Wang Yu, one of the stars of the Hong Kong fight movies of the past that has been forgotten today, was a champion swimmer before the cinema. He was even arrested for murder in 1981, but acquitted for lack of evidence. Wang Yu's daughter, Linda Wong, is also a famous singer in the Far East.
Jimmy Wang Yu…
Jimmy Wang Yu, the unforgettable actor in karate fighting action movies in Hong Kong cinema, was born on March 28, 1943, in the Wuxi-Jiangsu region of China. The name Wang Yu was heard around the world with the 1967 movie "Dubei Dao/The One-Armed Swordsman" directed by Cheh Chang. Wang Yu gradually began to make his presence felt in the cinema.
Although Bruce Lee has appeared in movies since he was a child, he started acting in combat films inspired by Wang Yu. Wang Yu always respected this sudden opponent, even agreeing to a second role to play in the same movie. But their paths never met.
Before long, Wang Yu became the most admired Hong Kong actress. Compared to Bruce Lee, Wang Yu became especially the hero of children with his calmer appearance, silence, and unique aesthetic fights. The 1970 production "Long hu dou/The Chinese Boxer", released in 1973, became the name of this charismatic actor Wang Yu.
The movie “The One-Armed Swordsman” was truly a phenomenon. Perhaps the most impressive scene in this movie was when Wang Yu dipped his hands into a fire-filled basin filled with sand to steel him. It was perhaps one of the most memorable moments for all children. The fight scene in this movie, especially under the snow, was also fascinating. The cinemascope images covering the entire screen were perhaps the most exciting. In the movies with swords, the male characters wore their long hair in a bun on their heads. This is actually a traditional common culture in the Far East. This was also the case in Japanese movies with period swords and fights. This hero, who cut trees with his hands, split the table in two with one hit, defeated many "bad guys" with his sword swinging with one arm, and surrounded world cinemas with his films one after another throughout the 1970s.
He was a superstar
Wang Yu made his film debut in 1965 in "Huo Shao Hong Lian si Zhi Yuan Yang Jian/The Twin Swords" directed by Teng Hung Hsu. Immediately attracting attention, Wang Yu soon rose to the lead and became a "superstar" in Asia. Wang Yu has also worked as a director and producer in Hong Kong cinema. In 1970, he had his directorial debut with "The Son of the Armless Hero". Wang Yu was always grateful to the “Armless Hero” who made his name known in the world. He also directed the movie “Du Bei Chuan Wang/One Armed Boxer” in 1971. Wang Yu continued the “Armless Hero” series for years. Wang Yu also directed the movie “Si Da Tian Wang/Four Real Friends” in 1974. He also starred in a movie in Australia in 1975. He directed "The Man from Hong Kong" with Brian Trenchard-Smith. In this movie, along with the aesthetic fight scenes, aesthetic images were also immediately prominent. The gloomy night shots also gave the film a completely different feel. In this action movie with lots of car chases and chases, Wang Yu was also doing a lot of acrobatic moves in his sweatpants. It was also one of Wang Yu's most erotic films. Flying through the air, swinging a sword with one arm, Wang Yu's special feature was the technique of hitting backward with his elbows while fighting. He also developed this technique against Bruce Lee's chain club.
Wang Yu also worked in Japan. The episodic “Shin Zatoichi: Yabure! Shintaro Katsu and Wang Yu faced off in the movie “Tojin-ken-One-Armed Hero vs. the Blind Musketeer”. Wang Yu was also the one-armed hero in this co-production. Of course, the duel-fight scene in the finale of the movie was also breathtaking.
In the 1980s, his popularity gradually waned and he began appearing in secondary roles. The 1980s were now the era of Jackie Chan. Wang Yu even starred in the second role in the 1982 movie "Mai Nei Dak Gung Dui" starring Jackie Chan. The same year, this famous actress appeared in a second role as Oshiko Imoguchi in the entertaining action-war movie "Attack Force Z" starring Mel Gibson and directed by Tim Burstall. Wang Yu no longer appears in films since 1993. His last appearance was in the sword-action movie "Qian ren zhan" directed by Chinese Shan-si Ting.
Wang Yu's real name was Wang Zheng-Quan, and he was a true legend. Wang Yu was a swimming champion before entering the cinema. He was arrested for murder in 1981 but was released due to lack of evidence. Wang Yu's daughter, Linda Wong, is also a famous singer in the Far East today. From time to time it can be good to commemorate the important players of the past. Hong Kong cinema has transformed from the karate films of the past to the prestigious cinema of today. In the old days, the money earned from the cinema was invested in the cinema in Hong Kong. First, John Woo went to Hollywood with the aesthetically loaded action movies he shot. Next came Wong Kar Wai. And then the Pang brothers. Of course, there's also Johnnie To.
April 5, 2022
“Jimmy Wang Yu” Died at the Age of 79.
Taiwanese actor “Jimmy Wang Yu,” once one of the biggest stars of martial arts cinema, passed away at a Taipei hospital on Tuesday from an undisclosed illness that he had been battling for six years. The news of the death of the 79-year-old veteran actor was announced on Instagram by his daughter Linda Wang.
Born in Shanghai, Wang made a name for himself as an action star with Shaw Brothers Studio in the 1960s. The One-Armed Swordsman movie, which came to the screen in 1967, was one of the most well-known productions of the master.
Having appeared in more than 40 action and martial arts films, Wang's career history includes productions such as One-Armed Boxer (1972), The Man From Hong Kong (1975), and Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976).
Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, he left acting in 1997. However, Wang, who returned to the screen with the movie Wu Xia in 2011, appeared for the last time in the horror classic Soul, which was released in 2013.
Regarding Wang's death, Jackie Chan said: "Your contributions to kung fu movies, your support, and wisdom to younger generations will always be remembered in the industry. Your movies will always remain in the hearts of their fans. We will miss you!"