Do you enjoy watching kung fu movies?

I grew up watching them in the '70s. The movies were poorly produced, the film was grainy, the dubbed English and acting were even worse and the good guys almost always wound up dead in the end. Despite all those flaws, it was still fun to watch.

In the '70s, the popularity of kung fu in America was largely due to Bruce Lee. His movies "Enter the Dragon" and "Fists of Fury" captivated American audiences, bringing martial arts to the masses. His high kicks and high-pitched screams are what makes Bruce Lee movies legendary.

Today, we have many enjoyable kung fu movies such as "Kung Fu Panda," "Iron Monkey" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Last week, "Forbidden Kingdom" was released on DVD. It's a winner, and I've already watched it four times. A modern day teenager learns to fight from two masters, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, in ancient China. Jet Li is both the mischievous Monkey King and an extremely skilled monk. Jackie Chan adds the comedy. It's extremely entertaining from beginning to end.

A common theme in Chinese martial-arts movies is the use of animal styles in movement and fighting.

In ancient times, Chinese people lived in isolation and took inspiration from their environment. What is popularly known as kung fu today is based upon nature, folklore and customs. In the beginning, people observed the animals around them and copied their movements. Some popular fighting styles we see today are the praying mantis, the tiger, the monkey, the snake and the crane. Taken from folklore, even mythical creatures were copied: the dragon and phoenix.

These forms are not just beautiful to watch but very effective against the opponent.

Besides copying the movement of the animal, the martial- arts forefathers also incorporated the attitude or spirit of the animal in each style. The tiger is fierce and aggressive with claw-like movements while the crane is graceful and agile and uses a "hook" to deflect attack. The snake moves in soft, circular movements while striking at vital points and the leopard uses quick speed and power against his opponent.

Calvin Ching, president of the Chinese Physical Culture Association, said, "When martial arts was in its formative stages, the arts were handed down by word of mouth. Much of the martial arts postures were described in terms using animals such as 'repulse monkey,' 'snake creeps,' and 'stork spreads its wings.' "

The Chinese Physical Culture Association offers classes in Nu'uanu. If you're interested, call 523-2845.