Volta™ – Irish Independent Film Online

10. The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (1928)

Although not the first Chinese film, Zhang Shichuan’s epic, silent, black and white serial was the first Kung-Fu movie ever made and, at 27 hours, one of the longest films of all time. Adapted from a popular newspaper strip, the story focused on the rescue of a cunning army general from a remote temple filled with dangerous traps. Released in 18 feature-length episodes over three years, the demand for Shichuan’s film was instrumental in the large-scale construction of cinemas across China.

9. The True Story of Wong Fei-Hung (1949)

The first film adaptation of the legendary story of real-life martial arts hero Wong Feo-Hung, this 1949 black and white action adventure was the first Kung-Fu film to demonstrate realistic fighting techniques in a clearly defined historical setting. The film marked the debut of Chinese opera actor Kwan Tak-hing, who would go on to play the part of Wong in nearly 80 films for the next forty years, becoming not only the first great Kung-Fu star, but also the patriarch of the entire genre.

8. The Way of the Dragon (1972)

Written, produced and directed by star Bruce Lee, The Way of the Dragon was the first Kung-Fu film widely seen by Western audiences and would make Lee the greatest icon of martial arts cinema. The story has Lee play a young man, visiting relatives in Italy, who must protect them against the brutal mafia gangsters operating an extortion racket. Lee doesn’t raise a fist in anger until 30 minutes into the running time, but from then on he hardly pauses for breath.

7. Enter The Dragon (1973)

The following year, Bruce Lee again starred in this unofficial sequel, directed by Robert Clouse, in which he played a tough young fighter who accepts an invitation to a deadly martial arts tournament in order to investigate a crime gang. Equally popular with audiences East and West, the film stands as a memorial to its extraordinary star as Lee died a month before the film was premiered, in July 1973.

6. The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008)

Hong Kong actor Danny Chan plays the inimitable Bruce Lee in this exhaustive biopic of the Kung-Fu star, which follows his story from his youth as an opera star in Hong Kong to his early success in the US, before his return to his home town to produce and star in the films that would make him a legend.  Beautifully choreographed and carefully crafted, the film is adapted from a 50 part television series that proved to be the most popular show ever broadcast in China, setting a record audience of more than 250 million viewers.

5. Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

Specialist martial arts director Tsui Hark most successful film to date, and the first in an inspired trilogy, brought the rubber-hipped acrobatics of Jet Li to the attention of Western audiences. Li plays the legendary martial arts hero Wong Fei-Hung in this stirring historical epic that combines hard-hitting action with chaste romance and knockabout comedy.

4. Drunken Master (1978)

The film that made Jackie Chan a star, and the debut feature from martial arts genius Yuen Woo-ping, Drunken Master merged slapstick comedy and beautifully choreographed chop-socky fight scenes into a virtual art form all of its own. Light on plot but heavy on action, Chan’s incredible agility and undeniable charisma make this a must see for fans of the genre.

3. Ip Man (2008)

The story of Yip Man, the Kung-Fu master who taught Bruce Lee, is told in this outstanding film featuring a career-best performance from modern-day martial arts icon Donnie Yen. Filled with barely credible action sequences and telling a stirring real-life story of survival against the odds during the second Sino-Japanese war of the 1930s, the film was a box-office sensation on release in China. Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai will release his version of Yip’s life story, The Grandmasters, later this year.

2. Kill Bill Vols I & II (2003/2004)

Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the legends of Kung-Fu cinema with his epic two-part chop-socky extravaganza which starred Uma Thurman as a highly-trained assassin exacting bloody revenge on those who wronged her. Containing a reference to classic Asian cinema in almost every frame, Tarantino’s extraordinary action sequences were filmed without the use of digital effects.

1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

The film that introduced Western audiences to the wuxia genre of martial arts cinema, typified by flying wire-work and breathtaking, quick-fire fight sequences, Ang Lee’s elegant and moving story featured a cast of Kung-Fu specialists, including Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, in a story of love and betrayal based on a celebrated series of folk-tale novels. A surprise international hit, the film grossed more than $200 million, becoming the most popular foreign language film of all time at the UK and US box-office.