Martial arts film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses see Martial arts (disambiguation)
Martial arts film is a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. This genre is a type of action film characterized by extensive fighting scenes employing various types of martial arts. This genre has mainly been produced in China, peaking in the 1970s, and has been dominated by Hong Kong action cinema and its kung fu and wuxia films. Famous actors include Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa, Donnie Yen, and Collin Chou. This genre is no longer limited to Asian films—there are many action movies starring Western martial artists such as Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mark Dacascos, Steven Seagal, and Wesley Snipes.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the most visible presence of martial arts films was the hundreds of English dubbed kung fu and ninja films produced by the Shaw Brothers, Godfrey Ho, Joseph Lai, and other Hong Kong producers. These films were regularly broadcast on North American television on weekend timeslots that were often colloquially known as Kung Fu Theater, Black Belt Theater, or variations thereof.
