Wu Ma

Wu Ma
Background information
Chinese name 午馬 (traditional)
Chinese name 午马 (simplified)
Pinyin Wǔ Mǎ (Mandarin)
Jyutping Ng5 Maa5 (Cantonese)
Birth name 馮宏源 (Traditional)
冯宏源 (Simplified)
Féng Hóngyuán (Mandarin)
Fung4 Wang4jyun4 (Cantonese)
Born 22 September 1942
Tianjin, China
Died 4 February 2014(2014-02-04) (aged 71)
Hong Kong
Occupation Actor, director
Years active 1964–2014

Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer born in Tianjin, Republic of China. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directorial credits within a fifty-year period), he was one of the most familiar faces in the history of Hong Kong Cinema and best known as the Taoist ghosthunter in A Chinese Ghost Story.[1]

The early years

Wu was born Feng Hongyuan in Tianjin. At 16 he moved to Guangzhou and became a machinist before migrating to Hong Kong in 1960. In 1962, Wu enrolled in the Shaw Brothers acting course. Graduating a year later, he became a contract player for the studio and made his first appearance in Lady General Hua Mu-lan. He then appeared in such films as Temple of the Red Lotus (1965), The Knight of Knights (1966) and Trail of the Broken Blade (1967). He took on the stage name 'Wu Ma' as it reflected the animal in the year of his birth (the horse), and believed it was short enough for audiences to remember.

During an interview, Wu explained that he had stumbled upon directing when he was offered an unexpected trip to Japan for a movie. The film's original assistant director was unable to clear his visa in time, and Wu was called upon to take his place. After the experience, Wu decided to become a director.

The 1970s

In 1970, Wu became a director in his own right. His directorial debut, Wrath of the Sword, was released the same year. In 1971, Wu released one of his seminial works, The Deaf And Mute Heroine. He concentrated on directing in the 1970s, directing several movies – such as Young Tiger (1973) and Wits To Wits (1974). Wits To Wits has been noted as one of the precursors of the knockabout comedy kung fu genre that was later made famous by Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan. Another movie Wu directed, Manchu Boxer (1974), featured Sammo Hung, then a young choreographer and later one of the trend-setters of Hong Kong cinema. This marked the beginning of a strong working relationship between the two, which would become prominent towards the 1980s. He co-directed with his former mentor Chang in several movies – The Water Margin (1972), The Pirate (1973), All Men Are Brothers (1975) and Naval Commandos (1976).

While most of his output during this period was as a director, Wu continued to appear as an actor and appeared both in his own movies and in several others, although his roles were generally limited to small appearances. During the mid-1970s, Wu joined a small exodus who were leaving Shaw Brothers due to corruption within the studio and became an independent director. Despite becoming an independent director, Wu was still able to work closely with some Shaw Brothers stars such as Ti Lung (The Massive (1978)).

The 1980s

As the 1970s and the era of the martial arts film wound down, Wu Ma's output as a director also slowed. His acting output, however, increased as he became increasingly well known as a character actor. Wu had made appearances in Sammo Hung's 1970s movies (such as Iron Fisted Monk), his association with Hung began in earnest in the early 1980s. Wu appeared in Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980). Throughout the 1980s, Wu and Hung had a close working relationship, often with Wu as the director and Hung as the producer (such as My Cousin The Ghost (1986)). Wu worked in Hung's production company Bo Ho as the production manager, and made appearances in Hung-directed films during the 1980s, including Millionaire's Express (1986) and Wheels on Meals (1984).

Towards the mid-1980s, Wu became one of the most prolific character actors in Hong Kong, his now-rubbery face able to shift effortlessly across a spectrum of emotions. During the 1980s, he received three Hong Kong Film Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor – for Righting Wrongs (1986), where he played a policeman having to deal with his son's death; A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) as Yin Chek-Ha; and in The Last Eunuch in China (1988), as Lord Ting. He began a working relationship with Tsui Hark, and appeared in several of Hark's movies. Aside from A Chinese Ghost Story, Wu also appeared in the earlier Peking Opera Blues (1986).

After A Chinese Ghost Story, said by Wu to be amongst his favourite movies, Wu began to focus on the supernatural genre. Much of his directorial efforts after 1987 were within that genre, such as Portrait of a Nymph (1988), Burning Sensation (1989) and Fox Legend (1991).

1990s

Wu continued his working relationship with Hark, and appeared in Once Upon A Time in China (1991) and The Swordsman (1991). The early 1990s were an especially prolific period in Wu's career – with Wu appearing in over 14 movies during one year. As the Hong Kong film industry began to slump, Wu's career also slowed considerably. After appearing in High Risk (1995), many of his appearances were either in low-budget movies or in television series.

Death

Wu was diagnosed with lung cancer and it was announced that the disease started to spread ten months ago. His wife stated that "He have enjoyed every precious minute with his family, which explained that he had casually walked his path with pride and dignity." He died peacefully at his home in Hong Kong on 4 February 2014 at the age of 71.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year English title Chinese title Role as actor Function Notes
1965 Temple of The Red Lotus
1969 The One-Armed Swordsman 獨臂刀
1971 The Deaf and Mute Heroine Director
1972 The Water Margin 水滸傳
1974 Wits To Wits Director aka From China With Death and Conman and the Kung Fu Kid
1977 The Iron-Fisted Monk 三德和尚与舂米六 Boatman in brothel
1978 The Massive
1978 Showdown at the Cotton Mill Director
1980 By Hook or By Crook
1980 Encounters of the Spooky Kind 鬼打鬼
1981 Prodigal Son 敗家仔 Iron Palm
1983 The Dead and The Deadly 人嚇人 Ma Lun Cheung Nominated – Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director
1983 Project A A計劃 Mahjong cheat
1984 Hong Kong 1941 等待黎明 Liu Yan-mau
1984 Hocus Pocus 人嚇鬼 Production Manager
1984 Pom Pom 神勇雙響炮 Police station employee
1985 Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars 夏日福星 Witch-doctor
1985 Mr Vampire 殭屍先生 Rice shop boss
1986 Peking Opera Blues 刀馬旦 Mr. Wong
1986 Righting Wrongs 執法先鋒 Uncle Tsai Nominated – Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
1986 Millionaire's Express 富貴列車
1987 A Chinese Ghost Story 倩女幽魂 Yin Chek Hsia Nominated – Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
1988 Mr Vampire IV
1988 Picture of a Nymp
1988 Last Eunuch in China 中國最後一個太監 Lord Ting, the head eunuch Nominated – Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
1989 Miracles 奇蹟 Uncle Hoi
1990 Magic Cop 驅魔警察 Ma
1990 A Chinese Ghost Story II 倩女幽魂Ⅱ：人間道 Yin Chek Hsia
1990 Story of Kennedy Town 西環的故事 Detective Sergeant Huang
1990 Spooky Family 捉鬼合家歡 II – 麻衣傳奇 Ma Yi ancestor Priest
1991 The Gambling Ghost
1991 The Magnificent Scoundrels 情聖 Fatt
1991 The Swordsman 笑傲江湖 Liu Zhengfeng
1991 Once Upon a Time in China 黃飛鴻 So
1992 The Ghost's Bride 鍾馗嫁妹 Older Brother
1993 Painted Skin 畫皮之陰陽法王 Zhang's Senior
1993 The Sword Stained with Royal Blood 新碧血劍 Suen Chung-Sau
1994 Deadful Melody
1994 Master of Zen 達摩祖師 Shenguang's master
1995 High Risk 鼠胆龍威 Frankie's father
1996 Iron Monkey 2 街頭殺手 Jin's father
2005 House of Fury 精武家庭 Uncle Chiu
2008 Ticket 車票
2009 Chongqing Girl
2010 Here Comes Fortune
2010 Jeet Kune Do
2010 14 Blades 錦衣衛 Qiao Yong
2011 White Vengeance 鴻門宴 Grand Tutor
2011 I Love Hong Kong
2011 Legendary Amazons 楊門女將之軍令如山 Imperial Tutor Pang
2011 What's Under the Bed
2011 Hand in Hand
2011 My Own Swordsman
2012 If I Were You 变身男女
2012 Common Heroes
2012 Pen Fairy
2012 No Retreat
2012 Moonlight Love
2012 Decrepit Dream
2012 The Immemorial Magic
2013 Mark of Youth
2013 Don't Talk about High – Rich and Handsome
2013 A Funny Wedding
2014 Shigeshoshi also director
2014 Fighting
2014 A Stupid Journey
2015 Love Will Be Back 等爱归来
2016 Ya Hai Er 哑孩儿

Television

Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
2003 Diao Man Gong Zhu Xiao Yao Wang 刁蠻公主逍遙王 Tie Wencheng
2005 Lost City in Snow Heaven 雪域迷城 Yang An
2007 The Legend and the Hero 封神榜之鳳鳴岐山 Shang Rong
2007 Sword Stained with Royal Blood 碧血劍 Wen Fangda
2008 When East Meets West 東邊西邊
2008 Taste of Happiness' 幸福的味道 Mei Lan's grandfather
2008 The Qin Empire 大秦帝國 Baili Yao
2008 Bing Sheng 兵聖 Yan Ying
2010 Journey to the West 西遊記 Elder Jinchi
2012 Cong Ming De Kong Kong 聪明小空空 Monk of Black Mountain

[3] [4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Wu Ma (1942–2014)". Film Business Asia. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Wu Ma, Best Supporting Actor of A Chinese Ghost Story, dies following lung cancer battle". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "Wu Ma profile". imdb.com. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Wu Ma profile". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
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