Martial arts film

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Martial arts film is  a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. This genre of film is  one kind of action film characterized by extensive fighting scenes employing various types of martial arts. This genre is  no longer completely limited to Asian films -- there are  many action movies starring well known western martial artists such as Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, Wesley Snipes, and  Jean Claude Van Damme.

Martial arts film stars can be classified into two types: genuine martial artists who pursued a filming career, versus regular actors who performed in martial arts film under the directions of action choreographers.

Martial arts film stars who are  martial artists on their own merits:

• Kwan Tak-Hing was the original celluloid Wong Fei-Hung, starring as the legendary Hung Gar master in roughly 100 films from the late 1940s to the 1960s, possibly the most prolific movie series ever. Kwan himself was a master of Tibetan White Crane rather than Hung Gar and  specialized in the use of the whip.
• Yu So Chow is  probably the best known female martial arts actress of the 50's and  60's. She starred in over 170 martial arts films, still a record among all actresses.
• Cantonese screen idol Connie Chan Po-chu grew up starring in wuxia films during the 1960s and  was famous for her male roles.
• Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon (1973) was one of the films that brought the genre into mainstream Western acceptance. His fame also helped popularize Wing Chun, the martial art that he originally trained in, and  Jeet Kune Do, the martial art that he later created based on Wing Chun and  other styles of martial arts.
• Jackie Chan continued this crossover during the 80s and  90s, finally conquering the US market with Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and  the two Rush Hour films. He is  renowned for his blend of martial arts and  slapstick comedy, but has directed, action directed and  starred in over 50 films of almost all conceivable genres. Despite intensive martial arts training from a Chinese opera school, Jackie often tells people that he is  an actor, not a martial artist.
• Sammo Hung or  Gumbo Hung was a fellow opera school student of Jackie Chan and  Yuen Biao. He has directed, action directed and  starred in numerous Hong Kong films, as well as playing the leading role in the American TV series Martial Law.
• Yuen Biao trained at the Peking Opera School with Sammo Hung and  Jackie Chan, and  is the youngest of the three.
• Cynthia Rothrock was considered "Queen of Martial Arts films".
• Lam Ching Ying learned Peking Opera in Hong Kong.
• Jet Li won the Chinese national wushu championships five times in a row before becoming a movie star, starting with the 1979 film Shaolin Temple.
• Donnie Yen learned wushu from a young age and  trained in Beijing also.
• Chuck Norris learned Tang Soo Do (tangsudo), a martial art similar to taekwondo, while in Korea; Norris also trained with Bruce Lee. Chuck Norris created the mixed martial art, Chun Kuk Do
• Bolo Yeung practiced martial arts from childhood, and  also became a professional body-builder. His favorite martial art is  Tai Chi.
• Steven Seagal is  an aikido instructor.
• Jean Claude van Damme practiced karate in Europe.
• Tony Jaa is  highly skilled in muay thai, gymnastics & swordplay.
• Wesley Snipes is  a highly skilled practitioner of capoeira.

Martial Arts film stars who are  primarily actors:

• Michelle Yeoh : A dancer turned actor.
• Aaron Kwok : A dancer turned to singing and  then acting.
• Zhang Ziyi : Another dancer/gymnast turned actor.
• Jason Scott Lee : an  actor who was trained in martial arts for his role in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.

Others:

• Leung Kar Yan : had no formal martial arts training but was skilled at mimicking moves given to him by the action choreographer.
• David Carradine : knew nothing about martial arts until winning the lead role in Kung fu (TV series), after which he developed an  interest and  has become an  avid practitioner.
• M.A. Sotelo is  skilled in Arnis, Jeet Kune Do, & CloQuBa Ha-Jutsu. He was the martial arts coordinator for the film Wager.

[edit] See also

• Hong Kong action cinema
• Cinema of Hong Kong
• Bruceploitation
• Cinema of China
• Kung Fu Theater
• Wire fu film
• Wu Xia film
• TigerCinema
• Great Martial Arts Movies