Nominate the movies that represent your art

[girlbug2]

So many films have bad examples of MA, implausible fight scenes, horrible misrepresentations of what the martial arts are all about. So let's focus on the few that really do a good job at portraying them, as a way of honoring good filmmakers and martial artist actors alike. What movie in your opinion best represents the art you study -- Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, etc?

One Gyoshu Karate martial artist I know said Streetfighter with Sonny Chiba is the best karate film regarding authentic fighting. So Streetfighter is my nomination for Karate.

Let's hear what you all nominate, and why it's the best in your opinion.

 

[terryl965]

For me it is a no brainer Best Of the Best the original all they way, it represent my art to the fullest.

 

[Nolerama]

I liked Best of the Best back in the day, but Eric Roberts looks/sounds like he copped a TBI during filming.

 

[Brian Jones]

What the heck, I will give this a try

American Kenpo: No brainer, has to be "The Perfect Weapon"
Modern Arnis: Well I have to go to FMA in general, and of the stuff I have seen I would go with any of the "Jason Bourne" Movies
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: I just started this, and I cna't think of one that really shows it well. "Red Belt" didn't come to our area so I can't pick it although everyone's reviews of it were pretty poor
Hapkido: OK I haven't done this art but I would pick "The trial of Billy Jack"


Brian Jones

 

[girlbug2]

I love the Bourne movies! Had no idea that that was modern Arnis/FMA. Cool stuff.

I've been wanting to see Redbelt also. Rottentomatoes gave it a 71% (very good) rating. Whose reviews were poor?

 

[zDom]

Hapkido: OK I haven't done this art but I would pick "The trial of Billy Jack"

Actually there is a Jackie Chan movie — I think it might be the second Drunken Master? that is a much better representation of HKD

I agree with Best of the Best for TKD.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

The One with Jet Li represents Bagua and Hsing yi

 

[arnisador]

I love the Bourne movies! Had no idea that that was modern Arnis/FMA.

For FMAs, The Pacific Connection (hard to find) and The Hunted are also good.

 

[kwaichang]

IMO, one of the best martial arts pictures of all time is

"Circle of Iron" also titled "The Silent Flute" based on a story by Bruce Lee and James Coburn.

Try it, you'll like it.:cheers:

 

[girlbug2]

Thanks, I'll look it up

 

[CoryKS]

American Kenpo: No brainer, has to be "The Perfect Weapon"

Would really like to see this, having heard so often that it's a good representation of kenpo. Other than the action, it must have been a real stinker because it's about impossible to find.

 

[Brian Jones]

MAny video stores carry the Perfect Weapon. And it actually did fairly well at the Box Office. The problem is that for some reason it's never been released on DVD. Therefore as most video places faze out their VHS selection it became almost impossible to find. But you can usually find copies of it on e-bay. Or even cheaper, look for it on YouTube. You should be able to find at least most of the fights.
And I think the Hapkido movie with Jackie Chan may be "Young Master" although I think he fights the same guy at the end of the original Drunken Master.

Brian Jones

 

[kwaichang]

Hapkido's best showing was the original "Billy Jack" in which Master Bong Soo Han did most of the fight scenes.

 

[Topeng]

Prison films. No dueling, just a hidden shiv that get plunged into the gut as the attacker keeps walking past.
Hannibal where he slices the pickpocket open without him even knowing what happened until its too late.
Don't get the wrong idea. We don't condone greater force than required or the attacking of non-agressors. Its ending the situation with suprise, intent, and speed that made these films pop into mind.
Maybe First Blood would be a better example. He had real attackers and took them out with the same attributes as stated above.

 

[zDom]

Hapkido's best showing was the original "Billy Jack" in which Master Bong Soo Han did most of the fight scenes.

Again, I disagree.

I see bits and pieces of great hapkido (or something that looks like it could be hapkido, as I see it) in a LOT of movies.

Now that it is time to come up with them, I'm drawing a blank though

 

[ackks10]

for me it's an old movie,(some people will not know this) but it's called,,,

"it's a mad mad mad mad world" because i'm kenpo (my mother art) this movie
is just like what kenpo is, you don't understand where it starts, and how it ends, it is one big circle of a mess, if you get a chance watch this movie and you see what i mean,everything is happing fast :boing1:

ps... be ready to laugh your butt off:highfive:

 

[kwaichang]

Again, I disagree.

I see bits and pieces of great hapkido (or something that looks like it could be hapkido, as I see it) in a LOT of movies.

Now that it is time to come up with them, I'm drawing a blank though

So you disagree even when I give the first movie to show Hapkido practice by a grandmaster? Most interesting.

 

[kwaichang]

for me it's an old movie,(some people will not know this) but it's called,,,

"it's a mad mad mad mad world" because i'm kenpo (my mother art) this movie
is just like what kenpo is, you don't understand where it starts, and how it ends, it is one big circle of a mess, if you get a chance watch this movie and you see what i mean,everything is happing fast :boing1:

ps... be ready to laugh your butt off:highfive:

Ur nutzo, this is an easy movie to follow; I've watched it about forty times and I know what's going on from the first screening...............oh look a kitty:feedtroll

 

[zDom]

So you disagree even when I give the first movie to show Hapkido practice by a grandmaster? Most interesting.

Yep. I think the movie is important for the reason you state and I have great respect for the late grandmaster Bong Soo Han.

But is it REALLY the best showcasing of hapkido? A half dozen kicks, a couple knife hand strikes? What about the locks? The chokes? The throws?

In the movie I mentioned above (Yes, it IS "Young Master" not one of the Drunken Master movies — much thanks!), Hwang In Shik (or Whang Ing-Sik) demonstrates some of the best kicking EVER recorded on film, IMO, as well as some awesome jointlocking.

Kudos to Jackie, as well, on his breakfalls on earth (nobody can ham up "getting beat up" like Jackie ). From what I hear, they worked that scene so long that it started as grass and ended up as the bare patch seen in the final fight.

So just to make it crystal clear: I'm not saying Hwang is a better grandmaster or more important than Bong Soo Han to hapkido or contributed more, or whatever.

All that aside,

If I want to pull up a clip to show a friend and say,

"THAT is hapkido!"

Then it will be that final fight in "Young Master", NOT Billy Jack.

:shrug:

(wish I could remember some of the other films I thought had nice hapkido/hapkido-ish bits in them.. but I can't right now )

 

[kwaichang]

:shrug: