CHASING DRAGONS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MARTIAL ARTS FILM

DAVID WEST

Written for both casual filmgoers and aficionados, this book offers both an introduction and a guide to the martial arts cinemas of Japan, Hong Kong, and Hollywood. It explores over fifty key films, their texts, fighting techniques, stars, and directors--set in the distinct cultures producing and forming them. From Japanese masters of the samurai film to the superstars of Hong Kong, exploitation ninja movies, and the arrival of Hollywood blockbusters like "The Matrix" and "Kill Bill" that prominently feature martial arts, this book is an informative companion to a remarkable cinema.