Kung Fu the tv show

[Bill]

I got this from my brother for my birthday, and its a real pleasure to watch.
What a great series.
A pacifist monk wandering the old west, solving the worlds problems with a little asian philosophy and alot of ass kicking. I love it !

The picture quality is outstanding, better than anything you would expect. And it's in letterbox.

I'm in the middle of watching an episode with Jody Foster as the guest star. She must be all of 9 years old, plus she can actually act at that young age.

[shawnsegler]

I had a childhood crush on her in Bugsy Malone.

S

[Michael]

I always thought The Highlander had a kind of similar theme to Kung Fu, but without the quickening:
David Carradine: Let's all get along or I'll give you sorrowful looks, tell you stories, flash back to Master Po and Qing Dynasty China, then kick your ass and wander on to the next town.
Adrian Paul: Let's all get along or I'll steal your girlfriend, sell some antiques, flash back to some old dynastic period, kick your ass, and then take your head because you leave me no choice.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

looking back on it is like looking back on old batmans. They're great, but cheesy as hell.

[Andy_S]

Funny, I have never seen them since I was, well, about 6 I suppose. Have they aged badly? The only one I remember is when he has a showdown in a quarry with another kungfu guy. Carradine wore a gold gi with a red belt, IIRC.

Still, deadly-but-philosophical Shaolin monk wandering Old West was a great concept.

BTW, why did nobody shoot him? Could he dodge bullets?

[Michael]

No, but he could catch them with his teeth, Sho'nuff.

[Andy_S]

...and I look on YouTube....and here is the damned fight!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5z1ziP2lY3A

Hasn't aged well. Still, god bless the Interweb!

[wiesiek]

it was bombastick tragedy
from day one
when i sow it /20 y.ago?/
idea of the series was nice,
but fights...in most cases...
lets don`t diggin` in it

[Bill]

Alot of the fights in the episodes that I've seen use judo techniques.
Don't get me wrong, the fighting is pathetic. Slo mo goofy hand motions that are good for making fun of. But that's part of its appeal.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

I think both David Chow and Kam Yuen really tried to work with David Carradine, but he was physically inept and prone to egoism and so was a terrible student.

Chuck Norris also stated that Carradine was more or less an outright idiot when it came to martial arts.

I would concur with both Chuck and the other two who had to endure the guy for those shows. lol

[Bill]

They also repeat a segment that shows Ark Wong performing a hand set while a few students watch. He's got good stances.

[Interloper]

Bill,
I watched the original series when it first came out. I'm THAT old.
The Jodie Foster episode... the "girl whose name means 'Truth'"... just one of many that featured actors who would become popular stars and/or celebs. William Shatner (Capt. Kirk from classic "Star Trek") played an eccentric Scotsman in another episode.

Mostly, I loved watching the flashback scenes to "Taoist" monastery days (apparently, the producers changed the Buddhist monks/monastery to Taoist because they were afraid that most Americans would find Buddhism to be a threat to the country's religious values at the time, while Taoism was seen as more of a harmless "philosophy.") and listening to the platitudes of Master Po (Keye Luke) and Master Kan (Phillip Ahn) -- two of my favorite actors of all time. Young actor Radames Pera played Kwai Chang Caine as a child, then faded into obscurity when the series ended. Maybe he's selling real estate in the San Fernando Valley.

[Darthwing Teorist]

I think both David Chow and Kam Yuen really tried to work with David Carradine, but he was physically inept and prone to egoism and so was a terrible student.

Chuck Norris also stated that Carradine was more or less an outright idiot when it came to martial arts.

I would concur with both Chuck and the other two who had to endure the guy for those shows. lol

Well, in any case disagreeing with Chuck Norris is a proved physical impossibility. Chuck Norris is ALWAYS right.

[Teazer]

William Shatner (Capt. Kirk from classic "Star Trek") played an eccentric Scotsman in another episode.

I remember that one - his sideburns in particular!!

[Bill]

Bill,
I watched the original series when it first came out. I'm THAT old.

Me too.
When did you start MA's ?