How did you first become interested in Asian cinema?

APPINESS · Post by **APPINESS** » 28 May 2009, 23:53

When I was a kid, about 9 or 10, there was this great video store round the corner from me. The owner would always recommend some films for me to watch. So one day I rented Armour of God and Police Story II. They simply blew me away, even though they were dubbed in English. It’s a shame he didn’t have many more Hong Kong films. He said most of the other Jackie Chan films were not worth watching so he didn’t buy them. Strange that he had ‘New Fist of Fury’ but not ‘Project A’ or ‘Police Story’.

He was cool in other ways too. He used to let me rent some 18 rated videos as well. That is as long as he thought they were suitable for me.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 29 May 2009, 06:20

I watched Kickboxer at my nephew's house, and got interested in martial arts and martial arts cinema. Back home, I had chinese neighbours I was friendly with (and still am, although we both moved) and they had HK bootlegs of movies.
Also, I had turkish neighbours I was friendly with, and I think it's through that Turkish neighbour I was introduced to Bruce Lee (Fist of Fury and Game of Death).

Pretty soon I was traveling to Amsterdam on my own to visit the Virgin MegaStore and Fame, to buy import VHS-movies. This was all when I was around 12-15 years old or something, and the internet was just starting to be a part of everyone's life.
I frequently went online and visited LD's Jackie Chan page, and some great Jet Li fansite etc.

I think you can imagine what it must have been like to be used to American action and martial arts movies, and suddenly you watch movies like Hard Boiled, Fist of Legend, Iron Monkey, The Killer, and Bullet in the Head. Such a huge jump in quality

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 29 May 2009, 08:21

Had seen a few on TV when I was a kid (A Chinese Ghost Story, Seven Samurai etc.) but mainly it was The Killer and Hard Boiled when I was 14 (my first import dvds) that really started it all. I had seen some of Woo's Hollywood films and heard that his HK movies are better so I decided to give it a go.

Bounce Ko Gals was also very important, but that was more about 'me - Japan' than 'me - Japanese cinema'.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 29 May 2009, 09:51

I think it was after I'd seen Rumble in the Bronx on TV that I decided to start seeking out Jackie Chan films and it led from there, I used to visit a Jackie Chan fansite all the time and then the original B'n'B run by Jenz.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 May 2009, 12:08

I think it was after I saw some JC films dubbed in English and then Rush Hour (!) in 1998 - actually I can't remember the first JC film I ever saw period, it might have been before 1998 - the first proper HK one (ie in Cantonese) was Police Story 2 when it was shown on C4 and I was blown away. I would also rent some Chinese VHS from my local library, Tiger on Beat, Wing Chun etc

Then around 2000-2001 I think, I discovered the original Bullets n Babes

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 29 May 2009, 15:16

I asked my Dad to tape Enter the Dragon off ITV one Friday night for me back in 1990.

He did and the rest is history. 8)

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 29 May 2009, 16:05

Saw Enter The Dragon on a double bill with Death Race 2000 back in 1978 and was hooked.initally just into Bruce Lee films,i started going to all night kung fu shows at the local ABC,there i saw classics like shaws The Killer,Hot,The Cool,The Vicious on the big screen and my interest widened.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 30 May 2009, 07:00

Via renting dubbed VHSes of Evangelion in 2000/2001 and much later importing DVDs of John Woo films (2004/2005).

I also saw Rumble in the Bronx back in 1999 on TV, killer film.