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.

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum (Post 11742984)

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.

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum (Post 11742984)

He was arguably the greatest director of kung fu films--ever!

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst113 (Post 11743501)

Can some mod merge the two threads? And how are his names pronounced?

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst113 (Post 11743501)

Can some mod merge the two threads? And how are his names pronounced?

Originally Posted by Mondo Kane (Post 11743504)

As far as being the first to incorporate martial arts wisdom and kickass fight sequences in kung fu films, he was the greatest.

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger (Post 11743979)

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?

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi (Post 11743587)

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.

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger (Post 11743979)

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?

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum (Post 11744135)

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.