Why were there so many martial arts movies?

OT: anything goes!

Moderator: Edi

Post Reply
User avatar
FaxModem1
Emperor's Hand
Posts: 7700
Joined: 2002-10-30 06:40pm
Location: In a dark reflection of a better world

Why were there so many martial arts movies?

Post by FaxModem1 »

Why in the 80s and 90s, there was a LOT of martial arts movies made, why did they become so popular in the US and other Western nations?
Image
User avatar
Gandalf
SD.net White Wizard
Posts: 16368
Joined: 2002-09-16 11:13pm
Location: A video store in Australia

Re: Why were there so many martial arts movies?

Post by Gandalf »

FaxModem1 wrote:Why in the 80s and 90s, there was a LOT of martial arts movies made, why did they become so popular in the US and other Western nations?
There's only so far you can take gunfights methinks, and I guess people became a lot more curious about other cultures, and again I cite the Karate Kid.
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"

- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist

"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
User avatar
kojikun
BANNED
Posts: 9663
Joined: 2002-07-04 12:23am
Contact:

Post by kojikun »

thats like asking "Why so many pokemon-like games?" in the middle of the pokemon craze, or "why do many virtual reality movies?" in the middle of the Matrix craze. any time one thing becomes really popular others try to capitalize on the popularity.
Sì! Abbiamo un' anima! Ma è fatta di tanti piccoli robot.
User avatar
The Duchess of Zeon
Gözde
Posts: 14566
Joined: 2002-09-18 01:06am
Location: Exiled in the Pale of Settlement.

Post by The Duchess of Zeon »

It was just a craze. One that got so big that the Thai military even made a martial arts movie to augment its budget one year.
The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. -- Wikipedia's No Original Research policy page.

In 1966 the Soviets find something on the dark side of the Moon. In 2104 they come back. -- Red Banner / White Star, a nBSG continuation story. Updated to Chapter 4.0 -- 14 January 2013.
User avatar
Dalton
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
Posts: 22640
Joined: 2002-07-03 06:16pm
Location: New York, the Fuck You State
Contact:

Post by Dalton »

Plus, people just like watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan beating the shit out of people.
Image
Image
To Absent Friends
Dalton | Admin Smash | Knight of the Order of SDN

"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster

May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
User avatar
aphexmonster
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 1668
Joined: 2003-04-12 10:42pm
Location: Sacramento
Contact:

Post by aphexmonster »

hehe, because if it was a movie, and you were in the 80's, and you knew karate........................................................ you were invincible :D
-monster
my sig is totaly lonely now =(
User avatar
Darth Garden Gnome
Official SD.Net Lawn Ornament
Posts: 6029
Joined: 2002-07-08 02:35am
Location: Some where near a mailbox

Post by Darth Garden Gnome »

Dalton wrote:Plus, people just like watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan beating the shit out of people.
I know I do. But, damn it all, Jackie Chan has been making some crappy movies as of late. I mean, look at the up and coming "The Medallion." In it, Jackie'll be suspended from ropes and he'll jump about like he's in Crouching Tiger and have crappy kung-fu fights BECAUSE of the wire-tricks they'll be using.

Anyone ever see "The Legend of the Drunken Master"? Now that's a Jackie Chan movie. No wires, no CG, no fancy camera angle, just Jackie Chan beating redshirt ass. They dubbed it half-assed too. Why? Cause no one gives a shit about the plot or how Jackie talks; all we wanna see is Jackie go fuck-nutty on a group of thugs and totally own their asses. Which he does kick-assedly in Legend of the Drunken Master. Go see it now, even if you have see it again. It rules that much.
Leader of the Secret Gnome Revolution
User avatar
aphexmonster
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 1668
Joined: 2003-04-12 10:42pm
Location: Sacramento
Contact:

Post by aphexmonster »

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:
Dalton wrote:Plus, people just like watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan beating the shit out of people.
I know I do. But, damn it all, Jackie Chan has been making some crappy movies as of late. I mean, look at the up and coming "The Medallion." In it, Jackie'll be suspended from ropes and he'll jump about like he's in Crouching Tiger and have crappy kung-fu fights BECAUSE of the wire-tricks they'll be using.

Anyone ever see "The Legend of the Drunken Master"? Now that's a Jackie Chan movie. No wires, no CG, no fancy camera angle, just Jackie Chan beating redshirt ass. They dubbed it half-assed too. Why? Cause no one gives a shit about the plot or how Jackie talks; all we wanna see is Jackie go fuck-nutty on a group of thugs and totally own their asses. Which he does kick-assedly in Legend of the Drunken Master. Go see it now, even if you have see it again. It rules that much.

Yeah, but at one point, hes gotta capitalize on his resources ... wouldn't you ? I mean, hes just a guy who wants to try everything once, hes never done an old school school CG, wire, camera angle stunt movie. Now because of his popularity, he gets that chance. It should be interesting ... i liked Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but i liked The Legend Of the Drunken Master as well.


Word to the wise, the Lone ninja warrior is the best kung fu movie ever. Image
-monster
my sig is totaly lonely now =(
User avatar
Stormbringer
King of Democracy
Posts: 22678
Joined: 2002-07-15 11:22pm

Re: Why were there so many martial arts movies?

Post by Stormbringer »

FaxModem1 wrote:Why in the 80s and 90s, there was a LOT of martial arts movies made, why did they become so popular in the US and other Western nations?
Because they're damn cool. I mean they're cool to see an became something of a trend.
Image
User avatar
Majin Gojira
Sith Acolyte
Posts: 6017
Joined: 2002-08-06 11:27pm
Location: Philadelphia

Post by Majin Gojira »

1 Ninja = SUPER DEADLY BADASS MARTIAL ARTISTS

More then 1 Ninja = Redshirts in Training. :D
ISARMA: Daikaiju Coordinator: Just Add Radiation
Justice League- Molly Hayes: Respect Hats or Freakin' Else!
Browncoat
Supernatural Taisen - "[This Story] is essentially "Wouldn't it be awesome if this happened?" Followed by explosions."

Reviewing movies is a lot like Paleontology: The Evidence is there...but no one seems to agree upon it.

"God! Are you so bored that you enjoy seeing us humans suffer?! Why can't you let this poor man live happily with his son! What kind of God are you, crushing us like ants?!" - Kyoami, Ran
Post Reply