Kung Fu Killer

[GeneChing]

I've seen the first screener of this and I must confess, I was entertained.

David Carradine and Daryl Hannah Reunite in Kung Fu Killer

DAVID CARRADINE AND DARYL HANNAH REUNITE IN “KUNG FU KILLER,” A TWO-PART SPIKE “ORIGINAL GUY MOVIE” MINISERIES PREMIERING THIS AUGUST

“Kung Fu Killer” To Premiere In HD Under The “Spike Guy Movies” Umbrella

New York, NY, June 19, 2008 – David Carradine and Daryl Hannah reunite for the first time since their roles on the big screen in “Kill Bill” to star in the two-part original movie miniseries, “Kung Fu Killer” slated to premiere this August on Spike in HD.

Set in late 1920s in China, before Communist rule, “Kung Fu Killer” tells the story of White Crane (Carradine), an orphaned son of Western missionaries who was raised as a Wudang monk to become a spiritual leader and master in martial arts, and his ultimate journey for revenge and justice.

In the first installment, Crane’s peaceful world is shattered when Kahn Xin (Lim Kay Tong) and his mercenaries raid his temple and slay his mentor. In search of his master’s murderers, Crane infiltrates the Shanghai underworld where he encounters Jane Marshall (Hannah), a lounge singer from Brooklyn, who is on a mission of her own – to find her lost brother, who is being held captive by Kahn. Realizing that Kahn’s evil plans are more intricate and widespread than originally thought, Crane teams up with Jane in order to enter Kahn’s inner circle. From there, they tread carefully in order to dismantle Kahn’s destructive plans before assassinating him. Soon, Crane’s battle becomes a moral one, as he finds himself torn between his peaceful Wudang upbringing and the cold-blooded life of an assassin.

The second installment, “Kung Fu Killer II” shifts gears to a more personal drama as Crane returns to help rebuild his shattered temple. However, the peace is short-lived as, back in Shanghai, nightclub singer Jane is kidnapped by Bai Yang, an old classmate and rival of Crane’s who plans to employ her in the sex trade. It is up to Crane and his young protégé Lang (Osric Chau) to save not only Jane, but Lang’s true love Wei.

“Kung Fu Killer” was shot entirely on location in China at the Zhejiang Heng Dian World Studios and the towns of Fong Yang and Heng Dian. The miniseries marked the first time a production of this scale was produced by a Western production company utilizing an almost exclusively Chinese crew. “Kung Fu Killer” also features the singing debut of Daryl Hannah, who sings such period standards as “You Made Me Love You” and “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows,” along with others done with a period-authentic jazz mixed with torch-song style arrangements.

“Kung Fu Killer” is presented as part of Spike TV’s “Spike Guy Movies” umbrella of original movies. Since its launch in January 2008, Spike TV’s original “Spike Guy Movies” average nearly 1.5 million viewers each month.

“Kung Fu Killer” is a production from RHI Entertainment. Robert Halmi, Sr. and Robert Halmi, Jr. serve as executive producers. Shan Tam, Matthew O’Connor and Michael O’Connor are producers. Philip Spink is director. Jacqueline Feather and David Seidler are writers, and the teleplay is by John Mandel. Bill McGoldrick is vice president of development for Spike TV.

RHI Entertainment, LLC develops, produces and distributes new made-for-television movies, miniseries and other television programming worldwide, and is the leading provider of new long-form television content in the U.S. Under the guidance of Robert Halmi, Sr. and Robert Halmi, Jr., RHI has produced and distributed thousands of hours of quality television programming, and RHI’s productions have received more than 100 Emmy Awards. During 2007, RHI developed, produced and distributed 43 new television movies and miniseries to broadcast and cable networks around the world. In addition to the development, production and distribution of new content, RHI owns rights to approximately 1,000 titles, or over 3,500 broadcast hours of long-form television programming, which are licensed to broadcast and cable networks and new media outlets globally.

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

[doug maverick]

i've been seeing this film on the films on demand on cablvision up here in ny and i have have been sleptic of it. but i'll check it out when it comes on spike.

[GeneChing]

David Carradine in Spike TV’s KUNG FU KILLER

It debuts this Sunday, August 17th. There's a trailer on Spike's site.

[Zenshiite]

Maybe it's just me, but Gene I though Carradine came off as kind of an ass in that interview.

I'll check out the movies though.

[doug maverick]

well from reading his kill bill diary hearing him in interviews and most of all having dinner with him one time a long time ago when he was promoting kill bill and i was working at a comic book convention he was at. i can say he is a **** but so what so are most of hollywood types. but like all those seasoned actors like malcolm mcdowel and a few others the guy tells the best stories and boy do they like to talk they can go on and on. my only issue with david is that in his book he said that he didn't feel yuen woo ping was a master. and i'm like whaaat!!! his deffinition of what a master is, doesn't jive with what i think a master is. he thinks a master is more like his character in kung fu. well we all know that thats bull**** that humans are human and will always be subject to human nature. i think a master is someone who really haskung fu who knows and understands his craft to the fullist and in that respect woo ping is a master in every deffinition. 8th master is arguably the best fight choreagrapher in the world hands down.

[The Willow Sword]

Maybe it's just me, but Gene I though Carradine came off as kind of an ass in that interview.

Actually i kinda thought the opposite. Seems like Gene was kinda grilling David Carradine about the whole caucasian martial artist minstrel show thing. The questions seemed very short and abrupt.

You know i dont have any blinders on when it comes to these entertainers,actors,hollywood people. SO many of us want to put some fantastical stigma on these people and all they really are are entertainers. Sure we've all seen the cheesy DC taichi and qiqong vids. Its marketing, plain and simple, whether it is being done in a decent manner to respect the arts is always up for intereptation and critisism. If carradine comes off like an a$$ maybe its because he is confronted with someone else being an @ss trying to bait him into some useless debate.
I like DC and chatted with him on a radio show several years back when he rolled through town on tour for a play he was doing(forget the play). My questions to him were simple and light hearted, which is what interviews with these kinds of entertainers should be, in my opinion.
He is promoting a series, he is still working at his age, i give him props for that.

Peace,TWS

[GeneChing]

I've always felt the art of interview was to get the subject to reveal something about themselves, so I try my best to keep the questions curt. Just open doors and invite them to walk through. Carradine just ran with many of my questions, which made my job much easier. But I didn't intend to stand in judgment of the man. I'll leave it to you all to judge.

I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the show. Like I said above, I was entertained, but I confess more - Ricky O is one of my closet guilty pleasures. The second installment doesn't have so much of the Ricky O factor, so it fell more flat on me.