RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
06-25-13, 07:38 AM
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RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Originally Posted by twitchfilm
Martial Arts Legend Lau Kar Leung Has Died
James Marsh, Asian Editor
Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang), one of the most revered martial artists in Hong Kong Cinema, has lost a long battle with leukemia, local media is reporting this morning.
In a career spanning more than 60 years, Lau starred in - and provided action choreography for - more than 70 films. In his early days he often collaborated with director Chang Cheh at legendary Shaw Brothers studios, and directed more than 25 feature films himself, culminating in 2003's Drunken Monkey.
Many of Leung's most famous films, including The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, starred his "god-brother" Gordon Liu Chia Hui - who is also critically ill. Other highlights of his long and illustrious career include My Young Auntie, starring Kara Hui, Drunken Master II with Jackie Chan and Ti Lung, and more recently he starred in Tsui Hark's Seven Swords.
The 76-year-old passed away comfortably at Union Hospital in Hong Kong earlier this morning, with members of his family at his bedside.
James Marsh, Asian Editor
Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang), one of the most revered martial artists in Hong Kong Cinema, has lost a long battle with leukemia, local media is reporting this morning.
In a career spanning more than 60 years, Lau starred in - and provided action choreography for - more than 70 films. In his early days he often collaborated with director Chang Cheh at legendary Shaw Brothers studios, and directed more than 25 feature films himself, culminating in 2003's Drunken Monkey.
Many of Leung's most famous films, including The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, starred his "god-brother" Gordon Liu Chia Hui - who is also critically ill. Other highlights of his long and illustrious career include My Young Auntie, starring Kara Hui, Drunken Master II with Jackie Chan and Ti Lung, and more recently he starred in Tsui Hark's Seven Swords.
The 76-year-old passed away comfortably at Union Hospital in Hong Kong earlier this morning, with members of his family at his bedside.
Really sad to hear Gordon is also very ill.
06-25-13, 07:53 AM
#2
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Sad news.
He was arguably the greatest director of kung fu films--ever!
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Legendary Weapons of China
Executioners from Shaolin
Heroes of the East (aka Shaolin Challenges Ninja)
Dirty Ho
Shaolin Mantis
Challenge of the Masters (with Gordon Liu as Wong Fei Hung)
The Martial Club
My Young Auntie
All great movies...
And he did many others as well, some not so great, but all worth watching.
Plus he was action choreographer, usually working with Tang Chia, on most of Chang Cheh's kung fu movies up until 1975 or so when they had a falling out. I can't think of anyone who was more influential in the production of Hong Kong kung fu movies, with the possible exception of Bruce Lee.
He was arguably the greatest director of kung fu films--ever!
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Legendary Weapons of China
Executioners from Shaolin
Heroes of the East (aka Shaolin Challenges Ninja)
Dirty Ho
Shaolin Mantis
Challenge of the Masters (with Gordon Liu as Wong Fei Hung)
The Martial Club
My Young Auntie
All great movies...
And he did many others as well, some not so great, but all worth watching.
Plus he was action choreographer, usually working with Tang Chia, on most of Chang Cheh's kung fu movies up until 1975 or so when they had a falling out. I can't think of anyone who was more influential in the production of Hong Kong kung fu movies, with the possible exception of Bruce Lee.
06-25-13, 08:27 AM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Sad news.
He was arguably the greatest director of kung fu films--ever!
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Legendary Weapons of China
Executioners from Shaolin
Heroes of the East (aka Shaolin Challenges Ninja)
Dirty Ho
Shaolin Mantis
Challenge of the Masters (with Gordon Liu as Wong Fei Hung)
The Martial Club
My Young Auntie
All great movies...
And he did many others as well, some not so great, but all worth watching.
Plus he was action choreographer, usually working with Tang Chia, on most of Chang Cheh's kung fu movies up until 1975 or so when they had a falling out. I can't think of anyone who was more influential in the production of Hong Kong kung fu movies, with the possible exception of Bruce Lee.
He was arguably the greatest director of kung fu films--ever!
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Legendary Weapons of China
Executioners from Shaolin
Heroes of the East (aka Shaolin Challenges Ninja)
Dirty Ho
Shaolin Mantis
Challenge of the Masters (with Gordon Liu as Wong Fei Hung)
The Martial Club
My Young Auntie
All great movies...
And he did many others as well, some not so great, but all worth watching.
Plus he was action choreographer, usually working with Tang Chia, on most of Chang Cheh's kung fu movies up until 1975 or so when they had a falling out. I can't think of anyone who was more influential in the production of Hong Kong kung fu movies, with the possible exception of Bruce Lee.
06-25-13, 10:52 AM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
That is terrible news. Even in his advanced age, he was great. Just look at him in Seven Swords.
Speaking of he and Sammo Hung, check out a vintage fight between them:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SK3g7cEIylI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If Gordon Liu also passes away, I'll be devastated.
Speaking of he and Sammo Hung, check out a vintage fight between them:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SK3g7cEIylI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If Gordon Liu also passes away, I'll be devastated.
06-25-13, 02:11 PM
#6
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
06-25-13, 03:02 PM
#7
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
06-25-13, 03:05 PM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Cantonese: Lou (as in "loud") Gar Loong
Mandarin: Lee-oo Chee-ya Lee-ong (although the "ong" is sort of half-way between English "ong" and "ang")
06-25-13, 03:14 PM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3LnRwWdNjx8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
06-25-13, 10:19 PM
#10
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Sigh. Another reminder about the lamentable state of Hong Kong cinema on DVD. Anyway, sad to hear, he was about as legendary as you could get among fans, even if he wasn't well-known in the mainstream.
06-25-13, 10:32 PM
#11
DVD Talk Hero
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
One of the true greats in cinema, his movies will live forever. Is The 36th Chamber of Shaolin the only one to be released on Blu-ray?
06-25-13, 10:35 PM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
06-26-13, 06:24 AM
#13
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
RIP
What an amazing career he had. A true martial arts legend.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eE4Cb9F4ZZQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
What an amazing career he had. A true martial arts legend.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eE4Cb9F4ZZQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
06-26-13, 06:47 AM
#14
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Yes, definitely. And in that vein, he lowered the carnage level from his mentor Chang Cheh's films, and often emphasized the hero having mercy on the bad guy, and helping him reform, or seeing his side, etc. Especially where the Japanese were often the totally evil, stereotypical villains in HK movies up until then, Liu made them more honorable and respectable in Heroes of the East.
06-26-13, 06:36 PM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
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06-26-13, 06:51 PM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
Excellent points. He proved that one could make a great kung fu film without any killing involved. Jackie Chan continued in this vein with his comic films, but Lau made serious films where no one got killed, HEROES OF THE EAST, of course, being one of the most significant, and featuring actual Japanese cast members playing Japanese characters treated with respect, as opposed to Sammo Hung in a fright wig playing villainous Japanese in umpteen films.
06-26-13, 07:17 PM
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Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
This is awful, awful news. If anyone is even the slightest bit curious about dipping their toes into kung fu cinema, note down devilshalo's list* and start checking them out (and allow me to add two more Leung masterworks, Legend of Drunken Master/Drunken Master II and the just-as-good-as-the-original-36th Chamber sequel Return to the 36th Chamber); you'll be hooked for life.
* (Personal favorites are Legendary Weapons, Dirty Ho, 36th Chamber and Heroes of the East, but you really can't go wrong with anything from the OP's list.)
* (Personal favorites are Legendary Weapons, Dirty Ho, 36th Chamber and Heroes of the East, but you really can't go wrong with anything from the OP's list.)
06-26-13, 09:35 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hero
Re: RIP Actor/Director Lau Kar Leung (Liu Chia Liang)
It would be awesome if someone like Shout or Criterion started releasing his vintage flicks on BD.
