Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix and film historian Chris Poggiali comes a revised and updated edition of their definitive look at how kung fu movie mania came and conquered the United States, featuring expanded sections on superstars such as Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen; new profiles on iconic film poster artists; and tributes to unsung martial artists. When a Hollywood studio released Five Fingers of Death to thrill-seeking Times Square moviegoers in 1973, only a handful of Black and Asian audience members knew the difference between an Iron Fist and an Eagle's Claw. That changed overnight as Five Fingers kicked off a kung fu craze that would earn millions at the box office, send TV ratings soaring, influence the birth of hip hop, reshape the style of action we see in movies today, and introduce America to some of the biggest Asian stars to ever hit motion picture screens. These Fists Break Bricks offers a lavishly illustrated exploration of how these high-kicking, brick-breaking movies came to America and raised hell until greed, infomercials, and racist fearmongering shut them down. For the first time, the full-and wild-story is told, including how CIA agents secretly funded karate movies and how The New York Times fabricated a fear campaign about Black ""karate gangs,"" as well as the history of Black martial arts in America and the onslaught of Bruce Lee imitators after his death. With a foreword by RZA of the Wu Tang Clan and brand new material on superstars like Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, and Donnie Yen, plus spotlights on unsung performers, film poster artists, and money-laundering film distributors, this revised and expanded edition is a master class in kung fu cinema history.

Full Product Details

9780762489480

Table of Contents

Reviews

​""A set of interlocking historical narratives about how martial arts ingrained themselves into the world's cinematic palette, and a starting point for further introspection and imagination . . . Highly Recommended.""--Forces of Geek ""Utterly essential reading for any martial arts movie.""--The Action Elite ""A must for diehard Kung Fu movie fans.""--Borg.com ""Through interviews, photographs, and colorful illustrations, Hendrix and Poggiali take readers on an enjoyable journey through the martial arts film genre.""--Library Journal ""Grab a cold one (I won't ask of what), lounge on the patio or in an easy chair after dark, and practice your love of reading some cool, sexy and sleek looks at the stories, art and movies of a much more kick-ass time.""--The Loftus Party ​""Lavishly illustrated with posters and stills.""--Shepherd Express ""This book oughta be called KungFuPedia--you can just look at the pictures and increase your martial-arts movie knowledge by a thousand percent. If you don't own it, you deserve to be whopped on the right side of your face by Billy Jack's right foot."" --Joe Bob Briggs, film critic and host of The Last Drive-in ""These Fists Break Bricks is a total blast! A brilliant step-by-step tour through the chopsocky film genre. The book is a jaw-dropping visual feast full of rare posters and forgotten stills. Impeccably researched, it's perfect for both the Tarantino-level fanatic or a newbie who has only seen Enter the Dragon. I was a twelve-year-old kid who took his nunchucks to the drive-in to see these films back in the day and I felt an insane rush of joy turning every page.""--Larry Karaszewski, screenwriter (Ed Wood, Dolemite Is My Name) """"What Hendrix and Poggiali have done isn't just a history of a movie genre, it's a record of a true cultural phenomenon as the world embraced martial arts in the streets and on movie screens. These Fists Break Bricks is that rare combination of a fun read combined with true scholarship, complemented by an amazing collection of images that transports the reader back to the era of triple bills and fifty-cent popcorn. It is not to be missed.""--C. Courtney Joyner, screenwriter (Class of 1999, From a Whisper to a Scream) ""A fascinating and amazingly complete tome.""--Larry Hama, writer/artist (G.I. Joe, Wolverine) ""A fascinating overview of martial arts movies.""--SlashFilm ""Chris Poggiali and Grady Hendrix really have a special thing in These Fists Break Bricks, and I can't wait to suggest it to others.""--Book Squad Goals ""Full of great illos and facts about the producers, directors, stars, distributors, theaters, and the endless retitles and rip-offs. This book is excellent.""--Michael J. Weldon, author/editor (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film, Psychotronic Video) ""Funny, fascinating, and encyclopedic.""--The Playlist ""In addition to being a terrifically entertaining and informative chronicle of these hard-hitting, explosive martial arts movies, Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali deliver an insightful glimpse into that bygone grindhouse era and the cultural ripples created by this cinematic tsunami. These Fists Break Bricks is a bone-crushing blast!""--Steven Puchalski, Shock Cinema Magazine ""This intelligent, witty, respectful virtual encyclopedia is as fun as the subject it covers. Marvelously designed and written by two experts, it is the book all kung fu movie fans have been waiting for.""--Danny Peary, author and film critic (Cult Movies 1-3, Cult Movie Stars) ""This is no schlock-by-numbers quickie film book. Hendrix and Poggiali are twin ninjas of celluloid anthropology who combine deep-dish research, the insight of true obsessives and a dash of tart, off-kilter wit to explore the complex relationship between martial arts cinema and pop culture. The fast, funky narrative they create reveals their subject is the hip-hop of movie genres, an ongoing sample-and-remix art project that constantly reinvents itself to meet the world's ever-changing needs, and cult film buffs will devour every mind-expanding page.""--Donald Guarisco, Schlockmania! ""Truly a colossal effort . . . It's already the 'bible' of martial arts film.""--Serafim Karalexis, producer (The Real Bruce Lee, Death Promise, The Black Dragon)

""This book oughta be called KungFuPedia--you can just look at the pictures and increase your martial-arts movie knowledge by a thousand percent. If you don't own it, you deserve to be whopped on the right side of your face by Billy Jack's right foot."" --Joe Bob Briggs, film critic and host of The Last Drive-in ""These Fists Break Bricks is a total blast! A brilliant step-by-step tour through the chopsocky film genre. The book is a jaw-dropping visual feast full of rare posters and forgotten stills. Impeccably researched, it's perfect for both the Tarantino-level fanatic or a newbie who has only seen Enter the Dragon. I was a twelve-year-old kid who took his nunchucks to the drive-in to see these films back in the day and I felt an insane rush of joy turning every page.""--Larry Karaszewski, screenwriter (Ed Wood, Dolemite Is My Name) """"What Hendrix and Poggiali have done isn't just a history of a movie genre, it's a record of a true cultural phenomenon as the world embraced martial arts in the streets and on movie screens. These Fists Break Bricks is that rare combination of a fun read combined with true scholarship, complemented by an amazing collection of images that transports the reader back to the era of triple bills and fifty-cent popcorn. It is not to be missed.""--C. Courtney Joyner, screenwriter (Class of 1999, From a Whisper to a Scream) ""A fascinating and amazingly complete tome.""--Larry Hama, writer/artist (G.I. Joe, Wolverine) ""A fascinating overview of martial arts movies.""--SlashFilm ""Chris Poggiali and Grady Hendrix really have a special thing in These Fists Break Bricks, and I can't wait to suggest it to others.""--Book Squad Goals ""Full of great illos and facts about the producers, directors, stars, distributors, theaters, and the endless retitles and rip-offs. This book is excellent.""--Michael J. Weldon, author/editor (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film, Psychotronic Video) ""Funny, fascinating, and encyclopedic.""--The Playlist ""In addition to being a terrifically entertaining and informative chronicle of these hard-hitting, explosive martial arts movies, Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali deliver an insightful glimpse into that bygone grindhouse era and the cultural ripples created by this cinematic tsunami. These Fists Break Bricks is a bone-crushing blast!""--Steven Puchalski, Shock Cinema Magazine ""This intelligent, witty, respectful virtual encyclopedia is as fun as the subject it covers. Marvelously designed and written by two experts, it is the book all kung fu movie fans have been waiting for.""--Danny Peary, author and film critic (Cult Movies 1-3, Cult Movie Stars) ""This is no schlock-by-numbers quickie film book. Hendrix and Poggiali are twin ninjas of celluloid anthropology who combine deep-dish research, the insight of true obsessives and a dash of tart, off-kilter wit to explore the complex relationship between martial arts cinema and pop culture. The fast, funky narrative they create reveals their subject is the hip-hop of movie genres, an ongoing sample-and-remix art project that constantly reinvents itself to meet the world's ever-changing needs, and cult film buffs will devour every mind-expanding page.""--Donald Guarisco, Schlockmania! ""Truly a colossal effort . . . It's already the 'bible' of martial arts film.""--Serafim Karalexis, producer (The Real Bruce Lee, Death Promise, The Black Dragon)

""Grab a cold one (I won't ask of what), lounge on the patio or in an easy chair after dark, and practice your love of reading some cool, sexy and sleek looks at the stories, art and movies of a much more kick-ass time.""--The Loftus Party ​""Lavishly illustrated with posters and stills.""--Shepherd Express ""This book oughta be called KungFuPedia--you can just look at the pictures and increase your martial-arts movie knowledge by a thousand percent. If you don't own it, you deserve to be whopped on the right side of your face by Billy Jack's right foot."" --Joe Bob Briggs, film critic and host of The Last Drive-in ""These Fists Break Bricks is a total blast! A brilliant step-by-step tour through the chopsocky film genre. The book is a jaw-dropping visual feast full of rare posters and forgotten stills. Impeccably researched, it's perfect for both the Tarantino-level fanatic or a newbie who has only seen Enter the Dragon. I was a twelve-year-old kid who took his nunchucks to the drive-in to see these films back in the day and I felt an insane rush of joy turning every page.""--Larry Karaszewski, screenwriter (Ed Wood, Dolemite Is My Name) """"What Hendrix and Poggiali have done isn't just a history of a movie genre, it's a record of a true cultural phenomenon as the world embraced martial arts in the streets and on movie screens. These Fists Break Bricks is that rare combination of a fun read combined with true scholarship, complemented by an amazing collection of images that transports the reader back to the era of triple bills and fifty-cent popcorn. It is not to be missed.""--C. Courtney Joyner, screenwriter (Class of 1999, From a Whisper to a Scream) ""A fascinating and amazingly complete tome.""--Larry Hama, writer/artist (G.I. Joe, Wolverine) ""A fascinating overview of martial arts movies.""--SlashFilm ""Chris Poggiali and Grady Hendrix really have a special thing in These Fists Break Bricks, and I can't wait to suggest it to others.""--Book Squad Goals ""Full of great illos and facts about the producers, directors, stars, distributors, theaters, and the endless retitles and rip-offs. This book is excellent.""--Michael J. Weldon, author/editor (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film, Psychotronic Video) ""Funny, fascinating, and encyclopedic.""--The Playlist ""In addition to being a terrifically entertaining and informative chronicle of these hard-hitting, explosive martial arts movies, Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali deliver an insightful glimpse into that bygone grindhouse era and the cultural ripples created by this cinematic tsunami. These Fists Break Bricks is a bone-crushing blast!""--Steven Puchalski, Shock Cinema Magazine ""This intelligent, witty, respectful virtual encyclopedia is as fun as the subject it covers. Marvelously designed and written by two experts, it is the book all kung fu movie fans have been waiting for.""--Danny Peary, author and film critic (Cult Movies 1-3, Cult Movie Stars) ""This is no schlock-by-numbers quickie film book. Hendrix and Poggiali are twin ninjas of celluloid anthropology who combine deep-dish research, the insight of true obsessives and a dash of tart, off-kilter wit to explore the complex relationship between martial arts cinema and pop culture. The fast, funky narrative they create reveals their subject is the hip-hop of movie genres, an ongoing sample-and-remix art project that constantly reinvents itself to meet the world's ever-changing needs, and cult film buffs will devour every mind-expanding page.""--Donald Guarisco, Schlockmania! ""Truly a colossal effort . . . It's already the 'bible' of martial arts film.""--Serafim Karalexis, producer (The Real Bruce Lee, Death Promise, The Black Dragon)

""The volume doesn't merely chronicle a film genre - it captures the pulse of a cultural uprising. It shows how martial arts leapt from the screen to the streets, transforming both cinema and everyday life into arenas of dynamic expression. . . . Hendrix and Poggiali's work stands as a love letter to a genre that altered the world - one sidekick at a time.""--Wing Chun Illustrated ""These Fists Break Bricks is a compelling account of kung fu movies along with the people and events associated with them. It's a book one reads with a notepad beside them to log movie titles to a watch list.""--Cinema Sentries ""This tome does all the work and puts you there in the complex international history of the cinema of kicking people in the face. It is deeply educational and an utter delight.""--Nashville Scene ​""A set of interlocking historical narratives about how martial arts ingrained themselves into the world's cinematic palette, and a starting point for further introspection and imagination . . . Highly Recommended.""--Forces of Geek ""Utterly essential reading for any martial arts movie.""--The Action Elite ""A must for diehard Kung Fu movie fans.""--Borg.com ""Through interviews, photographs, and colorful illustrations, Hendrix and Poggiali take readers on an enjoyable journey through the martial arts film genre.""--Library Journal ""Grab a cold one (I won't ask of what), lounge on the patio or in an easy chair after dark, and practice your love of reading some cool, sexy and sleek looks at the stories, art and movies of a much more kick-ass time.""--The Loftus Party ​""Lavishly illustrated with posters and stills.""--Shepherd Express ""This book oughta be called KungFuPedia--you can just look at the pictures and increase your martial-arts movie knowledge by a thousand percent. If you don't own it, you deserve to be whopped on the right side of your face by Billy Jack's right foot."" --Joe Bob Briggs, film critic and host of The Last Drive-in ""These Fists Break Bricks is a total blast! A brilliant step-by-step tour through the chopsocky film genre. The book is a jaw-dropping visual feast full of rare posters and forgotten stills. Impeccably researched, it's perfect for both the Tarantino-level fanatic or a newbie who has only seen Enter the Dragon. I was a twelve-year-old kid who took his nunchucks to the drive-in to see these films back in the day and I felt an insane rush of joy turning every page.""--Larry Karaszewski, screenwriter (Ed Wood, Dolemite Is My Name) """"What Hendrix and Poggiali have done isn't just a history of a movie genre, it's a record of a true cultural phenomenon as the world embraced martial arts in the streets and on movie screens. These Fists Break Bricks is that rare combination of a fun read combined with true scholarship, complemented by an amazing collection of images that transports the reader back to the era of triple bills and fifty-cent popcorn. It is not to be missed.""--C. Courtney Joyner, screenwriter (Class of 1999, From a Whisper to a Scream) ""A fascinating and amazingly complete tome.""--Larry Hama, writer/artist (G.I. Joe, Wolverine) ""A fascinating overview of martial arts movies.""--SlashFilm ""Chris Poggiali and Grady Hendrix really have a special thing in These Fists Break Bricks, and I can't wait to suggest it to others.""--Book Squad Goals ""Full of great illos and facts about the producers, directors, stars, distributors, theaters, and the endless retitles and rip-offs. This book is excellent.""--Michael J. Weldon, author/editor (The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film, Psychotronic Video) ""Funny, fascinating, and encyclopedic.""--The Playlist ""In addition to being a terrifically entertaining and informative chronicle of these hard-hitting, explosive martial arts movies, Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali deliver an insightful glimpse into that bygone grindhouse era and the cultural ripples created by this cinematic tsunami. These Fists Break Bricks is a bone-crushing blast!""--Steven Puchalski, Shock Cinema Magazine ""This intelligent, witty, respectful virtual encyclopedia is as fun as the subject it covers. Marvelously designed and written by two experts, it is the book all kung fu movie fans have been waiting for.""--Danny Peary, author and film critic (Cult Movies 1-3, Cult Movie Stars) ""This is no schlock-by-numbers quickie film book. Hendrix and Poggiali are twin ninjas of celluloid anthropology who combine deep-dish research, the insight of true obsessives and a dash of tart, off-kilter wit to explore the complex relationship between martial arts cinema and pop culture. The fast, funky narrative they create reveals their subject is the hip-hop of movie genres, an ongoing sample-and-remix art project that constantly reinvents itself to meet the world's ever-changing needs, and cult film buffs will devour every mind-expanding page.""--Donald Guarisco, Schlockmania! ""Truly a colossal effort . . . It's already the 'bible' of martial arts film.""--Serafim Karalexis, producer (The Real Bruce Lee, Death Promise, The Black Dragon)

Author Information

Grady Hendrix is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author and one of the founders of the New York Asian Film Festival. He's covered the Asian film industry for Variety, Sight & Sound, and Film Comment, among others. He lives in NYC. Chris Poggiali is a librarian, writer, and film historian who edited the fanzine Temple of Schlock from 1987 - 1991, and brought it back as a blog in 2008. He has written about film for numerous magazines, websites, and DVDs/Blu-rays.

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