The Art of action: martial arts at the movies

Samuel L Jackson presents and narrates an exploration of the origins of the martial arts genre - the pioneers of the movement, change makers throughout the decades, and those who carry on the legacy today. Originating in China in the mid 1700s when Shaolin monks instructed Peking Opera performers, the martial arts genre has become synonymous with action and drama that would later be injected with romance, humour and visual wizardry. The program is structured in a question and answer format and focuses on key performers, characters, and directors: Wong Fei Hung, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tsui Hark, Ang Lee, Sammo Hung, John Woo and Michelle Yeoh to name a few. It also looks at the prominent role of women in the genre, the contribution of the Shaw Brother’s company in the 1950s, the influence of Japanese cinema (in particular the work of Akira Kurosawa), American cinema, and the direction of martial arts films in the 21st Century. Boasting an abundance of film clips and interviews with (unfortunately unnamed by visual clues) practitioners of the trade, this DVD provides an excellent history of the genre.