A 72-year-old Scottish man has won the highest possible accolade available in judo, becoming 10th Dan. At 72. That's right. Only 19 other people have been this good, ever, and only 5 of them have been from outside Japan. Only one Brit has ever received this honour before, ever. Basically, he's pretty damn good.
Now as impressed as you undoubtedly are, when we heard the news, our first thought was... what do we know about Judo? What we've found out watching Bruce Lee movies, basically.
Bruce Lee
Born: 1940, San Francisco
Martial arts styles: Jun Fan Gung Fu, Wing Chun, Wu style Tai Chi Chuan, Jeet Kune Do (his own)
Must-watch films: Way Of The Dragon (1972), Enter The Dragon (1973) and Game Of Death (1978)
Fight scenes to see now: Bruce Lee vs a whole school (Fist Of Fury), Bruce Lee vs a goon's head (Enter The Dragon), Bruce Lee vs Chuck Norris vs Kitten (Way Of The Dragon)
Why he's so amazing:
1. Despite dying at 32 having only made 5 films, he's the ultimate symbol of martial arts, influencing every kung fu film ever made since he came onto the scene in the 60s.
2. He created the first major western kung fu film success, 1973's Enter The Dragon, for $4 million, so far earning over $200 million, and in the process kickstarting the 1970s kung fu craze.
3. He had it all: lightning quick moves, a unique fighting style, an amazing onscreen charisma, outstanding physical ability and his beaming self-confidence. A martial arts God amongst men.
Jackie Chan
Born: 1954, Hong Kong
Martial arts styles: Karate, Hapkido, Judo and Shaolin.
Must-watch films: Police Story 3 aka Supercop (1992), Drunken Master (1978) and Rumble In The Bronx (1995)
Fight scenes to see now: Jackie Chan as Drunken Master, Jackie Chan vs Lego, Jackie Chan flying/boxing
Why he's so amazing:
1. He's the God of action comedy, expertly blending slapstick with arse-kicking, pulling silly faces with punching people in the chest. His comic timing is impeccable. And he's the ultimate king of improvised weaponry, picking up almost anything and bending it to his will. Hell, he's better than Bourne with his rolled up magazine nonsense. Yep, you heard me Damon, you heard me.
2. In his youth he appeared in Fist Of Fury and Enter The Dragon in background roles. That's right, he fought Bruce Lee (and lost).
3. As he does all his own stunts, Jackie has broken virtually every bone in his body, even fracturing his skull falling out of a tree while shooting Armour Of God in 1986. Yep, he's uninsurable.
Kwan Tak Hing
Born: 1905, Guangzhou, China
Martial arts styles: Shaolin Ten Animal style, Drunken Boxing and White Crane, proficient in whip and rope dart techniques.
Must-watch films: Magnificent Butcher (1979), Dreadnought (1981).
Fight scenes to see now: Kwan Tak Hing vs a tailor, Kwan Tak Hing vs a calligraphy brush
Why he's so amazing:
1. He made 130 films in his 61 years as an actor, still shoeing buttock into his 70s.
2. In nearly 100 hundred of his films he played the same role – that of the Chinese folk legend and one time kung fu master Wong Fei Hong, making him visually synonymous with the founding father of kung fu.
3. His films were some of the first to replace armed fighting with open-palmed combat, changing martial arts films forever.
Jean Claude Van Damme
Born: Brussels, Belgium, 1960
Martial arts styles: Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Shotokan Karate and Muay Thai.
Must-watch films: Bloodsport (1988), Universal Soldier (1992), Hard Target (1993) and Timecop (1994).
Fight scenes to see now: JCVD vs dancing, JCVD vs the man in the natty red silk shorts, JCVD vs food
Why he's so amazing:
1. No-one can do 360 degree leaping kicks, and, erm, the splits like he can.
2. He was the man who brought kickboxing into the US mainstream, a one-time "Mr Belgium" bodybuilder, and a black belt in karate.
3. Fighting under the name of Jean-Claude Camille François Van Vaerenbergh, he was a European kickboxing champion before he went to America. And owner of the world's 36th longest name. That last bit isn't true.
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris
Born: Alabama, 1940
Martial arts styles: Karate, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Chun Kuk Do (his own).
Must-watch films: The Delta Force (1986), Missing In Action (1984) and Lone Wolf McQuade (1983).
Fight scenes to see now: Chuck vs a dodgy golf jumper, Chuck vs everyone, Chuck vs the world
Why he's so amazing:
1. He's founded his own martial arts style, Chun Kuk Do, or the "universal way", bringing together elements of many different martial arts.
2. Six-time karate champion in the US, Chuck made his name on the competition circuit, winning Black Belt Magazine's 'Fighter Of The Year' award in 1969, eventually retiring undefeated as Professional Full-Contact Middleweight Champion in 1974.
3. He's had to have a hip replaced because he's kicked too many people in the face too many times. Seriously.
Jet Li
Born: Beijing, China, 1963
Martial arts styles: Northern Chinese Wushu (being especially proficient in Changquan Northern Longfist Style) and Fanziquan (Tumbling Fist).
Must-watch films: The Once Upon A Time In China series (1991 - 1997), Romeo Must Die (2000), Fist Of Legend (1994) and Hero (2002).
Fight scenes to see now: Jet Li vs a midget, Jet Li vs Mike from Spaced, Jet Li vs an army general.
Why he's so amazing:
1.Fighting under his birth name, Li Lianjie, Li perfected his martial artistry as a member of the Beijing Wushu Team, winning 15 gold medals and one silver in the Chinese Wushu Games.
2. He was given the name 'Jet' because of his amazingly quick moves.
3. He starred in 2002's Hero, which broke Chinese box office records, earning six times its budget.
Steven Seagal
Born: Michigan, U.S.A, 1952
Martial arts styles: Aikido, Karate, Judo, and Kendo.
Must-watch films: Marked For Death (1990), Above The Law (1998) and Under Siege (1992).
Fight scenes to see now: Steven vs pool cues, Steven vs a restaurant carriage, Steven vs your groceries.
Why he's so amazing:
1. He is outstanding at aikido, a seventh Dan black belt, no less.
2. He was even the first non-Japanese aikido teacher to run a dojo in Osaka.
3. Steven's also pretty good at guitar (kind of), having released two albums with his band 'Thunderbox'.
Tony Jaa
Born: Jaa Panom Yeerum, Thailland, 1976
Martial arts styles: Muay Thai (Muay Boran), Tae Kwon Do as well sword fighting skills.
Must-watch films: Ong Bak (2003), Tom Yum Goong (2005) and Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008).
Fight scenes to see now: Tony vs other people's bones, Tony vs a horde of men with clubs, Tony vs Eddy from Tekken
Why he's so amazing:
1. With director Prachya Pinkaew, he's reinvigorated the practice of an ancient form of Muay Thai, Muay Boran, to stunning effect.
2. Growing up in a rural area of Thailand, Tony's parents were elephant herders, and one of his party tricks was to backflip off them.
3. He can do the splits, breakdance whilst kicking people in the head, dive between two sheets of glass a foot apart, and do double front flips with his legs on fire. Can you?
Donnie Yen
Born: Guangzhou, China, 1963
Martial arts styles: Wushu, Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing and boxing.
Must-watch films: Iron Monkey (1993), Ip Man (2008) and Once Upon A Time In China II (1992).
Fight scenes to see now: Donnie vs Trees, Donnie vs stilts
Why he's so amazing:
1. Donnie's mum, Bow Sim Mark, is an expert in Wushu and Tai Chi and passed on her skills down through the generations.
2. He trained with the Beijing Wushu Team for three years from the age of 16.
3. The fight scenes between Li and Yen in Once Upon A Time In China II are still regarded as some of the best fight choreography in film.
Sammo Hung
Born: Hong Kong, 1952
Martial arts styles: Wing Chun, Lam Kuen, Pak Mei, Hung Kuen, Karate, Hapkido, Bak Pei.
Must-watch films: Spooky Encounters (1980), Eastern Condors (1987) and The Prodigal Son (1981).
Fight scenes to see now: Sammo vs cats, coffins, Sammo vs a wannabe Bruce Lee, Sammo vs Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao
Why he's so amazing:
1. In his time, he's been a child actor, stuntman, martial artist, extra, stunt co-ordinator and director.
2. He was called in to choreograph the fighting in the uncompleted Bruce Lee film, Game Of Death, in 1978.
3. He practically created the hopping Chinese vampire genre Jiang Shi with Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980), The Dead and the Deadly (1983) and Mr. Vampire (1985).
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Comments:
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Monday 15 February
By Mark Pollard
Great list. I cannot dispute any of your picks although I would replace the recommendation of Jet Li's ROMEO MUST DIE with the vastly superior FIST OF LEGEND. Kudos for including Kwan Tak-hing.
Reply
Monday 15 February
By Mycroft
Romeo Must Die and Forbidden Kingdom must watch?? Ugh...Those were terrible. Even his worst HK film were hundreds of times better than those could ever hope to be. Only significant thing about RMD was it set the stage for Jet to get main roles in other US movies. Of which, The One and Kiss of the Dragon had way better fight choreography to boot.
Also you may want to save a spot for Yuen Biao in the next list. Can't believe there were no mentions of Dragons Forever and Wheels on Meals.
Monday 15 February
By Matt Blair
Great list. Its good to see Donnie and Sammo. One addition: Sonny Chiba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBPduMCUMFU&feature=related
Reply
Monday 15 February
By Sabi
Sonny Chiba? Where is he!?!?!?
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By Traverse Davies
Check out Banlieu 13 starring David Belle. Some of the best action sequences ever. I know Parkour isn't really a martial art, but I think it's close enough to one to count. Since then, every on foot chase scene uses PK.
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By Wanda
I was also looking for Sonny Chiba... However, great article!
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By dave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXVp9938Uq4
Here's that Wheels on Meals clip, by far the greatest Jackie Chan fight scene ever. I wish Benny The Jet had more movie roles, he might be the fastest (and tiniest) kickboxer ever.
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By m
Wong Fei Hung is not even close to the founding father of kung fu. Wong Fei Hung systematized Hung Ga into what it is now, blending tiger crane, iron wire from shaolin, among other things he picked up along the way. He's definitely a legend and one of the best from the past 100 years but to call him the founding father is to ignore hundreds of years of kung fu that preceded him.
also steven segal is a pussy, francis fong put him in his place.
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By EF Matt
I'd also add Shô Kosugi, famous for his roles in various ninja movies of the '80s.
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By JP
I won't argue whether or not Van Dammage deserves to be mentioned . . . but you can't do so without citing Bloodsport, his most recognizable contribution to the genre.
Yun-Fat Chow is debatable given his filmography . . . but Crouching Tiger was the most important contribution to the genre in the 90's and brought the 'flying' fight mechanic to the Western stage (which were subsequently aped to death by hack directors).
Reply
Tuesday 16 February
By j
this list is okay but clearly influenced by modern american tastes, not only is sonny chiba missing, but gordon liu as well as many other great actors that helped define this genre
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Tuesday 16 February
By Mrush76
I partially agree with your list. I would have added Sonny Chiba, Gordon Liu, Yuen Biao, and Billy Blanks.(just kidding about the last one!) Bloodsport was JCVD's best film also. The Chinese Connection remake, known as Fist of Legend was a great film from Jet Li. Fearless was a great movie as well that told the story before Fist of Legend when the master is killed by poison during a fight against a Japanese opponent. That was a brilliant prequel of Huo Yuanjia's story. If you didn't know that little tid bit, it kinda makes you wanna watch Fearless and then Fist of Legend to see how they blend together.
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Wednesday 17 February
By Josh
Why weren't Yuen Woo Ping, Chang Cheh or Lau Kar Leung mentioned?
Reply
Wednesday 17 February
By Heijoshin
Yes, Lau Kar Leung (or Liu Chia Liang depending on which dialect you are speaking)! I can forgive some of the mistakes on this list but not including Lau Kar Leung is a crime. Forget about the fact that he is Gordon Liu's oldest brother by adoption and taught him a lot of what he know about martial arts. He is also a forth generation student of the real life Wong Fei-Hung via studying under his father who had studied under Lam Sai Wing, who was Wong’s student. Lau Kar Leung is one of the most brilliant directors, choreographers and martial arts actors to ever grace the genre and he was part of the small group of people responsible for featuring real martial arts in movies for the first time. It was his suggestion that first broached the subject of changing the genre to what it is we know today from the theater based film style that they had before. And I also have to mention that before he convinced his brother Gordon to shave his head that there weren’t many Shaolin Monk movies really. None of the actors of the time wanted to shave there head but Gordon trusted his brother and together the created a sub genre. Lau Kar Leung is responsible for so much awesomeness that he may be the most important person in Martial arts cinema period.
Reply
Saturday 27 February
By joe mcevoy
James Cagney (Judo & Jujitsu Blackbelt) was the first real martial artist to display his techniques on screen in the film 1935 movie G Men.
This started the first boom in eastern martial arts way back when...
Reply
Saturday 27 February
By mish
In the list of Bruce Lee's outstanding qualities you forgot to mention that he was a SUPER HOTTY.
Woof!
Reply