Why did the old school kung fu movie genre die out during the 1980s?

[AbeRudder]

So from what i know the output of classical kung fu films from HK and Taiwan almost completely dried up around 1985-86. Old school style films popped up periodically after 85 but most of them seemed to come from the mainland, i believe the last of chang cheh's films were mainland ones.

Usually when this topic is discussed people point to Jackie, Sammo and Biao moving into modern day action films as the main cause. But to me there has to be more to it unless the kung fu film scene was 100% reliant on the 3 brothers. Was it a case of over-saturation? Were too many kung fu films being made? Or did people just get bored of them?

[Drunken Monk]

I imagine it was just cinematic evolution. The American action films of the 80's went the same way. Filmmakers just seemed to want to go bigger and bigger and that left no room for old school styled kung fu films, it would seem.

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

Exactly like Drunken Monk said, cinematic evolution. Some genres are en vogue for a time, then they fade out, only to re-emerge in a new form. Period kung fu has come and gone since the 1920's. It has nothing to do with Jackie and Sammo, or any other one person. It has to do with shifting audience tastes, trends, different markets etc.

[I Am Caine]

I guess in the 80s:

-American stars came on the scene (including Van Damme); not sure if these were even popular in Asia, though

-gangster movies got bigger

-American "blockbuster" movies got bigger, so people were comparing everything to Spielberg and them, right?

-Japanese ninja movies?

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

Ninja's replaced Kung Fu, and yes JCVD was a big change. He combined Schwarzenegger with martial arts, and the whole fitness craze. Also, Caucasian audiences want a white hero, not an Asian one that hates white people. It isn't a conscious decision, but I had a friend that studied kung fu in the 70's and was also into acting that said "I'd like to do martial arts films, but I'd have to play the bad guy". With Reagan and Thatcher, there was a sort of arch conservatism in the west, and they wanted heroes who looked like the bad guys in Kung Fu movies. Die Hard and Joel Silver were the big changers in action, I would say more than Spielberg. And with that, you could have a fight scene with some martial arts, along with gun battles, explosions, etc. They would have done Die Hard in HK, but they just couldn't afford it. Look at the movies now, it's all CGI, that's why I don't watch them, but it seems to me they would've if they could've.

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

Don't think HK cinema ever really felt they were competing with Hollywood until the 90's. They were often spoofing and borrowing, but not really trying to match American movies in any realistic way before films like Downtown Torpedoes, Hot War, Purple Storm etc.

When they were just doing their own thing, that's when, in my mind, HK cinema was strongest. Everyone always cites the handover, the video piracy and other factors as being the basis of HK cinema's downfall in the late 90's, but I think a big part of it was also them losing their identity.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

I have to agree. My brother in law, who is Chinese, said it was the handover. Of course, he gets a real streak of Nationalistic pride now that China is on top, but that being said, he is not going to retire there.

The films just don't have the zip they once had, for the most part. Of course Donnie Yen or someone else will come out with a barnburner and make me eat my words. I hope so.

[66 Mantis]

By 1982 (ish), local audiences grew tired of the classic period stuff and wanted modern action/comedies. Enter Aces Go Places, Winners and Sinners, Project A... They gave audiences what they wanted. I don't think there's much more to it than that (evolving local tastes).

[Killer Meteor]

I think part of the change was that there was a lot more Hong Kong character in the modern day actioners then there were in the period films.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

I just looked it up, and, if they had to choose between British and PRC rule, they would go with British. Of course, I don't know if anyone asked them if they could be their own country. I would think they would prefer it to either choice, by a long shot. Like Singapore.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

I just looked it up, and, if they had to choose between British and PRC rule, they would go with British. Of course, I don't know if anyone asked them if they could be their own country. I would think they would prefer it to either choice, by a long shot. Like Singapore.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 was signed without any say from the Hong Kong people.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

The Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 was signed without any say from the Hong Kong people.

That is why I was so shocked to see this from the South China Times. But it could be one of those questions like "Where do you want it, in the head or the gut?'

It was a 92% overwhelming response, but that is probably more a slap at the PRC then a love letter to the British. I think I have officially derailed the thread. Sorry, I am new here, so back to kung fu movies.............

[DiP]

http://www.brns.com/timeline/hktime3.htm