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Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of
the
Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines
elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood,
with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to
create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless
has a wide transcultural appeal. In recent years, the
flow has reversed somewhat, with American and European
action films being heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre
conventions.
The first Hong Kong action films favoured the
wuxia
style, emphasizing mysticism and swordplay, but this
trend was politically suppressed in the 1930s and
replaced by styles in which films depicted more
down-to-earth unarmed kung fu, often featuring folk hero
Wong Fei Hung.
Post-war cultural upheavals led to a
second wave of wuxia films with highly acrobatic
violence, followed by the emergence of the grittier kung
fu films for which the Shaw Brothers studio became best
known.
The 1970s saw the rise and sudden death of
international superstar Bruce Lee. He was succeeded in
the 1980s by Jackie Chan—who popularised the use of
comedy, dangerous stunts, and modern urban settings in
action films—and Jet Li, whose authentic wushu skills
appealed to both eastern and western audiences. The
innovative work of directors and producers like Tsui
Hark and John Woo introduced further variety (for
example, gunplay, triads and the supernatural). An
exodus by many leading figures to Hollywood in the 1990s
coincided with a downturn in the industry.
Hong Kong action cinema - Early martial
arts films
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