Question 1

What are Jackie Chan’s best movies?

Accepted Answer

Check out our picks of his 10 best films.

Question 2

How did Gordon Liu come to be the star of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), directed by Lau Kar-leung?

Accepted Answer

Gordon Liu studied the hung ga fighting style under Lau Kar-leung’s father, Lau Charn, and moved into films at the director’s behest.

Question 3

What did A Touch of Zen star Hsu Feng think about the Palme d’Or that her film won at Cannes?

Accepted Answer

'I was impressed with the respect that filmmakers were accorded on the Croisette in Cannes,' she said.

Question 4

Jimmy Wang Yu excels as the lone hero in a martial arts film inspired by the 1967 Hong Kong riots. What was the movie?

Accepted Answer

The 1967 film The Assassin. Wang, a heartthrob thanks to his role in One-Armed Swordsman, explores a more nuanced role in Chang Cheh’s historical tragedy with a modern tinge.

Question 5

Why were martial arts actors David Chiang and Ti Lung the perfect double act at Shaw Brothers studio?

Accepted Answer

Hits like Vengeance! and The Heroic Ones, both released in 1970, turned the two men into big stars, with the cheeky and charming Chiang attaining superstar status.

Question 6

What exactly inspired Stephen Chow to make Kung Fu Hustle?

Accepted Answer

'I’m the number one fan of Bruce Lee and martial arts, and to make a kung fu film has always been a goal,' he told us.

Question 7

How did Cheng Pei-pei, martial arts actress of Crouching Tiger fame, first see stardom?

Accepted Answer

Cheng is well known among martial arts fans for her skilful performance in King Hu’s groundbreaking 1966 wuxia film Come Drink with Me.

Question 8

Who is the martial arts actress who outsold Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon at US cinemas?

Accepted Answer

Angela Mao did just that with the 1973 film Lady Kung Fu.

Question 9

How did Michelle Yeoh get her start as an action star?

Accepted Answer

'I dared them to cast me as an action heroine. The action world was very male dominated in those days,' she told us.

Question 10

How much do you know about Bruce Lee?

Accepted Answer

Don't miss our comprehensive explainer on the kung fu legend.

Question 11

What are Jet Li’s best movies?

Accepted Answer

Check out our picks of his 10 best films.

Question 12

What does Brigitte Lin think about her violent characters in the martial arts fantasy films?

Accepted Answer

‘I hate violence. But audiences love it,’ she told us.

Martial arts icons