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36 Chambers of Shaolin (1978)
The ultimate kung fu training movie. With the majority of the movie dedicated to training sequences alone, actor Gordon Liu plays the monk San Te, as he works his way through Shaolin's 35 chambers of martial technique. Mostly derived from Hung Kuen, each arduous chamber trains facets of the mind & body from foundation to advanced empty-handed & weaponry techniques. Holistic understanding is eventually achieved, then disseminated from the temple to the outside world: the 36th Chamber.
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Martial Club (1981)
Gordon Liu continues the portrayal of the young Wong Fei Hong that he began in Challenge of the Masters. This time the focus is upon Wu De, the martial code of conduct, defined by humility & the moral fortitude correct practice should develop. A full range of techniques from long to short range is also showcased in the film's outstanding finale.
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Kill Bill 2 (2004)
Gordon Liu plays Pei Mei, a legendary character of martial arts cinema, & of kung fu folklore. Traditionally known as the founder of the White Eyebrow/Bak Mei style; controversially known as the man whose betrayal led to the destruction of the Southern Shaolin temple & the dissemination of kung fu from the survivors that scattered. However, in this movie the character showcases a mixture of the actor's Tiger & Crane styles from Hung Kuen, alongside some fanciful dim mak.
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Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
A hilarious & over-the-top tribute to kung fu cinema, but with some genuinely accurate representations of true down to earth kung fu. The three masters that defend the victimised residents of the "pigsty alley" reliably showcasing Tan Tui twelve kicks from Chin Woo (actor & Shaolin disciple Xing Yu), the Iron Wire from Hung Kuen (actor & practitioner Chiu Chi Ling), & the 8 Trigram Pole style (actor & Peking opera performer Dung Chi Wa).
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Dancing Lion (2007)
In this comedy based story, 2 friends (actor Francis Ng and Anthony Wong) have recently become unemployed, together they decide to enter a talent competition as Lion Dancers. They are recognised and go on to become local celebrities. From here they open up Lion dance schools and compete for fame with rival schools. Lion dance culture, etiquette and training is discussed at length through out the film.
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The Shaolin Temple (1982)
Jet Li debuts in the Shaolin Temple film as Jue Yan. Jue Yan seeks to avenge his father’s death, he holds the Emperor accountable. The film moves through Jue Yan’s journey into Shaolin temple, his Shaolin conditioning training, iron fist training and multiple demonstrations of Northern Shaolin routines.
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Fearless (2006)
Fearless portrays events of the life of Hou Yan Jia (actor Jet Li). Hou was founder of the Chinwoo association in Shanghai. The film reenacts Huo’s beginnings as an unwell child where his father refused to teach him kungfu, to multiple encounters with local and foreign challengers in adulthood. With Huo’s winning of challenges, noble gestures and demonstration of Wu de (martial ethics) his reputation grows and is well recognised. He establishes the Chinwoo association to preserve the traditional martial arts and cultural activities.
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Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986)
Martial Arts of Shaolin: Director Lau Kar Leung helms a kung fu epic in Mainland China, exploiting real life locations that the soundstages of Shaw Brothers studios could never have come close to replicating. With the mix of Southern style practitioners behind the camera, & mainland wu shu performers in front, the end result is a unique glorification of Southern & Northern kung fu culture, showcasing both regions lion dance; alongside Hung Kuen, Songshan Shaolin styles, tang long mantis & more.
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The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
8 Diagram Pole Fighter: One of kung fu cinema's great masterpieces. A brutal look at the legend behind hung kuen's most famously skilled pole system. Gordon Liu plays the 5th son of the Yang family, masters of the spear betrayed on the battlefield. Forced to seek solace in the Shaolin temple, the 5th son therein develops the style's signature pole arm techniques, but loses the spearhead as he learns to reconcile martial practice with merciful morality.
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The Man From Nowhere (2010)
Cha Tae Sik (actor Won Bin) runs a pawn shop and is caught up in crime lord’s retrieval of stolen drugs. So Mi is a regular customer and friend of Cha Tae Sik. The drugs are stolen by So Mi’s mother and as a result the crime lord tortures her and kidnaps So Mi. Cha Tae Sik enraged commences the journey into the underworld to search for the crime lord to save So Mi. As Cha Tae Sik encounters the crime lord’s members he consistently executes offensive and defensive sequences of Hapkido.
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Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
Based on the Hung Kuen master Wong Fei Hong (Jet Li), this series is set during the late Qing dynasty period in China, when Western imperialism was at its height affecting the local population. The backdrop for Wong Fei Hong’s teaching, training and applications of Hung Kuen. The first film of the series heavily showcases the drilling of strong stance work and short/mid range striking. Wong’s Chinese medicine knowledge and benevolence to assist the poor is often interwoven into the series’ storylines. The 3rd film in the series is notable for scenes that could be considered to contain the largest volume of Lion dancers in film history. The film revolves around competitors all partaking in a Lion dancing tournament. Multiple scenes showcase traditional Fut Shan Lion dancing and the role of Hung Kuen in Lion dancing and its culture.
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Challenge of Masters (1976)
Challenge of the Masters: Wong Fei Hong, the most portrayed historical figure on screen of all time, is here shown at the commencement of his hung kuen training by real-life practitioner Gordon Liu. Actor Chen Kuan Tai plays his teacher Luk ah Choi as they demonstrate the most accurate hung kuen foundational training ever realised on screen. An exploration of the traditional Si Fu to student relationship, & the development of technique & martial ethics.
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The Young Master (1980)
The film begins with a Lion dance competition where Dragon (Jackie Chan) takes the place of his supposed injured brother Tiger. The Lion competition showcases Fut Shan lion dancing etiquette, techniques and the use of high Jongs (poles). It turns out that Tiger has feigned injury and joined a rival school to compete. Tiger is found out and exiled, however Dragon is determined to assist his brother to make amends with their Master. Tiger is engaged in criminal activities and Dragon searches for the Master Kam (Hwang In Shik- Hapkido Master), the head of the criminal gang to bring his brother home. The film’s climatic final fight scenes are Dragon fighting Master Kam. During the fight, Master Kam uses his style of Hapkido and executes dozens of Hapkido techniques seamlessly flowing from one technique to another.
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Shaolin (2011)
The film is based on Hou Long, a warlord seeking refuge at the Shaolin temple during the early period of Republican China. As a result of his downfall as a warlord, Hou Long decides to proceed on the path to gain atonement for the sins of his earlier life. While living in the Shaolin temple, he meets the temple cook (Jackie Chan) and commences his voyage of studying and learning the deeper aspects of Song Shan kungfu. There are multiple scenes of Shaolin monks performing Iron fist conditioning training and also the Qi Xing (7 star) form.
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Ong Bak 2 (2008)
Ong Bak 2 is set in 15th century Thailand. Tien ( Tony Jaa) was captured and sold into slavery. He is saved and then taught by Chernag, a local master of a martial arts clan. Tien grows up and begins a quest to find his captors who also killed his family. In the opening scenes Tien demonstrates the Hung Kuen taught to him by his master, demonstrating his stance work and sequences from the Tiger Crane form (Hu He Shuang Xing). Furthermore he unleashes executes multiple offensive Hung Kuen tiger techniques.
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Dreadnaught (1981)
Wong Fei Hong (Kwan Tak Hing) teaches Hung Kuen to his students. The film is full of rival schools challenging one another. The opening scenes features a Di Qing, the drunken lion routine. The lion dance performers can be seen to express multiple emotions with the lion head and various state of intoxication. A multi bench Di Qing and Cai Qing is also performed which demonstrated the application of stance work, balance, agility and Lion head control as the performers conquer the obstacle challenges. Throughout the film traditional Fut Shan drumming and percussions are played with great passion and bring the Fut Shan Lion dancing style to life.