Friday B-Movie Pick: Black Belt Jones
Another martial arts classic staring Jim Kelly. Coming at you straight from 1974, this “kung fu” flick also falls squarely in the blaxploitation sub-genre as well. This is mid-70s low budget drive-in theater fodder in all its glory. Jim Kelly delivers the martial arts goods, and manages to carry this flick with some decent acting chops as well.
Monday Book Pick: Shotokan’s Secret
Shotokan’s Secret: Expanded Edition by Bruce Clayton
A very interesting book for both the martial artist and the historian. Mr. Clayton has done extensive research into finding the environment that drove the creation of hard style linear Karate. This system of martial arts came about in a specific time and place. A time and place that previously predominately practiced only empty handed systems based on Southern Kung Fu systems. Those systems had to be empty handed systems, because possession of a sword or any other restricted weapon by an Okinawan was punishable by death!
The first half of the book is pure history. The second half breaks apart the Shotokan katas and points out the hidden techniques. Techniques that had to be hidden at time the system was created. Very interesting stuff for the martial arts historian.
This book was first mentioned on my Shaolin Kempo blog.
Friday B-Movie Pick: Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Donny Yen, son of Boston Kung Fu Master Bow Sim Mark, and start of the Yip Man films, stars in this excellent martial arts flick. He plays Chen Zhen, Bruce Lee’s character from The Chinese Connection. After seeing the horrors of war in WWI France, Chen returns to Shenghai to continue his battle against the Japanese. The action is excellent, and the acting quite good. As Joe-Bob would say, check it out!
Friday B-Movie Pick: The Perfect Weapon
Yup, it’s been 20 years since this martial arts action flick first hit the big screen. As martial arts films go, it’s fairly typical. So-so script, typical revenge plot with a prodigal son twist thrown in for flavor, and a cast of regulars in the genre. This was supposed to be the big break film for American Kenpo master Jeff Speakman. Didn’t quite turn out that way, but the karate scenes are good and the rest of the cast (which includes Mako and Professor Tanaka), make worth the rental, if you can find it.
Friday B-Movie Pick: Marked for Death
Classic Steven Seagal from 1990. Yup, this flick is now old enought to buy booze. Great martial arts scenes though. Solid ‘don’t piss off the wrong DEA agent by making it personal’ plot line and plenty of gun-fu, but like the other three word title Seagal flicks from that era, it’s watching Seagal’s rough and tumble, definately not “hearts and flowers”, Aikido that makes the flick.
MetroWest Martial Arts & Wellness Reopening!
MetroWest Martial Arts and Wellness has been closed down for several months as it moves to a much better location.
That move is almost complete! There was a delay while the local building inspectors did their work, but construction is now underway and the school will be reopening soon!
The new location is 74 Otis Street, Westborough, MA 01581.
I, for one, am looking forward to getting back to teaching and studying with the other instructors at MetroWest Martial Arts.
For more details, check out the MetroWest Martial Arts Facebook page.
Originally posted at my Shaolin Kempo blog.
Friday B-movie: Ninja Assassin
Not a film you are going to study in film school, but a fun action flick with much, much more than its fair share of blood, gore and violence.
Friday B-Movie Pick: Timecop
A Van Damme classic from 1994. A good SciFi Time Travel adventure with really good fight scenes.
Friday B-Movie Pick: Ip Man
This movie is about Yip Man, a Wing Chun Master from the pre-communist days in China. He was later one of Bruce Lee’s main instructors in Hong Kong. This movie focuses on his younger days, starting the 1930s and through the Japanese occupation of China. Great fight scenes.
Monday Book Pick: The Fighting Tomahawk
The Fighting Tomahawk by Dwight C. McLemore.
Dispite its European origins, the tomahawk is considered a uniquely American weapon. This is an interesting look at the use of tomhawk, and long knife, in practical combat terms. It is interesting that the author emphasizes the reverse grip for the knife. I’m not a big fan of the reverse knife grip for combat, but I can see how it is useful in blocking when the tomahawk is the primary offensive weapon.