Hong Kong filmmaker, Lau Kar-Leung, left a legacy as one of the greatest kung-fu masters, who taught other famous martial artists across his career to fight and perform in movies. With a career spanning six decades, Lau Kar-Leung made a name for himself in the movie industry as an actor, screenwriter, director, and martial artist. Lau began his career as an extra in Wong Fei-hung movies and as an actor before eventually finding success in the 1960s as a fight choreographer for several acclaimed movies created by the Shaw Brothers Studio, including Mad Monkey Kung Fu (1979) and Martial Club (1981).
Lau made his directorial debut with the 1975 martial arts comedy movie, The Spiritual Boxer, and was credited for being one of the first directors to blend the genres of martial arts and comedy together. His lifelong passion for martial arts is apparent in all of Lau Kar-Leung’s movies, with five of his works receiving Best Choreography Awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards between 1982 and 2005. Lau has since been ranked as one of the best martial arts directors of all time, and is credited for having trained other notable martial artists to success in the movie industry.
Lau Kar-Leung Trained Several Famous Martial Arts Actors
Kar-Leung Worked On Several Movies With His Trainee, Gordon Liu
Lau Kar-Leung is remembered by many as a strict and rigorous trainer who took the skills of martial arts seriously and ensured that everybody he worked with understood his methods. Several movie stars trained by Lau Kar-Leung include Kara Hui and Hsiao Ho, who have praised Lau for helping them find success acting in the genre. English-born Hong-Kong actor, Mark Houghton, later described Lau as “very demanding” and “tough on people,” but showed his nice side once filming was complete (via Kung Fu Kingdom). Houghton later established the Lau Family Hung Kuen School in Kar-Leung’s honor (via Lau Family).
Lau Kar-Leung & Gordon Liu Movies | |
|---|---|
Year of Release | Movie |
1976 | Challenge of the Masters |
1977 | Executioners from Shaolin |
1978 | The 36th Chamber of Shaolin |
1978 | Heroes of the East |
1978 | Shaolin Mantis |
1979 | Dirty Ho |
1979 | The Spiritual Boxer Part II |
1980 | Return of the 36th Chamber |
1980 | Shaolin Warrior |
1981 | Martial Club |
1981 | My Young Auntie |
1982 | Cat vs Rat |
1982 | Legendary Weapons of China |
1983 | The Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter |
1983 | Lady is the Boss |
1985 | Disciples of the 36th Chamber |
1988 | Tiger on Beat |
1990 | Tiger on the Beat 2 |
2003 | Drunken Monkey |
Lau’s most famous student was Chinese actor, Gordon Liu, who began training in martial arts at a young age (via Rising Dragon School). Between 1976 and 2003, Lau directed Liu in 19 different martial arts movies, with movies such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) and Legendary Weapons of China (1982), directed by Lau, being ranked as some of Gordon Liu’s best movies. Lau and Liu’s movie collaborations have been described as having an “emphasis on narrative, at every level” and containing “stories of spiritual redemption, of people overcoming obstacles to rise to the occasion” (via FilmComment).
What Kung Fu Styles Lau Kar-Leung Practiced & Taught In Real Life
Lau Kar-Leung Was Trained By His Father, Lau Cham
Lau Kar-Leung began his martial arts training at the age of seven, under the guidance of his father, Lau Cham. Lau Cham was trained by the martial artist, Lam Sai-wing, who, in turn, was a student of the Chinese martial artist and folk hero, Wong Fei-hung (via Yesasia). Throughout his career, Lau practiced Hung Ga kung fu, which is one of the most popular and practiced styles of martial arts in the world (via Hunggashu). Hung Ga originated in the Henan province of southern China in the 17th century and is believed to have been founded by Hung Hei-Gun (via Spectrum Kung Fu).
The style of Hung Ga kung fu is recognized for incorporating internal and external methods of fighting with the gradual development of movement efficiency and coordination. Using combinations of hand techniques and strong stances, the practice results in powerful maneuvers; Hung Ga is believed to use more stance maneuvers and intense hand techniques than any other system (via Calvin Chin). It is a style that Lau taught in real life and is very proficient in many of his movies, most notably in Drunken Master II, which saw him win his only Hong Kong Film Award for Best Choreography in 1995.
Lau Kar-Leung Was One Of The Martial Arts Genre’s Most Talented Fighters
He Received Worldwide Recognition For His Contributions To Martial Arts
Throughout his life and career, Lau Kar-Leung proved himself to be one of the most talented fighters of the genre. He is widely remembered for his strong dedication to perfecting fight scenes within his movies, ensuring actors understood the qualities of Hung Ga kung fu, and choreographing every fight sequence in his movies to be realistic and accurate to the different styles of martial arts (via MOMA). His strict adherence to martial arts allowed Lau to win two Golden Horse Awards for Best Martial Arts Direction (Drunken Master II) and Best Action Choreography (Seven Swords) in 1994 and 2005.
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In 2010, Lau was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Film Awards for his contributions to the genre (via The Hollywood Reporter). In a career that lasted 60 years, Lau starred in 215 movies, directed 25, and served as the choreographer for 176 movies. In an interview before his death in 2013, Lau stated his goal as a filmmaker was “to exalt the martial arts” through his movies (via South China Morning Post). Lau Kar-Leung proved himself a legendary martial artist who was able to pass his talents on through his movies and other actors.
Source: Kung Fu Kingdom, Lau Family, Rising Dragon School, FilmComment, Yesasia, Hunggashu, Spectrum Kung Fu, Calvin Chin, MOMA, The Hollywood Reporter, South China Morning Post,