In this episode, Don and Rob are back exploring how movies and television took martial arts from being weird and forbidden arts practiced by a select few to the McDojos of the 1990s. Along the way, they discuss how the Shaw Brothers changed everything, how Bruce Lee never dies, and why American Ninja ruled the 80s. All this, and Don and Rob’s “Martial Arts Top 10s!” are waiting for you in this action-packed episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.
Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt
Show Notes:
These Fists Break Bricks
Get Tough! by Major Fairbairn
The Manchurian Candidate
The Shaw Brothers
The One-Armed Swordsman
Wuxia
Bonnie and Clyde
The Legend of Billy Jack
Kung Fu TV Series
The Five Fingers of Death (aka King Boxer)
Enter the Dragon
Golden Harvest
Mystics in Bali
Drunken Master
Encounters of the Spooky Kind
The Bodyguards
Sonny Chiba
The Many Clones of Bruce Lee
The Karate Kid
American Ninja
Black Belt Theatre TV Package
Pat Morita
Ralph Macchio
Chuck Norris
Kill Bill
The Street Fighter Theme Song
Our Top 10 Lists:
Rob
10) The Karate Kid
9) Zatoichi series
8) Once Upon a Time in China series
7) Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
6) Police Story (Jackie Chan)
5) The Street Fighter (Sonny Chiba)
4) Kung Fu Cult Master
3) The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
2) Iron Monkey
1) Five Fingers of Death + Enter the Dragon
Don
10) The Death Master (1972)
9) Hai Karate Aftershave
8) D&D Monk Character Class (original)
7) They Call Me Bruce
6) Gymkata
5) Street Fighter II (game)
4) Miami Connection (watch MST3K live version!)
3) Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star)
2) Kung Fu Hustle
1) Count Dante and the Black Dragon Society
