Martial arts and kung fu movies are so commonplace nowadays that it is easy to forget that they were ever a novelty at all. However, the genre has evolved quite a bit over time. But, throughout these changes, the basic attraction of these action movies has remained the same. Fans love the fast-paced action and intricate forms of combat on display.
Believe it or not, people shot martial arts and kung fu movies from the silent film era. One of the most famous is the Burning of the Red Lotus Monastery. This drew upon a series that appeared in a newspaper. The resulting series of films would total 27 hours if viewed as a whole. This extremely long movie did, in fact, become a hit with a wide audience.
One thing that pops into people's minds when they think of this genre is the tendency to include large fight scenes. These can include dozens of people, including extras, trained martial artists and other actors. To do this well, though, many cameras are required. Of course, now, computer-generated images can cut down on the number of people needed to fill out a scene.
This type of film, though, really took off in Hong Kong during the 1970s. Bruce Lee and his style of fighting fueled a lot of this passion. He had had some success on television in the United States, but it was in Hong Kong that he made several motion pictures in quick succession. These helped the Hong Kong industry develop more and even spawned a new generation of actors.
These films became famous not only in Asia, but also in North America and Europe. Lee also sometimes starred in films that featured other martial artists, which propelled them to fame as well. Moreover, other Westerners began to train on their own and star in feature martial arts films as well.
Names like Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme came to prominence during this time. They used their skills to put on a show in Hollywood films that reached massive audiences. This breathed new life into the genre and gave it a different flavor. Hollywood used some of the typical elements of the genre and mixed them with new plots in a variety of locations.
Now, the East is seeing its own renaissance in terms of these films. Of course, Jackie Chan can draw millions to his movies, whether they are made in Hollywood, Hong Kong or elsewhere. Some very successful films have come out of mainland China in recent years as well. Thailand has also had a few successful productions. Tony Jaa is the country's most well-known actor, and many people think he will continue to make exciting movies with broad appeal.
Fashion and aesthetics change over time, which has a lot to do with how popular martial arts and kung fu movies at any given time. But behind the fluctuations in popularity, these films have something inherent in them that always strikes a chord with viewers from many different backgrounds. Whatever this something is, it ensures that fans will not have to worry about finding new motion pictures to watch, year in and year out.
Believe it or not, people shot martial arts and kung fu movies from the silent film era. One of the most famous is the Burning of the Red Lotus Monastery. This drew upon a series that appeared in a newspaper. The resulting series of films would total 27 hours if viewed as a whole. This extremely long movie did, in fact, become a hit with a wide audience.
One thing that pops into people's minds when they think of this genre is the tendency to include large fight scenes. These can include dozens of people, including extras, trained martial artists and other actors. To do this well, though, many cameras are required. Of course, now, computer-generated images can cut down on the number of people needed to fill out a scene.
This type of film, though, really took off in Hong Kong during the 1970s. Bruce Lee and his style of fighting fueled a lot of this passion. He had had some success on television in the United States, but it was in Hong Kong that he made several motion pictures in quick succession. These helped the Hong Kong industry develop more and even spawned a new generation of actors.
These films became famous not only in Asia, but also in North America and Europe. Lee also sometimes starred in films that featured other martial artists, which propelled them to fame as well. Moreover, other Westerners began to train on their own and star in feature martial arts films as well.
Names like Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme came to prominence during this time. They used their skills to put on a show in Hollywood films that reached massive audiences. This breathed new life into the genre and gave it a different flavor. Hollywood used some of the typical elements of the genre and mixed them with new plots in a variety of locations.
Now, the East is seeing its own renaissance in terms of these films. Of course, Jackie Chan can draw millions to his movies, whether they are made in Hollywood, Hong Kong or elsewhere. Some very successful films have come out of mainland China in recent years as well. Thailand has also had a few successful productions. Tony Jaa is the country's most well-known actor, and many people think he will continue to make exciting movies with broad appeal.
Fashion and aesthetics change over time, which has a lot to do with how popular martial arts and kung fu movies at any given time. But behind the fluctuations in popularity, these films have something inherent in them that always strikes a chord with viewers from many different backgrounds. Whatever this something is, it ensures that fans will not have to worry about finding new motion pictures to watch, year in and year out.
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