Share

Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast
Episode 65 - End of Year Show 2020 with Mike Fury
Put on your face-mask, pour yourself a drink and settle into our annual end-of-year podcast from your friends at Kung Fu Movie Guide. 2020 has been a particularly strange and challenging year for many of us, but the show must go on! Join your host, Ben Johnson, and the author of Life of Action Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Mike Fury, as they dissect the year's biggest stories from the world of martial arts movies, exchange a few Christmas presents, read out some of your comments, and share their personal top five films from the year. Did we miss one of your faves? If so, let us know in the comments on our website and via our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (links below). You can also email the show on hello@kungfumovieguide.com. Additional audio support on this episode provided by George Dennis. A huge thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for your support in 2020, and we wish you all a very merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year.
LINKS
Leave your comments at this link: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEndOfYearShow2020
Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/
Buy 'Life of Action' Vol. I and Vol. II: https://www.mikefury.net/shop
Mike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFury
Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury/
'Life of Action' on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifeofactionbook/
All music purchased from audiojungle.net featuring: 'Christmas Road' by Waderman (https://audiojungle.net/item/christmas-road/22796528) and 'Back to 70s' by Wavesound (https://audiojungle.net/item/back-to-70s/10145593)
T-shirts by 36 Styles: https://www.36styles.com/
Listen to our previous End of Year Shows: 2017 (http://bit.ly/KFMGPodEndOfYearShow2017); 2018 (https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2018); 2019 (http://bit.ly/KFMGPodEndOfYearShow2019)
Kung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kungfumovieguide
Kung Fu Movie Guide on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KFMovieGuide
Kung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kungfumovieguide/
More episodes
View all episodes
103. Episode 103 - Jude Poyer / Live in Oxford, 'The Heroic Trio' special
01:09:05||Season 8, Ep. 103For the second of our four live podcasts - co-hosted by the 'Life of Action' author, Mike Fury - we welcome back the British stunt coordinator and former Hong Kong stuntman, Jude Poyer. Jude's first appearance was on Episode 48 back in 2019. Now, in 2025, he is the action director behind Xavier Gens' violent French brawler, 'Farang' (aka 'Mayhem!'), and Gareth Evans' lauded co-collaborator, having worked with 'The Raid' director on his landmark UK crime series, 'Gangs of London', and the eagerly-awaited Netflix production, 'Havoc', starring Tom Hardy. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jude unveils his secret to coordinating a great action sequence, what it feels like to be kicked in the face by Yuen Biao, the difference between working in Hong Kong and the UK, and why he thinks Gareth Evans might be one of the best action filmmakers working in the industry today.This episode was recorded live at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford, UK, on 12 November 2024, following a screening of the crazy Hong Kong superhero film, 'The Heroic Trio' (1993), directed by Johnnie To, produced by Tony Ching Siu-tung, and starring Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui and Maggie Cheung. Screening as part of the British Film Institute's Art of Action season - in association with the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East - we also discuss the film and its impact, as well as sharing our thoughts on the lasting legacy of the 'golden age' of Hong Kong action cinema.LINKSJude Poyer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelpowerstunts/Jude Poyer on X: https://twitter.com/ReelPowerStuntsJude Poyer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReelPowerStuntsJude Poyer's website: http://www.reelpowerstunts.com/ Jude Poyer on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0694706/Jude Poyer on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast, Episode 48: http://kungfumovieguide.com/kfmg-podcast-s04-episode-48-jude-poyer/ Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury/Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/'The Heroic Trio' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/the-heroic-trio/ 'The Heroic Trio' trailer: https://youtu.be/zhrYrExHi2s Buy 'The Heroic Trio' on Blu-ray: https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/7155-the-heroic-trio-executionersVisit the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford: https://uppcinema.com/ Learn more about the BFI's Art of Action season: https://www.bfi.org.uk/art-actionA huge thank you to Independent Cinema Office (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) and Film Hub South East (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/film-hub-south-east/)102. Episode 102 - Katrina Durden / Live in Lewes, 'Dragon Inn' special
58:35||Season 8, Ep. 102For our first live episode - recorded at the wonderful Depot Cinema in Lewes, UK - we welcome back the actor and martial artist Katrina Durden, who first appeared on Episode 12 of the podcast back in 2017. From her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 'Doctor Strange' (2016) and Joey Ansah's fantastic 'Street Fighter' web series, to roles in TV's 'Strike Back', 'Heads of State' starring Idris Elba and John Cena, and the upcoming 'Red Sonja' reboot, Katrina has been kicking-ass in action movies for over a decade. In this special live episode, podcast host Ben Johnson is joined by friend of the show and author of 'Life of Action', Mike Fury, to discuss Katrina's journey from London to Hollywood, her inspirations both on-screen and off, and her experiences working in action movies.This conversation took place after a rare screening of the 1967 Taiwanese wuxia classic, 'Dragon Inn', directed by Chinese auteur King Hu, showing as part of the BFI's Art of Action season. Ben, Katrina and Mike discuss why the film is so important in the history of martial arts and 'wuxia' cinema, and how it continues to inspire generations of filmmakers. This conversation took place on 7 November 2024 and is the first of four live shows recorded as part of the BFI's Art of Action season, organised in association with the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East. A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the show and the wonderful staff at the Depot Cinema in Lewes.LINKSKatrina Durden on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinadurden/Katrina Durden on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast, Episode 12: http://kungfumovieguide.com/kfmg-podcast-s02-episode-12-yolanda-lynes-david-cheung-katrina-durden/Katrina Durden profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/profile-katrina-durden/Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefury/Mike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/'Dragon Inn' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/dragon-gate-inn/King Hu profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/profile-king-hu/'Dragon Inn' trailer, courtesy of Eureka Entertainment: https://youtu.be/ySSUsV_qGS8Buy 'Dragon Inn' on Blu-ray: https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/dragon-inn/Visit the Depot Cinema in Lewes: https://lewesdepot.org/Learn more about the BFI's Art of Action season: https://www.bfi.org.uk/art-actionA huge thank you to Independent Cinema Office (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) and Film Hub South East (https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/film-hub-south-east/)101. Episode 101 - End of Year Show 2024 with Mike Fury
01:41:25||Season 8, Ep. 101It's that time of year again - the annual Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast End of Year Show returns for its eighth year!Featuring the author of Life of Action Vol. 1 and 2, Mike Fury, we unpack our martial arts movie highlights of the year, discuss the news that has been hitting the headlines, and - because it's the festive season - we also unwrap some martial arts-themed Christmas presents.2024 has been a particularly strong year for fight-centric action films. We saw the return of many fan favourites - Po the panda returned in Kung Fu Panda 4, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine returned for Deadpool & Wolverine - and many of the legends of martial arts cinema released multiple films this year, from Jean-Claude Van Damme to Cynthia Rothrock, Jackie Chan to Scott Adkins. But which movies will make the cut in our personal top five of the year - and which film will be crowned the best of 2024?We also read out messages from you - the loyal Fu followers - who have been submitting your opinions on your favourite fight films from the year. And if you want to play along at home, we've put together a list of martial arts movies released in the UK this year (according to IMDb), available on our website. A huge thank you for your ongoing support in 2024, and wherever you are in the world, have a very happy new year!Read our not-very-comprehensive list of martial arts movies released in 2024: https://bit.ly/EOYShow2024 DONATE TO THE SHOW ON PAYPALYour donation will go towards our continued efforts to share the latest martial arts movie news, reviews and podcasts. https://paypal.me/KungFuMovieGuide100. Episode 100 - Best of Actors
58:58||Season 7, Ep. 100Is Scott Adkins the natural successor to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Why did Andrew Koji almost quit acting only months before landing the lead role in the beloved kung fu series, Warrior? And can we expect a rematch between Indonesian action stars Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais? The answers to these questions and many more are revealed in Best of Actors, one of three compilation shows released simultaneously to celebrate the 100th episode of this podcast, which started life back in 2016. Over three episodes, I share some of my favourite conversations recorded over the last eight years of the show. On this episode, you will hear from: Cynthia Rothrock, the undisputed queen of martial arts movies, who discusses her feelings about being a role model for women in action cinema and the martial arts; Andrew Koji, the British actor whose career has gone from strength to strength after securing the lead role in the Warrior TV show, inspired by the writings of Bruce Lee; Scott Adkins, who has made five appearances on the show since its inception, who discusses his career highlights including receiving awards in China from Jackie Chan; Michiko Nishiwaki, the Japanese bodybuilder who became an action star during the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema in the 1980s and 90s; and Joe Taslim, Indonesian judo champion and one of the biggest names in modern martial arts cinema, whose films include The Raid, The Night Comes for Us, and Mortal Kombat.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, remember to check out Best of Directors and Best of Stunts, which have also dropped at the same time as this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Directors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfDirectors'Best of Stunts': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfStuntsCynthia Rothrock on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodCynthiaRothrockAndrew Koji on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEpisode37Scott Adkins on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodScottAdkinsMichiko Nishiwaki on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodMichikoNishiwakiJoe Taslim on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJoeTaslim99. Episode 99 - Best of Stunts
55:41||Season 7, Ep. 99The life of a stunt performer is both exhilarating and dangerous, spectacular yet physically and mentally demanding. Stunt performers put their lives on the line every day for our viewing pleasure, yet are seemingly ostracised from the film world, especially in Hollywood where there is still no Academy Award for their service to the industry. Since this podcast was launched in 2016, I have had the pleasure of speaking to many of the leading voices in the stunt world, from stunt doubles and performers to fight trainers who work with huge movie stars to make them look awesome for the big screen, and stunt coordinators whose job it is to keep everybody safe. In this 'best of' episode - one of three compilation shows which have been released simultaneously - my guests include: Jonathan Eusebio, the legendary fight coordinator who helped to create the fighting styles for both Jason Bourne and John Wick, revolutionising Hollywood action cinema in the process; Jwaundace Candece, founder of stuntpoc.com, who is working tirelessly for better representation for stunt performers of colour in the industry; Olivia Jackson, whose life was transformed forever when a stunt went horribly wrong while doubling Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter; Rocky Taylor, Britian's oldest stunt performer, still going strong at nearly 80 years old; and Heidi Moneymaker, stunt coordinator and performer best known for doubling Scarlett Johansson as the Marvel superhero, Black Widow.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, then remember to check out Best of Directors and Best of Actors, which have also dropped at the same time as this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show over the last eight years via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Directors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfDirectors'Best of Actors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfActorsJonathan Eusebio on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJonathanEusebioJwaundace Candece on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEpisode58Olivia Jackson on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodOliviaJacksonRocky Taylor on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodRockyTaylorHeidi Moneymaker on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodHeidiMoneymaker98. Episode 98 - Best of Directors
56:52||Season 7, Ep. 98With financing and shooting schedules shrinking, how hard is it to make a decent action movie on a low budget? How can you make your lead actor look like an action hero if they refuse to train? And is there scope in the martial arts genre for tackling more challenging topics, like homophobia and racism? In 'Best of Directors' - one of three compilation shows available now - I share some of my favourite conversations with directors who have appeared on the podcast since its inception in 2016. This includes: Hollywood stunt legend J.J. Perry, who made his directorial debut in 2022 with the vampire action comedy, Day Shift, starring Jamie Foxx; the actor and filmmaker Diana Lee Inosanto, best known for playing Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, who discusses her 2008 martial arts indie, The Sensei; Jesse V. Johnson, known for his work with UK action star Scott Adkins in films including Triple Threat, Accident Man, and Avengement; Gareth Evans, visionary director of The Raid series; and Isaac Florentine, responsible for some of the best martial arts movies of the 2000s, including the Undisputed films and Ninja series.If you enjoyed this 'best of' compilation episode, then remember to check out Best of Stunts and Best of Actors, which have dropped simultaneously with this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show over the last eight years via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.LINKS'Best of Stunts': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfStunts'Best of Actors': https://bit.ly/KFMGPodBestOfActorsJ.J. Perry on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJJPerryDiana Lee Inosanto on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodDianaLeeInosantoJesse V. Johnson on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJesseVJohnsonGareth Evans on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/GarethEvansKFMGPodIsaac Florentine on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/Episode67KFMGPod97. Episode 97 - End of Year Show 2023 with Mike Fury: Part Two
01:17:17||Season 7, Ep. 97In Part Two of our annual End of Year Show - featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol 1 and 2, the action movie expert Mike Fury - we discuss our favourite fight-centric action films of 2023. Which film will be crowned our favourite of the year? We also read out comments from Fu followers around the world who have been telling us their favourite martial arts movies of the year over email and social media. We also discuss some of the films that we disliked in 2023 and look ahead to the martial arts movies we are most looking forward to in 2024. A huge thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023. See you in 2024!LISTEN TO PART ONEhttps://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOneLINKSMike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/ Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefuryMike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFuryKung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhomeKung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagramKung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebookKung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter96. Episode 96 - End of Year Show 2023 with Mike Fury: Part One
01:10:26||Season 7, Ep. 96Ho ho ho and happy Christmas to all the Fu followers around the world! Welcome to Part One of our annual End of Year Show, featuring the author of 'Life of Action' Vol. 1 and 2, Mike Fury. In Part One, we discuss the martial arts movie news that has been grabbing the headlines in 2023 - from Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan's many new projects, to Michelle Yeoh's success at the Oscars and the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee's death - and remember the famous people we lost this year. We also play clips from some of the many great guests who have appeared on the podcast in 2023, including action stars Marko Zaror and Vincent Lyn, kung fu movie expert Ric Meyers and stunt performer Alyma Dorsey. And, because it's Christmas time, we also unwrap some martial arts movie themed presents, and play messages from many of our friends on the action movie scene. A huge thank you to the following people for taking part in this episode: Frank Djeng, Janell-Vela Smith, Jesse V. Johnson, Joey Ansah, JuJu Chan Szeto, Kenji Tanigaki, Loren Avedon, Mark Strange, Marko Zaror, Matt Routledge, Matthias Hues, Max Huang, Mike Leeder, Philip Ng, Richard Norton, Ricky Baker, Samm Deighan, Sarah Chang, and Soo Cole. Thank you to all the Fu followers around the world for all your support in 2023.LISTEN TO PART TWOhttps://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartTwoLINKSMike Fury's website: https://www.mikefury.net/Mike Fury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefuryMike Fury on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMikeFuryKung Fu Movie Guide website: https://bit.ly/KFMGhomeKung Fu Movie Guide on Instagram: https://bit.ly/KFMGInstagramKung Fu Movie Guide on Facebook: https://bit.ly/KFMGFacebookKung Fu Movie Guide on X (formerly Twitter): https://bit.ly/KFMGTwitter95. Episode 95 - Marko Zaror
01:07:52||Season 7, Ep. 95From Chile to Mexico to Hollywood - and back again - Marko Zaror's incredible rise in the action world reached a new crescendo in 2023. Known as the 'Latin Dragon', Marko's scene-stealing performance as the main heavy, Chidi, in Chad Stahelski's masterpiece, 'John Wick: Chapter 4', saw him duel on-screen with fight legends Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen and Keanu Reeves; meanwhile, back in his home country of Chile, he reunited with his childhood friend - the filmmaker Ernesto Díaz Espinoza - to produce and star in their fifth indie action film together, the deeply personal 'The Fist of the Condor'. Now capable of shifting between key roles in huge productions and making his own movies the way he wants them to be made, Zaror has reached a sweet-spot in his career - but it has not been an easy journey with plenty of bumps along the way. At one point, he even considered retiring from the film industry altogether, and training to become a professional MMA fighter, until a timely conversation with Robert Rodriguez convinced him otherwise. He has since gone on to work with Rodriguez in many film and TV projects, including 'Machete Kills', 'From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series', and 'Alita: Battle Angel'. In this conversation, Marko explores his roots as a Bruce Lee-obsessed kid in Chile with a dream of making it in the movies, to eventually ripping up the screen in one of the biggest - and best - action franchises in Hollywood history.LINKSMarko Zaror on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1047252/Marko Zaror on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markozaror/Marko Zaror on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markozaroroficialMarko Zaror profile on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/ProfileMarkoZaror'Fist of the Condor' trailer: https://youtu.be/x53EpE12AsY'Fist of the Condor' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/FistOfTheCondor2023'John Wick: Chapter 4' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/JohnWickChapter4KFMG'Kiltro' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: https://bit.ly/Kiltro2006Our not-so-comprehensive list of fight-centric action films released in 2023: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEOYShow2023PartOneSPONSORThis episode is sponsored by 'Five Deadly Rebels', a kung fu sci-fi scripted podcast from DimensionGate, available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and anywhere you get your podcasts. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is a modern day retelling of 'Five Deadly Venoms', the cult classic 1970s kung fu film produced by the Shaw Brothers. Its classic kung fu meets the gangster genre, meets science fiction, all set in present-day New York City. The soundtrack is from Wu-Tang Clan producer, Cilvaringz. The season finale drops Wednesday 13 December. 'Five Deadly Rebels' is narrated by Ian Tuason for DimensonGate - a fiction podcast production company.'Five Deadly Rebels' website: https://www.fivedeadlyrebels.com/Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SpeVIDiKxISPC1am0d9TaListen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3sbe40OListen to a sample of the show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n_MXpCvK4MQ?si=bmJQ6tiS5OnitlvIListen to the trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MotN_D8Jfs0?si=hPBq0YJegir-vCnRDimensionGate website: https://www.dimensiongate.com/DimensionGate YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DimensionGateInc