Have you seen Jet Li’s new movie, Fearless? Danny mentioned it in one of his posts. A great movie which speaks to the moral values behind martial arts. In my last post, the Dalai Lama spoke of humility and restraint. My first martial arts teacher, Bones, taught the same message of the responsibility that comes with martial skill. Any good martial arts teacher will tell you the same. Our way is the way of the peaceful warrior.
If you like Jet Li, and you like martial arts movies, you’ll like Fearless. The fighting is choreographed by Yuen Fu Ping who did The Matrix and Kung Fu Hustle.
I just read a review in the Sydney Morning Herald where I learned two things I hadn’t known about Jet Li:
1. He was originally cast in the lead role of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but pulled out to honor a promise to his wife not to work while she was pregnant.
2. Now 43, Jet Li has said this movie will be his final martial arts movie! He wants, among other things, to make a documentary on Buddhism.
Here’s an article that talks a bit more about his “retirement”: http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20051206/113389560000.html
This article says: “Li said he started taking a greater interest in spiritual matters in his mid-30s, when he realized ‘it wasn’t enough to have a strong body, you had to have a strong soul.'”
It also says he’ll being doing more movies, but it looks like no more martial arts films.
Go Jet! I hope this report is wrong, as you look much better than old Sylvester Stallone who’s still doing Rocky movies, but if it is correct, best of luck and thanks for the memories.
Namaste!
For more on Jet Li, check out his homepage: http://www.jetli.com/ There’s a clickable link to his homepage under the ‘Links’ heading.
Practice Daily,
David
It may not be his last. From: http://www.firstshowing.net/2006/09/16/fearless-is-not-jet-lis-last-movie/
Fearless Is Not Jet Li’s Last Movie!
September 16, 2006
by Alex Billington
Rejoice fans of Jet Li! And sorry to Focus Features, who have been using the “claim” that this is Jet Li’s last movie ever in the marketing for Fearless, and in turn getting people out to see him in his final epic. But unfortunately (for Focus Features at least) it’s not actually true (that’s where the rejoicing happens)! ComingSoon.net reported from the Fearless press conferences happening in New York this weekend (in which we were “not invited”) that Jet Li confirmed he is at least in an upcoming movie with Jackie Chan.
“Always there’s rumors, rumors, rumors, for 15 years,” Li told us, “but now… it’s true! Next April, we’re going to make a movie. Everybody’s waiting for the producer and the director to announce.”
This is quite exciting news for anyone who loves Li’s excellent martial arts abilities and the films he’s been in. He’s one of the very best in making kung fu movies that are not too cheesy and is still a fantastic martial artist. And on top of that, he’s confirming that he will be in a film with Jackie Chan, of all people. The rumors had been flying around for quite some time about the combination teaming up, but it was not entirely confirmed until just now.
Definitely not his last!
http://www.jetli.com/jet/index.php?s=work&ss=filmography&l=en