The movie “This Must Be The Place” is about Cheyenne (Sean Penn), a wealthy former glam rock star who embarks on a quest from his retirement in Ireland to find the ex-Nazi war criminal hiding out in the U.S, who had persecuted his father during World War 2. After learning that his father is close to death, Cheyenne travels to New York, hoping to reconcile with him, only to arrive too late.
There is a scene around 16 1/2 minutes into the movie which features Cheyenne’s wife, Jane (Frances McDormand), practising Tai Chi in the garden, while he watches from a window in the house. The Tai Chi teacher was played by Master Deng Er Li, who taught Yang style Tai Chi Chuan in Dublin, Ireland.
As a practitioner and enthusiast who loves all things Tai Chi, I always get excited when I see Tai Chi Chuan being featured in movies, TV shows, or commercials.
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you can click on the image below to see more about it!
The Professor: Tai Chi’s Journey West (First Run Features, 2016)
Collaboration. Tolerance. Innovation. Naturalism. Terms associated with the historically significant teachings of Cheng Man-Ching. Filmmaker Barry Stugartz has crafted a loving and respectful tribute.
“The Professor” as he was known, was the first major Tai Chi master from China to expose a generation of Americans to what until then had been shrouded in secret from Western culture. He felt the Eastern practice of internal arts like Tai Chi should be accessible to all. This was evident in the variety of students who were drawn to his classes in New York City in the mid-1960s. He pioneered teaching the art of Tai Chi as a healing practice, distinct from other martial arts, like Karate.
Cheng himself was a living example of Tai Chi’s healing energy and physical benefits, as he believed it improved his lung function. Likewise one of his students mentions in the documentary Tai Chi alleviated knee pain. Still another, with polio, found meditative release in the sword form. Two of my own sifu’s have similarly exorcised musculoskeletal demons through the assistance of Tai Chi and Qigong.
Director Barry Strugatz carefully builds a chronological journey of Cheng Man-Chin’s time in America, framed by chapters defining characteristics of the art of Tai Chi –naturalism (Daoism, or “the way”), relaxation and simplicity, healing, push hands, chi (energy) and philosophy. The number of former students who participated in the documentary is a testament to Cheng’s impact, years after his death. Strugatz, who also studied Tai Chi, is a writer and director. Both the Newport International Film Festival and Stony Brook Film Festival awarded his work on the short film Transformation in 2000. His screenplay lit up Jonathan Demme’s 1988 comedy Married To The Mob.
Cheng’s students interviewed on camera bring up the master’s other disciplines, including medicine, art, and especially calligraphy–itself a mirror of the art of Tai Chi.
“In Chinese calligraphy, a single dot requires as many as five distinct motions of the wrist and shoulder to be formed properly, and that same dot will be formed differently depending on which of the several tens of established styles you are studying. Once you are able to brush the dots, lines, hooks and circles, you must learn how to put them together into aesthetically balanced characters. After that, you learn to write the separate characters as if an invisible, unbroken line existed between them, to give them continuity and life.” [Mark Saltzman, Iron and Silk, 1987].
Please enjoy the official trailer of the documentary below:
Through Barry Strugatz and generations of Westerners influenced by the Cheng style of Tai Chi, a whole new audience is now able to appreciate the legacy of Cheng Man-Ching and the unbroken line of tradition for this non-verbal and peaceful communication.
If you are interested in viewing the documentary, you can find more information by clicking on the image below or following this link: The Professor: Tai Chi’s Journey West
The latest documentary by Empty Mind Films looks at the Wudang schools of Tai Chi Chuan. Once again, as with all of the Empty Mind Films productions, it is beautifully filmed and in quality HD format. The film features Taoist master Zhong Yun Long and other schools of the Wudang style of Tai Chi Chuan.
Watch this wonderful trailer of the documentary “The Immortal Path”
“No Martial Art has been so misunderstood in the west than Tai Chi Chuan and especially it’s relationship with the Tao. In the Immortal Path we explore the Tao and the Internal and external styles of Wudang Martial Arts with our guide, Wudang Kungfu master and Taoist priest Zhong Yun Long.”‘
In the 2007 movie “Hot Rod”, Andy Samberg and his co-star Isla Fisher perform a scene in which they are practising Tai Chi on the shore of a beautiful lake. In this video clip from the movie the character Denise (played by Isla Fisher) shows Rod Kimble (played by Andy Samberg) an advanced Tai Chi move!
Haven’t seen the movie yet? Click on the image below to find out more about this wonderfully funny movie!
The movie Easy Rider is an American Classic that was made in 1969. It was written by, and stars, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. The movie also features Jack Nicholson. The story follows two counterculture motorcyclists who ride from Los Angeles to New Orleans, searching for freedom but mostly find negativity or hostility along the way.
During their travels, they visit a commune, and we get to see actor Robert Walker Jr., who plays Jack in the movie, perform some Tai Chi movements in front of the beige parachute backdrop of the stage at the commune.
Robert Walker Jr. learned Tai Chi Chuan from Marshall Ho, as did his mother, Jennifer Jones, who learned in 1962. Marshall Ho had also been associated with and taught Tai Chi to Hollywood notables such as John Saxon, Grace Boyd, Nick Nolte, Erin Gray, and Craig T. Nelson.
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you can click on the image below to see more about it!
In the Rolling Stones music video “Neighbours” we see Tai Chi being featured several times throughout the video. The video is set in an apartment building where it is viewed from the outside looking in the windows. The camera moves from the band playing in one window to the neighbour’s windows and back to the band. In one of the windows, several times we see a man practicing Tai Chi in his apartment.
Mick Jagger was inspired to write the song from Keith Richards’ run-ins with his neighbours from his playing the guitar in his New York City apartment. After complaints that he was playing music too loudly, Richards and his girlfriend were evicted from their apartment in 1981. The song was part of the Tattoo You album released in 1981.
As a Tai Chi enthusiast who loves all things Tai Chi, I always get excited when I see Tai Chi Chuan being featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.
I wanted to share this really great short film that I came across. While this is not a film on Tai Chi, it could have just as easily been.
“The Tea Master” is a short film by Aaron Au. It is about an old Tea Master who is challenged by a swordsman that he comes across. He carries with him an imperial sword given to him by the Emperor himself. However, the Tea Master does not know how to wield a sword. He is desperate to find a solution for dealing with the challenge that could cost him his life!
Please enjoy “The Tea Master” below, and find out how this fragile old man deals with the challenge of the swordsman.
If you are interested in more about this short film, you can find out about the cast and crew at http://teamastermovie.com/crew/
Although this film centers around the Japanese arts, it could just as well be about the the Chinese arts. It is a reminder of how we use our body and our mind in the art of Tai Chi Chuan. “Just serve Tea!”
“Lin Fei” is a short film about a Tai Chi master trying to find his way in a new country. Lin Fei is a new immigrant in the city of Rome, Italy. He struggles to find his way in this new city of different language and customs. It seems all he wants to do is to find a quite place to practice his Tai Chi, as he misses the familiarity of his old home and the closeness of the family he left.
Please enjoy watching the short film “Lin Fei” below.
The film stars real life Tai Chi master Li Rong Wei, who teaches Chinese martial arts in Italy. He is a 7th generation descendant of Lan Shou Pai Men, as well he teaches Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua Chuan, Hsing I Chuan, and Qi Gong. You can find out more information about Li Rong Wei and his school at this link for his school’s website: http://www.lirongwei.it/
The short film “Lin Fei” was produced by Alessandro Trapani in 2007. He also wrote, directed, and edited the film as well. “Lin Fei” appeared in competition at the Medfilmfestival in Rome and at the Salerno International Film Festival. Trapani has produced and directed Music Videos, Short Films, and is currently working on his first feature film. You can find more information about Alessandro Trapani here at his website: http://www.alessandrotrapani.com, ,
Here is a music video that features Tai Chi. It is a fun and light hearted video. We see a group of people gathering in a city park for their morning exercises. The teacher arrives light of foot, stands in front of his outdoor class and they begin their morning exercises with Tai Chi!
The music featured in this video is the song “Pyramid Scheme” by Mat Zo, featuring Chuck D. You can download it following the link below.
In the movie “Calendar Girls” which stars Helen Mirren, we find Tai Chi being featured several times throughout the movie. The movie is about a group of older women who decide to raise money to fight cancer after one of the women’s husband dies from leukemia.
In the scenes that feature the Tai Chi, Helen Mirren leads her group of friends through their practice of the Yang style Tai Chi. The scenes were filmed on a grassy hill in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, England.
In the first scene of the movie we see the group of friends practising their Tai Chi. It is a little comical as Helen Mirren calls out incorrect names for the movements which her friends notice!
It is wonderful as an avid enthusiast of Tai Chi to see Tai Chi Chuan being featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials. Often we see the Tai Chi being performed in the background, but more times we are starting to see it being featured as part of the storyline with the one of the main characters practising this wonderful art!
Now you can watch Calendar Girls, just click the image below!
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