It can’t be denied that as far as martial arts movies go, the best ones come from Asia, particularly Hong Kong during their action heyday, which was arguably the 70s, 80s and first half of the ’90s. That said, martial arts movies were also making a foothold in the States at the time, thanks mainly to Bruce Lee-mania following the release of Enter the Dragon. Before that movie, very few actors in Hollywood seemed like they were credible martial artists, except maybe James Coburn, a student of Lee’s, who pulled off some pretty good-looking moves in the otherwise silly Our Man Flint movies. Steve McQueen also had training but didn’t use martial arts on screen.
Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo, with James Cagney showing off some good moves in the film Blood on the Sun,...
Up to then, though, the most notable uses of martial arts in movies usually revolved around Judo, with James Cagney showing off some good moves in the film Blood on the Sun,...
- 2/4/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Artisans introduces a new series — Where Are They Now? — focusing on living legends of the below-the-line world. Written by James C. Udel, a member of Iatse’s Local 80 Grips since 1993 and author of “The Film Crew of Hollywood,” these stories will profile retired or semiretired artisans whose work has left an enduring impact on the history of the movies.
Stuntman Gene LeBell might not have been around since Hollywood’s first fist fight, but his skill has transformed the genre.
Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military school at age 6 by his full-time working mom after his father died in a surfing accident. The diminutive kid was bullied, finally responding by choking the offending cadet — a move he applied to Steven Seagal 52 years later while filming “Hard to Kill.”
After his mom remarried, LeBell was raised near L.A.’s old Olympic Auditorium. The athletic...
Stuntman Gene LeBell might not have been around since Hollywood’s first fist fight, but his skill has transformed the genre.
Born in Los Angeles in 1932, LeBell was shipped off to a military school at age 6 by his full-time working mom after his father died in a surfing accident. The diminutive kid was bullied, finally responding by choking the offending cadet — a move he applied to Steven Seagal 52 years later while filming “Hard to Kill.”
After his mom remarried, LeBell was raised near L.A.’s old Olympic Auditorium. The athletic...
- 8/3/2018
- by James C. Udel
- Variety Film + TV
Milton Sills in The Sea Hawk (top); William Farnum in A Tale of Two Cities (bottom) Frank Lloyd Intro I: Two-Time Oscar Winner Unlike George Cukor, Henry Hathaway, Howard Hawks, William Wyler, or even John Ford, Frank Lloyd specialized in one movie genre: melodrama. From A Tale of Two Cities to Cavalcade, from The Sea Hawk to The Howards of Virginia, from Black Oxen to Blood on the Sun, the vast majority of Lloyd’s movies were supposed to make you leave the theater at least a little shaken up after having suffered for a couple of hours with Pauline Frederick, Norma Talmadge, Milton Sills, Clara Bow, Richard Barthelmess, Ann Harding, Claudette Colbert, Cary Grant, or James [...]...
- 1/6/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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