Random Thoughts...American Kung Fu Films

[Guest Jesse Smooth]

A while back, there was a thread about a book called Unsettled Mysteries(?). It was about Bruce Lee's death and the author had thought that the other California martial artists were never given a chance in Hollywood.

Now due to the fact that martial arts films reflect Asian history, naturally, their martial arts films would be better. However, we all know that everybody jumped on the kung fu bandwagon as soon as the films became popular in the USofA. In America, kungfu was often lumped in with exploitation and became exploitation. However, there were talented martial artists in the US that just didn't look good on film (as Dion Brother mentioned they had no screen presence).

Due to that fact, MOST American made martial arts films were quick-buck hack jobs. However, I would like to ask could Americans make great martial arts epics if they had the proper writers, budgets, martial artists with screen presence and so forth? Were there any USA kung fu movies (from that era)that would be worth being listed aside our favorite HK/Taiwan productions?

[Guest Hermeskungfu]

Just a few thoughts. Firstly American 'kung fu' films often tried to use real martial artists whereas many HK stars like Leung Kar Yan were actors first and martial artists by training. Some like Don Wilson and Cynthia made the transition, others didn't. Secondly HK had / has the best stunts people for this sort of film and surely it is not a coincidence that Yuen Woo Ping was brought in to give say Kill Bill an authentic feel. Jet Li kept coming up against inept direction in American kung fu films and for somer reason was often associated with rap stars, to give him street cred ? Bruce Lee wasn't the last 'eastern' actor that the major studios thought couldn't carry the lead role by himself.