13 Interesting Facts About The Movie Ip Man (2008)

Briefly.

Yip Man is a renowned kung fu master based in Fuoshan, a city famous for its martial arts schools. Ip Man practices Wing Chun, and although he is the strongest fighter in the city, he does not have his own school, and he does not take students. At home, he spends only light sparring with friends to point out each other’s mistakes. Years pass, warlike Japanese seize China, and Ip Man turns out to be one of the few who, even under the most severe conditions of occupation, does not forget about the honor, dignity and, of course, the wisdom that kung fu carries.

Budget: $11,715,578
Box Office: $22,108,789
Duration: 1 h 46 min
Production: China, Hong Kongb
Premiere: December 12, 2008
Directed by: Wilson Yip
Producer: Raymond Vaughn
Screenplay: Edmond Vaughn

Facts.

1.

Although not mentioned in the movie, Grandmaster Yip Man actually worked as a police officer during the Japanese invasion.

2.

As mentioned in the movie, Ip Man’s fighting style is Wing Chun. It is said to have been created by two women, Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun. According to legend, the warlord wanted to marry Yim Wing Chun, but she refused and instead challenged him to a duel. She came across Ng Mui, a Buddhist nun, whom she turned to for help. Together they created the art of Wing Chun, which the nun wore in honor of Yiming Wing Chun. Wing Chun won the fight.

3.

Hiroyuki Ikeuchi (who played a Japanese general) suffered a mild concussion during filming after being hit four times during a fight.

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4.

While rehearsing for a fight scene, Donnie Yen was reportedly injured when an ax wielder accidentally cut the side of his left eye. Ian also had a masseur on set as he was unable to lift his right shoulder due to an injury.

5.

Yip Man’s eldest son, Yip Chun, his student Leo Auung, and Changquan gold medalist To Yu-Hang served as the film’s technical consultant, giving advice on the film’s plot and martial arts choreography.

6.

Although this was the first Yip Man film, the idea of making a Yip Man biopic had been in the making for thirty years. Donnie Yen was actually supposed to play Ip Man in what was supposed to be the first biopic to go into production in 1997. The film will also feature Stephen Chow as an adult Bruce Lee. However, only one day of filming took place before the project was cancelled.

7.

Principal photography for Ip Man (2008) began in March 2008 and ended in August; Filming took place in Shanghai, which was used for the architectural recreation of Foshan. During filming, conflicts arose between the film’s producers and director Kar-Wai Wong over the film’s working title. Wong, who was developing his own biopic The Movie Man, clashed with the producers after learning that their film would be titled Grandmaster Movie Man, which was too similar to another film’s title. The producers agreed to change the film’s title despite Wong’s film being in development. Kar-wai’s film titled The White Master (2013) was released on January 10, 2013.

8.

The idea for an Ip Man biopic came about in 1998 when Jeffrey Lau and Corey Yuen discussed the idea of making a film based on martial artist Bruce Lee. However, Paragon Films Ltd, the studio producing the proposed film, closed and the project was abandoned. Producer Raymond Buck-Ming Wong decided to develop his own film, Yip Man, with the full consent of Yip’s sons, and asked filmmakers to travel to Foshan to investigate Yip’s life. Yip Chun, Yip Man’s eldest son, along with martial artist Leo Au-eng and several other Wing Chun practitioners, acted as technical consultants for the film.

9.

Filming for the first time took place in a pantry in an industrial area of Shanghai. Having difficulty finding a suitable cotton factory for filming, the designers decided to recreate it in the style of the 1930s. They spent weeks converting an abandoned pantry into a Zhen Hua cotton mill, a 1930s cotton mill founded by Yip Chow’s friend Ching-chuen (in Simon Yam’s film) during the Sino-Japanese War. It was here that Ip Man first taught Wing Chun openly.

10.

Andy On w as offered the lead role in the film but had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts.

11.

The Japanese soldiers in the film are wearing modern American military ribbons.

12.

Ip Man (2008) was written by Edmond Wong, son of film producer Raymond Buck-Ming Wong.

13.

Throughout the movie, Ip Man is only hit twice during the fights, both of them are in the final fight. At one point, the Japanese soldiers hit him two more times, but this happens when Ip Man is at gunpoint and surrenders.

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