Quentin Tarantino made an unconventional pick for the тιтle of “the greatest actor” in the martial arts genre. When it comes to martial arts movies, the most common favorites are – unsurprisingly – Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Even though Bruce Lee only starred in four complete movies, he’s still widely regarded as the quintessential martial arts star.

Then there’s the matter of Jackie Chan, who easily has the most impressive pedigree of acting credits when it comes to the martial arts genre. Through a great career that has spanned decades, Chan has delivered more than his fair share of memorable performances. Most rely on his comedic chops, but via movies like The Foreigner, he’s proven that he can handle dramatic roles as well.

Of course, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan aren’t the only actors frequently found in these conversations. Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Michelle Yeoh all feel like worthy contenders too. However, it was a different actor – and one with a much lower profile than the aforementioned names – that Quentin Tarantino chose to argue is the best that the genre has to offer.

Quentin Tarantino Believes That Lo Lieh Is The Martial Arts Genre’s Greatest Actor

Tarantino Had High Praise For Lo Lieh’s Versatility As An Actor

During an appearance on the Pure Cinema Podcast, the critically acclaimed director made the argument that Indonesian actor and classic kung fu movie star Lo Lieh was “the greatest actor” ᴀssociated with the martial arts movie genre. First rising to prominence in the late 1960s, Lo Lieh is best known for his work in Shaw Brothers’ kung fu movies.

Tarantino built his case largely around the diversity of the roles Lo Lieh played throughout his long career in Hong Kong cinema. Tarantino likened him to a “Shakespearean” actor, pointing out all the various transformations he would go through via wigs and mustaches.

The director went on to note examples of the various different characters Lo Lieh would play in his films, saying that the actor could play “the henpecked husband,” “the Manchurian guy,” “the bad guy,” “the hero,” or “the Japanese dude.” Seemingly to illustrate that he wasn’t speaking in hyperbole when praising the star, Tarantino clarified, “I truly believe this” in regards to Lo Lieh’s skills.

Of course, it’s true that despite all that can be said about the actor’s range, it is true that villain roles make up a significant portion of his acting credits. Tarantino acknowledged this, and contrasted him with another actor (George Bancroft), who also had a reputation for playing villains, to make his point that Lo Lieh had extreme versatility in this area too.

“But the characterizations didn’t change the way they changed with Lo Lieh. The looks didn’t change. The characters didn’t change. The crazy prowess that they had didn’t change. I mean really, it’s like the entire catalog of Shakespearean villains he played, and then add about 74.”

Quentin Tarantino Makes A Good Point About Lo Lieh’s Incredible Acting Ability

Lo Lieh May Very Well Be The Greatest Actor In The Martial Arts Genre

Looking at the overall body of work offered by Lo Lieh, it’s difficult to argue with Quentin Tarantino’s reasoning, even when weighed against the remarkable filmographies of Jackie Chan, Gordon Liu, Jet Li, and all the other great martial arts stars.

Lo Lieh played some of the most menacing villains in old-school kung fu movies, including The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Clan of the White Lotus. And while he may be best remembered for the archetype of the white-haired kung fu master, that only scratched the surface of what he could do as a villain. Tarantino was right when he said that Lo Lieh’s villains had a wide range of idenтιтies and personalities.

Lo Lieh’s capabilities went far beyond antagonistic roles. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Five Fingers of Death, one of the most influential martial arts movies ever made, featured Lo Lieh as the hero. Not only that, he also demonstrated that he could be a great character actor, as evidenced by his comedic part as a beggar in Rendezvous With Death.

Lo Lieh Had A Heavy Hand In Some Of The Greatest Martial Arts Movies Ever Made

Lo Lieh Starred In So Many Unforgettable Martial Arts Classics, Both As The Hero & The Villain

Further underscoring Quentin Tarantino’s argument are the specific contributions the actor has made to the genre. Five Fingers of Death, which Lo Lieh headlined, preceded Enter the Dragon as the first martial arts film to become an international box office hit.

36th Chamber of Shaolin is often cited as one of the best martial arts movies of all time, and that may not have been the case were it not for Lo Lieh’s iconic showdown with Gordon Liu in the kung fu movie masterpiece’s final minutes. Something similar can be said of The Chinese Boxer, a film frequently credited as the first “true” martial arts movie.

Lo Lieh strengthened his resume with great performances in other films now perceived as gems of the genre, such as Clan of the White Lotus, Five Shaolin Masters, Mad Monkey Kung Fu, and more. All things considered, Lo Lieh may indeed be deserving of the тιтle bestowed on him by Quentin Tarantino.

Source: Pure Cinema Podcast