Corey Yuen

Corey Yuen Kwai (Chinese: 元奎; pinyin: Yuán Kuí; Yale: Yuen4 Fui1; born 1951) is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.

Life and career

Corey Yuen Kwai was born Ying Gang-Ming. Corey was one of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao's best friends during their days in the China Drama Academy Peking Opera School. They spent those days training in a harshly disciplined style under the watch of Master Yu. Corey would go to appear as an extra in Hong Kong films during the "chop socky" era of the 1970s.

Corey is now one of the top action directors to hit both Hong Kong and the United States. In 1985, he was the first Hong Kong director to successfully bring Hong Kong style action to an American film with No Retreat, No Surrender with the soon to be famous actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. Corey Yuen has worked with most of Hong Kong's top stars at one time or another, and began Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock's career in 1985 with Yes! Madam and boosting Stephen Chow's with 1990s All for the Winner and 1991's Top Bet. He has also directed Jackie Chan with Sammo Hung in Dragons Forever, and directed Anita Mui, Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok in Saviour of the Soul. In 1993 he began an alliance and friendship with action star Jet Li. He directed several of Jet Li's films, beginning with Fong Sai Yuk and its sequel, and continuing through The Bodyguard from Beijing, The New Legend of Shaolin, My Father Is a Hero and High Risk. The two have worked together for more than 8 years and Corey has brought his brand of action in Jet Li's 3 American films, Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die, The One, and Cradle 2 the Grave. Corey also directed The Transporter and So Close, released in late 2002. Corey opted not to return to direct the sequel Transporter 2, released in 2005. However, his team of stuntmen and martial artists are featured in the film.

His other notable films include Righting Wrongs with Yuen Biao and Cynthia Rothrock, She Shoots Straight with Joyce Godenzi, Sammo Hung and Yuen Wah and 1997's Hero (not to be confused with the Zhang Yimou-directed, Jet Li- starring 2002 film of the same name) starring Yuen Biao and Takeshi Kaneshiro. He has also been an action director on a number of other films. His style of action is not as distinct as that of other Hong Kong action directors like Yuen Woo Ping and Ching Siu Tung, but is noted for its speed and creativity. He is also distinguished in his ability to mix hand-to-hand combat and gunfighting, two styles of fighting that are not often used together successfully in Hong Kong action films.

Filmography

As Director

• DOA: Dead or Alive (2006)
• The Twins Effect II (2004)
• The Transporter (2002)
• So Close (2002)
• Kuen sun (aka The Avenging Fist) (2001)
• Enter the Eagles (1998)
• Hero (1997)
• Black Rose II (1997)
• Mahjong Dragon (1996)
• My Father Is A Hero (1995)
• The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994)
• The New Legend of Shaolin (1994)
• Fong Sai-yuk II (1993)
• Fong Sai-yuk (1993)
• Saviour of the Soul II (1992)
• Fist of Fury 1991 II (1992)
• Ghost Punting (1991)
• Top Bet (1991)
• All for the Winner (1990)
• She Shoots Straight (1990)
• Righting Wrongs II: Blonde Fury (1989)
• Casino Radiers (1989)
• Dragons Forever (1988)
• No Retreat, No Surrender 2 (1988)
• In The Blood (1987)
• No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
• Righting Wrongs (1986)
• Yes, Madam (1985)
• Winner Takes All (1982)
• Ninja in the Dragon's Den (1982)
• Game of Death II (1981)

External links

• Corey Yuen at the Internet Movie Database
• Chinese Actors
• Kung Fu Cinema: Corey Yuen Filmography (complete)