New Set of Eyes - MA Movie Critique

[Hawke]

Remember watching Black Belt Theater on a Saturday afternoon thinking how cool the moves were? Then watching MA (martial art) movies like Enter the Dragon, Bloodsport, Above The Law, The Hunted, Iron Monkey, Rush Hour, and Fearless. Didn't you want to do those moves yourself?

After some MA training watching the MA movies became more exciting because you knew how to do some of those sweet moves.

After years of training the MA movies may have lost their magical touch because now you know how to perform that technique (think of a very cool magic trick that made your eyes pop....then learning how to do that trick later in life). As a kid I would see a kung-fu master take on 20 people, then later I notice that the bad guys would attack on at a time sometimes two with the others waiting in the background to wait their turn to attack.

After many years of training watching the MA movies became exciting again (but bad movies still make me groan or laugh hysterically).

For me watching MA movies are fun and I enjoy the choreography. When I had some training I could name the simple moves....jab, reverse punch (cross), thrusting front kick, roundhouse, side kick, but not until I had more training I began to see why certain blocks were used to set the person up for a counter or a reversal.

How did your eyes evolved when watching MA movies? What did you notice before you started training? What do you realize now after your training? Do you notice how far you came along with your MA skill when watching a MA movie?

Does knowing how the move is done take away the magic when watching a MA movie or make it more enjoyable?

Have you ever tried doing a move you saw on TV/Movie with your buddies?

 

[charyuop]

The only thing that changed in me is that now if there is a Steven Seagal's movie I no longer change channel hee hee.
I have always loved MA arts movies with huge preference for the Chinese ones.
Yea it happened a couple of times that I have seen techniques applied in Chinese movies that I could relate to Tai Chi or some of Steven's Aikido reminding me flying all over the mat. But the way I watch MA movies is still the same. I knew it was fake before I started MA and I still know it now, yet I still get 100% excited at the sight of those highly performed series of techniques.

PS. by the way, just my personal opinion. 20 Vs 1 or 3 Vs 1 doesn't make much difference. There si only so much room around you. In fact if you watch Aikido randori seldom they use more than 3 opponents Vs 1. If you put 10 opponents in a randori for sure 9 of them (if attacking without waiting for their turn like you mentioned) would get in one another way.

 

[MA-Caver]

The only thing that changed in me is that now if there is a Steven Seagal's movie I no longer change channel hee hee.

Hee hee yeah same here... that guy has a number of shortcomings as a human being and as an actor he's... ehhh, but man he can kick *** (literally) in the movies and in real life.

 

[zDom]

PS. by the way, just my personal opinion. 20 Vs 1 or 3 Vs 1 doesn't make much difference. There is only so much room around you. ... (they) would get in one another's way.

From personal experience, I have found this to be true. Especially if they are really big.

Never had to deal with 20, but I have on more than one occassion had to defend against about 5 to 8 attackers. It really isn't as hard to do as you would think.

 

[zDom]

double post. sorry

 

[megat]

hmmm yeah because at most only 3 can attack at the same time. if u want u can mak it one on one by using the enviroment, like getting to a small alley that can only fit one. then u just have to deal with the guy in front. but u must have the stamina to defeat em all.

 

[Langenschwert]

Didn't you want to do those moves yourself?

No, not really. I'm not interested in flash, just effectiveness. Flashy = slow = getting hit. Horses for courses and all that.

How did your eyes evolved when watching MA movies? What did you notice before you started training? What do you realize now after your training? Do you notice how far you came along with your MA skill when watching a MA movie?

I have a hard time watching sword fights without getting dry heaves caused by bad stage combat. Seeing people with swords getting defated by unarmed combatants on a regular basis is just silly. Just once I'd like to see a longsword used properly, ya know?

-Mark

 

[megat]

hmmm if a longsword battle then u are better off watching an epic movie, like braveheart. MA movie dun do swords justice.

 

[Steel Tiger]

No, not really. I'm not interested in flash, just effectiveness. Flashy = slow = getting hit. Horses for courses and all that.



I have a hard time watching sword fights without getting dry heaves caused by bad stage combat. Seeing people with swords getting defated by unarmed combatants on a regular basis is just silly. Just once I'd like to see a longsword used properly, ya know?

-Mark

Have you checked out the old '70s Three and Four Musketeers movies with Michael York, Ricard Chamberlain, and Oliver Reed? The sword work is not pretty but they do look like they are trying to kill each other at least. Some excellent fight scenes, especially the one in the dark with dark lanterns.