Kung Fu Cult Masters

by Leon Hunt

From the balletic intensity of Bruce Lee to the gravity-defying swordplay of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Chinese martial arts film has captured audiences' imaginations around the world while absorbing influences ranging from Beijing opera to computer games. Its global impact can be seen in the Hollywood crossover of stars such as Jackie Chan and Hong Kong-influenced films such as The Matrix. In this wide-ranging study, Leon Hunt looks at the mythic allure of the Shaolin Temple, the 'Clones' of Bruce Lee, gender-bending swordswomen, and the knockabout comedy of Sammo Hung, bringing new insights to a hugely popular yet critically neglected genre. In addition, he considers the impact of new technologies on a genre focused on physical performance, from the 'wire fu' of Jet Li to the digital 'stars' of console games like Tekken. Films discussed include both popular and cult classics like Game of Death, Fist of Legend, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin , and Drunken Master.

Genres: Film

208 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2003

Reviews

[Jeffrey Powanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

British academic Hunt tackles the kung fu movie genre with impressive depth as well as gleeful zeal. There aren't many serious scholars who would undertake such a book-length endeavor, so Kung Fu Cult Masters is a goofy winner in concept alone. Hunt's essays are interesting, surprising, and often funny. They are also filled with observations of an obvious fan. Hunt includes generous footnotes, which suggests that a surprisingly large group of film scholars have dipped their toes into the campy pool of kung fu cinema. It has become a popular cult.

In the introduction, Hunt calls this book "a study of the transcultural impact of 'kung fu', from the early 1970s to the crossover of Hong Kong stars, directors, and choreographers into Hollywood and other cinemas, and its mediation by developing aesthetics and technologies." Yawn. Sure, it's that, but it's a lot more fun that that, too. It’s also very incisive about why kung fu movies appeal to a heterogenous audience, which is why they became Hong Kong’s most successful export.

The book is everything a kung fu movie fan could ask for. The first and last chapters—on authenticity in kung fu movies and the relationship of kung fu movies to console games like Street Fighter 2 and Tekken—are wonderfully original and stand out from the rest of the book. Hunt’s book has thoughtful analysis of the kung fu auteurs (King Hu, Chang Cheh, Lau Kar-leung, Sammo Hung. Yuen Woo-ping, Tsui Hark, and Ching Siu-tung), the male stars (Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Fu Sheng, Chen Guan-tai, Chi Kuan-jun, Lau Kar-fai, Yuen Biao, Donnie Yen, Chuck Norris, and the Venom mob), female stars (Angela Mao, Hui Ying-hung, Michele Yeoh, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Chung, and Zhang Ziyi), and the influence that Hong Kong action movies had on Hollywood. In a postscript, Hunt acknowledges one unfortunate omission from the book: Chor Yuen’s wonderful adaptations of Gu Long’s novels in the late Seventies.

For my reviews of other Hong Kong cinema books and documentaries, see my blog:
https://coollimabean.wordpress.com/20...

[Dave Dragert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a captivating history of Honk Kong Cinema, It becomes a pedantic read at times, but that is to be expected when an Academician is the author. The best chapter describes the differences between the two historical Shaolin temples and their depictions in Kung-fu films. I also loved the chapter detailing the influences of Eastern cinema on Hollywood.

[Jan Pospíšil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up on this, because it's so insufferably dull. How do you make a subject like kung fu movies boring?!
Endless quoting of dreary "academic" opinions with little substance.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interested in a British academic's mid-90s take on Hong Kong martial arts films? Definitely a niche read, but this spoke to my sensibilities. Not too larded with theory, and also an unabashed fan's work.