I found this interesting little article on the history of Asian film making and how it has influenced the western entertainment industry. A really good read, but Bubba would be better to critique it than I would. Anyway, here’s an excerpt from the article found at CHUD:
It can be argued that the origins of today’s Asian influence in Tinseltown can be traced all the way back to the Chinese art of Peking Opera. An entertainment form rising to prominence during China’s Ming dynasty, Peking Opera mashed together music, dance, acrobatics and acting. It was also partly responsible for the further development of Chinese martial arts (an instrumental component of many Peking Operas), and by association the later evolution of Hong Kong’s kung fu cinema, thanks to one all-important element: actors pretending to wallop each other.
As the movie industry grew in Hong Kong, more and more Peking performers exited stage left in favor of literally jumping in front of the camera. In fact, one notoriously punishing Peking Opera academy would produce a trio of talented entertainers that would go on to reign supreme at the Hong Kong box office: Samo Hung, Yuen Biao, and Jackie Chan.
One of the most important subjects in Peking Opera and early Hong Kong film was Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, a venerated real-life martial arts master and chivalrous warrior of the 1800s. Wong Fei Hung’s embellished exploits have been the subject of well over a hundred movies (most often starring Kwan Tak Hing, Hong Kong’s first real action star), from the foremost true instances of martial arts films right up to more recent tales such as Drunken Master, Iron Monkey and the Jet Li Once Upon a Time in China series. The legend of Wong Fei Hung would ultimately have a greater effect on Asian cinema than all the combined contusions and bruises administered by Bruce Lee.
You can read the entire article here.
I disagree with your comment jUWAN because i hate myself for being an asian. After reading your comment i still hate myself for being an asian! I cant find one good point fer being an asian! Why?! Why cant i be just like that other whites…
I think y’all should stop bitchin about how unequal everythang is foh asian american males, dass life niggah..and do somethang about it..yeah i admitt derrs a problem with the miss representation of asian males in the media and the fuckin bullshiet stereotypes..stop being to yo daymn selves..go out derr and mingle wit da races..dass why ur single..change peoples perspectives..if dat white gurl ain’t showin any interest..be like wussup bitch u don’t know me, u juss missed out on the opportunity of ur life time, to git wit a flyass asian brother like myself..show her ur an individual..everythang dat white boi isn’t..yanah wat i’m sayin..How u got dat yellow flavor..and one taste will give her dat yellow fever..yeah dass cheesy..but who gives a fuck…be creative wit it..get some game mah chinky-eyed brothers..Quit wit dat asian pride bullshiet..meng iss coo dat u acknowledge ur backround and ethicity..but don’t let dat be somethang dat hinders u from other races..derrs a difference when u can share ur culture wit others and iss one thang when ur culture separates u from others..ya feel me..don’t be ashamed of who u are..cuz why would u want to be like everybody else..
Well, I’d say the Peking Opera preserved martial arts more than they advanced them (none of the Peking boys are particularly good fighters – they’re more along the lines of acrobats) but otherwise, yeah. Wong Fei Hung is a HUGE figure in Asian film. The kid in Iron Monkey is a young version of him, Jackie Chan plays him in Legend of the Drunken Master and Jet Li plays him in the Once Upon a Time in China series … they’re all well worth checking out. Drunken Master is BY FAR the best thing Chan has ever done or is ever likely to do.