Like any other entertainment source, martial arts cinema has played a role in a lot of comedic endeavors. Some outright obvious, such as the original “Drunken Master”, and “Shaolin Soccer”. While the movies are played for laughs, there are still some interesting things that you can learn from them, as it is hard to separate pure fighting away from the lessons that have been passed down for centuries. Even when things go absurd, as in the instance of the stories and portrayals of the famed little man, Weng Weng. This may sound insane, but there are lessons to be learned when you mix a bit of humor in with the seriousness of martial arts.
There’s A Goal
No matter how absurd and comedic things are, the underlying layers that are shown within the movies of comedic properties, still have purpose. There’s an end result, a conflict, and it is solved with the use of martial arts and the principles that follow. Take for instance, Jackie Chan’s more family friendly roles and you will see that there is a deliberate comedic take on the art form. Even though he’s playing for laughs, in order to entertain, he’s gone through a serious amount of work to get to a place where he can do that. This is not to say that you should be a comedian of martial arts, but if you plan on using the art form for entertainment, you’ll first need to master things for the end goal. Once you’ve mastered anything, including your career path, you can play with it and form it into something else.
Discipline Still Stands
As mentioned above, first you must master a discipline before you can mend it, bend it, and create something new. Art is very much in the same category as fighting in many ways. Art instructors tell their students that in order to master painting, drawing, and create something of note, they must first master the basics. The same can be said for things like driving, running, and any creative endeavor that you may traverse. If you do not master something at top form, you cannot change the dynamics to fit any other method. It’s when you are undisciplined and goofing off, for instance, that you get injured. Discipline still matters here, and it’s evidenced within comedic movies when the main characters train, visit a dojo, or have a spiritual moment amidst all the laughs.
The Glory of Achievement
The end result of the martial arts comedy is achievement. Much like revenge flicks, and movies where the main character must avenge someone’s death, you will find that the end result is victory. The same is for comedy, and while there are laughs to be found, you’ll find that the real glory is the journey that involves martial arts. If you stop and take a look at the way the movies utilize technique, and how there are moments of joy, you will see that martial arts is very much like water, it can fit in nearly all containers.