Free Kung fu Documentary

[mrnicejai]

Not sure if this is the right section: Mods feel free to move it but this is a new Documentary that's available on Hulu. It's about traditional Kung Fu in Malaysia and how the old ways are slowly disappearing. Thought you guys might enjoy it.

here's a trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLXeNlT57y0

and the whole thing is here

http://www.hulu.com/watch/142702/needle-through-brick

[kngfu]

Thanks for the link I really liked the documentary.

[Ramji]

That looks really interesting man. Shame I can only watch the trailer as I'm in the UK. Will try and find it elsewhere.

It's an interesting topic. I think traditional kung fu can come across as outdated to the youth of today. You can already see the impact MMA has made in the last few years it's reached the mainstream and in return the influence it has on many people's opinions about the effectiveness of certain fighting styles.

I think a lot of people, which the trailer seemed to put across, want quick returns. The stresses and pace of modern life dictates what people are prepared to do in their time outside of work and many do not seem to have the patience and mindset to put in the dicipline specific to learning a TCMA.

Of course learning diciplines such as Muay Thai, BJJ, cross training in MMA are hard, viguorous and effective fighting styles and will give the student an ability to fight in a relatively short amount of time but Chinese Kung Fu, to me, trains the practioner outside of that box. Even some kung fu practioners like to disagree on this but me, coming from a Shaolin background, believes that kung fu cultivates and seeks to harmonize mind, body and spirit. And the spirit takes you away from just being able to smack someone up, however good that skill is.

I sincerly hope that there is always an interest in learning these traditional arts however small the following is. Whether or not there has to be some concessions made so that it doesn't die out completely is the question. I for one believe that it is natural for external form to change. What shouldn't change is the underlying current, the Dao if you like. That's what keeps it traditional.

Thanks again for the link!

[xChri5x]

EDIT: Found it for Non-US http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/needle_through_brick/

[Drunken Monk]

The trailer is fantastic. It really got me interest in the documentary. Another thing to watch this weekend.

[Ramji]

EDIT: Found it for Non-US http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/needle_through_brick/

Thanks for finding the link. Look forward to giving it a watch.

[Jowtiger]

I enjoyed watching this documentary very much thanks for posting the link, it's available on Amazon so I'll be picking it up.

I was introduced to TCMA in the early 80's practicing Hung gar, then on to Jow ga and have found that the traditional arts have been dying of for quite some time. My old sifu holds regional tournaments here in the Washington Dc area and it's only open to traditional systems.