[2021.09.28] CHIN KAR LOK STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE STUNTMEN DOCUMENTARY

Chin Kar Lok wants to speak up for the heroes behind the scenes

Due to image copyright issues, Jackie Chan is forced to vanish from the film
courtesy of on.cc

The Chin Kar Lok produced documentary about kung fu stuntmen not only asked a group of action film stars to talk about the harsh history of stuntmen but also Mainland stars Zhang Ziyi and Wu Jing strongly recommended the film on social media. Unfortunately its box office made less than 1 million RMB over two weeks. Some online criticized Jackie Chan for his lack of participation. Kar Lok immediately clarified for Jackie Chan and cited that he contributed his efforts to the film.

Started as a stuntman, Chin Kar Lok has been toiling in the film industry for 40 years and already risen to an action director role. However he never forgot where he came from. Most recently as the producer he participated in the documentary KUNGFU STUNTMEN (LUNG FU MO SI). He hoped through the silver screen that more people would know this group of behind the scenes heroes for action films not only contributed sweat, tears and scars but also risked their lives at any minute while working on highly diffcult stunts.

This film spoke to a group of well known action artists and directors, including Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Donnie Yen Chi Tan, Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Ching Siu Tung and Tsui Hark, to talk about the hardship of making action films. The internationally renowned Zhang Ziyi and Wu Jing who rocketed to Mainland stardom in recent years also strongly recommended the film on their social media. Unfortunately they were unable to make any impact for the box office. The film recently opened for two weeks in the Mainland with less than 1 million RMB at the box office. Mainland netizens realized that in all the interview targets, "Jackie Chan Stuntmen Association' representative Jackie Chan was missing. They jested that he would rather working on a movie with "Mou Girl" Liu Haocun than to lend a helping hand to his brethren.

As for elder Jackie Chan's every move triggering some on the internet, Kar Lok yesterday explained on his behalf and supported him for his efforts for the film. "In the earliest version and trailer he was in it, but because of image copyrights and technical issues his part had to be removed in the end. (The film's Mainland box office was mediocre, would you be very disappointed?) My initial thought was to make a documentary that chronicled the past for everyone. Because it is a documentary, it has no box office pressure. It will open later in Hong Kong, but it won't be in a commercial film format. Mainly I want everyone to know our business has many unsung heroes." He even said that aside from cinemas, the film could also be seen on Mainland and Hong Kong paid online platforms. Details would be announced later.

Although the film bombed at the Mainland box office, after screenings industry insiders all praised it as a work of sincerity. On the promotional poster, the person scar ridden back was featured and showed the thoughtfulness. As for the interviewees, they spoke of their past injury experiences. They were all heart pounding and thrilling, for example Kar Lok recalled in his stuntman life he ran into two of the most severe accidents. Coincidentally they all took place while working on HEART OF A DRAGON. In one scene he broke through the glass on the 3rd story and jumped into the canopy below. Then he fell onto the just passing back vehicle. Unfortunately during the shoot he went too strong, when he broke through the glass he was unable to successfully fall onto the canopy. He fell hard onto the floor instead and ended up in the hospital. "When I opened my eyes again it was black, because I was under the car. The doctor asked me about what happened, I answered that I fell from 3 stories aboce. He said, 'Were you playing Superman?' He even said that I was amazing, because I didn't break my legs from that."

Many famous action actors in KUNGFU STUNTMEN mentioned their past with the late martial art superstar Bruce Lee. Known as Bruce Lee and Hung Kam Bo's "favorite", Yuen Wah praised Bruce Lee as a "very great person" and shared parts of his life and training. "He liked to blend raw beef and raw egg for a nourishing drink, feeling that after drinking it he would be very powerful. He was also very hard working, whenever he hd time he would call the kungfu stunt people to train together at his home. He wasn't using ordinary methods, but electric shock to train his muscles. A normal people would not be able to take it in level 1, back then he reached level 7."

Many action actors complimented Bruce Lee for his love for kungfu stuntmen, because he understood that they were risking their lives for him. Back then he even planned to take several with him to work in Hollywood, but before that happened he suddenly passed away. At the time the stuntmen did not believe it and lost directions, it took a long while before they accepted the fact.