Thanksgiving 2014 TV Schedule: Kung Fu Marathon Kicks Off on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network
Are you a fan of Kung Fu films, Bruce Lee and martial arts and want to get your old-school Kung Fu on during the Thanksgiving weekend?
Well, you're in luck because Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network will bring you insanely skilled martial artists who will battle it out while you're still in your Turkey-induced coma!
El Rey Network, a new 24-hour English language network founded by Mexican-American, renegade filmmaker Rodriguez, is kicking off its "Way of the Turkey" Thanksgiving Kung Fu Marathon that will bring "48 hours of some of the greatest Kung Fu films of our time." The Kung Fu Marathon kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 27 starting at 6 a.m. ET and concluding on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3:15 a.m. ET.
The Kung Fu Marathon will begin at the crack of dawn with "Challenge of the Masters" on Thursday, Nov. 27 at 6 a.m. ET, and culminate with "Blood Brothers" on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3:15 a.m. ET. El Rey Network will also honor film star and martial arts master Bruce Lee, airing his final film, "Enter the Dragon" on what would have been his 74th birthday, the cable network points out.
Rodriguez is most known for his films "El Mariachi," "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Sin City: A Dame To Kill For," "Spy Kids" and "Desperado" and, more recently, his TV series "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Lucha Underground," as well as his partnership with Roberto Orci on "Matador," all on El Rey Network. The cable network is geared to men in the 18-49 age bracket and is inclusive of second and third generation English-speaking Latinos as well as non-Latinos.
"These iconic films have really resonated with our viewers and we are excited to be the American home of this incredible library," Rodriguez said in an earlier statement, Variety reports. "As a kid, I found this kind of content wildly entertaining and these dazzling, kinetic and epic spectacles are still a great inspiration in the work I do to this day."
So are you ready to roll up your sleeves and "fight?" You may only have a turkey leg to fight with, but be prepared! Check out the list and Kung Fu film descriptions that will air on El Rey Network:
THURSDAY, NOV. 27
"Challenge of the Masters" at 6 a.m. ET
A young man (Gordon Liu) wants to learn kung fu and to enter the traditional Lion Dance Festival. In the midst of all of this is a mysterious killer with a lethal death kick. This story teaches the essence of what true kung fu is all about.
"The Deadly Breaking Sword" at 8 a.m. ET
The Deadly Breaking Sword elevated director Sun Chung to the martial arts director ranks of Chang Cheh. Starring the incomparable Ti Lung and Jackie Chan's kung-fu comedic rival Alexander Fu Sheng, acclaimed fight choreographer Tang Chia had a field day increasing the stars' venomous fighting appeal. Armed with the "Deadly Breaking Sword" technique, Tuen Cheng-tsin (Ti Lung) unites with thief Ko Mun (Alexander Fu Sheng) to defeat an assassin being "acupuncturingly" controlled by the evil Dr. Kuo.
"Enter the Dragon" at 10:12 a.m. ET (7:12 PT the time Bruce Lee was born on this day in 1940 in San Francisco, the year and hour of the Dragon)
A martial arts expert named Lee is hired by a government agency to infiltrate the operation of a criminal, organizing a martial arts tournament to front his illegal drugs empire. Han, the leader of this operation, is a former member of Lee's Shaolin Temple turned rogue and Lee is considered the best candidate to enter the tournament as a competitor, giving him the opportunity to investigate.
"All Men Are Brothers "at 12:30 p.m. ET
This is the long-awaited sequel to the martial arts blockbuster "Water Margin", which was released in America on video as "Seven Blows of the Dragon." So now, finally, its many international fans can see this action-packed follow-up, based on one of China's most enduring 14th Century novels. Also known as "Seven Soldiers of Kung Fu" and "108 Heroes," it is truly an epic by any name, featuring a cast of perennial kung fu favorites, and no less than four action choreographers!
"The Kung-Fu Instructor" at 2:45 p.m. ET
The Kung-Fu Instructor was director Sun Chung's loose homage to Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo where unlike hero Sanjuro being a gruff, snarling, drunk swordsman looking for a drink, beloved actor Ti Lung plays an upright, righteous, weapon instructor looking to keep his limbs. Sun became the first Shaw Brothers' director to use a Steadicam giving the action a unique brand of tension and rhythm. Celebrated martial arts choreographer Tang Chia did wonders with the pole fights.
"Ten Tigers of Kwangtung" at 5:00 p.m. ET
Two men seek to avenge the death of their relative, who was searching for the Anti-Change leader. They locate five students who were trained by the Ten Tigers. As they talk, you learn how the Ten Tigers got involved.
"The Deadly Breaking Sword" at 7:00 p.m. ET
[See description above]
"All Men Are Brothers " at 9:15 p.m. ET
[See description above]
"The Kung-Fu Instructor" at 11:30 p.m. ET
[See description above]
FRIDAY, NOV. 28
"Kid from Kwangtung" at 1:45 a.m. ET
Respected actor and action choreographer Hsu Hsia didn't waste his chance to direct -- inviting three other Kung-Fu designers to help on this fight-filled thriller. Wang Yu, co-star of such classics as Dirty Ho and The Kid With A Tattoo, here takes center stage as a young rascal caught between master martial arts actor Jen Shih-kuan ("Once Upon A Time In China") and violent Huang Cheng-li ("Snake In The Eagle's Shadow"). From there on, it's one masterful kung-fu bout after another.
"Challenge of the Masters" at 4:00 a.m. ET
[See description above]
"Ten Tigers of Kwangtung" at 6:00 a.m. ET
[See description above]
"Kid from Kwangtung" at 8:15 a.m. ET
[See description above]
"Mad Monkey Kung Fu" at 10:30 a.m. ET
Liu Chia Liang and Kara Hui Ying Hung star as traveling stage performers in an opera troupe. They wander into a town where an evil rich man (Lo Lieh) falls for his sister and frames him for the rape of his wife, so that his sister will agree to be his concubine. He takes a mischievous, but kind-hearted street kid (Hsiao Ho) under his wing and teaches him the secrets of "Monkey-boxing."
"Legendary Weapons of China" at 1 p.m. ET
Foreigners have invaded China and the Boxer Rebellion has begun. The kung fu schools band together against their new enemy -- the Gun. The head of the I-Ho Society Lei Kung (Liu Chia Liang) disbands his school, knowing that they're no match against the foreign weapons, and goes into hiding as a woodcutter. Masters from other school send hired killers after him to silence him because they want others to believe that kung fu practitioners are invincible against guns.
"Golden Swallow" at 3:15 p.m. ET
The indomitable martial arts team of director Chang Cheh and stunt choreographer Liu Chia-liang bring the Golden Swallow of King Hu's "Come Drink With Me" back to life again in this sequel of heartbreaking romance, intrigue and stunning action. Cheng Pei-pei's Golden Swallow finds her peaceful life shattered when an unrequited suitor starts a killing spree in her good name, the two men in her life also race towards a final showdown.
"Blood Brothers" at 5:30 p.m. ET
Set in the waning years of the Ching Dynasty, this dramatic, tragic, romantic, blood-soaked martial arts tale of betrayal and revenge explores one of the most sensational scandals in Chinese history and marked the true ascension of its director and actors to superstar status. In fact, Ti Lung won Taiwan's Golden Horse Award for Outstanding Performance as the challenging role of a jealous provincial governor who kills his friend in order to steal the man's wife.
"Mad Monkey Kung Fu" at 8:30 p.m. ET
[See description above]
"Legendary Weapons of China" at 10:45 p.m. ET
[See description above]
SATURDAY, NOV. 29
"Golden Swallow" at 1:00 a.m. ET
[See description above]
"Blood Brothers" at 3:15 a.m. ET
[See description above]
"Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the El Rey Network unites the most culturally diverse generation in history through fearless, badass and original content that awakens the renegade in everyone," according to El Rey," which means "King" in Spanish. "The network's action-packed content is anchored by original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action and horror/sci-fi. El Rey Network LLC (www.elreynetwork.com) is jointly owned by Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Networks & Studios, Inc.
Click here to learn more about El Rey and where you can tune in!