Yuen Woo Ping has been making cutting edge martial arts films since 1978 when his groundbreaking classic Snake In The Eagle’s Shadow starring Jackie Chan burst on the scene like a fist to the solar plexus.  He is arguably the greatest director and choreographer of action scenes in the history of cinema. His credits include the fight sequences in The Matrix, Kill Bill, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Kung Fu Hustle. Last night I attended a screening of Ping’s newest movie True Legend at Fantastic Fest and I think it’s among the finest martial films produced in the past two decades. While the film features a shitload of computer generated imagery, at heart it’s an old school kung fu movie. A morality play with grand emotions and epic action, True Legend engages the heart while being breathtakingly thrilling.  Just when you thought Asian action flicks had lost their mojo, Yuen Woo Ping resurrects the genre once again.

After the screening of True Legend at Austin’s Paramount theater, RZA presented Master Woo Ping with a lifetime achievement award. RZA worked with Woo Ping on the Kill Bill movies.

RZA on Yuen Woo Ping:

“I have been a fan of Yuen Woo Ping since I was young. I had a chance to meet him on the set of KILL BILL along with his team. I have always admired him as a fan and once I met him I admired him as a man too. He has directed many of my favorite movies of all time and it will be a great honor to present him with such a prestigious award.”