Hong Kong/Chop Socky and the 80’s

1. Hong Kong/Chop Socky and the 80’s Kevin Canlas Phillip Lee Jason Fujii Bhavin Shah Period 1

2. 1980 • The era was characterized by the introduction of high concept films with cinematic plots • Films in the 80’s were less experimental and original, but more into bringing out new special effects

3. 1980 • Colorization of the classics • Color imaged films began to be broadcasted on TV in 1985 • Trend of films directed at the youth began in the late 70’s and continued into the 80’s • Tredn of making sequels

4. 1980 • Parenthood comedies (Mr. Mom) • Animation comedies (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) • Films were more traditional and conservative than radical and innovative • Many films were highly emotional, appealed to females, revolved around terminal illnesses (Terms of Endearment)

5. 1980 • The rise of independent and non-Hollywood films • Uncompromising, low-budget, original visions of reality • PG-13 was created due to intense violence of war and towards women

6. 1980 • Revival of Film Noir through the growth of Neo-noir films • The return of dark, shadowy scenes, deadly females and menacing circumstances

7. Genre History • The chop socky genre originated in Shanghai, China in the 1920s • Censorship and a new interest in social issues caused a decline during the 1930s • The film industry moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong in 1949, and was revived • The One Armed Swordsman (1967) • During the 1970s, Bruce Lee appeared in The Big Boss and Enter the Dragon, but the genre dropped in popularity after his death

8. Genre History • 1980s brought Jackie Chan, who mixed martial arts with comedy and was loved by American audiences, i.e. Legend of the Drunken Master, Rush Hour series • As well as Jet Li with his authentic wushu technique • Directors such as John Woo and Tsui Hark brought innovation • 1990s, the industry moved to Hollywood and caused another decline in the industry

9. Conventions • Chop socky films derived their stories from myths, legends, and historic institutions • Depict conflict resolution that is brutal yet still elegant • The hero of a chop socky film is a hard “body” capable of defeating any enemy • The hero is a personification of desired skills and represents what a man can and should look like

10. Conventions • An escapist genre, a fantasy that still maintains a close tie to the cultural tradition of China • Characteristics of chop socky films are rugged individualism, conflict resolution through violence, and skepticism of class in society • The characters demonstrate a mastery over their movements, control over every situation, and detailed precision

11. Conventions • A popular story line would be an individual or a group that is competing for secrets or valuable objects • Many chop socky films show a quest, where the hero has flaws, then must undergo a form of training and discovery of strengths, to return and triumph • Good versus bad, virtue over corruption, villains die and heroes live

12. Conventions • Many times, the hero must make long journeys through the country • Creates a relationship between the character and nature • All part of the quest mold of chop socky movies, where the hero must undergo a change before he is ready to fight the final enemy

13. Conventions • Wuxiapian – “tales of mortal chivalry” • The code of the hero as shown in chop socky films is to defend honor at all costs • This explains the popular plots of revenge and redemption for the hero

14. Conventions • Many times in chop socky films, when there is about to be a fight between two big characters there is a stare-down • They choose a form, they circle each other, ready to attack • The camera zooms into each fighter’s face, showing intense facial expressions

15. Iconography • The costumes that are used throughout many chop socky films are traditional Chinese martial arts clothes • Simple and flowing, allows for easy movement, and goes back to the cultural tradition • Weapons are also traditional, choosing to use things such as swords, spears, staffs, and good ol’ fists

16. Iconography • Also found in most Hong Kong films are high flying acrobatic maneuvers • Most characters, especially the hero demonstrate their own fighting style • Fight scenes are numerous, with the characters yelling out in emphasis and holding their form • Many times the hero is outnumbered against a large number of men, yet he prevails

17. Iconography • The temple is a setting that is found in many chop socky movies • It ties into cultural tradition and is usually a place where the hero finds refuge or discovers himself • Also found in chop socky movies is usually an old wise man who is legendary in his skill and the hero must gain his help

18. Iconography • Found in many chop socky films are objects that are symbolic of Chinese tradition • Throughout the settings, there are ancient tapestries and porcelain, adorned with traditional images such as dragons, ancestors, old sayings.

19. Kill Bill • Kill Bill is a western movie that paid a homage to Hong Kong martial arts, Japanese Samurai films and also Spaghetti western. • The movie glorifies more intense, acrobatic violence and the new school wuxia which was introduced in the 1960s

20. Kill Bill • The fight choreography was choreographed by Yuen Woo-Ping, who also choreographed Matrix, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5kJ6nJe1oc

21. Kill Bill • The plot of the movie is based on revenge of the bride swears to kill those on her list • The women such as Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu are glorified because most of the martial arts film uses male dominant characters as heroes.

22. Kill Bill • The plot is divided into 5 chapters, using several flashbacks in order for us to understand how the story originated and chronologically the bride goes through her kill list. The resolution of the movie is the bride sending a message to her main antagonist, which depicts that a sequel will follow this movie.

23. Kill Bill • Costumes are casual modern clothes which departs from old martial arts film costumes. There are scenes where western costumes are worn in Texas setting, and kimono by Lucy Liu. Her squad wears school uniforms. • Imagery contains lot of blood and gore, which again glorifies the new wuxia swordplay and violence. • The biggest symbol for the movie is the sword, which defines power and strength, as the hero uses the strongest Hattori Hanzo sword to defeat her antagonists.

24. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon • Crouching Tiger goes back to many of the traditional elements of the chop socky genre • The plot is based on the quest to recover the valuable Green Destiny, one side trying to steal it, clashing with the side trying to return it

25. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon • The characters are skilled swordsmen and exceptional in martial arts, with women taking on the task as main characters (Shu-lien and Jen) • The setting of the movie takes place in the 1700s in China, going into historic tradition

26. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon • Their costumes are traditional clothing of the time, tying into the cultural traditions of the genre • Weaponry is characteristic of swords and other weapons used by the practitioners of martial arts • There is a focus through the movie on the high flying acrobatics and technique of the characters

27. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon • Many fight scenes take place in historic buildings, such as temples or fight schools • One clash between Jen and Shu-lien takes place on a small “stage” where they compete skill vs. superior weaponry • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I4Moi3-g14

28. Kung Pow: Enter the Fist • A parody of the chop socky genre, directed by Steve Oederkerk, who also starred in it • The plot of the film follows the Chosen One, who is seeking revenge on Master Pain, the one who killed his parents

29. Kung Pow: Enter the Fist • Used the close up shots found in many martial arts films, as well as the whip pan technique from Bruce Lee movies • Spoofed the dubbing, showing a character’s mouth move, but the words come later, the translation is short, or the voice is different than expected

30. Kung Pow: Enter the Fist • Although the film is a parody, it identified the hero as the character seeking revenge, a popular plot of chop socky films • But still, the hero was shown to be weak and fragile instead of brave and strong • Many characteristics of the genre were shown through the high flying fights, close ups, and storyline

31. Kung Pow: Enter the Fist • One fight scene, where the Chosen One fights a cow, expressed many conventions of the genre, such as the use of slow motion, quick paced choreographed fighting, and a spoof of the Matrix • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkuNV_1Ots