,792 And so shall you. 1152 01:26:17,305 --> 01:26:19,433 You deserve to die... 1153 01:26:20,642 --> 01:26:23,111 but the life I was hoping to take... 1154 01:26:23,178 --> 01:26:25,442 was Jen's. 1155 01:26:27,148 --> 01:26:29,674 Ten years I devoted to you. 1156 01:26:29,751 --> 01:26:31,185 But you deceived me! 1157 01:26:33,855 --> 01:26:34,845 Jen! 1158 01:26:36,891 --> 01:26:38,791 My only family... 1159 01:26:39,627 --> 01:26:41,891 my only enemy. 1160 01:26:46,134 --> 01:26:48,569 The ending, of course, when the girl flies down... 1161 01:26:49,637 --> 01:26:52,937 I just thought I want to make a movie that's targeted toward that image. 1162 01:27:19,033 --> 01:27:20,831 Throughout this story... 1163 01:27:20,902 --> 01:27:23,633 many of these martial arts pioneers and innovators... 1164 01:27:23,705 --> 01:27:27,903 have acknowledged the influence of American films on their styles. 1165 01:27:27,976 --> 01:27:32,243 From the tender Wizard of Oz to the bloody Bonnie and Clyde. 1166 01:27:32,313 --> 01:27:36,614 But elements of martial arts have appeared in American films... 1167 01:27:36,684 --> 01:27:40,245 that were definitely not martial arts stories. 1168 01:27:42,490 --> 01:27:44,219 The Manchurian Candidate (1962) 1169 01:27:44,292 --> 01:27:46,818 Frank Sinatra... 1170 01:27:46,894 --> 01:27:49,955 in the early 1960s in The Manchurian Candidate. 1171 01:28:05,079 --> 01:28:07,013 The Return of the Pink Panther (1974) 1172 01:28:07,081 --> 01:28:09,413 And Peter Sellers highlighted 1173 01:28:09,484 --> 01:28:11,714 in the Pink Panther film series. 1174 01:28:50,124 --> 01:28:51,455 And it continues on... 1175 01:28:51,526 --> 01:28:52,652 Charlie's Angels (2000) 1176 01:28:52,727 --> 01:28:55,526 To current successes like Charlie's Angels. 1177 01:28:59,400 --> 01:29:02,529 And even the animation favorite, Shrek. 1178 01:29:02,603 --> 01:29:04,594 Shrek (2001) 1179 01:29:13,748 --> 01:29:16,718 After Bruce Lee's influence in the 1970s... 1180 01:29:16,784 --> 01:29:21,119 Hollywood embraced martial arts as a central component in its story lines. 1181 01:29:21,189 --> 01:29:23,419 And it continues today. 1182 01:29:57,358 --> 01:29:58,189 Buddha. 1183 01:30:35,196 --> 01:30:37,722 In the eyes and hearts of these innovators... 1184 01:30:37,799 --> 01:30:39,164 who have struggled and fought... 1185 01:30:39,233 --> 01:30:42,601 to make martial arts films an international success... 1186 01:30:42,670 --> 01:30:45,105 what does this achievement mean? 1187 01:30:45,173 --> 01:30:47,801 That just shows you the world's getting closer. 1188 01:30:47,875 --> 01:30:51,505 The world's getting more open-minded. 1189 01:30:51,579 --> 01:30:54,571 America is getting more open-minded. 1190 01:30:56,651 --> 01:31:00,713 They're open enough to accept good things if the thing is good. 1191 01:31:00,788 --> 01:31:02,722 If the product is good, if the film is good... 1192 01:31:02,790 --> 01:31:05,452 it doesn't matter what languages, what culture. 1193 01:31:05,526 --> 01:31:07,551 Well, it means that... 1194 01:31:09,163 --> 01:31:11,495 there is... 1195 01:31:11,566 --> 01:31:15,935 some serious audience out there who wants to see martial arts films. 1196 01:31:16,003 --> 01:31:17,164 That's what it means. 1197 01:31:17,238 --> 01:31:19,900 I hope to see in the future, more Chinese films... 1198 01:31:19,974 --> 01:31:22,773 which will take a real traditional 1199 01:31:22,844 --> 01:31:24,835 that sense of righteousness... 1200 01:31:24,912 --> 01:31:27,904 to make it shine in a very realistic way. 1201 01:31:27,982 --> 01:31:31,612 Just like Bruce Lee. Everyone in the world knows Bruce Lee. 1202 01:31:31,686 --> 01:31:34,018 But not everyone appreciates martial arts. 1203 01:31:34,088 --> 01:31:36,318 They appreciated Bruce Lee only. 1204 01:31:36,390 --> 01:31:39,223 Now people are starting to appreciate martial arts. 1205 01:31:39,293 --> 01:31:40,852 It's all about the timing. 1206 01:31:40,928 --> 01:31:43,363 I cannot predict where it goes. 1207 01:31:43,431 --> 01:31:46,401 But this is a genre, I believe it never dies... 1208 01:31:46,467 --> 01:31:48,060 at least for the Chinese. 1209 01:31:48,135 --> 01:31:50,001 It’s always go up and down. 1210 01:31:50,071 --> 01:31:53,200 But somehow when you say it's dying... 1211 01:31:53,274 --> 01:31:55,140 and somebody figure away to do it... 1212 01:31:55,209 --> 01:31:58,076 and do something new and exciting. 1213 01:31:58,145 --> 01:31:59,806 It will get hot again. 1214 01:31:59,881 --> 01:32:03,283 "Wu xia," that Chinese term I mentioned at the beginning— 1215 01:32:04,051 --> 01:32:07,487 "Wu" means martial arts, which signifies action... 1216 01:32:07,555 --> 01:32:10,320 "xia" conveys chivalry. 1217 01:32:10,391 --> 01:32:12,257 Wi xia. 1218 01:32:12,326 --> 01:32:14,556 Say it gently— 1219 01:32:14,629 --> 01:32:16,563 Wu xia— 1220 01:32:17,598 --> 01:32:21,000 And it's like a breath of serenity embracing you. 1221 01:32:21,068 --> 01:32:23,867 Say it with force — wu xia — 1222 01:32:23,938 --> 01:32:26,270 and you can feel its power. 1223 01:32:29,877 --> 01:32:33,336 Such is the dichotomy of martial arts films... 1224 01:32:33,414 --> 01:32:36,475 a genre that was born in a bloody rebellion... 1225 01:32:36,551 --> 01:32:38,542 and continues on today... 1226 01:32:38,619 --> 01:32:42,522 with its own spiritual and creative revolution. 1227 01:34:09,043 --> 01:34:11,910 A lot of martial arts first principles... 1228 01:34:11,979 --> 01:34:15,574 is how to discipline our heart and passions. 1229 01:34:16,317 --> 01:34:18,581 And to train our own virtue. 1230 01:34:18,653 --> 01:34:20,781 To me it’s a dance. 1231 01:34:20,855 --> 01:34:22,914 Because I'm a dancer. 1232 01:34:22,990 --> 01:34:25,823 I think martial art is done— I keep saying this— 1233 01:34:25,893 --> 01:34:29,158 Martial art is not just two guys fighting each other. 1234 01:34:29,230 --> 01:34:32,598 Martial arts itself... 1235 01:34:34,402 --> 01:34:36,996 I think is more spiritual than anything. 1236 01:34:37,071 --> 01:34:40,473 Real martial arts Is a kind of discipline... 1237 01:34:40,541 --> 01:34:43,135 for the heart and passions. 1238 01:34:43,210 --> 01:34:44,609 It is how to train yourself... 1239 01:34:44,679 --> 01:34:46,340 to become a virtuous... 1240 01:34:46,414 --> 01:34:49,315 Just and righteous man. 1241 01:34:49,383 --> 01:34:54,378 To me, martial art is about interpreting yourself... 1242 01:34:56,157 --> 01:34:59,559 in the most devoted, the most honest way. 1243 01:34:59,627 --> 01:35:02,653 It's an expression. To me, martial art is an expression. 1244 01:35:02,730 --> 01:35:04,494 I was determined to be loyal. 1245 01:35:04,565 --> 01:35:06,590 The most important thing is to be loyal. 1246 01:35:06,667 --> 01:35:09,068 Failure is unimportant. 1247 01:35:09,136 --> 01:35:13,334 Even if you fail, perhaps you should think about whether you worked hard, 1248 01:35:13,407 --> 01:35:15,569 Be loyal, stay loyal, 1249 01:35:15,643 --> 01:35:18,340 Even if in the future they don't like to watch my kung fu films... 1250 01:35:18,412 --> 01:35:20,471 I would just be another actor then. 1251 01:35:20,548 --> 01:35:23,017 I'm faithful, faithful, faithful to this art. 1252 01:35:24,018 --> 01:35:25,986 That is a real deep question. 1253 01:35:27,488 --> 01:35:29,820 You just go and kick ass. 1254 01:35:29,890 --> 01:35:31,881 What I find most interesting about the martial arts... 1255 01:35:31,959 --> 01:35:33,688 is the emotional component, you know. 1256 01:35:33,761 --> 01:35:36,753 Just the discipline that is part and parcel... 1257 01:35:36,831 --> 01:35:39,994 of something that to the untrained American mind... 1258 01:35:40,067 --> 01:35:41,728 or whoever it may be... 1259 01:35:41,802 --> 01:35:43,793 you think something is just so decidedly physical... 1260 01:35:43,871 --> 01:35:45,532 but it’s something that’s very, very emotional. 1261 01:35:45,606 --> 01:35:48,234 It’s very, very focused. It’s a very, very cerebral experience. 1262 01:35:48,309 --> 01:35:50,903 To me, okay, to me... 1263 01:35:50,978 --> 01:35:56,280 ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. 1264 01:35:56,350 --> 01:35:58,318 Now, it is very difficult to do. 1265 01:35:59,305 --> 01:36:59,454 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm