Martial Arts in the Movies.

[arnisador]

We saw the sci-fi vampire film Ultraviolet (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032/) this evening. The press releases (http://www.fmatalk.com/showthread.php?p=3154#post3154) had led me to believe that FMA would have a significant presence, but apart from one scene near the beginning the emphasis was on Japanese-style swordwork and acrobatic martial arts. It was an enjoyable martial arts/action film, but disappointing as a FMA-influenced film. As to plot...forget it. This is the most predictable film ever made. Still, I don't feel cheated. I got 80 minutes worth of action out of it.

One interesting variation of the punyo idea was used: At one point the lead character is using two box-like submachine guns, which are made in roughly Uzi-style. She activates long blades that come out from the grips of each. They are roughly 12 inches long, give or take, and when the opponent is too close she cuts with them rather than shooting. I liked it!

[arnisador]

From here (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929842?categoryid=31&cs=1&s=h&p=0), a picture of those bladed guns; the blades seemed to vary in length, and I remember them usually being shorter than in this picture. The guns were often more rectangular too--perhaps this is a different set than the ones I was thinking of.

Reviews agree with me that even tha ction sequences were repetitive. Several times she eliminated a roomful of adversaries with a single swing of the sword, faster than we could follow...fine once, boring thrice.

[arnisador]

We saw this movie last night. I recommend it all around, but in particular there is extensive and interesting knifework. The last knife battle in particular was very well done with an interesting and restrained use of special effects. I was reminded of Toshiro Mifune as a samurai, gracefully and economically cutting through many opponents, almost in a single elongated motion.

[arnisador]

From the Armory of Middle Earth (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/business/yourmoney/02goods.html)

A theatrical version of LOTR is playing in Toronto. This story discusses the knives designed by United Cutlery for the merchandising aspect of the movies: "Mr. Rae [of United Cutlery] was initially baffled by how to replicate the vinelike design on the handles; the company usually etches such patterns with acid, but that process was too clumsy for replicating the prop's intricacies. So Mr. Rae enlisted the services of a company that fabricates circuit boards, and thus had the equipment needed to burn minute swirls into wood." This was for the Fighting Knives of Legolas, a top seller for the company. There's a pciture with the article.

[Tarot]

I think it's a common theme that most action movies don't have a decent plot. One movie I love for the action and the MA involved is The Transporter, the first one not the second one. The fight scenes, IMO, are fantastic especially the one in the bus. But the plot is horrific. :p:

Both of these movies I want to see but will wait for them to come out on DVD. I have yet to hear a negative thing about V for Vendetta.

Those are some pretty sweet looking blades! I love how flowing and detailed the LOTR blades look.

[arnisador]

I enjoyed The Transporter (http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7585) films too, though I liked the second (http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25475) better than the first. I'm hoping for a third!

I definitely recommend "V for Vendetta" on all counts. I got my son the graphic novel and I have just started reading it. Frankly, so far I like the approach used in the movie better than the one in the book!

[arnisador]

We went to see Mission: Impossible III today. There is a brief sequence of Tom Cruise training Keri Russell in the use of the double sticks. It may have been a sumbrada variation--it was hard to tell, as it was a flashback that was somewhat ghostly on the screeen. Very briefly, a collpasible baton is used against Tom Cruise's character (I think--it was so quick).


The movie itself was enjoyable as a basic action film, but made me think it needn't have been made. It was just a continuation of the first two in a fairly simple manner.

[Rich Parsons]

We went to see Mission: Impossible III today. There is a brief sequence of Tom Cruise training Keri Russell in the use of the double sticks. It may have been a sumbrada variation--it was hard to tell, as it was a flashback that was somewhat ghostly on the screeen. Very briefly, a collpasible baton is used against Tom Cruise's character (I think--it was so quick).


The movie itself was enjoyable as a basic action film, but made me think it needn't have been made. It was just a continuation of the first two in a fairly simple manner.

Why could Mr Tom not just leave FMA alone? Next thing you know he will be all about someone disrespecting his belief's and not going to promote one of his films unless he gets his way. I guess he will be the next Supreme Grand Master of all FMA then.

[Phadrus00]

I loved The Transporter and V for Vendetta ruled! Aeon Flux was interesting and the story was engaging but somehow it came across as a little flat.

Some of my favorite action movies of late have been:

Ong Bak:Thai Warrior...it's spectacular! Yea the story line is as old as the hills but man the choreography is killer!

Kung Fu hustle... It's indescribable! It's funny, it's fun, it's visually impressive.. Oh just go and rent it already!

House of Flying Daggers.. Outstanding! The Drum scene..Wow!

Rob

[arnisador]

I'm waiting for Kung Fu Hustle to come to HBO. I did just watch Hero recently, which was quite good.

Sinawali-style double stick drills seem to occur reasonably often in movies these days!

[arnisador]

We went to see The Protector with Tony Jaa tonight. My son and I disagreed about whether it was better than Ong Bak: Thai Warrior, but we did both enjoy it. There is an impressive sequence--one of two that might be considered an homage to Bruce Lee's Game of Death--that is a single camera shot of Tony Jaa's character ascending several staircases, fighting his way up. Of course the fight sequences lose something in this, but I was really taken with this sequence. Not only is it a tribute to Tony Jaa's martial and acting abilities, as well as his endurance--it was very well done by the cinematographer and fight choreographer also. The other such sequence, also beautifully filmed, was the sequence wherein he fights a capoeirista, Chinese saber fighter, and Australian brawler (in sequence). The capoeira sequence was really cool, as they stood in ankle-deep water lit by candles.

He defends against the saber with a pair of gong drumsticks about three feet long, and later battles against several huge brawlers with elephant femurs (really). He then uses shards of the femurs as knives, explicitly cutting tendons of his opponents in an example of biomechanical cutting. If it sounds silly, it wasn't quite that bad in the film.

I enjoyed this film. All things considered, I liked the previous film better, apart from the superior cinematography in this one.

[Carol]

I'm one of the few oddballs that isn't a big TV fan so I don't have cable or satellite. :D

I got to see Ong Bak a few weeks ago at a friend's house. Outstanding! I liked it a lot. And Phaedrus is right, the choreography is amazing. :)

[arnisador]

We went to see Jet Li in "Fearless" tonight and it was very good, both as a martial arts movie and as a story. In one sequence involving a three-section-staff vs. a katana, the staff's links are cut and it becomes three separate sticks, two of which are (briefly) used in an eskrima- like fashion; an earlier sequence has a brief use of a cane/stick as well.

[Carol]

We went to see Jet Li in "Fearless" tonight and it was very good, both as a martial arts movie and as a story. In one sequence involving a three-section-staff vs. a katana, the staff's links are cut and it becomes three separate sticks, two of which are (briefly) used in an eskrima- like fashion; an earlier sequence has a brief use of a cane/stick as well.

Excellent! Andy and I are getting together to see the matinee tomorrow. Our school had a barbeque this evening and he had posed the idea of seeing it after the barbeque but I wimped out. If pain is weakness leaving the body then I lost a good bit of weakness over the last couple days :D :D

[ajs1976]

We saw the sci-fi vampire film Ultraviolet (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032/) this evening. The press releases (http://www.fmatalk.com/showthread.php?p=3154#post3154) had led me to believe that FMA would have a significant presence, but apart from one scene near the beginning the emphasis was on Japanese-style swordwork and acrobatic martial arts. It was an enjoyable martial arts/action film, but disappointing as a FMA-influenced film. As to plot...forget it. This is the most predictable film ever made. Still, I don't feel cheated. I got 80 minutes worth of action out of it.

One interesting variation of the punyo idea was used: At one point the lead character is using two box-like submachine guns, which are made in roughly Uzi-style. She activates long blades that come out from the grips of each. They are roughly 12 inches long, give or take, and when the opponent is too close she cuts with them rather than shooting. I liked it!

I saw two scenes that I thought had an FMA influence. One was the Uzi's with the blades. The other was earlier in the movie, where she picks up the gun and finds out it is out of ammo. She breaks it apart and uses it like a pair of sticks.

[Carol]

We went to see Jet Li in "Fearless" tonight and it was very good, both as a martial arts movie and as a story. In one sequence involving a three-section-staff vs. a katana, the staff's links are cut and it becomes three separate sticks, two of which are (briefly) used in an eskrima- like fashion; an earlier sequence has a brief use of a cane/stick as well.

Arnisador, you are right...Fearless was a very good movie. Highly recommended. :)

[arnisador]

Yes, I was surprised...I expected a good action movie, but got a good movie!

[Douglas]

The film Frank Miller's 300 will be using FMA-based movements. Check out the video journal at http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/300/hd/ (needs QT7).

More about the film: http://imdb.com/title/tt0416449/

[arnisador]

We saw The Marine last night. It was pretty bad--it had all the production values of a made-for-TV movie. John Cena is likeable enough, though the actor playing the villain Morgan stole the show for me.

He did carry, for some while, a neat-looking knuckle knife (that is, the handle was in brass knuckles style) that I liked. Most of the fights were basic punching together with the occasional suplex.

[Ares326]

If you haven't seen these movies I highly recommend them to watch.

- Shadowless Sword (Korean Movie w/ subtitles)
- Seven Swords with Donnie Yen (Chinese Movie w/ subtitles)
- Azumi 1 and 2 (Japanese Movie w/ subtitles)

These movies are great to watch.

[arnisador]

We just saw the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale. It was very good! The knife attacks and defenses were well above average as far as realism goes, and there was a fair amount of knifework, including an attempted disarm that becomes a struggle for control of the blade. There was also an empty-hand defense against the machete by James Bond, which was interesting to see. Of course, firearms were emphasized!

[arnisador]

I'm finally watching this (off a movie channel). Vin Diesel does battle, including sinawali with two tennis rackets, against a pair of ninjas wielding double ASPs. A Girl Scout uses a scarf as a flexible weapon.

This movie is best avoided.

[arnisador]

We saw this tonight. It's an excellent movie (for mature audiences) that features much gunplay but little nontrvial CQC. However, frequently the British guards pull ASP batons and swing them about. Lots of ASP demos, but little actual use of them!