The characters of Fong Sai Yuk and his mother (who also happens to be his sifu) are central to the film Fong Sai Yuk, and the teamwork of the actors who play these characters – Jet Li and Josephine Siao – is central to this film’s success as a piece of entertainment. Below I have…
Fong Sai Yuk – Random Thoughts
Part comedy, part broiling melodrama, Fong Sai Yuk (1993) is good solid entertainment in the form of a kung fu film. Directed by master choreographer Corey Yuen Kuei, it boasts an excellent cast including Jet Li (Fong Sai Yuk), Josephine Siao Fong Fong (Miu Chui Fa - Fong Sai Yuk’s kung fu fighting Mum), Paul…
Twin Warriors: Tian Bao and Jun Bao in Tai Chi Master
“... the best role of his career, not only sharing but sometimes stealing the spotlight from his super stellar colleague.” Paul Fonoroff on Chin Siu Ho, At the Hong Kong Movies, p. 353 In an interview on the Dragon Dynasty DVD release of Fist Of Legend (in which Chin Siu Ho co-starred with Jet Li)…
Tai Chi Master – Characters and Actors
According to my notes, the Chinese title for this film is Tai Ji Zhang San Feng. How does this literally translate? I am assuming that Tai Ji refers to the martial art that I know as Tai Chi. I know that Zhang San Feng is the name of the character who, according to myth, invented…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Yoghanza Theatre Company
Performed 8-11 September 2010 as part of the Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series at the Arts Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Korean theatre company, Yoghanza, has devised a unique piece of theatre based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream. To quote from the program: “this production... incorporates themes from Korean culture and folklore. The production also…
Donnie Yen Interview about OUTIC 2
I am currently writing posting blogs about one of my very favourite movies – Once Upon A Time in China 2 (OUTIC 2). This movie stars Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Rosamund Kwan, Xiong Xin Xin, and legendary Shaw Brothers star David Chiang in an important supporting role. It was directed and produced by Tsui Hark,…
Swordsman 2’s Invincible Asia and the tradition of cross dressing in kung fu movies
(My previous blog was about Brigitte Lin's performance as Invincible Asia. This blog contains some thoughts about Swordsman 2's transsexual villain Invincible Asia and the tradition of cross dressing in kung fu movies) In his review of Swordsman 2, critic Paul Fonoroff states: “The beautiful Brigitte Lin seems miscast – there is no way she…
The sexuality of the characters in Swordsman 2
The sexuality of the characters in Swordsman 2 (My previous blog on Swordsman 2 discussed the choreography of this film). “But as subversive as Lin’s transsexual anti-heroine already is, the film’s auto-critique must also queer the chastest, most sexually reticent, of all martial arts stars, Jet Li” p 134, Kung Fu Cult Masters by Leon…
Swordsman 2: Plot and Characters
I have written some blogs about Swordsman 2 and plan to start posting them soon. However, as a prelude to this I thought that I would post a blog that contained a summary of this film's plot, along with a cast list. I thought I would do this as the plot of Swordsman 2 is…
Yam Sai Kwun as Iron Robe Yim in Once Upon A Time in China – Blog 2
(In which I discuss how this character is portrayed) (Part 1 of this blog was concerned with a character analysis of Iron Robe Yim.) As masters of Chinese kung fu, antagonist Iron Robe Yim and protagonist Wong Fei Hung are both characters who represent China and its traditions. The threats they both encounter during Once…
Fu Thoughts 