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Speaking of Donnie doesn't this look like him next to Jet? I'm pretty sure it's not because Donnie said he didn't know jet when they shot their first fight sequence together in OAATIC 2 but it sure does look like him. Although like i said master Wu Bin taught Donnie for a brief period. (Pic at bottom of post)
Also I've seen all of Donnie's and Jet's films and I'm a fan of both. For me Jet's martial arts performances are superior to Donnie's. They're more inovative and varied and yes I know Donnie has begun to the same with his action sequences in recent years with SPL, Flash Point and Ip Man but those sequences lack one thing jets don't and that is emotional content. Something most over look. The emotional content Jet emits through his acting performance in a fight sequence is a reason why top choreographers think he's the best. But don't take it from me here's Yuen Woo Pings thoughts on the matter. He names Jet the best, Donnie the apprentice and Wu Jing Jet's junior. This is coming from the man who taught Donnie eveything he knows about fight choreography.
It appears that Jet Li especially loves to have you working as the martial arts director on his films. Why?
Yuen Wo Ping:He's handing out rice bowl to me! (Laughs) We have had many felicitousand happy collaborations. He's a wushu champion, and his achievementsin wushu have reached a definite state, we communicate very well, andthe between mutual trust and affections between us are hard to come by.
When you worked with each other on Once Upon a Time in China, Jet Li came from Mainland, were there any language and culture barriers?
Yuen Wo Ping: When working ona film, he's no different from other actors. Once you make the move, weknow whether you've got what it takes. And to us, in the stuntprofession, there's nothing esoteric, how accomplished you are is shownthrough your moves. Everyone knows that. And we could tell Jet Li was a very good talent in martial arts films. So, the means of communication was thus very simple.
In the past ten years, you've been collaborating with Jet Li, reinventing the genre every time. Do you think it's getting more difficult to choreograph him?
Yuen Wo Ping: To me, there're no difficulties. We've never done the same thing twice. In each film, I would design the action based onthe script, the character's personality, the level of martial arts.I've never thought about handling the past, the present, the future ofthis or that person. I don't carry such burden. I don't worry about notdoing well. Actually, as long as we work according to the script andthe characters, there wouldn't be any issues.
How has Jet Li progressed over the years?
Yuen Wo Ping:He has improved in many areas, especially acting skills, and has evenbetter grasp of action. He is also more mature, he has a very goodcontrol of the strength of every fist and kick. In the past, he usedtoo much strength, those that get hit would be in great pain. He's thearchetype of power. Now, we see his moves are still very powerful on the screen, but the actual strength has been contained, blending genuine martial arts and filmmaking more seamlessly.
Even till today, you still think that Jet Li's the best fighter in the Chinese entertainment industry?
Yuen Wo Ping: Yes, he's still the best. Of course, Jackie Chan and Jet Li fighting skills are the best, but their styles are very different, even then, their martial arts are all very pragmatic. Jet Lihas been training in wushu since young and was the national wushuchampion, he's well-versed in all kind of fists, and his moves are veryelectrifying.
JackieChan was trained in Peking Opera, his kungfu is also very good, buthe's more suited to difficult actions, like somersaults, jumping, he'svery agile.
Jet Li'smentality has undergone great changes in the recent years, doing a lotof charitable works. After finishing his last wushu movie, he does notsee filmmaking as his biggest career. What do you think of his changes?
Yuen Wo Ping:It's correct that he doesn't like violence. My films with him arebasically not very gory, violent. We are more particular about thegracefulness of the action, less the colours of violence. Jet Lihas entered into another stage, becoming a master. He's devoted tostudying Buddhism, of incorporating Buddhism in martial arts, becomingmore and more well-rounded. One should not fight for the sake offighting. All these are a great boon to his acting. Now, he would do alot of thinking on his character, on character development, and would not resort to violence indiscriminately. Even I would want to get closer to him... (smiles)
In Forbidden Kingdom, Jet Liand Jackie Chan are martial arts exponents you're familiar with. How doyou reflect their individual characteristics in terms of action?
Yuen Wo Ping: Based ontheir individual quirks. Jackie Chan's character loves drinking, so,let him be inebriated slightly, the slight state of drunken stupor,this is closer to his nature, he's a sentimental person. Jet Li's playing a monk, one who's capable of all sorts of martial arts, so his forms are more diverse.
To a martial arts star, does age plays a very important factor? As you get older, you'd be less capable?
Yuen Wo Ping:For anyone doing martial arts film, there's bound to be a day when theycouldn't fight anymore. Currently, I have also begun trainingsuccessors. For example, Donnie Yen is already not bad. I'm picking another two to three young men. But it still needs a very long time.
Actually, Wu Jing is not bad too. His acting andmartial arts skills have reached a definite standard. However, hehasn't met with one or two great movies that'd catapult his career. Hehas become much more mature, but an actor also needs luck. He's verygood in martial arts, he's Jet Li's junior.
[ Last edited by jedijetmaste at 2009-3-30 12:28 AM ]
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