Jackie Chan and Wing Chun

[Tony]

I just saw Rumble in the Bronx again and I saw Jackie Chan use the Wing Chun Dummy and his skill was awesome, very fast! In fact this film is not the first time he has used Wing Chun in a film. He used it in Battle Creak Brawl or the Big Brawl depending on what country you're in! He seems to blend Wing Chun really well with his own kung fu styles. His earlier films really didn't show his Wing Chun skills which i think is probably because he studied it later but does anyone know where he studied it?

 

[yipman_sifu]

I just saw Rumble in the Bronx again and I saw Jackie Chan use the Wing Chun Dummy and his skill was awesome, very fast! In fact this film is not the first time he has used Wing Chun in a film. He used it in Battle Creak Brawl or the Big Brawl depending on what country you're in! He seems to blend Wing Chun really well with his own kung fu styles. His earlier films really didn't show his Wing Chun skills which i think is probably because he studied it later but does anyone know where he studied it?

Jackie chan started in early life as performer in the chinese opera. He and had a role called the seven little fortune. Among his friends in the show were Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Corey Yuen and Yuen Wah. They were also sent to work by the school for movie studios as extras.
Regarding Wing Chun, Jackie Chan is known to be a friend of Grandmaster Leung ting of Hong Knog. I think that he is learning most of Wing chun from him. and there are lot of pictures showing Jackie training on the Wooden Dummy with master Leung standing along side with him.

 

[ed-swckf]

I just saw Rumble in the Bronx again and I saw Jackie Chan use the Wing Chun Dummy and his skill was awesome, very fast! In fact this film is not the first time he has used Wing Chun in a film. He used it in Battle Creak Brawl or the Big Brawl depending on what country you're in! He seems to blend Wing Chun really well with his own kung fu styles. His earlier films really didn't show his Wing Chun skills which i think is probably because he studied it later but does anyone know where he studied it?

I saw rumble in the bronx last night too!! But as the gentleman has already said, leung ting is the first name that i would think of.

 

[arnisador]

I thought he wasn't a formal Wing Chun student, but learned what he needed to when mvies called for it. He now studies White Eyebrow, I believe, which apparently has a relationship with Wing Chun.

 

[brothershaw]

1- Other than being a southern, close range system white eyebrow has nothing to do with wing chun, white eyebrow shares more connections with dragon. southern mantis, white eyebrow, wing chun do have some vague similiarities ( elbows in, close range fighting, )

2- I do remember an interview where jackie chan mentioned white eyebrow as one of the things he studied
3- For a VERY good wing chun movie watch Warriors Two

 

[ed-swckf]

I thought he wasn't a formal Wing Chun student, but learned what he needed to when mvies called for it. He now studies White Eyebrow, I believe, which apparently has a relationship with Wing Chun.

I wouldn't know how formal he is only that he has ties with leung ting.

 

[ed-swckf]

1- Other than being a southern, close range system white eyebrow has nothing to do with wing chun, white eyebrow shares more connections with dragon. southern mantis, white eyebrow, wing chun do have some vague similiarities ( elbows in, close range fighting, )

2- I do remember an interview where jackie chan mentioned white eyebrow as one of the things he studied
3- For a VERY good wing chun movie watch Warriors Two

If you watch warriors two you should also watch the prodigal son. Both are must see's.

 

[yipman_sifu]

If you watch warriors two you should also watch the prodigal son. Both are must see's.

I did not watch Warriors Two, but I saw the Prodigal Son. Most of the moves cannot be Wing Chun concepts, because Wing Chun attacks are based in simplicity and they are not fancy, and we saw many nice high kicks from Yuen Biao. The Wing Chun only came when he was training with master Yee Tai on the table and on the dummy. If you saw the interview with the Wing Chun trainer that trained the actors in this movie, you will hear him saying that no one can ever make a movie with 100% Wing Chun concepts, because you will see people leaving the theatre only at the begining of the movie, and this due to the lack of the entertaining fancy moves that people are used to.

 

[ed-swckf]

I did not watch Warriors Two, but I saw the Prodigal Son. Most of the moves cannot be Wing Chun concepts, because Wing Chun attacks are based in simplicity and they are not fancy, and we saw many nice high kicks from Yuen Biao.

Its a film, fighting in films never accurately defines how the arts really fair or appear. However a lot of wing chun schools train to use high kicks, Hawkins chun and leung ting for starters. However i agree they are not efficiant but like you said in another thread, wing chun has no style and the principles can be used in other arts, you could make a high kick more efficient and more wing chun like wouldn't you say?

The Wing Chun only came when he was training with master Yee Tai on the table and on the dummy.

theres an influence of wing chun all through the film if you watch it again you'll see. Of course its not a training video, its a cinematic experience and should be treated as such.

If you saw the interview with the Wing Chun trainer that trained the actors in this movie, you will hear him saying that no one can ever make a movie with 100% Wing Chun concepts, because you will see people leaving the theatre only at the begining of the movie, and this due to the lack of the entertaining fancy moves that people are used to.

I've seen many interviews with choreographers, directors, and sifus who worked with the film. And personally i think its a really good film and a really interesting creative immpression of the art of wing chun. Great film.

 

[yipman_sifu]

Ed, can I know which branch of Wing Chun did you learned? have you ever heard of an advanced level of fighting called "Shadow fighting" and "Mirror fighting".

 

[ed-swckf]

Ed, can I know which branch of Wing Chun did you learned? have you ever heard of an advanced level of fighting called "Shadow fighting" and "Mirror fighting".

What makes you ask those questions? I am in the yip man lineage, via both yip chun and yip ching, i'm based in the UK so i am alligned with yip chun and yip chings representitive samual kwok. What you speak of, "Shadow fighting" and "Mirror fighting", sounds very gary lam to me.

can't help thinking this is pretty off topic though.

 

[brothershaw]

To me Warriors Two is WAYYYYY better than prodigal son,
1- I really dont like goofy comedy mixed in with my action/ violence ( in movies)
2- There was alot more wing chun in Warriors Two from the training , to the chi gerk , to the fight at the end against a mantis guy
I like Warriors Two as much as I like the old Shaw Brothers stuff ( from me thats a huge compliment based on how much I liked the old Shaw Brothers stuff )

 

[Laoshi77]

To me Warriors Two is WAYYYYY better than prodigal son,

It's interesting because the movies are there for escapism, but also sometimes are discredited for lack of reality. So Yipman, what's it to be, Yuen Biao was excellant in that movie! :asian:

It's a tough call but i'd have to go for The Prodigal Son, i think the fighting is quite realistic, i mean you use what you can in a fight and this is represented well in this movie. It would be very difficult to stay true to one style in a fight, hence the term 'Chinese boxing'.

Best wishes.

 

[ed-swckf]

To me Warriors Two is WAYYYYY better than prodigal son,
1- I really dont like goofy comedy mixed in with my action/ violence ( in movies)
2- There was alot more wing chun in Warriors Two from the training , to the chi gerk , to the fight at the end against a mantis guy
I like Warriors Two as much as I like the old Shaw Brothers stuff ( from me thats a huge compliment based on how much I liked the old Shaw Brothers stuff )

I like them both myself, i like goofy comedy, also works as a good recomendation for the film based on peoples ready approval of jackie chan. Personally i can't decide which i like most, however i also love a lot of shaw brothers stuff.

 

[yipman_sifu]

It's interesting because the movies are there for escapism, but also sometimes are discredited for lack of reality. So Yipman, what's it to be, Yuen Biao was excellant in that movie! :asian:

It's a tough call but i'd have to go for The Prodigal Son, i think the fighting is quite realistic, i mean you use what you can in a fight and this is represented well in this movie. It would be very difficult to stay true to one style in a fight, hence the term 'Chinese boxing'.

Best wishes.

Hi Laoshi friend,

I think you said it about the realistic fighting, I agree upon term 'Chinese Boxing' and that we cannot stick to one fight. One of the thing that was not real was the storyline about those legends. What I knew about hero Leung Jan that he was a respected doctor in the town, and learned Wing Chun from master Leung Yee tai after a visit from the master for treatment.
Regarding Wang Wah Bo. This guy was a real Wing Chun master, he was on the opera junk with Yee Tai and they exchanged knowledge in fghting. Wah Bo exchanged Wing Chun and Yee Tai the long pole techniques.
So why all of this was not shown I mean, and why they considered Leung Jan a bully that makes problems.

Laoshi friend, wish you all the best

Regards
Yipman sifu

 

[Laoshi77]

Hello Yipman.

So why all of this was not shown I mean, and why they considered Leung Jan a bully that makes problems.

I think that in the film they wanted to show how the art of Wing Chun made Leung Jan into a respected character. If having him portrayed as a bully was untrue, it is merely in terms of plot development, due to the fact that the film must be a success. It is difficult to stay true when making a film based on real events. To be fair Leung Jan is seen as a 'real' master in the follow-up movie Warriors Two, played excellantly by Leung Ka Yan.

All the best Yipman,
Laoshi.