Chan Kong-sang, aka Jackie Chan, is mainly known for his iconic appearances in Asian martial arts and action movies such as Zui quan and Jing cha gu shi and Hollywood smash blockbuster movies such as Rush Hour, Kung Fu Panda, and a remake of The Karate Kid.
The Tuxedo actor began his first forays into the American film industry in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was The Big Brawl which came in 1980.
Chan was considered to take on the role in martial arts, but copying Bruce Lee’s style in kung fu films didn’t work well for his career. So, he changed his direction by crafting his own image and soon became a martial arts sensation.
He got his commercial success from the action-comedy genre, and he gives credit to three comedian actors he watched in his childhood, who helped him to thrive in his Hollywood career.
Jackie Chan Cherishes Comedian Actors More Than Action Heroes
Jackie Chan has repeatedly cited silent film comedians as inspirations. In 1995, he told The New York Times:
“I wanted to be like a Chaplin or Buster Keaton, but all the martial arts directors I worked with wanted me to copy Bruce Lee.”
Both Keaton and Chaplin had their own inimitable styles for which they’re still praised to date. They had a distinct comedic style to make people laugh. And that’s what left a mark on Jackie Chan.
Chan’s inspiration from Keaton is clear in movies such as Project A and The Young Master, which copy stunts and gags from Keaton’s films. Chan has also admired how all three actors (Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Llyod) performed such scenes without safety measures during the silent film era.
Jackie Chan Stole Inspiration from Silent Comedian Harold Lloyd
With almost 200 films between 1914 and 1947, Lloyd was one of the actors Jackie Chan “stole” inspiration from during his younger days. In 1996, when a critic mentioned that Chan seemed to take inspiration from silent comedian Harold Lloyd, Chan responded:
“I don’t mind, because when I was younger, I stole from Hollywood films.”
He went on and said:
“I stole from Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Gene Kelly.”
Harold Lloyd, the actor who inspired Superman’s Clark Kent alter ego in DC Comics, was not only one of the biggest stars of the silent film era but also early cinema’s most influential and successful filmmakers.
Lloyd is remembered for doing his own stunts in his movies. He would put himself in peril by dangling on rooftops and hanging on the back of the car. This made his comedy even more effective, which inspired The Accidental Spy actor.
Source: The Guardian
