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Zheng Xulan’s sweet song "Sunrise in Songshan Depression, Morning Bell Starts Birds …" was heard on TV.
We can’t help but pull our thoughts back to the 1980s.
The bloody age when martial arts films were popular on the big screen.
The classic pictures in a series of martial arts films reappear in our minds, and even the expressions and actions of the actors in the film are so clear and identifiable.
In the 1980s, martial arts films opened our eyes and made us feel the charm of "real skill and hard work". The memory of youth is the best, and we can’t forget it no matter how many years.
In the 1980s, we got to know many martial arts stars through martial arts films-Jet Li, Zhao Changjun, Li Junfeng, Qiu Jianguo, Ge Chunyan, Lin Quan, Huang Qiuyan … But do you still remember those actors who played villains in the martial arts films in the 1980s? Many of them were rarely mentioned later. However, their performance in martial arts films in those years also left us with a deep memory.
Speaking of it, many of them are actually the real masters. They also showed their true kung fu skills from boxing to meat in the martial arts movies in the 1980s, and they also had their own unique features in depicting characters.
Today, Yaqing wants to review with you eight male stars who played villains in martial arts films in the 1980s.
The villains they created in those days were all sinister and vicious, which was anathema to people. However, when we put them together, we will find that the gap is still quite large and clear at a glance.
Let’s start with the most popular Shaolin Temple.
Yu Chenghui: In 1982, he played Wang Renze in Shaolin Temple.
In 1982, a Shaolin Temple not only made Jet Li famous, but also made us remember two good actors, Yu Chenghui and Ji Chunhua.
One of the reasons is that their real kung fu reflected in the film is amazing, and their agility is biting. The second reason is that their performances and appearances also have obvious memory points.
Yu Chenghui was born in Penglai, Shandong Province on August 16th, 1939. At the age of 12, he began to learn martial arts. At the age of 24, he participated in the martial arts competition in East China, and won the championship with a set of "drunken swords", which made him famous. However, because of his leg injury in training, he was forced to leave the Wushu team and enter Shandong Huangtai Paper Machinery Factory as a worker. However, he did not stop studying martial arts, and used his spare time to complete the idea of "mantis through the forest". In 1979, he joined the Ningxia Wushu Team as a coach and began to attract the attention of some film directors.
I think there is an unyielding spirit in him. I think this should be an important reason for his fruitful performance in film and television.
However, at first, when his good friends Wu Bin and Yu Hai persuaded him to play Wang Renze in Shaolin Temple, he was still somewhat disapproving. However, on the same day, he replaced the sword with a wooden stick and performed a set of two-handed swords in public, which opened the eyes of the audience. Zhang Xinyan immediately grabbed him. Because, Yu Chenghui’s consummate swordsmanship and his wild temperament are the best candidates for Wang Renze.
As a result, Zhang Xinyan’s actor configuration played a very good chemical reaction. Jet Li’s youth and Yu Chenghui’s sophistication were in sharp contrast. The huge contrast and intense drama conflict made the audience want to stop.
Yu Chenghui successfully portrayed the villain Wang Renze in Shaolin Temple, and he highlighted Wang Renze’s "cruelty and cruelty", which is unforgettable. Later, he played the villain Herzog in "South and North Shaolin", and the martial arts shown in the film were superb.
Then from 1988, he began to create positive images in film and television dramas, such as Ma Yi in Heroes of the Yellow River, Feng Qingyang in the legendary swordsman, Huang Yaoshi in Heroes of the Condor, and Zhang Sanfeng in The Dragon Slayer. His positive characters are quite immortal, which is totally different from the villains he played before. This also shows his ability to shape characters from another aspect.
It’s just that Yu Chenghui died too early. On July 4, 2015, he died of illness at the age of 76. However, the villain images he left on the screen, such as Wang Renze in Shaolin Temple and An Yunshan in Four Famous Arrests, are forever engraved in our minds.
Second, Ji Chunhua: In 1982, he played the vulture in Shaolin Temple.
Does an actor’s appearance matter? Of course it matters.
If Yu Chenghui’s eyes of Yin and Yang make us unforgettable in Shaolin Temple, then Ji Chunhua’s highly recognizable appearance makes us remember the actor who plays the vulture at once.
His image is so distinctive. Bald head, fierce expression, and an obvious scar on his face. He hardly needs to act, making the audience feel that he is the "vulture" and the "eagle".
Later, he played the role of the bandit leader Bald Three Guns in Zhang Yimou’s "Red Sorghum". Although the film brought together Jiang Wen, Gong Li and other professional performers, Ji Chunhua’s performance never lost. His image, his expression, and his eyes all made him "have both spirit and form".
Ji Chunhua thus became a "villain" in the audience’s mind. Unlike Yu Chenghui, who also came out of Shaolin Temple, Ji Chunhua has been playing the villain almost all the time since he became an artist, and all of them are so lifelike. It was not until 2014 that he first appeared in a positive image in the movie "Golden Ou". This year, he is 53 years old.
Ji Chunhua was only 21 years old when he starred in Shaolin Temple. Since then, he has devoted almost all his energy to film and television performances. In July 2018, before his death, he also participated in the TV series "The Night Son". As a result, a few days later, he died at the age of 57. It’s a pity that he died young.
Third, Liu Liehong: In 1983, he played Niu Wu in Wudang.
Compared with Yu Chenghui and Ji Chunhua, Liu Liehong’s fame is not too big. I think the main reason for this is that his film and television dramas are limited. But his strength is not to be underestimated. His boxing, in particular, is very distinctive, as swift as an eagle and as sensitive as a monkey. The so-called "as fast as lightning" is nothing more than that.
In 1983, the Beijing Film Factory filmed the martial arts film Wu Linzhi, and invited Li Junfeng, the coach of the Beijing Wushu Team, to play Dongfang Xu in first hero, while Liu Liehong from Hunan was chosen as the villain Niu Wu. The most important reason is that I took a fancy to his rock eagle fist. He integrated the claw, grab, hook, grab, take and lock of the mountain rock eagle into his own boxing, which played a finishing touch in shaping the role of Niu Wu.
Since then, Liu Liehong has also played Cyclops, a distinctive villain, in a TV series with super high ratings in the 1980s. That unique shape is unforgettable. If he is different from Yu Chenghui and Ji Chunhua in performance, I think Yu Chenghui and Ji Chunhua obviously know how to express themselves in front of the camera. Both martial arts and literary dramas are naturally in place. Liu Liehong’s martial arts drama is impeccable, but the literary drama is somewhat stiff and the performance traces are heavier.
So later, Liu Liehong did not devote all his energy to film and television creation, but carried forward Rock Eagle Boxing. He has won awards in numerous competitions in China. He also founded Xiangnan Martial Arts Hall, which trained many students. In 2007, his original rock eagle boxing was also recorded in the list of intangible cultural heritage protection in Shaoyang City, Hunan Province.
Fourth, Sun Genfa: In 1984, he played Halfu in The King of Southern Boxing.
Do you still remember the actor Sun Genfa?
He actually debuted earlier than Jet Li and Yu Chenghui.
At the end of 1979, Hong Kong’s "Phoenix" film company planned to shoot "Treasure Beyond the Great Wall", and invited mainland professional Wushu athletes to participate in the shooting of martial arts films and kung fu films for the first time. Wu bin, the coach of Beijing Wushu Team, served as the martial arts instructor, and athletes Wang Qun and Yan Ping participated in the performance, including Sun Genfa’s name. But because they were all walk-ons, they didn’t attract more audience’s attention.
In 1984, the filming of "King of Nanquan" was started, and Qiu Jianguo, the champion of Nanquan of Guangdong Wushu Team, was invited to play Lin Hainan, the positive role of first hero. The performance task of the villain, Hal Fu, was performed by Sun Genfa of Beijing Wushu Team. Sun Gen’s skill is excellent, especially the rope dart, which is dazzling. In the final final duel between Nanquan King and Halfu, Qiu Jianguo and Sun Genfa both showed their own housekeeping skills. That’s a master’s trick, like a tiger versus a lion. In the end, it was Nanquan Wang who used the trick of "anti-whirlwind leg" to kill Hal.
Sun Genfa’s image is actually very distinctive, and there is no sense of disobedience in playing the villain. I remember that he has only been in two films since then. One of them is The Lonely Murderer. He plays the leading role, playing the hero, lonely Han, and looks tough. But his performance in this film is not particularly brilliant. Of course, a big reason for this is that the shooting technique of Lonely Murderer is not accepted by the public, the picture is blurred, the pace is slow, and the martial arts scene is not satisfactory. In it, Sun Genfa showed no impressive performance except hard work.
Then, he played the villain Scarface in "The Secret Letters of the Nation" filmed by Shanghai Film Studio, but fewer people have seen this film. After that, there was little news of him.
V. Sun Jiankui: In 1984, he played the second master in Shaolin Kid.
Sun Jiankui also performed well in Shaolin Temple, and his role as a corner of the sky was an eye-opener with a set of drunken sticks like flowing water. Then in 1984, he co-starred with Zhang Xinyan and Jet Li in Shaolin Kid. But this time, the final he played was a villain.
In Shaolin Kid, Sun Jiankui’s performance is wonderful. First of all, he designed a "cross-eye" for the role, which was very joyful, and then his performance was natural, without affectation or facial makeup. So I was deeply impressed by the image he played as the second master.
Perhaps it is precisely because of the success of this role that Sun Jiankui has created a series of villains in film and television dramas since then, especially Liu Jin, the great eunuch who commits all kinds of evils in tai chi zhang sanfeng, who has been vividly portrayed by him, which is as good as Donnie Yen’s performance in Xinlongmen Inn. In addition, his role as a demon monk in the western regions in Five Ancestors of New Shaolin is also very distinctive. In order to highlight the viciousness of this role, he also specially designed a "sissy" and liked to make up, but he was good at kung fu. This contrast has left a very strong memory for the audience.
Thus, Sun Jiankui is a very savvy and creative actor. Later, he started as a martial arts instructor, designed movements for flying swords of dragon gate, and won an Academy Award. At the same time, he also played a role in movies such as The White-haired Witch’s Moon Paradise. And now I’m old.
Yu Rongguang: In 1985, he played Qi Tianyuan in Kapok Robe.
Yu Rongguang is handsome in image and tough in temperament. But when he first appeared on the screen, he appeared as a villain.
He was born in Beijing in 1958. He is the son of Mr. Yu Mingkui, a Peking Opera performer. He studied martial arts in Peking Opera since childhood, which laid a very solid foundation for his future acting in martial arts films. In 1985, he played the role of Qi Tianyuan, the villain, in Kapok Robe. In the film, he not only shows Wudang boxing in a variety of patterns, but also portrays Qi Tianyuan’s character vividly, without affectation or stubbornness, which is really rare.
Since then, he has found a feeling like a duck to water in the film and television circle, and made such martial arts films as A Mirage, Ancient and Modern Wars of Qin Fighters, and The Rise of the Storm in Dong Fangbubai. However, different from other martial arts stars who debuted in the same period, Yu Rongguang dared to expand his career, not only by showing his fists in martial arts films, but also by consciously honing his acting skills, and finally made himself a film and television actor who could win the audience’s love by acting instead of kung fu.
So after that, we saw different types of characters created by Yu Rongguang. The label on his body is no longer limited to "martial arts star", but has become an "old play bone". I think the biggest difference between him and other martial arts stars is that he pays attention to depicting the character and the heart of the character. This actually put forward higher requirements for actors, but Yu Rongguang really achieved "both civil and military skills".
Later, he embarked on the road of producer and director, which shows that he has a very clear plan for his career development. Now he is still active in the film and television circle. Not long ago, we saw him in the costume drama Shangshi. Now, at the age of 64, he still looks like body of work.
Seven, Wang Chi: In 1988, he played the black sand palm in Invincible Yuanyang Leg.
Wang Chi was originally a teacher of Beijing Institute of Physical Education. In 1985, he made his debut as a ranger in the martial arts film Shaolin lay disciple. But the role he really impressed the audience was the villain Black Sand Palm in Invincible Yuanyang Leg, which was filmed in 1988.
In "Invincible Yuanyang Leg", Wang Chi plays the black sand palm, which moves quickly and flies up and down, and the tricks are strange and unpredictable, which also makes the audience dizzying. But his performance, like many martial arts actors, is superficial and obviously has not mastered the essence of film and television performances.
However, this situation has been greatly improved with the increase of his participation in movies. Since then, he has participated in movies such as Dragon Stunt Team, Desperate House, Killer Love, Life in the Desert, and so on, with both positive and negative characters.
He probably began to try to be a director in 1994, and directed films such as Men Are Difficult, Sherlock Holmes and China Woman, but the market response was not satisfactory. Then it was forgotten by the audience.
Eight, Ge Cunzhuang: In 1980, he played the role of Sha Helmsman in The Mysterious Buddha.
In fact, strictly speaking, the first martial arts film we saw in the 1980s was not Shaolin Temple, but The Mysterious Giant Buddha. After the film was released in 1981, it caused a great sensation. It’s a miracle that the movie has created a box office of over 100 million yuan with a ticket price of 15 cents.
In addition to the suspense and fascinating plot of the film, the cast of the star cast is also the main reason why everyone likes this film. Therefore, although the martial arts effect of this film is not very brilliant, it has become an unforgettable work for fans.
The heroine of this film is Liu Xiaoqing, who was a proper box office guarantee in the 1980s. Ge Cunzhuang, who plays the villain Sha Dui, is a famous villain performing artist loved by the audience.
Ge Cunzhuang challenged himself again in The Mysterious Giant Buddha. Unlike Yang Shouye, who played in Guerrilla in the Plain, and Feng Lanchi, who played in The Red Flag, Master Sha in The Mysterious Buddha has a hard skill. Ge Cunzhuang didn’t know martial arts at first, but in order to play this bully well, regardless of his age, he practiced kung fu hard until he could "confuse the real with the fake". I think his spirit of challenging himself deserves our admiration.
Ge Cunzhuang showed superb acting skills in The Mysterious Giant Buddha. Although his martial arts are not as good as those of Yu Chenghui and Ji Chunhua, he is the most brilliant performer. The character’s personality is clearly defined by him, and the image of a cruel and vicious rudder is on the screen.
I think it is precisely because of Ge Cunzhuang’s outstanding performance in The Mysterious Giant Buddha that in 1983, when the Beijing Film Factory filmed Wu Linzhi, he became the actor of the villain Liang Shouren. He vividly portrayed the image of a gentle but actually scheming "dog’s leg". It’s different from Master Sha in The Mysterious Buddha.
Since then, Ge Cunzhuang has appeared in many film and television dramas, and he has been acting until 2013. On March 4th, 2016, performing artist Ge Cunzhuang died of illness at the age of 87.
Time flies, time flies. Unconsciously, 40 years have passed. However, old images still appear in front of us from time to time. So when we talk about the martial arts films we saw in the 1980s, which one impressed you the most? Which actor is the best villain? Welcome everyone to interact with more netizens through the message area. I am Yaqing. Thank you again for your attention. My friends remember to like, collect and share. Let’s meet at the same time tomorrow. Goodbye.
Original title: "In the 1980 s, I played the villain in a martial arts film, and put Ji Chunhua and other eight male stars together, and the difference came out."
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