In Part Two of our annual End of Year Show - featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol 1 and 2, the action movie expert Mike Fury - we discuss our favourite fight-centric action films of 2023. Which film will be crowned our favourite of the year? We also read out comments from Fu followers around the world who have been telling us their favourite martial arts movies of the year over email and social media. We also discuss some of the films that we disliked in 2023 and look ahead to the martial arts movies we are most looking forward to in 2024. A huge thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023. See you in 2024!

LISTEN TO PART ONE

https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOne

LINKS

Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/

Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury

Mike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFury

Kung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhome

Kung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagram

Kung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebook

Kung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ho ho ho and happy Christmas to all the Fu followers around the world! Welcome to Part One of our annual End of Year Show, featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol. 1 and 2, Mike Fury. In Part One, we discuss the martial arts movie news that has been grabbing the headlines in 2023 - from Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan's many new projects, to Michelle Yeoh's success at the Oscars and the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee's death - and remember the famous people we lost this year. We also play clips from some of the many great guests who have appeared on the podcast in 2023, including action stars Marko Zaror and Vincent Lyn, kung fu movie expert Ric Meyers and stunt performer Alyma Dorsey. And, because it's Christmas time, we also unwrap some martial arts movie themed presents, and play messages from many of our friends on the action movie scene. A huge thank you to the following people for taking part in this episode: Frank Djeng, Janell-Vela Smith, Jesse V. Johnson, Joey Ansah, JuJu Chan Szeto, Kenji Tanigaki, Loren Avedon, Mark Strange, Marko Zaror, Matt Routledge, Matthias Hues, Max Huang, Mike Leeder, Philip Ng, Richard Norton, Ricky Baker, Samm Deighan, Sarah Chang, and Soo Cole. Thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023.

LISTEN TO PART TWO

https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartTwo

LINKS

Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/

Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury

Mike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFury

Kung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhome

Kung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagram

Kung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebook

Kung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Chile to Mexico to Hollywood - and back again - Marko Zaror's incredible rise in the action world reached a new crescendo in 2023. Known as the 'Latin Dragon', Marko's scene-stealing performance as the main heavy, Chidi, in Chad Stahelski's masterpiece, 'John Wick: Chapter 4', saw him duel on-screen with fight legends Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen and Keanu Reeves; meanwhile, back in his home country of Chile, he reunited with his childhood friend - the filmmaker Ernesto Díaz Espinoza - to produce and star in their fifth indie action film together, the deeply personal 'The Fist of the Condor'. Now capable of shifting between key roles in huge productions and making his own movies the way he wants them to be made, Zaror has reached a sweet-spot in his career - but it has not been an easy journey with plenty of bumps along the way. At one point, he even considered retiring from the film industry altogether, and training to become a professional MMA fighter, until a timely conversation with Robert Rodriguez convinced him otherwise. He has since gone on to work with Rodriguez in many film and TV projects, including 'Machete Kills', 'From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series', and 'Alita: Battle Angel'. In this conversation, Marko explores his roots as a Bruce Lee-obsessed kid in Chile with a dream of making it in the movies, to eventually ripping up the screen in one of the biggest - and best - action franchises in Hollywood history.

LINKS

Marko Zaror on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1047252/

Marko Zaror on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markozaror/

Marko Zaror on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markozaroroficial

Marko Zaror profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ProfileMarkoZaror

'Fist of the Condor' trailer: https://youtu.be/x53EpE12AsY

'Fist of the Condor' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/FistOfTheCondor2023

'John Wick: Chapter 4' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/JohnWickChapter4KFMG

'Kiltro' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/Kiltro2006

Our not-so-comprehensive list of fight-centric action films released in 2023: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOne

SPONSOR

This episode is sponsored by 'Five Deadly Rebels', a kung fu sci-fi scripted podcast from DimensionGate, available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and anywhere you get your podcasts. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is a modern day retelling of 'Five Deadly Venoms', the cult classic 1970s kung fu film produced by the Shaw Brothers. Its classic kung fu meets the gangster genre, meets science fiction, all set in present-day New York City. The soundtrack is from Wu-Tang Clan producer, Cilvaringz. The season finale drops Wednesday 13 December. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is narrated by Ian Tuason for DimensonGate - a fiction podcast production company.

'Five Deadly Rebels' website: https://www.fivedeadlyrebels.com/

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SpeVIDiKxISPC1am0d9Ta

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3sbe40O

Listen to a sample of the show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n_MXpCvK4MQ?si=bmJQ6tiS5OnitlvI

Listen to the trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MotN_D8Jfs0?si=hPBq0YJegir-vCnR

DimensionGate website: https://www.dimensiongate.com/

DimensionGate YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DimensionGateInc

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It has been over a decade since we last spoke in-depth to the author and kung fu movie expert, Ric Meyers - the man responsible for introducing much of America to the classics of martial arts cinema over a writing career spanning five decades. His books - including 1985's 'Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to the Ninjas', 1995's 'The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies', 2001's 'Great Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and More', and 2011's 'Films of Fury' project, which involved both a book and a documentary - are essential resources for any serious fan of kung fu cinema.

Now aged 70, Ric shows no signs of slowing down. He is still offering his honest, forthright opinion on modern action movies - particularly in his role as a regular reviewer on the 'That Phat Samurai Guy' YouTube channel - and as the long-standing compere of the annual Kung Fu Extravaganza event at San Diego Comic-Con, which just celebrated its 26th anniversary. On this episode, Ben catches up with Ric on the kung fu movies he has enjoyed in the last decade since they last spoke, the future of the genre, and how his own martial arts journey is progressing. As a kung fu practitioner, Ric has developed a keen eye on authenticity in kung fu cinema, something he feels is distinctly lacking from the genre today - although he does recognise and celebrate the filmmakers still trying to convey a more accurate portrayal of kung fu practice on-screen, acknowledging the works of Jackie Chan and the director, Xu Haofeng.

LINKS

Ric Meyers on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1838515/

Ric Meyers on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_Meyers

Ric Meyers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricmeyers

Ric Meyers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricmeyers

Ric Meyers on 'That Phat Samurai Guy' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=that+phat+samurai+guy+ric+meyers

Buy 'From Bruce Lee to the Ninjas: Martial Arts Movies' by Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer, Amy Harlib and Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Lee-Ninjas-Martial-Movies/dp/0806510099/

Buy 'The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies' by Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer and Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Martial-Arts-Movies-ebook/dp/B00CG16G2W/

Buy 'Great Martial Arts Movies: From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and More' by Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Martial-Arts-Movies-Citadel/dp/0806520264/

Buy 'Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Book' by Ric Meyers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Films-Fury-Kung-Movie-Book/dp/0979998948/

Buy 'They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action' by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Shouldnt-Have-Killed-His/dp/1250278430/

'Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/IronFistsAndKungFuKicks2019

The calligraphy fight from 'The Magnificent Butcher' (1979): https://youtu.be/V7A0M5u_Pas?si=iGjI5BNoSxfzhw-I

Ric's eBay sellers account, Chimera Publishing: https://www.ebay.com/str/chimerapublishing

Kung Fu Movie Guide interview with Ric Meyers from 2011, updated 2013: http://kungfumovieguide.com/interview-ric-meyers/

WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE FIGHT FILMS OF 2023?

Check out our not-very-comprehensive list on the Kung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOne

Let us know your favourite films - and why - and your comment could be read out on our End of Year Show 2023, featuring 'Life of Action Vol. 1 and 2' author Mike Fury. Email your response to hello@kungfumovieguide.com, or message us on social media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent Lyn's short career in Hong Kong action movies may only span a few years, but his good looks, martial arts abilities and acting skills saw him work with some of the biggest names in the industry, operating at the height of their powers. The list includes Donnie Yen, Yuen Woo-ping, Corey Yuen, Cynthia Rothrock, Cynthia Khan, Simon Yam, and Jackie Chan. He admits he had no idea that the films he was making would go on to become so influential and cherished by generations of action fans around the world. In fact, given the ad-hoc nature and breakneck speed of Hong Kong filmmaking, he sometimes had very little concept of which film he was working on at any given time, moving from set to set as part of a staple of dependable 'gweilo' fighters who always played the villain, and ultimately got their asses kicked by the lead.

His final Hong Kong film role was as the main heavy in the Jackie Chan adventure, 'Armour of God II: Operation Condor' (1991), before he returned to the USA to pursue a multitude of other talents. He became a kung fu instructor (teaching his own family style, Ling Gar Kung Fu), a Grammy Award-nominated musician, a philanthropist and humanitarian. His charity, We Can Save Children, has seen him visit some of the poorest parts of the world in a bid to end the exploitation of children. He can often be found travelling the world, meeting with dignitaries and governments, and talking at the UN. When he's not focused on his charity work, he can be found behind the piano - something he learned from his musical mother at a very young age. Vincent's new immersive album, 'Elysian Eclipse', is available now.

LINKS

Vincent Lyn on IMDb:

Vincent Lyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincent.lyn.50/

Vincent Lyn on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vincent.lyn.50/

Vincent Lyn profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ProfileVincentLyn

We Can Save Children website: https://www.wecansavechildren.org/

Listen to 'Elysian Eclipse': https://exxeo.xyz/elysian-eclipse/

Robert Samuels on the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/RobertSamuelsKFMGPod

'Tiger Cage' (1988) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/KFMGTigerCage

'The Blonde Fury' (1989) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/TheBlondeFury1989

'Armour of God II: Operation Condor' (1991) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ArmourOfGod2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last decade, Germany has become a hotbed of aspiring young martial arts talent who have seen their careers grow from DIY short films on YouTube to massive Hollywood productions. Cologne-born Vi-Dan Tran is a wushu practitioner and Hong Kong movie fan. His passions led to a career in stunts and eventually membership of the hallowed Jackie Chan Stunt Team, working with the man himself on movies like 'The Foreigner' and 'Bleeding Steel'. Nowadays, Vi-Dan Tran can be found behind-the-scenes working on the action design of some of Hollywood's biggest movies, from 'Shang-Chi' to 'Dune'. His latest film is 'Knights of the Zodiac', a live-action take on Japan's popular 'Saint Seiya' manga series. It's pretty clear that Vi-Dan Tran will be directing feature films soon enough, and he admits that he couldn't have achieved so much if it wasn't for the strong bonds he has made within the German martial arts filmmaking community.

It was Vi-Dan Tran who helped to bring fellow German martial artist Lorenz Hideyoshi onto the set of 'Dune', where he worked as Timothée Chalamet's stunt double for both films in the series. Lorenz is equally puzzled as to why there are so many Germans of his generation working in the action film business; people like Andy Long, Max Huang, Mike Möller, Julia Schunevitsch, Can Aydin, Cha-Lee Yoon, Phong Giang, not to mention Lorenz's own brother, Felix Fukuyoshi. Despite their individual successes, they can all still be found jumping into each other's projects, as demonstrated by Lorenz with his stand-out appearances in great martial arts movies like 'Plan B' and 'Luc Van Tien'. A multitalented artist in his own right, Lorenz's new short film is called 'Daddy Issues', a fun kung fu throwback in which he stars, co-writes and co-directs.

LINKS

Lorenz Hideyoshi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzhideyoshi/

Lorenz Hideyoshi on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HideyoshiR

Lorenz Hideyoshi on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3947656/

Lorenz's production company, Young Masters, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youngmasters

'Daddy Issues' short film: https://youtu.be/IXoAnSBrXgw

'Dark Jedi: A Star Wars Fan Film': https://youtu.be/Qh83vsRzgAY?si=N63y--lkLAiC8QqH

'Dune' stunt team fight scene - Vi-Dan Tran versus Lorenz Hideyoshi: https://youtu.be/B_dtwG8GG7g

'Dune: Part Two' trailer: https://youtu.be/_YUzQa_1RCE

'Amazon Taps Lucas Carter To Pen Remake Of German Actioner ‘Plan B’; Sylvester Stallone Among Producers', Variety.com: https://deadline.com/2022/07/amazon-studios-remaking-german-actioner-plan-b-penned-by-lucas-carter-1235080073/

'Plan B' (2016) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/plan-b-2016/

'Luc Van Tien: Kung Fu Warrior' (2017) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/luc-van-tien-kung-fu-warrior-2017/

'Duty - Out of Line' short film: https://youtu.be/_Wa-cNx391g?si=GKN_xBD6mhK41Nc_

Vi-Dan Tran on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4263148/

Vi-Dan Tran on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vi_dan/

Vi-Dan's production company, T7 Productions, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@T7pro

'Darth Maul: Apprentice - A Star Wars Fan Film': https://youtu.be/Djo_91jN3Pk?si=A7sfj4m36Y-qhPh3

'Cyberpunk 2077: Phoenix Program Fan Film': https://youtu.be/JJdtkKNQKJ4

'Knights of the Zodiac' (2023) review: http://kungfumovieguide.com/knights-of-the-zodiac-2023/

Max Huang on the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: http://kungfumovieguide.com/kfmg-podcast-s06-episode-73-max-huang/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a directors double bill on this episode of the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast, featuring conversations with two filmmakers who have both released independent martial arts movies in 2023.

Froukje Tan is a Dutch filmmaker who specialises in telling family-orientated stories which are accessible to all. Her new film - her first in the directors' chair for over a decade - combines her knowledge of child development and the martial arts, herself being a long-time practitioner of southern style kung fu. Set in her home city of Rotterdam, 'Kung Fu Leeuw' - aka 'Kung Fu Lion' - tells the story of two troubled teenage boys who are brought together by their sifu (played by kung fu movie star Lau Kar-yung) to perform the traditional Chinese lion dance. The film received rave reviews following its release in February 2023 in the Netherlands, and it continues to be screened at film festivals around the world, including the Fighting Spirit Film Festival in London, where it received its UK premiere in September. It will also be screened as part of the International Kids Film Festival which runs from 14-30 November across India, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Another martial arts film screened at this year's Fighting Spirit Film Festival was 'Walid', a Malaysian action movie focusing on the horrific crime of human trafficking. It is the second directorial effort from filmmaker Areel Abu Bakar, who launched onto the Malaysian martial arts scene in 2019 with his great Silat film, 'The Deed of Death'. The title character of Walid (played by Megat Sharizal) is a kind teacher who transforms into all-out super-killer when one of his pupils - an illiterate immigrant girl - is kidnapped and sold into the child sex trade. Bakar - himself a Silat practitioner - once again calls upon his many training buddies to help deliver punishing, violent action scenes which have been stunning - and surprising - audiences around the world following its world premiere in New York in July 2023. The film is scheduled for a wider online release in December 2023.

LINKS

Froukje Tan on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1717961/

Froukje Tan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/froukjetan/

Froukje Tan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/froukjetan/

'Kung Fu Lion' trailer: https://youtu.be/R4TYRYrvB1M

'Kung Fu Lion' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/kung-fu-lion-2023/

International Kids Film Festival, 14-30 November: https://www.ikff.in/

'Steam' short film, directed by Pau Han-kho: https://youtu.be/uRLH8JTbqCs?si=T4xg_82noWilmlqS

Areel Abu Bakar on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4702675/

'Walid' trailer: https://youtu.be/U8DJQDOmhzU

'Walid' page on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filemwalid/

'Walid' page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FilemWalid

Layar Pictures YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@layarpicturessdnbhd7468

'Walid' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/walid-2023/

'The Deed of Death' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/the-deed-of-death-2019/

For more details about the 2023 Fighting Spirit Film Festival, visit https://www.fightingspiritfilmfestival.com/.

Listen to Ben Johnson on Episode 137 of the SpyHards Podcast, 'Enter the Dragon' special: https://www.spyhards.com/e/137-enter-the-dragon-1973/

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The martial artist, instructor, writer, actor, painter, fight choreographer, singer and all-round entertainer Eric Lee got his nickname - the 'King of Kata' - after winning a string of trophies throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s. He has over 100 world titles, and was the undefeated forms and weapons champion from 1970 to 1974. Over the years, his kung fu demonstrations escalated to include music, lighting, comedy, acting and sound effects, and his entertaining mix of martial arts and performance wowed audiences around the world. He would quickly become a regular fixture in the fight press, and a career in action movies followed. One of his earliest roles was with the director, Sam Peckinpah, on 'The Killer Elite' in 1975, but perhaps Lee's most famous role was in John Carpenter's cult classic, 'Big Trouble in Little China' (1986), playing a villain in Lo Pan's gang. As an actor and fight choreographer, he has appeared in over 80 movies and TV productions, and worked with many of the best martial artists in the action genre - including Jackie Chan, Cynthia Rothrock, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Bolo Yeung, Billy Blanks, and many more. Now in his mid-70s, Eric may have retired from competition, but he continues to pick up new interests and hobbies. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss his early years in China and his training in Hong Kong; the feedback he received when introducing kung fu to American audiences; his move from stunt performer to actor to working behind-the-scenes; and his love of all things music. Eric is also a published author; his instructional books include '3 Sectional Staff', 'The Broadsword', and 'Fight Back: Your Guide to Self-Defence'. His latest book, an autobiography called 'The Journey of an Artist', is out now.

LINKS

Eric Lee's website: https://ericlee.com/

Eric Lee on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497224/

Eric Lee on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grandmasterericlee4240

Eric Lee profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/EricLeeProfile

Buy 'The Journey of an Artist' by Grandmaster Eric Lee on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Journey-Artist-Grandmaster-Eric-Lee-ebook/dp/B08L8T7WXY

'Big Trouble in Little China' (1986) review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://bit.ly/BigTroubleInLittleChina

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.