(Photo credit: Copyright by Warner Bros Inc © 1973. All Rights Reserved. Consent is hereby given to newspapers and magazines to reproduce country of origin U.S.A.)On June 3, 2009, the world learned the news that one of the greatest of all Chinese-language cinema actors had passed away--the 96 year-old Shih Kien (石堅; Cantonese: Shek Kin), star of countless films, television shows and a renowned martial artist.
Americans -- and many across the globe -- will best remember Shih Kien as the legendary film villain, Mr. Han, in the Bruce Lee (李振藩, 李小龍) Hollywood-produced masterpiece, "Enter the Dragon." As long as I live, I believe I will always remember my first impressions of the grand Mr. Han on screen, and the battle between this older Kung-fu master, with his deadly artifical claw hand, and the one-and-only Bruce Lee (Lee's untimely and shocking death came only 6 days before the release of the film); particularly the groundbreaking "hall of mirrors" scene.
(Photo credit: Copyright by Warner Bros Inc © 1973. All Rights Reserved. Consent is hereby given to newspapers and magazines to reproduce country of origin U.S.A.)Known by many in the industry, particularly in Hong Kong (he was born in Guangdong), as "Uncle Kien," he was particularly beloved as a screen villain. Though he worked in Hong Kong film for several years prior -- first, as a makeup artist! -- he became a superstar playing several bad guys in the long-running black and white series of films of the 1940s-60s (Shih Kien's appearances starting in the 1950s) based on the Huang Fei-hong (黃飛鴻; Cantonese: Wong Fei Hung) character, co-starring the towering screen figures, Guan Dexing (關德興; Cantonese: Kwan Tak Hing), and Walter Cho Tat-wah (曹达华; Mandarin: Cao Dahua). (Note: Ironically, all three of these screen superstars passed away at age 90+.)
It touched me deeply when this man passed away last week. I saw him in many films over the years and admired him so much. He was the quintessential villain--as the cliche goes, you loved to hate him. But he was a universally loved man. He also, truly, was a Kung fu sifu; a dedicated student of the Chin Woo Athletic Association (精武體育會), and had contact with students and fans throughout his entire life until his passing.
The best way to celebrate his life is to watch this inimitable star in his films. See IMDb for his legacy:
The film community across the globe, the worldwide audience of his cinematic opus, and his martial arts disciples will miss him. Rest in Peace (愿灵安眠) "Uncle Kien."
Several clips (from YouTube) appear below:
The great Hall of Mirrors battle from "Enter the Dragon."
Another clip featuring the great man as a villain--in a Hong Kong comedy (his last film, "The Hong Kong Adams Family").
1 comment:
Those are his classic stills from ENTER THE DRAGON. I wish I'd seen it in the cinema now...
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