Jackie Chan. The Man Who Gave His Life to Kung Fu

Here he is Jackie Chan. And here he doesn’t look much like a kung fu master.

Currently there are legends about him. Many believe that he knows all types of martial arts and has studied all this for more than one year. Many consider him the second Bruce Lee. But he doesn’t think so, and this is the first myth that we will now dispel.

So he himself talks about it.

But here is the truth without myths.

For comparison, I will not give what real martial artists look like, since you can always see this in films.

And first of all, real masters practice kung fu all their lives and have no time to do other things.

And Jackie Chan was engaged in stage fighting. And he simply invented some wushu styles for films.

But at the same time, of course, he had good physical characteristics since childhood. His mother called him Pao Pao or Cannonball.

So Jackie Chan is actor, screenwriter and singer. And also a philanthropist.

Here are some more interesting questions.

Jackie Chan, despite being a martial artist, brings a smile to most viewers' faces. This is his role. But his biography is the story of a journey through thorns to the stars. Here are just a few facts about his life.

1. Jackie Chan was born on April 7, 1954 in a poor Hong Kong family. There is information that his mother carried him for 12 months. Jackie's weight at birth was 5 kilograms 400 grams.

2. Jackie Chan's family was so poor that his parents offered to buy the baby for HK$1,500 to the obstetrician who delivered the baby. Fortunately, they quickly changed their minds. But, having become a star, Jackie retained the habits of a simple guy from a poor neighborhood. Being a millionaire, Jackie Chan washes clothes, cooks food and cleans the house only himself.

3. From the age of 6, Chan studied at an opera school. Jackie spent 10 years there. Sammo Hong (known to us from numerous action films, in particular from the series “Chinese Policeman”) and Yun Biao, who also later became a famous actor, studied with him.

4. In 1976, Jackie had eye enlargement surgery. Strictly speaking, not of my own free will. During the filming of Drunken Master, trouble happened. While performing a stunt, he unsuccessfully fell from the table onto the floor and injured his eye. At the hospital they stitched him up using electricity (Jackie said, “No needles”). And when the eye healed, it turned out to be wider than the other. And then the doctor advised me to have cosmetic surgery.

5. Jackie became interested in kung fu after studying at opera school. But he still trains intensively. His workout includes an 8-kilometer run and various flexibility exercises.

6. Jackie Chan is often considered a stuntman who has nothing to do with real martial arts. But several cases refute this. Jackie himself spoke about them: “One incident happened when I arrived in Detroit, Michigan. When I entered the City Center, I saw a banner with the inscription “Jackie Chan - Master of Kung Fu” hanging above the front door of the City Hall . I immediately felt the unpleasant atmosphere of the crowd, which could be offended by such words. My premonition did not deceive me. As soon as the interview ended, I was asked to demonstrate several kung fu techniques. At that moment a guy jumps onto the stage and shouts: “Jackie Chan, what should you do?” , if you were attacked?" The guy was short, but strongly built. The way he behaved and was dressed gave the impression that he wanted to make a name for himself by fighting with me. I concentrated, at the same time watching the reaction of the staff. But they took no action, wanting to see the fight for themselves. I had no choice but to remain calm and prepare. I decided to hit his legs. He made the first move by swinging his fists, performing a feint. But my left foot had already hit his legs. The guy fell onto the stage with a crash. At the same moment we were surrounded by staff."

7. Everyone knows that Jackie Chan does most of his own stunts. They also know that he received more than 3,000 thousand injuries. But perhaps the hardest thing happened during the filming of the film “Armor of God.” As a result of an unsuccessful jump onto a tree, he fell from a 12-meter height. Jackie suffered a fractured skull and a brain hemorrhage. After a complex operation, during which a hole in his head was repaired, Jackie returned to the site. However, he was forced to turn to the camera only with the left side of his head. After all, the right one was shaved after the operation.

8. Jackie got into the Guinness Book of Records with one of his tricks. During the filming of the movie Dragon Lord, Jackie had to hit a two-inch target standing six meters away from him with a ball. Moreover, he had to do this by kicking the ball. The scene only took 2 seconds, but it took 2 days of filming and over 1,500 takes.

9. Did you know that Jackie is the only Asian person to have the honor of being sculpted for Madame Tussauds Wax Museum?! He insisted that he be depicted in a normal pose rather than a fighting stance. This makes him look more friendly, Jackie thinks.

10. Chan has starred in more than 100 films. Jackie's most famous roles are Inspector Lee ("Rush Hour - 1, 2, 3"), Chong Wong ("Shanghai Noon"), Jimmy Tong ("Tuxedo"), Mr. Han ("The Karate Kid"), Wu Dao ( “Shaolin”), Passepartout / Lau Shin (“Around the World in 80 Days”) and others. International success came to Chan: stars were dedicated to Jackie Chan on the Walk of Stars in Hollywood, on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong and on Old Arbat in Moscow.

“If I need some kind of spectacular shot, some kind of special effect, I don’t care how much money, time and effort it will take. I go to any lengths: I can break an arm or a leg, but that doesn’t bother me much. In such times moments I become possessed, although at times I tremble with fear, because I am not superman. My fans are the ones who give me the strength to accomplish the seemingly impossible. If not for them, I would consider anyone crazy who would suggest that I dive headfirst into a narrow well 20 meters deep or jump from the roof of a multi-story building."

Charming, talented, quick and cheerful. All this is about him, about the brilliant actor and martial artist - Jack Chan.

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong and grew up in a poor family. Parents worked for some time in the family of the French ambassador to Australia. In general, it was not sweet, but already at the age of six the boy begins to study at the Peking Opera, where he slowly masters the mastery of his body. This is where the first interest in the art of kung fu arises.

Creative activity began with episodic roles in films. During the filming, Chan managed to try himself as a stunt performer. However, he began his career as a stuntman, because he mastered the kung fu style and was incredibly flexible and agile. This is how he managed to establish himself as a talented and capable actor. Jackie Chan was especially good at comedy roles. This was the key to great success, because no one had ever succeeded in combining humor and martial art. It so happened that in this new genre it is impossible to surpass the actor. And then the idea arose to release films of our own production, where professional stunts performed by the director himself are enough. Fascinating films are full of humor, goodness and battle scenes.

Despite his great popularity, Jackie Chan refuses the services of doubles, which could ease the filming process and unnecessary injuries. Thanks to his excellent physical shape, he performs literally acrobatic performances. Each original film is full of wonderful performances with kung fu elements. However, none of them involve violence or excessive bloodshed. These are unacceptable films in the understanding of the director, who is an ardent opponent of cruelty and aggression. Through her lifestyle, the Hollywood star promotes sports, art, creativity and health. Therefore, in his films he does not kill opponents, but simply neutralizes them with a smile.

Jackie Chan is a surprisingly kind, sympathetic and generous person who is not threatened by star fever. He regularly participates in charity, various animal protection activities and helps poor children. At the same time, he manages to release music albums and perform on the big stage. It’s not for nothing that they say that talented people are talented in everything. And this statement suits Jackie perfectly, because he is also a popular singer in China.

Fight scenes from films starring Jackie Chan

Films starring Jackie Chan

Comments

ACTOR! STUNTMAN! MARTIAL ARTS MASTER!

The only actor who is truly talented in all of the above!!!

31.07.2014 21:38

Jackie Chan - My tricks

Jackie Chan makes his living by taking risks. As an actor and director, Jackie changed the way the world viewed action films. And his inexhaustible desire to perform more and more new tricks leaves his competitors far behind.
In this film, Jackie returns to kung fu and shows how he made a name for himself with memorable stunts, as he and his team train to pull off the stunt on screen. Jackie himself will conduct a master class in staging cinematic fights.
If movement, danger, courage have a name, then that name is Jackie Chan!

01.08.2014 23:08

He was destined for glory when he was touched by the fist of the martial arts legend himself - Bruce Lee!

07.08.2014 21:59

Jackie Chan is much different from Bruce Lee. Jackie has excellent control of his body even at this age and he is the only actor whose films you want to watch even during the credits. And he broke his arms and legs in order to perform a new, very dangerous trick. And he never hired stuntmen. In a word, he is a great actor and we will tell our children and grandchildren about him.

07.08.2014 22:37

A talented child was born into an ordinary poor family. From slums to kings without money or patronage. Maybe young people who are 15-17 years old and are not very familiar with his work. But everyone over 25 years old. We definitely grew up watching his films. These were the first militants. In which even fights always look funny. There is no gross violence in the films with his participation, but at the same time, boys can see enough of masterly fights.

07.08.2014 22:43

Jack Chan is one of the few actors who is simply a pleasure to watch; his roles in films are always courageous, decisive and even cute. It’s especially gratifying that he does everything himself and is not afraid to be funny, and his signature “how it was filmed” at the end of the film (I don’t know what it’s called) always brings a smile. I especially like Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2, I watched it 10 times, I recommend it to everyone)))

07.08.2014 23:14

Konstantin

Films with Jackie Chan are true classics of the genre, which, in my opinion, every intellectual person is capable of. I just can't imagine how an ordinary person can perform such tricks. What physical and emotional preparation must be for this! Films with his participation also give me pleasant nostalgia. I watch them and remember my youth.

08.08.2014 00:00

This is my childhood idol. When I saw him as a child, the whole yard and the boys wanted to be like him. They walked around waving their arms and legs, pretending to be super karatekas. And now, if they show a movie on TV with him in it, I tell my son to watch it. you can hit with intelligence, humor and gags. Just like Jackie Chan does in his films.

08.08.2014 00:02

GuestAnna

Jackie Chan, as always, is unsurpassed in his role: in the ability to show himself 100% and masterfully present the technique of performing stunning stunts. He is a wonderful, very talented actor and an excellent martial arts professional! Movies with Jackie Chan are always filled with fights, but at the same time very positive!

09.08.2014 00:29

Since childhood, I have loved watching films with Jackie Chan. They are all united by an exciting plot, a sea of dangerous stunts, and interesting humorous scenes. And in all this, considerable merit is due to the most important and inimitable actor. What’s especially impressive is that he performs all the stunts himself, it’s simply unthinkable. I will be happy to show films with Jackie to my son when he grows up a little.

09.08.2014 00:38

Jackie Chan is one of the most talented Chinese actors involved in oriental martial arts, who has succeeded in cinema and is not only an actor but also a director and producer. He tries to do all the stunts himself and because of this he received a large number of injuries, already at an advanced age but films are still coming out with him, low bow and great respect for him!!!

13.08.2014 16:20

I adore Jackie, first of all, for her amazing sense of humor! I like that he is not afraid to laugh at himself and even at his work, at pain, at fractures, at fears. At the same time, it should be noted that Jackie’s comic roles often carry a reflection of a real dramatic gift. To some extent, Jackie opened up as a dramatic actor in the film Myth, where he starred with his friend, the magnificent Jet Li. Actually, Jackie’s work as a director, stunt coordinator, inventor, and, finally, a businessman deserves serious attention. Jackie knows how to enjoy life and make everyone who watches his amazing shows happy.

20.08.2014 17:47

God how I love this actor. He is simply incomparable, and you can’t take your eyes off the films with his participation. I especially love the films Rush Hour and Armor of God, I consider them one of the best.

23.11.2014 12:29

Jackie Chan is the best of the best! He is a virtuoso in the art of acting, a master of kung fu, and there is no one cooler than him! I recently read a new book, “I’m Happy,” about Jackie, it contains all the details of his life from childhood. It was interesting to read how he made his way from a simple stuntman to a great actor. The funny thing is that he was born very big, he was nicknamed Pao Pao - “cannonball”, so he soared high in his career)))))

14.06.2016 14:14

Jackie is definitely a master of his craft!
Every time you see a film with Jackie, you involuntarily remember your youth, how after watching it you waved your fists, imitating the great master!

Exciting martial arts talents that have revolutionized the way we think about the world of cinematic fighting. Who are they and why are they so famous?

Master of Kung Fu comedy.

There is not a person who does not recognize Jackie Chan as an outstanding, living legend. I can’t even believe that young Jackie Chan began his first steps in cinema as a stuntman in the films of the great Bruce Lee. It is not at all strange that the first impression of critics about the young Chinese actor-martial artist was biased - they saw him only as a follower, a possible copy of Bruce Lee, whose level no one can reach. And Jackie Chan understood this and, moreover, accepted it - who better than him understood that there would never be a next Bruce Lee. Therefore, Jackie chose his own path, his own path and decided to give the world his original, real self! The natural charm and childish humor of the Kung Fu master played a significant role - just remember the masterpiece “Drunken Master”, released in 1978. Jackie Chan did not play an invincible handsome man, he broadcast his real, cheerful and cocky self onto the screen - the average viewer sincerely wanted to worry and root for such a hero. It was Jackie who established the rule and showed a different hero - not stately, not cool and not invincible in Hollywood. Jackie Chan still demonstrates that great martial arts masters do not have to be stereotyped, uniform, and look like they came off the covers of a magazine.

The legendary wushu master for losers.

He is absolutely not handsome according to the classic models of world actors: he does not have outstanding height, his skin, even saturated with makeup, does not look perfect, and his signature facial expression resembles the grimace of a mischievous child. The aura of celebrity, a certain feeling with which he fills his viewer, gives him, of course, his outstanding skills! It’s hard to imagine, but even as a child, little Jet Li demonstrated his remarkable talent, confirmed by an impressive number of gold medals - and this in a country where almost every child is familiar with Wushu! The secret of success is speed - Jet Li is incredibly fast, and evidence of this is captured in every film he participates in. Sometimes it’s even hard to believe that the speed is conveyed in real time and conditions, and not the result of editing.

In addition to his talent in the field of wushu, the talent of Jet, the Actor, is also recognized. Jet Li is one of the favorites of Hollywood directors, which is why the Chinese actor’s filmography includes so many American-made films.

You readily believe in Jet Li when he, essentially a small man, fights and defeats those who significantly surpass him in strength and capabilities.

6 and 5. Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. Masters of Cat Fighting - Kung Fu

Female characters were not allowed to enter the cinematic world of martial arts until 2000. Only Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi were able to fundamentally change the opinion about female kung fu masters and gain the respect of their male colleagues - all thanks are addressed to them!

Women willingly mixed high quality martial arts with dance art, and it looked truly magnificent and deadly on camera. There was no doubt that any of these women would outshine any famous wrestler, and would do it so beautifully and gracefully that men could only envy. These actresses created beautiful, bright and courageous, killer images.

Gordon Liu. Master of Remade Shaolin

Gordon Liu, one of the whales that rules the world of martial arts films. The films with the participation of Master Gordon were not as popular and high-quality as the films of his heirs, but it was he who laid the foundation and created the road for films and heroes that glorified the skills of kung fu and wushu.

His calling card is the role of San Te in “The 36 Steps of Shaolin” and a series of sequels to the film.

Interestingly, it was these poorly recorded and terribly edited films that inspired the notorious Quentin Tarantino to “Kill Bill.” It’s even more curious that Gordon Liu also found roles in these films, and not the last ones.

Liu's fame reached India; the actor took part in Bollywood films. So, he is justifiably a world-class star.

Kung Fu Master – mix

Stephen Chow is close to everyone who has at least once heard or seen Shaolin football or an incomprehensible violent action involving kung fu techniques! Zhou is an explosive mixture of a top comedian, a martial artist and a cartoon character. All of his films have a clear focus on Chinese culture, are filled with Chinese humor, but are funny and understandable to any viewer, regardless of nationality. Chow pioneered the use of massive amounts of digital animation to make his films look truly stunning, inspiring and absolutely breathtaking.

His motto: “Special effects shouldn’t look real, they should look funny and surreal, like comic books.” Chow steps on a bad person’s foot, and the poor fellow’s finger turns into a pancake! He throws a whole swarm of enemies into the air, and they explode into the sky like festive confetti. A killer mixture and a really popular idea!

. Master of Cool Kung Fu

Donnie Yen is an actor you definitely saw, but definitely didn’t remember. And it’s not about the talent of the game and skill, but about the company - he always played supporting roles with famous actors in the foreground. Yen has starred in films such as “Hero” with Jet Li, “Once Upon a Time in China II”, and “Shanghai Knights” with Jackie Chan - it is difficult to remain in the mind and sight next to Jet and Jackie. This is probably why Donnie Yen is still little known in Hollywood and has not taken part in as many American projects as his compatriots.

Ian has his own original fighting style: he fights calmly in a room with enemies, frankly bored and willingly exposing himself to a possible retaliatory strike. Having given himself a chance to be caught, Ian unleashes his killing blows. Unlike other actors in this genre, Ian takes the lead because there is a huge chance that this actor's prospects are very bright and successful, and will definitely take him across the Pacific Ocean.

Number One Master of Kung Fu Movies

Bruce Lee is a personality, a truly legendary and unforgettable character. If martial artists had their own personal god, Bruce Lee would be the one to play this role.

It was he who paved the way for Asia to America, it was he who radically changed the attitude of Americans towards Asians in general!

He became the first non-white key action star. African American, Latin American and Asian actors owe their appearance in films to Bruce Lee.

Bruce also became the first action actor to abandon special effects and stuntmen - he was for naturalness and truthfulness in the frame, so every day he worked on his body and skills in order to be able to impress his audience again and again.

Bruce Lee was a genius not only in existing battles, but also became the founder of his own movement - Jeet Kune. All Bruce Lee's films are recognized and belong to the classics of the genre and do not lose their popularity to this day.

1.

Jackie Chan is a professional opera singer. But unlike many other actors and singers, who often mistakenly believe that they can sing and that their talent extends to all creative fields, Jackie studied at the Opera Academy and, when he was little, took vocal lessons along with kung fu lessons. He has released 11 studio albums and nine music compilations, won the Best Foreign Singer Award in Japan, and sang a song at the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony in 2008. Listen to a romantic composition he performed with some woman.

2.

He categorically refuses to play villains. Just like .

3.

Jackie Chan really does all his own stunts, which is very costly for his health. While filming The Accidental Spy, the actor hit his tailbone so hard that it caused temporary partial paralysis. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

4.

Jackie worked as a stuntman and acrobat in the films “Fist of Fury” and “Enter the Dragon,” where the main star was. Since Chan's character was written as a high-profile star in these films, his main task was to effectively confront Bruce in battle and lose no less spectacularly. It is curious that until 1976, Jackie Chan appeared on screens under the name Yuen-Lung Chan and throughout his life he changed more than a dozen different nicknames, which stuck to the actor quickly and for a long time.

5.

In 1975, Jackie Chan starred in a comedy film for adults, where there is not a single trick or fight, but there is a then-famous porn actress and several very explicit sex scenes, in one of which our hero takes an active part.

Many years later, the actor commented on his work: “I had to do everything to make a living 31 years ago, but I don’t think it’s a big deal, even Marlon Brando was naked in his films.” And which of us will condemn this sincere guy?

6.

Jackie was not a diligent or diligent student in martial arts or acting classes. According to his teacher, Yu Jim-Yuen, “... although he was not the best, he was definitely the naughtiest boy.”

In 1988, the biographical film “Painted Faces” was shot, telling about the life of the wards of the Peking Opera School, founded by Master Yu, where, in addition to Chan, other future stars of Hong Kong cinema also starred. For example, Sammo Hong, Yuen Biao and other actors who were later called “The Lucky Seven.”

7.

Jackie Chan invented the comic kung fu genre. In Yuen Woo-ping's film The Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Jackie constantly hinted that his good-natured face was not suitable for dramatic roles. He dripped on the director's brains until Woo-ping allowed Chan to stage his own stunts, and it was then that Jackie showed himself in all his glory, diluting spectacular numbers with funny and sometimes ridiculous situations, thereby finding a free niche in cinema and his constant style.

8.

Jackie entered the Guinness Book of Records as the director who shot the largest number of takes for one scene. While filming Dragon Lord, it took him over 2,900 takes to get what he thought was the perfect moment of the main characters playing something like football. Skip the video to the third minute and see why so much time and nerves were spent.

9.

He is lukewarm about the film “Rush Hour” and, according to him, would not have starred in the next parts if not for a decent fee for the work. Jackie also says that he does not understand American humor and the principle of Hollywood films, which, in his opinion, are built only on car chases and hackneyed templates.

10.

In 1983, Chan broke his contract with director Lo Wei, with whom he worked on the film Fearless Hyena 2. Lo Wei complained to the triad in an attempt to keep Jackie in line. However, this issue was resolved peacefully, but Chan delayed the release of this ill-fated film as much as he could, which was eventually released three years after the start of filming.

11.

Jackie always works only with his own stunt team, which he formed in 1985 after filming Police Story, when so many of the stuntmen working with him got hurt and none of them wanted to work with him anymore.

12.

The only Asian to have the honor of being sculpted for Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is Jackie Chan.

13.

The actor's daily training takes three hours.

14.

The closest Chan came to death was performing a completely banal stunt of jumping from a tree on the set of the film Armor of God.

“Everything turned out perfect the first time, but I still felt like I could have tried better. I tried again and somehow fell past the tree and onto the ground. The ground was rocky, and one stone pierced my head so that fragments of my skull cut into my brain, and blood began to ooze from my eyes and ears. The film crew rushed to their phones to quickly find a hospital where they perform brain surgery. Eight hours later I went under the surgeon’s knife. The operation was successful and I recovered quickly, but now I have a hole in the side of my skull that is plugged with a plastic plug to prevent my brains from falling out. Oh yeah, I'm a little deaf in my left ear, but other than that I'm fine."

15.

Not a single insurance company in the United States provided insurance to Jackie Chan.

16.

There are only two things in the world that scare an actor: needles and public speaking.