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Kung Fu in the Movies

Kung Fu has been a popular genre in Chinese cinema since the advent of film, but has only gained notice in the West since around 1970. Bruce Lee was the first major star of Kung Fu film, beginning with his role as the sidekick / chauffeur "Tonto" in the American series, "The Green Hornet." While well-watched in the United States, the show exploded in popularity in China where it was re-dubbed "The Tonto Show." Bruce Lee went on to share his talents with mainstream Western society, much to the chagrin of his Chinese Martial Arts counterparts. He invented his own style of training, "Jeet Kun Do", which he taught in California.

This paved the way for modern-day Kung Fu Masters such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow Yun Phat to have their skill recognized by Hollywood, and indeed the world. Lately Hollywood's gritty, head-cracking blockbuster style of Kung Fu movie has been usurped by Chinese directors. They specialize in bringing traditional plot lines and captivating cinematography to the big screen in movies such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero."

Female Kung Fu stars are also appearing on the scene of this once male-dominated industry. No longer the "damsel in distress," these capable actresses are heroes or sometimes even villains in their own right.

Kung Fu movies have become so wildly popular, in fact, that some of the older Chinese films that escaped Western attention the first time around have been remade (eg. "The Drunken Master," "Tai Chi Master"). Even ‘70's Kung Fu movie culture itself has been revisited, like in Quinten Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films.

Exciting and colorful, dynamic and involving, Kung Fu films have made their mark on movie culture, and whether you like them, love them or loath them, Kung Fu movies are surely here to stay.

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