Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently featured in training scenes and other sequences in addition to fights. Martial arts films commonly include hand-to-hand combat along with other types of action, such as stuntwork, chases, and gunfights. Sub-genres of martial arts films include kung fu films, wuxia, karate films, and martial arts action comedy films, while related genres include gun fu, jidaigeki and samurai films.
The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as David Bordwell suggested they were films that favor spectacle to storytelling, others such as Geoff King stated they allow the scenes of spectacle to be attuned to story telling. Action films are often hybrid with other genres, mixing into various forms ranging to adventure films, comedy films, science fiction films, and horror films.
China O'Brien is a 1990 martial arts film produced by Golden Harvest studios and starring actress and martial artist Cynthia Rothrock with co-stars Richard Norton and Keith Cooke. The film was directed by Robert Clouse, the fight choreography was by Nijel Binns, and it was executive produced by Raymond Chow. Rothrock plays a former cop who runs for sheriff after her father, the previous sheriff, is killed.
Cynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress. She holds black belt rankings in seven styles of martial arts and was a high-level competitor in martial arts before becoming an actress. In 2014, she was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Bruceploitation is an exploitation film subgenre that emerged after the death of martial arts film star Bruce Lee in 1973, during which time filmmakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cast Bruce Lee look-alike actors ("Lee-alikes") to star in imitation martial arts films, in order to exploit Lee's sudden international popularity. Bruce Lee look-alike characters also commonly appear in other media, including anime, comic books, manga, and video games.
Fast Getaway is a 1991 action comedy film, starring Corey Haim, Cynthia Rothrock and Leo Rossi. The film chronicles the adventures of a trio of non-violent bank robbers formed by a teenager (Haim), his immature father (Rossi) and the latter's feisty girlfriend (Rothrock). A sequel, simply titled Fast Getaway II, was released in 1994.
Richard Norton is an Australian martial artist, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, security consultant, and fight choreographer. He holds a 5th dan black belt in Gōjū-ryū karate, a 6th dan black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an 8th dan black belt in Chun Kuk Do, and a level 6 ranking in American kickboxing. After high school, Norton worked as a bodyguard in the entertainment business before pursuing an acting career.
James Jene Fae Lew is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has made 80 on-screen film and television appearances and 46 more as a stunt coordinator or stunt double. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for his work on the series Luke Cage.
Righting Wrongs is a 1986 Hong Kong action film produced and directed by Corey Yuen, and also produced by and starring Yuen Biao, both of whom also serve as the film's action directors. The film also co-stars Cynthia Rothrock, Melvin Wong, Wu Ma, Roy Chiao and director Yuen himself. Righting Wrongs is the one of Yuen Biao's better known films that he made without film industry compatriots Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan.
Undefeatable is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Godfrey Ho and starring Cynthia Rothrock, John Miller, Don Niam, and Donna Jason. The picture was a Hong Kong production, but filmed in English on location in the United States. An alternate version of the film, titled Bloody Mary Killer, was released for the Asian markets.
A jump kick is a type of kick in certain martial arts and in martial-arts based gymnastics, with the particularity that the kick is delivered mid-air, specifically moving ("flying") into the target after a running start to gain forward momentum. In this sense, a "Jump kick" is a special case of a flying kick, any kick delivered in mid-air, i.e. with neither foot touching the ground.
Fred Robert Weintraub was an American film and television producer and writer.
Yes, Madam is a 1985 Hong Kong action film directed by Corey Yuen, and produced by Sammo Hung, who also appears in a cameo in the film. The film stars Michelle Yeoh as Senior Inspector Ng who teams up with Inspector Carrie Morris to get a hold of microfilm which has been taken unknowingly by low level thieves Asprin and Strepsil.
Martial Law 2: Undercover is a 1991 martial arts film written by Richard Brandes and Jiles Fitzgerald, produced by Steve Cohen, directed by Kurt Anderson and stars Jeff Wincott, Cynthia Rothrock, Paul Johansson, L. Charles Taylor, Sherrie Rose, and Billy Drago. It is also the sequel to the 1990 film Martial Law.
Mark Noyce is an English actor, writer, film director and producer.
Lady Dragon is a 1992 martial arts film starring actress and martial artist Cynthia Rothrock and Bella Esperance.
George Chung is an American actor, businessman, film director and TV show producer. He is also a five times world martial arts champion. He was the executive producer for the American reality television series, Call to Cosplay. He is also the executive producer of Bushido Battleground. Chung had the lead role in the 1988 film Hawkeye.
Fight to Win is a 1987 martial arts comedy film directed by Leo Fong and starring Cynthia Rothrock, George Chung, Richard Norton and Chuck Jeffreys. In the film, martial artist Ryan Kim has an upcoming fight and gets training from a martial arts master, Sensei Lauren.
Liu Chungliang is a Taiwanese actor and martial artist. He mostly appeared in low-budget Taiwanese action/martial art movies and never appeared in the higher budget Hong Kong martial arts movies from the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest.
Guardian Angel is a 1994 American action film directed by Richard W. Munchkin, starring Cynthia Rothrock, Lydie Denier, Daniel McVicar and Marshall R. Teague. Rothrock plays a cop-turned-bodyguard on assignment to protect a rich playboy from an unhinged woman, who is both the client's former mistress and the criminal responsible for the death of the heroine's fiancé. Although contemporary reviews were mixed, it is better regarded than most of the actress' American output.
