When Dreams Come True
Another visionary who started out in Taiwan making films until he fame spread to Hong Kong and the various film studios. Like many, he signed with Shaw Bros' and began his directing debut with them in 1970. There he would make (2) films Mission Impossible and The Mighty One, both excellent films, yet, his defining moment would come later. He seemed pressured to deliver films at a factory pace, which stagnated his creativity. He eventually left and opened his own film company (Hong Hwa). He would go on to establish himself as a driving-force in the world of kung-fu cinema. With the American debut of the series Kung Fu, many people became fascinated and interested in the Shaolin Temple and it's training.
Chang Cheh, was one of the first to touch on the subject with his "Shaolin Temple" series of films. As for showing the inside fundamentals of the Temple and it's training, he became one of the first to accomplish this. His films started concentrating on the Shaolin Monastery and the true conception of kung-fu. With this, a new trend in martial-arts films was born, as many would now include, various aspects of Shaolin Temple training, in their films. All the different styles of kung fu were always displayed in fine detail, when he shot a film, which had fans excited and intrigued to learn more about the Shaolin Temple. The action was always the type that kung fu fans adored, with an element that the fans would come to see as the focal point of his movies - the training sequences.
Though he had made numerous movies before, it wasn't until he made the film 18 Bronzemen, that things started to change for him. Here, he showed Shaolin training almost (2) years before Liu Chia Liang's masterpiece - 36th Chambers Of Shaolin. Not just an innovator, he has helped with the careers of a number of kung-fu's most well known stars. Stars like Wen Chiang-Long, Yi Yuen, Lu Ping and Lung Fei have had their profiles lifted by working with him. He was the only director (in my opinion) to successfully use Carter Wong to his full capacity and potential. In deed, it was he, who truly made Wong a star, not too mention helping to acknowledge the potential of such stars as Polly Shang-Kuan, Chang Yi, Jack Long, and Tien Peng.
Chang Cheh, was one of the first to touch on the subject with his "Shaolin Temple" series of films. As for showing the inside fundamentals of the Temple and it's training, he became one of the first to accomplish this. His films started concentrating on the Shaolin Monastery and the true conception of kung-fu. With this, a new trend in martial-arts films was born, as many would now include, various aspects of Shaolin Temple training, in their films. All the different styles of kung fu were always displayed in fine detail, when he shot a film, which had fans excited and intrigued to learn more about the Shaolin Temple. The action was always the type that kung fu fans adored, with an element that the fans would come to see as the focal point of his movies - the training sequences.
Though he had made numerous movies before, it wasn't until he made the film 18 Bronzemen, that things started to change for him. Here, he showed Shaolin training almost (2) years before Liu Chia Liang's masterpiece - 36th Chambers Of Shaolin. Not just an innovator, he has helped with the careers of a number of kung-fu's most well known stars. Stars like Wen Chiang-Long, Yi Yuen, Lu Ping and Lung Fei have had their profiles lifted by working with him. He was the only director (in my opinion) to successfully use Carter Wong to his full capacity and potential. In deed, it was he, who truly made Wong a star, not too mention helping to acknowledge the potential of such stars as Polly Shang-Kuan, Chang Yi, Jack Long, and Tien Peng.
In passing-the-torch, he was instrumental in the development of director Ting Chung (his protege'), who went on to give fans such films as Mar's Villa, 7 Steps Of Kung Fu, and Golden Mask, and others. If you look closely in his film Triangular Duel, you'll see an actor who would later go on to even greater heights as a "Bruce Lee Impersonator" - Bruce Li. His films have always shown depth and quality and were instrumental in filling a number of seats during the 1970's kung fu craze. His contribution to the genre is felt, every time we hear the words - "Ah Mi Tou Fa" (Buddha Bless You). As fans, we were all blessed.
[ 36 Most Influential ]
[ 36 Most Influential ]