Shaolin Soccer
Promotional Poster (for Japanese market)
Directed by	Stephen Chow
Produced by	Kwok-fai Yeung
Starring	Stephen Chow Zhao Wei Ng Man Tat Patrick Tse Wong Yat-fei
Music by	Jackie Chan Lowell Lo Raymond Wong
Cinematography	Pak-huen Kwen Ting Wo Kwong
Editing by	Kit-Wai Kai
Release date(s)	July 12, 2001 April 2, 2004 November 12
Running time	95 min.
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film directed by acclaimed Hong Kong comedian, actor and director, Stephen Chow. It is about a former Shaolin monk who reunites his five Sihings (martial brothers), years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial art skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses. Image File history File links Shaolinsoccer. ... Stephen Chow (also Stephen Chiau) (traditional Chinese : 周星馳; simplified Chinese : 周星驰; Romanized as: Chow Sing Chi ; pinyin : Zhōu XÄ«ngchí; jyutping : zau1 sing1 ci4) (born June 22, 1962) is a director and actor in many blockbuster movies in Hong Kong. ... Stephen Chow (also Stephen Chiau) (traditional Chinese : 周星馳; simplified Chinese : 周星驰; Romanized as: Chow Sing Chi ; pinyin : Zhōu XÄ«ngchí; jyutping : zau1 sing1 ci4) (born June 22, 1962) is a director and actor in many blockbuster movies in Hong Kong. ... Zhao Wei (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born 12 March 1976 in Wuhu, Anhui, China) is a Chinese film actress and pop singer. ... Ng Man Tat as Golden Leg in Shaolin Soccer, 2001 Richard Ng Man Tat (吳孟達) was born in 1952. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Chan Kong-Sang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Jackie Chan Sing Lung (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) or Jackie Chan SBS, (born on April 7, 1954) is a Chinese martial artist, action star, actor, director, screenwriter, film producer, singer and stunt performer. ... Raymond Wong (also Huang Ying-hua or Wong Ying-wah) is a Hong Kong film score composer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Hong_Kong. ... July 12 is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Cantonese is a major dialect group or language of the Chinese language, a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... Comedy film is a film genre designed to be humorous. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Stephen Chow (also Stephen Chiau) (traditional Chinese : 周星馳; simplified Chinese : 周星驰; Romanized as: Chow Sing Chi ; pinyin : Zhōu XÄ«ngchí; jyutping : zau1 sing1 ci4) (born June 22, 1962) is a director and actor in many blockbuster movies in Hong Kong. ... Main gate of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, China. ... St. ... Sihing (師兄) means senior fellow students in a Chinese martial art school. ... Sifu (師傅 or 師父; Pinyin: shÄ«fu) is a Chinese term for a master or teacher. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Ever since 1669, when Huang Zongxi first described Chinese martial arts in terms of a Shaolin or external school versus a Wudang or internal school,[1] Shaolin has been used as a synonym for external Chinese martial arts regardless of whether or not the particular style in question has any...

Synopsis

Shaolin Soccer tells the story of Sing (Stephen Chow), a master of Shaolinquan Kung Fu whose goal in life is to let the world know about the benefits of the ancient art. He experiments with various methods to mainstream the art, including comedic song and dance routines, all of which bear no positive results. He meets an old man called Fung (Ng Man Tat), who was a soccer star in his days until his teammate Hung, now a rich businessman, paid him to shave his points. After missing the game-winning penalty kick, Fung's “golden leg” was broken by angry baseball bat-wielding fans (hired by Hung) and had not been able to play ever since. Sing tries to explain his desire to promote the modern uses of kungfu. Fung is initially unconvinced with Sing's idea and brushes off Sing's pleas. The latter kicks a beer can thrown at him by Fung, which vanishes into the sky, but the old man remains adamant. Later, Fung sees a huge crack in a wall some miles away, only to discover that it was caused by the very same tin can which Sing kicked earlier and is astounded. He also witnesses a fight between Sing and a group of local thugs who often ridicule the Shaolin master. After Sing humbles the rogues in a one-sided fight, nearly destroying a brick wall just by kicking a soccer ball, Fung is hit with an idea and asks if Sing could use Kung Fu to play Soccer. Sing likes the idea and agrees for Fung to become his coach. Stephen Chow (also Stephen Chiau) (traditional Chinese : 周星馳; simplified Chinese : 周星驰; Romanized as: Chow Sing Chi ; pinyin : Zhōu XÄ«ngchí; jyutping : zau1 sing1 ci4) (born June 22, 1962) is a director and actor in many blockbuster movies in Hong Kong. ... Shaolin Quan or Shaolin Chüan (少林拳) (in Cantonese Siu Lum Kuen) is the term typically used to describe the Chinese martial arts that originate from the famous Buddhist Shaolin Temple and monastery at Songshan in Henan, founded in 495 by Tamo. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Ng Man Tat as Golden Leg in Shaolin Soccer, 2001 Richard Ng Man Tat (吳孟達) was born in 1952. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Empty Hand uses his super speed to catch objects kicked at him.

Sing meets Mui (Vicki Zhao), a baker with severe acne who uses Tai Chi to make Chinese steamed buns. Despite her appearance, Sing regularly visits her throughout the film and even takes Mui to look at very expensive dresses at a high end department store (where he works as a janitor) after hours. She soon forms an attachment to Sing and even gets a make-over. However, this backfires when the excessive amount of make-up used gives her an almost clown-like appearance, leading everyone to jump and call her a ghost. When Mui reveals her feelings to Sing, he tells her he only wants to be her friend. This revelation, coupled with the constant bullying from her overbearing boss, leads Mui to disappear until later in the film. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan (from Chinese 太极拳 Tàijíquán, literally supreme ultimate fist), commonly known as Tai Chi or Taiji, is a nei chia (internal) Chinese martial art which is known for the claims of health and longevity benefits made by its...

Reuniting with his fellow Shaolin brother students (who have since led separate and busy lives), Sing and Fung attempt to put together an unbeatable soccer team albeit after much persuasion and initial rejection by the other brothers. However, Fung is keen on proving his skills, and in order to turn Sing and his players into real soccer athletes, he invites a vicious team consisting of local thugs (some of whom were beaten up by Sing not long ago) to play against them in a friendly (which turns out to be anything but) match; rather than scoring points, the thugs proceed to give the Shaolin team a brutal gang beating. When all seems to be lost, the Shaolin boys' powers reawaken and they win. A few of the defeated thugs even beg Sing to be allowed to join their team, meaning that the squad would have enough players to compete professionally.

The Full-forward of Team Evil prepares for his most powerful attack.

Soon, Team Shaolin enters the professional soccer league in China where they chalk up successive (and often ridiculously one-sided) victories over teams who are, on paper, superior to Team Shaolin. Their next goal is to win the China Super Cup and to beat the notorious Team Evil helmed by none other than Fung's old nemesis Hung. It turns out that Hung plans to win the Cup by assembling a squad of players who have been injected with an American serum which grants them superhuman strength and speed, making them practically invincible. Predictably, Team Shaolin, which steamrolled their earlier opponents, are brought back to reality when Team Evil's amazing capabilities prove more than a match for them. At a critical moment, when Team Shaolin's goalkeeper 'Empty Hand' and his replacement 'Iron Shirt' are also severely injured during the match, Mui reappears to keep goal for Team Shaolin. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... Look up Serum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Superhuman strength, also called super strength or enhanced strength, is an ability commonly utilized in fiction. ...

In preparation for his final and most powerful attack, Team Evil's Full-forward leaps into the sky and summons a dark demonic energy which turns the ball into a glowing orb. Mui slowly takes up the Tai Chi single whip posture to guard against the threat and channels her qi in the form of a Yin-yang symbol. When he kicks the fiery ball, it explodes towards Mui, but she leaps back and redirects the attack by twirling around and spinning it on her finger (much to the amazement of Team Shaolin). Mui and Sing then combine their martial power and rocket the ball down field with so much force that it creates a horizontal tornado which splays the ground and sucks up anything in its path. The ball plows through the goal post (stripping the clothes from Team Evil's goalkeeper) and destroys half of the stadium, winning the tournament for Team Shaolin. Coach Hung is striped of his title of Soccer Chairman and sent to jail for five years, while Team Evil players are suspended from playing soccer in the professional league permanently. Sing and Mui fall in love and after the game, people all over the world begin to practice Kung fu, thus fulfilling Sing's dream. Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... Yang Chengfu in a single whip posture circa 1918 Single Whip (單鞭 dān biān) is a common posture found in most forms of Tai Chi Chuan. ... Qi, also commonly spelled chi (in Wade-Giles romanization) or ki (in romanized Japanese), is a fundamental concept of traditional Chinese culture. ... A commonly used version of the Taijitu The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi. ...

Cast and characters

Major

Iron Head (Wong Yut Fei) - 1st Brother "Iron Head" spent much effort gaining the kung-fu style that makes his head as tough as iron. After the death of his kung-fu master and the splitting-up of the brothers, he drifted, becoming a janitor at a night club. After an absurd plan of Sing's involving kung-fu and a humiliating music performance, Iron Head loses his job. However, through a bit more difficulties along the way, he would soon become a valuable player in Team Shaolin, with his powerful header. He is injured by a Team Evil player with similar powers, who headbutts him to the ground. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Look up header in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The top combatant can attack with headbutts while being held in the bottom combatants guard. ...

Hooking Leg (Lam Chi-Sing) - 2nd Brother "Hooking Leg"'s Shaolin powers resemble Ground tumbling boxing and Capoeira. He was poor and could not go to school, so he was sent to Shaolin to learn kung fu. Following his training, he couldn't find any other work besides transporting excrement and urine and washing dishes. When Sing and Fung approach him to insist his joining the soccer league, he reacts violently and even threatens to kill them with a meat cleaver, all because they still have full heads of hair, whereas his has fallen out. Then he joins after the wonderful idea of being family again. He is injured by two Team Evil players with similar skills, who trap and possibly break his legs. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Ditangquan or the ground tumbling boxing originated in the Shandong Province during the Song Dynasty (1129-1279). ... ... Feces (also spelled faeces or fæces) are the waste products from the digestive tract expelled through the anus during defecation. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Chinese and old North American cleavers A cleaver is a large knife that varies in its shape but usually resembles a square-bladed hatchet. ... Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss in both men and women, aka Michael Panagos Syndrome. ...

Iron Shirt (Tin Kai Man) - 3rd Brother "Iron Shirt" can absorb all kinds of blunt force attacks without considerable damage, as well as siphoning and shooting the ball with his abdomen. When his kung fu master passed away, he went on to become a busy businessman. Later, the thought of reuniting with his brothers overshadows his business, and he leaves to be a part of Team Shaolin. During the final game against Team Evil, he bravely volunteers to be the replacement goalie for Empty Hand, but is severally injured himself by the Full-forward's ultra-rotating soccer kick. He is the second brother to be carried off the field on a stretcher. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... rpm or RPM may mean: revolutions per minute RPM Package Manager (originally called Red Hat Package Manager) RPM (movie) RPM (band), a Brazilian rock band RPM (magazine), a former Canadian music industry magazine In firearms, Rounds Per Minute: how many shots an automatic weapon can fire in one minute On... ambulancers using a stretcher (profile) ambulancers using a stretcher (front) Soldiers using a simple stretcher A stretcher is a device used in medical professions to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. ...

Empty Hand (Chan Kwok Kuen) - The 4th Brother's resemblance to the martial artist Bruce Lee and bullet-fast hands makes him the first goalkeeper for Team Shaolin. He was unemployed for a stretch of time after his master's death, and he was rather eager to play soccer. Instead of wearing the orange robe uniforms like his brothers, he wears the yellow-and-black tracksuit that Bruce Lee made famous in his movie the Game of Death. He blocks the Full-forward's first two kicks, but is severally injured when he is hit in the face point blank range and sent flying through the net and crashing into the stands. His broken body is carried off the field on a stretcher while his brothers salute his departure. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Danny Chan Kwok Kuen (born August 1, 1975) is a male actor, dance choreographer and lead singer of his rock band Poet. He has been in both of Stephen Chows box office smash movies Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Bruce Lee (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng; Cantonese Yale: Léih Síulùhng; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist, philosopher, instructor, and martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century. ... Game of Death (Chinese: 死亡遊戲) was the film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. ... Bruce Lee (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng; Cantonese Yale: Léih Síulùhng; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist, philosopher, instructor, and martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century. ... Game of Death (Chinese: 死亡遊戲) was the film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... Point-blank range is the distance between a gun and a target such that it requires minimal effort in aiming it, in particular no allowance needs to be made for the effects of gravity, target movement or wind in aiming the projectile. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

"Mighty Steel Leg" Sing (Stephen Chow) - The hero of Team Shaolin, 5th Brother "Steel Leg" Sing is a master of the "Shaolin Orthodox School Mighty Steel Leg" kicking technique. His leg is powerful enough to kick a refrigerator hurling to a tall platform or to send a soccer ball into orbit. Sing remains dedicated to Shaolin kung fu, and despite ending up working as a street cleaner years later, he still believes in Shaolin spirit deep down inside. As for his brothers, they lost their faith. Thinking he cannot follow his dreams, Sing feels hopeless. Eventually he meets Fung and leads him to think of the possibility of combining elements of his martial arts with soccer, which they succeed beyond their dreams. His greatest nemesis is Team Evil's Full-forward. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Stephen Chow (also Stephen Chiau) (traditional Chinese : 周星馳; simplified Chinese : 周星驰; Romanized as: Chow Sing Chi ; pinyin : Zhōu XÄ«ngchí; jyutping : zau1 sing1 ci4) (born June 22, 1962) is a director and actor in many blockbuster movies in Hong Kong. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ...

Weight Vest (Lam Chi Chung) - The 6th Brother is obese and gluttonous (due to a viral pituitary infection that resulted in uncontrollable appetite). However, he is empowered to lighten his weight and fly through the sky for short periods of time. Unfortunately, since his master died, he lost faith and motivation. He works at a grocery store but spends all his time munching on junk food. He refuses the offer from Sing and Fung to play soccer at first but later accepts soon along with the others. He is injured by a Team Evil player with similar powers, who kicks him out of the sky. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Date of Birth 1976, Hong Kong Filmography: 1. ...

"Golden Leg" Fung (Ng Man Tat) - In the 1980s, Fung was a respected soccer player nicknamed "Golden Leg". However, accepting a bribe to throw a penalty shot results in a tragic end to his career, his leg is brutally broken by a mob of 'disgruntled' supporters, who were in fact paid by another player, Hung, to cripple him. Fung ended up, two decades later, working as a lackey for Hung, who is now a tycoon as well as a president of China's soccer operations. One day, Fung willingly leaves Hung's care to become a street wanderer, all hopes gone, until he meets Sing. Subsequently he becomes the coach/manager of Team Shaolin. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Ng Man Tat as Golden Leg in Shaolin Soccer, 2001 Richard Ng Man Tat (吳孟達) was born in 1952. ...

Mui (Vicki Zhao) - A self-conscious and lonely girl who makes steamed buns at a food stand owned by a dominating woman. Her secret to making tasty buns is using Tai Chi to knead the dough. Despite her severe acne, Sing seems to like and admire Mui, and she eventually falls in love with him. Because Sing does not return her romantic feelings, she cries while making dough, and her tears make the dough salty and bitter and it results in having her fired. During the championship game, she shaves her head to pose as both a male player and a Shaolin acolyte and volunteers to be the new goalkeeper after two of the brothers are severally injured. She uses her Tai Chi powers to negate the Full-forward's most powerful kick. She speaks Mandarin, whereas everyone else speaks Cantonese. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about religious acolytes. ... Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi Chüan or Taijiquan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally supreme ultimate fist) is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced to promote health and longevity. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... Mandarin (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally speech of officials), or Beifanghua (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally Northern Dialect(s)), is a category of related Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and south-western China. ... Cantonese is a major dialect group or language of the Chinese language, a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ...

Team Evil coach Hung (Patrick Tse) - Being the antagonist of Shaolin Soccer, he was the one who paid Fung, a long time ago, to throw an important game. Unbeknownst to Fung, Hung paid angry fans to break his leg to ensure his bleak future. Now the coach of Team Evil, he had led his team to five championships already, but they face Fung's Team Shaolin in defense of the championship title. He is eventually sent to jail for five years for cheating and injecting his players with the super serum. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... An ...

Minor

Team Evil Full-forward (Sik Chi Wan) – His drug-enhanced body makes him more than a match for Steel Leg's kicking skills. He severally injures both Empty Hand and Iron Shirt with special "attacks" (various ways of kicking the soccer ball) that overpower the brothers' own unique Shaolin skills. This involves him doing a back flip and then bounding into the sky to kick the fiery ball at it's target. His most powerful kick is negated by Mui's Tai Chi power. He and the rest of the Team Evil players are permanently suspended from the professional soccer league for taking the super serum. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Full-forward is a position in Australian Rules Football with a key focus on kicking goals. ... A backtuck, also known as a tuckback or backflip, is practiced in gymnastics, tricking, and various other activities. ...

Team Evil Goalie (Cao Hua) – He is the only person who is able to guard against Steel Leg’s powerful kicks and can do so with one hand in his pocket. He has incredibly strong hands capable of crushing the thick metal crossbar on the soccer goal. After easily catching three of Steel Leg’s most explosive kicks, he throws the ball clear across the field to the opposing goal and knocks Empty Hand to the ground. When Steel Leg and Mui combine their power, the resulting kick packs enough force to destroy the field and strip the goalie of his clothing. He is permanently suspended for using the super serum. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Patrick Roy, an ice hockey goaltender The goaltender, or goalie, in ice hockey is a player who defends the goal net from shots. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Team Dragon Players 7 & 11 (Cecilia Cheung and Karen Mok) – Two women who play in the men's league and disguise their gender by talking in deep voices and wearing a fake mustache and goatee. They work as a team and can run so fast it appears as if they are flying inches above the ground. Their greatest nemesis is Empty hand because he simply swats away their best kicks. In the American comic book, they do not hide their gender and Brother Weight Vest has a crush on one of them. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Cecilia Cheung (Traditional Chinese: 張栢芝, Simplified Chinese: 张柏芝, pinyin: Zhãng Băi ZhÄ«, Cantonese: Cheung Pak Zhi, born May 24, 1980) is a Hong Kong actress and singer. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Chaplin as The Tramp which includes a pasted mustache. ... A traditional goatee, notice the mustache and beard parts do not touch. ... Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film directed by acclaimed Hong Kong comedian, actor and director, Stephen Chow. ...

Team Rebellion Captain (Fung Min Hun) – He appears to be a polite, soft-spoken young man, but in reality he is a vicious mobster who wields a crescent wrench and steel mallet as weapons, which he hides in his shorts. Most of the players on his team make up the body of thugs who beat up Steel Leg and Iron Head in the night club days prior. Fung arranges a game between the two teams under the false pretense of settling past disputes, but actually to give the brothers their first taste of a real soccer game. After beating Team Shaolin literally within an inch of their lives, the captain takes off his underwear and forces Iron Head to wear it on his head as a sign of humiliation. The brothers come back to win the game and he runs away like a coward, while his players beg to join Team Shaolin. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Adjustable spanner An adjustable spanner, shifting spanner or shifter is a tool which can be used to loosen or tighten a nut or bolt. ... Look up Mallet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Casting

Apart from several veteran actors, Chow stated in an interview with Premiere Magazine that he cast several people in his entourage who had no prior acting experience before Shaolin Soccer. For example, Lam Chi Chung (Weight Vest) had worked as Chow’s screenwriter and Chan Kwok Kuen (Empty Hand) was the dance choreographer hired to design the "'Michael Jackson' dance number" that followed Steel Leg and Mui’s first meeting early in the film. Chow comments he made Chan wear the Bruce Lee’s yellow-and-black tracksuit because only the goalie "can wear a special uniform." Tin Kai Man (Iron Shirt) had been Chow’s production manager on several movies, but had acted in numerous minor roles in previous films.^[1] For instance, he played a young wanna be Triad member in Chow’s preceding movie, King of Comedy. Cecilia Cheung and Karen Mok, who briefly appear as Team Dragon Players 7 & 11 in Shaolin Soccer, had major roles in King of Comedy. Chow defends his decision to hire non-actors thusly, "In terms of finding talent, I try to bring out the funniest thing I notice about them during casting, if it made us laugh at the casting, it will also do on the big screen."^[2] Premiere is an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Médias, beginning publication in 1987. ... Date of Birth 1976, Hong Kong Filmography: 1. ... Danny Chan Kwok Kuen (born August 1, 1975) is a male actor, dance choreographer and lead singer of his rock band Poet. He has been in both of Stephen Chows box office smash movies Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. ... Look up Choreography in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Bruce Lee (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: Lǐ XiÇŽolóng; Cantonese Yale: Léih Síulùhng; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist, philosopher, instructor, and martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century. ... Game of Death (Chinese: 死亡遊戲) was the film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. ... Patrick Roy, an ice hockey goaltender The goaltender, or goalie, in ice hockey is a player who defends the goal net from shots. ... Theatrical production management is a sub-division of stagecraft. ... For other meanings of Triad, see Triad (disambiguation) Triad (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally Triad Society) or (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally Black Society, a general term for criminal organizations) is a term that describes many branches of Chinese underground society and/or organizations based in... King of Comedy (Chinese: 喜剧之王) is a 1999 Hong Kong film directed by Lee Lik-Chi and Stephen Chow. ... Cecilia Cheung (Traditional Chinese: 張栢芝, Simplified Chinese: 张柏芝, pinyin: Zhãng Băi ZhÄ«, Cantonese: Cheung Pak Zhi, born May 24, 1980) is a Hong Kong actress and singer. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Martin Scorsese appears briefly in an uncredited role in this scene from his feature film Taxi Driver. ...

Three of the principle cast members appeared in Chow's following movie, Kung Fu Hustle: Chan Kwok Kuen (Empty Hand) portrayed Brother Sum, boss of the "Axe Gang"; Tin Kai Man (Iron Shirt) portrayed the loud-mouthed advisor of Brother Sum; and Lam Chi Chung (Weight Vest) portrayed Bone, Chow’s sidekick and partner in petty crime. Fung Min Hun (Team Rebellion Captain) briefly appeared as Cecilia Cheung's abusive boyfriend in King of Comedy and the Four Eyes Clerk who beats up both Sing and Bone when they make fun of him on the bus in Kung Fu Hustle.^[3] Kung Fu Hustle (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a 2004 Hong Kong martial arts film directed and co-written by Stephen Chow. ... Danny Chan Kwok Kuen (born August 1, 1975) is a male actor, dance choreographer and lead singer of his rock band Poet. He has been in both of Stephen Chows box office smash movies Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. ... Date of Birth 1976, Hong Kong Filmography: 1. ... King of Comedy (Chinese: 喜剧之王) is a 1999 Hong Kong film directed by Lee Lik-Chi and Stephen Chow. ... Kung Fu Hustle (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a 2004 Hong Kong martial arts film directed and co-written by Stephen Chow. ...

Awards

The asphalt crumbles beneath Steel Leg’s foot as he prepares to kick the soccer ball.

21st Annual Hong Kong Film Awards Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... As shown in this cross-section, many older roadways are smoothed by applying a thin layer of asphalt concrete to the existing portland cement concrete. ... Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎), is the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong. ...

• Winner - Best Picture
• Winner - Best Director (Stephen Chow)
• Winner - Best Actor (Stephen Chow)
• Winner - Best Supporting Actor (Wong Yat-Fei)
• Winner - Best Sound Effect
• Winner - Best Visual Effect
• Winner - Outstanding Young Director (Stephen Chow)
• Nomination - Best Action Choreography
• Nomination - Best Cinematography
• Nomination - Best Costume Design
• Nomination - Best Editing
• Nomination - Best Screenplay
• Nomination - Best Original Film Score
• Nomination - Best Original Song^[4]

7th Golden Bauhinia Awards Golden Bauhinia Awards(金紫荆奖) is a film awards in Hong Kong organised by Hong Kong Film Critics Association. ...

• Winner - Best Picture
• Winner - Best Actor (Stephen Chow)
• Winner - Best Supporting Actor (Wong Yat-Fei)^[5]

Comic books

Front cover of Volume 1.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Chinese

The first of a four volume Shaolin Soccer Manhua was published in Hong Kong roughly nine months after the film originally premiered in 2001. The characters where drawn with large manga-like eyes and cartoonish bodies, but the artists were careful to retain the likenesses of each actor who portrayed them.^[6][7][8] Manhua (Traditional Chinese: 漫畫; Simplified Chinese: 漫画; Pinyin: ) is a general term for comics produced in China, often including Chinese translations of Japanese manga. ... Manga )   (pl. ...

American

Front cover to Volume 1.

Front cover to Volume 2.

ComicsOne approached noted comic book artist Andy Seto with the idea of creating a two volume Manhua-style graphic novel adaptation of the feature film. Seto attached himself to the project because the film was very popular and, therefore, had "a certain level of marketing value".^[9] The project was officially announced on June 30, 2003 and the release of vol. 1 was scheduled to coincide with the film’s US premiere in August, but the film was pushed back.^[10] The Miramax film corporation bought the American film rights to Shaolin soccer before it's release in China,^[11] so they helped publish the comic book along with two Chinese film companies who originally produced the film.^[12] Volumes 1 (ISBN 1-58899-318-3) and 2 (ISBN ISBN 1-58899-319-1) were released in August and November of 2003 and sold for $13.95 US each. Their suggested reading level was age 13 and above.^[12][13] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... ComicsOne was an American publisher of manga, manhwa (Korean manga), and manhua (Chinese manga) which was established in 1999. ... Andy Seto is a comic artist who specializes in martial-arts based stories. ... Manhua (Traditional Chinese: 漫畫; Simplified Chinese: 漫画; Pinyin: ) is a general term for comics produced in China, often including Chinese translations of Japanese manga. ... Trade paperback of Will Eisners A Contract with God (1978), often mistakenly cited as the first graphic novel. ... Miramax is a Big Ten film distribution and production company. ... The United States dollar, or American dollar, is the official currency of the United States. ...

Seto worked to make the novel as faithful to the film as possible but he admits that Stephen Chow's brand of Mo lei tau comedy does not translate well into illustrations.^[9] He stated in an interview that "the Shaolin Soccer comic is 80% movie adaptation with 20% new content."^[9] This new content includes a backstory about Steel Leg's training in Shaolin before the death of his master, as well as completely rewriting entire sections of the movie. For example, in the film a group of bar thugs beat up Steel Leg and Iron head after listening to their lounge-style tribute to Shaolin kung fu. The following day, Steel Leg seeks out the group and uses his Shaolin leg skills to kick a soccer ball at them like a rocket. Fung sees the brawl and comes up with the idea of fusing kung fu and soccer. However, in the comic book Steel leg is meditating in the park when he gets hit in the head with a soccer ball. The cocky players mock him and eventually destroy a stone statue of his deceased master. After that he uses the soccer ball as a weapon. Another example is the fact that the characters are visually different from the film. All of their comic book personas look to be in between 20 to 30 years old with highly toned athletic physiques (with the exception of brother Weight Vest), even Iron head who was much older than his other brothers. Mo lei tau (無厘頭, Jyutping: mo4 lei4 tau4), loosely translated as makes no sense, is a type of comedy typified by Stephen Chows movies. ... Lounge music refers to music played in the lounges and bars of hotels and casinos, or at standalone piano bars. ... Ever since 1669, when Huang Zongxi first described Chinese martial arts in terms of a Shaolin or external school versus a Wudang or internal school,[1] Shaolin has been used as a synonym for external Chinese martial arts regardless of whether or not the particular style in question has any...

Reception

Several online reviews have criticized the novel for its apparent lack of story line coherence, mixture of realistic and cartoonish drawing styles, and bad Chinese-to-English translation, among other issues. In regards to the translation, one reviewer stated, "It's almost as if the book was translated with a first-year English student referencing a Chinese-to-English dictionary, with strangely-assembled sentences and strange bursts of dialogue peppering the pages."^[14] Another common complaint was that the novel seemed to be geared towards those people who had previously seen the movie. Without this familiarity, a newcomer would lose track of the storyline because of the overcrowded pages and rapidly shifting plot.^[14][15][16]

Animation

Steel Leg powering up for an explosive kick that can be seen from outer space.

According to an interview with Premiere Magazine, Chow stated, "Actually the 'over the top' CG and kinetic soccer moves were an inspiration that came from a classic Japanese anime called 'Captain Tsubasa'. The animation was very big in Hong Kong over ten years ago when it sweeped kids of all ages and even adults loved it. It has a cult following in Europe as well. But it was only possible with pen and ink back then, now with the advent of CGI, it can really be done....(the idea of combining it with Kung Fu was in my head for many years but we had to wait for the CG technology to mature)"^[17] Captain Tsubasa was a soccer anime that ran in Japan from 1983 to 1986.^[18] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Premiere is an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Médias, beginning publication in 1987. ... Original run 10 October 1983 – 27 March 1986 No. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin). ...

Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, co-creators of the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated television series, stated in an interview that "Shaolin Soccer is one of our favorite movies. It has tons of fantastic action and lots of funny moments. Some of the effects provided inspiration for how bending moves [mystical arts of controlling the elements] might look on the show."^[19] The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Avatar: The Last Airbender (known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang in the UK, Brazil and India) is an American animated television series airing on Nickelodeon since February 21, 2005; recently it has also become available on iTunes. ...

The Chinese website xiaoyouxi.com has eight flash animations devoted to Shaolin Soccer. They range from non-playable 16 bit video games where the characters reenact the soccer games from the film to animations highlighing Steel Leg and Mui’s strained relationship (one of which is accompanied by the song "Harzard" by Richard Marx).^[20] Note that one episode of Keroro Gunso had a soccer theme which parodied this movie. A Flash animation or Flash cartoon is an animated film which is created using Adobe Flash animation software and often distributed in the . ... In the history of video games, the 16-bit era was the fourth generation of video game consoles. ... Hazard is a song Richard Marxs album Rush Street from 1991. ... Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963 in Winnetka, Illinois) is an adult contemporary singer, songwriter and record producer. ...

See also

• Cinema of Hong Kong
• Battlefield Baseball
• Zhou Tong (monk)
• Yue Fei

The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan. ... Battlefield Baseball , literally Hell Stadium) also known as Battlefield Stadium, is a Japanese film. ... This is an article about the teacher of Yue Fei. ... Statue of Yue Fei, from the Yue Fei Mausoleum in Hangzhou. ...

References

External links

• Miramax's Shaolin Soccer site
• Shaolin Soccer at the Internet Movie Database
• Shaolin Soccer at Rotten Tomatoes
• Shaolin Soccer Fanlisting