Martial Arts in Cinema Vol. 3

Martial Arts in Cinema

Volume 3: Chinese Actors in Hollywood, Arthouse, Blockbusters and DTV (1997-2010)

David Da Silva

374 pages

6x9 size

ISBN 9798905350610 paperback $33

ISBN 9798905350627 hardback $44

Martial Arts in Cinema

Volume 3: Chinese Actors in Hollywood, Arthouse, Blockbusters and DTV (1997-2010)

Having traced the origins of the genre and then its golden age, David Da Silva continues his sweeping history of martial arts cinema with a third volume devoted to a pivotal period, the moment when the genre became truly global.

How did Jackie Chan and Jet Li conquer Hollywood, redefining the very archetype of the action hero? Why did comedy, so often dismissed as frivolous, help preserve the soul of martial arts? What happens when visionary auteurs such as Wong Kar-wai turn combat into a vehicle for poetry and metaphysics? And why do modest direct-to-video productions continue to cultivate an almost mythical aura among fans of the genre?

Organized thematically, this volume moves from ancestral dojos to high-profile blockbusters, by way of arthouse experiments and the teeming world of direct-to-video, of which Scott Adkins has become the icon. It draws on an exceptional number of original interviews, conducted by the author with the actors, directors, choreographers, stunt performers, editors and composers who make today's action cinema, from the Jackie Chan Stunt Team to the craftsmen of the John Wick saga.

With a preface by Isaac Florentine, director of the Undisputed saga and one of the most respected craftsmen of modern martial arts cinema.

David Da Silva is a French film historian and the author of around ten books on cinema, with a particular focus on martial arts and action films. He is also a producer, having worked on international action productions. His Martial Arts in Cinema series, published in English, Spanish and French, is among the most comprehensive works ever devoted to the global history of the genre.