Lu Chuen
(Yasuyoshi Shikamura)
|
Biography
I first took notice of this guy when I saw the movie Soul Of Chiba. In it he displayed some kick-ass skills that even kept Sonny Chiba on his toes. His portrayal of the lead villain was an excellent showcase of his skills. Their final fight scene showcased both men's ability with fight choreography and gave fans more than their money's worth. Though I haven't seen him in a great number of movies, he makes his presence known when he's on the screen. He was another foreign presence (Japanese), that got gainful employment at Shaw studios and used it as a springboard, for future work.
In the Chinese Connection-2, he tried to give Bruce Li a run for his money (life) as well as helping out with the choreography on that film. But, probably his most mysterious role came when he played the villain against not one, but four real life friends, in what else - 4 Real Friends (Dragon Squad). He went up against the likes of Chen Sing, Kam Kong, Chang Yi and Jimmy Wang-Yu and still came out looking good (for a villain). It's a shame that he didn't appear in more villainous roles, that really got to show his true talent.
It would have been interesting to see him go up against two more friends - Yasuaki Kurata and his buddy Bruce Liang. His work behind the scenes of such films as A Gathering Of Heroes, Bandits, Prostitutes, & Silver, and The Killer Constable, helped to showcase his talents as a Fight Choreographer. He had the type of sinister looks and demeanor that made a great villain, along with the speed and timing that most heroes are made of as well, yet, his decision to stay (mostly) behind the camera, helped to lengthen his career in films.