Documentary on super-kicker Hwang Jang Lee coming in December
I was on a kung fu film forum earlier and read about a documentary coming out about cult martial arts cinema actor Hwang Jang Lee. Apparently, the filmmakers are currently editing the project, which is expected to be released on December 15, 2012. The project, titled The Good Bad Boy, tells the story of Hwang ….
Bloody art work and action trailer for Chen Kaige epic Sacrifice
Written and directed by Chen Kaige and set during the opulent Yuan Dynasty in the 5th century B.C., Sacrifice is the story of a newborn prince whose entire family, the Zhao clan, is wiped out by a rival general who ruthlessly seizes the throne. An ordinary man, the doctor who delivers the baby, gives up ….
John Avildsen’s lost footage from the cult classic The Karate Kid
Karate Kid director John Avildsen posted more than 90 mins of rehearsal footage that he and the cast worked on before principal photography started on 1983. I’ve posted all of the youtube clips below, which give a glimpse into the development of a Hollywood cult classic feature film. Notable among the footage clips are the ….
#SDCC San Diego Comic-Con knows kung fu?
A few months ago I wrote a blog post about an article by the Wall Street Journal that discussed the current Hollywood interest in the martial arts genre. The WSJ article, titled Hollywood’s New Kick, talked about how martial arts films are going mainstream (and not just by integrating kung fu into Western story lines), ….
BKF founder Sijo Steve Muhammad receives Hall of Fame Award at Battle of Atlanta 2012
Congratulations to BKF founder Sijo Steve Muhammad, who received the Centurion Club Hall of Fame Award recently at the Battle of Atlanta 2012. Muhammad also has a training seminar coming up on August 18th, 2012 in Lithonia, Georgia. Movie fans may know Sijo Steve Muhammad from the dojo scene during Jim Kelly’s opening flashback in ….
Unique MMA event to mix fights, food and celebrities – all on the beach
On the weekend of July 7th, MSXN MMA & Sports XTREME Network – which operates a broadband martial arts television station – is organizing a rather unique event in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event, called MMA & Sports Expo’s Show of Strength, will feature a mixture of MMA fights, food contests, a martial arts ….
Milla Jovovich reveals martial arts background at Resident Evil: Retribution footage event
I went to an event at the 13th Street Regal Cinema today that featured Milla Jovovich, as she revealed never-before-seen footage from her upcoming sci-fi action sequel Resident Evil: Retribution, which hits theaters on September 14th, 2012. What was so interesting about the footage that was screened – other than the clip being generally badass ….
Trailblazing Dragon returns to where it all began
Grand Master Ron Van Clief returns to the New York area this week for a series of film screenings, book signings, self-defense seminars – and memories. Memories that come not only from more than 40 years of training in the martial arts. Those memories also come from his years as a Brooklyn teen invading Chinatown ….
Video of Warrington Hudlin practicing during World Tai Chi and Qigong Day 2012
On Saturday, April 28th, 2012, World Tai Chi and Qigong Day was celebrated in hundreds of cities around the world. Schools and organizations from more than 70 countries participated in the event, which encourages people to perform movements together, in order to show the world a healing image of the planet. What I witnessed in ….
Rare shot of Ron Van Clief and Jim Kelly together
Pioneering African American actress Judy Pace and Kung Fu
I was doing some research last week on actress Judy Pace, whom I’d read had broken Hollywood color lines by becoming the first black villainess on television with her role as Vickie Fletcher on the TV show Peyton Place in 1968. Pace was a trailblazing actress, securing roles in groundbreaking films, such as 1970’s Cotton ….
Grandmaster Ron Van Clief autobiography The Hanged Man released
The Hanged Man is the astonishing true story of Grandmaster Ron Van Clief, a man surrounded by trauma and violence, who’s forced to become a superman in order to survive. The events that forged Ron Van Clief are brought on by harsh circumstances, racism, and tragic choices. With an iron will, he becomes “The Black ….
Comeback Kings comic weaves a world where Bruce Lee is sensei to Tupac Shakur, Elvis Presley and Andy Kaufman?
I just found out about the comic Comeback Kings, but the first issue was released sometime last year, and issue two hit stores this week. The indie comic signifies the continued influence of martial arts – embodied by Bruce Lee – on popular culture. In this case, Bruce is the leader of a worn out ….
Long time Donnie Yen film nemesis Mike Woods returns to the screen for role in action flick Final Weapon
On Tuesday, April 10th, the martial arts movie Final Weapon, starring Chen Taijiquan, Grand Master Ren Guang Yi, and Hong Kong action star Mike Woods, with a special appearance by Rock and Roll legend Lou Reed, will be one of a group of martial arts action films to screen during the New Flimmakers Festival. Final ….
Cynthia Rothrock and Douglas Wong heading to Martial Arts History Museum this month
Below is a list of March 2012 events happening at the Martial Arts History Museum, located in Burbank, California. The Museum was created in 1999, to preserve the ancient culture and traditions of the martial arts worldwide. Douglas Wong Day Chinese historian, author and Museum 2002 Hall of Famer and one of the greatest pioneers ….