News

The best martial arts TV shows all feature their version of high-octane action sequences, fighting choreography, and commanding performances from their leads that combine together to create a compelling series. The star doesn't just need to give a compelling performance with his dialogue but also demonstrate legitimate martial arts skills and the physicality needed to pull off the sequences. The best shows will seamlessly combine all the elements to create an entertaining series that doesn't really focus too much on the narrative or the action but creates a balance of both.

In a genre with many iconic performances, from David Carradine's breakthrough role in Kung Fu way back in 1972 to William Zabka's dynamic return to the iconic Karate Kid franchise in Cobra Kai, the stars continually provide an authentic and intense portrayal of martial arts. Whether it's as a kung fu master, a martial arts icon, or someone...

Ip Man 5 could be a spin-off that focuses on characters inspired by Ip Man, exploring their journeys and possibly featuring Ip Man in a supporting role through flashbacks. Another possibility for Ip Man 5 is to delve into the life of Wong Shun Leung, Ip Man's first student, and how he spreads his mentor's teachings to the next generation. The fifth installment could also focus on Ip Man's sons, Ip Chun and Ip Ching, as they carry on their father's legacy after his death, showcasing the family drama and emphasizing their journeys.

With martial artist and action star Donnie Yen's recent announcement of Ip Man 5, the future of the franchise is now both exciting and confusing. The news that Ip Man 5 was going to happen was quite surprising, namely because Yen's now iconic Ip Man character died at the end of Ip Man 4: The Finale,...

Donnie Yen will return as Ip Man in Ip Man 5 despite the character's death in Ip Man 4, presenting a surprise for martial arts fans. The challenge Ip Man 5 faces is not the character's death, but rather continuing the story's biggest theme from Ip Man 4. Ip Man 5 can overcome this challenge by focusing on Ip Man's mortality and telling a heartfelt story of him training his son and living life to its fullest.

Donnie Yen will return as Bruce Lee's kung fu mentor in Ip Man 5, but the movie has a bigger challenge to overcome than his death at the end of Ip Man 4: The Finale. Donnie Yen's portrayal of famed Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man stands as his signature role, with the Ip Man movie franchise chronicling its title character's life story, albeit in a fictionalized form. The 2019 sequel Ip Man 4: The Finale...

The New York Underground invaded the mainstream with Robert Downey Sr.’s completely irreverent Madison Avenue satire, in which a token black executive takes over an Ad agency, renames it ‘Truth and Soul’ and goes on a mad reign of creative terror. Arnold Johnson, Stan Gottlieb, Allen Garfield, and Antonio Fargas star in a farce that some critics found intolerably crude — but an independent distributor gave it a national release. 1969 was the year that the Production Code took a tumble — and Downey’s picture proved that freedom of expression was alive and well in the U.S. of A..

Putney Swope

Region Free Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1969 / B&w + Color / 1:37 Academy / 85 min. / Street Date July 25, 2022 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99

Starring: Arnold Johnson, Stan Gottlieb, Allen Garfield, Archie Russell, Ching Yeh, Norman Schreiber, Wendy Appel, Antonio Fargas, Laura Greene, Allan Arbus, Pepi Hermine, Larry Wolf, Ronnie Dyson, Shelley Plimpton, Marlene Clark,...