Was she right? Are kung-fu films less popular these days?

July 30, 2006 3:33 AM

I just went to a screening of The Five Venoms at my art museum's in house movie theatre, and the lady that runs the place said in a sort of an off hand way (in the middle of a reminiscence about the old days when they had first started showing kung fu films as part of their schedule) something along the lines of 'of course now with the satellite TV and DVDs not nearly so many people are interested in these pictures'. That sounded strange to me, because would have assumed that those two factors would have increased interest in that kind of movie. Does anyone have any insight or information about changes in peoples interest in kung fu films? Does that
posted by shanevsevil to media & arts (5 comments total)

I think she means that less people are interested in seeing it in-theatre, which, IMHO, is kinda sad.

But then again, being able to get such great art in-home, without a middleman/arbiter like a museum and a theater, is something really special and unique to our age.
posted by fake at 3:42 AM on July 30, 2006

I agree. She meant that people can get all the kung fu action they want at home now, that's all.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 4:28 AM on July 30, 2006

It's not like the proliferation of home movie screening is killing the industry. Plenty of people would pay good money to watch a good classic on the big screen, but sadly their only options are the latest and dumbest of Hollywood's offerings.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:58 AM on July 30, 2006

Plenty of people would pay good money to watch a good classic on the big screen, but sadly their only options are the latest and dumbest of Hollywood's offerings.

It's not just the quality of the on-screen offerings, it's the quality of the theater around you as well. Much of the time, the movie-watching experience is unpleasant. You've got rowdy teenagers acting up, poorly-raised grownups talking on cellphones, tiny seats, filthy floors, overpriced food, etc.

Most theaters provide a Burger King level of service which I guess is OK for those who would be satisfied with that, but a lot of people aren't. The restaurant industry isn't all Burger King; it encompasses a wide range of ambiances, from Cap'n Stumpy's Down Home Clam Shack to fancy, expensive, uptight establishments.

Maybe there's a segment of the movie-going audience who would be willing to pay a little more for a ticket if they could be assured of a quality experience. I think I remember reading about this theater in L.A. that charges $15-20 a ticket. But the seats are comfortable. They serve good food.

Or maybe they could make the "R" rating meaningful and actually require people under the age of 18 to be accompanied by an adult.
posted by jason's_planet at 9:45 AM on July 30, 2006

Back in the 1970s, kung-fu films were definitely cult - as in a small but vocal minority of fans loved them. And they'd have to seek out dodgy cinemas for late-night screenings of low-grade-quality prints of films smuggled in from Hong Kong. And that added a lot to the mystique - it made a cheap production-line made-to-formula film seem fascinating, unique and made you part of the "in crowd".

Now with the proliferation of multiple viewing sources, and the sheer speed with which news and movies travel across the world, a lot of the mystique has gone. Look at how J-horror films went from cool to "meah" and dubious Hollywood remakes starring TV-stars in two years.

Mind you, I still cherish the one time I caught a Hong Kong kung-fu film on the big screen. If only for the sheer bass.
posted by badlydubbedboy at 1:54 PM on July 31, 2006