The new Kung Fu airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. So they actually made a deal with some of the representatives from Asian American community to hire everybody in town, whether they were Korean, Japanese, Chinese, or Filipino who had a SAG card. In an early article about the series, both actors are referred to and they call their characters "Orientals". To complicate matters, there is no single historical source on kung-fu upon which he can rely. Now he wanders the Old West of America,. It was John Furia's job to write them and make them relevant to the episode's plot, based on the research material the production had collected. Bruce Lee did not sign Ashley's deal, preferring to see how The Big Boss performed in theaters. For what reason? But if you just give yourself to it, like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it may feel very long and ponderous but it's certainly worth the time.". Sat, Oct 14, 1972 60 mins. At about that time, Warner Bros. made the decision to change their base of operations and moved me from New York to Hollywood. Another issue that has come under the scrutiny of academia and the media, which is not exclusive to this series, is the fact that Asian actors of several nationalities and ethnicities appeared in the Kung Fu main or guest cast playing Chinese characters, "interchangeably". The series didn't have a stable team of writers, but freelance writers pitched their stories to the production; they were told not to include temple scenes. If you appear at the inquest your very presence will be a demand for justice. Finally, they are reunited and now together they battle evil, using wisdom, martial arts, and occasi Read all, Kwai Chang Caine: [quoting] "Change is not only desirable, it is necessary.". Set in the present, it is an adaptation of the 1970s series of the same title. When the movie was a smashing success, he abandoned his plans to be a TV star and instead focused on the big screen. That signature theme had two unusual characteristics: through the first season it was revised and re-recorded several times, and the sound palette comprised about 19 musicians per session only. The music for the opening and closing titles, as well as the incidental music, was composed by Jim Helms.[64]. Another critic said that a story like Kung-Fu could never have been made into a movie 10 years ago because no one would have cared about a bunch of coolies. You must understand. "[75], However, Bruce Lee was undoubtedly considered for the starring role,[5]:3233 and David Carradine himself in a 1989 interview and in his book Spirit of Shaolin, said that Bruce Lee was passed over for the role. His wife went to fetch the doctor. In June 2006, Ed Spielman and Howard Friedlander announced that a feature film (which would serve as a prequel to the original Kung Fu series and take place in China) was in development. Stars Masaaki Sakai Shir Kishibe Masako Natsume See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist Added by 1.6K users 27 User reviews It was a very calm, zen show, despite the fact that Carradine's character, Kwai Chang . On November 14, 2017, Warner Home Video re-released all three seasons, as well as the complete series set on DVD in Region 1. The potential to make new deals out of old intellectual property, for one. "They were taking heat from the Asian community from the onset. ", In an email to EW, Kim said she was a "big fan of the original series" and was particularly eager to honor "the most unique and beautiful qualities of the original show (and) its mix of spirituality, Buddhism, and Kung Fu." "David Carradine once said that Kung Fu was an anti-revenge series. He's faced lynch mobs and eluded bounty hunters out for the $10,000 price on his head. The question seems somewhat ironic sincein real lifeBrandon's father was a contender for the role of Caine in the series. [56][57], In his memoir, Eugne Louri praises Jerry Thorpe's vision, courage and inventiveness to undertake the Kung Fu project with a reduced TV budget. Feel free to make requests. For other Chinese sets, he used carved wooden partitions to enhance plain walls, or giant sculptured lions to give simple gardens an aura of grandeur. Around 1967, he gave it to his partner Howard Friedlander, who suggested turning it into a Western; Spielman then decided to make the leading character into a half-American, half-Chinese Shaolin monk. 68 Metascore. Notably, Asian women are portrayed that way on occasion (s1e5, s1e8), and not just in stereotypical or subservient roles. That visual conception made it unnecessary to build long and high stone walls for those sets, especially because the studio offered Kung Fu a large stage on which there was a standing set of the big hall from Camelot. by: jeruthedamaja category: Entertainment added: 13 years ago file size: 143.4 MB length: 1:11:18 language: English tags: kung, fu rate: 32,933 Views Add to Group Add to favorites link: Log in or sign up to comment on this video. Kung Fu is an American action-adventure martial arts Western drama television series starring David Carradine. [32][33][34] (For the series concept's history, see Bruce Lee's involvement), Spielman-Friedlander's 160 page movie script was transformed by Jerry Thorpe and writer Herman Miller into a 90-minute TV movie (with commercial breaks, so it actually amounted to about 75 minutes of screen time). The temple was destroyed and father and son each thought the other had perished in the fire. Kung Fu 1972 -1975 3 Seasons ABC Drama, Action & Adventure TV14 Watchlist Influential series about a Buddhist monk in search of his long-lost brother in the American West of the 1870s while. So many TV shows these days are reboots or revivals of older shows. This score did not include "Caine's Theme," which was added when the series began airing in 1972, in the opening and closing titles. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In its second season, 1973-1974, it ran on Thursday nights, when it remained among the 30 first rated shows, together with CBS Thursday Night Movie, which was at the same time slot, and tied in ratings with The Carol Burnett Show, which ran on Saturday nights. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. The last surviving member of the original Kung Fu series that starred David Carradine as a wandering, mixed-race monk trained in the martial arts said he takes issue with the CW's update and. Furthermore, because the story involves an ethnic group, and the tempers of our time do not tolerate ignorance and bigotry, he must not only make sure that the historical information regarding the group is accurate, but that these people are presented with dignity and respect. The resultant good ratings led to the series' renovation for a second season. Loads more TV Themes at: http://teeveesgreatest.webs.com/Kung Fu is an American Western/drama/action series starring David Carradine. "Learning does not have any age restriction." - Kwai Chang Caine. So, according to its creator, it was not a maneuver that would make it fit for a White actor, even if his first choice for the role had been James Coburn. Amy: Lara Parker. [66] Everything resulted in an Eastern-Western combination that was unique in American television. The new version has been lauded for being the first network drama with a predominantly Asian American cast a stark contrast to the original, which featured two white men (Carradine and Pera) playing an old and young version of Caine, the orphaned son of a white American man and a Chinese woman. Louri's solution of the temple and the other sets both in budgetary and visual terms was key in getting the go-ahead for the movie pilot from the production department, and for the subsequent series. The one where EW follows up with the cast. CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, Barry Trivers for "The Fault in Our Stars" (1961), Lawrence B. Marcus for "Man Out of Time" (1963), David W. Rintels for "A Continual Roar of Musketry" (1970), Herb Bermann & Thomas Y. Drake & Jerrold Freedman & Bo May for "Par for the Course" (1971), Jim Byrnes for "Thirty a Month and Found" (1974), Georgia Jeffries for "An Unusual Occurrence" /, Georgia Jeffries for "Turn, Turn, Turn" / Debra Frank &, Racelle Rosett Schaefer for "Photo Opportunity" (1991), meeting of President Nixon with Chairman Mao, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama, Best Edited Drama Series for Commercial Television, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "Season 1 air dates, Pilot aired February 22, 1972", "The Tao of Kung Fu - a philosophy of life that is not about fighting", "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Kung Fu' On The CW, Where A Female Shaolin Comes Back To San Francisco To Fight Evil", "The David Chow Humanitarian Award Foundation". According to biographer Matthew Polly, Bruce Lee did not invent the Kung Fu TV series. The last surviving member of the original Kung Fu series that starred David Carradine as a wandering, mixed-race monk trained in the martial arts said he takes issue with the CW's update and how it uses the same title especially when the two shows couldn't be more different. Kung Fu (1972-1975) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast Series Produced by Series Music by Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Series Art Direction by Series Set Decoration by Series Makeup Department Series Production Management Academic studies tend to mention the show in the context of discrimination against Asians in American society and entertainment. Toward the end of the film, Chung Wang asks Caine if he is his father. [139] In 2020, 87North Productions announced development of a contemporary feature film version of the series with creator Spielman and Stephen L'Hereaux producing through his Solipsist Film company and David Leitch directing. Creators Ed Spielman Herman Miller Stars David Carradine Radames Pera Males are now focused on online entertainment (gaming, etc). As for the imposing castle/temple/lamasery, it lasted for a few more years until it was torn down and substituted by a parking lot and the Bridge offices building (1994).[61][62][63]. In a time when Asian actors were largely ignored, and usually played minor and openly stereotypical roles, Kung Fu was exceptional for consistently presenting them as not stereotypical characters and for being a steady job source for Asian actors, which was acknowledged by members of the cast[30] and the AAPAA's president James Hong. ET on CW. [53], The Shaolin Monastery which appeared in flashbacks was originally a set used for the 1967 film Camelot. "So I guess he died here, right? When she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice, all while searching for the assassin who killed her Shaolin mentor and now is targeting her. In 1969 the William Morris agent Peter Lampack put the treatment into the knowledge of Fred Weintraub, at the time an executive at Warner Brothers and later the producer of Enter the Dragon: "As a New York-based production executive at Warner Bros. Pictures, it was my job to develop projects to appeal to the youth market. 4,670 738 Action Family Adventure An adaptation of a Chinese folktale about a pilgrimage to the West undertaken by a monk and his divine guardians. Director: Chia-Liang Liu | Stars: David Chiang, Cecilia Wong, Lily Li, Chia-Yung Liu. Based on the last demo figures I saw for TV watching more fem watch episodic TV (not including sports or news) than males. The practical need for making the project monetarily viable meant style compromises. Lee adds, "They think that business-wise it is a risk. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. In case anyone wants to binge the original, says Pera, it's available on DVD. See production, box office & company info, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA. He must make extensive research into various sources before he can render a story to be within the realms of truth. Jerry Thorpe. ""That's the strange thing. Given that the series' action happens mostly in the 19th century California, black people appear as important characters in just a few episodes (s1e13, s2e1, s2e16, s3e18, s3e24), as at the time they were a small portion of the state's population, yet all of the episodes have to do with them facing discrimination. "Since the rule of thumb on a script is that one page equals one minute, the script was literally cut in half. East Asian, or rather Chinese portrayal in the series remains a problematic subject. "Despite that, he always tried to do the least amount of harm," he adds. Most importantly, the series' Shaolin priests teach Taoist and Confucian philosophy, whereas the actual Shaolin monks are Buddhist. Kung Fu 3 seasons Action 1974 English audio TV-PG Buy Shaolin monk and martial-arts expert Caine flees China after his master is killed. [29] Part of Chow's job was to add or eliminate fight scenes from the script, "settle differences of opinion" regarding their technical aspects among the martial artists participating in them, and make the scenes believable. James Hong (who was the AAPAA's president), said: "As the show went on, we realized it was a great source of employment for the Asian acting community."[81]. In its third and final season, 1974-1975, Kung Fus time slot changed three times, and it lost its place among the 30 first-rated shows. Have people come up in the industry and said 'well, we don't know how the audience are going to take a non-American'? Popular on Netflix The Raid 2 The Raid: Redemption Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Bruised Birth of the Dragon Ip Man 3 Revenger Never Back Down: Revolt Jiu Jitsu Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny Fistful of Vengeance Ip Man Ip Man 4: The Finale The Night Comes for Us The studio contacted him and he was soon deeply involved. Regarding Native Americans, as it was usual at the time, they are mostly portrayed by non-Native actors, usually from the Hispanic community and also by Whites (s2e6), whereas the Hispanics themselves appear mostly when Caine visits towns in New Mexico or Mexico (s2e3, s2e4, s3e14), even if at the time there was an important Hispanic presence in the state. A recent tombstone dated 1874 in a season 3 episode places the stories approximately between 1871 and 1875.[10]. There's also a "hint of the supernatural," Kim tells EW about the introduction of a magic sword. "[13] Asian actors who returned often to the series were mostly members of the East West Players, brought to the series by Guy Lee, who would take charge of Bessie Loo's Talent Agency when she retired. The extras include audio commentary by David Carradine on four episodes of the series (s2e1 The Well, s2e14 A Dream Within a Dream, s3e2 Blood of the Dragon - 2, s3e21 Full Circle), Zen & Now: A Dinner With David Carradine And Friends (Guests: Hal Sparks, Sifu Rob Moses, Vivica A. Buy from $1.99/episode. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, Watch a badass fight scene from the premiere of. After Bruce Lee lost the part to Carradine, he went back to Hong Kong, where he made The Big Boss, the film that began his legendary career in martial arts movies. The percussionist Emil Richards collected over 90 of them and used them often for microtonal glisses. Despite its historical inaccuracies, the series' dialogue was greatly based on Chinese philosophy, which gave viewers an introduction to its spiritual values, and its dramatic appeal made it the recipient of international accolades. "[13] ABC ordered just four more segments and placed them in what was called the "death row," the Saturday night slot opposite All in the Family, on a monthly basis. However, the absence of allusions to Joseon Korea is correct, as immigrants from that kingdom arrived in America after 1884. The portrayal of Native Americans varies from the stereotypical faceless villains (s1e1, s1e2), to objects of persecution and discrimination (s2e5, s3e5) to a co-leading character in the s1e15 episode "The Ancient Warrior," the only one with a Native actor billed in the opening credits, which precisely deals with the extermination of a whole tribe. In an attempt to connect with his son, Caine Sr. takes him to Silver Creek, a ghost town, the place where their ancestor spent his last years. That is why The Warrior is probably not going to be on." When she shows up on the property, she soon discovers the house is haunted by her grandfathers spirit and the ghost of a mysterious man named William. "[106], "'That guy is me,' Spielman says. "They did the best they could at the time," recalls Pera, who was 11 when he first started on the series that was shot in Los Angeles. They talk about how Caine arrived there, became the "wise man of the town", and how he passed away. The result was mostly atmospheric instead of melodic, with a koto as the predominant instrument. There continues to be a persistent legend that the concept for the series was stolen by Warne Bros. Television . 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