MovieChat Forums > Kung Fu (1972) Discussion > More Realistic Fights

More Realistic Fights

posted 19 years ago by rocksteady227
6 replies | jump to latest

The one aspect of this series that I enjoyed was the realism of the fight sequences. In the pilot episode, the climactic fight between Kaine and the Shaolin priest shows what really happens -- you get hit in the chest and a rib breaks and you don't breathe so well -- you also don't fight as well from that point forward. Unlike most martial art movies where the hero gets the absolute &*$# beat out of him for five minutes, takes a ten-second breather, and then "gets mad" and finishes his opponent.
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[–] jquark 19 years ago

Good point about "Kung Fu" introducing more realism into TV's martial arts sequences -- and while they still stand up better than many of modern vintage.

One reason that the movie "Bloodsport" (1988) has held up well for me is that it depicted that the kicks and punches of top-level fighters *do* hurt, and that well over 90% of the time (although the climactic final match did follow the usual movie-ish scriptline), the first fighter to land a heavy blow will win with the other man's injuries contributing to his slowed movements and lessened force of blows.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092675/

[–] Zootles 19 years ago

I was thinking the same the other night about how some people say the fights are tame in this series.

Well think about it - a guy like Caine would be able to put down most men very quickly and with the minimum of effort.
Fancy high kicks, blood flying about and 10+ minute fights would be completely unrealistic and out of place.

[–] didanr19 19 years ago

still the fighting is amateur at best
the monks they used in the pilot movie(demonstrated martial arts are the ones that should have fought against caine in this series) atleast they know how to actualy fight with martial arts... but just becouse they cant speak english the show producers decided not to use them after the pilot again

as for carradine he only knows tai chi wich is not a contact martial arts...

the pilot episode is perfect! its a shame the other episodes didnt have the same level of budget/production...

as for the show it self its brilliant its only weak point is the fighting it self... but thats not what this series is about!

[–] s_roome 18 years ago

The fights are there for audience appeal only and in my opinion are fine. David Carradine is not a kung master, we know, but this series is more about thought than action. If you are looking to watch a kung fu film try some Jet Li. Kung Fu the series is great! Not many television programs around which have good moral fibre like this.

[–] BigShoe62 17 years ago

as for carradine he only knows tai chi wich is not a contact martial arts...

Actually tai chi can be and has been used as a contact martial art, and it's forms are the basis for other forms of 'chinese boxing,' which involve (amongst other techniques) using the opponent's center of gravity against them. Perhaps not so exciting to watch, but extremely effective and non-lethal in nature.

[–] 17 years ago

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