Killa App

The interactive Web 2.0 movement has created room for many niche hobbies and pop culture trends to expand and reach a wider user base with relative ease. While searching the bowels of the internet (pun intended) I came across an alternative source for news and information about Asian cinema. http://www.spcnet.tv/ is the website I speak of, and immediately one can tell from the pictures of prettyboy pop singers with straight permed emo hair that this site is about everything Asian. spcnet.tv is a website about Asian movies, TV shows, anime and music which is fairly comprehensive and has frequent user contributions.spcnet.tv is a hub for reviews of Asian movies, TV series, Anime, music and literature, which was started in 2003. According to the website’s “About Us” section, there are currently over 50,000 members, with 300,000 monthly visits (170,000 of them unique visits). The top five geographic locations for visitors are the United States, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia and Australia, all countries with significant English speaking populations, since the website is almost entirely in English and seems to cater to an English speaking audience.
Spcnet.tv is driven extensively by user generated content. It is a fusion of a social networking site (with profiles, comments and personal messages – think bootleg facebook) with sections for user written reviews, opinion articles and fan fiction. There is also an extensive forum, with topics running the gamut from deleted scenes from Donnie Yen’s Ip Man, to these guys, who appear to be the Asian Jonas Brothers.






Since a large part of the website’s traffic comes from people outside the US, and content is added by a large community of members, there are many alternative opinions and unique news items which do not appear on other sites such as kungfucinema.com. The extensive movie and TV sections have many reviews of martial arts movies or television series which have not garnered too much attention in the US, but still look interesting nonetheless. Specifically in the TV section, I saw many interesting martial arts-related series which I have never heard of. The genre of martial arts TV shows in China and Taiwan is one that is becoming a unique and prolific world of its own, and a very interesting land of opportunity for young stars. For example, Jack Tu, winner of Jackie Chan’s Chinese TV series The Disciple is slated to star in his own upcoming TV series, among other projects.A unique section of the website which I have not seen other places is the literature portion of the site, dubbed the “reading rooms.” Much of it is fan fiction, inspired by the stories in books, movies and TV which contributors of the site are followers of. If anime-themed girl romance stories are your ticket, this is the section of the site for you! However, there are also links and good information regarding famous wuxia novels (Chinese sword fighting adventures, a modern example being Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Stories such as these existed long before motion picture cameras did, and in them the inspiration for countless Kung Fu films can be found. It is important history that I admittedly am not too well versed on, but spcnet.tv is a good resource for one to begin to delve into such literature. If you are interested in taking a more scholarly or historical approach to Chinese martial arts fiction, visiting the spcnet reading room is a must.The main competitors for this website would be other Asian movie news and review websites such as kungfucinema.com. However, spcnet.tv adds the unique features of a social networking site, therefore carving out a specific niche which is different than other websites of the same ilk. It is an excellent resource for reviews and information about Asian movies and TV shows, and the option is also there if you wish to chat with other fans, or comment about Korean pop stars (if that’s your thing. It’s fine.)
Go to spcnet.tv! It’s pretty cool and useful. If you’re a fan of Asian martial arts films you can learn a thing or two about recent movies and TV shows.


I have decided to explore the possibilities of spcnet.tv myself by registering and examining all the possibilities open to its users. Let me illustrate the ways that you too can utilize spcnet! One of the first things I decided to do was to try posting a review. Although many of the reviews are of new or contemporary films, I decided to post about one of my favorite old school movies, In the Line of Duty IV starring Donnie Yen. This film is pertinent to the current martial arts movie environment due to Donnie Yen’s increasing prominence with his expertly choreographed police action dramas Sha Po Lang and Flashpoint, as well as the blockbuster Ip Man. In the Line of Duty IV is an old school, hard hitting predecessor of these two more recent police films, with an old school style and a slight Wushu flavor added to the choreography. Regardless of its age, or the floppy 80s hairstyle Donnie Yen features in the movie, I believe it is one of his best works.
Upon posting my review, I was informed of the status of my post by spcnet.tv. This website has a system by which administrators check over and edit reviews before they go live for everyone to see. This seems like an excellent feature to me, as it eliminates possibilities of functionally illiterate posters, or endless reviews gushing about the sheen of Jay Chow’s perfectly straight permed hair. Less than a week later, I received a personalized myspace-like message in my spcnet.tv inbox telling me my review was live, and that it was very well written. Yay! My work did not appear to be changed at all. Most likely the editorial review feature is more to block questionable content – a smart feature to keep the potential user base broad.

Posting reviews on spcnet.tv is a win-win situation, in that the site is able to grow based off quality user content, while users are able to post original reviews that are highly visible on the internet without having to create and build up their own blog or website. Reviews are all attributed to the original authors as well. Depending on your goals, it is an excellent source to contribute to if you are a budding reviewer – some kind of Kung Fu Leonard Maltin – who wants to get some experience, or if you wish to sow your seed to as many blogs and websites as possible to build your name.But back to straight perms, such vital conversation still has a place, and that is the FORUM. The forum on spcnet.tv has many different areas, ranging from music, TV, movies, to an “anything goes” area where fans may have “intellectual conversations” (straight perm related?) with each other – and it doesn’t even have to be about Asian movies!! The forum seems to be quite popular, with at least one reader on each different area at any given time (some areas being much more popular than others – such as the television section). The number of people currently reading is displayed below each section of the forum to indicate the activity on each thread.These features are all easy to use, and helpful in many ways to readers of this blog. It is simple for one to post original content on the website – in the form of movie, TV or music reviews. Another way to post original content is in the reading room, where there is an extensive and often updated collection of fan fiction. There is a martial arts section of fan stories – a good place to post if you’re dying to whet you virtual pen with some internet fan fic (warming up for that epic screenplay maybe?) The content on this website goes out to a lot of people (as mentioned before, over 170,000 new viewers each month). And if you so choose, you can easily correspond with other fans of Asian media – either semi-formally/ personally (via the personal message function available on the social networking interface) or publicly via the open forum. When taken as a whole, the various features available on spcnet.tv make it a very complete and unique website for those interested in Asian movies/TV/music – including martial arts themed material.


In order to expound on the various virtuous features of spcnet.tv, I have created a PowerPoint presentation in order to illustrate the different facets. I uploaded it to the internet using slideshare.com (a helpful tool to share presentations online with others). For my presentation, I used a lot of visual cues in order to fully illustrate the capacities of spcnet. The captions may be a little sparse, but should help you understand the various images onscreen.

You can be sure to see the best qualities of spcnet.tv in this presentation – skinny Asian pop idols with funny hair that I like to make fun of! Just kidding. Well, I did put pictures of those guys in, but more importantly I posted screen captures of the review process, including my very own review of In the Line of Duty IV. You can also catch glimpses of the forum, the social networking-type profiles, message inbox, and various different parts of the website as well. Of course, all of these are easily viewable by visiting the website and registering for a free account (the process is very simple and takes 1-2 minutes at most). But don’t worry, I am here to walk you through everything and show you how to use all the features! Really, if you have any questions, you should just visit the site for yourself and sign up. It’s a pretty interesting and unique – it just somehow has a different flavor than other Asian movie review sites, and is one that I find myself coming back to and learning more and more often. To get a preview, go ahead and watch my presentation!

Spcnet Presentation Final Compatible

View more presentations from guestc0b86b1.

Blogorama! Redux

Hey there, and welcome to the first post in “Asian Martial Arts Cinema Trends”! I am here to blog about the latest trends in Martial Arts/ Action cinema not only from East Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan but also from Southeast Asian Countries such as Thailand and Vietnam which are gaining more and more ground in the international market every day.

The Martial Arts film genre is one that is widely established in Asia, and it is the style of Action and Choreography in these films which is widely imitated all over the world today. Asian influence can be seen in films like The Matrix and Transporter which are the result of Hong Kong choreographers working in the US. In reality these films are pale imitations of the innovative action coming out of Asia every year.

Right now is an especially exciting time for Martial Arts films. As the older stars of the genre including Jackie Chan and Jet Li begin to transition to less action-oriented roles as their bodies age and become more decrepit, there is a movement to find new stars to fill the gap left behind by legends of the past. This puts focus not only on young stars from Mainland China and Hong Kong, but to styles of Martial Arts from countries such as Vietnam and Thailand which are new to many moviegoers. Also, the ever growing popularity of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) – a style incorporating not only standing fighting but grappling as well – has begun to exert its influence on choreographers in the US and in Asian countries as well. This gives rise to a diverse output and also to a global search for new talent not seen since the death of Bruce Lee.

I have a deep love for martial arts films, that was generated purely out of a love for the many styles of martial arts found all over the world. I started about six years ago with Chinese Wushu and Shaolin Kung Fu, styles known on for their speed, athleticism and fluidity – qualities which all transfer well to the screen. As my love for martial arts grew, so did my love for film and how it is able to capture the dynamic movements of the human body in combat. I love watching action, from the slickest Hong Kong choreography, to the lowest budget direct to video American action. I now study Taekwondo and Mixed Martial Arts as well as Wushu, and I love integrating all the techniques I learn with my own personal style and flavor.

I am able to draw on my own experience in Martial Arts, as well as my knowledge of different Martial Arts from around the world and how they are utilized in film. As a former film student, I am able to apply a critical lens to the cinematic techniques used by Asian filmmakers and also to the developing trends in Martial Arts movies. Through personal experience making several bootleg-esque martial arts student films, I have been able to experience firsthand what works in martial arts movies, and the crushing agony of what doesn't work (there is nothing worse than seeing yourself flailing around onscreen while friends, family and also strangers watch, and all you're thinking is "it looked cool when I was filming it!"). I intend to use all my experience and pure love of martial arts and kung fu movies to the fullest in this blog.

The Martial arts and Action genre is an exciting one with a long tradition in Asia. This diverse continent has produced films that influence not only their onscreen counterparts but popular culture in general as well as the audiences who watch them across the world. In this blog I will not just include the latest Martial Arts movie news, but examine new trends in fighting and filmmaking out of Asia which will continue to influence not only Martial Arts but all genres of film today.

Profile of a Blog

In the wide world of the interweb, there are a lot of bad blogs out there. But every once in a while you run across a blog that is both entertaining and also informational, making it actually worth the 5 or so minutes wasted at work reading the latest post One such blog which I recently took notice of is "Kung fu Fridays" (http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/), a funny and informative chronicle of Chinese cinema – with an emphasis on Kung Fu films – plus a healthy dose of general randomness thrown in for good measure. The writer is Colin, hailing from Canada, who is a fan of obscure movies – including but not limited to Kung Fu flicks. He is also a small business owner who runs an independent film distribution company specializing in offbeat titles. In many ways it is the type of position that gives great authority in a field such as Kung Fu movies: professional enough to know certain facets of the business, but independent enough to still be a diehard fan. Posts are made several per week, another aspect that shows the author’s dedication and a love of the genre.

The posts cover a wide range of topics, from new Kung Fu movies, to older ones and rare or obscure finds. There are also many posts which aren’t even about Kung Fu films – rather strange posters or memorabilia the blogger has picked up recently – but it serves to add to the quirky and alternative feel of the blog, keeping it from being a dry news source to one that is actually fun to read - sometimes providing one with updates on new movies, sometimes with obscure useless 80s references which nonetheless are entertaining. One of the more interesting posts is of an old ad for Kodak film prominently featuring Kung Fu. The post can be found at http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2009/01/slash-kick-chop-violence-galore.html, and the tagline is “Slash! Kick! Chop! Violence galore!” – which is, according to the ad is the type of action contained in the series Kung Fu with David Carradine. It is interesting to see this old representation of Chinese martial arts, prominently displayed even so long ago. It reiterates that in the film world, Kung Fu is seen as one of the most cinematic styles of the martial arts.

On the more modern side, there is another post compiling several semi-recent commercials called “Brand Name Punching” (http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2008/11/brand-name-punching.html). One commercial from Thailand features Muay Thai superstar Tony Jaa in a Mitsubishi ad, while two other ads show Donnie Yen – a martial artist who is nearing the latter portion of his film career, but is nonetheless reinvigorating Hong Kong choreography right now. What is interesting is that the ads highlighted here don’t feature the most famous current names in martial arts movies – arguably Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Tony Jaa is an unreal Muay Thai practitioner and gymnast from Thailand – a relative newcomer with only two watchable movies to his name (a third being released soon). Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong veteran whose style I would characterize as Chinese kickboxing with attitude, but nevertheless he has not reached stardom on par with Jet and Jackie. Yet these two are currently some of the most innovative in movie martial arts. What we get from Tony and Donnie is always an attempt to do something new and not seen before, and it translates well into the world of advertising. Ads can be a good way to get a sneak peak of something new and different. That is the best way to sell a product – and the simple thoughtfulness of combining different recent ads in this post gives us a clear impression of who the advertisers and public identify with for these qualities.

And here is one more post, exemplifying the unique spirit within the “Kung Fu Fridays” blog.

http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2009/01/sticky-stars-of-80s.html

A collection of amateurish photo stickers the author purchased in Chinatown for 79 cents. The whimsical caption reads

“Check out young Tony, who wishes you all, ‘Gong hei fat choi!’”

I can only imagine the hope felt by this sassy young fellow after his first “professional” photoshoot. Little did he know that 20 years later his stickers would end up on the blog of a middle aged Canadian man for the world to see. Good luck to you Tony. Does this post have anything to do with martial arts movies? No. Does it amuse me and add to the atmosphere of the blog? Yes.

The aforementioned posts about martial arts movies (sorry Tony) give us a sense of the past and present development of kung fu/ martial arts in the media – from the 70s “chop socky” to the current cutting edge martial artists presenting new concepts to the genre. The blog strikes a good balance between old and new in that it has updates about events in martial arts film world (an example being a post detailing new Criterion Collection DVDs of Hong Kong films), yet at the same time it also provides a background to what Kung Fu films were like in the 70s and 80s: zany and exploitative, and loads of fun. The blog has a personal touch (Tony), and the somewhat esoteric subject matter means the readership is comprised mostly of obscure or cult movie fans. Posts are not always long on writing, but usually graphic intensive – with many Youtube videos to boot.

It is basically a fan blog, but written by someone who has experience in the industry and is a lover of Kung Fu and retro movies, with good insight and a few good news stories. My blog will not be concentrated quite so much on the old school, retro Kung Fu films, but rather on the newest developments in the Asian martial arts styles on film. Many of the movies detailed in "Kung Fu Fridays" are the history, the backdrop to every martial arts movie made today. Yet at the same time the exciting fusion of modern martial arts concepts like dynamic Wushu, hard hitting Muay Thai and a new level of acrobatics is changing the field. Still the spirit of my blog and "Kung Fu Fridays" is the same: a love for martial arts and cinema, a love which grows even more when combined. An excellent quote that is on the main page of the blog exemplifies this point of view. The quote is one I have never heard before, but is by renowned director Werner Herzog and really demonstrates my feelings about martial arts movies as well. “Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film”

“Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film”

Blog Voice

Undoubtedly one of the most prominent blogs about martial arts movies on the internet today is “Kung Fu Cinema” (http://www.kungfucinema.com/). With a simple and straight to the point title, “Kung Fu Cinema” is one of the most authoritative blogs on the internet regarding breaking news about new releases out of Asia, as well as martial arts movies from other parts of the world and recent DVD releases. The blog - essentially the more popular and better looking older brother (who the parents secretly love more) to all other kung fu blogs on the internet - is comprehensive, not merely concerning Chinese martial arts styles (as implied by the title), but brimming with news relating to any and all upcoming martial arts films, big or small. The author Mark Pollard is clearly very knowledgeable about all different kinds of martial arts movies, as he casually references various trends and styles of films in his posts to illustrate various points or add insight.

One of Mark's most recent posts, regarding the upcoming US live-action adaptation of the G.I. Joe cartoons and toys (http://www.kungfucinema.com/?p=4991) is one that resembles the excited style of a fanboy while at the same time being very knowledgeable about the whole genre. He starts off what could be a routine news story by contextualizing the post as a reference to a TV spot for the upcoming film during the Superbowl, then adds

"I have to say, for a CGI-infested maelstrom of extreme gun-blasting, acrobatic,
sword-clanging, urban destruction by director Stephen Sommers, the guy who
brought us the turd that is VAN HELSING, I am pleasantly surprised to see what
looks to be a potentially fantastic popcorn flick."

Such a long, descriptive sentence draws in the reader and captures the nonstop barrage of action – highlighted by the furious word “maelstrom” – that the TV spot promises. He also throws in some casual humor by describing Steven Sommers as

"the guy who brought us the turd that is VAN HELSING"

That type of language is appropriate for the subject matter of the post: assessing the potential of a movie based off a Saturday morning cartoon. And after all, there is no need to take it easy on Van Helsing. At the end he comments on the various martial artists and choreographers who will be involved in the film, showing not only the fanboy side but a knowledge of various parts of the industry, including important people in front of and behind the camera. At the end of the post, he goes into the style of choreography in the film, a vital factor in the success of an action movie, and ties in the subject of trends of top choreographers working in videogames today. Balancing technical knowledge with “turds” is no easy feat, but here Mark Pollard pulls it off with ease.

The posts are very current, with the blog being updated several times a day. In another post, he shows skillful use of pop culture references regarding the new videogame based martial arts movie Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (http://www.kungfucinema.com/?p=4983). In one passage, he assesses the screenwriter’s comparison to the previous Street Fighter movie, saying

“He has said that this film is to the Van Damme STREET FIGHTER movie what BATMAN BEGINS is to BATMAN FOREVER. It’s not too difficult to make something better
than the 1994 STREET FIGHTER but it’s a lot more difficult to get a genre film
up to BATMAN BEGINS territory. To me, THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI looks to have fallen somewhere in the middle but only time will tell.”

In going with this analogy and expanding on it, he demonstrates again a thorough knowledge of not only his subject matter but the ability to relate it to outside references which other readers might understand more readily. The quote comparing Joel Schumacher and Chris Nolan is somewhat nonsensical – I myself also doubt the new Street Fighter movie will be on par with a series reboot like Batman Begins. However the best way to respond to such a charge is to respond in kind, and Pollard gets his point across well.

Videos are used extensively in the posts, usually bracketed by text introductions and comments. This is a wise move considering the visual nature of the subject matter, and makes the blog a useful source for martial arts previews linked from many different websites. Many posts are mostly comprised of just videos, with text summaries and elaborations following. The amount of content is impressive, and for more detailed opinions there is also an extensive review section.

One of the best qualities of “Kung Fu Cinema” author Mark Pollard’s writing is the mixture of extensive knowledge about martial arts movies and what goes into making them, mixed with the attitude of a true fan of such films. I believe this kind of informal style can relate to the audience, many of whom presumably share the same love for those types of films. Yet by detailing many facets of the films production, he also demonstrates authority, which makes the blog one of the premier martial arts film web sites on the internet. This is a blog that is one of the most informative out there, but is also fun to read and come back to day after day.

Ninja Turf: Throwback FOB Attack

I want to introduce any unknowing readers to a gem of a movie titled Ninja Turf. (Disclaimer: it has nothing to do with ninjas whatsoever). Originally titled Los Angeles Street Fighters, the movie was made in 1984 by a young Phillip Rhee (who later went on to star in the Best of the Best) series, his fellow taekwondo director Jun Chong, some enterprising young USC film students, and director Richard Park (who later went on to make five more movies about street fighters in Los Angeles).

The movie is, at first glance, terrible, and appears to be a waste of celluloid. Or DVD discs, or betamax, depending on which format you are watching it on. But despite the dreadful writing, directing, pacing, acting, cinematography and production values, this movie has something special. It really has heart.

The story concerns Young (Chong), an immigrant from Korea who is the leader of a benevolent high school gang. When a rival gang, lead by Chan (the omnipresent martial arts actor James Lew) bullies new student in school Tony (Rhee), Chong takes him under his wing. The two become fast friends who live together, fight together, and ultimately die together.

The acting is atrocious. Jun Chong, who sports a mustache and looks to be in his mid to late 30s, is supposed to play a high school student, and speaks stilted lines such as "My parents, they are divorce, but... I don't want to talk about it" and "You are lucky, you have good parents. As far as I'm concerned man, I have big problem." Yet the ending is incredibly gripping and poignant. For some reason I find myself getting goosebumps every time I watch it. Young, who has just fought through a legion of assassins hired by a drug pusher, stops in an alleyway to call his mother. There he is ambushed and stabbed by Chan. He is able to fight through a few of Chan's men before he becomes too weak from the loss of blood. Just then, Tony shows up, and is horrified by the sight of his best friend bleeding to death on the ground. He has an intense fight with Chan, where he is badly injured but seemingly kills him. Young's mother arrives to see the bleeding Tony and Young dying on the ground. The final shot is a closeup of Tony's Korean passport (which he recently obtained to go back to his homeland) lying on the street, just barely out of his grasp. I feel like the filmmakers, in a clumsy way, were trying to really make a statement with this about how they felt as immigrants: sometimes out of place and left behind in the so-called "melting pot."

The fight choreography is also quite gripping. Rhee and Chong are real taekwondo masters, and also accomplished in boxing and hapkido. The fights are choreographed as hard hitting street fighting, with not too much acrobatics or unreasonable flashiness. They surprisingly mesh perfectly with the cheesy 80s synthesizer soundtrack (which, according to the credits, somehow took three people to produce).

If you want Oscar quality acting, well, you probably shouldn't even be watching the movies reviewed in this blog in the first place. If you want merely passable quality anything, well you shouldn't see this movie. But if you are looking for entertaining fight scenes and a gripping and somewhat haunting tale of young people who fall victim to gangs, drugs and parental neglect, this is in that concern, a very honest movie.

Ong Bak 2: An underwhelming journey

I have recently seen the fight scenes from Tony Jaa's newest film Ong Bak 2 and I am actually disappointed. The first Ong Bak was an amazing display of Jaa's fresh Muay Thai techniques and unique acrobatic style. He managed to slightly raise the bar with Tom Yum Goong, with even more breathtaking stunts as well as the famous six minute continuous take fight scene.

However, for Ong Bak 2 (an in-name-only sequel), Jaa decided to try an altogether new direction for him, directing the movie himself, and choreographing different styles such as kung fu. The project went through numerous difficulties (including Jaa pulling a Dave Chappelle and retreating to the jungles of Thailand, where no one could find him for weeks), and the film turns out to be very uneven as a result.

The fight scenes are filmed with a very flat and unenergetic style - no doubt due to Jaa's inexperience as a director. The fights are somewhat slow and unexciting - the viewer is not as involved and the action is not as hard hitting as you would expect. What really drags the fights down is Jaa's poor attempts at different martial arts styles. His snake style and tiger style kung fu are laughable in their simplicity, and echo that of a poorly made 1970s exploitation flick. Props go to Jaa for trying something different, and the original trailer was breathtaking, but the final product does not quite work.

In my opinion, what Jaa needs to do is film a higher quality Hong Kong movie to really take his career to the next level. The filmmaking style there will add a new dimension to his impressive physical abilities and unlock his new potential. We shall have to wait and see if he will make an HK film like this in the future.

I post my first review on spcnet.tv ....

I have decided to explore the possibilities of spcnet.tv myself by registering and examining all the possibilities open to its users. One of the first things I decided to do was to try posting a review. Although many of the reviews are of new or contemporary films, I decided to post about one of my favorite old school movies, In the Line of Duty IV starring Donnie Yen. This film is pertinent to the current martial arts movie environment due to Donnie Yen’s increasing prominence with his expertly choreographed police action dramas Sha Po Lang and Flashpoint, as well as the blockbuster Ip Man. In the Line of Duty IV is a predecessor of these two more recent police films, with an old school style and more of a wushu flavor to the choreography. Regardless of its age, I believe it is one of Donnie Yen’s best works.
Upon posting my review, I was informed of the status of my post by spcnet.tv. This website has a system by which administrators review and edit reviews before they go live on the website. This seems like an excellent feature to me, as it eliminates possibilities of either functionally illiterate posters, or endless reviews gushing about the sheen of Jay Chow’s perfectly straight permed hair. How extensive the editing process is I am not yet sure of. Depending on how the articles are edited, it does have the potential to limit some of the creative expressiveness and originality of users who wish to post reviews. Also, the speed of the editing process will be important, especially if the film is a new release. Regardless, this is still a good way to ensure a standard of quality over all the reviews on the site. It is a win-win situation, in that the site is able to grow based off quality user content, while users are able to post original reviews that are highly visible on the internet, without having to create and build up their own blog or website. Reviews are all attributed to the original authors as well. When the review goes live I will post a link to it, as well as any comments regarding the editing process the reviews are submitted to.

Back to straight perms, such vital conversation still has a place, and that is the FORUM. The forum on spcnet.tv has many different areas, ranging from music, TV, movies, to an “anything goes” area where fans may have “intellectual conversations” (straight perm related?) with each other – and it doesn’t even have to be about Asian movies!! The forum seems to be quite popular, with at least one reader on each different area at any given time (with some areas much more popular). The number of people currently reading is displayed below each section of the forum to indicate the activity on each thread.

Spcnet.tv is a quality website with many more features that I am sure I will expound upon in upcoming posts. I think this is a site that is still not quite part of the mainstream, but nonetheless has a dedicated following. I think I will begin contributing to it more regularly as I think it has a lot of potential!

The uses of spcnet.tv

I recently posted a review of the Asian Media website spctv.net. This website is a large conglomeration of various information regarding Asian movies, music, television and literature. Since that blog post already the website has been updated with new movie reviews.

One of the most important features of this website is the collaborative nature. A website like kungfucinema is a great resource but is limited usually to the content of the webmaster - with the exception of the forum. On the other hand, spctv is fully open to the public to contribute and share opinions and information about Asian films, both old and new. One need only register with the website and then is able to post reviews - not just on the forum but on the main page. This opens up the possibilities for contributions as well as a mroe enthusiastic and dedicated fanbase which is able to interact more freely and share news and opinions with each other.

What spctv creates is a more cohesive and interactive community. Readers are invited not just to be followers of the latest updates, but to be a part of the process. There is a section for users to post fan fiction in the styles of various popular forms of Asian entertainment (i.e. dramas, wu xia, etc). Additionally there is still a forum for more informal contributions, such as questions or comments about different tv dramas or new movies. Reviews that are contributed by users (not forum posts) are put on the front page for all to see.

What does this contribute overall? Basically it creates a much more varied content, where one can find information and opinions which will be different from larger, more mainstream websites. Interpretations of films are more unique and down to earth, as well as including some movies which are not as popular or still not widely known. This is an interesting website to keep an eye on and be a part of.

Web 2.0 tool for Martial Arts films

The interactive Web 2.0 movement has created room for many niche hobbies and pop culture trends to expand and reach a wider user base with relative ease. Here I present an website which may be of interest to followers of Asian Cinema. http://www.spcnet.tv/ is the website, and immediately one can tell from the pictures of prettyboy Asian pop singers with straight permed emo hair that this site is about everything Asian. spcnet.tv is a website about Asian movies, tv shows, anime and music which is fairly comprehensive and has frequent user contributions.

Obviously the site covers many aspects of popular culture, but movie news and reviews looks to be one of the largest sections. There is Asian Entertainment news, as well as user contributed movie reviews, many of films not released in the US yet or not widely known. There is also a large forum with many posts running the gamut from Donnie Yen’s Ip Man to the titles of obscure Korean Dramas. The website appears to be run out of Asia (as opposed to ones such as kungfucinema) and therefore likely has a slightly different audience as well as a different take on information and events. This results in content which may not be found elsewhere on more mainstream sites, and provides a greater understanding of the trend and culture of Asian popular media.

A unique section of the website which I have not seen many other places is the literature portion of the site. Much of it is fan fiction, inspired by the stories in books, movies and TV which contributors of the site are followers of. However there are also links and good information regarding famous wuxia novels (Chinese sword fighting adventures, a modern example being Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Stories such as these existed long before motion picture cameras did, and in them the inspiration for countless kung fu films can be found. It is important history that I admittedly am not too well versed on, but spcnet.tv is a good resource for one to begin to delve into such literature.

The website features a lot of user added content including not only fan fiction stories but also numerous movie and TV reviews. In order to add content, as well as view some content, you must be a registered user with spcnet and log in. Registration is free and provides access to much exclusive content. Overall this website seems to be a valuable resource with lots of information on Asian cinema, including martial arts films.

There is surprisingly a numerous amount of literature and scholarly works in the action films of Hong Kong, many containing information about martial arts – since this is often a defining feature of Hong Kong action cinema. Many of this information is written by fight choreographers who have worked in film in both Hong Kong and the US. To be honest, I really have not heard of them nor have I seen their films. Supposedly they are pre-eminent fight choreographers who successfully bridge the gap between Hong Kong and American film fighting styles yet are still tainted by the lack of respect given to their craft in the American film industry.

I still have never heard of or seen really any of their films. Yet I think the views they put forth on choreography in their literature are fairly valid because I have seen the various aspects they discuss in many different martial arts movies. Many are in agreeance as to the fact that US choreography is not up to the standard set forth by Hong Kong choreography of fight scenes. Some of the general reasons are as follows:

1. Hong Kong choreographers are given much
more respect and freedom, treated almost on par with the director of the
film
2. Fight scenes in Hong Kong can
take up to several months to film, while in America, they are often filmed in
several hours only
3. Hong Kong
choreographers are allowed to supervise the cinematography and editing of their
fight scenes

Compounding these are several factors of American action cinema that are different than those of Hong Kong action cinema. These include an American preoccupation with masculinity, and extremely muscular bodies. This leads to choreography that often focuses on poses and slow, powerful moves which are not necessarily fluid and create a jerky fight scene that is harder for the audience to get in to.

Another pervasive feeling among the literature is that there is no ability between the skill and know-how of American choreographers and Hong Kong choreographers. It is merely a question of resources and working conditions. Surprisingly, the discussion of the abilities of different martial artists working in America and Hong Kong does not figure into the discussion much – but presumably there is little difference. Overall, it is presumed to be the various conditions under which American choreographers work under than has held back the quality of American martial arts fight scenes more than anything.

In comparing choreographed martial arts scenes from American films with those in Eastern films (most notably Hong Kong), there are several differences and inadequacies that show up mostly in American movies, including haphazard editing, less variety of techniques and a slower overall tempo. These differences have been present for decades, but what are the consequences of them and what are the current trends in fight choreography in the United States?

In Hong Kong and mainland China, the martial arts movie is king at the box office, with recent top-grossing films including Jet Li’s Fearless and Donnie Yen’s Ip Man (both historical films about great kung fu masters of China). Meanwhile, in the United States, the martial arts film is quite often relegated to direct-to-video releases or late night cable status. In China, in 2008 alone, 5 out of the top 10 highest grossing movies of the year had kung fu elements in them (http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/ent_msg.php?titleid=288). To contrast this with US films author Adrian Wilson posits that

“Historically, the martial-arts genre, with which Chan and other Asian stars are
often associated, has been only marginally successful in the United
States, and pure martial-arts narratives rarely appear in theatrical release.
Consequently, white martial-arts stars such as Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van
Damme have, in their more profitable films, appeared in straightforward action
narratives involving gunfights, car chases, and a limited amount of acrobatics
and hand-to-hand combat, rather than swordplay or martial-arts kicks and
punches.”

One of these reasons is likely the quality of fight scenes in US films, which may not be strong enough to attract US audiences as significantly as those in movies from Hong Kong and China.
A response to this issue has been for US productions to begin hiring Hong Kong directors for their films. The first was John Woo, who directed Jean Claude Van Damme in Hard Target. More recently is the Corey Yuen helmed film The Transporter starring Jason Statham. But these films usually do not live up to their potential entirely because the working conditions in the US are not as suited for their style as Hong Kong conditions are.

There is evidence that the differences between US and Hong Kong choreography are not merely issues relating to martial arts purists, but are relevant in dollars and cents. It is clear from the hiring of Hong Kong directors as well as actors (such as Jet Li) that US film producers are aware of this deficiency in their martial arts films, yet still they are not willing to provide the proper resources for quality martial arts scenes to really catch the attention of the American public. I end with this thought: high budget special effects films are some of the highest grossing in the US (exemplified by Dark Night and Iron Man). These films take months just to complete the special effects scenes in order to make sure they are top notch –the best in the world. If one is attempting to make a quality martial arts film, why not take the same time and care in developing the fight scenes – the prime draw of the martial arts genre?

Some Basics About Fight Choreography

Lately I have been delving into the topic of fight choreography in martial arts movies. What may seem like a simple matter of punching and kicking to the layman is actually a complicated and multifaceted process incorporating actors, stuntmen and specialists. Many martial arts movies are made specifically to showcase the action – a fact made obvious by the dearth of plot, character development, acting, and overall merit in these films. But what factors makes a good fight scene? That is the question that often is so elusive and ever-changing.

One of the major issues is the disparity between the choreography found in Western (i.e. American) martial arts movies and Eastern (i.e. Hong Kong) movies. Fight choreographer Craig Reid explains that this is due to differences in the editing techniques and structure of the fight scenes. The American style of choreography in the last few decades has been exemplified by stars such as Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. These actors are probably the three biggest names in American martial arts cinema and were very influential for their time. All three utilized choreography that highlighted powerful moves, while not necessarily focusing on speed or fluidity. This brutal strength, combined with stylized editing including frequent cuts made the fight scenes somewhat blocky.

American cinema often uses tight angles and quick cuts to mask the poor fighting ability of actors who are not very skilled in martial arts. One notable example is Batman Begins, where all the fight scenes were somewhat disjointed and fast paced, and the action was not really discernible. The overall effect was disappointing as we wanted to see Batman actually do something, instead of an almost stroboscopic action effect. Hong Kong movies are famous for making non-martial artists look like experienced fighters through a combination of well placed stunt doubles and expert choreography. These movies often use wider angles and longer takes that enhance the realism of the scene and showcase the techniques much better.

Fluidity is a trademark of Chinese martial arts, which is why many of them are referred to as “soft styles.” Many American martial artists have Japanese Karate backgrounds which is a more rigid style and not as circular and flowing as the Chinese martial arts. Circular and intricate movements are more pleasing aesthetically – exemplified by China’s Peking Opera, a combination of martial arts fighting and performance. In the past, Hong Kong cinema also benefitted from more relaxed regulations for stuntwork, which resulted in dangerous but spectacular feats performed by Chinese stuntmen. Today, this mantel of dangerous but breathtaking stunts has been taken over by Thailand, which is producing many top stuntmen who are willing to risk their lives for a martial arts fight scene.

These are just a few of the factors which make up the notable differences between American fight scenes and their Asian counterparts. Today the gap is beginning to shrink due to the practice of Americans bringing over choreographers from China to do a lot of high profile work, but still some of the American filmmaking practices are not conducive to making a highly stylized fight scene. With the ability of martial artists and filmmaking technology improving constantly, more refinements and developments in the area of choreography are sure to come.

Thinking about upcoming trends in choreography...

I have been collecting sources regarding martial arts movies for the past few weeks, and it is interesting to note the ones I gravitated towards. As a martial artist myself, and someone who is very interested in film, I have always taken note of fight choreography and its affect on the quality of a film. For a true martial arts fan, the choreography and skill of the fighters will be the selling point for a film.

Three of my sources specifically address martial arts choreography, and it is quite intriguing to me how the sources break the concept down. It really is important to take into account the martial arts style, editing, camera angles, sound effects, rhythm and myriad other factors when choreographing a successful fight scene.

Since this movie is about trends in the martial arts cinema, I got to thinking about what the trends in choreography are developing towards. Naturally, there has before been a contrast between the western types of martial arts fight scenes (which I would say are most easily exemplified by Jean Claude Van Damme), versus the Hong Kong style fight scenes seen in the movies of Jackie Chan (and of course many others). The American style used to be much slower, clunkier, and with fewer variety of techniques, while the Hong Kong style was much more varied, faster and emphasized more contact.

Yet this blog is about change, and new emerging trends. It is clear to see today that this difference between eastern and western choreography is changing. One of the primary reasons is that much of the choreography in American movies today is done by Hong Kong choreographers, or people who have trained with them. Another change is the increasing emphasis on acrobatics in choreography, which is always a crowd please (see: Jaa, Tony).

These are just a few reflections, but there is more to come soon.

A flake of page - kung fu style

http://www.pageflakes.com/skypilot28/25985750

If a little flake of the internet fell onto your tongue, would it be as unique and variable as a tiny crystalline snowflake? Would this tiny e-flake contain unique tidbits from all over the web, combining into something unlike to any other flake out there on the internet? Well, through the wonders of a resource called pageflakes we are able to explore this bizarre and partially nonsensical question.

Pageflakes is a website that allows you to easily create your own personal page with a plethora of built in search bars and newsfeeds, as well as the ability to customize your “flake” with any RSS feed or web page off the internet. Personal touches such as background images and arrangements of the various boxes and links complete the customization of your unique flake!

Today I am not writing simply to extol the virtues of pageflakes, but to introduce my own flake. It can be found at http://www.pageflakes.com/skypilot28/25985750. The focus is of course martial arts cinema. The largest and most noticeable feature on my flake is the inclusion of 10 RSS feeds from different martial arts blogs across the internet. The feeds are in a rough descending order of importance, starting with the frequently updated “Kung Fu Cinema,” followed by other mainstays such as “Kung Fu Cult Cinema” and “Kung Fu Fridays.” Additionally ,there are a few new blogs I have not yet mentioned, such as the official blog of actor and Wushu champion Wu Jing (of Sha Po Lang and Fatal Contact), which often has unique inside information not found elsewhere. Some of the other RSS feeds are from smaller blogs about Asian Cinema that nonetheless have some interesting insights or updates, while some of the blogs are about martial arts in general – mostly about the Chinese martial arts, as that is my specialty and one of my greatest interests.

To the left of the RSS feeds are a few generic search boxes, which are handily pre-loaded with the term “kung fu” to get you all the latest news from various internet news and blog sources. Between the Universal Blog Search and the Universal News Search, the News option seems to be more interesting, with a superficial search revealing several stories regarding Jackie Chan and the New Street Fighter movie.

To the far right, I have added a few resources of my own. One is my diigo bookmarks – some of which are included in the RSS feeds, some of which are not. Unfortunately, despite the “web 2.0” movement not all websites have RSS feeds, so you have to go old school and actually check them yourself. At least it makes for a nice pastime while in class, at work or in meetings. Also I have included the bookmarks for my “social bookmarking soulmate,” aka a guy who tags a lot of stuff, some of which is similar to mine. I’ve posted about “Squeezebox” before, but check the link to his del.icio.us bookmarks out, there are some really interesting links in there, such as the blog of Bey Logan which I have posted about before.

Lastly, I have included an annotated bibliography of the sources I have been looking at lately. I posted about different research materials pertaining to martial arts movies last week, and here I have collected them in an annotated bibliographic format via citeline, a website that compiles your sources and automatically creates a bibliography for you. There are a lot of websites that perform this service, but citeline has one up on them because not only does it create a downloadable bibliography, but it displays it as a web page, or “exhibit” which you can link to, as I have done here. It also has the ability to get information directly from your zotero library (a firefox add-on that stores sources) via a feature called zotz, which seems to be named merely to add to the lexicon of nonsense internet words which you will pick up from this blog.

Pageflakes is easy to use and rather elementary, but the options available for customizing it are nearly endless. Aside from the features I described on my flake, there are a few other small features and “widgets” which I have added to keep you occupied – some directly related to research and/ or news about martial arts, some not. Pageflakes basically lets you create a crude personal website, that has the ability to house many of the features possible on a self-made website with a fraction of the time and work put in. Now that you have seen mine, set forth on your own journey to flake as you will.

More resources about Martial Arts Cinema

Here are some more resources I came across while taking a break from facebook. Even more academic type papers about different aspects of martial arts movies involving choreography styles, and also some of the content of martial arts movies.

The first source is called "The Global Return of Wu Xia Pian (Chinese Sword-Fighting Movie): Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" As the descriptive title explains, the essay (written by Kenneth Chan) examines the internationally acclaimed film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in context of the Chinese Wu Xia Pian (武侠片), Chinese movies popular particularly in the 1960s and 70s concerning Chinese heroes in a historical setting, who often have inexplicable powers of flight. Chan's essay contrasts the historical Wu Xia of former decades with the newer, flashier Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon which brings a few twists to the genre, with mixed results. It is a good essay to help shed light on the changes martial arts films experience over the years: re-makes, revivals and re-imaginings. Many films of the current era are built upon the foundations of old ones. One only has to look as far as Quentin Tarantino to see blatant homages (or tasteless copies, depending on the opinion of the viewer). All these trends have a source, and in Chan's essay the source is exposed for what it is, to those who may not know, and contrasted with the current tastes.

The second article is entitled "Fighting Without Fighting: Film Action" and is written by Craig Reid, who is the self proclaimed

"only Chinese-trained American fight choreographer working in the United States today"

I find this statement kind of dubious and arrogant. Does this not count the many Asian choreographers in the states such as Koichi Sakamoto? I haven't really heard of most of Craig Reid's movies before. Plus, he looks kind of like Zac Efron on acid.

That's him on the right, pictured next to revolutionary Hong Kong action director Tsui Hark. Anyways, I always enjoy reading about fight choreography, and Reid has some interesting analysis of various choreography techniques against single opponents and multiple opponents, and how they are shot and edited different in the US and in China. He claims these techniques all have detailed acronyms such as MSSQUE (Many Shot, one Strike, QUick Edit) and the SAC (Striking At Camera). I wonder if he made these terms up himself. Perhaps not, but regardless he provides some interesting insight into how these techniques originated and - essentially - how he claims they are misused by American choreographers. Most agree that on a regular basis US fight scenes are inferior to most Chinese fight scenes, so this article provides some good tips for improving potential choreography.

A third source of interest is called "Kinesthesia in Martial Arts Films: Action in Motion" by Aaron Anderson. In this article, Anderson describes principles of movement (or kinesthetics as he refers to it as) and rhythmic sound editing to tell a story in a fight scene. He uses terms such as metakinesis (transferring aesthetic and emotional concepts) while describing fight scenes shot by shot. In particular, he analyses in detail a scene from the Steven Seagal tour de force "Out For Justice" in which Steven Seagal annhihilates numerous people in a bar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMu2xNBpyQc). This is also the scene that epitomizes the vague yet douchey threats of Seagal with the line "Who's hotdog is this eh, is this yours?" Anderson describes the crescendo of action mixed with on and offscreen synchronized sound to produce an effective fight scene (which he contrasts with the very different style of Jackie Chan). This is a very detailed article that provides good details on fight choreography and editing.

One more source I happened upon is a chapter from the book The Worldling Project edited by Rob Wilson and Christopher Leigh Connery. One chapter of the book is an article written by Meaghan Morris entitled "Learning from Bruce Lee: Pedagogy and Political Correctness in Martial Arts Cinema." This article takes a different look at martial arts cinema, stepping away from the physicality and choreographically analyses of the other articles and focusing on the storytelling methods of martial arts movies - many of which are admittedly not great works of art but still have specific and effective ways of conveying their messages. Focus is put on two movies in particular, the Hong Kong/ US co-production No Retreat No Surrender and the US biopic Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. The article uses scholarly language and can be a little dense, but the author is definitely in touch with the genre and the films reviewed.

These are some diverse and quite interesting sources, if you are interested in learning more about martial arts movies and how they are made, check them out!

New Research materials

While looking for research materials about martial arts films, I found some really interesting resources. It turns out there are are more books and research papers on martial arts films than I thought, and many of them are quite interesting. Some good resources I have found to be useful are of course google scholar, and the USC library database.

The first book I saw which I was instantly drawn to is called "Fight Choreography: The Art of Non-Verbal Dialogue" by John Kreng. It is a comprehensive book detailing many different dimensions of fight choreography. Chapters include Definitions and Terminology, Physical Elements of a Fight Scene, Technical Elements of a Fight Scene and Narrative Structure of a Fight Scene, just to name a few. The book uses hypothetical real world examples of fighting, as well as listing recommended books and movies on the subject. The book even details differences between sport, self defense and screen performance in the martial arts, which any avid cinema fan will know is an important factor when choreographing captivating fight scenes. This book seems like an excellent resource for aspiring choreographers as well as those fans interested in gaining a more in depth knowledge of how screen fighting works.

A second resource I found very interesting is a lengthy essay called "Bruce Lee and the Anti-Imperialism of Kung Fu" by Vijay Prashad. In this paper, the author theorizes that martial arts films, and the martial arts in general are a common ground that facilitate cross-cultural activity and break down racial barriers. He cites the popularity of Bruce Lee among all during the 1970s - even in a scene of the film "Saturday Night Fever." This theory is an interesting one and with martial arts movies seeming to become more and more popular all the time, this seems like a very viable theory and an interesting and positive one to explore.

These sources are both very different, both in form and content, but this is what is so great about martial arts films: what many don't realize is that they are really so multi-dimensional, just like martial arts disciplines themselves. There are so many aspects that go into them, and the repercussions in popular culture, art, sports, etc are also huge. These resources, among others, help explore and deconstruct everything that goes into the modern martial arts film.

New discovery: "Bey's Blog"

Sometimes it seems as if in the hours upon hours spent on youtube and google - often at work or public places when other more productive things could be happening - the internet resources on martial arts have been exhausted. I am here to say this is not so. In my social bookmarking post the other day I came across a website discovered by someone who has possibly spent more time at work searching for these things than I, and that website is Bey Logan's blog.

Bey Logan is an expert on Hong Kong martial arts movies, and a veteran in the business. He has been a martial arts practitioner for years, and has been involved in production and distribution of several Hong Kong action movies, as well as appearing in a few with Donnie Yen. Due to his extensive knowledge and experience, he frequently contributes commentaries on new DVD releases of martial arts movies, both old and new.

"Bey's Blog" (http://www.dragondynasty.com/blog) as it is appropriately titled is a collection of history and behind the scenes info about kung fu movie classics and fighting legends that gives a new insight as to how the evolution of martial arts films has occurred. Through back stories given on revered staples of the genre such as "36th Chamber of Shaolin" the ripple effect created in this genre by one movie is evident. This is similar to the influence exerted by Hong Kong style choreography in the US today, and by Tony Jaa's choreography on the conception of Muay Thai and Thailand action movies.

"Bey's Blog" is one that I have never seen before, but that I am now quite interested in. This is a blog written by a real insider in the industry who has worked and even helped create some movies that are quite notable. It is a valuable and informative resource on youtube and proves that there is still many a blog as yet undiscovered by myself.

Use Diigo to find info about martial arts movies

There are many websites out there referred to as "social bookmarking" websites. Essentially, these are great ways to save interesting or funny websites to go back to later, show your friends, or view other people's saved websites, thus making for a great time wasting alternative to facebook and youtube, especially when at work! What really differentiates social bookmarking websites from simply adding a website to your favorites on your browser is the potential to save these bookmarks online and view them from any computer, as well as viewing the bookmarks of other people which may potentially be interesting to you.

There are many websites out there that perform this service, with slight differences. Some like Digg.com allow you to rate the newest bookmarks posted by others, whereas furl.net allows you to save bookmarks to a free online cache, so that even if the links become inactive or move, you will always be able to retrieve that information.

For the purposes of finding new websites about martial arts cinema, I have found that two similar sites, diigo and del.icio.us are very useful. For both of these websites, registration is not necessary, and one can instantly search for terms such as kung fu, martial arts, hong kong film, etc. and come up with websites others on the internet have found interesting. The way that you can search for various websites is through the tagging process; when bookmarking a site, it is possible to tag that bookmark as whatever you want, and when people search for those words in diigo or del.icio.us, your bookmark will come up as a result. A quick search on del.icio.us shows that the tag "martialarts" has 8,608 and "kungfu" has 4,251. What's great about these websites is that they are ones that may be hard to come by simply by a google search, but which someone out there nonetheless found interesting.

Registering with these sites is optional, and anyone can instantly look up bookmarks made by other users. However registering and creating a profile with diigo and del.icio.us enables you to not only save bookmarks of your own and contribute to this wonderful community of internet treasure seekers, but to save those bookmarks of other people an access them at any time. I would recommend checking these social bookmarking websites out in your spare time. You may come across a website new to you, which would never have happened unless you stalked someone else's diigo profile.

sources found through social bookmarking

Many people use the website del.iciou.us.com for the wealth of social bookmarking connections to be made there. Personally, I have never used it much before, preferring to just fend for myself on the internet, or stick to a few sites. But recently I have given it a try and found some really interesting and useful information.

One user who goes by "squeezebox" is an avid bookmarker who has many interesting and valuable websites saved which I have never seen until now. The user squeezebox tags very comprehensively. His 10 most popular tags are broad ones including "music," "technology," "video" and "film." Squeezebox also has a good number of martial arts related websites tagged. His method is to start off with very general tags such as "movies," "blog" and "asia," then move on to more specific ones for each website, such as "hongkong," "kungfu" or "brucelee." Most of the bookmarks have comments, some brief such as "Film Journal," some much more detailed summaries of the website. This helps give an impression of how pertinent and interesting the source is, even though it is not an exact or necessarily deliberate way to do so.

Several of the websites bookmarked are ones that I have never heard of, although they could be of great interest. One of the main ones that caught my eye is frequent kung fu movie actor and aficionado Bey Logan's blog, http://www.dragondynasty.com/blog. Bey's blog presents the reader with intimate knowledge of the inner workings and new happenings in the kung fu movie world. It is a blog I have never come across before, but now will plan to check regularly for unique news not found elsewhere.

Squeezebox's bookmarked pages about kung fu movies are not too numerous, but what is there is fairly unique and interesting. The pages bookmarked are good resources for those seeking out information and opinions about kung fu movies who have a handle on the subject, but haven't quite seen it all. I am very knowledgeable, but many of the websites bookmarked by Squeezebox were new even to me. Hopefully he will continue to update his bookmarks with more new resources on kung fu films in the future.

Blogorama!

Hey there, and welcome to the first post in “Asian Martial Arts Cinema Trends”! I am here to blog about the latest trends in Martial Arts/ Action cinema not only from East Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan but also from Southeast Asian Countries such as Thailand and Vietnam which are gaining more and more ground in the international market every day.

The Martial Arts film genre is one that is widely established in Asia, and it is the style of Action and Choreography in these films which is widely imitated all over the world today. Asian influence can be seen in films like The Matrix and Transporter which are the result of Hong Kong choreographers working in the US. In reality these films are pale imitations of the innovative action coming out of Asia every year.

Right now is an especially exciting time for Martial Arts films. As the older stars of the genre including Jackie Chan and Jet Li begin to transition to less action-oriented roles as their bodies age and become more decrepit, there is a movement to find new stars to fill the gap left behind by legends of the past. This puts focus not only on young stars from Mainland China and Hong Kong, but to styles of Martial Arts from countries such as Vietnam and Thailand which are new to many moviegoers. Also, the ever growing popularity of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) – a style incorporating not only standing fighting but grappling as well – has begun to exert its influence on choreographers in the US and in Asian countries as well. This gives rise to a diverse output and also to a global search for new talent not seen since the death of Bruce Lee.

I have a deep love for martial arts films, that was generated purely out of a love for the many styles of martial arts found all over the world. I started about six years ago with Chinese Wushu and Shaolin Kung Fu, styles known on for their speed, athleticism and fluidity – qualities which all transfer well to the screen. As my love for martial arts grew, so did my love for film and how it is able to capture the dynamic movements of the human body in combat. I love watching action, from the slickest Hong Kong choreography, to the lowest budget direct to video American action. I now study Taekwondo and Mixed Martial Arts as well as Wushu, and I love integrating all the techniques I learn with my own personal style and flavor.

I am able to draw on my own experience in Martial Arts, as well as my knowledge of different Martial Arts from around the world and how they are utilized in film. As a former film student, I am able to apply a critical lens to the cinematic techniques used by Asian filmmakers and also to the developing trends in Martial Arts movies. Through personal experience making several bootleg-esque martial arts student films, I have been able to experience firsthand what works in martial arts movies, and the crushing agony of what doesn't work (there is nothing worse than seeing yourself flailing around onscreen while friends, family and also strangers watch, and all you're thinking is "it looked cool when I was filming it!"). I intend to use all my experience and pure love of martial arts and kung fu movies to the fullest in this blog.

The Martial arts and Action genre is an exciting one with a long tradition in Asia. This diverse continent has produced films that influence not only their onscreen counterparts but popular culture in general as well as the audiences who watch them across the world. In this blog I will not just include the latest Martial Arts movie news, but examine new trends in fighting and filmmaking out of Asia which will continue to influence not only Martial Arts but all genres of film today.

Profile of a Blog

In the wide world of the interweb, there are a lot of bad blogs out there. But every once in a while you run across a blog that is both entertaining and also informational, making it actually worth the 5 or so minutes wasted at work reading the latest post One such blog which I recently took notice of is "Kung fu Fridays" (http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/), a funny and informative chronicle of Chinese cinema – with an emphasis on Kung Fu films – plus a healthy dose of general randomness thrown in for good measure. The writer is Colin, hailing from Canada, who is a fan of obscure movies – including but not limited to Kung Fu flicks. He is also a small business owner who runs an independent film distribution company specializing in offbeat titles. In many ways it is the type of position that gives great authority in a field such as Kung Fu movies: professional enough to know certain facets of the business, but independent enough to still be a diehard fan. Posts are made several per week, another aspect that shows the author’s dedication and a love of the genre.

The posts cover a wide range of topics, from new Kung Fu movies, to older ones and rare or obscure finds. There are also many posts which aren’t even about Kung Fu films – rather strange posters or memorabilia the blogger has picked up recently – but it serves to add to the quirky and alternative feel of the blog, keeping it from being a dry news source to one that is actually fun to read - sometimes providing one with updates on new movies, sometimes with obscure useless 80s references which nonetheless are entertaining. One of the more interesting posts is of an old ad for Kodak film prominently featuring Kung Fu. The post can be found at http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2009/01/slash-kick-chop-violence-galore.html, and the tagline is “Slash! Kick! Chop! Violence galore!” – which is, according to the ad is the type of action contained in the series Kung Fu with David Carradine. It is interesting to see this old representation of Chinese martial arts, prominently displayed even so long ago. It reiterates that in the film world, Kung Fu is seen as one of the most cinematic styles of the martial arts.

On the more modern side, there is another post compiling several semi-recent commercials called “Brand Name Punching” (http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2008/11/brand-name-punching.html). One commercial from Thailand features Muay Thai superstar Tony Jaa in a Mitsubishi ad, while two other ads show Donnie Yen – a martial artist who is nearing the latter portion of his film career, but is nonetheless reinvigorating Hong Kong choreography right now. What is interesting is that the ads highlighted here don’t feature the most famous current names in martial arts movies – arguably Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Tony Jaa is an unreal Muay Thai practitioner and gymnast from Thailand – a relative newcomer with only two watchable movies to his name (a third being released soon). Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong veteran whose style I would characterize as Chinese kickboxing with attitude, but nevertheless he has not reached stardom on par with Jet and Jackie. Yet these two are currently some of the most innovative in movie martial arts. What we get from Tony and Donnie is always an attempt to do something new and not seen before, and it translates well into the world of advertising. Ads can be a good way to get a sneak peak of something new and different. That is the best way to sell a product – and the simple thoughtfulness of combining different recent ads in this post gives us a clear impression of who the advertisers and public identify with for these qualities.

And here is one more post, exemplifying the unique spirit within the “Kung Fu Fridays” blog.

http://kungfufridays.blogspot.com/2009/01/sticky-stars-of-80s.html

A collection of amateurish photo stickers the author purchased in Chinatown for 79 cents. The whimsical caption reads

“Check out young Tony, who wishes you all, ‘Gong hei fat choi!’”

I can only imagine the hope felt by this sassy young fellow after his first “professional” photoshoot. Little did he know that 20 years later his stickers would end up on the blog of a middle aged Canadian man for the world to see. Good luck to you Tony. Does this post have anything to do with martial arts movies? No. Does it amuse me and add to the atmosphere of the blog? Yes.

The aforementioned posts about martial arts movies (sorry Tony) give us a sense of the past and present development of kung fu/ martial arts in the media – from the 70s “chop socky” to the current cutting edge martial artists presenting new concepts to the genre. The blog strikes a good balance between old and new in that it has updates about events in martial arts film world (an example being a post detailing new Criterion Collection DVDs of Hong Kong films), yet at the same time it also provides a background to what Kung Fu films were like in the 70s and 80s: zany and exploitative, and loads of fun. The blog has a personal touch (Tony), and the somewhat esoteric subject matter means the readership is comprised mostly of obscure or cult movie fans. Posts are not always long on writing, but usually graphic intensive – with many Youtube videos to boot.

It is basically a fan blog, but written by someone who has experience in the industry and is a lover of Kung Fu and retro movies, with good insight and a few good news stories. My blog will not be concentrated quite so much on the old school, retro Kung Fu films, but rather on the newest developments in the Asian martial arts styles on film. Many of the movies detailed in "Kung Fu Fridays" are the history, the backdrop to every martial arts movie made today. Yet at the same time the exciting fusion of modern martial arts concepts like dynamic Wushu, hard hitting Muay Thai and a new level of acrobatics is changing the field. Still the spirit of my blog and "Kung Fu Fridays" is the same: a love for martial arts and cinema, a love which grows even more when combined. An excellent quote that is on the main page of the blog exemplifies this point of view. The quote is one I have never heard before, but is by renowned director Werner Herzog and really demonstrates my feelings about martial arts movies as well. “Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film”

“Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film”

Blog Voice

Undoubtedly one of the most prominent blogs about martial arts movies on the internet today is “Kung Fu Cinema” (http://www.kungfucinema.com/). With a simple and straight to the point title, “Kung Fu Cinema” is one of the most authoritative blogs on the internet regarding breaking news about new releases out of Asia, as well as martial arts movies from other parts of the world and recent DVD releases. The blog - essentially the more popular and better looking older brother (who the parents secretly love more) to all other kung fu blogs on the internet - is comprehensive, not merely concerning Chinese martial arts styles (as implied by the title), but brimming with news relating to any and all upcoming martial arts films, big or small. The author Mark Pollard is clearly very knowledgeable about all different kinds of martial arts movies, as he casually references various trends and styles of films in his posts to illustrate various points or add insight.

One of Mark's most recent posts, regarding the upcoming US live-action adaptation of the G.I. Joe cartoons and toys (http://www.kungfucinema.com/?p=4991) is one that resembles the excited style of a fanboy while at the same time being very knowledgeable about the whole genre. He starts off what could be a routine news story by contextualizing the post as a reference to a TV spot for the upcoming film during the Superbowl, then adds

"I have to say, for a CGI-infested maelstrom of extreme gun-blasting, acrobatic,
sword-clanging, urban destruction by director Stephen Sommers, the guy who
brought us the turd that is VAN HELSING, I am pleasantly surprised to see what
looks to be a potentially fantastic popcorn flick."

Such a long, descriptive sentence draws in the reader and captures the nonstop barrage of action – highlighted by the furious word “maelstrom” – that the TV spot promises. He also throws in some casual humor by describing Steven Sommers as

"the guy who brought us the turd that is VAN HELSING"

That type of language is appropriate for the subject matter of the post: assessing the potential of a movie based off a Saturday morning cartoon. And after all, there is no need to take it easy on Van Helsing. At the end he comments on the various martial artists and choreographers who will be involved in the film, showing not only the fanboy side but a knowledge of various parts of the industry, including important people in front of and behind the camera. At the end of the post, he goes into the style of choreography in the film, a vital factor in the success of an action movie, and ties in the subject of trends of top choreographers working in videogames today. Balancing technical knowledge with “turds” is no easy feat, but here Mark Pollard pulls it off with ease.

The posts are very current, with the blog being updated several times a day. In another post, he shows skillful use of pop culture references regarding the new videogame based martial arts movie Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (http://www.kungfucinema.com/?p=4983). In one passage, he assesses the screenwriter’s comparison to the previous Street Fighter movie, saying

“He has said that this film is to the Van Damme STREET FIGHTER movie what BATMAN BEGINS is to BATMAN FOREVER. It’s not too difficult to make something better
than the 1994 STREET FIGHTER but it’s a lot more difficult to get a genre film
up to BATMAN BEGINS territory. To me, THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI looks to have fallen somewhere in the middle but only time will tell.”

In going with this analogy and expanding on it, he demonstrates again a thorough knowledge of not only his subject matter but the ability to relate it to outside references which other readers might understand more readily. The quote comparing Joel Schumacher and Chris Nolan is somewhat nonsensical – I myself also doubt the new Street Fighter movie will be on par with a series reboot like Batman Begins. However the best way to respond to such a charge is to respond in kind, and Pollard gets his point across well.

Videos are used extensively in the posts, usually bracketed by text introductions and comments. This is a wise move considering the visual nature of the subject matter, and makes the blog a useful source for martial arts previews linked from many different websites. Many posts are mostly comprised of just videos, with text summaries and elaborations following. The amount of content is impressive, and for more detailed opinions there is also an extensive review section.

One of the best qualities of “Kung Fu Cinema” author Mark Pollard’s writing is the mixture of extensive knowledge about martial arts movies and what goes into making them, mixed with the attitude of a true fan of such films. I believe this kind of informal style can relate to the audience, many of whom presumably share the same love for those types of films. Yet by detailing many facets of the films production, he also demonstrates authority, which makes the blog one of the premier martial arts film web sites on the internet. This is a blog that is one of the most informative out there, but is also fun to read and come back to day after day.