Full Version: Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan
China History Forum, Chinese History Forum > Chinese History Topics > Chinese Art of War > Chinese Martial Arts
I prefer Bruce Lee to ChengLong and Li Lianjie. Bruce Lee's kungfu is much better than the other two kungfu stars. What do you think?
For those who do not know, Chenglong is more known in the west as "Jackie Chan", while Li Liangjie is "Jet Lee".
Bruce Lee can't act to save his own life. I have yet to see one expression on his face that doesn't look like he is constipated.
Jackie Chan is a bad actor but still way better than Bruce. The actions he offers is certainly very much different from what 'martial arts' is meant to be but it does goes off on his own and gives variety to the audience with his unique mix of fighting, arcobatics and comedy.
Jet is the best actor of them all. Although without his Hong Kong fight cheographers, his actions are mediocre at best.
I personally prefer Donnie Yen. Although one could argue his acting skills are somewhere between Bruce and Jackie, his fight sequences are certainly the best of them all in terms of the balance between dynamics and actions.
My other recommendation would be Leung Ka Fai. Although he is an oldie now, his earlier works by Shaws Brothers are certainly some of the best fight sequence from a traitional martial arts point of view.
Jackie Chan is a bad actor but still way better than Bruce. The actions he offers is certainly very much different from what 'martial arts' is meant to be but it does goes off on his own and gives variety to the audience with his unique mix of fighting, arcobatics and comedy.
Jet is the best actor of them all. Although without his Hong Kong fight cheographers, his actions are mediocre at best.
I personally prefer Donnie Yen. Although one could argue his acting skills are somewhere between Bruce and Jackie, his fight sequences are certainly the best of them all in terms of the balance between dynamics and actions.
My other recommendation would be Leung Ka Fai. Although he is an oldie now, his earlier works by Shaws Brothers are certainly some of the best fight sequence from a traitional martial arts point of view.
QUOTE(Wujiang @ Dec 30 2005, 06:27 AM) [snapback]4779810[/snapback]
Jet is the best actor of them all. Although without his Hong Kong fight cheographers, his actions are mediocre at best.
Jet Li was far worse compare to jackie chan. He always act cool and almost all his role in the movie is the same. Jackie chan at least try be innovative moving into comedy, gangster...
BBC news
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4341588.stm
QUOTE
Actor Jackie Chan has said that he wants to move on from action movies in order to take up more serious dramatic roles.
Chan's new film The Myth - a fantasy epic showing for the first time at the Korean Film Festival - is a departure from the traditional fighting hero that Chan has played in Hollywood films such as Shanghai Noon and Around The World In 80 Days.
The Hong Kong-based star, who previously indicated that he was bored with such roles, told BBC World Service's The Ticket programme that The Myth was moving his career on in a new direction.
"I choose my own parts," he said.
"In Hollywood, it's difficult for me - and also, I know my problem... my role is always the police from Hong Kong. With Jet Li, it's the police from China.
"For us, it's so limited because our English is not that good."
'Have to change'
Chan explained that this had, for example, been the case when he had received the script for The Interpreter - the UN-set thriller released earlier this year, starring Nicole Kidman.
He also said that he wanted to be considered the "Asian Robert De Niro," in particular because he admired the American actor's ability to take a wide number of roles.
"He's not young anymore, but he's still the bad guy, the good guy, the good cop, the bad cop - and then in comedy," he said.
Nobody writes a love story - on the beach, in slow motion, with kissing - for Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
"What I realised is that the life of an action star is very short... I want to continue to make movies, so I have to change.
"In Hong Kong, I can do whatever I like, so last year I started my own company and started The New Police Story - a drama.
"This year it's The Myth - a fantasy. Next month I start another movie that is totally comedy. I want all the audience to know that not only can I fight, I can really act."
This film would announce "a totally new Jackie Chan," he added.
But while his Chinese contemporary Jet Li has already said that he is giving up action stunts, Chan said that he would continue to make some action films, but of a different kind.
Stunt Oscar call
He pointed out that Clint Eastwood still performs in action films, but his roles are of a different nature to, for example, the Dirty Harry series.
Chan combines acting with his role as a Unicef goodwill ambassador
"Nobody writes a love story - on the beach, in slow motion, with kissing - for Jackie Chan," he added.
"So this is why I have to write my own scripts."
And he also said there should be a better acknowledgement of action films by critics and award selectors.
"I think sometimes that action films are more difficult than art films," he added.
"In a film like Drunken Master, when I fight, I have to pretend I'm drunk, and pretend to cry. I also have to do all the stunts, acting, and comedy.
"It's not only a drama. I think that, slowly, the new generation is recognising that action films are art films. A different kind of art film."
He also called for a new Oscar, to be awarded to the best stunt co-ordinator.
"It's not special effects, it's stunts, the design of a fighting sequence," he said.
"Every festival should set up an award for this kind of movie."
Chan's new film The Myth - a fantasy epic showing for the first time at the Korean Film Festival - is a departure from the traditional fighting hero that Chan has played in Hollywood films such as Shanghai Noon and Around The World In 80 Days.
The Hong Kong-based star, who previously indicated that he was bored with such roles, told BBC World Service's The Ticket programme that The Myth was moving his career on in a new direction.
"I choose my own parts," he said.
"In Hollywood, it's difficult for me - and also, I know my problem... my role is always the police from Hong Kong. With Jet Li, it's the police from China.
"For us, it's so limited because our English is not that good."
'Have to change'
Chan explained that this had, for example, been the case when he had received the script for The Interpreter - the UN-set thriller released earlier this year, starring Nicole Kidman.
He also said that he wanted to be considered the "Asian Robert De Niro," in particular because he admired the American actor's ability to take a wide number of roles.
"He's not young anymore, but he's still the bad guy, the good guy, the good cop, the bad cop - and then in comedy," he said.
Nobody writes a love story - on the beach, in slow motion, with kissing - for Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
"What I realised is that the life of an action star is very short... I want to continue to make movies, so I have to change.
"In Hong Kong, I can do whatever I like, so last year I started my own company and started The New Police Story - a drama.
"This year it's The Myth - a fantasy. Next month I start another movie that is totally comedy. I want all the audience to know that not only can I fight, I can really act."
This film would announce "a totally new Jackie Chan," he added.
But while his Chinese contemporary Jet Li has already said that he is giving up action stunts, Chan said that he would continue to make some action films, but of a different kind.
Stunt Oscar call
He pointed out that Clint Eastwood still performs in action films, but his roles are of a different nature to, for example, the Dirty Harry series.
Chan combines acting with his role as a Unicef goodwill ambassador
"Nobody writes a love story - on the beach, in slow motion, with kissing - for Jackie Chan," he added.
"So this is why I have to write my own scripts."
And he also said there should be a better acknowledgement of action films by critics and award selectors.
"I think sometimes that action films are more difficult than art films," he added.
"In a film like Drunken Master, when I fight, I have to pretend I'm drunk, and pretend to cry. I also have to do all the stunts, acting, and comedy.
"It's not only a drama. I think that, slowly, the new generation is recognising that action films are art films. A different kind of art film."
He also called for a new Oscar, to be awarded to the best stunt co-ordinator.
"It's not special effects, it's stunts, the design of a fighting sequence," he said.
"Every festival should set up an award for this kind of movie."
There's no right or wrong.
All depends on what the audience wants.
All depends on what the audience wants.
In terms of MA movies, I would have to say JC or Jet Li
In terms of Gun Play, Chow Yun Fat
In terms of Gun Play, Chow Yun Fat
Jackie Chan was not just the Martial Arts comedy star he is percieved to be, he is a pretty good Actor, Director and Singer, as well as a true Innovator of Cinematography in HK, the latter of which he is never given credit for.
Jet Li is actually pretty decent actor, just that he never gives himself a chance to prove this, and is only ever good when playing a Wong Fei Hung/Huo Yuan Jia sort of role, anything outside Ancient China he isn't good in.
Wujiang, tell me, have you seen any JC movie made before Rumble in the Bronx, preferably Project A I and II, Miracles, Police Story I, Heart of the Dragon or Dragons Forever?
Judging by the Pure Ignorance of your comments on Jackie (no offence, but seriously, you shouldn't say Jackie can't act based on films like the Tuxedo, just that he didn't act well in that particular film, trust me, he was better in the 80's) i'd say not.
and the proper term is Heroic Bloodshed, not GunPlay.
Jet Li is actually pretty decent actor, just that he never gives himself a chance to prove this, and is only ever good when playing a Wong Fei Hung/Huo Yuan Jia sort of role, anything outside Ancient China he isn't good in.
Wujiang, tell me, have you seen any JC movie made before Rumble in the Bronx, preferably Project A I and II, Miracles, Police Story I, Heart of the Dragon or Dragons Forever?
Judging by the Pure Ignorance of your comments on Jackie (no offence, but seriously, you shouldn't say Jackie can't act based on films like the Tuxedo, just that he didn't act well in that particular film, trust me, he was better in the 80's) i'd say not.
and the proper term is Heroic Bloodshed, not GunPlay.
I think Bruce had more intensity, than either Jackie or Jet. Bruce trained more for real life scenarios. I'm not saying the other 2 couldn't protect themselves, but Bruce would be more prepared I think.
If we talk about REAL FIGHTING, Bruce is the REAL FIGHTER. He was worse in acting (though we must remember that HK's cinema was improved by him, and the whole world's action cinema was revolutionized by him), but he was real. He cared more for MA than the others did (Jackie, Jet...). Just to give an example, Bruce introduced the use of the "protections" in the USA; Dana White, the president of UFC, calles him "the father of MMA" (i'd clarify, modern MMA) and so on...He was so forward to his time.
This is the difference between them
This is the difference between them
I would agree. In terms of actual fighting ability, Bruce Lee would have both Jet li and Jackie Chan completely beat. Jackie is more of a stunt man (I don't think he is well learned in an actual martial art, but correct me if I'm wrong) and Jet Li just does modern wushu which I would not call a martial art by any stretch of the imagination.
QUOTE (polar_zen @ Jun 1 2008, 03:22 PM) 
I would agree. In terms of actual fighting ability, Bruce Lee would have both Jet li and Jackie Chan completely beat. Jackie is more of a stunt man (I don't think he is well learned in an actual martial art, but correct me if I'm wrong) and Jet Li just does modern wushu which I would not call a martial art by any stretch of the imagination.
He studied Judo, Hapkido, several animal styles and western boxing after leaving the Opera school. He has admitted in interviews that he is first an actor and then a martial artist, but I imagine he could still hold his own.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.