Korean Martial Arts in Movies

[KyungYet]

So, my Tang Soo Do students wanted to have a movie night, but they insisted they wanted to watch a TSD movie... and I realized, there really isn't one. That is, all Chuck Norris movies are TSD movies I suppose, but none of them were made to exemplify Tang Soo Do in the way that "Ong Bak" shows off Muay Thai, "The Perfect Weapon" shows off Kempo, or "Ip Man" shows off Wing Chun.

I would love to see a movie made about Hwang Kee: how he learned as a boy by watching from a hilltop as a master practiced in his yard; how he traveled to Manchuria to work on the railroad and learned T'ang style Kung Fu; how he started the Moo Duk Kwan after Korea was freed from Japanese rule; how he refused to give up teaching TSD when the government pressured him to drop it and teach TKD instead... I think it could be every bit as cool a film as "Ip Man." ... Now I just need a bazillion dollars and I can go make it, LOL.

In the meantime, am I right? That there really IS not a solid Tang Soo Do or even Tae Kwon Do film (I suppose "Best of the Best" counts for TKD... it really is just TSD that got left in the cold). It's stupid that it takes Hollywood to legitimize an art in the eyes of the public, but look at what "The Karate Kid" did for martial arts in general... it would be cool to have a representational movie for our style.

And if I DO end up showing a Norris film, which one do you think is best to demonstrate the best of TSD? I'm thinking maybe Lone Wolf McQuade?

Ahhh, 'tis a real first-world problem, eh?

[bushido_man96]

I love Lone Wolf McQuade. One of my all-time favorites. I'd go with that one.

[DWx]

Too be honest it's probably because Tang Soo Do is not too disimilar from Tae Kwon Do, and by extension Karate. And the public in general aren't all that interested even in watching Tae Kwon Do films. Martial Arts is just Martial Arts to them.

[KyungYet]

Martial Arts is just Martial Arts to them.

Bah. You're right.

Doesn't mean it still wouldn't be cool. Where's my financial backer and production company when I need them??

Lone Wolf McQuade it is, then.

[bushido_man96]

Good choice. I was weaned on the likes of Lone Wolf McQuade and The Octagon, Hero and The Terror, and Breaker, Breaker.

Can't beat the classics!

[IcemanSK]

There are a few other Korean MA-based films. Taekwondo based, specifically. "Best of the Best" is good. There's an old Hon Kong movie called "When Taekwondo Strikes" wih, of all people, Jhoon Rhee as the star.

There's also a Korean-made film (in Korean, you can get subtitles in English) called, "Spin Kick." But it's got a lot of rough language & themes. not a kids film.

I'm a huge Norris film fan. I'm sure you're find something great.

[KyungYet]

Good choice. I was weaned on the likes of Lone Wolf McQuade and The Octagon, Hero and The Terror, and Breaker, Breaker.

I'm a huge Norris film fan. I'm sure you're find something great.

So... do you honestly think these 1970s films will stand the test of time for my 19-22 year old college students who've only seen wirework and CGI for martial arts? Chuck is the real deal, but he's not always dynamic, technique-wise.

Tough luck - this is part of their martial arts education, right?

[bushido_man96]

Absolutely! Let them see how it was before wire work and CGI, when a guy had to do the stuff himself. I'm sure they will appreciate it.