International Cinema Festival of India

For those with an underdog complex, kung fu movies are the perfect prescription. They offer something for every one, drama, comedy, romance, action, and always end with the good guy on top, because who among us does not like a happy ending?

For some, the highly stylized action sequences are the main draw. Martial artists and actors unite in a beautiful show of choreographed fighting that pit the dramatically different against one another as Tiger vs. Crane or Monkey vs. Drunkenness. Each actor brings with him or her a unique interpretation of kung fu, ensuring that everyone will find something they can identify with.

People are drawn to characters in the kung fu because of what they represent. Both the good and the bad guys remain true to the virtues of honor and loyalty, even if from slightly different perspectives. They understand the importance of sticking up for the little guy and are not unwilling to lose their own lives in the struggle against oppression.

According to Confucius, kung fu is a way of life. It is an important philosophy that seeks to find a balance of mind and body and to remain disciplined in all action. More than anything, it is about avoiding conflict except when absolutely necessary.

American audiences first became enthralled with kung fu movies in the late 1920s and since then have only become more popular. When first introduced to the public, movies stuck to a more accepted form of entertainment, opting to exaggerate a more slap-stick approach. Many audiences were drawn to the action heavy genre and so this is what the directors gave them.

More modern interpretation rely more heavily on special effects that have only gotten more sophisticated with recent technological advancements in the movie making industry. Characters and plot development have also taken a turn for the more complex. New versions of kung fu movies are free to concentrate more on camera angles and in depth story lines. This of course, is not to say that all do or that in the past, all did not. Which is one of the many draws to the genre; the availability of varying sub-sub-genres throughout.

Kung fu movies are not only shaped by their directors, but frequently must mold to the individual style of the actors or martial artists involved. Some of the more notable figures include: Bruce Lee, Gordon Liu, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Tony Jaa, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Cheng Pei-Pei, and Angela Mao. Each bring their own unique interpretation to the genre as well as provide important aspects of real kung fu history. The most important aspects of the genre, lie not in the physical capabilities of the actors, but in the overall meaning behind the film. It is about taking a stand for what you believe in and standing up for those who cannot seem to do so themselves. It is the ever-present problem of the oppressor and the oppressed.

The spread of this genre has been seen around the world. Audiences are drawn to the genre in mass. These movies provide not only a brief escape for viewers, but can leave them with overall sense of happiness. Kung Fu movies illustrate the important relationships people have with their life styles and philosophies and help to underscore the importance of remaining true to ones convictions. Nothing is so disheartening as feeling the whole world is out to get you and that strength and courage do not always sow the much sought after rewards. Kung fu movies can help you see the world in a more positive light by reminding the viewer that life is cyclical and that good things come to those who propagate good and that life, though unpredictable, gives each and every one of us the opportunity to practice what we preach.

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