The Man With The Iron Fists|鐵拳男子|铁拳男子

Way back when I was a young teenager, a hip-hop group called the Wu-Tang clan came on to the scene. At first I was confused at why a rap group would use a Chinese name and one related to Kung Fu nonetheless. Anyway I bought the CD out of curiosity (because I'm Chinese and did Kung Fu) and brought it home for a listen. It literally blew my mind away. It was crazy, not only did they sample sounds and dialogue from old school Kung Fu movies( that I actually watched as a kid) their lyrics were ladden deeply cryptic Kung Fu metaphors. You had to listen to them over and over again to decipher their meanings. The beats and delivery of the raps where fresh and interesting too. They rapped like they were heroes and villains in a kung fu movie and it wasn't just a gimmick they were telling people that they were coming to take over the hip hop world. They used Chinese Kung Fu as a way to bring their hip-hop to a whole different level. I'm not sure if it changed the rap game (because current hip-hop is nowhere near that level) but The Wu-Tang clan definitely made their mark in Hip-Hop history.

The main man behind all of this was The RZA, if you're not into hip-hop you might recognize his name and face from movies like American Gangster. If you are a movie buff you will know he did the soundtracks for movies like Ghost Dog and Kill Bill. I now know him as Director RZA because he has finally taken his lifelong passion for Kung Fu movies and is putting it to the ultimate test for his first feature debut as director: The Man With Iron Fists.

I'm actually writing from Hengdian, China where I've spent a couple days on set playing a nice little cameo in this project. When I heard about this project, I knew that this was the realization of a lifelong dream for RZA so I wanted to be a part of it no matter what. It makes me happy to know that I can help out someone who has so very much influenced my life.

Eli Roth, who directed Hostel and played "The Bear Jew" in my favorite film from last year Inglorious Bastards, co wrote the script with RZA and is also the films producer. They are are here with a very interesting cast of old school actors, new school actors, famous real fighters as well as famous movie fighters. I'm excited for this film and I'm excited for RZA. His dream is coming true. Isn't that a beautiful thing?

RZA and ELI rapping on set.

                    |當年﹐我還是個年輕青少年的時候﹐一隊嘻哈音樂組合叫《武當幫》剛剛出道。其實﹐起初我都不明白﹐為何這隊說唱祖合會採用一個跟功夫有關的中文名字。怎樣也好﹐我很好奇所以購買了他們的唱片(因為我是中國人﹐並且是個學武之人)﹐然後帶回家聽聽。真是出乎我所想像的。實在太了不起﹐他們的歌不但融合了經典功夫片的對白和音樂(我年少的時候真的有看這些電影)﹐ 歌詞也含有深奧的功夫隱喻。如果想清楚了解歌詞﹐就要聽歌好幾次。歌曲的節奏和說唱的方式很有新意﹐也很有趣。他們說唱的時候﹐就像他們在功夫片演英雄和反派﹐不是在開玩笑﹐他們還說會稱霸嘻哈的世界。他們使用功夫去提升自己的嘻哈音樂到另一個境界。我不知道他們是否改變了嘻哈音樂這個玩戲(因為現在的嘻哈音樂真是冇得比)﹐但是《武當幫》的確在嘻哈音樂歷史上留下深刻的印象。

整件事的幕後主佬就是The RZA。如果你不太熟識嘻哈音樂﹐你可能在銀幕裡﹐如《美國黑幫》看過他的名字或樣子。如果你很喜歡看電影﹐你可能知道他曾經為電影《鬼狗殺手》和《標殺令》創作電影原聲大碟。現在﹐我認識他為RZA導演﹐因為他終於實行自己對功夫片的夢想﹐而他首次執導的電影《鐵拳男子》即將上映。

其實﹐我現在在橫店寫這些﹐因為最近幾天在劇場為一部製作做客串。當我得知這部製作的時候﹐我知道這是RZA一直以來的終身夢想﹐所以無論如何我都要參與。能夠幫助一個在我生命中影響很大的人物﹐真是讓我感到很高興。

我去年最喜愛的電影《Inglorious Bastards》裡飾演"The Bear Jew"的Eli Roth﹐並是《Hostel》的導演﹐與RZA一起編劇﹐還有當電影監製。現在﹐他們和一班很有趣的老演員﹐新演員﹐著名武打師傅﹐還有著名動作巨星。我對這部電影感到很興奮﹐也為RZA感到很興奮。他的夢想很快會成真。這不完美嗎?

RZA和ELI在劇場說唱.

|当年﹐我还是个年轻青少年的时候﹐一队嘻哈音乐组合叫《武当帮》刚刚出道。其实﹐起初我都不明白﹐为何这队说唱祖合会採用一个跟功夫有关的中文名字。怎样也好﹐我很好奇所以购买了他们的唱片(因为我是中国人﹐并且是个学武之人)﹐然后带回家听听。真是出乎我所想像的。实在太了不起﹐他们的歌不但融合了经典功夫片的对白和音乐(我年少的时候真的有看这些电影)﹐ 歌词也含有深奥的功夫隐喻。如果想清楚了解歌词﹐就要听歌好几次。歌曲的节奏和说唱的方式很有新意﹐也很有趣。他们说唱的时候﹐就像他们在功夫片演英雄和反派﹐不是在开玩笑﹐他们还说会称霸嘻哈的世界。他们使用功夫去提升自己的嘻哈音乐到另一个境界。我不知道他们是否改变了嘻哈音乐这个玩戏(因为现在的嘻哈音乐真是冇得比)﹐但是《武当帮》的确在嘻哈音乐历史上留下深刻的印象。

整件事的幕后主佬就是The RZA。如果你不太熟识嘻哈音乐﹐你可能在银幕裡﹐如《美国黑帮》看过他的名字或样子。如果你很喜欢看电影﹐你可能知道他曾经为电影《鬼狗杀手》和《标杀令》创作电影原声大碟。现在﹐我认识他为RZA导演﹐因为他终于实行自己对功夫片的梦想﹐而他首次执导的电影《铁拳男子》即将上映。

其实﹐我现在在横店写这些﹐因为最近几天在剧场为一部製作做客串。当我得知这部製作的时候﹐我知道这是RZA一直以来的终身梦想﹐所以无论如何我都要参与。能够帮助一个在我生命中影响很大的人物﹐真是让我感到很高兴。

我去年最喜爱的电影《Inglorious Bastards》裡饰演"The Bear Jew"的Eli Roth﹐并是《Hostel》的导演﹐与RZA一起编剧﹐还有当电影监製。现在﹐他们和一班很有趣的老演员﹐新演员﹐着名武打师傅﹐还有着名动作巨星。我对这部电影感到很兴奋﹐也为RZA感到很兴奋。他的梦想很快会成真。这不完美吗?

RZA和ELI在剧场说唱.

|Way back when I was a young teenager, a hip-hop group called the Wu-Tang clan came on to the scene. At first I was confused at why a rap group would use a Chinese name and one related to Kung Fu nonetheless. Anyway I bought the CD out of curiosity (because I'm Chinese and did Kung Fu) and brought it home for a listen. It literally blew my mind away. It was crazy, not only did they sample sounds and dialogue from old school Kung Fu movies( that I actually watched as a kid) their lyrics were ladden deeply cryptic Kung Fu metaphors. You had to listen to them over and over again to decipher their meanings. The beats and delivery of the raps where fresh and interesting too. They rapped like they were heroes and villains in a kung fu movie and it wasn't just a gimmick they were telling people that they were coming to take over the hip hop world. They used Chinese Kung Fu as a way to bring their hip-hop to a whole different level. I'm not sure if it changed the rap game (because current hip-hop is nowhere near that level) but The Wu-Tang clan definitely made their mark in Hip-Hop history.

The main man behind all of this was The RZA, if you're not into hip-hop you might recognize his name and face from movies like American Gangster. If you are a movie buff you will know he did the soundtracks for movies like Ghost Dog and Kill Bill. I now know him as Director RZA because he has finally taken his lifelong passion for Kung Fu movies and is putting it to the ultimate test for his first feature debut as director: The Man With Iron Fists.

I'm actually writing from Hengdian, China where I've spent a couple days on set playing a nice little cameo in this project. When I heard about this project, I knew that this was the realization of a lifelong dream for RZA so I wanted to be a part of it no matter what. It makes me happy to know that I can help out someone who has so very much influenced my life.

Eli Roth, who directed Hostel and played "The Bear Jew" in my favorite film from last year Inglorious Bastards, co wrote the script with RZA and is also the films producer. They are are here with a very interesting cast of old school actors, new school actors, famous real fighters as well as famous movie fighters. I'm excited for this film and I'm excited for RZA. His dream is coming true. Isn't that a beautiful thing?

RZA and ELI rapping on set.