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Jimmy Wang Yu


Michael L.

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bruceleeclones

I've been getting into Wang Yu's movies a lot more recently, I was never much of a fan but he does have some good titles in his filmography. It was good to see him back on screen in donnie yen's movie.

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I've been getting into Wang Yu's movies a lot more recently, I was never much of a fan but he does have some good titles in his filmography. It was good to see him back on screen in donnie yen's movie.

One of Jimmy's less known movie is POINT THE FINGER OF DEATH. If you haven't seen it yet, do. It's a pure classic!

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shaolin swords

this story has to be 1 of the crazyed stories i heard of

just wondering how many people on here think he did it this is a very interested thread

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Well Jimmy is a Triad but he's a good one as jackie has said. Thats why Jackie did that Prisoner movie with Sammo, Lau and Jimmy as a favor to the man. I know they said Jimmy is like Beardy no serioues martial arts training but very agile, flexible, and rugged good lucks. Jimmy has made some good movies.

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It sure is a real treat to see Jimmy Wang Yu back in a movie. "Wu Xia" was a super tale all around and he brought real power to his role. I'd love for this to be a renaissance for him, though since Peter Chan and Donnie Yen are fans, they asked him as an homage to the old days, so I don't know if he's gonna continue making movies or now.

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4 minutes ago, Josh Baker said:

Should I create an anti matter thread of this one, about how Jimmy Wang Yu CANT kick? I dont want to be negative but I think its something that isnt brought up enough:rofl

I was never a fan. But I'm not that big on Shaws either. But yeah, I think Wang Yu is...over-rated.

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13 minutes ago, Dredderick_Tatum said:

I was never a fan. But I'm not that big on Shaws either. But yeah, I think Wang Yu is...over-rated.

I really like Wang Yu as an actor and kind of love him as a film-maker, but I dont know how through the seventies none of his colleagues taught him how to kick properly, I noticed in several of his films how they catered the choreography around his inability to kick- like you expect a beat where hes gonna throw a round house kick or a spinning kick and it never happens- coz Wang Yu cant execute it

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TibetanWhiteCrane

Are you people saying that ol' Jim boy's patented, low to the ground, backwards mule kick doesn't scratch your action itch? I guess there's just no pleasing some people.

But seriously, I always loved the two One Armed Boxer flicks as I grew up with those, but it took me a while to warm to Jimmy overall. I too use to think he was "overrated", but after watching all his Shaw stuff and various early 70's efforts for GH, First Films etc. I finally got it. It's hard to describe his appeal actually, so I guess it's one of those things that either you buy in or you don't... I eventually did.

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13 hours ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said:

Are you people saying that ol' Jim boy's patented, low to the ground, backwards mule kick doesn't scratch your action itch? I guess there's just no pleasing some people.

But seriously, I always loved the two One Armed Boxer flicks as I grew up with those, but it took me a while to warm to Jimmy overall. I too use to think he was "overrated", but after watching all his Shaw stuff and various early 70's efforts for GH, First Films etc. I finally got it. It's hard to describe his appeal actually, so I guess it's one of those things that either you buy in or you don't... I eventually did.

His style is very gritty and down to earth...I can get tired of intricate fight choreography in period kung fu flicks, with lots of flips and kicks, so just seeing a guy beating the crap out of fantasy characters (zombies, long armed yoga instructors, thai boxers) with front kicks and John Wayne-esque right hands to the face in Ancient China, has a real grindhouse appeal I guess...

Its very cheesy and kitsch too

I think he is a better filmmaker than a martial arts action star though

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I think he had some charisma asa straight forward actor, but as for the martial arts side, I think you guys have already described him well enough :P

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1 minute ago, Dredderick_Tatum said:

I think he had some charisma asa straight forward actor, but as for the martial arts side, I think you guys have already described him well enough :P

Glad to be of service😂

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NoKUNGFUforYU

Wang Yu was well known for getting into barroom brawls all over Asia in the late 60's and early 70's. He was a championship swimmer so while he might not look strong he most likely was and he was 6 feet tall back when that would give you a serious advantage in reach and size. He was also violent. Being violent gives you an advantage over even a fit opera actor. Kind of like the jocks versus the drama guys. Most of these guys were not fighters with the exception of Tan and a few guys that usually played bad guys. I wish I could find the interview with Richard Harrison. Harrison was on a bus with the crew for Marco Polo and a bunch of bikers came at harassed them and Harrison said they should pull over and kick their asses but the crew was afraid. Harrison was perplexed as all these guys making fighting movies didn't want to mix it up with some cheap punks, but nope. Harrison was a body builder and world traveler so he was probably tougher then he looked. And he would admit that he was not a good actor. At all. Anyway, the point is that Yu could bully other actors and everyone knew he could fight on the street.

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14 hours ago, NoKUNGFUforYU said:

Wang Yu was well known for getting into barroom brawls all over Asia in the late 60's and early 70's. He was a championship swimmer so while he might not look strong he most likely was and he was 6 feet tall back when that would give you a serious advantage in reach and size. He was also violent. Being violent gives you an advantage over even a fit opera actor. Kind of like the jocks versus the drama guys. Most of these guys were not fighters with the exception of Tan and a few guys that usually played bad guys. I wish I could find the interview with Richard Harrison. Harrison was on a bus with the crew for Marco Polo and a bunch of bikers came at harassed them and Harrison said they should pull over and kick their asses but the crew was afraid. Harrison was perplexed as all these guys making fighting movies didn't want to mix it up with some cheap punks, but nope. Harrison was a body builder and world traveler so he was probably tougher then he looked. And he would admit that he was not a good actor. At all. Anyway, the point is that Yu could bully other actors and everyone knew he could fight on the street.

So I guess Wang Yu is a violent drunk? In all the interviews I've seen him in he comes across as a friendly and intelligent person with good command of English. I guess when hes been on the bottle that all goes out the window- in one of those interviews he remarked how a few months prior hed been tasered by police after a drunken brawl- he was 71 at the time of the interview! 

 

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NoKUNGFUforYU
1 hour ago, Josh Baker said:

So I guess Wang Yu is a violent drunk? In all the interviews I've seen him in he comes across as a friendly and intelligent person with good command of English. I guess when hes been on the bottle that all goes out the window- in one of those interviews he remarked how a few months prior hed been tasered by police after a drunken brawl- he was 71 at the time of the interview! 

 

Wang was violent sober. There is an interview with one of his old stuntmen that said he would hit everyone really hard when he was mad on set during filming if they didn't do what he wanted or react enough in the fight scenes. They all had to take it as he had triad connections. 

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Film Fan Dojo

Jimmy Wang Yu Overrated?

Hey fellow kung fu movie fans! Not trying to be disrespectful, but is Jimmy Wang Yu overrated? What are your thoughts?

No one can deny his contributions to the genre, but do you think he gets enough credit, too much credit or not enough? What do you think of his on screen kung fu skills? 

 

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Chu Liu Hsiang

Rather shocking background info on his character. I greatly appreciate his charisma and acting in old Shaw movies, as well as his creativity and intensity in later career. I don't think he is over-rated because he is not being praised for his on-screen fighting skills, and his merits for the genre are undeniable. He must have made a smashing impact in the 60s. 

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shukocarl1441996347

Jimmy is 24k gold legend in my opinion. As a director he had more great ideas and vision than most of his contemporaries. As a fighter he made a little go a long way. It's obvious he was super fit and willing to try anything dangerous for his films. George Lazenby called him a tough s.o.b. who'd fight anyone. Yes, he was arrogant and horrible to some folk, but I suppose being on the edge of the law makes you like that. He was also stabbed 7 times in a Taiwan gang battle and still came back after 6 months recovery. He's certainly a controversial figure but he does deserve a little respect being in innovative film-maker and first real "Kung fu" hero.

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For me, JWY best asset has always been his charisma on screen, not his fighting style or non-existent kicks which were horrible! He made you believe in his characters. He'll always be a top KF movie star in my book.

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He was never a great on screen fighter but he had great energy and gave his all. The prolific nature of his career meant there were a lot of duds but also seem really good movies as well. I'm a fan, i treasure my Wang Yu Shout factory 6 disc set.

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shukocarl1441996347
3 hours ago, saltysam said:

He was never a great on screen fighter but he had great energy and gave his all. The prolific nature of his career meant there were a lot of duds but also seem really good movies as well. I'm a fan, i treasure my Wang Yu Shout factory 6 disc set.

6 discs? mine has 4 films on 2 discs!

Edited by shukocarl1441996347
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I agree,he is one of the best for me and I don' t care about the rest. Or course, I tend to idealize my favorite stars, and I'm shocked when I learn such things as those mentioned on this thread, or Chen Hui Min's triad connections, or Liu Yung's and Lo Lieh's bad behaviour towards women, but except God, I don't know any Saint in the real life. Everybody has his good side and his bad side at some moment and it doesn't wipe out the valour of Wang Yu's talent.

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3 hours ago, shukocarl1441996347 said:

6 discs? mine has 4 films on 2 discs!

I'm confusing it with the 6 film Mao set.Still treasure it though :laugh

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His entire career is based on charisma, and it is a characteristic that few have. Some of his films are absurd and over the top. As a martial skill he was never very skilled, but everything else was made up for by his huge presence on the screen, and that was enough. But if on the cinema screen he didn't look physically athletic, in private he has always been a dangerous person: it was better not to make him angry. He has saved Jackie Chan's career more than once, especially right when Jackie was being threatened by the triads. he is an iconic face of the genre that he knows and has seen many things. a living monument. I hope I have not written too many errors, sorry.

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