Movies Influence on the Martial Arts

[Danjo]

How many people got into the martial arts due to the influence of movies or television? I know I did. For me it was David Carradine's Kung Fu series and the Octagon with Chuck Norris. It seems that I've read that many were influenced by the Samurai movies in the 50's, Bruce Lee was obviously Huge as an influence in both the Green Hornet and his movies. The 1980's saw a massive explosion of studios that catered to children due to the Karate Kid movies etc. So, how many here got into the martial arts initially due to the movies or TV?

[beau_safken]

It was a big factor in my wanting to try the martial arts.

Old school 70's chinese kung fu flicks with all the cheesy sound effects, Jackie Chan stuff, "Best of the Best", Steven Seagal, and limited TV stuff.

Mostly it was a neighbor that lived down the street that really got me into martial arts big time. He trained us and we all enjoyed it. I just took it a step further and continued my training.

[Andrew Green]

Guilty :D

[mantis]

How many people got into the martial arts due to the influence of movies or television? I know I did. For me it was David Carradine's Kung Fu series and the Octagon with Chuck Norris. It seems that I've read that many were influenced by the Samurai movies in the 50's, Bruce Lee was obviously Huge as an influence in both the Green Hornet and his movies. The 1980's saw a massive explosion of studios that catered to children due to the Karate Kid movies etc. So, how many here got into the martial arts initially due to the movies or TV?
i didnt go into martial arts because of the movie, but one reason i am connected to martial arts at all times is movies.

[MA-Caver]

Stands up... shuffles feet, head bowed.... raises hand partially/meekly....

Guilty as well.

Dave Carridine's performances in Kung Fu (TV series) and Bruce Lee.




sorry to say Rich Parsons wasn't an influence :o

[Phadrus00]

TOTALLY GUILTY!

My initial interest in the Martial Arts stemmed from watching David Carradine in the Kung Fu series. Bruce Lee's movies affected me greatly as did the classic movie Billy Jack.

I would say that the next generation of Martial Arts students is getting worked up watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, house of Flying Daggers, Ong Bak and even today Bruce Lee's movies.

What I truly appreciate though is how Martial Arts is making it's way into mainstream movies and television more and more. Films like The Matrix, Batman Begins, and TV series like SG-1 and SG:Atlantis are bringing the Arts out of the Niche movie into more mainstream entertainment.

Rob

[Danjo]

TOTALLY GUILTY!

My initial interest in the Martial Arts stemmed from watching David Carradine in the Kung Fu series. Bruce Lee's movies affected me greatly as did the classic movie Billy Jack.

I would say that the next generation of Martial Arts students is getting worked up watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, house of Flying Daggers, Ong Bak and even today Bruce Lee's movies.

What I truly appreciate though is how Martial Arts is making it's way into mainstream movies and television more and more. Films like The Matrix, Batman Begins, and TV series like SG-1 and SG:Atlantis are bringing the Arts out of the Niche movie into more mainstream entertainment.

Rob

Damn. I forgot about Billy Jack! I loved those movies! They totally inspired a lot of people! God help you if you picked on Billy Jack's hippies! :)

[Hand Sword]

Kung fu theater movies on Saturday mornings, Sonny "the street fighter" Chiba, and Billy Jack got me into it as well late 70's-early 80's.

[Ross]

I would have to say Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Now those doods have got some moves!!

LOL

Some of my earliest and fondest memories were of Monkey and Kung fu.

But it is interesting how it opened my eyes to something that I had never even heard of, had it not been for TV (I used to live in a very isolated village).

Most recently, I would have to say that Ong Bak is a superb film and a lot more gritty and realistic (mainly because Tony Ja does all his own stunts with no wire work, safety nets etc) akin to old Jacky "Armour of God" Chan.

[green meanie]

Same here. Carradine's Kung Fu. :asian:

[bobster_ice]

Best of the Best got into TKD.

[Drac]

Damn. I forgot about Billy Jack! I loved those movies! They totally inspired a lot of people! God help you if you picked on Billy Jack's hippies! :)

Oh my Gawd..How could I also forget that movie..We all walked around for months quoting his "I'm gonna to take my left foot" line...

[phlaw]

I am very happy to say that my first "sensei" was Mr. Miyagi :-)

[MJS]

Guilty here as well.:ultracool Chuck Norris, Seagal, Karate Kid and the Kung Fu show all played a part.

Mike

[Swordlady]

I am very happy to say that my first "sensei" was Mr. Miyagi :-)

Ditto. ;) I was a teenager when "The Karate Kid" was released. I practiced "wax on, wax off" before starting TKD training a couple years later.

[patroldawg27]

The Karate Kid definetly got me involved in the martial arts! I used to watch it daily along with Enter the Dragon and No Retreat No Surrender.

[Robert Lee]

though movies did not send me off wanting to learn. I am guilty of watching them because of my M/A interest the kung fu series in what 1972 i sure liked. Kato i wased green hornet a few times in the late 60s. The billy Jack movies remember trial of billy Jack broke the box office records for that time In 1975. Bruces movies of coarse Watched them all Chuck Norris first movie Breaker Breaker was not that great but still headed out to the movie to watch it. remember the early 80s Ninja craze was in. kids would come to the school thinking they would learn that. I think alot of people have been brought into the M/A world by watching movies Or have watched the M/A movies because they were part of the M/A training Now if we could just fight off 50 people and win like some of the movies have shown But never the less they are good to watch at times

[Danjo]

I think it's interesting how people (myself included) will watch a movie or TV show and then go out and study a martial art that's different than the one that was shwon in the movie. I loved "Kung Fu" but the only martial arts in the town I was in were Judo, and Shotokan Karate. I knew that karate had the kicks, so that's where I went. I remember the Nija craze also and forgot to add that one in to the list. I remember many apocryphal stories about modern nija etc. at the time. There should be a field of study called "Crypto-Martial Arts" to parallel Cryptozoology where we search for the esoteric fables in the martial arts world the same way cryptozoologists search for Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.

[ChrisWTK]

It was power rangers for me. Of course it would take 10 years after that initial spark for me to actually start taking martial arts.

[Rich Parsons]

Stands up... shuffles feet, head bowed.... raises hand partially/meekly....

Guilty as well.

Dave Carridine's performances in Kung Fu (TV series) and Bruce Lee.




sorry to say Rich Parsons wasn't an influence :o

That is ok.

I fear that I might negatively impact others. I am glad I have not negatively impacted you. ;)

[YoungMan]

I was watching Chuck Norris films before I began training, but they didn't cause me to start. I wanted to start even before that.
To be honest, I didn't see too many Norris films before I began. I was too young to get into the theaters to see him or the ninja films, and not too many stations showed him. He wouldn't start making those crappy family-friendly films for several years, by which time I was already doing TKD.

[Sanchin-J]

Oddly enough it wasn't a movie but a person in my case, my father got me involved at a young age because he wanted to make sure I could defend myself if I ever needed to. Granted, the movies kept me motivated and keenly interested, but ultimately my interest in the martial arts originated on a more wholesome note hehe.

[iwingchun]

In my opinion, the most influenced category is the children. I am saying that because in the movies you can see the starring man beats 5 guys with stuffs etc and many children want to look like him.....This is a nice way to make children up to go to Martial Arts schools. I suggest children go to Wing Chun schools, if there is near your house or in other martial arts in order to defense in someone's attack....:)

[IcemanSK]

I was heavily influenced by Chuck Norris flicks. My dad & I saw "Forced Vengence" at the theatre & then walked across the street & signed up for class.

[Darth F.Takeda]

Being a cross eyed, asthmatic and getting bullied got me into training, but movies helped motivate.
Martial arts films dont do it for me anymore as the violence is to fake, but stuff like Rome, A History of Violence, Last of the Moheicans, Conan, The Bourne films and Fight Quest get me pumped to train.

[Guardian]

How many people got into the martial arts due to the influence of movies or television? I know I did. For me it was David Carradine's Kung Fu series and the Octagon with Chuck Norris. It seems that I've read that many were influenced by the Samurai movies in the 50's, Bruce Lee was obviously Huge as an influence in both the Green Hornet and his movies. The 1980's saw a massive explosion of studios that catered to children due to the Karate Kid movies etc. So, how many here got into the martial arts initially due to the movies or TV?

I have to say Chuck Norris' Octagon influenced on me also.

[chinto]

I was first exposed to the idea of martial arts and all by an old WWII movie.. and later the kung fu tv series.. and they had some influence on me I am sure as far as wanting to learn martial arts.

[kingkong89]

for me it was the original teenage mutant ninja turtles and power rangers in the early 90's after i started movies like rumble in the bronx and even the older movies like enter the dragon made me more interested in martial arts