MovieChat Forums > Kung Fu (1972) Discussion > Carradine on who wrote 'Kung Fu'

Carradine on who wrote 'Kung Fu'


Carradine spoke about it on his last television appearance on the John Kerwin show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UAi-ReXmbk

Personally, I can't understand this debate. They should have made two shows, one action show displaying martial arts starring the greatest of all martial arts masters, Bruce Lee. And another one, starring the fantastic actor David Carrdine focusing on the philosophical side of Kung Fu and introducing it to western audiences.
That only the latter came about is everybody's loss. Of course it had to do with money, as nobody wanted to finance Bruce Lee's idea for a show.
Bruce Lee was not a great actor, and the "Kung Fu" tv series as we know it would not have been nearly as good with him in it.
What we have is a show that at the end of the Vietnam war introduced tao to western youth and influenced a whole generation, with a thoroughly unlikely anti-hero, a chinaman in the wild west, focusing not on violence but on non-violence. Unique to this day, it was also masterly scripted, photographed and edited. Why should anyone object?

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A "chinaman" huh? I do not think you realize how derogatory that statement is. Anyways, to my main point. Carradine was not this great actor as you so put it. Lee, although not a great actor himself would have done just as well of an acting AND he would have lent his knowledge and physical skill in choreographing the fights scenes which would have made Kung Fu infinitely better. Production would have saved some money on stunt doubles since Carradine was about as graceful as a chicken with a broken leg and couldn't kick above his knee. Plus he was a lush.It would have been so much better if we actually got to see Caine ACTUALLY kick some ass instead of the half ass camera blocked shots with stunt doubles doing all the moves. Have you ever watched a Bruce Lee film? His fight scenes were incredible and are still emulated to this day. I get the chills just thinking how great this show would have been if Bruce Lee did the lead. To think that the reason they didn't want an Asian lead because of the bitterness of Vietnam saddens me on just how ignorant we Americans can be. It's the equivalent of Jewish people refusing to accept any white men in lead roles because Hitler was white. Friggin' ridiculous.

My vote history link:http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=5504773

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I believe I've seen all of Bruce Lee's movies and enjoyed them, too. His strength was not acting, he was a martial arts expert. With Carradine it was the opposite.
I agree that Carradine could have been better trained for the action scenes, but the series Kung Fu is not about action, it is a very philosophical endeavour which sets it apart.
There are plenty action series made if that's all you're interested in. A series with Bruce Lee would have been fantastic, but that doesn't diminish the power and influence of the "Kung Fu" series we got.

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> A "chinaman" huh? I do not think you realize how derogatory that statement is.

If you had seen the series, you would have known that that s the exact expression that is used in it. Within the context of the OP, I find it appropriate use of the word.
As for Carradine's fighting, I agree with you - his technique looks clumsy, by far not as sophisticated as Bruce Lee's.

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How is "Chinaman" a derogatory slur? If a MAN is in/from CHINA he is a Chinaman.

Stupid political correctness brainwashing people like you.

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Are the terms Englishman, Scotsman, Irishman, Welshman, Frenchman, and German derogatory, as well? What's the difference?

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^ this. The only answer I've ever been given to slewfoot's question as to why "chinaman" is racist when the others aren't is... "it just is!". Anyone?

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

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I think if you grit your teeth when you say it, it's racist. So smile and it's OK.

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Aren't we a little sensative now. I find Chinaman no more offensive then I find Irishman, and I am off Irish extraction on my Moms side of the family. It doesn't bother me for two reasons, first, I am American, I was born and raised here, am a veteran of the U.S.Navy and secondly, I am not not ashamed of my Irish ancestry. It was after all generations ago and has about as much effect on me as would wind on the moon, were there to be any.
Some folks are overly easy to offend because they want to be offended, they need to feel aggrieved. Why? I don't know, maybe it is justification to them for some feelings they may have, feelings that they are uncomfortable with, feelings of the type they accuse others of harboring while maintaining that they could never be possessed of such ill will.
Bottom line is this, who cares, toughen up man and let's move on. Life is tough enough without all the drama, so kick it!
Now Bruce Lee would have been good, no doubt. Say how about Bruce Lee in the ring with Chuck Norris, back in the day? As much as I like Bruce Lees speed, Ray Leonard too, remember him, wow, I would have to go with Mr. Norris in the actual ring. I used to study Kenpo back in the day and saw Mr. Norris fight on a couple of occasions and he had strength and power not to mention quite a few pounds over Bruce Lee. All of that without mentioning the real fight experience of the ring, even given the rules of the day. Good fight though I'd bet.
Rich in New Mexico.

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"A "chinaman" huh? I do not think you realize how derogatory that statement is."

Says the 'movie_nazi.' Without irony.

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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nazi?s=t

The third definition in the above link. I get accused of being a Nazi so much I think I should add it as a signature. But I will do my part in educating the ignorant.






My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nazi?s=t

The third definition in the above link. I get accused of being a Nazi so much I think I should add it as a signature. But I will do my part in educating the ignorant.






My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

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Actually, your lack of real history is showing. " as Graceful as a chicken"
Caradine was a ballet student and was actually Very graceful as well as Very capable of Kicking over his head and even holding his leg with his foot extending
straight toward the ceiling. He Actually is the guy who blocked those spears That were sharp enough to stick into the wooden backdrop behind him in the scene that opens each episode. And, yes he really did smack three axes thrown at him, out of the way with his bare hands. and Yes...they were real axes. do some research before you come on a reputable site Like IMDB and spout your Fringe Theory Misinformation.

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Actually, your lack of real history is showing. " as Graceful as a chicken"
Caradine was a ballet student and was actually Very graceful as well as Very capable of Kicking over his head and even holding his leg with his foot extending
straight toward the ceiling. He Actually is the guy who blocked those spears That were sharp enough to stick into the wooden backdrop behind him in the scene that opens each episode. And, yes he really did smack three axes thrown at him, out of the way with his bare hands. and Yes...they were real axes. do some research before you come on a reputable site Like IMDB and spout your Fringe Theory Misinformation.


I'm not sure if you're half joking or if you're serious. I don't know much about this show so that's why I can't tell. I knew Caradine could dance but that's about all I know.

I kinda like his weird movements in the show. I think it would be weird watching the show now with a real martial artist doing the fights.

DISPLAY thy breasts, my Julia!

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I can't argue to much, because this and other things fell threw, he pretty much went to China and made himself famous with his movies.

But as for Bruce Lee not being able to pull out the philosophical part, I disagree, Bruce Lee was a philosopher, not just a martial artist.

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"They should have made two shows, one action show displaying martial arts starring the greatest of all martial arts masters, Bruce Lee. And another one, starring the fantastic actor David Carrdine focusing on the philosophical side of Kung Fu and introducing it to western audiences."

Good idea.

Bruce Lee was a good actor I disagree with you there. He did films since his young age. And the only movie with his real voice was Enter the dragon. I think he delivers his lines properly.

And like that other person said he had a philosophy background.

Never the less David C. did a good job. May he rest in peace.

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Kung fu, while beautifully shot, was a transparent attempt by our zionist media to induce xenophilia among whites. jews, milking white guilt for 100+ years. How many millions have been made on vietnam war movies alone?(btw the vietnam war was worth fighting, if the west had one you'd see a south vietnam with the technological state similar to south korea, instead everyone became communist and to this day vietnam is a hell hole. These jews created communism and push it relentlessly even after it's been demonstrated not to work and instead cause mass suffering and genocide. There isn't a communist nation in the world that anyone in their right mind would rather live in than any western nation(not talking white, western society is a product of whites but it's not theirs alone, japan practices westernism and so does south korea, the two best nations in all of asia. Communism has always been pushed to keep nations down, read Marx's letters to Engels, specifically on what he calls "peasant nations", he repeatedly states that he wants these nations to remain peasant nations so they pushed communism on them, not always successfully, In Ireland, for instance, it didn't succeed(until the 1960s, then quietly they flooded ireland with non-whites so quickly that within 40 years the white native population of ireland went from 90% to 60%.) at least in name, communism had to compete with an already present revolutionary spirit that was etched into the irish soul after hundreds of years of oppression under the english and slave raids by blacks and arabs(moors) which was so prolific that entire towns were taken at once. Jews spread communism revolutions in countries they don't control and they want to keep down to prevent any powerful competent nations from opposing them in future. In countries they do control they just spread propaganda to maintain their subtle caste system that no one even knows they are a part of. You're conditioned to believe this is unfounded racist anti-semitism, yet if i told you that the chinese controlled 95% of western media you'd easily come to the conclusion that it isn't a coincidence, if it told you that chinese men owned the banks, media, education system and controlled the government through lobby groups and infiltration and i gave you proof of such you'd more than likely accept it(except for that if they did, you would be conditioned be defend or dismiss their monopoly instead) and you'd most likely be able to see that it's not in the interests of the people to have people of another ethnicity and culture ruling over them, that any abuse of power by someone with such a monopoly would quite literally be genocide by the UN definition. But again, if you break through the programming you'll see the man behind the curtain. The meme being pushed right now is that we live in a "white male patriarchy of oppression" and whiteness and white societies have to become non-white asap, also known as diversity or as the un calls it, genocide.

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charlie,
Your tailor called. Your white robe and hood are ready. I'll read about you after your next cross-burning.

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

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Ha..Hahaha.HHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHA
Oh man, IMDB gold. You articulated yourself well enough that this isn't a troll attempt, just really really really blatant stupidly and ignorance. Please, follow your brethren in there armed conflict with the government and storm the pentagon asap please, you'll be doing us all the favour of freeing up some welfare checks for not crazy racists who really need it. Probably black poor people.... does that bother you? I hope it does. If not, don't worry, a zionist jew will steal all your gold at night come morning on the next full moon. And your transformation will be complete.

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drjukebox, I couldn't agree more.

Of course a lot of the show's fans, especially younger ones, were mainly interested in the martial arts aspect & would probably have wanted the entire series to be nothing but martial arts. And with Bruce Lee, it would have been visually stunning, no question.

But as you say, what made the show something truly special was the philosophical aspect. It's a show that could only have been made at that time, in many ways one of the most countercultural shows ever on TV -- a vegetarian pacifist being faced with immature macho men, greed, materialism, bigotry? It was a perfect show for the end of Vietnam & the 1960s, much as M*A*S*H was as well. It invited viewers to re-examine the worldview in which they'd been raised, see how damaging & incomplete it could be, and to strive for a deeper, more meaningful life.

And what really strikes me when watching the series again, is Carradine's graceful, gentle manner. Even the slightest movement conveys the essence of the character he's playing. This was far more important than the martial arts part of the show. Carradine brought a certain Otherness to the role, never forced, never unconvincing -- he just radiated a certain quality, even when (especially when) in perfect repose.

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