Li I-Min
|
Biography
This gifted Taiwanese acrobat, made a few lousy films before appearing in the Shaw Brothers film - Champion Of Champions (as what else? - an Acrobat). He would later joined Chang Cheh's camp, when the director started filming in Taiwan. This is where he really began to get noticed in films like 7 Man Army and Magnificent Wanderers. I believe that the film Heaven & Hell, was actually a turning-point for him (career-wise), as he was invited back to Hong Kong (by Chang), to work at Shaw studios. The Shaolin Temple, was [by far] his best work at the studio, as his appearences in Brave Archer 1 & 2 and Life Gamble, left much to be desired. After leaving Shaw studios, he made films under the watchful eye of director Joseph Kuo, who elevated his profile even more. He was only one of a dozen kung-fu stars, who could pull off top-notched Katas (forms) with precision, speed, and grace. If you'll look at the opening kata in films like 7 Commandments Of Kung Fu and Invincible Shaolin Kung Fu, you will see a display of talent that few can match.
He has teamed up with stars like Chi Kuan-Chun (2 Heroes, Shooting Stars) and Wang Tao (Shaolin Iron Claws), but none of them match his work with actor and good friend, Jack Long. Their movies together, were some of the finest displays of acrobatics and kung-fu action to be found, anywhere. Their timing may have been a result of being classmates in Opera School when they were youngsters. Said to still shoot movies in Taiwan, he was also a major player in television there. As a kung-fu star, he never had the type of fame as some of the genre's bigger names such as Bruce Li or Carter Wong -- even though he had just as much skill (yet) he still made some very, enjoyable movies. The film The 7 Grandmasters, helped to establish him as a star, while one of his most popular films would have to be Mystery Of Chess-Boxing (aka Ninja Checkmate), which introduced the character "Ghost-Faced Killer" played by frequent co-star Mark Long.
He has teamed up with stars like Chi Kuan-Chun (2 Heroes, Shooting Stars) and Wang Tao (Shaolin Iron Claws), but none of them match his work with actor and good friend, Jack Long. Their movies together, were some of the finest displays of acrobatics and kung-fu action to be found, anywhere. Their timing may have been a result of being classmates in Opera School when they were youngsters. Said to still shoot movies in Taiwan, he was also a major player in television there. As a kung-fu star, he never had the type of fame as some of the genre's bigger names such as Bruce Li or Carter Wong -- even though he had just as much skill (yet) he still made some very, enjoyable movies. The film The 7 Grandmasters, helped to establish him as a star, while one of his most popular films would have to be Mystery Of Chess-Boxing (aka Ninja Checkmate), which introduced the character "Ghost-Faced Killer" played by frequent co-star Mark Long.
In the film Mission: Kiss & Kill, he and Yuan Long [both] displayed excellent acrobatic skills and seemed to feed off each other's energy, pushing the other to do his best. Yet, two of his better roles would have to be in the films World Of The Drunken Master and the underrated Drunken Arts, Crippled Fists -- where the Yuen Clan brought the best out of him and Lung Tung-Sheng (especially in the final battle). Pictures of him [later in life] seemed to show him as a "normal" person, trying to make it in life -- with that Smile, forever on his face. Interviews, show he (like so many other former stars) don't dwell on their past accomplishments on film and prefer to leave the past - in the past. Filmwork was only a job to most; a way to keep food on the tables and nothing more.