MovieChat Forums > Michelle Yeoh Discussion > The First Lady Of Martial Art

The First Lady Of Martial Art

posted 6 years ago by R_Kane (15828)
14 replies | jump to latest

Wow. I come to the area for this screen legend, and there are no topics. It’s the same as when I went to the Bruce Lee section a few weeks ago! Michelle Yeoh entertains and inspires tens of millions of people worldwide, and MovieChat—where we can’t shut up about hitch-hiking and tomb-raiding—does not give a rat’s patooty about this most physical and graceful of action actresses. She’s the first actress EVER to do her own stunts in a Jackie Chan movie! Having never ridden a motorcycle before, she leaped onto one and jumped it into the back of a moving train in Supercop. She moved me to tears is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She kicked the shit out of James Bond himself in Tomorrow Never Dies. I have never seen a martial artist of either gender whose style is more precise. This lady is a LEGEND. She deserves our attention, our praise, and our respect.

[–] twinA (4921) 6 years ago

Thanks for bringing Yeoh to our attention, R_Kane. Aside from her role in James Bond, what film of hers do you recommend I watch, not having seen her other work? I've been looking for something new to watch, anyway, and you seem very aware of her talents and skills.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 6 years ago

Off the top of my head:

The Heroic Trio, a Hong Kong precursor to Charlie’s Angels in some respect, and starring two other martial arts legends, in addition to Michelle: Anita Mui, often called “the Chinese Madonna” because of her pop star status, and Maggie Cheung, who also stars in the Zhang Ymou’s masterpiece, Hero. Keep in mind that Chinese humor is very broad and, to me, juvenile.

Silver Hawk, which also features the under-appreciated Michal Jai
White, an exceptionally skilled American athlete and actor.

You’ll probably laugh at this, but I am serious: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The third of the Brendan Fraiser “Mummy” movies, but with an entirely different director, Rob Cohen, who created The Fast and the Furious franchise, but also created the martial-arts syndicated series Vanishing Son, and directed the film, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Michelle goes up against Jet Lee in this one. She wins.

As a dramatic actress in a role that requires no manifest martial skills at all (but ALL acting requires great discipline), Danny Boyle’s science-fi visual homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sunshine.

I’ll probably think of others anon. As some footnotes: Michelle was crowned Miss Indonesia, as a testsment to her grace and beauty, and as yet more evidence that beauty queens are not a priori bimbos. She is married to Frenchman Jean Todt, president of Le Federation Internationale d’Automobile (FIA), the international organization that regulates world Motorsport, including the only sport that I follow, Formula One.

And she didn’t have one freaking post until today.

[–] twinA (4921) 6 years ago

Thanks for such a detailed response. You know your stuff. My twin and I love to watch corny dubbed Asian flicks from the 70s and later, so 'The Heroic Trio' is right up my alley and is from Yeoh's early run. I'll give this one a go. I'm sure most beauty pageant contestants are smart as they are easy on the eyes. It's the industry I worry about. Yeoh sounds like an adventurous woman.

[–] joegerardi (383) 3 years ago

Ooohh... Don't forget Police Story 3: Super Cop. Jackie Chan allowed only one woman to do her own stunts. That woman was Michelle Yeoh. And yes, she really did jump a motorcycle onto a moving train.

Great movie, too.

..Joe

[–] R_Kane (15828) 2 years ago

Yes, that was the bike-stunt movie is was referencing in my OP.

[–] Cognoscente (2658) 2 years ago

in the below interview, Jude Poyer mentioned that the main shot of the jump was done by Bruce Law. As for the other shots, Yeoh was hoisted with wires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Nv7lCoOr8

[–] gbu (581) 2 years ago

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. easily one of her nest films and one of my all time favourites,

And more recently for "Everything Everywhere All at Once" obviously the original thread was made years before this film but worth adding to her list!

[–] huwdj (4567) 2 years ago

I think she's been wonderful forever and one of life's small pleasures is stumbling on yet another older Chinese film where she pops up. I've also enjoyed her more recent appearances in the Star Trek continuum and Everything Everywhere ...

[–] Cognoscente (2658) 2 years ago

Angela Mao was the first martial arts/action movie star.

There are Jackie Chan movies where Brigitte Lin and Maggie Cheung did their own stunts before Yeoh did.

Moon Lee was just as physical and graceful as Yeoh was in her prime.

[–] Levtones (593) 2 years ago

Cheng Pei Pei was before Angela Mao.

[–] Cognoscente (2658) 2 years ago

I included the "/action" for a reason because Angela also dabbed in gunplay for a contemporary movie called A Queen's Ransom. Also, before Angela moved from swordplay to Kung Fu, Cheng wasn't much of a martial artist - more of a swordswoman. It was only after Angela's success with Kung Fu movies that Cheng actually had a proper full-fledged Kung Fu role.

[–] beauq81 (1094) 2 years ago

I just think that, when someone is that good, there isn't much to say.

[–] Stratego (30534) 2 years ago

Completely overrated.

[–] Cognoscente (2658) 2 years ago

Exactly. Moon Lee was no less impressive.