Whats so special 'bout "IRON MONKEY" & "FIST of LEGEND"

[dodger87]

I just watched Fist of Legend and The Iron Monkey and I just wanted to know whats so special about these 2 movies? I know most movies use fast forward in there fight scenes but these two used it to the extreme to where the point they were fighting at superhuman speed and it was so obvious.

And I don't know whether Jet Li was trying to copy Bruce Lee's footwork but it looked nothing like it.

[norther practitioner]

I'm guessing the 93 version of Iron Monkey and the Jet remake of Fist of Legend.. I liked both for what they were... Iron had some very good choreography.. and the wirework was cleaner than a lot of other movies I've seen.. The "fastforward" work in those two haven't seemed too extreme to me.

[Shaolinlueb]

fist of legenmd had good kung fu and some good military style in it.

[dodger87]

NP i'll give you an example, in Fist of Legend when the current head master (just after his father died) was at his father's picture he was challenged by another kung fu master. Watch the fight, you will notice some bits with ridiculous fast forward effects. I don't know whether its just my copy of the movies (VCD from yesasia.com) or everyone else's that has this fast forward effect.

[Chang Style Novice]

So there's some overcranking, so what? The choreography is good, the individual characters have distinctive styles that match their personalities, the fights progress pretty logically and with good dramatic tension, and everything is filmed at a distance and duration that you can actually see what's happening.

That's the big deal.

[dodger87]

I guess if I had seen it when it first came out then I might've liked it more.

[SanSoo Student]

You should compare it with the cr@p coming out now, and then you will like it.

[dodger87]

Actually I watched both those movies straight after Ong bak so I guess my mind was comparing those two movies to ong bak.

[blooming lotus]

there's no comparing Jet Li and Jackie Chan....if you pay closer attention you'll see that while legends in their own rights, they have little in common....Jet Li studied at Shaolin and Jackie in Hong kong..........their basic form / style repetoire is different and so are their apps...........I really don't think Jet Li tries to emulate any aspect of Jackie Chan, but if you do see similarities, maybe that's just something well trained legends have in common...................................

[canglong]

There is enjoyment in the little things like the young Wong Fei- Hung being trained by Dr. Ying and Dr. Yang it was thouroughly enjoyable. And as stated already the characters were universaly recognizable also dodger87 maybe you do need to see some more of the less enjoyable movies to appreciate the 2 you mention.

[Chang Style Novice]

Yeah, it's sad that basic competency in depicting wuxia action has become a big deal, but there you have it.

Ong-bak is a fun lilttle flick, of course, but I wouldn't put it in a whole category above and beyond "Fist of Legend" (I'm less enamored of "Iron Monkey" which has considerably more wirework and less distinctiveness among the fighting styles of its characters - in fact, my previous post should only be considered a defense of FoL, not IM.)

[norther practitioner]

there's no comparing Jet Li and Jackie Chan....if you pay closer attention you'll see that while legends in their own rights, they have little in common....Jet Li studied at Shaolin and Jackie in Hong kong..........their basic form / style repetoire is different and so are their apps...........I really don't think Jet Li tries to emulate any aspect of Jackie Chan, but if you do see similarities, maybe that's just something well trained legends have in common

Thats great.. noone was comparing them...


Um, Jet was trained in beijing in wushu, Jackie learned at Opera school with Donnie, Sammo, et al.


Even with the wirework, the footwork in IM was top notch.

[Shaolinlueb]

ong bak is overrated.

[blooming lotus]

Originally posted by norther practitioner
Thats great.. noone was comparing them...


Um, Jet was trained in beijing in wushu, Jackie learned at Opera school with Donnie, Sammo, et al.


Even with the wirework, the footwork in IM was top notch.

lol.......or bruce lee for that matter..................but who hasn't got a bit-o'-bruce in their style?????:P


did anyone catch round the world in 80 dys yet???.........saw a post shoot interview with Jackie Chan.I think he's gone all superstar prima donna.........IE:- the flamboyant artiste vs the hard working ma ledgend...he lost a little fce in the last movie with digitally enhanced scenes etc and when he made it up to himself he grew an ego......not attractive, and only marginally admirable

what about Jet Li though....did he get out to temple or is he still doing hollywood???......................


oh.last thing.house of knives....new ma movie, possibly had raves at Cairnes movie festival................check it out if you get the opp.......

[dodger87]

Yeah thanks for telling us BL. Seriously do you even read the thread before you post? No one was even talking about Bruce Lee or Jacky Chan.