Donnie Yen, the 90s is not red is inevitable, no matter how hard it is useless. The new century is a big red is inevitable, who can not stop.
Don't say by Jet Li suppression, the same style of Wu Jing, Zhao Wenzhuo, Shi Xiaolong how to debut on the fire? Lee special pressure on the same teacher brother?
Donnie Yen was really "useless" in those days
Donnie Yen, by Yuen Woo-ping, Yuen Cheung-yan and Yuen Hsin-yi, the three brothers personally brought on the road. 80's the first two movies "laugh too much" and "love with the enemy", is a funny ＋ breakdancing ＋ action diversified film, very wonderful. Yuan's top match, but Donnie Yen did not red up.
In the 80s and 90s, the people of the country respected the transmission of martial arts. Restricted by the field of vision, that boxing, Muay Thai, fighting, etc. are fake, only the profound Chinese martial arts for the world's authentic. Thinking that foreign boxing is more stupid, the thin old man to defeat the Hercules two thousand pounds, convinced.
Chinese patriotic feelings have always been strong. Eighty-nine years era, the country's favorite heroes to see the foreigners, very strong and heroic! Chen Zhen, Huo Yuanjia, Huang Feihong, Fang Shiyu and other subjects, are on fire. Jet Li fire all over the world, Zhao Wenzhuo, Wu Jing and other fire. Only Donnie Yen can not, all the skills of even a few years old Shi Xiaolong can not do.
Yan Zidan was a foreigner, playing the Western fighting is not a Chinese set, but also do not play heroes, do not fight foreigners. He did not have a place in his body that the people of China liked at the time, so what did he rely on?
The same Zhen style, any movie can not, but "Jingwumen" fire all over the north and south of the Yangtze River, the people! Donnie Yen himself sang the ending song. Because Donnie played the hero to fight the Easterners la! People love .
In the 21st century, Donnie Yen was unstoppableWith the development of the times, Muay Thai, boxing, fighting, free fighting, sparring, and so on, a brain influx of the public's field of vision, and people have seen what is the real style . At that time, martial arts movies have been declining, the audience has seen a surge of knowledge, people are tired of watching the flying around the false. What Donnie Yen has always respected and excelled at is fighting movies.
The best opportunities always come to those who work hardest. When martial arts movies are in decline, the action filmmaker who works the hardest and perseveres the most is Donnie Yen. No one to shoot action themes, he invested in his own, the results of the "New Tangshan Mountain Brother", "Legend of the Wolf" and other three movies to Donnie Yen lost a lot of money ...
Donnie Yen did not give up, and then starred in "Iron Horse", "Su Begir" and other biography of martial arts movies. Whatever he could do, whether fighting or martial arts, investing himself or being an actor, Donnie Yen just went for it.
2002 "Hero" and gave Donnie Yen burned a fire, at this time Yen has been more red. The sky will come down to the people also, must first suffer their hearts and minds... Just stepped on a horse, 2004 "Fighter" swept the world ...
Donnie Yen reacted extremely quickly. 2005 launched "Kill the Wolves", the next "Fuse", "Dragon Tiger Gate", hard against the Muay Thai impact. Since then, Chinese movies have entered the Donnie Yen fighting era. So far, "Kill the Wolf" and "Fuse" no one beyond, by the fans known as China's fighting movie of the pioneering work .
The post-Ip Man series naturally needs no introduction. China's top martial arts movie series, only Jet Li "Huang Feihong" and Donnie Yen "Ip Man" . It's useless if you're not convinced. Don't say you can invite Tyson if you pay him, why didn't anyone invite him before? First of all, you have to have the heart to promote Chinese martial arts to the world, and then to invite.
Successful, you have the ability to far enough, but also vision, daily accumulation, always ready, unremitting efforts, everything depends on action. Movie environment is good on the performance, the environment is poor on the abandonment, by what success? The first thing you need to do is to look at other people's red, and then go to work, it's already too late! This is fair.
Donnie Yen's early years are not red is the reason for the times, and prejudice, Donnie Yen's style, subject matter, and even identity, these are not widely accepted, and then work hard can not. The time is also, the situation is also, luck is !
People always appreciate hard work, we are not stupid. What is the reason why Donnie Yen is not a big winner in life?
Paid other filmmakers can not do the effort. Visionary, firmly believe in their own concept, the pursuit of perfection, decades of preparation and various attempts to create a top team Donnie Yen class. Regardless of the rumors of right and wrong, burying their heads in the sand and relying on their works to speak.
All talents are fine, martial arts movies + fighting movies + action design / guidance (seven awards), three have reached the peak of the filmmaker, ask who else? Donnie Yen's piano, singing and dancing are all at a professional level. Donnie Yen 30 years of these efforts, not a big hit there is God's reason?
Donnie Yen is the director of the Hong Kong Bruce Lee Association, Li Xiangning personally awarded. Donnie Yen has retired his American nationality to Chinese nationality in 2009.
Donnie Yen has been a charity ambassador for Save the Children for many years, and was honored with the China Charity Donation Star Award in 2020. Donnie Yen has worked with more than 40 action stars in China, most of them 2 times and more. Remember, someone who is so successful must have something to offer that others don't! Just because you don't know, doesn't mean there isn't.
Donnie Yen debuted in the era, just the golden age of kung fu movie, Bruce Lee has died, but left the kung fu movie hit the market. The most Donnie Yen, before Jackie Chan, after Jet Li, and Jackie Chan and Jet Li double, which is difficult to see in the era of kung fu films, at the same time there are two super kung fu superstars appeared. This shows how awkward the era in which Donnie Yen is living is.
As for what made him a winner in life later on? There are only two aspects, one is the subjective self, and the other is the objective conditions.
Zhang Anbang first talk about themselves, Donnie Yen itself has become a kung fu superstar gene, in the United States with his mother boxing, and later went to the Beijing Wushu Institute for further study, and Jet Li is a real master brother, but also got Zhao Changjun's guidance, in the piece of martial arts, especially this piece of the set of nothing, the set of martial arts superstar is the best skills. Donnie Yen to the development of the Hong Kong film industry, no matter how bad, have not given up, we all know, Jackie Chan, Jet Li let a lot of kung fu actors to give up the ambition to fight for supremacy, in the face of the two of them, including Donnie Yen, including the existence of the untouchable. But Donnie Yen has not given up, don't forget, Donnie Yen has a relative advantage, age, after all, than Jackie Chan Li Lianjie smaller, the other is to fight for years of work, he can fight longer in retirement, with time to beat the two predecessors.
As for the objective, the above Zhang Anbang has also analyzed, one is the age advantage, after all, a few years younger ah, seniors always have the old time, the second is his work after nearly two decades of precipitation, the formation of their own style, can be said to be a thick and thin, it is just that the "Ip Man" synchronized with the national mood of the country at the time, coupled with the time there is no when the fighting years with the fight against kung fu actors, there are also the same as him. Born at the wrong time. In fact, people who practice martial arts know that the age of this is irreversible, which is why I retired to the second line very early, presided over the Nanjing originally intercepted the teaching of the museum, rather than the first line of struggle, many times, it is really the years are not forgiving!
Very honored to answer your question
I think Donnie Yen's successful comeback experience shows that it is most important to understand the audience's preferences!
Donnie Yen, born on July 27, 1963 in Guangdong, China, is a famous film and television actor, director, and martial arts director in Hong Kong, China.
Donnie Yen immigrated to Hong Kong at the age of 2 and to Boston, Massachusetts at the age of 11. His mother, Ms. Mak Po-chan, is an international martial artist and Tai Chi master, so he has been practicing martial arts with his mother since he was a child, which can be said to be the root of the family of martial arts practitioners. His exposure to traditional Chinese Kung Fu such as Tai Chi and Western Boxing has given him an excellent foundation in traditional martial arts.
It's hard to argue with Donnie Yen's solid martial arts background, but whether it's starring in 1984's "Laughing at Tai Chi" or "Love in the face of the enemy", Donnie Yen has never been able to catch fire. Why? All the reasons out of the movie audience! The audience does not understand martial arts, even if the fist to the flesh, only insiders understand the truth, the audience can not understand. The audience only likes good-looking, beautiful action martial arts movie, which we often say "flowery fist fist"!
In 1985, Donnie Yen returned to China and went to Xi'an to learn martial arts from Zhao Changjun.
After a few years of learning, Donnie Yen returned to Hong Kong, starring in "Wong Fei Hung", "Su Beggar", "New Dragon Inn" and other martial arts films, great critical acclaim, and successful comeback!
Donnie Yen's acting experience shows that the basics come first, but making a movie is not a martial arts competition, you have to know the audience's preferences, and then learn accordingly, and finally succeed against the odds!
The nineties was the golden heyday of Chinese kung fu movies. At this time, Jackie Chan, Jet Li has become famous, hit the big time, renowned movie world, each have their own many classic movie masterpieces, and began to enter Hollywood, take the international route, box office appeal are very high. At this time, Donnie Yen's work is not much, subject to the influence of the Hong Kong film market force, there is no one with their own unique logo of the movie classic character image masterpiece. The influence of Hollywood and Hong Kong movies, needless to say, is naturally incomparable! This period of Donnie Yen is also a director and action director. Now we mention the police story series of movies is naturally Jackie Chan, a mention of Wong Fei Hung series of course is Jet Li ha!
After Jackie Chan and Jet Li went to Hollywood, Hong Kong kung fu movie Donnie Yen had a chance. From the "Ip Man" series began, Donnie Yen began to reverse the big red. Ip Man" series became the classic masterpiece of Donnie Yen. Since Bruce Lee became synonymous with Chinese kung fu in the world, Bruce Lee's master Ip Man began to enter people's field of vision, become a hotly debated figure, Donnie Yen's "Ip Man" series of works produced at the right time, coupled with Donnie Yen's own Wing Chun practice, and now we mention the topic of Ip Man, Donnie Yen played the image of Ip Man is y rooted in people's hearts, it is strange to not be on fire! Now we mention the Ip Man series is naturally Donnie Yen!
In fact, we all know, a successful person behind the back of the surely endless heartache, so that Donnie Yen is how to fire up it, what is the story behind him, in fact, we all know that Donnie Yen, after all, is the old generation of artists well, is also a star, he is mainly a martial arts star, that is, in the martial arts in this regard is more attainments, and then he is relying on the "Ip Man" fire up, because he In this movie in English played a leading man well, and then is a martial arts action film, and is Chinese kung fu, so from this can be reflected on the one hand, the depth of Chinese culture, as well as the process of traditional Chinese culture, which can be a good reflection of the characteristics of the Chinese nation, and then a movie that tells a story, so Ip Man in this movie to achieve a very good role! and portrayed it perfectly. This brought him a certain amount of fame.
In fact, we all know, now China's stars have a particularly large number, especially in this aspect of acting, but then, acting is also divided into several types, some are theater actors, some are drama actors, some are actors of the movie screen, like Ip Man, his face is more suitable for the kind of big screen of the movie, that kind of texture, and he also has a professionalism, this professionalism is very strong, not that Anyone can act, but Ip Man has the expertise in this area, because his own martial arts is still OK, and also practiced since childhood.
And Donnie Yen such stars, in fact, there are still a lot of, such as an originator of the bar, is Jackie Chan, he can be said to be the big brother of this, and then Wu Jing is also a rising star, there are Donnie Yen there are a number of although the fame is relatively large, but the real name of some of the stars of martial arts is not very well known, in fact, they are all obscure, but also need to get the support of the people.
From 2008 to 2019, the Ip Man series has written its own legend with four movies.
Donnie Yen played Master Ip for the last time, and the flashback clip at the end of the movie brought tears to the eyes.
It starts and ends with the stake.
We're privileged to witness a return to fervor and a warm farewell.
This is not only Donnie Yen's farewell to the character, but also his farewell to kung fu movies.
It used to be said that movies were for dreaming, so we could watch superheroes on the screen fighting bad guys in the sky and on the ground.
As a result, this year the movies turned around and slapped us in the face. It turns out that superheroes get old and die, too.
Whether it's the Avengers, or Ip Man.
People can't resist the years, and Donnie Yen has a day when he can't fight.
Before meeting Ip Man, Donnie Yen's career in the first half of his life can only be described by the word "stifled".
His first thirty years, around him in the discussion of the voice must be inseparable from the following two names: Jet Li, Jackie Chan.
Among them, Donnie Yen and Jet Li have the deepest connection.
At the age of 17, Donnie Yen returned to China to study at the Shichahai Sports School, where his coach was Wu Bin and his senior brother was Jet Li.
But the same person has a different life, a "Shaolin Temple" let Jet Li fire all over the country.
Jet Li also transformed from a martial arts athlete into a martial arts star.
As an actor, if you want the audience to remember you, you must have your own masterpiece.
Jet Li was crowned the "Emperor of Kung Fu" with classic movies such as Wong Fei Hung and Fong Sai Yuk.
On the other hand, Donnie Yen, who was also the double champion of the U.S. Martial Arts Championships in weaponry and boxing, was the first to win the title.
But compared to his brother's achievements, his own little achievement is really mediocre.
We have all heard the expression "one life, two luck, three feng shui", in fact, there is also the second half of this sentence "four accumulation of virtue, five reading, six names, seven phases of the eight respect God, nine hand over the nobleman ten keep fit".
For Donnie Yen, there is no doubt that he is Yuan Heping.
As the Chinese film industry and even look at the world are very prestigious master level martial arts finger.
Yuen Wo Ping used a Drunken Fist to make Jackie Chan famous.
In the search for the next newcomer, Donnie Yen came into his sight. From then on, he began a long collaboration with Donnie Yen.
"Laughing at Tai Chi" was the first movie starring Donnie Yen. From this movie, Yuen Woo-ping found that Donnie Yen had excellent leg work.
So in Money Laundering, he designed a lot of leg movements for Donnie Yen. You can find it in all of Donnie Yen's work since then.
But alas, at the time, Jet Li and Jackie Chan were the absolute C-suites in the realm of kung fu movies.
Acting police, beyond the Chen Ka Kui; acting heroes, beyond the Wong Fei Hung.
Throughout the 90s, Donnie Yen gave people the impression that there are only two big screen images, and they are all villains.
One is the "New Dragon Inn" Cao Shaoqin, the voice of the yin and yang, white makeup, known as the childhood shadow.
One is the "Huang Feihong male children should be strong" Nalan Yuanshu.
His alley fight with Wong Fei Hung was impressive.
Huang Fei-hong series was a big success, Donnie Yen knows that not his own credit, rather than being green leaf would be better to turn to the small screen, seeking other development.
Finally, let him wait for the first masterpiece of his acting career, Chen Musheng directed "Jingwumen".
The show was a hit when it aired.
The relationship between Chen Chen and Naomi Takeda in the play, and the love affair between Donnie Yen and Elaine Wan outside the play, were all talked about after dinner.
Somewhat famous Donnie Yen began to form his own company, and has filmed "Legend of the Wolf", "Kill Kill Dance", "New Tangshan Brother".
Unfortunately, they all failed miserably at the box office.
In a commercial society, the word "profit" takes precedence, and without box office results, everything is a lie.
After more than a decade of filming in Hong Kong, Donnie Yen began to seek development abroad.
In 2001, invited by Jet Li, Donnie Yen returned to China to star in "Hero" directed by Zhang Yimou.
This was the second collaboration between the masters and brothers after Wong Fei Hung.
This sword and lance duel, so that the audience began to really notice Donnie Yen.
It's worth noting that Donnie Yen's scene, which features a classic horseback shot maneuver, was doubled by Zhang Jin.
"Heroes" made Donnie Yen famous, and Zhang Jin made a name for himself in the industry because of this maneuver.
But there's still a distance between being known and being red.
It's still true that for an actor to be remembered, he must have a masterpiece of his own.
Jackie Chan pioneered the "kung fu comedy", with a strong personal style;
Jet Li used the northern martial arts interpretation of the southern masters, the Chinese kung fu completely carried forward;
Wu Jing said, "If no one can help you create such a time, then can you create one yourself? Can't you create one yourself and express what you want to express?"
And so came the later, lone "Wolf".
Donnie Yen's luck was still a little short, until he met Wilson Yip.
The two worked together on Wolf and Fuse.
The audience has seen a lot of kung fu comedies, and this kind of hard-hitting, fist-to-flesh fights are very enjoyable.
The two fights in "Kill the Wolves" are still textbook.
One is and Wu Jing's alleyway battle, two martial arts practitioners throughout no set of moves, is the real fight.
The other is a boss battle with Sammo Hung.
According to director Wilson Yip, "Ending that scene, because the big brother and Zidan's fight is all real kung fu, big brother with his feet to block the Zidan a foot, instantly make the old disease recurrence, walking step by step are hard to cry out in pain, but big brother is very professional, injured also bear the pain to complete all the filming process."
"The Wolf" was a powerful shot in the arm for Hong Kong action movies, and set a benchmark for future Hong Kong action movies.
By the time Fuse came around, the action went even further than Killing Wolf, incorporating a blend of Jeet Kune Do, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Sanshou, boxing, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and more, focusing on both external and internal kung fu in one.
The scene where Donnie Yen takes on Shih Hsing-yu, with flying kicks, punches, knee strikes, and over-the-back drops, makes your blood run cold.
The final boss battle with Zou Shaolong is dazzling.
At this point, Donnie Yen's second nobleman, Huang Baiming, wanted to sign him for three years and three movies.
Huang Baiming said: "In the past, when I signed Donnie Yen, those bosses are waiting to see my joke, said 'crazy, why sign him? If he wanted to be red, he would have been red long ago'."
Huang Baiming laughed but didn't say anything, because he was preparing a kung fu movie, and needed an actor who really knew kung fu to play it.
That movie is Ip Man.
Coincidentally, Donnie Yen and Ip Man are quite close.
In 1997, the director of "Journey to the West", Lau Chun-wai, planned to start shooting "Ip Man".
At that time, the candidates were: Donnie Yen as Ip Man and Stephen Chow as Bruce Lee.
Later, the project was shelved for various reasons.
Ten years later, Wong Pak Ming approached him to play Ip Man, and he agreed without saying a word.
But at this point, there were doubts: why should he?
It seems that the creators did not have a bottom, when the first Ip Man was released, the words "Bruce Lee's mentor" were written in large letters on the poster, after all, Ip Man is not well known to the general public.
But the result, as we have all seen, is the rebirth on the big screen of a gentle, respectful master who would stand up for injustice when he saw it.
With a 45-year-old Donnie Yen playing a 45-year-old Ip Man, it seems like everything was meant to be.
Director Wilson Yip told Donnie Yen, "You need a role where people think of Donnie Yen when they talk about it."
This statement is now prophetic.
After that, in the public's impression, Ip Man is Donnie Yen, and Donnie Yen is Ip Man.
Since then, Donnie Yen and Ip Man have been bound together in depth, and truly have their own masterpieces.
At the age of 45, Donnie Yen is a late bloomer, with fame and fortune.
Earlier, "Ip Man 4" started shooting, Huang Baiming burst Donnie Yen's remuneration has more than 100 million Hong Kong dollars, but he felt that the value. "This value is the market to him. I think Zidan may not be worth it to shoot other plays, but it's super worth it to shoot Ip Man."
But Donnie Yen didn't want to be stereotyped by Ip Man, so after four episodes he said goodbye to the "famous character".
It may be a long time before there's another kung fu movie of this caliber.
But Donnie Yen didn't give up on action movies.
He said that his next movie, Fury, is the best fashion action movie he's made since he started out in movies.
There's no such thing as a banquet, though the Ip Man series is over.
But it's a blessing to witness a legend in our time.
In the early years of the Chinese film market from decline to prosperity, Donnie Yen is relevant to the pulse of this era with the **** with the growth of the filmmakers, in the early years, there is Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen has been doing supporting roles, so Donnie Yen has been no fire, and then five years, three Golden Statue Awards for best action director, behind his personal efforts and perseverance is indistinguishable
Donnie Yen's mother, Ms. Mai Baochan is an international martial artist and tai chi boxer, who is a member of the Chinese Academy of Arts and Sciences. His mother, Ms. Mak Po-chan, was an international martial artist and Tai Chi master, so he was exposed to both Chinese and Western martial arts like Tai Chi since he was a child, providing him with a good foundation in traditional martial arts.
After Jackie Chan and Jet Li semi-retired, Donnie Yen relied on Ip Man to make a big splash
His early years were characterized by a lack of literature, no advantage, until Ip Man reached the peak of his literature.