Kung Fu Moves in American Movies
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Kung Fu Moves in American Movies A Category for Kung Fu Movies Xiaxin Chen Kung Fu Moves in America Movies A comparative visual study of the three most representative American Kung Fu movies and Chinese Kung Fu Thesis Presented By Xiaxin Chen The Department of Art + Design In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts In Information Design and Visualization Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts May, 2016 Abstract of Thesis This project investigates how Chinese Kung Fu has influenced American movies, and how we read a Kung Fu movie from the information of its Kung Fu moves. This project examines the different representations of Chinese Kung Fu in American and Chinese films through a comparative visual analysis. Based on the observed differences, I discuss possible reasons why specific Chinese Kung Fu moves might have been chosen in different movies. I believe that each Kung Fu move contains its own information. Every Kung Fu move is carefully designed by action directors to help a movie tell a story and build its characters. I believe that considering the meaning of each move is a way to help people understand both Chinese Kung Fu and Kung Fu movies. 2 Acknowledgements This project would not have been possible without the help of so many people. I thank for my advisor Dietmar Offenhuber, assistant professor, who provide a lot of research relevant resources, suggestions and experience to all part of this project, which do the greatly support to the project. And also I'm very appreciate to get so many helps from the stuff of information design department in Northeastern University. Thank you to Paul Kahn and Douglass Scott, who provide sufficient suggestion to my web project and exhibition posters. And also appreciate to Thomas Starr, who help me a lot on my project thesis text, layout, grammar and so on. In addition, thank you to Nathan Felde, Kristian Koleckl and Ann McDonald, who provide very precious suggestions to this project. Furthermore, thank to Xuan Zhang, Skye Moret, Mahima Pushkarna, Xiangyi Fu, Jin Wang, Yangdong ye, Jessica Hopkins and all of my classmates who offer me valuable suggestions. Their assist help me build this project, and change it become better and better. In addition, I would like thank to my Kung Fu sifu Bob Rosen and all the other sifu in Wah Lum Kung Fu school, who provide me a lot of important knowledge of Kung Fu. And also thank to Param Ajmera who work in Northeastern University writing center, he presents me numerous useful suggestions on my text work of this project. 4 Table of Content Abstract 1 Acknowledgements 3 Table of Contents 5 Introduction 7 Chapter 1: Different Perspective of Chinese Kung Fu 11 Chinese Kung Fu in Hollywood 12 Chinese Kung Fu in America 16 Chinese Kung Fu in China 19 The characteristics of Chinese Kung Fu 21 Chapter 2: Relevant Kung Fu Background 28 Chinese Kung Fu styles 30 Kung Fu History in America 38 Kung Fu influence in America 40 Chapter 3: Kung Fu moves in three Kinds of Kung Fu Movies 42 Tragedy Kung Fu 44 Comedy Kung Fu 60 Visual Kung Fu 72 Chapter 4: Conclusion 82 Appendix 86 Bibliography 122 6 7 Introduction Chinese Kung Fu has become increasingly famous, transported from China to the rest of the world through Kung Fu movies. Film scholars categorize Chinese Kung Fu movies in different ways such as “tragedy, ” “comedy, ” “visual effect, ” “Northern style, ” and “Southern style. ” However, American and Chinese scholars have different ways of categorizing Kung Fu movies, choosing the category based on the theme of the movie and how it relates to Kung Fu, or based simply on the Kung Fu styles that are portrayed. Based on those categories alone, viewers might not be able to understand the function or meaning of the Kung Fu moves, as the categories focus on the characteristics of the plot or the historical context of the Kung Fu style used in the movie. It may be difficult to understand why action directors design a specific Kung Fu move or use it in a movie, although this knowledge could help answer the question of why Kung Fu movies look so similar today. Actually, a wide range of different Kung Fu styles exists in China, all of which differ significantly. Thus, I offer the following research, which I hope will help readers understand more about Kung Fu. According to Peichi Chung's paper, Hollywood is at the forefront of the global movie market—and Kung Fu movies hold a lofty position in Hollywood cinema (Chung, 2007). David Desser considers Kung Fu movies to be a miracle, and catches the office box unprecedented (Yuan, 2003). Stuart Kaminsky argues that Kung Fu movies translate violence into an elegant art so that viewers can more easily accept it (Kaminsky,1974). Kaminsky’s primary research is on Bruce Lee's Kung Fu movies and Lee’s efforts to create the term Kung Fu. Stuart examines the reasons behind the popularity of Bruce Lee's movies in America. Lee changed the way violence was depicted on screen. Yuan Yuan observes that Bruce Lee’s movies sought to build a new impression of a Chinese man in America (Yuan, 2003). Lee wanted to show the strength and masculinity of Chinese men in his movies. Thus, he often used plots in which Chinese individuals suffered from unfair treatment because they were seen as weak and easy to bully. Lee fought back with his Kung Fu, defeating his oppressors and revealing his strength—and by extension representing all Chinese men. Stuart believes such plots reflected the feelings of many citizens of that time, who loved to see someone fighting for fair treatment on the big screen. This is probably a fundamental reason that Kung Fu movies became so popular at that time. Yuan refers to this kind of movie as tragedy Kung Fu due to its theme and the way Kung Fu is used. 8 9 Tragedy Kung Fu movies dominated the genre until 1996, when Jackie Chan, who The three Kung Fu movie styles are based on the theme of the movie, and they is one of the most famous Kung Fu movie stars in the world today, introduced his each use Kung Fu in different ways (Yuan, 2003). In Lee's films, we find more brand of comedy Kung Fu. In place of Lee's idolized hero, Chan presents himself moves intended to show the strength of his body, whereas Chan performs Kung as a good regular person in his movies. While he also showcases impressive Fu almost as a self-sacrifice. Although tragedy and comedy movies have totally Kung Fu, he can get hit or hurt himself. Rather than showing the power and different stories and themes, Kung Fu is strongly connected with their stories and strength of Kung Fu, Chan portrays Kung Fu in a funny and humorous way. He helps build the character of those movies. However, the third type, which I call punches his enemies but can be hit in return. He appears humorous and maybe visual Kung Fu, utilizes Chinese Kung Fu as a subordinate element. That is, if we a little clumsy, never elegant like Lee. In an interview, Chan said that he tried removed Kung Fu from those movies, they would still tell a complete story. The to imitate Lee’s style for a long time, but now he prefers his own style, which is Matrix exemplifies the visual effect Kung Fu movie style. opposite of Lee's (Logan, 1995). I believe we can also distinguish those three kinds of Kung Fu movies by their Before 1996, there was always at least on Chinese actor in movies related to meanings and the function of their Kung Fu moves, as well as the time those Kung Fu. However, in 1996 the Matrix broke this mold. Utilizing several months of movies dedicate to Kung Fu. My purpose is to help movie viewers without intense training and combining computerized visual effects, even an actor who knowledge of Kung Fu to better understand the Kung Fu system by understanding had never learned any Kung Fu was able to perform like a master on the screen. the meaning of the moves that are portrayed. The Matrix was a milestone that introduced a new genre: the visual effect Kung Fu movie. In this genre, Kung Fu is a subordinate element. As spices are added The first chapter of my book will discuss the different perspective on Chinese to food to improve its taste, Kung Fu is added to make the movie amazing. As a Kung Fu, offering my view on how to interpret the Kung Fu moves in Kung Fu result, however, Chinese Kung Fu on the screen looks increasingly similar. From movies. I will visualize those moves to talk about their purpose, providing greater Chung's paper, we can see that Kung Fu enhances box office success (Chung, understanding of the information they contain. The second chapter of my book 2007). So I doubt for some Kung Fu movies, it is enough for them to use only will talk about the Chinese Kung Fu culture and its influence in America today. My some of the Kung Fu moves to let their viewers to know that they are showing the sifu told me that studying Kung Fu is not only about learning actions or moves. Chinese Kung Fu. Chinese Kung Fu has its own culture, and the more we know about that culture, the more Chinese Kung Fu we may learn. The third chapter will introduce how I In China, the role of visual effect Kung Fu is controversial.