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Kung-Fu Master!

Original title: Kung-fu master!
  • 19881988
  • RR
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Kung-fu master! (1988)
Trailer for Kung-Fu Master!
Play trailer2:09
1 Video
43 Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance
Mary-Jane, a lonely mother in her forties, gets absorbed in a sentimental affair with a 14-year-old boy.Mary-Jane, a lonely mother in her forties, gets absorbed in a sentimental affair with a 14-year-old boy.Mary-Jane, a lonely mother in her forties, gets absorbed in a sentimental affair with a 14-year-old boy.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Agnès Varda
  • Writers
    • Jane Birkin(story)
    • Agnès Varda
  • Stars
    • Jane Birkin
    • Mathieu Demy
    • Charlotte Gainsbourg
Top credits
  • Director
    • Agnès Varda
  • Writers
    • Jane Birkin(story)
    • Agnès Varda
  • Stars
    • Jane Birkin
    • Mathieu Demy
    • Charlotte Gainsbourg
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Kung-Fu Master!
    Trailer 2:09
    Kung-Fu Master!

    Photos43

    Jane Birkin and Mathieu Demy in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Mathieu Demy in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Jane Birkin in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Charlotte Gainsbourg in Kung-fu master! (1988)
    Jane Birkin in Kung-fu master! (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jane Birkin
    Jane Birkin
    • Mary-Janeas Mary-Jane
    Mathieu Demy
    Mathieu Demy
    • Julienas Julien
    Charlotte Gainsbourg
    Charlotte Gainsbourg
    • Lucyas Lucy
    Lou Doillon
    Lou Doillon
    • Louas Lou
    Gary Chekchak
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Cyril Houplain
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Frank Laurent
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Aurélien Hermant
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Jérémie Luntz
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Thomas Bensaïd
    • Un jeuneas Un jeune
    Pénélope Pourriat
    • Une jeuneas Une jeune
    Ninon Vinsonneau
    • Une jeuneas Une jeune
    Bégonia Leis
    • Une jeuneas Une jeune
    Eva Simonet
    • L'amieas L'amie
    Judy Campbell
    Judy Campbell
    • La mèreas La mère
    David Birkin
    • Le pèreas Le père
    Andrew Birkin
    Andrew Birkin
    • Le frèreas Le frère
    André Six
    • Director
      • Agnès Varda
    • Writers
      • Jane Birkin(story)
      • Agnès Varda
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Agnès Varda later admitted the title 'Kung-Fu master!" was terribly misleading on a commercial viewpoint. Some foreign distributors even bought the film on the wrong impression it really dealt with the wild adventures of martial arts warrior.
    • Connections
      Featured in Jane B. for Agnes V. (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Someone to Love
      Written by Catherine Ringer and Fred Chichin

      Performed by Les Rita Mitsouko

    User reviews7

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Delightful, witty, unconventional manifesto on passionate love
    The idea for "Kung-Fu Master" was proposed by Jane Birkin in Agnès Varda's tribute documentary to her, "Jane B. par Agnès V." (1987). Birkin suggests a film in which a 40-year old woman would fall hopelessly in love with a teenage boy, suggesting herself and Varda's and Jacques Demy's son, Mathieu, for the leading roles. That very same year, the idea would develop into the rapturing, bewitching, winning "Kung-Fu Master", a film unlike any other ever made.

    Mary-Jane (Birkin), 40, divorced, independent, living with her two daughters (her real-life daughters, 16-year-old Charlotte Gainsbourg and 5 year-old Lou Doillon), suddenly finds herself terribly attracted to one of her daughter's schoolmates, 14-year-old Julien (Mathieu Demy), and vice-versa. From then on, Mary-Jane and Mathieu find the unlikeliest ways to meet (including Mary-Jane bumping her car on Julien on purpose!) as they face love's highs and lows, trying to make it thrive against society's ponderous prejudices and Julien's own inevitable "growing up".

    The film is a hoot from start to finish. The title is a reference to the Arcade video game, where a Kung-Fu Master must endlessly fight increasingly dangerous obstacles and enemies (as must Julien and Mary-Jane) to save his captive sweetheart, who is kept tied up, perennially crying for help. The opening sequence of the film, in which Mathieu Demy in full Kung-Fu costume skilfully simulates the robotic choreography of the video game hero is delightfully funny and wins you at once. The dialog sparkles with jeux-de-mots and a mix of English and French sense of humor.

    Jane Birkin was probably never more beautiful or appealing than here, her angular, bony beauty serving her emotional transparency and complete commitment to her role. Mathieu Demy, inexperienced, is nevertheless charming, well-cast and never phony in his difficult role. Varda's direction of her own son is amazing: it looks as if she's discovering his acting potentialities and the first signs of manhood along with Mary-Jane and ourselves. The cast includes Birkin's family (parents, siblings, nephews, daughters etc), who appear nonplussed with the touchy issue and ultimately even help the odd couple. Charlotte Gainsbourg shines with her urchin face, special talent and sensibility; she's a natural. Baby Lou Doillon is lovely throughout, adding to the feeling of spontaneity that gives the whole film a slightly magical touch, as if we were watching improvised scenes, not scripted ones. Mary-Jane's and Julien's scenes together are far from risqué, but filled with emotional rapture, originality, humor. Sex is implied, but never at the core of things; love -- romantic, throbbing, unconventional love -- is.

    "Kung-Fu Master" is a fable about the nature and possibilities of romantic love in obtrusive circumstances, and MAYBE it hints that women, girls and boys are better suited for it than grown-up men (which is probably true!). When Mary-Jane and Julien go to a desert island so that they can fully experience their love far from society's burden, we can see why they're at once sacred (they're pure, unbiased by interest, conventions, hypocrisy) and doomed (their love can only exist fully and freely away from conventional society). The film's ultimate goal may be to translate women's infinite, inexhaustible talent for loving and teaching love, regardless of how unlikely the object of their love is, or how powerful the enemies, or how complicated the obstacles; women are the invincible, undisputed Kung-Fu Masters of love, even if/when they don't win.

    This is arguably Varda's and Birkin's finest hour; they have made a film that is a triumph of poetic sensibility filled with humor and intelligence; it's a tribute to feminine pride (no man could EVER make a film like this). Enchanting from start to finish, always surprising, never tacky or schmaltzy, "Kung-Fu Master" is a one-of-a-kind film just waiting to be (re)discovered -- but most likely destined to be locked away, in these hypocritical PC times of ours that furiously prevent renewed access to films as brave as this unless they're scandalous (which KFM is not). If you can find it, do see it by all means: and pay special attention to the beautiful, subtle, rich finale. Beware, though: "Kung-Fu Master" may be hazardous to your cynicism and conventionalism, and may restart your belief in l'amour fou.
    helpful•47
    6
    • debblyst
    • Oct 18, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official site
      • Ciné-Tamaris (France)
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Little Love
    • Filming locations
      • Paris, France
    • Production companies
      • Ciné-tamaris
      • La Sept Cinéma
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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