Movie martial artists!

[jaypo]

Van Damme was my hero for years until he became a coke head. (Not the cola!!) He got his butt kicked by Chuck Zito of the Hell's Angels, but I think he has straightened himself out.

He was a full contact champion before becoming an actor. I saw one of his fights on video somewhere. I think he was 18-2. The only guy to beat him was a former training partner, and in their last fight, JCVD win by tko stoppage (I think he cut or broke the guy's nose). But he found there was more money to be made fighting in the movies instead of the ring.

PS- he's the villain in the upcoming "Expendables 2". He was offered a role in the first one, but turned it down.

[darksoul]

Van Damme was my hero for years until he became a coke head. (Not the cola!!) He got his butt kicked by Chuck Zito of the Hell's Angels, but I think he has straightened himself out.

He was a full contact champion before becoming an actor. I saw one of his fights on video somewhere. I think he was 18-2. The only guy to beat him was a former training partner, and in their last fight, JCVD win by tko stoppage (I think he cut or broke the guy's nose). But he found there was more money to be made fighting in the movies instead of the ring.

PS- he's the villain in the upcoming "Expendables 2". He was offered a role in the first one, but turned it down.

18-1 actually. His only defeat was by disqualification. At leas that's what the wiki page says.

[jaypo]

Cool. I knew it was something like that. And the guy that beat him was a guy he wound up beating later on (possibly for the title??). I remember when Steven Segal was on Arsenio Hall in the 90's, he asked him about JCVD, and Segal dissed him on live TV. He said he doubts JCVD was ever a champion. The doubts about it were because he competed under his real name. His acting name is JCVD, and he never compted under that name.

For fun, youtube the movie "Breakin" and watch the dancing scene at the beach. The guy in the unitard tank top dancing in the crowd is JCVD.

[JohnASE]

What does a person need in order to make a good movie martial artist?

I have no idea! I've known, or at least met, many martial artists in "The Business", and they're all very different. Some can act. Some can't. Some are good martial artists. Others have gymnastic talent. Some look like leading men. Some look like scruffy villains. Very diverse types. White, asian, black, men, women, kids. All types.

Now that I think about it, movies are about illusion, not reality. An action star doesn't really need to have the skill to do a technically correct side kick any more than he really needs to be able to ride a motorcycle down a flight of stairs. It helps if an actor can do his or her own stunts, at least passably, but it's not absolutely necessary. I guess I'm saying that their martial art skills are secondary to screen presence, whether that means acting talent, charisma, or physical appearance.

I assume this thread is about people who take lead roles, not stunt and fight people. Their martial art skills are obviously important, although, again, it's more about how good it looks on camera, not whether it's technically correct or effective as self defense.

[jaypo]

I watched one of my favorite movies of all time last night, Big Trouble in Little China. It had some of the best MA's in the business in it, but none in a lead role. Jeff Imada, James Lew, Sonny Chiba, Simon Rhee. Great fight scenes. But you'll never see these guys in a lead role. They may not be able to act, but they know their MA.

I grew up in the 80's and 90's, and I can remember seeing many of those guys on the majority of the MA movies that I loved. The Rhee brothers and James lew in "Best of the Best". Jeff Imada was involved in choreographing fight scenes in a million movies. James Lew as well, and he did a lot of on screen work. That was when I was in my first phase of MA training. I've been back into it since the beginning of this year, and I'm starting to go back thru my movie library.

What aggrivates me about MA movies these days are all the fake fight scenes with wires. Jet Li and Jackie Chan are good enough MA's to not have to fly around on wires. I'd prefer a good ole' Bruce Lee or Van Damme fight scene where they used none of that.

[darksoul]

I grew up in the 80's and 90's, and I can remember seeing many of those guys on the majority of the MA movies that I loved. The Rhee brothers and James lew in "Best of the Best". Jeff Imada was involved in choreographing fight scenes in a million movies. James Lew as well, and he did a lot of on screen work. That was when I was in my first phase of MA training. I've been back into it since the beginning of this year, and I'm starting to go back thru my movie library.

BEST OF THE BEST! OMG! I had forgotten about that movie!

[MasterPain]

Sopnny Chiba was the lead role in the Street Fighter. One of my favorite movies.

[shinka]

many stuntmans will tell you.

Most of the stuntman companies won't hired you if you're too high level in martial arts.... The difference in a real fight and a movie fight is so different that if you are too much experienced in real fighting...it will be harder to make the switch....compare to someone who's : example (green belt)...basic,some kicks and can be modified to screen fighting etc

[madtanker]

That would be true... it is easier to throw a kick than to hold a kick-pose for 45 seconds...lol.