Ma Chiu-Ku
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Biography
Depending on the movie, this guy can be a terror or window-dressing (doesn't do anything). In Cantonen Iron Kung Fu, he was a villain that you wouldn't take lightly, because his job was to kill and he loved his work. He is skilled enough to handle the action when it's called for or he can fade into the background (like a skilled extra) and you'd never know he was there. Remember him in Fearless Young Boxer? Of course you don't. His role was so small, that it didn't even seem as though, he was even in the film. Roles like this could have used anyone, yet to cast him, you'd think they'd at least let him utilize his true talents.
He doesn't give too many lame performances, but to be killed from just one kick in Thundering Mantis, was just ridiculous. Being one of the main villains, you'd think that he would be given more fight-time, before being killed off. In A Fist Full Of Talons, he was just as evil and looked pretty good, as he has the skills to face any Hero head-on and give them serious workout. Yet, he's come a long way, from cameo parts in films like Master Of The Flying Guillotine and Forest Duel.
When he's used properly in a film, he can make a bold statement and one of his (early) standout performances, was in Chi Kuan-Chun's hit The Big Rascal. Here, he was at the top of his game - he was fast, daring, vicious, and when he struck, he meant to kill. Going up against John Liu, in Struggle Thru Death, he showed that he was just as mean, but he seemed to have lost some of that viciousness. He had this same problem in The 7 Grandmasters, as his performance, seemed to lack the "Cold-heartedness," often found in his portrayals.
He's given excellent portrayals of villains, as I can't remember him as a hero of any film, off the top of my head. Even though his acting is good, I know he's never carried a film, as the leading star. I enjoyed his portrayal of the hunched-back villain, in the film Ninja Supremeo (battling Cliff Lok). It was quite a stretch (for him) and it seemed to fit, the types of roles that he needed, as a serious villain. I feel that this role (and Cantonen Iron Kung Fu) were two of his best films.