Directed by Wei Junzi
Dragon Tiger Martial Artist poster
Behind-the-scenes interviews
When it comes to the golden age of Hong Kong action movies, many people first think of the famous action stars and directors, Bruce Lee was once famous at home and abroad, and Jackie Chan once shocked Hollywood. Few people know that behind them stands a group of thrilling stand-ins and stunt martial arts, they are known as "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists", with full of kung fu and courage, injecting unlimited strength and pride into the Hong Kong films of the golden age of the last century.
They are also the protagonists of the recent theatrical documentary "Dragon tiger martial artist". The film was prepared and filmed by Hong Kong film "enthusiast" Wei Junzi.
As the cooperation between Hong Kong's local films and mainland films has become closer, the former "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists" have gone north to work as directors or martial arts directors, injecting new strength into mainland action movies. "I think the future of Hong Kong action movies is on the mainland, and we have that soil." Wei Junzi mentioned. Written by: Nandu trainee reporter Lin Wenqi
Approach the standard builder of the "Dragon Tiger Martial Artist" action movie
In "Plan A", Jackie Chan jumped down from the bell tower, in "Provincial Hong Kong Flag Soldier" Yuan Wu fell from a tall building back to the ice rink, in "Dragon's Heart" 8 martial artists jumped from the background of the explosion on the 7th floor, these classic shots have a group of "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists" full of guts, in the era of poor film technology, they established the standard of Hong Kong and even world action movies with the experiment of "fist to flesh".
Southern Metropolis Daily: What role did "Dragon tiger martial artist" play in the Golden Age Hong Kong action movies?
Wei Junzi: At that time, there was a Thai movie called "Boxing Fighter", and some Hong Kong film predecessors told me that the way "Boxing" was filmed by Hong Jinbao in the 1980s, including the martial arts in the movie, which was also a group of samurai handed down by Hong Kong action filmmakers when they went to Thailand to shoot movies. Tony Jia kicks others with his knees and hits others with his elbows, but in action movies, those who are beaten "react" are the doorway. The "Dragon and Tiger Martial Master" is called "Lower Handle" here. Bruce Lee can't shoot action scenes without "getting off the handle", because no matter how strong your movements are, how do you shoot if the opponent does not react?
Nandu: In the process of contacting them, you found that there are some commonalities in the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Master"?
Wei Junzi: These predecessors basically come from similar backgrounds, although their personalities are different, they are basically from the four major classes, and they also show a common temperament: they are all proud and righteous in the same "jianghu".
Nandu: How do you think of the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artist" in the film industry?
Wei Junzi: They were not remembered because they were obscure, and these predecessors once revealed to me that in fact, every time they did this thrilling action, everyone present would applaud. They have the support of their peers, and the famous actors they represent will thank them.
Nandu: What is the significance of "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artist" for the entire Hong Kong action movie?
Wei Junzi: In those days, there was no way to make an action movie, because everyone didn't know how to do this action, and after trying it, they knew if they could do it next time, or how to do it next time would be safer. That said, it was something they tried out little by little. It can be said that the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artist" has slowly established the standards and some conditions of Hong Kong action movies or action movies in the whole world, making them more and more controllable and operable little by little.
Observe the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Master" and "Pay attention to those who are beaten"
Wei Junzi said that "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artist" is the result of "unintentional willow insertion", and Wei Junzi, who has published monographs such as "Hong Kong Film Interpretation" and "Hong Kong Film History", grew up immersed in Hong Kong movies since he was a child. After interviewing many Hong Kong filmmakers, he gradually shook the door from "watching the hilarity".
Nandu: Why did you think of making a documentary on this subject?
Wei Junzi: In 2005, I went to the media and had the opportunity to interview some Hong Kong filmmakers, and they would tell me that when watching action movies, pay attention to those who were beaten. In the golden age of Hong Kong cinema, those actors and big brothers, very powerful protagonists, and their very famous thrilling actions all need to be done by "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists". At that time, the popular Blu-ray disc, you can stop and slow down, I myself also found a lot of "Dragon tiger martial artists" as stand-ins. The idea of making a documentary on this subject slowly came to mind.
Nandu: During the filming process, what difficulties were encountered?
Wei Junzi: After completing the first phase of the visit to thirty or forty "Dragon and Tiger Martial Masters", I decided that I wanted to focus on the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Masters" group, and I invited many predecessors like Xiao Hou and Mars to photograph their daily lives, but they all declined. Like Jackie Chan, trying the Mars teacher who fell from the 10-meter clock tower in "Plan A", I was familiar with him enough to ride his car back and forth in Hong Kong, but he still refused to shoot, laughing and saying that it was okay.
Why are they so entangled? Because the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Master" used to show their heroic side to everyone. But like their current life, whether it is lonely or what, they are not willing to show it, and they are not allowed to see the hero.1
Looking forward to the "Dragon and Tiger Martial Arts Division" and "in the mainland" has become a reality
With the increasingly close cooperation between Hong Kong films and mainland films, many "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists" have gone to the mainland to work as martial arts instructors or directors.
Nandu: In the documentary, it is mentioned that many "Dragon and Tiger Martial Artists" came to the mainland to work as directors?
Wei Junzi: Hong Kong filming is a group shooting, and many action directors are already doing the work of directors, so they don't have much problem in transferring directors.
Nandu: The tone at the end of Dragon and Tiger Martial Arts is hopeful, is this your real idea or is it just a vision?
Wei Junzi: I was optimistic, as Zhen Zidan said, the action film culture has evolved into a Chinese kung fu film culture since the 1990s. In fact, this phenomenon itself has appeared earlier, like Jet Li in the 80s, he learned traditional martial arts, and "Shaolin Temple" is all professional athletes to do action guidance. In the 1990s, Wu Jing, Zhang Jin, and other mainland talents were integrated with Hong Kong films, and Hong Kong films also went north, and when the mainland filmed the "Water Margin" TV series, they asked Yuan Heping to be the action director. By now, action movies have been filmed faster, such as the opening action scene of "The Twelve Hours of Chang'an", how beautiful!
Nandu: Did you mention that the future of Hong Kong action movies is on the mainland?
Wei Junzi: "In the mainland" has become a reality. Because Hong Kong's action directors have already gone north to the mainland, and at their age, most of them are now doing action directions, and the team they carry is composed of mainlanders. Now whether it is Cheng Xiaodong or Yuan Baye, the opening of the drama is basically all from the mainland. This is what Zhen Zidan said, as early as the late 90s when they went north, they began to look for this kind of talent in the mainland, and there are really many talents in the mainland. How many martial arts schools, professional athletes, martial arts teams and acrobatic teams do we have, these people come out, they are all good seedlings for making movies, and we have this piece of soil.