JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
I have broken the movies down by broad category type – classic, spiritual kung fu, etc. I hope you
enjoy. Note: I have taken the synopsis from online resources (mostly IMDB) and cut and pasted it – it is
not original work.
Classic:
Movie
Synopsis
Lee is recruited by a
secretive intelligence
group to infiltrate an
island owned by the
master criminal Han
who appears publicly
only at a martial arts
tournament he hosts
every three years. Han
learned his martial arts
skills at the same
monastery as Lee, who
has been invited to
tournament as well.
When Lee learns that it
was Han's men who
were responsible for
his sister's death, he
sets out for revenge as
well. Other participants
in the tournament
include Americans
Roper and Williams
who were in the army
together. They all soon
realize that Han uses
the tournament to
recruit new associates
- and those who refuse
are killed.
Gordon Liu stars as a
shaolin monk who rises
quickly through the
chambers (schools) of
Shaolin martial arts, but
eventually leaves the
monastery to unseat an evil
ruler and avenge his family
– thus establishing the 36th
chamber.
my notes
why / trivia
This is the movie
that took the
entire world by
storm, and is still
the litmus test for
kung fu movies.
Many of its plot
elements are
recycled in other
movies. It is the
one movie every
single martial arts
movie fan has seen
Why was handled
in the previous
column. so, trivia:
the fight with the
guards in the
underground
cavern was ripped
off move for move
when the monkey
fights the hyenas
in “The Lion King”
Almost a quarter
of the movie is the
training sequence,
and it is the best
ever – Rocky can’t
even compete!
Gordon Liu made
several follow ups
to this movie,
though none as
good as this one.
Every twelve yr.
old boy who saw
this movie in the
seventies started
working out
afterward to be
like their hero.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A veteran
samurai, who has
fallen on hard
times, answers a
village's request
for protection
from bandits. He
gathers 6 other
samurai to help
him, and they
teach the
townspeople how
to defend
themselves, and
they supply the
samurai with
three small meals
a day. The film
culminates in a
giant battle when
40 bandits attack
the village.
Akira Kurosawa is
internationally
recognized as one
of the greatest
directors of the
twentieth century.
This is THE classic
Samurai film, and
it was copied in the
western “The
Magnificent
Seven”
substituting
gunslingers for
Samurai.
This has also
spawned comic
book versions and
a great anime
version. Kurosawa
also is of interest
to actors for “Ran”
which is his
version of King
Lear set in Japan,
and “Throne of
Blood” which is
MacBeth.
There are many runner ups, things to keep in mind – these are older films and
quality was not good, but they inspired the next wave of films and keep
inspiring us today. SO: Runner Ups – The One Armed Swordsman, Heroes of
The East (Gordon Liu), Fist of Fury (Bruce Lee), Five Deadly Venoms.
JAPANESE: Lone Wolf and Cub, Zatoichi, Yojimbo (note, the Japanese films are
hysterically bloody – Quinten Tarantino’s blood squirting from wounds in Kill
Bill, is an homage to these classic films.)
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
LUSH MOVIES: Modern movies where master directors use their skills to bring martial arts to
a modern audience – all of these also feature the spiritual aspects – ie: Flying, etc.
Li is a great
warrior, famous
throughout
QING China for
his adventurus
life. He decides
to give his
powerful,
ancient sword
as a gift to an
old friend of
his, but soon
the sword is
stolen by a
mysterious
master of the
martial arts.
Now, it's up to
Li to uncover
the thief and
return the
sword to its
rightful owner.
A martial
artist/doctor
steals from the
corrupt
authorities as a
masked thief to
give to the poor
while another
martial
artist/doctor is
forced to hunt
him down. But
a major threat
unites them as
a powerful and
traitorous
shaolin monk
takes over the
authorities.
Starring Chow
Yun-Fat and
Michelle Yeoh,
this masterpiece
directed by Ang
Lee won
multiple
academy
awards and
turned people
who had never
been to see a
martial film into
fans.
Chow Yun-Fat is
an extraordinary
actor, not
known for
martial arts
films, but you
would never
know that
watching this
movie. Michelle
Yeoh is an action
star in her own
right and often
appears in Jackie
Chan films.
Starring Donny
Yen (who you
saw in Hero –
which also,
obviously, goes
on this list) this
movie was
better liked by
martial arts fans
than crouching
tiger, but did
not make as big
a splash, and
frankly, didn’t
deserve to,
though it is a
blast!
Monkey Kung
Fu!!
‘Nuff Said.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
You saw this
already!
Trust me, this is
worth watching
multiple times,
you will find
new things each
time.
Jet Li, Donnie
Yen, Maggie
Chen – amazing
acting all the
way around.
In the Ninth
Century, the Tang
Dynasty in China is
weak and corrupt,
and an army of
rebels called "The
House of the Flying
Daggers" fights
against the
government
military forces, and
steals from the rich
to give to the poor
people. Leo (Andy
Lau) and Jin
(Takeshi
Kaneshiro), two
captains of the
government army,
plot a scheme
against the rebels
using the blind
dancer Mei (Zhang
Ziyi) to approach
their leaders, but
their love for Mei
leads them to a
tragedy.
Lush filming and Some terrific
standout
fights and Andy
performance by Lau.
Andy Lau (he is
a terrific actor).
Came out in the
US shortly after
Hero – not quite
as good IMO but
still a great
watch.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
THAI FILMS
When the head of
Ong-Bak, the sacred
Buddha of a poor
village is stolen, the
population is plunged
into misery. The
Buddha was the focal
point of an
anniversary vigil
believed to bring rain
to the droughtstricken area. Young
Ting is selected by the
villagers to travel to
Bangkok and rescue
the relic in time for
their ceremony. Ting
has an affinity with the
statue as he was left
on the temple steps as
a baby and raised by
monks, who taught
him muay thai, but
forbade him to use it
in combat. But now he
is forced to delve into
a seedy underworld
and try to avoid
temptation...
Great fights! Tony Tony Jaa. Tony
Jaa! Stunts
Jaa. Tony Jaa.
galore! No Wires! Tony Jaa. Oh
yeah, and Tony
Jaa.
A young fighter
named Kham
must go to
Australia to
retrieve his stolen
elephant. With the
help of a Thaiborn Australian
detective, Kham
must take on all
comers, including
a gang led by an
evil woman and
her two deadly
bodyguards.
Great fights! Five
minute one take
fight scene. Tony
Jaa. End fight
where he
decimates 100
guys.
NOTE: Ong Bak 2
& 3 are also
worth watching,
but are not as
good and though
they are labelled
2 & 3 – they have
absolutely
nothing to do
with the first one.
Tony Jaa. No
wires.
Note: There is a
Protector 2 – it’s
okay, but not as
good as the
original.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
This Thailand
martial arts movies
is as sweet as it
sounds. It follows
an autistic girl who
has the ability to
absorb martial
skills just by
watching movies
and her quest to
destroy a ruthless
gang.
This is a great
movie, fun and
emotional at the
same time. The
little girl is
AMAZING.
An unusual movie
and star.
THEORY MOVIES – movies that explore not just the physical act of fighting, but also the ideas
behind martial arts.
Mark Salzman
always was
interested in KungFu and the Chinese
culture, claims to
have seen every
Kung-Fu movie.
1982, with a degree
in Chinese literature,
he visits a province
university in China
for two years to
teach Chinese
teachers the English
language. He learns
the refinements of
correct behavior
among Chinese
people, makes
friends with his
pupils, falls in love
with the young
doctor Ming, learns
Uschu (similar KungFu) from the famous
teacher Pan... but
also learns about
political repression,
especially when he's
forbidden contact
with some of his
friends.
Unlike most kung
fu movies, this is
an actual true
story. Based on his
autobiography,
this is Mark
Salzman’s true
story. There are no
real fights, but lots
of practice and
study, Tai Chi, and
you learn a lot
about Chinese
culture. It’s also a
rather sweet love
story.
Theory, lots of it.
Culture, lots of it.
Hard to find, but
worth watching if
you can. (I own it,
so if you treat it
well and give it
back… you could
borrow it).
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
Dramatizes the life
of Yip Man (18931972) in the mid to
late 1930s. Foshun is
a prosperous city
with many martial
arts schools. Yip,
who practices Wing
Chun, is the local
master. When a
rough gang comes to
town, it's Yip they
must challenge.
Then, Japan invades
China. Yip and his
family live in
poverty, with Yip
taking any work for
food. General Miura,
now in charge,
stages martial arts
fights between
Chinese and his
men: winners get
extra rice. When the
general's attaché
murders a colleague
of Yip's, Yip must
step forward. At the
same time, the
ruffians return to
town, this time
threatening a local
cotton mill. Can Yip
protect the mill and
also face Miura and
certain death?
Based on the life and
career of Martial Arts
superstar, Bruce Lee.
Haunted by demons.
Bruce was taught
Martial arts at
childhood. Bruce
then was told by his
father to flee to the
United States. There,
he opened up a
Martial Arts school,
then was chosen to
be the Green
Hornet's sidekick,
Kato. Then, his big
movie career that
included "The Big
Boss" and "Enter the
Dragon". Fighting
many enemies along
the way, including
his childhood demon.
Dramatized life of
Ip Man, who is the
teacher of Bruce
Lee. The story
continues in the
two sequels.
Donnie Yen (Sky
from “Hero”) stars
and does a great
job. Some
extraordinary
fights, and though
it’s a
dramatization of
the real Ip’s life. It
is compelling.
Dramatized life of
Bruce Lee – but
gets his theories
down correctly.
Stars Jason Scott
Lee (no relation).
Some great fights,
and again, while it
is a dramatization,
it is compelling
and accurately
presents his ideas.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
AMURICAN! Yes, we make these movies too, and have even made some good ones!
The archetypical
renegade Texas
Ranger wages war
against a drug
kingpin with
automatic
weapons, his wits
and martial arts
after a gun battle
leaves his partner
dead. All of this
inevitably
culminates a
martial arts
showdown
between the drug
lord and the
ranger, and
involving the
woman they both
love.
Frank Dux has
entered the
"kumite", an illegal
underground
martial-arts
competition where
serious injury and
even death are not
unknown. In town
for the fight are a
number of fighters
(all with different
styles), as well as
a journalist
determined to get
her story. Chong
Li, a particularly
ruthless and
vicious fighter is
the favourite, but
then again Dux
has never fought
him before.
You ever
wonder why
those Chuck
Norris jokes
exist?
This.
Chuck Norris
was a martial
arts champion
before he was
crazy (or
maybe he was
crazy then
too). He shows
it here.
Supposedly a
true story (not
sure how much
I buy that…
but…) this is the
movie that
launched Jean
Claude Van
Damme.
Some terrific
fights, a
chance to see
some good
examples of a
lot of different
types of
martial arts.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A team from the
United States is
going to compete
against Korea in a
Tae Kwon Do
tournament. The
team consists of
fighters from all
over the country-can they overcome
their rivalry and
work together to
win?
Okay, it’s Kung
Fu movie that
stars James Earl
Jones! And Eric
Roberts, but
seriously –
James Earl
Jones!
The actors
manage to
really pull off
the fighting –
though I think
only Phillip
Rhee is an
actual martial
artist (though
he is a VERY
good one).
There are
many sequels,
none even a
ghost of this
one.
A former S.E.A.L.,
now cook, is the
only person who
can stop a gang of
terrorists when
they seize control
of a U.S. Navy
battleship.
Also stars
Tommy Lee
Jones and Gary
Busey.
Seriously.
Seagal is
perhaps the
worst actor the
world has ever
know (he makes
Keanu look
good), but one
thing that is
true about him
– he is a master
of Akido.
I chose this movie
because as bad an
actor as he is, you
can’t discuss
American M.A.
movies without
mentioning
Seagal. This is
probably the most
popular title he
made, and the
supporting cast
are fun – but I
was torn, you
could also see
Hard to Kill
instead and get
even better fights,
but worse
production value.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
Jeff, a young
delinquent, is
enrolled by his
father in a kenpo
school, in the
hopes of teaching
the boy some selfdiscipline. Years
later, Jeff's
mentor, Kim, is
being threatened
by one of the
Korean mafia
families. Jeff tries
to help his old
friend, but is too
late to prevent
Kim's death at the
hands of an
unknown hitman.
Vowing revenge,
Jeff takes on all of
the families, using
his martial arts
skills to find the
man who killed his
friend.
A
handyman/martial
arts master agrees
to teach a bullied
boy karate and
shows him that
there is more to
the martial art
than fighting.
One of the
many “Next
Bruce Lee”’s to
come along,
Speakman has
the distinction
of actually
having some
real Kung Fu
talent. His
career in
movies never
really took off,
but this film has
some great
fights in it.
Some very
good action
scenes and an
okay plot.
The classic.
Some decent
theory and
good acting –
story trumps
stunts in this
one.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
In New York City,
a young man
searches for the
"master" to obtain
the final level of
martial arts
mastery known as
the glow. Along
the way, he must
fight an evil
martial arts expert
and rescue a
beautiful singer
from an obsessed
music promoter.
CAMPY FUN!
Maybe the first
American kung
fu comedy. Also
the first nonBlaxploitation
film to
acknowledge
the deep
appreciation for
Hong Kong
cinema in the
African
American
community (Wu
Tang Clan take
their name
from a Martial
Arts movie!).
This movie
actually
contains the
line: “Now,
when I say,
"Who's da
mastah?"
you say,
"Sho'nuff!”
Said by
Sho’nuff, the
mastah of
Harlem.
JACKIE CHAN. When I say Jackie you say Chan! Jackie! The number one star in the world, and
how he got there, though I am not going to list all his movies, here a few to whet your
appetite:
A young martial
artist is caught
between
respecting his
pacifist father's
wishes or
stopping a group
of disrespectful
foreigners from
stealing precious
artifacts.
Some of Jackie’s
best fight scenes
Jackie, Lau KarLeung, Anita
Mui, Andy Lau –
the hits keep
comin’.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A young man
visiting and
helping his uncle
in New York City
finds himself
forced to fight a
street gang and
the mob with his
martial art skills.
Fantastic stunts
and fights,
silliness
abounds!
Look at the way
they marketed
it: No Fear. No
Stuntman. No
Equal. Maybe
the first time in
the history of
the world there
is truth in
advertising!
Also, as a New
Yorker, I love
they subbed
Vancouver for
The Bronx.
Jackie Chan is
Inspector Lee, a
Hong Kong Detective
who helps confiscate
millions of dollars
worth of stolen
Chinese artifacts
from Crime Lord
Juntao. Seeking
revenge, Juntao
kidnaps the eleven
year old daughter of
the Chinese consul
when he moves to
America. Chan is
sent as a diplomatic
advisor and finds
himself paired up
with a Los Angeles
cop (Chris Tucker) a man who works
alone, and wants to
stay that way.
You’ve probably
seen this, a
classic Jackie
Chan movie,
continuing the
successful idea
of pairing him
with an
American star.
Some classic
Jackie Chan
fights.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A Hong Kong
detective teams
up with his
female Red
Chinese
counterpart to
stop a Chinese
drug czar.
Technically the
third installment
of his “Police
Story” series
(you don’t need
to have seen any
of the others –
though the first
is very good!)
this movie
teams Jackie
with Michelle
Yeoh (Crouching
Tiger).
Great stunts
from both Jackie
& Michelle,
including Jackie
hanging from a
helicopter being
bashed into
buildings.
There are so many great Jackie Chan movies - the aforementioned Police Story, Project A,
Armor of God, Mr. Nice Guy, Wheels on Meals, Battle Creek Brawl, the Shanghai Noon &
Knights series… you get the idea.
JET LI. The Man, the Myth, the Legend:
A sheriff's deputy
fights an
alternate
universe version
of himself who
grows stronger
with each
alternate self he
kills.
Two of my
favorite things –
Sci Fi & Kung
Fu!
Some great
fights, including
several between
Jet Li and
Himself!
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
Two friends -ex
Shaolin monks part ways as they
brush with the
ongoing rebellion
against the
government. The
ambitious one
rise up to be a
powerful military
commander,
while his
betrayed friend
resorts to learn
the calm ways of
Tai Chi.
This is also
known as “Tai
Chi Master”. It
stars Jet Li and
Michelle Yeoh.
Some amazing
fights and you
can see Tai Chi
used! While the
fighting may be
exaggerated, the
principals of Tai
Chi covered are
true – enough so
that I almost put
this in the
“Theory Movies”
section.
Set in late 19th
century Canton
this martial arts
film depicts the
stance taken by
the legendary
martial arts hero
Wong Fei-Hung
(1847-1924)
against foreign
forces' (English,
French and
American)
plundering of
China. But is it
possible to fight
guns with Kung
Fu?
This is another
take on the folk
hero Wong FeiHung (you saw
bits of Jackie
Chan’s in
Legend of
Drunken
Master). There
are three films
in this series, all
are good.
A more
traditional take
on Wong FeiHung, very
enjoyable.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A survivor of a
supersoldier
project must
fight his former
comrades as a
masked hero.
Some truly
great fights!
Great fights,
great action
sequences, sci fi
(ish).
Over twenty years
since the first telling
of the story, Bruce
Lee's _Fists of Fury_
returns to the screen.
The classic story has
its roots in Chinese
history -- the actual
defeat of Master Huo
at the hands of the
Japanese. This time
around, popular actor
and martial arts
champion Jet Li steps
into the shoes of folk
hero Chen Zhen, in a
race to save his
master's honor and
his own pride.
You saw bits of
this in class,
watch the
whole thing!
Fantastic fights,
but you know this
already!
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
SMORGASBORD! Great movies that don’t quite fit into the categories I have already made:
Ichi is a blind
woman who
roams about
town with her
shamisen (a
three-stringed
Japanese
guitar), but she
has exceptional
sword skills
with which she
fights off
yakuza and
other villains.
Some great fights
and a good story,
Haruka Ayase
rocks as the blind
swordswoman
Really well
made and wellacted.
In 208 A.D., in the
final days of the
Han Dynasty,
shrewd Prime
Minster Cao Cao
convinced the fickle
Emperor Han the
only way to unite all
of China was to
declare war on the
kingdoms of Xu in
the west and East
Wu in the south.
Thus began a
military campaign
of unprecedented
scale. Left with no
other hope for
survival, the
kingdoms of Xu and
East Wu formed an
unlikely alliance.
Numerous battles of
strength and wit
ensued, both on
land and on water,
eventually
culminating in the
battle of Red Cliff.
During the battle,
two thousand ships
were burned, and
the course of
Chinese history was
changed forever.
A really well
made historical
drama with some
great fight
sequences.
Almost put it in
“Lush” section,
but it is a little
too gritty at
times I felt.
Tony Leung.
And John Woo.
Woo is one of
the most
influential
action
filmmakers
ever. His early
work is worth
looking at –
though it’s
much more
guns than fists,
and pretty
bloody.
Western
directors have
been ripping off
his style for
decades. See
“The Killer” and
“A Better
Tomorrow”
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
A man is picked
up by a fishing
boat, bulletriddled and
suffering from
amnesia, before
racing to elude
assassins and
regain his
memory.
Almost put it in
AMUERICA, but it
is really more of a
spy movie so I
hedged.
Some
spectacular
hand to hand
fight
sequences!
Check out the
sequels as well,
all are good.
In 18th century
France, the
Chevalier de
Fronsac and his
native American
friend Mani are
sent by the
King to the
Gevaudan
province to
investigate the
killings of
hundreds by a
mysterious
beast.
WARNING –
NUDITY.
The beast of
Gevaudan was
apparently real, it
killed 100 people
in the 18th
century, no one
ever found out
what it was. This
movie is a
fictional account,
but riveting and
scary.
The native
American friend
is played by
Marc Dacascos,
who you may
know from the
Iron Chef
America series.
He is also a
world champion
martial artists
and does a nice
job on his fights
in this movie.
JD’S RECOMMENDED STUNT CINEMA
Finally, there are very few fights in this, and it is a 22 episode TV series not a movie, but check
Dr. Jin – a Korean series.
A surgeon treats
a mysterious
patient who has
a human-shaped
tumor in his
head, only to
discover himself
time-travelling to
the year 1861.
The acting in this
is tremendous, as
are production
values and
costumes.
I won’t lie,
there are a few
fights… but that
isn’t really what
this one is
about.