Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast

It has taken 10 years to get 'The Paper Tigers' onto our screens - a slow and at times painful process full of ups and downs for its director, writer and producer, Tran Quoc Bao. The film - which finally lands in cinemas and on digital platforms in North America on 7 May 2021, courtesy of Well Go USA - is a heart-warming and funny take on the kung fu genre, centring on three former childhood training buddies who reunite in middle age to investigate the sudden death of their old kung fu master. As Bao would soon discover, talent, passion and dedication to the cause will only get you so far in Hollywood. Finding the finance for independent productions is hard enough, but made all the more difficult for kung fu films with people of colour in the lead roles. Bao and his fellow producers refused to compromise or 'whitewash' their story, eventually turning to Kickstarter to raise the money themselves. Filming would eventually take place in his home town of Seattle over a number of years, featuring a cast of leading

Isaac Florentine is one of those rare directors who possesses a style of filmmaking all of his own. Within a few minutes of watching one of his many great action movies, you will quickly realise you are in the world of Isaac Florentine. He wears his love for spaghetti westerns on his sleeve, almost as much as his passion for the martial arts. As an expert martial artist and karate instructor, he is keen to capture technique in his fight choreography. His combat sequences are often filmed in clean, complete movements, using close-ups and moving the camera in sync with the action. His style therefore demands the best physical performances from his actors, so it's no surprise that he has worked with some of the best in the business: Michael Jai White, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and, his main muse, Scott Adkins. The 2020 film 'Seized' marked his ninth collaboration with Scott, and the two are very much the Scorsese and De Niro of the martial arts movie world. As well as the popular 'Ninja' films, the t

Born in Hong Kong and raised in New York, Tzi Ma is a genre-spanning actor who has dedicated his career to documenting the Asian American experience. With every acting decision - whether it be on stage, screen or television - he has sought to portray fully rounded characters, working in an industry where accurate representation has not always been high on the agenda. He has turned down roles he has considered to be stereotypical, and instead, Tzi prefers to champion the voices of minority filmmakers often working with no money on projects which may never see the light of day. Sometimes, they break through - like Lulu Wang's critically acclaimed 2019 comedy drama, The Farewell. Even his mainstream roles challenge the preconceived notions of Asian characters in Hollywood movies: a compassionate father in Mulan; a geologist in Dante's Peak; a military commander in Arrival; Michael Caine's fixer in The Quiet American; 'the General' in the Coen brothers comedy The Ladykillers. When he has played roles in martial a

Put on your face-mask, pour yourself a drink and settle into our annual end-of-year podcast from your friends at Kung Fu Movie Guide. 2020 has been a particularly strange and challenging year for many of us, but the show must go on! Join your host, Ben Johnson, and the author of Life of Action Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Mike Fury, as they dissect the year's biggest stories from the world of martial arts movies, exchange a few Christmas presents, read out some of your comments, and share their personal top five films from the year. Did we miss one of your faves? If so, let us know in the comments on our website and via our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (links below). You can also email the show on hello@kungfumovieguide.com. Additional audio support on this episode provided by George Dennis. A huge thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for your support in 2020, and we wish you all a very merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year.LINKSLeave your comments at this link:

On 27 November 2020, the martial arts superstar and pop culture icon Bruce Lee would have celebrated his 80th birthday. To commemorate the occasion, we have put together this bonus podcast featuring a range of voices from across our five seasons, exploring the legacy of the 'Little Dragon' and the impact he continues to have in society, media, and the world of martial arts. Bruce Lee was only 32 when he died in 1973, but in the 47 years since his death, his star has not waned. In fact, judging by the range of new films, TV shows, books and documentaries inspired by his life, Bruce Lee's fame is now more prevalent than ever. On this compilation show, you will hear from his daughter, Shannon Lee, on why she thinks her father's legacy continues to inspire and influence people from all over the world. You will hear from his good friend and co-star, Bob Wall, and his goddaughter, Diana Lee Inosanto, on Bruce Lee's impact on the fighting arts and, in particular, his role in the development of today's hugely popular

Martial arts legend Benny "The Jet" Urquidez was born into a fighting family. His father was a boxer; his mother, a professional wrestler. The second youngest of nine siblings, Benny had to fight to be heard, adapting quickly to the martial arts until, by the age of 14, he had received the first of many black belts across a number of different fighting styles. In the 1970s, he pioneered full-contact karate, which was later termed 'American kickboxing', paving the way for the sport in the USA. He remained undefeated throughout his 27-year professional martial arts career, and is the only fighter to have retained six world titles across five weight divisions. On top of all this, he has also enjoyed great success in the film world as an actor, fight choreographer and trainer, coaching huge stars like John Cusack, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Patrick Swayze. His groundbreaking work with Jackie Chan in the Hong Kong action comedies Wheels on Meals (1984) and Dragons Forever (1988) is considered by many as one of the

Joe Taslim always wanted to be an actor, even before he became a martial artist. Growing up poor in South Sumatra, Indonesia, his family only took him to judo lessons because they were free. With his dad as his coach, he would go on to become a national judo champion in a career spanning well over a decade. Ironically, it was his skills in the martial arts which would eventually lead him back to his true passion - acting - when his breakthrough role as the tough special forces sergeant Jaka in Gareth Evans' smash-hit film, 'The Raid: Redemption' (2011), saw him become an overnight sensation. Joe has since enjoyed success in multiple territories; in Indonesia, where he has worked consistently with the Uwais fight team on projects including the violent masterpiece, 'The Night Comes for Us' (2018), and the action comedy, 'Hit & Run' (2019); in Hollywood, where he has collaborated with the producer and director, Justin Lin, on 'Fast & Furious 6' (2013), 'Star Trek Beyond' (2016), and the TV series, 'Warri

When martial artist Larnell Stovall first saw the film Blade in 1998, it was a lightbulb moment. But it wasn't the actions of Wesley Snipes as the titular kick-ass vampire hunter which would spark a sudden interest in wanting to work in the movies; it was the actions of the people Wesley was beating up. Feeling inspired, Larnell took a bus from New Orleans to Hollywood armed only with his martial arts skills and the dream of making it in the stunt world. It wasn't long before he caught the attention of Chad Stahelski and David Leitch - owners of 87eleven Action Design - which would prove to be his ticket to the big-time, working as a fight choreographer and stunt coordinator on some of the biggest and best martial arts movies of recent times, including Undisputed 3: Redemption (2010), Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012), and work with fellow karate expert, Michael Jai White, including Falcon Rising (2014) and his Never Back Down sequels. He has worked in India - most notably as the award-winning action

At 75, Rocky Taylor is known as Britain's oldest stunt performer. A day before this podcast was recorded, he was doing doughnut spins in his car and setting himself on fire. In the last year alone, his stunt credits include Spider-Man: Far from Home and Angel Has Fallen. Rocky has sustained his long career (six decades and counting) by being something of an all-rounder: high-falls, horses, cars, sword fights and punch-ups. He has doubled for some of the biggest names in British film and television, from Patrick Macnee in the hit 1960s TV show, The Avengers, to Sean Connery and Roger Moore. His credits include work in the Bond franchise, Titanic, Evita (as stunt coordinator), and the Harry Potter series. As a judo expert from a young age, it was the martial arts which would provide Rocky with his first big break in the movies: training the singer Cliff Richard for the 1961 musical film, The Young Ones. Performing at a time when safety on film sets was less rigorous than it is today, Rocky has narrowly avoided

The career of multilingual Chinese Canadian star Ludi Lin has gone from strength-to-strength over the last few years, with Ludi enjoying success across a range of genres in both China and the USA. Landing the role of the Black Ranger in Saban’s 2017 'Power Rangers' origin story helped to turbo-charge his reputation in Hollywood, followed by his work in James Wan’s underwater comic-book adventure, 'Aquaman'. In 2021, Ludi will play Liu Kang, the central character in the hotly anticipated new 'Mortal Kombat' movie, which promises world-building R-rated martial arts action and a supporting cast of ass-kicking fighting talent. Ludi is committed to playing characters who are fully rounded and feel authentic, and no role is off the table. His work is a testament to this approach, and he has already donned many disguises; from a magician in a Chinese fantasy world (see 'Monster Hunt'), to a romantic lead (see Netflix series 'The Ghost Bride'), and a virtual reality avatar with a conscience (see 'Black Mirror'). On t

Martial artist Brett Chan has enjoyed a steady rise in the film and television industry since his first appearances fighting with the Ninja Turtles in the late 1990s. A veteran Hollywood stunt performer with over 150 credits to his name, Brett has worked as a fight choreographer, stunt coordinator and second unit director on a number of action-packed TV shows. He has brought his wealth of martial arts knowledge to fight-centric shows for Netflix, including Marco Polo, Iron Fist (part of Marvel's The Defenders series) and Snowpiercer, based on Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film of the same name. His most recent show, Warrior - based on the writings of Bruce Lee - will return for its second season in October 2020 on Cinemax in the USA. He is also working on a reboot of the classic 1970s TV show, Kung Fu, for The CW. Brett says he tries to bring his own unique flair to every new project, working closely with his actors and his Hitz International stunt team to make television which is visceral, authentic, and above all, ex

When Loren Avedon answered a call to the Jun Chong Martial Arts Academy on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles late one night in 1987, little did he know that the call would prove to be life-changing. With only a matter of days until filming was scheduled to start in Thailand on the sequel to the 1986 martial arts hit, 'No Retreat, No Surrender', both of the film's contracted stars - Kurt McKinney and Jean-Claude Van Damme - had pulled out, leaving producer Roy Horan with the desperate task of having to contact the city's top dojos to quickly find a replacement. Enter young taekwondo ace, Loren Avedon; black belt student of brothers Phillip and Simon Rhee, part-time instructor at Jun Chong's and a used car salesman. After impressing Roy Horan, Loren found himself jetting off to Thailand to start his new career as a leading actor in martial arts action movies. 'No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder' would prove to be the first of a three-picture deal with the Hong Kong production company, Seasonal Films - c

Stu Bennett's transformational story from a shy, skinny kid growing up in the north of England to five-time WWE Intercontinental Champion and 'King of the Ring' - known by his pro-wrestling name, Wade Barrett - seems like a dream come true. The story belies years of hard work and even harder knocks; a steady climb from the amateur circuit in the UK to securing a contract with the biggest wrestling organisation in the world, only to have his mind and body tested to the limit. By the time he quit professional wrestling in 2016 - refusing to sign another lucrative deal with the WWE - he was out for the count, both mentally and physically, and determined to turn his back on the sport which he had loved and admired so much as a kid. Like so many WWE stars before him - The Rock, Dave Bautista and John Cena among them - the movies beckoned; specially, work in the UK with filmmakers including James Nunn (for 2016's Eliminators) and Ross Boyask (for 2018's I Am Vengeance). It is his role as the tough mercenary John Go

The key to success in the stunt world, says Hollywood action star Tara Macken, is to be an all-rounder. Tara's resume is testament to that philosophy. Raised in the jungles of Borneo, Tara's adventurous spirit started at a young age. It has remained with her throughout her professional career, where she has found work as a dancer, gymnast, model, actor and stunt performer with over 100 films and TV credits to her name. She is a leading name in the action community, known for her fighting and martial arts skills, and doubling huge movie stars like Tessa Thompson, Rosie Perez and Eva Longoria. An incredibly versatile performer, Tara moves between stunt work on hit TV shows like 'Westworld' and films including 'The Hunger Games', 'John Wick: Chapter 3', 'Birds of Prey' and the new 'Mortal Kombat' film, to playing Bugs Bunny in a sequel to 'Space Jam', and stepping behind the camera to work as a stunt coordinator, fight choreographer and trainer. She now has her eyes set on joining the rising number of female stu

In the late 1970s, Richard Norton - martial artist and bodyguard to the stars - faced a crossroads in his life. He could either stay in Melbourne, Australia, and continue with his nine-to-five job, teaching martial arts in the evenings - a life he very much enjoyed - or follow the advice of singer Linda Ronstadt and move with her to California. It was a decision which would prove life-changing. Once in America, Richard started to supplement his days touring with some of the world's biggest musical artists - including ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor and many more - with work in the movies, encouraged by his friendships with Hollywood action legends like Chuck Norris and Pat E. Johnson. It was Pat who first introduced Richard to kung fu superstar Jackie Chan, leading him to eventually work on some of the greatest Hong Kong action films of the period, including 'Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars' and 'Millionaire's Express' for Sammo Hung, and 'Magic Crystal' and 'City Hunter' for W

When a stunt performer couldn't get the right shot needed during a 70ft fall on the set of Vietnamese superhero movie, Lôi Báo (2017), the film's action director, Vincent Wang, made a quick decision. With time running out, Vincent relieved the stunt performer of their duties, strapped himself to a harness and performed the stunt himself - much to the shock of the rest of the crew. He nailed it first time. No surprise, really, considering Vincent's over two-decade career as a stunt performer in Hollywood, working on some of the largest action films of all time, including the Bond franchise (Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day, Skyfall), The Bourne Ultimatum, The Force Awakens and work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In more recent years, Vincent has pursued a career as a fight choreographer and action director, where his credits include Zhang Yimou's big-budget creature feature, The Great Wall (2016) - starring Matt Damon and Andy Lau - and work in Vietnam with the versatile director, Victor Vu. His most re

Tired of scrolling through streaming platforms trying to decide on the next thing to watch during lockdown? Then let the martial arts action star Scott Adkins help you, as he discusses his favourite fight films of all time on today's episode, including five bonafide classics and five lesser-appreciated head-kickers. During our chat - his fourth appearance on the show - we discover how he almost ended up in the 1997 Gary Daniels movie, Bloodmoon; what he learned from Donnie Yen and Yuen Woo-ping on the set of Ip Man 4; his thoughts about moving into directing; and the latest gossip on his many upcoming projects, including Dolph Lundgren's Castle Falls, spy thriller Legacy of Lies, sci-fi adventure film The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud, and Debt Collectors, the surprise sequel to 2018's The Debt Collector. Debt Collectors is released on digital in the USA on 29 May and DVD on 2 June, courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films. In the UK, the film is known under the title, Payback, and will be released on digital

You could say it was Jackie Chan that first brought together the Manila-based martial arts power couple, Sarah Chang and Vincent Soberano. They first met at the Jackie Chan Stuntman Training Centre; a huge complex in Tianjin, used by people from all over the world to train in the martial arts and make it in the movies. Vincent - a former professional fighter and pioneer of mixed martial arts in China, who helped to train the country's first UFC fighters - helped to design the facility; and in 2016, in walked Sarah Chang - actor, producer, fight choreographer, and five-time USA national wushu team member - training for a role in a movie. While she was there, she befriended the stunt coordinator, Sam Hargrave, who ended up using her to double Celina Jade in Wu Jing's action blockbuster, Wolf Warrior II. Vincent and Sarah connected over their passion for martial arts, and their drive to portray authentic fighting styles in the movies. But it wasn't until their work on the action horror, Blood Hunters - filmed in

Through his trio of martial arts films - Merantau (2009), The Raid (2011) and The Raid 2 (2014) - filmmaker Gareth Evans helped to put Indonesian action cinema on the map, launched the careers of a new generation of fight stars (including Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman), and created some of the most exhilarating, inventive, and game-changing fight sequences of modern times. Not bad for a young filmmaker from South Wales, who grew up watching Jackie Chan films with his dad, who chose to invest in a video camera when he turned 17 instead of learning to drive. Following his adventures in Indonesia, Evans has since returned to Wales where he has been developing a range of projects exploring new mediums and genres, including the British gothic horror, Apostle (2018) - available on Netflix - and the nine-part TV series, Gangs of London, which lands on Sky Atlantic in the UK on 23 April 2020. The show, based on a computer game, sees Evans return to a contemporary action setting, working alongside his

Welcome to our annual, festive End of Year Show for 2019, featuring the Life of Action author and fight movie expert, Mike Fury. It has been another action-packed and diverse year for martial arts movies, from off-beat indie comedies (The Art of Self-Defense) to big Hollywood franchise-based actioners (Hobbs and Shaw, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum), not to mention the return of the traditional Hong Kong kung fu movie (Master Z, Ip Man 4). Scott Adkins went ballistic in Avengement; the world's biggest martial arts stars squared off in Triple Threat; and Veronica Ngo turned in a star-making performance as a kick-ass mother hellbent on finding her daughter in Furie; but which film will come out on top?Join us as we count down our personal top five martial arts films from the year, as well as reading out comments submitted by our listeners. We also talk about the worst martial arts films of the year, discuss the stories which hit the headlines, and highlight the movies we are most looking forward to in 2020.