Jane: Kung Fu?

So has anyone been thinking about Kung Fu these past few days since David Carradine's death?

I have.

The TV show Kung Fu came on when I was 10. I remember watching it and liking it very much--it was my first introduction to martial arts and to eastern philosophy (or at least the Hollywood version of those). I always loved Western kinds of shows (Daniel Boone with Fess Parker was my fave when I was about 8), too, so that was a plus.

I was thinking about why I liked that show so much--it's odd how it presaged my becoming involved with Tae Kwon Do and becoming a black belt.

Caine, the main character, was an appealing hero to me because he was a quiet outsider, someone who was either ignored or thought to be inferior. But he had hidden powers that he would use only when necessary. It provided a wonderful fantasy for the typical nerdy pre-teen.

I think I saw the movie sometime after the show was on, and I enjoyed that, too. I watched it much later, the evening before one of my Tae Kwon Do tests.

Kung Fu appeals to me more than the other martial arts movies I've seen. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is cool, but I prefer the quiet introversion of Kung Fu to acrobatic martial arts.