Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast

Is Scott Adkins the natural successor to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Why did Andrew Koji almost quit acting only months before landing the lead role in the beloved kung fu series, Warrior? And can we expect a rematch between Indonesian action stars Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais? The answers to these questions and many more are revealed in Best of Actors, one of three compilation shows released simultaneously to celebrate the 100th episode of this podcast, which started life back in 2016. Over three episodes, I share some of my favourite conversations recorded over the last eight years of the show. On this episode, you will hear from: Cynthia Rothrock, the undisputed queen of martial arts movies, who discusses her feelings about being a role model for women in action cinema and the martial arts; Andrew Koji, the British actor whose career has gone from strength to strength after securing the lead role in the Warrior TV show, inspired by the writings of Bruce Lee; Scott Adkins, who has made five appearances on the show since its inception, who discusses his career highlights including receiving awards in China from Jackie Chan; Michiko Nishiwaki, the Japanese bodybuilder who became an action star during the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema in the 1980s and 90s; and Joe Taslim, Indonesian judo champion and one of the biggest names in modern martial arts cinema, whose films include The Raid, The Night Comes for Us, and Mortal Kombat.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, remember to check out Best of Directors and Best of Stunts, which have also dropped at the same time as this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Directors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfDirectors'Best of Stunts': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfStuntsCynthia Rothrock on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodCynthiaRothrockAndrew Koji on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEpisode37Scott Adkins on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodScottAdkinsMichiko Nishiwaki on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodMichikoNishiwakiJoe Taslim on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJoeTaslim

The life of a stunt performer is both exhilarating and dangerous, spectacular yet physically and mentally demanding. Stunt performers put their lives on the line every day for our viewing pleasure, yet are seemingly ostracised from the film world, especially in Hollywood where there is still no Academy Award for their service to the industry. Since this podcast was launched in 2016, I have had the pleasure of speaking to many of the leading voices in the stunt world, from stunt doubles and performers to fight trainers who work with huge movie stars to make them look awesome for the big screen, and stunt coordinators whose job it is to keep everybody safe. In this 'best of' episode - one of three compilation shows which have been released simultaneously - my guests include: Jonathan Eusebio, the legendary fight coordinator who helped to create the fighting styles for both Jason Bourne and John Wick, revolutionising Hollywood action cinema in the process; Jwaundace Candece, founder of stuntpoc.com, who is working tirelessly for better representation for stunt performers of colour in the industry; Olivia Jackson, whose life was transformed forever when a stunt went horribly wrong while doubling Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter; Rocky Taylor, Britian's oldest stunt performer, still going strong at nearly 80 years old; and Heidi Moneymaker, stunt coordinator and performer best known for doubling Scarlett Johansson as the Marvel superhero, Black Widow.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, then remember to check out Best of Directors and Best of Actors, which have also dropped at the same time as this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show over the last eight years via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Directors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfDirectors'Best of Actors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfActorsJonathan Eusebio on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJonathanEusebioJwaundace Candece on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEpisode58Olivia Jackson on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodOliviaJacksonRocky Taylor on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodRockyTaylorHeidi Moneymaker on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodHeidiMoneymaker

With financing and shooting schedules shrinking, how hard is it to make a decent action movie on a low budget? How can you make your lead actor look like an action hero if they refuse to train? And is there scope in the martial arts genre for tackling more challenging topics, like homophobia and racism? In 'Best of Directors' - one of three compilation shows available now - I share some of my favourite conversations with directors who have appeared on the podcast since its inception in 2016. This includes: Hollywood stunt legend J.J. Perry, who made his directorial debut in 2022 with the vampire action comedy, Day Shift, starring Jamie Foxx; the actor and filmmaker Diana Lee Inosanto, best known for playing Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, who discusses her 2008 martial arts indie, The Sensei; Jesse V. Johnson, known for his work with UK action star Scott Adkins in films including Triple Threat, Accident Man, and Avengement; Gareth Evans, visionary director of The Raid series; and Isaac Florentine, responsible for some of the best martial arts movies of the 2000s, including the Undisputed films and Ninja series.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, then remember to check out Best of Stunts and Best of Actors, which have dropped simultaneously with this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show over the last eight years via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Stunts': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfStunts'Best of Actors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfActorsJ.J. Perry on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJJPerryDiana Lee Inosanto on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodDianaLeeInosantoJesse V. Johnson on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJesseVJohnsonGareth Evans on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/GarethEvansKFMGPodIsaac Florentine on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/Episode67KFMGPod

In Part Two of our annual End of Year Show - featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol 1 and 2, the action movie expert Mike Fury - we discuss our favourite fight-centric action films of 2023. Which film will be crowned our favourite of the year? We also read out comments from Fu followers around the world who have been telling us their favourite martial arts movies of the year over email and social media. We also discuss some of the films that we disliked in 2023 and look ahead to the martial arts movies we are most looking forward to in 2024. A huge thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023. See you in 2024!LISTEN TO PART ONEhttps://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOneLINKSMike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/ Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefuryMike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFuryKung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhomeKung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagramKung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebookKung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter

Ho ho ho and happy Christmas to all the Fu followers around the world! Welcome to Part One of our annual End of Year Show, featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol. 1 and 2, Mike Fury. In Part One, we discuss the martial arts movie news that has been grabbing the headlines in 2023 - from Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan's many new projects, to Michelle Yeoh's success at the Oscars and the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee's death - and remember the famous people we lost this year. We also play clips from some of the many great guests who have appeared on the podcast in 2023, including action stars Marko Zaror and Vincent Lyn, kung fu movie expert Ric Meyers and stunt performer Alyma Dorsey. And, because it's Christmas time, we also unwrap some martial arts movie themed presents, and play messages from many of our friends on the action movie scene. A huge thank you to the following people for taking part in this episode: Frank Djeng, Janell-Vela Smith, Jesse V. Johnson, Joey Ansah, JuJu Chan Szeto, Kenji Tanigaki, Loren Avedon, Mark Strange, Marko Zaror, Matt Routledge, Matthias Hues, Max Huang, Mike Leeder, Philip Ng, Richard Norton, Ricky Baker, Samm Deighan, Sarah Chang, and Soo Cole. Thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023.LISTEN TO PART TWOhttps://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartTwoLINKSMike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefuryMike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFuryKung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhomeKung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagramKung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebookKung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter

From Chile to Mexico to Hollywood - and back again - Marko Zaror's incredible rise in the action world reached a new crescendo in 2023. Known as the 'Latin Dragon', Marko's scene-stealing performance as the main heavy, Chidi, in Chad Stahelski's masterpiece, 'John Wick: Chapter 4', saw him duel on-screen with fight legends Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen and Keanu Reeves; meanwhile, back in his home country of Chile, he reunited with his childhood friend - the filmmaker Ernesto Díaz Espinoza - to produce and star in their fifth indie action film together, the deeply personal 'The Fist of the Condor'. Now capable of shifting between key roles in huge productions and making his own movies the way he wants them to be made, Zaror has reached a sweet-spot in his career - but it has not been an easy journey with plenty of bumps along the way. At one point, he even considered retiring from the film industry altogether, and training to become a professional MMA fighter, until a timely conversation with Robert Rodriguez convinced him otherwise. He has since gone on to work with Rodriguez in many film and TV projects, including 'Machete Kills', 'From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series', and 'Alita: Battle Angel'. In this conversation, Marko explores his roots as a Bruce Lee-obsessed kid in Chile with a dream of making it in the movies, to eventually ripping up the screen in one of the biggest - and best - action franchises in Hollywood history.LINKSMarko Zaror on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1047252/Marko Zaror on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markozaror/Marko Zaror on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markozaroroficialMarko Zaror profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ProfileMarkoZaror'Fist of the Condor' trailer: https://youtu.be/x53EpE12AsY'Fist of the Condor' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/FistOfTheCondor2023'John Wick: Chapter 4' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/JohnWickChapter4KFMG'Kiltro' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/Kiltro2006Our not-so-comprehensive list of fight-centric action films released in 2023: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOneSPONSORThis episode is sponsored by 'Five Deadly Rebels', a kung fu sci-fi scripted podcast from DimensionGate, available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and anywhere you get your podcasts. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is a modern day retelling of 'Five Deadly Venoms', the cult classic 1970s kung fu film produced by the Shaw Brothers. Its classic kung fu meets the gangster genre, meets science fiction, all set in present-day New York City. The soundtrack is from Wu-Tang Clan producer, Cilvaringz. The season finale drops Wednesday 13 December. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is narrated by Ian Tuason for DimensonGate - a fiction podcast production company.'Five Deadly Rebels' website: https://www.fivedeadlyrebels.com/Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SpeVIDiKxISPC1am0d9TaListen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3sbe40OListen to a sample of the show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n_MXpCvK4MQ?si=bmJQ6tiS5OnitlvIListen to the trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MotN_D8Jfs0?si=hPBq0YJegir-vCnRDimensionGate website: https://www.dimensiongate.com/DimensionGate YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DimensionGateInc

It has been over a decade since we last spoke in-depth to the author and kung fu movie expert, Ric Meyers - the man responsible for introducing much of America to the classics of martial arts cinema over a writing career spanning five decades. His books - including 1985's 'Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to the Ninjas', 1995's 'The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies', 2001's 'Great Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and More', and 2011's 'Films of Fury' project, which involved both a book and a documentary - are essential resources for any serious fan of kung fu cinema.Now aged 70, Ric shows no signs of slowing down. He is still offering his honest, forthright opinion on modern action movies - particularly in his role as a regular reviewer on the 'That Phat Samurai Guy' YouTube channel - and as the long-standing compere of the annual Kung Fu Extravaganza event at San Diego Comic-Con, which just celebrated its 26th anniversary. On this episode, Ben catches up with Ric on the kung fu movies he has enjoyed in the last decade since they last spoke, the future of the genre, and how his own martial arts journey is progressing. As a kung fu practitioner, Ric has developed a keen eye on authenticity in kung fu cinema, something he feels is distinctly lacking from the genre today - although he does recognise and celebrate the filmmakers still trying to convey a more accurate portrayal of kung fu practice on-screen, acknowledging the works of Jackie Chan and the director, Xu Haofeng.LINKSRic Meyers on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1838515/Ric Meyers on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_MeyersRic Meyers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricmeyersRic Meyers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricmeyersRic Meyers on 'That Phat Samurai Guy' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=that+phat+samurai+guy+ric+meyersBuy 'From Bruce Lee to the Ninjas: Martial Arts Movies' by Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer, Amy Harlib and Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Lee-Ninjas-Martial-Movies/dp/0806510099/Buy 'The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies' by Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer and Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Martial-Arts-Movies-ebook/dp/B00CG16G2W/Buy 'Great Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and More' by Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Martial-Arts-Movies-Citadel/dp/0806520264/Buy 'Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Book' by Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Films-Fury-Kung-Movie-Book/dp/0979998948/Buy 'They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action' by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Shouldnt-Have-Killed-His/dp/1250278430/'Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/IronFistsAndKungFuKicks2019The calligraphy fight from 'The Magnificent Butcher' (1979): https://youtu.be/V7A0M5u_Pas?si=iGjI5BNoSxfzhw-IRic's eBay sellers account, Chimera Publishing: https://www.ebay.com/str/chimerapublishingKung Fu Movie Guide interview with Ric Meyers from 2011, updated 2013: http://kungfumovieguide.com/interview-ric-meyers/WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE FIGHT FILMS OF 2023?Check out our not-very-comprehensive list on the Kung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOneLet us know your favourite films - and why - and your comment could be read out on our End of Year Show 2023, featuring 'Life of Action Vol. 1 and 2' author Mike Fury. Email your response to hello@kungfumovieguide.com, or message us on social media.

Vincent Lyn's short career in Hong Kong action movies may only span a few years, but his good looks, martial arts abilities and acting skills saw him work with some of the biggest names in the industry, operating at the height of their powers. The list includes Donnie Yen, Yuen Woo-ping, Corey Yuen, Cynthia Rothrock, Cynthia Khan, Simon Yam, and Jackie Chan. He admits he had no idea that the films he was making would go on to become so influential and cherished by generations of action fans around the world. In fact, given the ad-hoc nature and breakneck speed of Hong Kong filmmaking, he sometimes had very little concept of which film he was working on at any given time, moving from set to set as part of a staple of dependable 'gweilo' fighters who always played the villain, and ultimately got their asses kicked by the lead.His final Hong Kong film role was as the main heavy in the Jackie Chan adventure, 'Armour of God II: Operation Condor' (1991), before he returned to the USA to pursue a multitude of other talents. He became a kung fu instructor (teaching his own family style, Ling Gar Kung Fu), a Grammy Award-nominated musician, a philanthropist and humanitarian. His charity, We Can Save Children, has seen him visit some of the poorest parts of the world in a bid to end the exploitation of children. He can often be found travelling the world, meeting with dignitaries and governments, and talking at the UN. When he's not focused on his charity work, he can be found behind the piano - something he learned from his musical mother at a very young age. Vincent's new immersive album, 'Elysian Eclipse', is available now.LINKSVincent Lyn on IMDb:Vincent Lyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincent.lyn.50/Vincent Lyn on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vincent.lyn.50/Vincent Lyn profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ProfileVincentLynWe Can Save Children website: https://www.wecansavechildren.org/Listen to 'Elysian Eclipse': https://exxeo.xyz/elysian-eclipse/Robert Samuels on the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/RobertSamuelsKFMGPod'Tiger Cage' (1988) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/KFMGTigerCage'The Blonde Fury' (1989) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/TheBlondeFury1989'Armour of God II: Operation Condor' (1991) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ArmourOfGod2

Over the last decade, Germany has become a hotbed of aspiring young martial arts talent who have seen their careers grow from DIY short films on YouTube to massive Hollywood productions. Cologne-born Vi-Dan Tran is a wushu practitioner and Hong Kong movie fan. His passions led to a career in stunts and eventually membership of the hallowed Jackie Chan Stunt Team, working with the man himself on movies like 'The Foreigner' and 'Bleeding Steel'. Nowadays, Vi-Dan Tran can be found behind-the-scenes working on the action design of some of Hollywood's biggest movies, from 'Shang-Chi' to 'Dune'. His latest film is 'Knights of the Zodiac', a live-action take on Japan's popular 'Saint Seiya' manga series. It's pretty clear that Vi-Dan Tran will be directing feature films soon enough, and he admits that he couldn't have achieved so much if it wasn't for the strong bonds he has made within the German martial arts filmmaking community.It was Vi-Dan Tran who helped to bring fellow German martial artist Lorenz Hideyoshi onto the set of 'Dune', where he worked as Timothée Chalamet's stunt double for both films in the series. Lorenz is equally puzzled as to why there are so many Germans of his generation working in the action film business; people like Andy Long, Max Huang, Mike Möller, Julia Schunevitsch, Can Aydin, Cha-Lee Yoon, Phong Giang, not to mention Lorenz's own brother, Felix Fukuyoshi. Despite their individual successes, they can all still be found jumping into each other's projects, as demonstrated by Lorenz with his stand-out appearances in great martial arts movies like 'Plan B' and 'Luc Van Tien'. A multitalented artist in his own right, Lorenz's new short film is called 'Daddy Issues', a fun kung fu throwback in which he stars, co-writes and co-directs.LINKSLorenz Hideyoshi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzhideyoshi/Lorenz Hideyoshi on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HideyoshiRLorenz Hideyoshi on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3947656/Lorenz's production company, Young Masters, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youngmasters'Daddy Issues' short film: https://youtu.be/IXoAnSBrXgw'Dark Jedi: A Star Wars Fan Film': https://youtu.be/Qh83vsRzgAY?si=N63y--lkLAiC8QqH'Dune' stunt team fight scene - Vi-Dan Tran versus Lorenz Hideyoshi: https://youtu.be/B_dtwG8GG7g'Dune: Part Two' trailer: https://youtu.be/_YUzQa_1RCE'Amazon Taps Lucas Carter To Pen Remake Of German Actioner ‘Plan B’; Sylvester Stallone Among Producers', Variety.com: https://deadline.com/2022/07/amazon-studios-remaking-german-actioner-plan-b-penned-by-lucas-carter-1235080073/'Plan B' (2016) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/plan-b-2016/'Luc Van Tien: Kung Fu Warrior' (2017) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/luc-van-tien-kung-fu-warrior-2017/'Duty - Out of Line' short film: https://youtu.be/_Wa-cNx391g?si=GKN_xBD6mhK41Nc_ Vi-Dan Tran on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4263148/Vi-Dan Tran on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vi_dan/Vi-Dan's production company, T7 Productions, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@T7pro'Darth Maul: Apprentice - A Star Wars Fan Film': https://youtu.be/Djo_91jN3Pk?si=A7sfj4m36Y-qhPh3'Cyberpunk 2077: Phoenix Program Fan Film': https://youtu.be/JJdtkKNQKJ4'Knights of the Zodiac' (2023) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/knights-of-the-zodiac-2023/Max Huang on the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: http://kungfumovieguide.com/kfmg-podcast-s06-episode-73-max-huang/