Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up - io9 Comments

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

laughingacademy — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:43:07 PDT

I've heard that in the Batman/Green Hornet TV crossover, Kato was supposed to lose a fight to Robin. Bruce Lee talked the producers out of it, once he'd finished laughing.

laughingacademy

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Furiursa — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:15:36 PDT

Oh Inframan... all the good memories of the insane weirdness that passed for Sci-Fi those days.

And for the record: Inframan was meant to capitalize on the Kamenraider/Ultraman/Kikaider/Spectreman craze. Japan was chock a block FULL of sci-fi/martial arts series at the time.

Just sayin...

Furiursa

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

rimworlder — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:12:23 PDT

Well, I'll try again; if the posts doubles, sorry;

you totally forgot Ultra Man (67) and Astro Boy (63).

Absolutely SF in both cases: Ultra Man worked with the Science Patrol who used Flash Gordonesque spaceships and Astro Boy was a robot.

Missing those two is like visiting a dino display without benefit of T-Rex or Brontosaur...

rimworlder

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

rimworlder — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:08:47 PDT

You totally ignored Ultra Man (67); the guy worked for the Space Patrol and they flew around in Flash Gordonesque rockets - and Astro Boy, who was a robot.

Missing those two is like a dino exhibit with no T-Rex or Brontosaur

rimworlder

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

JaggyGT — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:30:46 PDT

Depending upon your definition of sci-fi, DOA: Dead or Alive (2006) is a sci-fi movie of basically nothing but martial arts. It's not a great movie, but if you're entertained by a cheesy plot and good action, it might be worth a rental.

A series worth mentioning is Dark Angel, starring Jessica Alba as a genetically engineered super-soldier in the vaguely near future after a huge EMP knocks out all the computer systems and their records (think about it - how many records are really kept on paper nowadays?). She lives as a cat burglar, and has to constantly fight off goons sent by Manticore, the company that bred her.

JaggyGT

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Cantonkid — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:13:22 PDT

Hong Kong's Inframan was a Chinese response to the Ultraman fad of Japan. Unfortunately it never took, and Ultraman remains an imported favorite among Hong Kong kids today.

The Cat - Is based on a story from a novel/comic book series starring a character named Wesley (or Wisely), who is a cross between Fox Mulder and Indiana Jones, who investigates aliens and paranormal events. Two other sci-fi based films were made in Hong Kong about the character; The Legend of Wisely (1987) [heavy on kung-fu] and The Wesley's Mysterious File (2002). Other than the name of the main character, there is no direct continuity between any of the films.

The Avenging Fist (2001) was another HK film (based loosley on Tekken I believe) that mixed in sci-fi elements with kung fu grip.

I was suprised and amused to see Robotrix in the list since it is more like pr0n-fu than anything else ;)

Cantonkid

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:38:36 PDT

@oldandintheway: Actually, Pertwee died in 1996.

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

EmperorofMongo — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:32:34 PDT

In Roger Zelazny's "A Rose for Ecclesiates", the protagonist suicidal-poet-jujitsuka defeats the Martian temple guardian by the atemiwaza he perfected during his Fulbright time in Tokyo, during his "only weekly recreation"

"If the Martians have integrated their martial arts with the dance, I'm in big trouble"

EmperorofMongo

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

EmperorofMongo — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:26:34 PDT

@Evil Tortie's Mom: The Lone Ranger's nephew was DAN Reed, an ancestor of BRITT Reed, the Green Hornet.

EmperorofMongo

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Gospel X — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:44:11 PDT

@oldandintheway: Didn't they have a crossover at some point, too?

Gospel X

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

pkittie — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:43:34 PDT

Guys, what about the Japanese (late 80's? early 90's?) flick, ZERAM?

If you haven't seen it, then go rent it!

Action!
Comedy!
Googly future alien monsters that dress like old school ronin!

pkittie

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

MickyK — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:00:40 PDT

The last time I checked, Power Ranger Space Patrol Delta was the greatest season of them of all. The really mixed futuristic scifi and kung fu together.

MickyK

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

oldandintheway — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:14:39 PDT

AHH Yes my second favorite Doctor ..
Pertwee is still alive ..i believe...
And made a fitting predessor to Tom Baker..

oldandintheway

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

oldandintheway — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:13:15 PDT

@SavannahJack: Actually the TELEVISION version of
the GREEN HORNET did follow the BATMAN Televison show. ONly lasted for one season though, wasn't near as "campy" as Batman though..

oldandintheway

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

urukhaifive — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:33:25 PDT

Ach! Double post'd! Sorry :[

urukhaifive

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

urukhaifive — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:33:05 PDT

Okay, since nobody seems to have mentioned it...

River from Serenity/Firefly.

urukhaifive

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

urukhaifive — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:32:13 PDT

I haven't read the comments, but searching the page didn't show anything...

River in Serenity.

urukhaifive

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

ParJoe — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:28:46 PDT

@Ghede: I was expecting to see Big Trouble too. I loved that movie and always thought Mortal Combat totally ripped them off. I suppose it is more fantasy than Sci-fi.

ParJoe

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Grey_Area — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:33:50 PDT

@Belabras: The Shadow was more about clouding men's minds and a pair of 45s blazing into the night.
I liked "Black Mask". it's like Kato kickin' tail without having that white guy taking all the credit. [tee hee]
"Black Mask II" was watchable only after Many Beers. A fourth-rate Mortal combat rip-off.

Grey_Area

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:11:23 PDT

@Bitterbunny: Wow, never heard of either of those things... have to look them up!

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:11:03 PDT

@CaptRavis: OK added a reference to the Power Rangers.

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Final — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:10:36 PDT

Ninja Scroll and Afro Samaurai

Final

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Bitterbunny — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:07:08 PDT

What about Space Giants? And Goldar's family.
Lots of Kung-Fu.
Super Cool.

Bitterbunny

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Evil Tortie's Mom — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:51:31 PDT

Green Hornet = nephew (grand- ?) of the Lone Ranger.

TV series less goofy than Batman.

How can you tell an alien-possessed kitty from a regular one? Srsly?

I must see all of Lao Mao someday. Preferably drunk, with friends.

Evil Tortie's Mom

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

SavannahJack — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:34:26 PDT

@MonkeyT: Rock'n Flight of the Bumblebee! Yay!

SavannahJack

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:32:05 PDT

@CaptRavis: Good point! I was thinking about them but then somehow left them out. I should add them in when I get a sec.

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

MonkeyT — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:18:49 PDT

@SavannahJack: Oh, I agree. The shared heritage between the two was mostly photogenic: the incredibly vivid color by DeLUXE and the seizure inducing animations to fill the cuts between scenes...

But man did the GH soundtrack rock.

MonkeyT

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

CCLemon — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:14:41 PDT

How on earth could you leave out Godzilla: Final War? The best Godzilla movie, it includes more fistfights than all other Godzilla movies combined!

CCLemon

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

SavannahJack — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:12:11 PDT

@Charlie Jane Anders: @MonkeyT: Oh, the tele-vision device. That new-fangled thing.
The sharing of producers (and the fact that they did one-cross-over episode of Batman) was really the only similarity.
Green Hornet had Bruce Lee as Kato, for crying out loud. The episodes were fairly dark (for 1960s) and had some gripping drama ... or seemed that way to me as a youngster.
The radio plays were also great, though, and show that Green Hornet had deeper roots than the Batfeller.

SavannahJack

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

BadThingUS — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:10:31 PDT

Okay, does anyone remember a martial arts movie set in the future where there's a tournament and our hero doesn't have robotic parts like the other fighters? The bad guy kidnaps his girl friend and either rapes her by using a machine that makes her want him or just torments the hero by saying he'll do this. Anyone? Bueller?

And didn't Ultra Man use martial arts on giant monsters?

BadThingUS

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

CaptRavis — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:09:42 PDT

Come on, you left out the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

CaptRavis

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Discodave — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:08:49 PDT

Kung-Fu Who works for me, but I still prefer Tom Baker's approach of offering them jelly babies.

Discodave

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

BullfightsOnAcid — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:08:23 PDT

That Dog & Cat Fight Scene was pretty funny. I love the part where the cats jumps through the window and leaves an outlined image of himself in the glass. A little homage to the old Warner Brothers cartoons which this scene was obviously influenced by.

BullfightsOnAcid

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

foolish-rain — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:05:38 PDT

What? No reference to Star Trek's infamous Kirk Fu.

foolish-rain

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Tim Faulkner — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:02:37 PDT

In other words, there is no intrinsic relationship, but scifi needs action. And martial arts are more entertaining than white boy fisticuffs.

Tim Faulkner

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Miranda Kali — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:45:44 PDT

You shook the hand of the person responsible for "The Five Fingers of Death"...You are a braver woman than I.

...And I see no mention of Johnny Sakko's Giant Robot? When Sci-Fi and Kung Fu are mentioned in the same sentence, I can't help but think of Giant Robot. (It was burned into my brain at a young age)
...admittedly, it might of been a bit thin on the Kung Fu, but I'd swear I remember lots of Karate chops.

Miranda Kali

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:36:37 PDT

@MonkeyT: I think that's what I was thinking of... I was dimly aware there had been a radio serial. But the 60s version was so Batman-influenced.

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

MonkeyT — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:32:06 PDT

@SavannahJack: The Green Hornet existed as a character, but the TV show was pretty obviously a Batman echo, even though GH was played with little or no camp. In fact, the TV show was produced by the same production companies and often reused the same sets, props and production staff.

MonkeyT

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Belabras — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:25:40 PDT

Didn't The Shadow have some martial arts elements in it as well? I mean, as long as we are tracing where sci-fi and flying fists of fury intersect it deserves a mention.

Belabras

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

SavannahJack — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:24:56 PDT

@Charlie Jane Anders: Apology accepted, CJ ... it's just that The Hornet was a favorite of mine ... NPR would run the old radio programs on Sunday evenings and they were great!

SavannahJack

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:22:53 PDT

@SavannahJack: OK pardon the error... I'll fix that!

Charlie Jane Anders

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

Ghede — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:20:46 PDT

I'd be angry at the non-inclusion of Big Trouble in Little China, but the only way that could be included would be to add Fantasy to io9, and I would rather you didn't.

Still... Lo Pan.

I laughed my ass off at that killer kung-fu kitty klip... errr.. clip.

Ghede

Scifi And Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Team-Up

SavannahJack — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:08:55 PDT

Okay, now, "Batman ripoff" indeed!
The Green Hornet predated Bats by nearly a decade, being introduced in the early 1930s as a radio hero. Perhaps a case might be made for GH being a ripoff of The Shadow, but Bats? No effing way. Sorry. Nope. Didn't wanta do it, but you made a mistake, see?

SavannahJack