Customer Reviews

Kung Fu: The Complete First Season

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I purchased this for my husband for Christmas, he was delighted and surprised that I was able to get the whole first season including the premiere

Ok, what you've got here is a beautiful package with three double-sided disks which hold the two-hour (two-part) series pilot, plus fifteen individual episodes--the entire Kung Fu first season. My only complaint is that the top and bottom of the screen are cut out, to make it "wide screen". Crazy. It does make the product look slyer, but by taking away from the show. However, so little is lost, and you soon forget that anything is missing. This is such a classic series, who cares? Kung Fu on DVD! I would list the episodes, but below Corgweyn has done this nicely.

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, allow me to give you a brief but honest rundown: a "western" of sorts, Kung-Fu deals with a Shaolin Priest (Cain) who is outlawed after killing the assassin who killed his old blind master Po (as well as the emperor's nephew, who was responsible.) Being half Chinese, half American, he escapes to the "old west" of America. There he embarks on a series of adventures dealing with racist cowboys, bloodthirsty bounty hunters and Chinese assassins sent to kill or return him (he is worth $10,000 alive and $5,000 dead.) This is a classic and unique series, dealing far more with humanity, Chinese philosophy and wisdom than fighting. Its cult value is hot, and its incredible acting and stories are memorable and striking. A show for those who like something different, where truth and gentleness can win out over lies and crudeness. He is one with nature. Yet he always maintains, "I am just a man."

Highly recommended for all audiences!

... for the foundation that introduced the western world to the martial arts in a massive sweep in the early seventies. It literally set a preperation and an interest that sparked Bruce Lee's work into a phenomenon. The strong value that this series holds is in it's approach of portraying the teachings of the martial arts in a very moral and almost biblical way. The ideals presented within are, and were very much so in the seventies, an inspiration for strengthening and understanding one's own character and for modeling traits that could skillfully resolve conflict in a very real and usable way within oneself. David Carradine followed by Bruce Lee, in a remarkable wake of perfect timing, created an era by being such powerful role models. Role models to the like that no one had ever seen.

David Carradine's portrayal of Kwai Chang Caine was the first inactment of any martial art that most people in the states had ever seen and, to this day, that portrayal remains among the most inspirational for it's embodiment of Eastern ideals.

As for this first season set of DVDs, I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to learn anything about the drive behind learning a martial art, to fans of the series and to anyone wanting to instill humility and moral direction within themselves or their children. Kids may not want to give it a chance, things are a little different today than they were in the seventies.

I have no problem with the widescreen aspect ratio. The framing is very palatable to me and in no way is an excuse to miss out on the content of the show or to miss out on reliving some early inspirations that came out of the series. The quality of the picture and sound is top notch.

A truly inspirational series for any day and age

The TV series Kung Fu, starring David Carradine, Keye Luke and Philip Ahn, became an American popular cultural phenomenon in the 70s and richly deserves a full DVD release. It remains as unique today as it did three decades ago, and potentially as powerful.

In the 70s, America was still embroiled in the Vietnam War when Carradine, who played Kwai Chang Caine, walked barefoot into the homes of viewers portraying a Chinese priest of the Shaolin Order who was also a Kung Fu martial arts expert.

Through Caine, complex themes of religion, spirituality, philosophy, violence, peace, racism, morality, greed, human dignity and cruelty were examined each week in the guise of an off-beat Western set in the 1800s.

Caine, who was part American, was forced to flee his homeland after his mentor, Master Po, portrayed brilliantly by Luke, was murdered by a royal guardman, who in turn was killed by Caine. The royal family issued an edict to capture Caine --- dead or alive.

Caine came to America in search of his half-brother, walking from town to town following leads as to his sibling's whereabouts.

While the story seems simple enough, it afforded the show's writers ample opportunities to explore the aforementioned themes by depicting Caine's interaction with those who lived in America's Old West, illustrating through the use of extensive flash-backs, the teachings of his Shaolin masters and his Chinese martial arts training. It also provided plenty of excitement and action through Carradine's use of Kung Fu in America, which he frequently employed to protect the less fortunate or otherwise vulnerable victim.

Caine's cultural views and religious training that stressed peaceful coexistance with his fellow man, equality and non-materialism, put him at odds with most of those he encountered. Every episode presented moral choices for Caine to make between maintaining his lifestyle and philosophy, or conforming to the norms of American society. In presenting those choices, viewers also examined their own values as well as those of modern society at a time when it was imperitive to do so.

Famed martial artist and actor Bruce Lee developed the show's concept with producers and had expected to be cast as Caine. But, when cameras finally rolled on the production, it was Carradine who became Caine, and who would be forever linked to the role.

This DVD set was remastered to present the first season, including the show's pilot, in a widescreen format. I'm anxious to see what the show will look like thus depicted. However, this is one TV show that looked great in a full-screen format, so there was really no way to lose on its DVD release. I trust that the remaining seasons will also be released in very short order.

The last time I saw this series was when it was originally on TV
and as I was doing homework at the time,I remember it only got
done during the commercials of this show. It still has the same effect today - it is captivating. There are some corny spots but
for the most part it is a great dramatic and action series. It fills up most of my tv screen and although I'm sure the techno wizards must be right about being cropped and cut, I don't feel like I'm missing anything. The packaging is very nice and quality great- There's no reason to complain. Thanks to Warner
Brothers for putting this out. If you're an original fan like me
you're going to like what you see!

Caine, a Chinese-American immigrant, conflicts with a violent 1870's American West as he seeks a way of peace. The conflict that he feels within himself as a peaceful man who practices martial arts is portrayed excellently. The flashbacks that he has of conversations and lessons in a Shaolin temple are a glimpse into another world. An outstanding series.

A brief episode guide:
Pilot: Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, The Sign of the Dragon. Caine flees to the United States after killing the Emperor's nephew.
1. King of the Mountain: A bounty hunter looking for Caine endangers a woman rancher and a homeless boy. guest star (gs): John Saxon.
2. Dark Angel: Caine helps a blinded preacher learn to use his other senses. gs: Robert Carradine, John Carradine.
3. Blood Brother : Caine seeks justice for a murdered friend.
4. An Eye for An Eye: A rape victim wants Caine's help to get revenge. (This episode won Emmy's for best director and cinematographer.)
5. The Tide: A woman with an ulterior motive helps a seriously injured Caine.
6. The Soul Is the Warrior: Caine helps a sheriff facing death.
7. Nine Lives: A miner looks for a cat to replace the cat he accidentally killed. gs: Geraldine Brooks.
8. Sun and Cloud Shadow: Caine acts as intermediary between Chinese miners and a mine owner.
9. Chains: Caine escapes from prison shackled to another prisoner.
10. Alethea: A young girl testifies that she saw Caine murder a man. gs: Jodie Foster.
11. The Praying Mantis Kills: A young boy defends the jail against the men who killed his father.
12. Superstition: When Caine is forced to work in a mine, a landslide traps him inside.
13. The Stone: In a story about a large uncut diamond, Caine becomes involved with a former Brazilian slave and three boys seeking revenge. gs: Gregory Sierra.
14. The Third Man: A gunman kills a gambler who had already been attacked by thieves. gs: Sheree North.
15. The Ancient Warrior: An dying Indian warrior wants to die at his burial place, in the middle of an Indian-hating town.

A TV series from 1972 is not intended for widescreen presentation. The original image has been cropped, cutting off heads, feet, and other things in the process.

I am all for widescreen presentations of widescreen movies, because I want to see the image as intended. However, in this case, they are doing the opposite, by changing the image to fit new 16X9 monitors, they have destroyed the original composition.

Do not sit still for this. Can you image I LOVE LUCY with the top and bottom of the picture cropped out? The converyor belt scene in the chocolate factory would be ruined....

Widescreen movies and recent widescreen TV shows should be widescreen on DVD, no question.

However, older non-widescreen movies and TV series should be presented as intended, not edited and cropped to placate owners of 16X9 sets who don't know any better. Besides, if those owners want to crop the images to fit their widescreens, they can do so with a button on their remotes.

Cropping a 32 year old TV series? Ridiculous.

Any prospective purchasers of this DVD, please note that the orignal series was filmed and broadcast in a 4:3 screen ratio. To accomodate the 16:9 ratio of widescreen TVs, the image will be cropped, losing image (about 25%) from the top and/or bottom of the screen. If the series were presented in its correct 4:3 ratio, there would be black or gray bars at the right and left of the widescreen TVs ... Warner is probably trying to avoid complaints from viewers who don't realize that this is the only way to correctly present the original image as filmed and broadcast. Warner's would better serve fans of the series by presenting it as originally filmed and broadcast and educating its customers that this is the correct presentation.

Prospective buyers of this DVD need to realize that they will be seeing about 25% less image than was originally filmed and broadcast.

You get the 90 min movie that started it all PLUS the first 15 shows! The quality is awesome and I love the letterbox aspect ratio. This series is even better than I remembered it. David Carradine is so good as the humble, wandering Shaolin Priest Caine, who not only kicks people's asses, but teaches them moral and spiritual lessons as well. Flashbacks to the Shaolin Temple and Caine's early training with the Masters are a recurring feature that set this show apart from all others.

For under $30, I'm not going to worry too much about a cropping here and an edit there. There is way more going on in this series than the fighting; to me, that was the hook to watch. Being a Christian, I never felt like I was being proselatized sp? to become a buddist; in fact, I think the demeanor and grace of Caine was very much more toward the my idea of the gentle, humble Christ, of the Bible. That is, until the kicks start flying. Caine always humbled himself, very lowly to deflect and side-step conflict. Great life lessons, indeed. Therin, is where I find the value of this series.