For 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.

LINKS

Katrina 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_qGS8

Buy '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-action

A 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/)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It'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 PAYPAL

Your donation will go towards our continued efforts to share the latest martial arts movie news, reviews and podcasts. https://paypal.me/KungFuMovieGuide

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is 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/KFMGPodBestOfStunts

Cynthia Rothrock on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodCynthiaRothrock

Andrew Koji on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodEpisode37

Scott Adkins on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodScottAdkins

Michiko Nishiwaki on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodMichikoNishiwaki

Joe Taslim on Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast: https://bit.ly/KFMGPodJoeTaslim

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.