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King Hu
A prime mover in the development of the modern Chinese kung fu movie, King Hu helped open up the West to the blazing passions of Hong Kong action filmmaking with the 1975 Cannes screening of his "A Touch of Zen" (1969), a heady blend of swordfighting, Zen Buddhism, magical acts and Ming Dynasty period detail. Raved English critic Tony Rayns, "...And the visual style will set your eyes on fire." Hardcore cultists--and much of Asia--had already been familiar with such fare for quite some time. Chopsocky flicks had long been a staple of urban grindhouses but filmmakers like Hu helped reveal the artistic potential of the form.