Karate (空手), also karate-do, is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian White Crane. Karate is now predominantly a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes, and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands, and palm-heel strikes. Historically, and in some modern styles, grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints, and vital-point strikes are also taught. A karate practitioner is called a karate-ka (空手家).
In general, kung fu/kungfu refers to the Chinese martial arts also called wushu and quanfa. In China, it refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts. The literal equivalent of "Chinese martial art" in Mandarin would be 中國武術 zhōngguó wǔshù.
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.
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life-threatening situations, a dangerous villain, or a pursuit which usually concludes in victory for the hero.
Adrian Paul Hewett is an English actor best known for the titular role of Duncan MacLeod on the television series Highlander: The Series. In 1997, he founded the Peace Fund charitable organisation.
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".
Cynthia Ann Christine Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress in martial arts films. Rothrock 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.
Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist and a martial arts film actor. He is globally known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon, and the dominant Chong Li in Bloodsport as well as other numerous appearances and long career in Hong Kong martial arts films.
The Bloody Fists, is a 1972 Hong Kong action film directed by See-Yuen Ng and starring Chen Siu Sing and Kuan Tai Chen. The memorable fight scenes were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, better known for choreographing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix.
Black Belt is an American magazine covering martial arts and combat sports. The magazine is based in Valencia, California, and is one of the oldest titles dedicated to martial arts in the United States.
James Jene Fae Lew is an American actor and martial artist. He has made 80 on-screen film and television appearances and 46 more as a stunt coordinator or stunt double. He has done choreography for movies like Get Smart, Killers and the cult classic Big Trouble In Little China, as well as television shows such as National Geographic's Fight Science, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, and Entourage. He does Shaolin Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, and Boxing. He also trained Brad Pitt with sword fighting for the movie Troy.
Bruce Leung Siu-lung is a Hong Kong martial artist and actor who has appeared in many Hong Kong martial arts movies. He often appeared billed as "Bruce Leung", "Bruce Liang", "Bruce Leong", or "Bruce Leung Siu-lung", and is thus generally grouped among the Bruce Lee clones that sprang up after Lee's death in the subgenre known as Bruceploitation.
"Kung Fu Kapers" is an episode of the British comedy television series The Goodies. It caused a viewer to die from laughing.
The Mystery of Chess Boxing is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu film written, produced and directed by Joseph Kuo and starring Mark Long, Jack Long and Lee Yi Min.
Conan Lee Yuen-Ba 李元霸, is a Hong Kong-born American film actor and martial artist.
Louis Linn is a martial artist, teaching his family style of O Shin Chuen, a traditional five animal Fukien Shaolin style, in Sweden. He introduced Chinese martial arts, Wushu (武術) also popularly called Kung Fu (功夫), to Sweden in 1975 and soon became a well known instructor within the martial arts society there.
John Corcoran was an American non-fiction book author, magazine editor, screenwriter and martial arts historian.
The Martial Arts History Museum is a museum in America devoted to the history of martial arts located in Burbank, California. It was created as an educational facility teaching young people and visitors about art, culture and tradition and how Asian history became part of American history through the martial arts. The Martial Arts History Museum is divided into several sections including China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Hawaii, Anime and Media.
Mr. Hercules Against Karate/Ming, ragazzi! is a 1973 Italian comedy Kung fu film directed by Antonio Margheriti that was filmed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Bangkok. Produced by Carlo Ponti, the film features Bud Spencer and Terence Hill impersonators Alberto Terracina and Fernando Bilbao in a satire of the Kung-fu craze.
Duel of Karate, also known as To Subdue Evil and To Subdue the Devil, is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts film produced by and directed by Fu Ching-hua and starring Chan Hung-lit and Tien Peng as twin brothers who were separated at a young age after their parents were murdered by the chief antagonist.
