cityonfire.com | Movie News & Developments |
- The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part II
- Liao Fan is ‘The Master’ of kung fu in this sweet fight clip!
- The Great Hypnotist | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
| The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part II Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:00 AM PST Every film genre – action, science fiction, horror, comedy and even animated – has had a series of memorable villains that have stuck with us for most of our lives. Whether it be a sadistic teenager portrayed by James Spader; an emotionless cyborg represented by Arnold Schwarzenegger; a suave, humorous terrorist leader played by Alan Rickman; or even a scarred lion voiced by Jeremy Irons – it's the bad guys who make the classics so great! So what about villains in martial arts film? Villains in martial arts film definitely don't get enough attention, so we're aiming to fix this right now. Remember: It's not so much how they look or how many foes they've taken down, it's more about their impact on modern pop culture. In no particular order, we introduce The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part II.  FUNG SHENG WU CHI Played by: Kam Kong When his pupils die at the hands of the famed One-Armed Boxer (Jimmy Wang), blind man Fung Sheng Wu Chi goes on a killing spree in his pursuit of vengeance. It's his weapon of choice that makes him such a memorable bad guy. Being a blind man, Fung Sheng must use his other senses to track his enemies. When he's locked on target, Fung Sheng throws the flying guillotine (which looks like a funky hat on a chain) onto his opponent's head. He then yanks back on the chain, taking the head clean off. It's both shocking and kind of funny. – Kyle Warner  JACK Played by: Wu Jing After gruesomely murdering in cold blood all but one of Donnie Yen's team in Sha Po Lang, there are not many fans out there who don't have the image ingrained into their minds of Wu Jing standing at the end of the alley way, waiting to dish out some serious hurt to Yen. Decked out in a white suit and armed with a deadly blade, the ruthlessness and speed of Wu Jing's icy killer left an impression that the actor hasn't been able to top since. – Paul Bramhall  SASAKI KOJIRO Played by: Ken Takakura (also by Koji Tsuruta) Miyamoto Musashi may be the most famous Japanese swordsman of all time but any telling of his story would be incomplete without the inclusion of his rival Sasaki Kojiro. Played by a young Ken Takakura in Tomu Uchida's Miyamoto Musashi film series, Kojiro observes Musashi from afar for multiple films before finally facing him in Duel at Ganryu Island. Kojiro isn't really an evil man but he becomes the primary antagonist for the hero Musashi as they both seek to master the sword. Kojiro had supposedly been undefeated until the bout on Ganryu Island and many historians suggest that Musashi had to cheat in order to win. When the greatest of all time has to cheat to win, you know Sasaki Kojiro was a man to be reckoned with. – Kyle Warner  BOYKA Played by: Scott Adkins How do you know Boyka is a top villain? Well, how many other characters can you think of that aren't even in the first movie of a series, have a supporting role in the sequel, but go on to become the star of both the third and fourth!? Boyka is that character, and while he may not remain the villain for the whole series, he left enough of an impression after throwing down with Michael Jai White in Undisputed 2, that he definitely deserves an entry on this list. – Paul Bramhall  MAD DOG Played by: Yayan Ruhian What Ruhian lacks in height, he more than makes up for in pure unadulterated rage. As the character of Mad Dog he was like a one-man army in the Indonesian action movie The Raid, tearing through key members of the SWAT team assigned to take out a crime lord with joyful abandon. What really remains in the mind about Mad Dog, is not only his wince inducing Silat skills, but also his love of inflicting pain on his hapless victims. A true villain in every sense of the word. – Paul Bramhall  THE KILLER Played by: Darren Shahlavi Long before Donnie Yen hunted kung fu serial killer Baoqiang Wang in Kung Fu Jungle, Gary Daniels was after the original kung fu killer in the 1997 Seasonal Films production Bloodmoon. Sporting a cape, metallic eye mask, and rock star hair, Shalvavi's Killer was memorable for all the right reasons. When he wasn't laying waste to hapless martial arts experts, he was spouting such memorable lines as, "Did you notice, there's blood on the moon tonight?" A true Shakespearian villain in every sense. – Paul Bramhall  LO PAN Played by: James Hong Lo Pan may not be the most formidable villain on this list but he's probably the most quotable. The sorcerer lived for thousands of years waiting for the right girl with green eyes to lift his curse only to have a bumbling idiot like Jack Burton come along and mess up his plans. Played with comic glee by James Hong, Lo Pan and Jack Burton make for a perfect hero/villain duo in Big Trouble in Little China. – Kyle Warner  THE BEAST Played by: Leung Siu-Lung When the Axe Gang is unable to defeat the landlady and landlord of Pig Sty Alley, they seek out the most dangerous man alive to do their dirty work for them. Meet the Beast, an unkempt, unimposing middle-aged man in flip-flops. But looks can be deceiving. A beating that would kill a normal man only gives the Beast a bloody nose and his skills as a fighter appear to be unmatched. When finally challenged by an unlikely hero in the film's finale, the Beast takes on the attributes of a toad and starts hopping all around the place, destroying much of Pig Sty Alley in the process. Kung Fu Hustle plays like a live-action kung fu cartoon full of larger-than-life characters, and the villainous Beast is among the film's most memorable. – Kyle Warner If you missed it, be sure to check out Part I of this article. Until then, we’ll be working on The Most Memorable Villains in Martial Arts Film: Part III. Any suggestions? |
| Liao Fan is ‘The Master’ of kung fu in this sweet fight clip! Posted: 20 Jan 2016 12:00 AM PST  "The Master" Chinese Teaser Poster Xu Haofeng made a name for himself by penning the screenplay for Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster. But it was 2011′s The Sword Identity, his directorial debut, which showed Haofeng’s true talent. Then came his acclaimed second film, 2012′s Judge Archer (aka Arrow Arbitration). Haofeng’s trend in both films was presenting the martial arts in a less stylized and more realistic manner, perhaps not unlike the 2007 Japanese film Black Belt or David Mamet’s 2008 MA-themed Redbelt. Now, Haofeng is back with his knack for realistic hand-to-hand combat in The Master, an upcoming movie starring Liao Fan (Chinese Zodiac), Song Yang (The Sword Identity), Jia Song (On His Majesty’s Secret Service), Li Xia (The White Dragon), Huang Jue (Founding of the Party) and Chin Shih-Chieh (The Brotherhood of Blades). If you’re lucky enough to live where it’s playing (like, China for instance), the film is opening on December 11, 2015. If you’re not, you can watch the trailer. Update: Watch the film’s newest trailer. By the way, we have learned that The Master will be getting a North American release by a certain company (Hint: it’s NOT Well Go USA or Lionsgate), but mum’s the word until we can officially spread it. Stay tuned! BREAKING NEWS: Watch a sweet fight scene from the film! |
| The Great Hypnotist | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA) Posted: 19 Jan 2016 12:01 AM PST  "The Great Hypnotist" Chinese Theatrical Poster RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2016 Well Go USA presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Leste Chen’s The Great Hypnotist, a Chinese thriller starring Karen Mok (Fallen Angels), Xu Zheng (No Man’s Land), Hu Jing (What Women Want), Lu Zhong (The Taking of Tiger Mountain) and Wang Yaoqing (Love is Not Blind). Xu (Zheng) is a therapist skilled in hypnotherapy. One day a patient named Ren (Mok) is brought to him with one of the most complex cases he has ever encountered. In spite of all his skills and experience, he seems unable to break thru with her to discover what is the root of her problems. Soon he finds himself falling into her trap. | Trailer. Pre-order The Great Hypnotist from Amazon.com. |
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