Kung Fu

It's a shame that the martial arts craze that this show created (in conjunction with the ascendant popularity of Bruce Lee in the early 1970s), in conjunction with the somewhat cheesy '90s spinoff, has served to somewhat obscure what a gem it truly was.

It's heartbreaking to think that a lot of people who haven't seen the show lump it in as old, campy action television, like "The A-Team" or "Charlie's Angels" or something like that. The fact is, any given hour-long episode of "Kung Fu" probably contained about 45 to 60 seconds of actual action--if not less. The fact is, David Carradine was as good a leading man as any TV drama has ever had.

And the fact is, far from being a cheap exploitation of martial arts and Eastern philosophy, "Kung Fu" was created and written in true reverance to those concepts. Meticulous research was conducted, and the lessons that Masters Kan and Po (wonderfully rendered by Philip Ahn and Keye Luke, respectively) teach Caine, and that Caine in turn teaches those he encounters, are routed in authentic Shaolin philosophy.

Nor was the show cheesily made. It involved lush cinematography by televisual standards and innovative use of devices such as forced perspective and slow motion (this was the first show or movie to use different gradations of speed within a single take--the shot would move at normal speed until Caine made contact with an elbow or a fist, and then suddenly switch to delicate, poetic slow motion).

Caine was a true archetype of television--a complete reversal of basically every American screen hero that went before. Not just peaceful--but passive and serene. As Caine described it--"Kung Fu" was an "anti-revenge television show"--an amazing concept when you think about it.

Remember, the American public was not even acquainted with the phrase "kung fu" before this show. Zen Buddhism was gaining popularity in the late '60s and early '70s, but no one had ever heard of Shaolin monks. The creators of this show took a big risk on an untested concept and came up with TV gold.

I hope that the DVD release will serve to remind us all what a special show this was, and of the lessons it has to teach us.

What an inspirational show. Kwai Chang Kaine was certainly one of few role models I remember from TV in my younger years, and although I haven't seen it since it first played, like others I remember the stories and message (as well as the haunting theme music) from so many of the episodes. Kaine was rejected by many and accepted by only few or even one in each town he visited on his journey, but he always made a difference in the lives of those he met. It's true TV was just as much a wasteland in the '70s as it is in the '90s, but I wish we could see something as good as this again. Either that or a re-release of this one.

Just finished watching disc 1. This show still holds up today. OK more modern technology would make the shots appear better but the story, acting, editing...all awesome. I loved this series it was a major influence in my life as a child. I can't wait to finish the rest of Season 1. The "Extras" on the disc are sort of lame. I guess if you never saw the show or aren't really a fan then they serve a purpose but I know all this stuff already. I'd love to have a version with running commentary from David Carradine underneath. Carradine has allegedly been requesting more interesting "extras" for the season 2 disc like a taped dinner party of some key participants and others speaking to how the series influenced their lives, like Tarintino and his Kill Bill films. I adore David Carradine as an actor I'd listen to him talk about just about anything.

So when is Season 2 released?

I saw this series exactly 20 years after it was released, but its excellence made the viewing experience timeless.

Carradine plays the immigrant drifter Caine, who walks through the Wild West encountering different situations, people, etc, there was a different plot for each episode. This was more a "Drama" than a "Western" but the interesting sparring moves and Caine's relaxed personality made it a decent alternative to the more violent and rowdy martial arts movies that released around that time.

Whenever this series is brought back to your TV station or one episode happens to be on, it would be an excellent show to tape and watch again and again - if not already released, I'm sure they'll have the show reissued on an official DVD/VHS set.

I also loved this show when it started airing in 1972. (I was 17!) I enjoyed the artistry involved as the series followed the journey of Kwai Chang Caine as he looked for the American half-brother he had never known. There was a wonderful variety of characters and situations that he encountered, and I liked the way they used flash-backs to his years of training in the temple, and specific situations that somehow related to the situation he was now in, in America. There was a morality, peacefulness and goodness to his character, and Caine was usually able to bring those qualities out in people he met as he taught them lessons by example. Now, here comes the weird part (cue Twilight Zone music)...I had an urge to watch the original movie today (March 14, 2004) on videotape; I have owned it for many years. I had always hoped they would put the series out on tape, or even better, DVD. So, I did some Internet searching today and found that the first season is to be released on DVD in two days!!! Now how's THAT for a spiritual connection?! I look forward to exposing these shows to my kids...