TV on DVD: “Kung Fu” Kicks Ass
By stephanie - Friday, April 14th, 2006
The 1970′s TV show “Kung Fu” is not sci-fi, but I wanted to share anyway. I recently rediscovered this show, which is now on DVD.
For those who haven’t seen it, “Kung Fu” stars David Carradine as a Kwai Chang Caine, a half-Chinese, half-Caucasian Shaolin monk who is on the run in America’s Old West after killing the Chinese emperor’s nephew for murdering his Shaolin master.
I remember watching the show as a child in the 70s. Surprisingly, many vivid images from “Kung Fu” remained with me, including the opening credits where Caine must walk on rice paper without ripping it, as well as the painful branding of his arms with the tattoos of the Shaolin priests.
Upon fresh viewing as an adult, I am surprised at the beautiful cinematography in “Kung Fu” – no wonder these images were so memorable. It is rare to see such conscientious treatment of a subject in television (either now or then).
Kung fu (the martial art) was relatively unknown in America when “Kung Fu” came on the air in 1970. The show is quite respectful of Chinese spiritual teachings, and you’ll find it is less about cheesy martial arts stunts and more about the quiet spiritual lessons of the Shaolin philosophy. “Kung Fu” feels like a meditation in some respects.
Some of the dialogue in “Kung Fu” could be written up into a spiritual manual for living.
“Avoid, rather than check. Check, rather than hurt. Hurt, rather than maim. Maim, rather than kill. For all life is precious, nor can any be replaced,” says Master Kan, in the pilot.
Such concepts were new in American at that time: I have a feeling they seeped into my brain as a young child and are probably directly responsible for the overwhelming interest in Buddhism and Chinese philosophy today.
The beauty of the Shaolin teachings is expressed stoicly through the main character, Caine, who is one of the most amazing anti-heroes ever to see the screen. Carradine does an excellent job exuding the quiet, peaceful nature of the Shaolin monk, and he was nominated for an Emmy as a result.
While some misinformation exists that Bruce Lee developed the show but was passed over by the Caucasian Carradine due to racism, it appears that the creators never really intended for Bruce Lee to be the star.
As a child, not quite understanding that Caine was only half Chinese, I was a bit confused over the casting of Carradine. There has been quite a bit of criticism over casting Carradine for being white.
Now, I feel the casting was perfect. Certainly, it would have been embarrassing if Carradine had been expected to play a full-blooded Asian. (Remember Mickey Rooney’s awful Asian stereotype in “Breakfast in Tiffany’s”?) But there is no negative stereotyping going on here, and the character Caine, as explained, is part Caucasian.
It’s worth noting that one of my ex-boyfriends is of mixed race: his mother was a Hawaiian with Japanese blood. Strangely enough, he looks just like David Carradine. The resemblance, in fact, is uncanny. If you know any Eurasians, you will notice that many look more Caucasian, as Carradine, for obvious reasons, does. (One has to wonder whether there’s not actually some Asian blood in the Carradine line.)
So I hope that any misgivings over David Carradine’s race won’t dissuade you from enjoying the show. The show actually does a good job showing the issues of racism that the Chinese immigrants faced in the Old West. For covering topics such as mixed race at a time when such things were barely on people’s radar, “Kung Fu” was ahead of its time.