10 Kick-Ass Moments That Wouldn't Have Happened Without The Shaw Brothers

The Shaw Brothers' impressive catalogue of about 1,000 films has generated legions of fans worldwide, but did you notice these nods to their kung fu classics in recent pop culture?

1. Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers

static.stereogum.com

RZA and the other Wu-Tang members weren’t just watching [Shaw Brothers'] kung fu movies, they were absorbing them, then “spitting out a whole new world.” It was a form of escapism, growing up as a black kid in America in a dog-eat-dog environment, he said. “They say an image is worth a thousand words and with film moving at 30 frames per second, who knows what films do to our conscious or subconscious,” RZA explained.

2. Kill Bill: Volume 1 & All Things Tarantino

youtube.com / Via japancinema.net

The film [Five Fingers of Death] has a cult following in the U.S., and was referenced in Quentin Tarantino’s film Kill Bill, which sampled the theme from the television series Ironside played during several of its fight scenes. When asked in 2002 by Sight & Sound Magazine to name his twelve favorite movies of all time, Tarantino placed “Five Fingers of Death” at number 11. The widescreen DVD (which surpasses all previous VHS and DVD versions of the film) includes an interesting commentary track by Quentin Tarantino (who aided Dragon Dynasty in assembling its Shaw Brothers library) and critics Elvis Mitchell and David Chute, who discuss King Boxer’s appeal and thematic similarities to Hollywood product.

3. Robert Rodriguez & El Rey Network

Robert Rodriguez @Rodriguez

Two amazing Shaw Brothers movies on @ElReyNetwork tonight: Come Drink With Me and Crippled Avengers. Starts at 6pm. http://t.co/r3FHeUs9R1

08:05 PM - 20 Mar 2014

Via martialartsentertainment.com

“It was a hard drive that had my hit list of personal favorites, and certainly these titles were among the best in kung-fu films. They are action-packed and still have cult status among fans of the genre. We are thrilled to partner with Celestial Pictures on this collection as it is a perfect addition to our existing lineup of renegade programming,” said Rodriguez.

4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Many Shaw Brothers fans have claimed that the bridge sequence in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is strikingly similar to the bridge scene in "The Lady Hermit", a 1971 Shaw Brothers classic.

5. The Man With The Iron Fists

youtube.com / Via soundonsight.org

The RZA is certainly not a name one would immediately associate with potential first time directors, regardless of genre. However, his association with the classic martial arts films from the 60, 70s and 80s, most notably those which the Shaw Brothers studio churned out like hot cakes, goes back to his childhood, when he would venture to the nearest cinema on the 47th street in New York that would frequently give them some play. It was love at first sight and his admiration and fascination with such old school kung fu flicks only grew as the years passed.

6. Kung Fu Hustle

youtube.com / Via sfgate.com

"Hustle"'s very essence mimics the SB's assimilation style of filmmaking. "'Kung Fu Hustle,' you know, is a film about hybridity," UCLA's Cheng-Sim Lim explains. "So were the Shaw Brothers' martial art films. It took a lot from samurai movies, the spaghetti westerns .... Those things are of course adopted by the Shaw Brothers, and now it becomes so embedded in the language of martial arts films, we just expect them to happen." The martial arts film dates back to the silent era, but SB redefined, repackaged and marketed the genre as its own.

7. Avatar: The Last Airbender

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With the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Kingdom left standing during Aang's time, the story of Avatar pits The Southern Shaolin Temple against the Northern Shaolin Temple. This is a classic motif in the Shaw Brothers' films from Hong Kong cinema in the 70's and 80's.

8. Kung Fu Panda

Via kungfupanda.wikia.com

Two characters in the movie Kung Fu Panda, JR Shaw and his brother KG Shaw, were named in homage to the Shaw Brothers Studio.

9. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

oyster.ignimgs.com / Via rogerebert.com

The film [The Five Deadly Venoms] was referenced extensively in Juuken Sentai Gekiranger, in which the Five Venom Fists are based directly upon the Five Deadly Venoms, each reflecting the fighting styles in the film. They, in turn, were brought into Power Rangers Jungle Fury as the Five Fingers of Poison.

10. Awesome Audio Dubbing

The Shaw Brothers can't take full credit for inspiring the world with their magnificent audio dubs, but they can say they inspired these fan redubs that are sure to put a smile on your face. Visit the contest playlist today to vote for your favorite:

https://www.facebook.com/ShawBrothersUniverse/videos