Why do we have so little chop-sockey?

I am big fans of films such as The Kid with the Golden Arm, Five Element Ninja, and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. i would consider these tpo be the defining films of the "golden" age of Hong K Ong cinema. These sort of film, however, do not seem to get much attenttion on this website. I would like to know if any other Chop-Sockey fans exist here, and what you think about these films.

What the f does chop-sockey even mean? I like many Hong Kong martial arts movies but I don't know, which of them count as "chop-sockey".

Judging by the names he gave, I'm assuming that it's a rather silly term for Hong Kong action movies.

I'm personally not a fan of Hong Kong movies aside from the really big names, but I'd certainly be interested in learning about them...

edited 13th Dec '11 10:21:30 AM by Wicked223

I don't think I've ever heard the phrase "choppy-socky" except as an old and outdated derogatory term for martial arts films.

I am a sucker for Jackie Chan movies, despite the claims of the critics. Hey, work pages are free launches if you want to entry pimp martial arts movies. It'd be a nice switch from the constant Avatar/Twilight/Sword Of Truth/Any Rand/Uwe Bowl bashing.

If someone wants to start a thread about old Hong Kong school martial arts movies, why not have that in the title? Would "Hong Kong school martial arts movies" be such a boring title? If I would like discuss about old school rap, should I start a thread with a title like "80s n****** songs"?

Do you really have to be ironic in order to enjoy Hong Kong cinema? Even many good American action movies, such as Lethal Weapon can be just as silly and over the top as many Hong Kong movies (I know it's part a comedy, but so are many Hong Kong movies, especially from the early 80s to mid 90s, or so).

Chop, a strike in Karate. Sock, a closed fist blow. Why is chop-sockey offensive?

Testing, Operation Condor

And also it's a pun on Chop Suey. I don't really see anyone's problem with the thread title, it's the name for a certain type of Hong Kong action film made in a certain era. It's not really any different than the term Spaghetti Western.

Chop Sockey is films around the 60's right? I saw a few when I was younger, but I didn't much care for them.

Spaghetti western is still used, whereas Chop Sockey is much rarer. Just like in the case of Die for Our Ship, TV Tropes is probably the first place I've read it used.

I'm not sure it is less used, it's just a refers to a smaller range of films which are a lot less popular in English speaking countries. No one would call most of the films people have mentioned in this thread as Chop Sockey simply because they aren't in that category.

I have never read or heard anyone calling The One-armed Swordsman or Come Drink With Me chop socky, and they're the best known 60s martial arts movies I can think of. When Bey Logan talks about Kwan Tak-hing Wong Fei-hung movies in the Once upon a time China DVD commentaries, which span from the 40s to the late 70s, if yiu count The Magnificent Butcher, he doesn't mention the word. He also doesn't use the phrase in The Fist of Fury DVD commentary.

edited 20th Dec '11 7:21:54 AM by harkko

Well it's evident you know more than me about the topic, I might have been wrong about that. However I do know that The One Armed Swordsman definately wouldn't be classified as Chop Socky, it's got a completely different tone.

I only speak from my own experience, where "chop-sockey" was an old, old term used for early martial arts films, and carried a strong undercurrent of "look what those silly yellow movie makers are doing." Like spaghetti western only leavened with racism.

I admit, however, it was years since I'd even *thought* of the term, let alone heard it. Its possible I misremember the level of derogation implicit to the term.

Or that none of us have been watching movies long enough to know better.

Condor doesn't work. How about The Legend Of The Drunken Master?

I was just thinking about this. After I found spruced up Shaolin And Wu Tang page, I saw that there doesn't appear to be that many pages for some of the old school martial arts films.

The longer the thread about "Why aren't there pages for these works?", the deeper the irony.

Try Drunken Master, Cider (it is a sequel to the former, after all).

edited 19th Feb '12 10:53:18 AM by Buscemi

I watched Mr. Chan in Mr. Nice Guy. He drives a giant dump truck through a mansion. Admit, you want to see the movie right now.

I found it one of Chan's worst. And I really like the guy.

A little rough but a perfect place to start off.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/The36thChamberofShaolin

And to top it off, another contribution or two for anyone interested Martial Arts Movie.