A Day With Hung Yan Yan

This also led to a major role in Tsui Hark's 1995 period film The Blade, which starred Vincent Zhao. Hung played the antagonist Fei lung, aka Flying Dragon.

He would later follow Tsui Hark to Hollywood to help out on Double Team with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dennis Rodman.

Of note, in most of these films, Hung is credited as Xiong Xinxin

Getting Pumped with the Hero Among Heroes Screening

No better way to get a load of Kung Fu fans going than screening a classic martial arts film. Once seated, the auditorium fell silent, then exploded with the Hero Among Heroes screening starring Donnie Yen and our guest, Hung Yan Yan.

Centred around the opium wars, the film deals with a friendship betrayed and the evils of greed and addiction for personal gain.

And of course, Hung Yan Yan goes up against Donnie Yen to get the crowd cheering .

Hung Yan Yan takes to the Stage

After a brief break after the film, we were back in the auditorium for the appearance of Master Hung. It wasn't long before Rick Baker introduced Master Hung to the stage.

The crowd was still pumped from watching the Hero Among Heroes, and we all gave him the reception he deserved.

It's here we heard about his journey from learning martial arts at age 12 purely because he was so lively and needed to be reined in. It ended up being his passion and way of life.

Hung was explaining his entry into getting into films. Friends said he should try out for stunt work; it pays well if you're willing to try. His first foray was working on Lau Kar-leung's Shaolin film in China.

He said he liked the way he worked and his commitment; he was invited to Hong Kong to do work on Hong Kong action cinema. His plan was to stay a while and eventually go back home once he had earned enough money.

He explained his first stunt was to jump from a moving car with no protective safety equipment; he was like What the hell, no easing into this, then. Once they told him what they would pay him for it, he agreed; the money was good if you could do it.

And because he did this stunt, he was asked to do more. He recalls one stunt where they wanted him to jump off this building; he was like, " Whoa, this is crazy. With some boxes to break your fall, no Hollywood safety nets and stuff. Apparently, others had refused to do it; they said We'll pay you 10'000, " and he did the stunt.

It was this work ethic which kept him busy in stunt work, but his break would be when Tsui Hark needed a stunt double for Jet Li in the Once Upon a Time in China Film in 1991.

Prior to this, Hung had a good reputation, as he had done stunt work, choreography, and small parts in films like Tiger on the Beat, Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon, and Stage Door Johnny

Hung would continue to work on the Once Upon In Time in China films, but it was O.U.A.T.I.C.3 where he would get the role of Clubfoot 7, which in the West he is known for the casual martial arts film fan. Though he had played smaller roles in the first two films.

The Blade , A Favourite of Hung Yan Yan's

Hung Yan Yan's favourite film is The Blade, where he got to play the antagonist in this wuxia-style swordplay film with a new wave twist. It's a role where he could play with the character a bit, making it his own. Playing opposite him was Vincent Zhao as the protagonist, who finds out his father was killed by a bandit by the name of Fei Lung.

Hung said The Blade was quite a raw film; it concentrated on the actors' ability to actually do the Martial arts in its purest form. No flashy wire work, just very good choreography and two main actors who could pull it off.

It came around when so many films were doing extensive wire work; The Blade was old school. It didn't break the box office. But it's a good film and revered nowadays.

Raffle Time and the Meet and Greet

After the interview and audience Q&A, it was time for a raffle prize draw, an auction of film memorabilia, and, finally, a meet-and-greet with Master Hung, where fans could get that elusive autograph and photo with the man himself.

This was another great fan event organised by Eastern Heroes in conjunction with the Lumiere Cinema in Romford, London, though many locals consider themselves to live in Essex.

Our thanks again to Rick Baker, Toby Russell, Singh, and Karen Campbell for another fun-filled day. We look forward to the next one.

This is Sertes Nake signing of.

Karen Campbell and Rick Baker host the auction

Toby Russell engages with Hung Yan Yan

Fans Queue to meet and greet with Master Hung Yan Yan