Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast

• Episode 108 - Tribute to King Hu

  King Hu is one of China’s most influential filmmakers, famous for his historical martial arts films which helped to popularise the wuxia (‘martial chivalry’) genre in the 1960s and 70s with classic films like 'Come Drink with Me' (1966), 'Dragon Inn' (1967), and 'A Touch of Zen' (1971) - the latter of which he received the Technical Grand Prize at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival. His work has inspired directors ranging from Tsui Hark to Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou to Quentin Tarantino, and since his death in 1997 at the age of 64, organisations like the King Hu Foundation have continued to promote and champion his work. As a result, much of his exquisite output is now readily available around the world in lovingly restored digital formats. To discuss the life and work of this extraordinary filmmaker, we welcome two King Hu Foundation board members: Michael Berry, Director of the Center for Chinese Studies at UCLA, who is also a Professor of Contemporary Chinese Cultural Studies; and the filmmaker, Céline Zen, a Chinese-born, France-based producer and director. We discuss the early life of the Beijing-born auteur who was forced into exile in Hong Kong after the Chinese Communist Revolution, and his journey from artist to actor, writer, and director, becoming one of the biggest talents at new Shaw Brothers production company before his relocation to Taiwan. We discuss the meaning of 'wuxia'; his influences - from his love of calligraphy to Ming dynasty history and the Chinese Opera - and how, despite his critical praise, his films were not always successful in their day, and the toll this took on his work in later life. A huge thank you to Audrey Edwards at the King Hu Foundation for her help in organising this episode.LINKSKing Hu Foundation website: https://kinghufoundationusa.org/King Hu Foundation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinghufoundation/ Michael Berry's website: https://michael-berry.com/ Michael Berry on the UCLA website: https://www.alc.ucla.edu/person/michael-berry/ Michael Berry on Douban: http://site.douban.com/108600/Michael Berry on Weibo: https://weibo.com/bairuiwenMichael Berry on X: https://x.com/BairuiwenMichael Berry on ClubHouse: http://clubhousedb.com/user/bairuiwen Buy Michael Berry's books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Berry/author/B001HCVQQWCéline Zen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celine-zen-7a6570195/Céline Zen on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4508435/Trailer for Céline Zen's 'Vous êtes jeunes, vous êtes beaux' (2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vIOOeqph08A tribute to King Hu: https://youtu.be/rGueQmyN_kMKung Fu Movie Guide Podcast - 'Dragon Inn' special - Live in Lewes with Katrina Durden: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodKatrinaDurdenLiveBuy King Hu films on Blu-ray in the UK from 88 Films and Eureka Entertainment: 'Come Drink with Me' (https://88-films.myshopify.com/products/come-drink-with-me-88-asia-24), 'Dragon Inn' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/dragon-inn/), 'A Touch of Zen' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/a-touch-of-zen/), 'The Fate of Lee Khan' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/the-fate-of-lee-khan/), 'The Valiant Ones' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/the-valiant-ones/), 'Raining in the Mountain' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/raining-in-the-mountain-kong-shan-ling-yu/), 'Legend of the Mountain' (https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/legend-of-the-mountain/).King Hu profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/KingHuProfile 'Dragon Inn' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/DragonGateInn'A Touch of Zen' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ATouchOfZen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 107 - Christina Newland | Live in Woking, 'Hard Target' special

  In the pantheon of great Van Damme action flicks from the 1980s and 90s, 'Hard Target' (1993) undoubtedly stands out as one of his best. As hunky Cajun ex-Marine, Chance Boudreaux, the mullet-wearing 'Muscles from Brussels' struts his more sensitive side while also exhibiting the sort of superhero antics that would put Schwarzenegger to shame, like firing a pistol while standing on a moving motorbike and - famously - punching a snake. He has his director to thank for one of his most iconic roles: John Woo, the 'heroic bloodshed' maestro fresh from his ballistic Hong Kong masterpiece, 'Hard Boiled' (1992), and determined to make an impact in his American directorial debut. The resulting concoction is pure Woo - a slow-motion bullet ballet of epic proportions which cemented his position as one of cinema's greatest directors of action. Joining me and 'Life of Action' author Mike Fury to discuss this milestone in movie mayhem is Christina Newland, lead film critic at the i Paper and a contributing editor to Empire Magazine. As three dedicated Jean-Claude Van Damme fans, we unpick the reasons why we think his appeal is more inclusive than that of his action contemporaries - people like Sylvester Stallone, Steven Seagal, and Chuck Norris - and the lasting legacy that John Woo has had on action cinema. This episode was recorded live at the Nova Cinema in Woking, UK, in November 2024 as part of the British Film Institute's Art of Action season. A huge thank you to the crew at the Nova Cinema and the people of Woking who attended the show, and the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East for helping to organise the event.LINKSChristina Newland on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/christinalefou.bsky.socialChristina Newland's website: https://www.christinanewland.co.uk/Christina Newland on Substack: https://substack.com/@christinanewlandSubscribe to 'Sisters Under the Mink' on Substack: https://christinanewland.substack.com/Buy 'She Found It at the Movies: Women writers on sex, desire and cinema': https://www.waterstones.com/book/she-found-it-at-the-movies/christina-newland/9781912157181'Act Like a Man: Jean-Claude Van Damme' by Christina Newland: https://mubi.com/en/notebook/posts/act-like-a-man-jean-claude-van-dammeBuy 'Hard Target' on 4K UHD from Kino Lorber: https://kinolorber.com/product/hard-target-4k-uhd 'Hard Target' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/HardTarget1993Jean-Claude Van Damme profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/VanDammeKFMGJean-Claude Van Damme on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcvd/John Woo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_woo_filmmaker/'John Woo’s Next Film Is ‘A Half-Musical’ With Sparks', Empire Magazine: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/john-woo-half-musical-sparks-exclusive/'Celebrate Renowned Hong Kong Action Classics, Storytellers, And Film Icons With Shout! Studios’ New Home Entertainment Series Hong Kong CInema Classics': https://www.shoutstudios.com/press/celebrate-renowned-hong-kong-action-classics-storytellers-and-film-icons-with-shout-studios-new-homMike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury/Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/Visit the Nova Cinema in Woking: https://www.novacinema.com/Learn more about the BFI's Art of Action season: https://www.bfi.org.uk/art-actionA huge thank you to Independent Cinema Office (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) and Film Hub South East (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/film-hub-south-east/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 106 - Sébastien Foucan | Live in Canterbury, 'Drunken Master' special

  Parkour pioneer Sébastien Foucan can be credited for bringing Parkour to the masses. His seminal UK documentary, 'Jump London' (2003) - and its follow up, 'Jump Britain' (2005) - sparked a cultural phenomenon which would see youngsters take to the streets in wild, acrobatic, hair-raising abandon; running, climbing and leaping across their urban environment in scenes we still see on our streets today. For Sébastien, a movie career followed, with stand-out roles in action films including 'Casino Royale' (2006) and 'The Tournament' (2009). Those perceptive enough to see the inspiration behind his incredible physical abilities and derring-do would be quick to reference the work of Jackie Chan, whose stunt-filled films would prove to be one of the early catalysts for Sébastien and his friends to take to the streets of Paris, recreating what they saw in his movies. Today, Sébastien is an inspirational speaker and CEO of the Foucan Academy, teaching kids the art of movement and self-expression. His motto: "we play".On this episode - recorded live at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury as part of the British Film Institute’s Art of Action season - Sébastien explores his love of Hong Kong action cinema (especially the films of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee), his experiences working in Hollywood, current attitudes towards Parkour, and much more. This conversation was recorded after a screening of the 1978 Jackie Chan classic, 'Drunken Master', and is co-hosted by the 'Life of Action' author - and friend of the show - Mike Fury. A huge thank you to the crew at the Gulbenkian and the people of Canterbury who attended the show, and the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East for helping to organise the event.LINKSSébastien Foucan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sebastienfoucan/Sébastien Foucan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Seb-Foucan/100010605671158/ Sébastien Foucan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastien-foucan/ Sébastien Foucan website: https://www.sebastienfoucan.com/ Foucan Academy: https://foucanacademy.com/ 'Jump Britain' on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2TJurAP9l-Q?si=Abborgj9sRKdOKMN Chase scene from 'Casino Royale': https://youtu.be/iZxNbAwY_rk?si=9RvrgPTeoUWGT0GZ Sébastien Foucan on 'Ninja Warrior UK': https://youtu.be/o7YFOF1oeag?si=hjKZ23vx9DT-6S-k Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury/Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/'Drunken Master' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/DrunkenMasterKFMG'Drunken Master' trailer: https://youtu.be/WSu-9X8NF9k?si=BNVVYygZ7Ke_VdYpBuy 'Drunken Master' on Blu-ray: https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/drunken-master/Visit the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/Learn more about the BFI's Art of Action season: https://www.bfi.org.uk/art-actionA huge thank you to Independent Cinema Office (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) and Film Hub South East (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/film-hub-south-east/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 105 - Bren Foster

  Bren Foster is a man on a mission. Fresh from the positive reactions to his blistering 2024 martial arts revenge drama, 'Life After Fighting' - which also marked his directorial debut - Bren is now keen to show the world a new kind of action hero. The former soap star, who made his name on shows like 'Days of Our Lives' and 'Home and Away', is now capitalising on his incredible martial arts abilities to star in more fight films. His next will be an MMA actioner with Russell Crowe and Luke Hemsworth, called 'Beast in Me', in which he also provides fight choreography. This will be music to the ears of many martial arts movie fans who, before 'Life After Fighting', could only glimpse at Foster's extraordinary physical abilities in small bursts - like on the documentary series, 'Fight Science', or his roles in two Steven Seagal films, 'Maximum Conviction' and 'Force of Execution', or on the small screen in the series, 'The Last Ship'. If anything, 'Life After Fighting' saw Bren making up for lost time, throwing himself into every aspect of the film - providing roles for his own family and casting many of his students, and even filming at his own martial arts school. As well directing, he writes, stars, produces, and provides fight choreography. Despite its low budget, the film still packs a major punch, and was one of my favourite fight films of 2024. We discuss a life dedicated to the martial arts and competition, the toils of low-budget filmmaking, working with Steven Seagal, and his next steps in an already fascinating career.LINKSBren Foster on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1248409/Bren Foster on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenfosterreal/Bren Foster on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenfosterofficialBren Foster profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/profile-bren-foster/ Bren Foster on 'Fight Science': https://youtu.be/cU4j-t2oYA0'Life After Fighting' trailer: https://youtu.be/KMdiYlC_cA8'Life After Fighting' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/life-after-fighting-2024/Watch 'Life After Fighting' on Paramount Plus UK: https://www.paramountplus.com/gb/movies/video/JPOVHXAdlJw50eEVsCzk8tXMySV_yp9P/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 104 - Andy Le / Brian Le

  Self-made and self-taught, the story of Martial Club - a YouTube channel created in 2012 by Daniel Mah and the brothers Andy Le and Brian Le - is truly inspiring. As kids obsessed with kung fu movies, they would copy the moves, create their own short films and upload them to the internet, purely as a way of expressing their passion for the martial arts. As their filmmaking and on-screen talent progressed - Brian, Andy and Daniel are all incredible performers, combining their martial arts skills with tricking, breakdancing, gymnastics and more - as did their following, and pretty soon, Hollywood came calling. The last few years have been a whirlwind for the Le brothers, including work as fight choreographers on the multi award-winning 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', which involved going toe-to-toe on-screen with the queen of kung fu cinema, Michelle Yeoh; then there was a TV commercial with Jackie Chan, work on the Marvel blockbuster, 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', plus TV work in 'Into the Badlands' (Brian doubled the actor Nick Frost) and 'The Brothers Sun' (again with Michelle Yeoh). Their success is built on over a decades' worth of hard work and dedication to the craft of martial arts filmmaking; they have quite literally put their blood, sweat, and tears into producing some of the most exciting kung fu action you will find on the internet. Their latest short film, 'Shaolin Avengers', is a love-letter to the genre they cherish and its their most ambitious project yet. It shows them at the top of their game - creative, comedic, and highly charged. With plans to turn it into a feature film, it seems the inspirational story of Martial Club is far from over.LINKSMartial Club on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/martialclubMartial Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martialclubofficial/Andy Le on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andyle_official/Brian Le on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianle_official/'Shaolin Avengers' by Martial Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1K8OtHQuas'Ip Man - The Intercepting Fist' by Martial Club: https://youtu.be/08akhqwjBwc?si=8KcRpZheGa-JWcfr'Supreme Art of War' by Martial Club: https://youtu.be/-dzt7vski64?si=YKPt2dINl76qUhjO'A Kung Fu Vampire Story' by Martial Club: https://youtu.be/y3PVTrVQvH0?si=mDFXfG8HDdfAgdUl'Working with Jackie Chan' by Martial Club: https://youtu.be/JvV_Sa4Tnso?si=owF4jXmmfPsudzRf'Luc Van Tien: Kung Fu Warrior' (2017) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/LucVanTien2017'The Paper Tigers' (2020) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ThePaperTigersKFMG'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings' (2021) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ShangChiKFMG'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (2022) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/EEAAO2022'Everything Everywhere All at Once' fanny pack fight scene: https://youtu.be/1UQ7yvfctOU?si=ijp8o4U7gmnzvfwr'Everything Everywhere All at Once' trophy fight scene: https://youtu.be/O-gplbWy__Q?si=QFjLeMmIcBN7kPup'Urban Ninja' clip on YouTube: https://youtu.be/D2kJZOfq7zk?si=kbebwtc4mkIUJ63G'Turn Down for What' by DJ Snake and Lil Jon, directed by Daniels: https://youtu.be/HMUDVMiITOU?si=7Q5vJDld7k-3GF0dDonate to the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast on PayPal: https://paypal.me/kungfumovieguide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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