by Gary Cheah

The “Yuen Clan” as they’re known in the business, have been in the Hong Kong stunt trade ever since Simon immigrated to the territory from Northern China. He was a home-schooling Beijing Opera teacher who trained his kids in wild acrobatics and kung fu, while guiding them to be stunt men on the screens which he directed.The Yuens cameoe to Hong Kong and opened their imaginations, and pulled out a mind bending new vision for movie martial arts. Raised in poverty, paid a pittance for their bone-breaking work as stuntmen, upon gaining a foothold in the industry, they unleashed displays of hair-raising high weirdness and surreal wirework onto an unsuspecting industry.

The glory days of the Clan cameoe when they were given the opportunity to helm their own films  in the early eighties. Their works-Dreadnaught (1981), The Miracle Fighters (1982), Drunken Tai Chi (1984) and The Buddha Fist (1979) are pungent pulp creations whose frames are packed with dime store wonders that overwhelm and astound the viewer; curiosities like robots, fighting jar monsters, music controlled frogmen, fire-breathing marionettes, bong-smoking grannies and rat-faced drunks which all larded up with leering gags and toilet humor jokes.The Yuen Clan’s achievement as the creators of this unique set of martial arts spectacles has since been overshadowed by their latter-day adoption by Hollywood as action choreoeographers to the stars. Still, people will find their early oeuvre a startling look at a truly unique absurdist vision, made by a set of talented performers who seems completely and totally thrilled to be doing their jobs.

Martial arts instructor Yuen Siu-tin, also known as Simon Yuen. Five sons of Siu-tin have carved notable, knockabout careers in movie action: Yuen Woo-ping, Yuen Cheung-yan, Brandy Yuen Chun-Yeung, Sunny Sun Yee and Yuen Yat Choreo. , Sun-yi (Sunny) and Yat-choh. Among them, these two extended families have won 13 of the 18 Hong Kong Film Awards for best action choreoeography.

The Yuen Clan Filmography
19??: KUNG FU TERMINATOR (aka CUTE FOSTER SISTER) — Siu-tin (cameoeo)
19??: DRUNKEN ARTS & CRIPPLED FIST — Siu-tin (sup), Clan (choreoeography)
19??: IRON BRIDGE OF KUNG FU (aka MEAN DRUNKEN MASTER) — Siu-tin (sup)
19??: LITTLE MAD GUY — Siu-tin (cameoeo as Little Fatty’s father), Shun-yee (cameoeo)
19??: MAD MAD KUNG FU — Siu-tin (sup as Bamboo Stick)
19??: NINJA CHECKMATE (aka MYSTERY OF CHESS BOXING) — Siu-tin (sup as the cook)
19??: AN OLD KUNG FU MASTER — Siu-tin (sup as Master Shing)
19??: PECULIAR BOXING TRICKS AND MASTER — Siu-tin (sup as restaurant owner Tung)
1941: THE HERO FROM GUANGDONG — Siu-tin (sup)
1949: TRUE STORY OF HUANG FEI-HONG: WHIPLASH SNUFFS THE CANDLE FLAME — Siu-tin (sup)
1964: YOUNG SWORDSMAN “LUNG KIN FEI” — Siu-tin (choreo)
1968: BUDDHIST SPIRITUAL PALM RETURNED — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG: DUEL AGAINST THE BLACK RASCAL — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG: DUEL FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG: THE EIGHT BANDITS — Siu-tin (choreo)
1969: HUANG FEI-HONG IN SULFUR VALLEY — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG: THE CONQUEROR OF THE “SAM-HONG GANG” — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG: THE DUEL FOR THE “SHA-YU-CHING” — Siu-tin (choreo)
          HUANG FEI-HONG’S COMBAT WITH THE FIVE WOLVES — Siu-tin (choreo/sup)
1971: MAD KILLER — Woo-ping (m.a.d. only)
1972: THE BLOODY FISTS — Woo-ping (m.a.d. only)
          THE LIZARD — Woo-ping (m.a.d. only)
          MASTER WITH CRACKED FINGERS — Siu-tin (cameoeo)
1973: THE BASTARD — Woo-ping (m.a.d. only)
1974: MARTIAL ARTS — Siu-tin (cameoeo)
          SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS — Siu-tin (sup as Tiger/Stork teacher)
1975: HEROES OF THE EAST (aka CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA) — Siu-tin
          THE VALIANT ONES [directed by King Hu]– Siu-tin (sup)
1976: DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU (aka THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN) — Siu-tin
          SHAOLIN WOODEN MEN — Siu-tin (sup as teacher Lin Kun)
1977: SIX DIRECTIONS BOXING — Siu-tin (sup as retired teacher Mr. Wu), Cheung-yan (cameo/choreo),
          Yat-choreo (cameo/choreo), Shun-yYee (choreo)
          BROKEN OATH –Woo-ping (choreo), Yat-choreo (choreo)
          INVINCIBLE ARMOUR — Shun-yee (choreo)
          SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION — Woo-ping (choreo)
          SECRET RIVALS 2 — Woo-ping (choreo)
1978: SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW — Woo-ping (dir/choreo), Chun-Yeung (m.a.d./choreo)
          BORN INVINCIBLE — Woo-ping (choreo)
          DEADLY SNAIL VS. KUNG FU KILLERS — Siu-tin (cameoeo only)
          SLEEPING FIST — Siu-tin (sup)
          INSTANT KUNG FU MAN — Yat-choreo (star), Woo-ping and Cheung-yan (choreo)
          SEVEN GRAND MASTERS — Cheung-yan (choreo)
          THE THIRTY-SIXTH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (aka MASTER KILLER) — Siu-tin (cameo)*
1979: DRUNKEN MASTER — Woo-ping (dir/cameo/choreo), Shun-yee (cameo/choreo)
          DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS — Woo-ping (dir/choreo), Shun-yee (star/choreo)
          BLOOD TREASURY FIGHT — Cheung-yan (m.a.d. only)
          DYNAMO — Cheung-yan (choreo)
          HELL’S WIND STAFF — Clan (choreo)
          REVENGE OF THE SHAOLIN MASTER — Cheung-yan (choreo)
          CRYSTAL FIST — Clan (choreo), Siu-tin (sup)
          WORLD OF DRUNKEN MASTER — Cheung-yan (choreo), Siu-tin (cameo)
          STORY OF DRUNKEN MASTER — Cheung-yan (choreo), Siu-tin (sup)
1980: DREADNAUGHT — Woo-ping (dir), Shun-yee (star)
          TOWER OF DEATH — Clan (choreo)
          THE BUDDHIST FIST — Woo-ping (dir), Shun-yee (star), Cheung-yan, Chun-yeung, Yat-choreo,
          Siu-tin (cameoeos), Clan (choreo)
1981: THE MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER — Woo-ping (dir), Clan (choreo)
          EXCITING DRAGON — Clan (choreo)
          SNAKE FIST FIGHTER — Siu-tin (sup)
1982: THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS — Woo-ping (dir), Yat-choreo, Shun-yee, Cheung-Yan (starring),
          Cun-yeung (cameo), Clan (choreo)
          LEGEND OF A FIGHTER — Woo-ping (dir), Yat-choreo, Chueng-yan & Chun-yeung (cameo), Clan (choreo)
          DUEL OF THE MASTERS — Cheung-yan (star/choreo)
          YOUNG TAOIST FIGHTER — Yat-choreo (star), Clan (choreo)
          HERO OF BORDER REGION — Cheung-yan (star/choreo)
          POSTMAN STRIKES BACK — Woo-ping (p.d.), Yat-choreo (star), Shun-yee & Chun-yeung (choreo)
          INHERITOR OF KUNG FU — Cheung-yan (choreo)
1983: SHAOLIN DRUNKARD — Woo-ping (dir), Yat-choreo, Shun-yee, Cheung Yan (star), Chun-yeung (cameo)
          TAOISM DRUNKARD — Cheung-yan (dir), yat-choreo, Shun-yee, Cheung-yan (star), Chun-yeung (cameo)
          THE CHAMPIONS — Chun-yeung (dir), Woo-ping (prod), Clan (choreo)
1984: DRUNKEN TAI CHI — Woo-ping (dir), Yat-choreo, Shun-yee, Cheung-yan (sup), Clan (choreo)
1985: MISMATCHED COUPLES — Woo-ping (star/dir), Chun-yeung (choreo/cameo)
1986: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE VAMPIRE — Woo-ping (dir), Shun-yee, Yat-choreo,
          Cheung-yan (sup), Clan (choreo)
          ARMOUR OF GOD — Chun-yeung (choreo)
          EASTERN CONDORS — Woo-ping (sup)
1987: IN THE LINE OF DUTY III — Chun-yeung (dir), Yat-choreo, Cheung-yan (choreo)
          OPERATION PINK SQUAD — Cheung-yan (sup)
          LONG ARM OF THE LAW II — Yat-choreo (sup)
1988: TIGER CAGE — Woo-ping (dir), Clan (sup)
          THREE AGAINST THE WORLD — Chun-yeung (dir), Woo-ping, Shun-yee (cameo)
1989: IN THE LINE OF DUTY IV — Woo-ping (dir), Yat-choreo (sup), Shun-yee (cameo/choreo)
          PEDICAB DRIVER — Chun-yeung (choreo)
          LIVE HARD — Cheung-yan (dir), Clan (choreo)
          PANTYHOSE HERO — Chun-yeung (choreo)
          OPERATION PINK SQUAD II — Cheung-yan (dir), Clan (choreo)
          DARKSIDE OF CHINATOWN – Cheung-yan (dir/choreo)
          FUNNY GHOST — Cheung-yan (dir), Clan (choreo)
          HEROIC FIGHT — Cheung-yan (sup)
1990: TIGER CAGE II — Woo-ping (dir), Shun-yee, Cheung-yan (choreo)
          TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES — Chun-yeung (choreo)
          FIRST VAMPIRES IN CHINA — Cheung-yan (dir/choreo)
1991: TIGER CAGE III — Woo-ping (dir), Clan (choreo)
          ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA — Woo-ping (m.a.a.), Cheung-yan  (sup)
          GOD OF GAMBLERS III — Shun-yee (choreo)
          TWIN DRAGONS — Woo-ping (choreo)
1992: ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA II — Woo-ping (m.a.a.), Shun-yee (choreo)
          WIZARD’S CURSE — Cheung-yan (dir/cameo), Shun-yee (choreo)
          THE BIG DEAL — Cheung-yan (sup/choreo)
          WICKED CITY — Woo-ping (sup)
          LEGEND OF WISELY (TV) — Cheung-yan (choreo/sup)
1993: IRON MONKEY — Woo-ping (dir), Shun-yee (sup), Clan (choreo)
          LAST HERO IN CHINA — Woo-ping (m.a.d.), Shun-yee (choreo)
          KING OF BEGGARS — Woo-ping (cameoeo), Shun-yee (choreo)
          MADAM CITY HUNTER — Cheung-yan (dir), Woo-ping (prod), Clan (choreo)
          SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD — Chun-yeung (dir/choreo)
          TAI-CHI MASTER — Woo-ping (dir), Cheung-yan (sup), Clan (choreo)
          HEROES AMONG HEROES — Woo-ping (dir), Clan (choreo)
1994: FIRE DRAGON — Woo-ping (dir), Cheung-yan (choreo)
          WING CHUN — Woo-ping (dir/choreo), Shun-yee (choreo)
          FIST OF LEGEND — Woo-ping (dir), Cheung-yan (sup), Clan (choreo)
          MASTER OF ZEN — Chun-yeung (dir/choreo)
1995: THE RED WOLF — Woo-ping (dir/choreo), Cheung-yan (choreo/cameo)
          LITTLE DRUNKEN MASTERS — Cheung-yan (choreo)
1996: TAI CHI II — Woo-ping and Cheung Yam-yin (dir), Woo-ping (choreo)
          IRON MONKEY II — Woo-ping (choreo)
          BLACK MASK — Woo-ping (choreo)
1999: THE MATRIX TRILOGY — Woo-ping (choreo)
2000: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON — Woo-ping (choreo)
2002: BLACK MASK II: CITY OF MASKS — Woo-ping (choreo)
          THE LEGEND OF ZU — Woo-ping (choreo)
2003: KILL BILL: VOL. 1 — Woo-ping (choreo)
2004: KILL BILL: VOL. 2 — Woo-ping (choreo)
2004: KUNG FU HUSTLE — Woo-ping (choreo), Cheung-Yan (cameo)
2005: HOUSE OF FURY — Woo-ping (choreo)
2005: UNLEASHED/DANNY THE DOG — Woo-ping (choreo)

Credits/Sources
-Clyde Gentry III (from Hong Kong Film Connection Vol. III, No. III)
-Grady Hendrix (from Once Upon A Time In China – Jeff Yang)
-Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies
-Hong Kong Cinemagic

Last Modified : September 13th, 2007 Filed under : Features Navigate : Previous post / Next post