It's no secret that martial arts films are released by two of the most famous producers: Hong Kong and Hollywood. Each year, the Asian film industry issues an impressive number of tapes using martial arts. Many world-famous superstars come from Asia. These are actors, stuntmen such as Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Yuan Biao, and filmmakers John Wu and Sammo Hong. Now most of the stars of Asian cinema have earned well-deserved recognition and fame in Hollywood. It is worth noting that many of them initially deliberately sought to move to America.
Erroneous opinion
It is believed that the creations of Asian cinema, namely films about martial arts, became known to domestic and western viewers thanks to the pictures taken in the 70s of the last century. They were attended by Bruce Lee, and later Jet Li (Li Lian-jie) and Jackie Chan. Oddly enough, but if you are talking about films dedicated to one degree or another to Asian combat schools, then for some reason the Japanese producer meekly is assigned the palm.
The exceptional phenomenon of Chinese history
Few people know, but the very first films about martial arts were shot in the 20-30s. XX century in mainland China. And, according to statistics, from 1928 to 1931, about five dozen film companies in Shanghai released more than 400 films for rent, 250 of which were devoted to wushu, kung fu, tai chi chuan and other varieties of martial arts. In general, the emergence of a martial arts culture is called an exceptional phenomenon in Chinese history, its emergence and subsequent development are due to complex social, psychological and cultural factors. Chinese martial arts films barely survived the “cultural revolution” of 1966-1976, when the country's film industry came under a new round of tighter censorship. And only one picture, which was shot in those tough times, was released and is still popular today - “The Red Women's Squad”.
"Thaw" and the present
After the end of the “cultural revolution”, Chinese cinema began to develop at a frantic pace, the directors began to shoot more entertaining films, as a model which were the creations of Western colleagues. But all innovative experiments were carried out exclusively in strictly defined frames, without mentioning the commercialization of cinema. Chinese films about martial arts, released at the time of the "thaw" and already by the modern film industry, often combine two genres - action and comedy:
- “Wong Fei Hong - Kung Fu Master” (2004).
- “The Sacred Flame of the World of Martial Arts” (1983).
- The Shaolin Brothers (1977).
- The Legend of the Fox (1980).
- The Holy Weapon (1993).
- “Bagua Master / Kung Fu Master” (2012).
- Fist of Fury (1.2).
- "13 cold-blooded eagles" (1993).
Confucian Range
Films about martial arts, the list of which is known to every fan of Asian cinema, are released by the countries of the so-called Confucian range: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, the Chinese community of Malaysia, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. In these Asian countries, cinema is not just a spectacle, but a continuation or, rather, a replacement for narrative folklore. That is why most of the paintings have predictability and stereotypical development of the storyline. In European films, psychological drama has become the base subgenre, even in the action-packed action movies. But Asian cinema is dominated by melodrama with its clear distinction between good and evil, a didactic message, reliance on collective consciousness, etc. Even Asian films about martial arts use the intelligibility and clarity of genre schemes that are so characteristic of fairy-tale folklore. Also, the basis of the melodrama is noticeable in horror films, crime thrillers and epic, battle movies.
Modernity
Recently, films in this genre have been very popular, many movie makers have set about trying to make films about martial arts and, to make the viewer like the tape, invest a lot of money, invite stars and famous directors and, as a result, get impressive box office. So, the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (directed by Ang Lee) received 4 Oscars, and the box office amounted to about $ 100 million. The television series entitled "Carefree Life in a World of Discord", which has recently been broadcast on Chinese television, has gathered a huge audience.
The famous film director Zhang Yimou also did not pass over the idea of making films in the martial arts genre, and such films as The House of Flying Daggers, Hero and others were published. Both films were criticized, but still the size of the fees speaks for itself. In a short time, the film industry market was filled with “Warriors of Heaven and Earth” (directed by He Ping), “Kung Fu” (directed by Stephen Chow), “Oath” by Chen Kaigu and many other films. Asian martial arts never ceases to inspire film masters.
In domestic cinema
In Soviet cinema, striking examples of paintings in this direction are: “Invincible” about sambo and “Don’t be afraid, I'm with you.” In Russia, after the perestroika, the possibilities to see fresh pictures of Asia and Hollywood became much greater, and the scope of cultural censorship became much softer. The domestic cinema has more space for plot delights, films about martial arts have appeared. The list is small, but they can be put on a par with early Asian paintings. Films with a significant content of fights prevailed, so the directors willingly invited actors and consultants-masters of martial arts from Asia:
- "I declare war on you."
- "Fan".
- "A man in a green kimono."
- "Reed Paradise."
- "Master of the East."
- "American battle."
- "Thirteenth destroy!"
- "To survive".
Unfortunately, Russian martial arts have not yet reached such a distribution level as oriental ones . Films about them are mostly documentary, although their potential is great.