Martial Arts Film

All too often, people have just seen a movie like The Matrix or some sort of Hong Kong Kung Fu flick, and they want to make their own martial arts movie. Well, everyone can make a movie with martial arts in it, but few can make a GOOD movie with martial arts in it. Here I give you

Chagatai's Rules of Martial Arts Movies, Version 1.0 :

1. Watch some good Kung Fu flicks from Hong Kong. This includes many movies starring Jet Li, such as Fist of Legend (very little wirework), Fong Sai Yuk (partial comedy), Last Hero In China (comedy with lots of wirework), and Tai Chi Master (best plot I have seen in a Kung Fu flick; one of my favorites). Take notes. Watch the camera angles and speed.

2. Learn martial arts. The worst thing you can see is someone who doesn't know a roundhouse kick from a side thrust trying to look stylish and professional. And I don't mean just enroll in your local "Karate Shack's One Free Month of Lessons With Uniform" deal. Find a good school and stick with it for several months. It will help make you look good both in form and physically, which brings me to point #3...

3. Few people have the "Kung Fu" look. This is quite simple. There are few people in life who look like models. There are also few people in life who look like badass martial artists. Chances are if you are a 6'2" white guy with a gut, even if you can kick over your head and do backflips, it won't look good. You need people in your movie who can intimidate, have a defined musculature, and can do all of the moves. Costumes and makeup can also help.
But, don't get me wrong, there are roles for people who might not be in the best of shape. For instance, a "round" fellow can look like a good Tai Chi master and play the part convincingly.

4. Choreography. The trick here is to go imbetween looking totally scripted and not scripted enough. You want all of your characters to have power in their moves, finesse, and skill that is exhibited. But you also don't want it to look like a scripted, "I punch here, you block there," type of thing. The moves need to be fluid and slightly eccentric, and continually shifting camera angles make all of the difference.

5. Plot. Research the history and period of what kind of a flick that you want to make. You don't want to see a Kung Fu flick where the main guy has a samurai sword. By the same token, a karate fighter should not try Capeoria moves. Make everything authentic. And there are certain plots that you must avoid, namely anything that has "ninjas" or "street fighting" in it. These are waaaaay overdone.

6. Kitsch. To finish up your movie, find some trait that stands out. Maybe you have a "one-armed swordsman," maybe you have an erratic weapon like in the movie "Master of teh Flying Guillotine," maybe you have someone who can summon inner power and shoot concussive force out of their hands. Find something that sets apart your movie from the rest.

Good luck.

(Footnote: Chagatai is a 6' 10" white guy with long red hair who has been studying Kung Fu since he was 16, and is now nearing 23. He knows his role in any Kung Fu flick would be the big dumb guy or the strong, "smash you into the ceiling" type guy. Feel free to e-mail him at logiq@holly.colostate.edu)

I personally believe everyone should make their own rules... but maybe i am wrong?

anyway, why not make a Dogma Kung Fu movie?
here are the rules...

"I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGME 95:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).
3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).
4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.
10. The director must not be credited.
Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a "work", as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.
Thus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY."
Copenhagen, Monday 13 March 1995

On behalf of DOGME 95

Lars von Trier Thomas Vinterberg

on another note, if you want some good kung-fu movies, whatever you do, dont rent jet li's black mask, no matter how cool the trailer looks, its not that good. something about a chinese guy being dubbed by a gangsta' saying muther f**ker just doesnt seem right to me. besides that, the movie just flat out sucked. i recommend fists of fury, enter the dragon, lethal weapon 4, and almost anything by bruce lee or jet li.

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I was normal once..... I didn't like it.

check my site www.angelfire.com/al2/NOViCE

I was just kidding though, I'm still sort of confused by their seriousness about it. Still, "the idiots" and "festen" are pretty o-k.

and yes, we should make our own dogmas. another one for each shot! we're all individuals!

what was this post about again? sorry Dale