The “Illusion” of Kung-Fu
The mystic gem of Hong Kong movies. For what Hong Kong lacks in ultimate cult weirdness that the Japanese produce, they are primo in Kung-Fu fighting scenes. Albeit I have only truly analyzed (aka watch seriously) a literal handful of Kung-Fu flicks, those being: Once Upon China 3 (4?), Drunken Master 2 and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. There are others, but these are primarily used for my descriptive benefits.
The Matrix was a gateway drug to Hong Kong Kung-Fu flicks, or films emulating them. I’m sad to say, just like the Playstation, Pokemon and Final Fantasy 7, this gateway drug essentially broke into a mainstream public and paved a road for “good products” and “bad products” to be exported to North American consumers in excess. Sadly the bulk of that excess has been pre-dominantly the latter.
Now I’m not one to rightfully complain so much, because despite how much I complain that…say… I feel FF7 has ruined the whole FF7 genre if not the whole genre of console RPGs, the reality is that it’s still up to us the consumer to choose which ones are good and the others are nuggets of crap. I might be bitter due to the fact that ‘Nintendo “Propaganda Machine” Power’, long ago taunted me with these beautiful screenshots of RPGs that I would possibly never see on North American shores short of learning Japanese and importing it. In the opening of the general gaming public to RPGs due to FF7 I was fairly pissed off that no-brainer ports of old-skool games (Star Ocean, Tales of Phantasia), that would guarantee profits, were overlooked to produce the next “cinematic RPG”.
But back to the point, as we can see, since the Matrix (not so much in 2002 mind you) we’ve been seeing half-baked stories; wrapped around a kung-fu film which only has one shot gimmicky Kung-Fu moves. And to tell the truth, most of them suck ass. I may not be the expert on Kung-Fu flicks, but watching enough “Imperial China” Soap Operas chock fulla kung-fu, they are sadly even better than some of the movies of yesteryear. Once again I may not be informed, but I know what I like.
Now it’s been on my brain a while, “What in holy Wong-Fei-Hongius are these people doing?” I hardly see any Kung-Fu let alone comprehend WTF is going on. I see arms moving, legs kicking, hearing blocks and thuds, but nowhere am I seeing it. This of course leads me to observation #1.
1. Far out DUDE!: One major problem I have been seeing is that cameras are going in way too close to film the action. If anything they’re filming the action of torso, back of heads, which leads me to indicate that this isn’t a drama flick. You don’t need close ups on Kung-Fu flicks in that way people are doing it. These-sharp angle shots inherently suck ass. I mean if you can do it well then do it, but it better be damn good or else just stick with the good old, “side on” shot ala fighting games.
This leads me to refer to Drunken Master 2. Now the final fight scenes were great cause it was far away, not these muddled crowed paparazzi shots we were getting. Yes static, but if your kung-fu is good enough young grass-hopper, then people will enjoy. Not too mention the idea that it was super far when Jackie Chan was kicking ass with a bench surrounded by axe-wielding meanies. This super far = super good.
2. Long…continuous…shots: Continuing on the legendary Jackie Chan, Drunken Master 2 featured some of the longest “single continuous” shots I have ever seen. Understand that through this you accomplish two things. One: a great kung-fu scene…to pull off such a feat is to construct a l337 enough sequence to keep one’s attention. Two: it’s long man! To have people to pull of such a feat is to be admired. But what if you don’t have the resources or dare I say it….competent actors/actresses to do so? The refer to observation #3.
3. The illusion of “long continuous shots” aka flow: After my friend had the consideration of exposing me to the wonders of Drunken Master 2 I harbored a small vendetta to prove that Drunken Master had less time on continuous shots than my personal Once Upon China 3/4?. Instead to my dismay there were lacking in continuous glorious kung-fu shots…but something was also brought me to another aspect…the “illusion” of continuous shots.
Put it this way, ever action has an equal and opposite reaction. You Tiger and Crane attack an evil Boxer Association Villain, then the evil Boxer Association Villain dies with blood a-spewing. How to capture it to create “flow” is the key. You make it so you are there watching this fight, not some half-assed wrestling show that captured someone after getting tossed onto the commentator’s table. That is what Once Upon China 3/4? has an great sense of flow that doesn’t seem like an editor’s mess but a glorious smooth flowing shot of kung-fu glory.
Which brings me to my closing argument:
Bullet time:…*silence*
The mystic gem of Hong Kong movies. For what Hong Kong lacks in ultimate cult weirdness that the Japanese produce, they are primo in Kung-Fu fighting scenes. Albeit I have only truly analyzed (aka watch seriously) a literal handful of Kung-Fu flicks, those being: Once Upon China 3 (4?), Drunken Master 2 and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. There are others, but these are primarily used for my descriptive benefits.
The Matrix was a gateway drug to Hong Kong Kung-Fu flicks, or films emulating them. I’m sad to say, just like the Playstation, Pokemon and Final Fantasy 7, this gateway drug essentially broke into a mainstream public and paved a road for “good products” and “bad products” to be exported to North American consumers in excess. Sadly the bulk of that excess has been pre-dominantly the latter.
Now I’m not one to rightfully complain so much, because despite how much I complain that…say… I feel FF7 has ruined the whole FF7 genre if not the whole genre of console RPGs, the reality is that it’s still up to us the consumer to choose which ones are good and the others are nuggets of crap. I might be bitter due to the fact that ‘Nintendo “Propaganda Machine” Power’, long ago taunted me with these beautiful screenshots of RPGs that I would possibly never see on North American shores short of learning Japanese and importing it. In the opening of the general gaming public to RPGs due to FF7 I was fairly pissed off that no-brainer ports of old-skool games (Star Ocean, Tales of Phantasia), that would guarantee profits, were overlooked to produce the next “cinematic RPG”.
But back to the point, as we can see, since the Matrix (not so much in 2002 mind you) we’ve been seeing half-baked stories; wrapped around a kung-fu film which only has one shot gimmicky Kung-Fu moves. And to tell the truth, most of them suck ass. I may not be the expert on Kung-Fu flicks, but watching enough “Imperial China” Soap Operas chock fulla kung-fu, they are sadly even better than some of the movies of yesteryear. Once again I may not be informed, but I know what I like.
Now it’s been on my brain a while, “What in holy Wong-Fei-Hongius are these people doing?” I hardly see any Kung-Fu let alone comprehend WTF is going on. I see arms moving, legs kicking, hearing blocks and thuds, but nowhere am I seeing it. This of course leads me to observation #1.
1. Far out DUDE!: One major problem I have been seeing is that cameras are going in way too close to film the action. If anything they’re filming the action of torso, back of heads, which leads me to indicate that this isn’t a drama flick. You don’t need close ups on Kung-Fu flicks in that way people are doing it. These-sharp angle shots inherently suck ass. I mean if you can do it well then do it, but it better be damn good or else just stick with the good old, “side on” shot ala fighting games.
This leads me to refer to Drunken Master 2. Now the final fight scenes were great cause it was far away, not these muddled crowed paparazzi shots we were getting. Yes static, but if your kung-fu is good enough young grass-hopper, then people will enjoy. Not too mention the idea that it was super far when Jackie Chan was kicking ass with a bench surrounded by axe-wielding meanies. This super far = super good.
2. Long…continuous…shots: Continuing on the legendary Jackie Chan, Drunken Master 2 featured some of the longest “single continuous” shots I have ever seen. Understand that through this you accomplish two things. One: a great kung-fu scene…to pull off such a feat is to construct a l337 enough sequence to keep one’s attention. Two: it’s long man! To have people to pull of such a feat is to be admired. But what if you don’t have the resources or dare I say it….competent actors/actresses to do so? The refer to observation #3.
3. The illusion of “long continuous shots” aka flow: After my friend had the consideration of exposing me to the wonders of Drunken Master 2 I harbored a small vendetta to prove that Drunken Master had less time on continuous shots than my personal Once Upon China 3/4?. Instead to my dismay there were lacking in continuous glorious kung-fu shots…but something was also brought me to another aspect…the “illusion” of continuous shots.
Put it this way, ever action has an equal and opposite reaction. You Tiger and Crane attack an evil Boxer Association Villain, then the evil Boxer Association Villain dies with blood a-spewing. How to capture it to create “flow” is the key. You make it so you are there watching this fight, not some half-assed wrestling show that captured someone after getting tossed onto the commentator’s table. That is what Once Upon China 3/4? has an great sense of flow that doesn’t seem like an editor’s mess but a glorious smooth flowing shot of kung-fu glory.
Which brings me to my closing argument:
Bullet time:…*silence*
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