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The classic dynamic of the student and the master has long been a cornerstone of kung fu cinema, often culminating in the student overtaking and defeating the person who gifted them with their martial arts skills. This can be seen through literal battles where the student surpasses their teacher's ability and beats them for the first time. However, in other kung fu movies, the defeat can be more symbolic as they utilize the skills they have been given to go further than their teacher was ever capable of, and in the process, the student becomes the master.

Many of the greatest kung fu movies have featured a student-versus-master dynamic, whether that was a bright-eyed kid on a quest for glory or a more withered hero who was thrust into greatness. Many of the greatest martial arts movie stars have played essential roles in these types of stories, as the growth...

Most audiences know Yuen Woo-ping as the influential martial arts choreographer behind films like The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but Yuen has also directed some incredible films as well. Yuen began his directing career with a strong start thanks to the Jackie Chan films Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. The combination of comedy and action seen in the films would continue to pop up throughout Yuen's career as he continued to collaborate with celebrated martial arts actors like Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, and Michelle Yeoh.

Yuen is an undeniable talent, putting together some of the most famous action scenes in both Hong Kong and Hollywood films. Yet, Yuen is also referred to as one of the best martial arts directors of all time. His background as a choreographer has lent itself well to Yuen's job as a director. Yuen has been able to create numerous...

Jackie Chan is celebrated as one of the greatest kung fu film actors of all time. His classic kung fu movies have their own unique blend of physical comedy, complicated fight choreography, and elaborate stunts. They were not only full of action but were connected to the traditional martial arts to the skill, discipline, and incredible kung fu techniques. Though he went on to become an action star around the world, in his earlier kung fu movies, Chan captured the best of both worlds: the raw power of bare-knuckle fighting and the elegance of the old school martial arts.

What sets him apart from other martial arts actors is his gift for blending comedy with heart-pounding action. Whether portraying a mischievous, incorrigible student in Drunken Master or a sympathetic, bullied orphan in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Jackie fully embodies the characters he is portraying and his films all have...

Drunken Master had a great sequel long before Jackie Chan's return to the lead role of Wong Fei-hung in 1994. Released in 1978, the Golden Harvest martial arts classic has received a lot of credit for Jackie Chan's rise to stardom. After starring in both Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow in 1978, the actor quickly turned into Hong Kong's most prominent kung fu movie star at the time. Some of Jackie Chan's movies were successful enough to justify becoming franchises, with Drunken Master being among them.

In 1994, Chan famously returned to the character that helped make him a martial arts icon. Alongside former Shaw Brothers star Ti Lung and fellow martial arts legend Lau Kar-leung, Jackie Chan reprised his role as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II, which went on to become a martial arts gem in its own right. But while it took 20 years for Chan to finally play Wong Fei-hung again,...

Kung fu movies thrill audiences with astonishing choreography and blend reality with entertainment in iconic martial arts moves. Techniques like the realistic Eagle Claw and acrobatic Butterfly Kick showcase martial arts prowess in popular films worldwide. From the legendary Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury to Jackie Chan's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, kung fu movies continue to captivate audiences.

Kung fu is a very difficult martial art to master and has been at the core of many iconic films. A major appeal of kung fu movies is, unsurprisingly, the breathtaking choreography and intense discipline of many signature moves that make the martial art so uniquely special. Some kung fu moves used within these movies are as fictional as the characters who perform them, such as the ridiculous, but still iconic, Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series.

However, other moves, as well as looking incredible,...

Jackie Chan may have turned 70 just this week but the dude is timeless. He exudes the youth that he had when he broke out in a big way in the ‘70s with movies like Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, so much so that when he turned up earlier this year with white hair and looking plenty worn – hey, decades of death-defying stunts’ll do that to ya – fans just assumed he was in bad health. But fear not because Jackie Chan is dismissing any notions that he is the frail old man you saw, revealing it was all for a movie.

Jackie Chan took to Instagram this week to address fan concerns, posting, “Not so long ago, a lot of friends saw some recent photos of me on the internet, and they were all concerned about my health. I want to take this opportunity to let everyone know, don’t worry!

Jackie Chan is one of the most renowned actors around in Hollywood at present. The Rush Hour star has been in the industry for nearly six decades, and he is a veteran when it comes to action films, even if he just turned 70 years old.

Chan is a venerated artist, who carved a niche for himself with his unique acrobatic fighting style. Moreover, he is a comedic genius to boot, and it speaks of the wealth of talent he was endowed with. His recent pictures, however, caused a bit of an alarm, but the actor was able to put a lot of anxious minds at rest with his post.

The actor addressed the fan concern about his look (Source: Karate Kid)

Jackie Chan’s look for his new film rang alarm bells

Jackie Chan is a Hollywood legend, having starred in over a hundred films in his career. More surprisingly,...

It is very hard to believe but Jackie Chan has officially reached his 70s. The cinema legend recently celebrated his 70th Birthday on the 7th of April. On the occasion, he shared an emotional note for his friends and fans on social media where he discussed how it feels to be in the 70s. Following that, the Rush Hour fame also addressed his viral white hair photos in his long post.

Jackie Chan in The Drunken Master

Recently, the entire pop culture world became a little melancholic to spot Jackie Chan with white hair and an old look in some viral photos. Although it is not unnatural for a 70-year-old, the fans could not hold their emotions. However, Chan clarified in his post that the fans need not be concerned about his health as the look is for his latest project.

What did Jackie Chan say about his white hair photos?...

Bruce Lee's impact in bringing Kung Fu to the West and influencing subsequent movies cannot be overstated. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow set the stage for Jackie Chan's signature comedy Kung Fu style. King Boxer and Crippled Avengers were international successes that showcased the best of Kung Fu cinema.

The 1970s was an incredible time for Kung Fu movies, as it was the heyday of the world’s biggest martial arts stars and there were so many great films to check out. From incredible historical epics to slapstick comedy movies, Kung Fu cinema during the 1970s was vast and varied as some truly unique films were being made, and the genre was being discovered by an international audience. With fast-paced fight sequences, expertly choreographed battles, and intense martial arts showdowns, Kung Fu movies were truly at their peak during this decade.

The success of Kung Fu movies during...

"New Fist of Fury" launched Jackie Chan's career as a leading man, showcasing his martial arts skills and professional relationship with director Lo Wei. "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" established Chan's unique comedic fighting style, allowing him to relax in his performance and showcase his talent. "Shinjuku Incident" marked a departure from Chan's usual roles, showcasing his dramatic range and versatility as an actor beyond physical comedy.

Jackie Chan is a brilliantly talented actor, but only a few of his movies can be considered defining moments in his career. The Hong Kong national began performing as a child, appearing in small roles since the age of 5, and has since spent an incredible sixty-two years developing and honing his acting skills. While many will know Jackie Chan for his martial arts skills, he's proved his versatility as an actor and has a wide range of abilities as a performer.

In his long career,...

Jackie Chan has plenty of movies, but there are a few non-Jackie Chan movies that feel like lost additions to his filmography thanks to their tone and style. For example, Tiger Cage 2, starring Donnie Yen, feels like a lost Jackie Chan movie with its stunts and Ong Bak and others pay homage to Jackie Chan's physicality with bone-crunching fights and free-running sequences.

While Jackie Chan has a lot of classic movies, there are also a lot of great martial arts movies that feel like lost additions to the actor’s oeuvre for a variety of reasons. Alongside Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan is one of the most influential martial artists in cinema history. The screen veteran’s earliest starring roles date back to the late ‘70s, when the popularity of Bruce Lee’s work led to a huge demand for martial arts movies. Chan starred in 1978’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow,...

Jackie Chan's earlier films showcased his talent and set the foundation for his rise as a kung fu legend. These movies highlighted Jackie Chan's unique style, blending action, comedy, and martial arts. Jackie Chan's films in the late 1970s and 1980s solidified his reputation as a talented actor, director, and stunt performer.

For all the iconic movies that Jackie Chan is known for, there are just as many titles that most people have never heard of. Pulled from a staggering filmographic vault, these titles showcase the action star’s journey from humble stuntman to kung fu legend. With over 60 years of experience in both acting and directing, Jackie Chan has become one of the most recognized film performers in the world.

As the kung fu star continued to develop his craft, he faced a number of challenges along the way. Urged to fill the void after Bruce Lee’s tragic death,...

Martial arts movie training montages are a constant in the genre, showcasing the protagonist's preparation for intense competitions or fights to the death. Popular training montages include Mr. Miyagi's unorthodox methods in The Karate Kid, Jean-Claude Van Damme's intense Muay Thai training in Kickboxer, and Jackie Chan's comedic drills in Drunken Master. Ip Man takes a unique approach, with the protagonist passing on his knowledge to workers of a cotton mill, while Jet Li's Once Upon A Time in China impresses with a hundred students training in perfect unison.

Martial arts movie training montages are a staple of the martial arts film genre. Martial arts movies vary wildly in the kinds of stories and scenarios they place their protagonists into, ranging from historical epics to action-heavy films in a modern setting. What is always a constant is that martial arts movie protagonists have to be prepared...

The year 1978 would be important in the career of Jackie Chan. Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master were big hits for him. The success from these films helped turn Chan into the superstar the world knows and loves. In fact, Jackie Chan has made many films and many can be thought of as his most exceptional, especially in the 1990s. Some might think Supercop, in which he stars with Michelle Yeoh, is his best work. However, in 1994, 16 years after the original, Chan gave us Drunken Master II, also known as The Legend of Drunken Master. Drunken Master II is his best work, putting a new spin on the action-comedy style he crafted in the years between the original and the sequel. There are plenty of stunts, but the martial arts choreography is where the true power lies.

When Jackie Chan was lent out to a humble studio in Seasonal Films, no one expected him to become a breakout star as a result of Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. After all, he was a struggling actor who starred in a string of commercial and critical failures from New Fist of Fury to Killer Meteors and everything in between. Perhaps fate extended its helping hand to a deserving individual. Chan had to fight tooth and nail to even have an opportunity, and his hard work would soon pay off as he rose to martial arts stardom.

Jackie Chan is a martial arts movie legend who has delivered many great fight scenes and stunts. With a career in both Eastern and Western action movies spanning decades, Jackie Chan is renowned worldwide for his unique blend of comedy and action. Millions first saw the future action superstar without even knowing it during Chan's brief on-screen appearance in Enter the Dragon, but his career since has been nothing short of historic.

Jackie Chan's action scenes often include stunt work that has left him with innumerable injuries, with Chan also frequently fighting seemingly insurmountable martial artists portraying the villains of his films. In both his early movies and Jackie Chan's Hollywood career, some of his best action scenes continue to stand the test of time, helping him become an icon of martial arts and comedy. Here are 10 Jackie Chan movie moments that would help make him a martial arts movie legend.

Whenever you think about martial arts, whose name springs to mind? For me, it’s Jackie Chan, followed by the others.

Jackie Chan, a legend in the world of martial arts, created his patented style of fighting. This style involves executing audacious stunts and employing clever maneuvers.

He actively utilizes his surroundings and props. With this unique approach, he swiftly defeats his enemies. Jackie Chan consistently emerges victorious despite the number of adversaries he faces.

Related: 10 Best 80s Movies from Childhood, Ranked by Viewers

Growing up, I had an enjoyable time watching numerous Jackie Chan movies.

From “The Legend of Drunken Master” to “Rush Hour,” it was impossible to be bored with Jackie’s movies.

The sheer mastery exhibited by Jackie Chan has solidified his position as an iconic figure in the world of martial arts.

However, while Jackie excels at martial arts, I am particularly captivated by the comedic elements in his movies.

Drunken Master II is the most defining movie of Jackie Chan's career. 1978's Drunken Master was one of Chan's break-out movies in his early career, with Chan playing a comedic take on the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung and showcasing the martial art Zui Quan, or Drunken Fist. 16 years later, Chan returned to the role of Wong in the sequel Drunken Master II, which was later released in the U.S. in 2000 under the title of The Legend of Drunken Master.

While Chan has been a part of many highly acclaimed action-comedies, Drunken Master II is often regarded as one of, if not, the best Jackie Chan movie ever made. Indeed, Drunken Master II has some of Chan's most unbelievable action scenes, but the key to its popularity is the combination of numerous elements that elevate it to the upper echelon of all Jackie Chan movies. Here are the...

Jackie Chan has fought numerous fellow action heroes over the course of his career. In the action movie world, Jackie Chan needs no introduction, having dedicated his life to a blend of action, comedy, and martial arts that is uniquely his own. Additionally, Jackie Chan has also performed innumerable death-defying stunts throughout his career, with his movies frequently featuring outtakes of stunts gone wrong and the many injuries he has incurred.

With martial arts being such an integral element of all Jackie Chan movies, he has also been at the center of some of the most impressive fight scenes ever put to film. While many fellow stuntpeople and martial artists have had fight scenes opposite Chan and gone on to great careers themselves, Jackie Chan has also fought quite a few big martial arts movie stars. Even the average Jackie Chan fight scene is usually guaranteed to be entertaining, but...

Marko Zaror's ability to amaze action fans is beyond incredible, and he brings that talent into the spotlight once more with his new martial arts films Fist of the Condor. Directed by Zaror's frequent collaborator Erenesto Diaz Espinoza, Fist of the Condor debuts on the martial arts-centric streaming platform Hi-yah! on Friday, April 7. For martial arts fans, Fist of the Condor is packed with amazing fight scenes, and is a passionate tribute to martial arts on film and in life.

In Fist of the Condor, a group of martial artists from different styles and nationalities are each in pursuit of a book said to impart ancient wisdom about fighting and using the human body to its fullest potential. Gemelo (Marko Zaror) is also interested in seizing the book's knowledge, and it is up to his twin brother Guerrero (also Marko Zaror) to defeat his oncoming opponents to keep the...

Jackie Chan utilized a great American sitcom gimmick as a tool to propel his career. Growing up in the Peking Opera Academy, Jackie Chan would begin his career in movies as a stuntman, even having his neck memorably broken by Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon. With his back-to-back hits of Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master in 1978, Jackie Chan became Hong Kong's biggest star in the ensuing years and gradually made himself into a household name worldwide.

Despite some early struggles in breaking into the Hollywood industry, Chan eventually succeeded in doing so with the 1996 release of Rumble in the Bronx, followed by Jackie Chan's 1998 mega-hit Rush Hour. While Jackie Chan's style of action and unique brand of comedy has been key components of his winning formula to success, he has also utilized a few tried and true tricks to achieve stardom. One trick in particular that...

In spite of the Drunken Master movies being some of Jackie Chan’s most beloved films, the actor never made a third installment. Drunken Master III does exist, but it has no connection to the actor. To this day, Chan has yet to revisit the series.

The Drunken Master movies hold a special place in Chan’s legacy as a martial arts star. After headlining his first box office hit, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Chan followed it up with Drunken Master, which solidified his status as a star in the Hong Kong movie industry. Additionally, Drunken Master acted as a stepping stone to more roles and did its part to help Chan build the image he has today. Thanks to its continued popularity, Chan returned to play his Drunken Master character in a direct sequel. Also known as Drunken Master II, Legend of the Drunken Master paired Chan with...

The Bruce Lee-led martial arts classic Enter the Dragon includes appearances by numerous future martial arts stars. Released in 1973, Enter the Dragon debuted not long after the untimely and unexpected passing of Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon not only finally made Bruce Lee an international star, it also skyrocketed interest in martial arts in the West, with the film continuing to be revered as one of the best martial arts films of all time.

Bruce Lee's appearance in Enter the Dragon also put him alongside dozens of martial artists who were recruited for the movie's fight scenes. After the release of Enter the Dragon, a number of them would go on to become big stars in later years themselves. Here are the 10 major martial artists in Enter the Dragon would who go on to become big stars after the film's release.

Related: Every Fighting Style Practiced By Bruce Lee...

If you love martial arts films, then the 1978 film "Drunken Master" should be on your watchlist. The film is all-time martial arts classic, starring Jackie Chan as Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-Hung. It put Jackie Chan on the map in Asia, the first step towards him becoming the superstar he is today.

"Drunken Master" was the second collaboration between Chan and director Yuen Woo-ping, following "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow," which released earlier that year. It's credited with not only popularizing the Drunken Boxing style of Chinese martial arts, it's also one of the earliest showcases of Chan's specific flavor of action comedy. The popularity...

The post How Jackie Chan's Disappointment in Drunken Master Changed the Sequel appeared first on /Film.

Jackie Chan is one of the biggest action stars in the world. The Hong Kong legend has been doing his own stunts since "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow," the 1978 film that cemented his name as a certified action star. Chan's slapstick kung fu comedy style has been celebrated ever since, and although the actor's long stunt-filled career has made him a household name, it has also given him some severe injuries. Throughout the course of his films, Jackie Chan has performed several dangerous stunts, and he has a catalog of broken bones to prove it.

During "Drunken Master" (1978), Chan damaged his superciliary bone...

The post The Dangerous Film Stunt That Nearly Killed Jackie Chan appeared first on /Film.

Following his major breakthrough in “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow” and the success of “Drunken Master”, Jackie Chan seized the opportunity to finally be able to take over directing duties for a project. Apart from his experience as an actor, his collaboration with director Yuen Woo-ping had given him complete freedom over his stunts, resulting in the blend of martial arts and comedy which would become his trademark as a performer to this day. Thus, in a year which also saw him star in such features like “Dragon Fist” and “Master with Cracked Fingers”, Jackie Chan directed “The Fearless Hyena”, which he also wrote, continuing his ongoing journey of becoming one of the most beloved martial arts stars of his generation.

on Amazon

The story takes place during the Qing dynasty, when a young fighter names Ching Hing-lung (Jackie Chan) lives with his grandfather (James Tien) in...

Roy Horan III, the U.S.-born actor and film executive whose martial arts career flourished in Hong Kong’s Golden Era, has died. The father of Hong Kong-based actor Celina Jade, Horan was 71.

Horan (also known as “Sandy” and sometimes credited as Roy Haron) died on Oct. 12 after hiking and meditating in the hills near Los Angeles. A memorial ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

After graduation from the University of Rhode Island, Horan began his career as a martial arts student of renowned Korean taekwondo master and popular Hong Kong movie super-villain Hwang Jang-Lee (aka “lord of the super kickers”). He emigrated initially to Taiwan and later to Hong Kong.

In 1975, with Hwang’s help, he broke into Hong Kong film acting with roles in “Bruce Lee’s Deadly Kung Fu” (1977), “Snuff Bottle Connection” (1977) and “The Ring of Death” (1980).

While he missed Bruce Lee, who...

Jeff Cashvan's original one-sheet for our December 11, 2014 screening of The Mystery of Chess Boxing at Nitehawk Cinema.Movie-lovers!Welcome back to The Deuce Notebook, a collaboration between Mubi's Notebook and The Deuce Film Series, our monthly event at Nitehawk Williamsburg that excavates the facts and fantasies of cinema's most infamous block in the world: 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. For each screening, my co-hosts and I pick a title that we think embodies the era of 24-hour grinding, and present the venue at which it premiered...This month: yet another special guest, honorary Deuce-Jockey and bestselling writer Grady Hendrix. Co-founder of the New York Asian Film Festival, a seasoned movie curator and presenter, and novelist of many knock-out genre-benders like Horrorstör, The Final Girl Support Group, and We Sold Our Souls, Grady is one of the busiest guys in the biz. Up next for Grady: his newest...

When it comes to martial arts films, The Karate Kid was a game changer when it came out in 1984. Its lasting cultural impact was a landmark advancement for the western understanding of the martial arts. But was it a genuine representation of Karate?

Den of Geek consulted Dr. Hermann Bayer, an expert authority on Okinawan Karate and the author of the upcoming book Analysis of Genuine Karate―Misconceptions, Origin, Development, and True Purpose. Dr. Bayer remembers firsthand how The Karate Kid stimulated the Karate boom in the mid-eighties because he was a practicing Karateka then. But as a martial scholar, he’s pragmatic about his opinions.

“First and foremost, we have to bear in mind that we are talking about a movie, not about a documentation or a piece of research,” says Bayer. “This means that we need to concede that fascinating viewers by something pretty, amazing, or spectacular to...

Kungfu master, cross-cultural comedian, prolific film director; pop star, multi-millionaire, Ccp conspirator, global philanthropist. No one wears as many hats as Hong Kong-born Jackie Chan, the Peking Opera fallout turned into a more affable Bruce Lee. In short, Chan is an icon in both Asian and international cinema.

So we at Amp take our hats off to Chan’s 50+ year and 100+ movies career with our newest list, honing in on what he’s best known for: his movies. Some star, some are directed by, but all include the Hong Kong-born superstar. Watch this kick-ass stunt double rise the ranks to become the legend he has become today.

1. Spiritual Kung Fu

Yes, it is kind of strange that this one is here, since there are definitely many better movies in Jackie Chan’s filmography. However, somewhere among the Shaolin monks, the book with the ultimate style of kung fu, and the...

After decades of death-defying stunts, broken bones and a ton of classic movies, martial arts legend Jackie Chan is finally getting an Oscar. Chan, along with several others, will be presented with an honorary Oscar at the Academy's 8th Annual Governors Awards on Saturday, November 12. After more than 50 years in the business, Chan has very well earned this honor.

The Academy announced on Thursday that the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had voted to bestow the honor to Chan, who's first acting credit dates all the way back to 1962. The actor got his first major break in the action/comedy Snake in the Eagle's Shadow in 1978, and the martial arts world has never quite been the same since. Here's what Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs had to say about it in a statement.

"The Honorary Award was created for artists like Jackie Chan,...

Quentin Tarantino officially begins his tenure as film programmer of the New Beverly Cinema tonight when he re-opens the LA institution after a monthlong remodeling. On the docket is a Paul Mazursky double feature of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and Blume In Love, which kicks off three months of Tarantino-programmed films, as Deadline reported last month. Many of those films, screened on film either on 16mm or 35mm, will come from Tarantino’s personal vaults. Tonight’s Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice print is the best known print out there, according to Tarantino, who was gifted with the newly struck print after his Django Unchained opening.

After floating the beloved New Beverly business for years, Tarantino took over as manager and programmer last month from owner Michael Torgan with a renewed commitment to screening movies only on film. New features and upgrades inside the historic theater include the addition of mechanical masking,...

Our non-interactive letters page returns, and we're chatting action, oil, fighting and cinema tickets...

Regular readers may have spotted that this is now the fourth appearance of our letters page, which we all appear to be lumbered with now. It's part of our quest to be the most old-fashioned, non-interactive website on the planet. Basically, you send us a letter, by email or post, and we answer it, and leave it at that. Bonus points for writing in with Grange Hill questions, which nobody has yet.

But you've written in with the following. So here's our latest mailbag...

Name That Film!

I am usually pretty good at investigating and finding obscure films and TV shows from my childhood. But this one eludes me. I can find no reference to it anywhere. I don’t know the title but I have vivid images of this possible film/teleplay in mind.

A...

Feature James Clayton 24 Jan 2014 - 06:03

Inside Llewyn Davis leaves James pondering the role of cats in films, and whether the Coens can make him learn to love the furry moggies...

Llewyn Davis is a New York musician pawing around the early 60s Greenwich Village folk scene. He's a pretentious mewling creative-type who can't connect with others around him, and he's caught up in the questions of artistic integrity versus commercial success. He's a lost soul with some hair going on. Llewyn Davis has a lot in common with a certain Barton Fink, and in my mind I can picture the forlorn pair performing "Man of Constant Sorrow" as a duet.

In spite of their similarities, though, the lead of the Coen Brothers' fresh folk yarn is arguably better off than John Turturro's doomed screenwriter. Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac) has something that Fink lacks and that is a pet.

The Weinstein Company has announced today that production on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny" will begin in March of 2014 in Asia. Yuen Wo Ping is set to direct after serving as a choreographer on the original film, which was directed by Ang Lee and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning four. Yuen Wo Ping helped make Jackie Chan a star, directing films like "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" and "Drunken Master." The Wachowski siblings also tapped him for fight choreography on their 1999 cyberpunk extravaganza "The Matrix" and subsequent installments of the trilogy, as did Quentin...

The best part of many epic action sagas is the training montage. My favorite ones are in Rocky and The Karate Kid. The team over at SlackStory put together this epic montage of montages. 

Here are the movies they used for the video:

Rocky I, II, III, IV, Bloodsport, Bring It On, Chariots of Fire, Cool Runnings, The Cutting Edge, Footloose, Full Metal Jacket, Highlander, Snake in Eagle's Shadow, Kill Bill (vol. 2), Mulan, No Retreat No Surrender, Ratatouille, Regular Show (Ep. 4 "Death Punchies"), Run Fatboy Run, Step Up Revolution, Team America: World Police, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Incredibles, and X-Men: First Class.

Watch the video and see the awesomeness for yourself:

Follow Jim on Twitter and Tumblr...

The actor's 100th movie may not be much good, but it's still a good excuse to celebrate the most human kung-fu star in the world

Jackie Chan's 100th film is, by anybody's standards, not a good one. A vanity project of the worst kind, 1911: Revolution is his version of Kevin Costner's The Postman. Even at 93 minutes, it feels about half an hour too long.

What begins as something sober and sumptuous, 1911: Revolution quickly becomes stilted and po-faced. It's ostensibly about the Xinhai revolution, in which China's last imperial dynasty was overthrown, but whatever dramatic potential that offers quickly gets lost in the endless explanatory text and the meandering subplots about railway finances. The toe-curlingly awkward tracts of English-language sequences don't help (at one point an American character exclaims: "Chinese revolution is the only thing that can make exciting history!") as does the fact that Jackie Chan...

[1] I've always had this fascination with seeing current rich and famous figures in their humble beginnings, and the success of tabloid columns and webpages devoted to that very topic suggest I'm not the only one. When some A-list faces are as familiar to us as those of our actual loved ones, seeing long-ago photos or videos of them is amusing in the same way that seeing pictures of your friends as little kids is amusing. "Before They Were Famous: 25 Actors in 3 Minutes" collects some especially amusing snippets of today's biggest stars, including Angelina Jolie, Ryan Gosling, Jack Nicholson, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in some of their earliest acting gigs. Watch the video after the jump. They're not all first-time roles -- I'd argue that Seth Rogen in Donnie Darko hardly counts as even a pre-fame role, as he'd already starred in Freaks & Geeks by then -- but the clips collected here...

A unique mix of horror, martial arts action and comedy, Encounters Of The Spooky Kind is a classic of Hong Kong cinema. Ryan takes a look back…

What elements do you need to create a genuinely entertaining film? Action? Comedy? Horror? Great characters? An unnerving air of unpredictability? The 1980 Hong Kong movie, Encounters Of The Spooky Kind, has all those elements and more. It's a strange, supernatural brew of mild gore, frequently hilarious comedy, and some of the most extraordinary kung fu sequences ever committed to film.

Following Jacob Walker's excellent article on the world of supernatural kung fu movies earlier this month (linked at the bottom), I was inspired to return to Encounters Of The Spooky Kind (also known as Gui da Gui, which means Ghost Fights Ghost), the film that popularised an entire subgenre of Jiang Shi (or stiff corpse) Hong Kong action cinema. Even after a fourth or fifth viewing,...

Though he's hardly a household name (at least in the United States) it's no exaggeration to say that Yuen Woo Ping is one of the most influential filmmakers on the planet. As the director of 1978's "Snake in Eagle's Shadow," Yuen helped launch the career of Jackie Chan and define his unique style of comedic kung fu. He went on to direct or choreograph the fights in almost every major Chinese martial arts film of the last quarter century, and when he brought his unique style to America in "The Matrix" in 1999, he revolutionized the way Hollywood action films were made for years. Yuen Woo Ping's new film as both director and fight choreographer is called "True Legend," but it's a title that might just as well be bestowed upon Yuen himself.

In honor of "True Legend"'s U.S. release this week, we asked Yuen to do something...

It's been nearly 15 years since Yuen Woo-ping's last directorial effort, the martial arts film Tai Chi Boxer. Woo-ping helped spearhead Jackie Chan's prolific career, with his first two directing gigs being Jackie Chan's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. Both? Awesome.  But since 1996 he's focused mainly on fight choreography, assisting in such films as The Matrix, The Forbidden...

You've got to watch this new trailer for director Yuen Woo Ping's martial arts film True Legend because it's pretty freakin' mind-blowingly badass! Why does this movie look so awesome? Because it comes from Woo Ping, the man who did the kung fu choreography for The Matrix films, Kill Bill 1 and 2, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Fearless. He was also the director of several classic martial arts films including Snake in Eagle's Shadow, Twin Warriors and Iron Monkey. Just watch the trailer already!

Synopsis:

Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill Volumes I and II, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero) brings you True Legend, a heart pounding epic about the timeless battle between good and evil. Su Can's (Vincent Zhao) respectable life is obliterated when his vengeful brother, Yuan (Andy On), returns from war armed with the deadly Five Venom Fists. Weakened but not destroyed, Su Can...

Hey gang! Check out this awesome new 1970's style throwback poster to Yuen Woo Ping's upcoming martial arts film True Legend. For those of you who don't know Woo Ping was the kung fu choreographer of death on The Matrix films, Kill Bill 1 and 2, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Fearless. He was also the director of several classic martial arts films including Snake in Eagle's Shadow, Twin Warriors and Iron Monkey.

The movie was shown at Fantastic Fest last year, and I heard that it was pretty freakin' awesome, so this seems like a movie we can look forward to watching, especially if your a martial arts film fan.

Here's the plot of the movie:

Su Qi-Er (Man Cheuk Chiu) is a wealthy man living during the Qing Dynasty who loses his fortune and reputation as a result of a conspiracy against him. After being forced out onto the streets,...

Any martial arts / kung fu fans out there? You've got to check this out! AICN has debuted a classic poster for True Legend, the newest martial arts epic from Yuen Woo-Ping, kung fu choreographer on The Matrix films, Kill Bill 1 and 2, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Fearless, and director of numerous martial arts classics including Snake in Eagle's Shadow, Twin Warriors and Iron Monkey. I saw the movie at Fantastic Fest last year and loved it (here's my write-up about it), it's an awesome kung fu flick that has some amazing fight scenes, as Woo-Ping really is the master. The poster really makes me want to see it again. Check it out! You can check out a full-size version of the True Legend poster originally on Ain't It Cool News if you wish. Su Qi-Er (Man Cheuk Chiu) is a wealthy man living during the Qing Dynasty who loses ...

Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, New Releases, Cinematical, Festivals

It's not a desperate attempt to tie in the title of his latest film, nor undeservedly effusive praise, to call fight choreographer and filmmaker Yuen Woo-Ping a true legend. He was an actor in 40 movies between 1965 and 1993, choreographed at least 39 others, and directed 29, including 'True Legend,' a retelling of the saga of mythic Chinese hero Su Qi-Er -- whom he basically introduced to audiences via his classic 1978 film 'Drunken Master.' It is nevertheless appropriate that Yuen would be honored at this year's Fantastic Fest, where in addition to receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, he screened 'True Legend' for attendees as part of a double feature that also included his first film, 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow.'

Cinematical sat down with Yuen at the festival for a chat both about 'True Legend' and about his rich and accomplished history as a fight choreographer and filmmaker.

Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, New Releases, Cinematical, Festivals

It's not a desperate attempt to tie in the title of his latest film, nor undeservedly effusive praise, to call fight choreographer and filmmaker Yuen Woo-Ping a true legend. He was an actor in 40 movies between 1965 and 1993, choreographed at least 39 others, and directed 29, including 'True Legend,' a retelling of the saga of mythic Chinese hero Su Qi-Er -- whom he basically introduced to audiences via his classic 1978 film 'Drunken Master.' It is nevertheless appropriate that Yuen would be honored at this year's Fantastic Fest, where in addition to receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, he screened 'True Legend' for attendees as part of a double feature that also included his first film, 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow.'

Cinematical sat down with Yuen at the festival for a chat both about 'True Legend' and about his rich and accomplished history as a fight choreographer and filmmaker.

Filed under: Cinematical, Festivals

Last year Fantastic Fest further canonized its commitment to the legacy of cinema by instituting the Lifetime Achievement Award. True to form, the filmmakers recognized not only contributed to the scope of film as a whole, but whose careers are fraught with the kind of total genre experiences that reinforce the core values of this festival. The first recipient was the master of undeniably artistic sleaze: Jess Franco ('Venus in Furs'). This year saw awards bestowed to true living legends: Roger & Julie Corman and Yuen Woo-ping.

For those of you unfamiliar with this demigod of the martial arts world, Yuen Woo-ping's most universally recognized work would be the fight choreography on 'The Matrix'. But though arguably his most career-defining film, Woo-ping has been turning heads, and shattering bones, for nearly 40 years. In honor of his award, and in acknowledgment of the breadth of his film catalog,...

On Wednesday evening Yuen Woo-ping accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award during screenings of his first martial arts film, Snake in Eagle's Shadow, and his latest film, True Legend. It had been ten years since Yuen was behind the camera and though the film is not without its troubles it still marks a welcome return for a true master of the genre. ...

How many film festivals can you go to where the RZA himself presents a Lifetime Achievement award in the form of a sword to filmmaker & martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo Ping before screening his new film True Legend. Oh and after watching that and a fascinating Q&A, they showed a print of the first film Woo Ping directed, Snake in Eagle's Shadow. And if you're still not tired then, you can go and sing karaoke at an all-night party held at the Alamo Drafthouse's sister lounge, The Highball. Yep, that is Fantastic Fest for you, and there's nothing like it in the world. And I keep coming back every year because it's that awesome. I had to take a quick trip back to Los Angeles, so my first day at Fantastic Fest consisted of watching Patrick Hughes' Red Hill, a kind of modern Aussie western, Yuen Woo Ping...

Another great announcement regarding Fantastic Fest next month. Fantastic Fest will honor director and master fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the world premiere of his new martial arts fantasy True Legend (seen above), starring Vincent Zhao (Dragon Gets Angry), Zhou Xun (The Emperor and the Assassin) with Michelle Yeoh (Babylon A.D.) and the late David Carradine (Kill Bill). We actually featured a trailer for True Legend late last year, which you can still watch right here. That movie will play as part of a double feature with Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Woo-Ping's directorial debut. Besides the numerous films he's directed, Yuen Woo-Ping is also known as one of the greatest martial arts choreographers of all-time who has choreographed many of the unforgettable fights in films like The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey, Drunken Master, Once Upon ...