[Release from Sarah Goodes/Rumble Pictures]
Maximum Choppage: Round 2, Australia’s first suburban Kung-Fu film, will explode onto the screen over four nights at the Fairfield School of Arts, 19 Harris St Fairfield NSW from the 25-28 Sept, 08.
Made by the Rumble Pictures artist collective, based in Cabramatta in Sydney’s West, Maximum Choppage: Round 2 captures the local passion for the Kung-Fu genre and presents it in a dynamic and exciting way.
Not since the cult 1975 film The Man From Hong Kong has Australia produced its own Kung-Fu movie. Tired of digesting a diet of foreign-made martial arts films, Rumble Pictures decided to produce their own and pay tribute to the Kung-Fu classics of 1970’s and 1980’s – using the Cabramatta streets as their backdrop.
Taking inspiration from the power-packed heroics of martial arts greats like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, Rumble Pictures are proud to present Australia’s first “no-budget, but epic ambition” Kung-Fu film.
Maximum Choppage: Round 2 is a 70 minute suburban action adventure exploring the great story telling traditions of love and pride. Two arch-rivals battle it out with swords to become champion of Cabramatta. It boasts as many kick-arse Kung-Fu showdowns as possible. The result is fast, furious and funny.
The producers, Rumble Pictures, have ensured the fundamental essence of Kung-Fu action was never lost nor compromised. They have preserved the slapstick fun and comedic notions of the earlier work of Jackie Chan – highlighted with the animated cues of Steven Chow’s Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.
Director Timothy Ly said : “Every week a group of us would meet up on a Friday night to watch old school kung fu films and develop ideas to somehow bring back the elements of what is now missing in contemporary Kung Fu films.’’
“Western Sydney has a lot of artistic potential. I hope if anything, Rumble Pictures can inspire some residents to pick up their own cameras and do it better than us. We get sick of all the negative profile that Cabramatta gets so we wanted to create an action film that used our local area as our set – we don’t hide from the urbanism of our surroundings we wanted to focus on it and high light it. We like the idea of two sword wielding guys Kung Fu fighting for pride and honour.”
Maximum Choppage: Round 2 is an independent film four years in the making. It makes no apologies for its ‘rough around-the-edges’ approach to cinematography that pushes the boundaries of guerilla-style filmmaking. Its action sequences are at their most organic. In the project’s initial stages, when resources were limited, camera dollies were replaced by skateboards and mattresses were used as crash pads for stunt actors diving off council bins!
The cast and crew of the film are comprised of mainly young Asian Australians from diverse backgrounds of Western Sydney. More significantly, these contemporary groups of filmmakers are either martial arts experts or have a passion towards the genre. All fights and stunts are performed by the cast themselves.
Craig Anderson, writer and director of the ABC’s Double the Fist, described the film as an innovative montage of action and comedy. “Here’s a truly funny film that acknowledges its roots. An old-school Kung Fu film in its purity!” he said.
One of the main focuses of the film is to portray the 2nd generation migrant experience in Australia. The film’s fun and positive format is not so much an emphasis of oriental roots; rather expression of cultural identity and diversity on home soil.
The film will be launched over four nights at the Fairfield School of Arts, 19 Harris St Fairfield NSW from the 25-28 Sept, 08. Screenings begin at 7pm. To RSVP contact ICE on (02) 9897 5744.