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.
Chopsocky is a colloquial term for martial arts films and kung fu films made primarily by Hong Kong action cinema between the late 1960s and early 1980s. The term was coined by the American motion picture trade magazine Variety following the explosion of films in the genre released in 1973 in the U.S. after the success of Five Fingers of Death. The word is a play on chop suey, combining "chop" and "sock".
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chen Chi-hwa, and starring Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Tang Ming-chi. The film co-stars Dean Shek, James Tien, Doris Lung, and Wu Ma. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 1 July 1978. Chan plays a bumbling kung fu student who becomes involved in a series of adventures in one of his first forays into the kung fu acrobatic slapstick comedy style that would become his signature.
Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist, and martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, Sze is globally known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon (1973), starring Bruce Lee, and as Chong Li in Bloodsport (1988), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, as well as other numerous appearances and a long career in Hong Kong martial arts films.
Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 martial arts action comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the leading role, alongside Huang Shengyi, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan and Leung Siu-lung in prominent roles. The story revolves around a murderous neighbourhood gang, a poor village with unlikely heroes and an aspiring gangster's fierce journey to find his true self. The martial arts choreography is supervised by Yuen Woo-ping.
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese and Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling and aesthetic traditions, which Hong Kong filmmakers combined with elements from Hollywood and Japanese cinema along with new action choreography and filmmaking techniques, to create a culturally distinctive form that went on to have wide transcultural appeal. In turn, Hollywood action films have been heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre conventions, from the 1970s onwards.
Kung Fu master or Kung Fu Master may refer to:
The Prodigal Son is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Sammo Hung, who also supporting role and co-writer with Barry Wong. The film stars Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-ying, and Frankie Chan. The film was released on 22 December 1981 and grossed HK$9,150,729. The Prodigal Son was nominated for two Hong Kong Film Awards and won the award for Best Action Choreography.
Maliyekkal Kochukunju Arjunan was an Indian film and theatre composer, known for his works in Malayalam cinema and the theatre of Kerala. He was fondly referred to as Arjunan Master.
Nivin Pauly is an Indian actor and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He is the recipient of several awards, including two Kerala State Film Awards, three Filmfare Awards South, two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, and six SIIMA Awards. He auditioned for and was cast in one of the main roles in Vineeth Sreenivasan's directorial debut, Malarvaadi Arts Club, in 2009 and got his breakthrough in the romantic film Thattathin Marayathu (2012).
New generation films is a Malayalam film movement developed in the early 2010s, characterized by fresh and unusual themes and new narrative techniques. Films of the new wave differ from conventional themes of the past two decades and introduced several new trends and techniques to the Malayalam film industry. While the new generation formats and styles are deeply influenced by global trends, their thematics are firmly rooted in Malayalee life and mindscapes.
1983 is a 2014 Indian Malayalam-language coming-of-age sports film directed by fashion photographer Abrid Shine, who wrote the story and co-wrote the script with Bipin Chandran. The film, produced under the banner of Shams Films, stars Nivin Pauly in the lead role. Anoop Menon, Nikki Galrani, Joy Mathew, Srinda Arhaan, Jacob Gregory, Saiju Kurup, Shine Tom Chacko, Dinesh, Sui Joseph, Neeraj Madhav and Sanju, make up the rest of the cast. Pradeesh Varma cranked the camera and the music director was Gopi Sunder, for which he received the 62nd National Film Awards for Best Background Score.
Abrid Shine is an Indian film director, screenwriter and fashion photographer in the Malayalam film industry. He made his directorial debut in 2014 with the film 1983, which won him the prestigious Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director.
Action Hero Biju is a 2016 Indian Malayalam-language police procedural comedy film directed by Abrid Shine. The film stars Nivin Pauly, Anu Emmanuel, Saiju Kurup, Joju George, Alexander Prasanth, Kalabhavan Prajod, Rony David and Sohan Seenulal. Nivin jointly produced the film with Abrid Shine and Shibu Thekkumpuram. Jerry Amaldev composed the original songs, while Rajesh Murugesan composed score. Principal photography began in May 2015 and ended in October 2015.
Poomaram is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language musical drama film written, co-produced and directed by Abrid Shine. The film stars Kalidas Jayaram and Neeta Pillai in the lead roles. The film marks the debut of Kalidas Jayaram as a Lead actor in Malayalam cinema.
Vinaya Vidheya Rama is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by Boyapati Srinu and produced by D. V. V. Danayya. The film stars Ram Charan, Prashanth, Vivek Oberoi, and Kiara Advani. The music was composed by Devi Sri Prasad. The film revolves around Konidela Ram Charan, an angry young man who sets out to destroy a dictator in Bihar, after the lives of his loved ones are threatened and his elder brother gets killed.
Neeta Pillai is an Indian actress from Kerala who predominantly working in the Malayalam film industry. She debuted with Poomaram in 2018, alongside Kalidas Jayaram.
Ip Man: Kung Fu Master is a 2019 Chinese martial arts film co-written and directed by Li Liming and starring Dennis To as Ip Man. It is To's third portrayal of the Hong Kong martial artist, after The Legend Is Born: Ip Man (2010) and Kung Fu League (2018). The film depicts Ip Man's stint as a police officer in Guangzhou before the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949. The film did not get a theatrical release in China, but instead it was released digitally via streaming on Youku.
Mahaveeryar is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language time-travel experimental fantasy comedy film, scripted and directed by Abrid Shine. It was produced by Pauly Jr. Pictures and Indian Movie Makers, based on a short story written by the writer M. Mukundan. The film stars Nivin Pauly, Asif Ali, Shanvi Srivastava, Lal, and Siddique in lead roles. It was released on 21 July 2022.
Bazooka is an upcoming Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written and directed by Deeno Dennis in his directorial debut. The film stars Mammootty in the lead role. The film is produced by Dolwin Kuriakose, Jinu V. Abraham, Vikram Mehra and Sidharth Anand Kumar under the banners of Yoodlee Films and Theatre of Dreams.
