When it comes to modern martial arts influencers in America, Mark Wiley has been a maverick. A prolific writer and researcher, as well as the founder of the independent publishing house Tambuli Media, Wiley has been a longstanding proponent of Kung Fu and Filipino martial arts. He has 15 books to his credit plus he edited another 70 books of other authors. Now he’s undertaking a new venture, one so many of us dream to do. He just made a martial arts film.

MADE IN CHINATOWN isn’t another hackneyed stereotypical fight film like so many that proliferate our genre. This is a comedy farce. It’s about a Chinatown kid named Vinny Chow (Jay Kwon) who aspires to join the mafia. It’s a spoof of the Mafia movie genre as much as it is of Kung Fu flicks, as well as a love letter to the New York Kung Fu scene. In assembling his cast, Wiley tapped his martial circle of friends including several veteran actors who are genuine masters like Lo Meng (Hung Phat), James Lew (Lew), Celia Au (Suzie Wong),and Chiu Chi Ling (Hai Chew). Wiley also included several notable Kung Fu mastersthat aren’t professional actors such as Tak Wah Eng as Master Tak, plus cameo appearances from Steven Chan, Peter Ngai, Paul Sun. Wiley even makes a cameo appearance himself as Hot Link Harry.

For Kung Fu movie buffs, Lo Meng needs no introduction. For anyone new to the genre, Lo Men started in the business in 1976 and has nearly a hundred films to his credit. He was an original member of the Venom Mob playing Toad in the timeless classic FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978). And he hasn’t stopped making movies. Recently he hadi a reappearing role in the last three installments of IP MAN franchise as Master Law. That franchise concluded in 2019 with IP MAN 4: THE FINALE.

We chatted with Mark Wiley and Lo Meng about their latest work in MADE IN CHINATOWN.

Interview with Mark Wiley

Gene: What was the inspiration for MADE IN CHINATOWN?

Mark: On my 30th birthday I was visited New York’s Chinatown. Such a magical place and I was walking around and saw a Qigong and Kung Fu club below sidewalk level. I tried to enter but was refused. They told me, members only. I said, ok how do I become a member? They said, Chinese only, sorry. I walked across Canal Street into Little Italy for lunch. While eating I thought about what would happen if a Chinese guy tried to join an Italian ‘members only’ club. He would not be allowed, but what if he kept trying? This was the start.

Gene: Why did you want to tell this story?

Mark: Perhaps like many Westerners who embrace Kung Fu, you can’t help getting sucked into Chinese culture too. As a kid I always felt more connection with the Five Venoms than Superman, with Chinese restaurants than pizza shops. You feel like, this is America, a melting pot of all cultures, youcan be anything you want.

At its core, MADE IN CHINATOWN is really a story of self-discovery and finding a place where we belong. The protagonist (played by Jay Kwon) is second-generation Chinese but thinks of himself first as a New Yorker. He can join the chess club, the boy scouts, the basketball team… why not the Mafia? In the end he finds out he can just be himself and find love and respect, he doesn’t need to try and be someone he is not. Given today’s rash of hate against Asians and Blacks, the story really resonates.

Gene: How long have you been working on this film?

Mark: I worked on the film for 22 years. It was in 1999 when the original germ of the story came to me. The it took several years to work out a viable story that I wanted to create. There were many false starts before landing on the final concept of “a young Chinese guy who tries to join the Italian Mafia in order to get the interest of an Italian girl who only dates wise guys.”

The first decade was spent writing and rewriting and sending to coverage readers and martial art actors for feedback, etc. I got terrific feedback from the coverage readers that really helped sharpen the story but had a difficult time getting guys who just do action to understand the comedic narrative. More re-writing, more pitching, more outreach until finally it all came together at the end of 2017. Financing, casting and we went into production in 2018. Over a two-year period, we completed at least 4 complete re-edits through 2020 and feel extremely fortunate to have Vision Films pick us up for world distribution. The film will start releasing in North America on May 11, 2021.

Gene: How was the transition from writer to filmmaker?

Mark: It took a long time but was terrific. I always wanted to write films, but never had a desire to produce or direct or act. So it’s always being the writer. But now that I can produce and write, seeing your work on big screens and flat screens is, for me these days, more satisfying than looking at another book of mine sitting on the shelf.

Gene: I’ve heard many tales of Canal Street, but being a west coaster, I’ve never been there. How much time did you spend there personally?

Mark: As a kid growing up in Philly and into Asian culture and martial arts, Canal Street was always a place to visit. It divides Chinatown and Little Italy, though today much of Little Italy is no longer there and Chinatown has many businesses on the other side of Canal. I remember watching the film YEAR OF THE DRAGON (1985) starring Mickey Rourke and Raymond J. Barry and being mesmerized. And I would never have thought that Raymond would end up being in a film of mine. In fact, aside from Raymond J. Barry, Shing Ka and Geoff Lee also had bit parts in YEAR OF THE DRAGON, and both played dual roles in MADE IN CHINATOWN.  Canal Street is like the dividing line between two cultures and at the end of it is the Manhattan Bridge that enters Brooklyn. This was a key factor in the story of MADE IN CHINATOWN, wherein the Chinese guy trying to join the Mafia ends up starting a triangle Mob war between Chinatown, Little Italy and Brooklyn. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in New York, especially in Chinatown, and have made many friends. I feel at home among the Chinese community.

Gene: I really appreciated the authenticity you achieved by filming within a Kung Fu school. Was that by design or an artifact of an indie budget?

Mark: We filmed in Sifu Shu Pui Cheung’s Hung-Gar kwoon, Philadelphia Chinatown’s oldest Kung Fu school. The place is magical and old school and Sifu Cheung is an old friend who was so accommodating with our production. I wanted to film there for its authenticity, rather than set dressing an empty room. Being as traditional as possible was the vision to visually show the differences in Chinese and Italian cultures.

Gene: How important was it to showcase some of the authentic masters like you did?

Mark: As a huge fan of the old Shaw Brothers films, and as a longtime Kung Fu practitioner, it was very important for me to showcase authentic Kung Fu in the film. After the huge honor of having Lo Meng agree to do the film, I knew I had to up the game and make it as true to the traditions as possible, while also being cinematic.

Gene: I gather that you tapped a lot of old Kung Fu friends from your martial circles.

Mark: Without Kung Fu friends, the film would not have been as authentic. My friendship with Sifu Cheung made it possible to shoot in his kwoon. My friendship with Sifu Tak Wah Eng of New York Fu Jow Pai, provided an authentic role for the sifu. And Sifu Tak is the real teacher of three of our actors, Shuya Chang, Shing Ka, and Paul Koh.

I wanted also to showcase different styles and created a demo scene where several real sifu could demonstrate their arts. We called in friends Peter Ngai (Pak Mei), Steven Chan (Hsing-i), Paul Sun (Tang Lang) as the masters. Their disciples were Paul Koh (Fu Jow Pai), Keira O’Connor (Ying Jow Pai) and Orlando Costa (Shaolin). After their demo, Lo Meng shakes his head and does a play on Bruce Lee’s phrase, “Boards don’t hit back.” He says, “Forms don’t hit back” and then fights them.

That line was adlibbed on set by James Lew, who won an Emmy for his work on Marvel’s LUKE CAGE (2106-2018) and whose first film was the cult hit, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986). James and I met in the 90s while working at Inside Kung-Fu magazine, and we built a long friendship over the decades. Once funding came through the first call I made was to James, telling him to get ready to choreograph some amazing action in MADE IN CHINATOWN.

Gene: What was the most challenging aspect of making MADE IN CHINATOWN?

Mark: There were many. The first challenge was getting a story and script that was compelling, funny, and worthy of production. Next was finding someone, anyone, in the industry to read it. This was almost impossible for me, being an outsider. I thought with a dozen books and hundreds of articles under my belt, I could get an entertainment agent to represent the project. It didn’t happen. I was left to my own devises to make it happen. Just like Kung Fu, you must practice and practice, sometimes for decades to master something. For me it was decades of work to get the project off the ground. The next challenge was getting financing, only to lose it and then to have to raise it all over again. Next was fighting with editors and other’s opinions in post-production to come to a final cut that was satisfying to me as the creator, and good enough to land distribution. Like anything, challenges make you stronger, teach you much, and offer unexpected rewards.

Gene: What advice would you offer to aspiring martial arts filmmakers?

Mark: Follow your dream and never give up. Meet as many people as you can and be genuine in your dealing with them. Nothing happens in a vacuum, so even if you think “it is my film” it is not. A production is a huge undertaking and requires hundreds of people. Be kind, be generous, and keep networking and pulling in favors and giving favors and do what you can to make things happen. Don’t show your script to people who either don’t believe in you or who don’t understand the format; you will only be let down. And remember, no one cares more about your dreams and your work than you, so don’t give up on yourself.

Gene: Did the pandemic affect production?

Mark: Not at all. We wrapped production well before the pandemic hit. And while post-production was done in part during COVID, this was done in solo and at time with two people in masks reviewing edits together. 

Gene: Was filmmaking as rewarding as you had hoped?

Mark: It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I still have some PTSD from the process, especially around the financial end of things, but overall, it has been extremely rewarding. Not only in seeing the final result reach an audience but in learning new skills and developing some very strong relationships with people I never thought I would meet in my life.

Gene: Are you planning another film?

Mark: I have many films in development now! I have an old school Kung Fu feature called DRAGON LETTERS that I wrote and am producing that will star old school Kung Fu heroes Lo Meng, Lu Feng and Chang Shan. I think between my own productions and those I am partnering with other companies; I may see a total of 6 new projects released over the next 3 years.

Interview with Lo Meng

Gene: How did you get involved in this project?

Lo Meng: Writer and producer Mark Wiley sent the story to my good friend Gine Lui to forward to me. I enjoyed the character, so I said yes. It is my first American movie.

Gene: Really? Your first American movie? Did you know many of the other cast members prior to joining this film?

Lo Meng: I first know Gine for a long time and then get to know Mark. Mark is now my very good friend and I teach him Chu Gar Mantis. I only know Chiu Chi Ling in the cast before this movie.

Gene: How did you develop that great villainous laugh?

Lo Meng: Because my English is not so good, Mark made a video for me. He read all my lines on the video. Because of my long experience with Shaw Brothers, I can do many things, so I developed many laughs. I showed Mark all my laughs and we picked the best one.

Gene: Do you keep in contact with the surviving members of the Venom Mob?

Lo Meng: It was our karma to do many movies together and then we all scattered. We do not see one another often.

Gene: You’re still in great shape – what’s your secret?

Lo Meng: I wake up at 6:00 am every day and then workout, practice Kung Fu. I have never stopped. I eat egg and tomato every morning and eat healthy always. Sometimes if I see a strong tree, I will pull on heavy branches to keep my arms strong. I don’t lift weight anymore. Kung Fu keeps me healthy.

Gene: What’s next for you?

Lo Meng: I make many projects in China and Hong Kong for television, movies, stage, and commercials. I will star in Mark Wiley’s DRAGON LETTERS soon, working again with my old friend Lu Feng (Centipede from the Venom Mob).

Made in Chinatown premieres on May 11, 2021 on DVD and Video-On-Demand.