Rating: 
Summary: Duh?
Review: Let me spell it out for you since some of you are a bit slow to recognize racism. What they did in Kung Fu was like if they cast Tom Cruise in "Roots" in the role as Kunta Kinte and painted his face black. Do you think that's ok? But no you say, it doesn't matter WHO's actually cast in the role ONLY that the story of Roots was so wonderful and educational. Or would it be more palatable if I practiced revisionist history and said that Kunta Kinte was half Caucasian and that's why we're going to cast Tom Cruise in the role? Anyway you choose to downplay what they did with the show is inexcusable. No, there were no half Caucasian, half Chinese Shaolin Monks at ANYTIME in the history of the temple and any attempts to change history just so they can cast a Caucasian actor in the role that should have gone to an Asian person is plain racist. Just like if Roots' producers attempted to cast Tom Cruise in the Kunta role and say that he's half Caucasian. And don't use the old standby excuse of ,"oh, there weren't any Asian actors around." How did you think they filled the Sulu role on Star Trek? They didn't go to Japan for him. Asian actors from that period will tell you that no one wanted to cast them- racism.Hey, since you guys are so easy going I have a screenplay that I would like you to evaluate for a possible movie. It's a movie about George Washington. We're going to cast within the historical context BUT for the role of George Washington we're going to cast Chow Yun Fat. We'll cast him because other actors like Tom Hanks, or Cruise are very busy with other parts and expensive too. We'll just say that George Washington was actually from the far east and he helped Americans win the revolution and our forefathers were so thankful for all that he did that they decided to overlook his race and elect him our first president. Yes, this will be a drama and we'll try to make it as authentic of a period piece as possible AND we'll add many anecdotes about life....so what do you guys think? Look, if you can't recognize that it's racism then you don't know the definition of the word. Boy, didn't you people learn anything from the show?
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent portrayal of Shaolin philosophy
Review: Caine, a Chinese-American immigrant, conflicts with a violent 1870's American West as he seeks a way of peace. The conflict that he feels within himself as a peaceful man who practices martial arts is portrayed excellently. The flashbacks that he has of conversations and lessons in a Shaolin temple are a glimpse into another world. An outstanding series. A brief episode guide:
Pilot: Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, The Sign of the Dragon. Caine flees to the United States after killing the Emperor's nephew.
1. King of the Mountain: A bounty hunter looking for Caine endangers a woman rancher and a homeless boy. guest star (gs): John Saxon.
2. Dark Angel: Caine helps a blinded preacher learn to use his other senses. gs: Robert Carradine, John Carradine.
3. Blood Brother : Caine seeks justice for a murdered friend.
4. An Eye for An Eye: A rape victim wants Caine's help to get revenge. (This episode won Emmy's for best director and cinematographer.)
5. The Tide: A woman with an ulterior motive helps a seriously injured Caine.
6. The Soul Is the Warrior: Caine helps a sheriff facing death.
7. Nine Lives: A miner looks for a cat to replace the cat he accidentally killed. gs: Geraldine Brooks.
8. Sun and Cloud Shadow: Caine acts as intermediary between Chinese miners and a mine owner.
9. Chains: Caine escapes from prison shackled to another prisoner.
10. Alethea: A young girl testifies that she saw Caine murder a man. gs: Jodie Foster.
11. The Praying Mantis Kills: A young boy defends the jail against the men who killed his father.
12. Superstition: When Caine is forced to work in a mine, a landslide traps him inside.
13. The Stone: In a story about a large uncut diamond, Caine becomes involved with a former Brazilian slave and three boys seeking revenge. gs: Gregory Sierra.
14. The Third Man: A gunman kills a gambler who had already been attacked by thieves. gs: Sheree North.
15. The Ancient Warrior: An dying Indian warrior wants to die at his burial place, in the middle of an Indian-hating town.
Rating:
Summary: A 70's Classic of cult TV finally on DVD
Review: KUng Fu was originally slated to be a vehicle for the late great master, Bruce Lee. However, the network people did not believ that America was ready for an action hero that was Asian so they went back and re-wrote the script and made the character half chinese,and enlisted David Carridine,or the famous acting family. the result was an existential post-modern western,filled with eatsern mystcim and kung fu kickass. the premise of the show: an orpahned half american/half Chinese boy goes to the famous Shoalin temple to become a monk, and is forced to endure rigors before he's allowed inside. After an accident and a moment of anger, the now grown monk is forced to emigrate to the other home of his ancestors, america, filled with contempt for Chinese immigrants.Along the way he encounters various nasty Railroad overseers[the infrastructure of this country was bulit on the backs of slaves and immigrants in large parts],sherrifs and assasins sent by the Chinese government. Carradine is perfect in his portrayal as the taciturn monk/warrior,silent almost letting the breaths speak[alot of silence for a television show] the great Key Luke was on hand to deal with the flashbacks as young Caines mentor in the Saolin temple[Carridines younger brother Keith pays him in the pilot as a younger man].In all, a throughly enjoyable nostalgic trip ,and a good addition to the televison library. BTW the first season and the pilot are by far the best, and this is NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE LATER LEGEND CONTINUES SERIES>
Rating:
Summary: jcc321 has never seen the show
Review: If he had he would know Carradines character was NOT full Chinese, that's the reason for a Chinese actor not playing the part. Secondly, I saw no discrimination in the episodes, no "white" people were portrayed as Chinese, instead Chinese actors were used and portrayed prominently in the series. Maybe people (jcc321) should watch the series instead of only writing what they think its about!!
Rating:
Summary: David Carradine and Kung Fu thoughts.
Review: As David Carradine himself said in the foreword to, The Kung Fu Book of Caine (a detailed book that looks into the series and each episode by Herbie J. Pilato), "Our basic concerns to make this show what it was were absolute authenticity, historical accuracy, the chronicling of the troubles the Chinese immigrants experienced in America, a hint of the need for social revolution, lots of Chinese philosophy, caring for all life, a lot of heart, and superior technical quality in the films, in the writing and in our execution of all this. Somewhere right in the center was this character, 'KWAI CHANG CAIN' or 'LITTLE GRASSHOPPER' who bound it all together. It was his sweetness and his strength and the special kind of humor that went with him that kept people tuning in every week." Indeed. Also in the foreword Carradine describes this show as an "International Phenomenon", and how it historically "became a THING on the planet." You or I may not agree with everything in the show, philosophically or otherwise, but what a great show it was! And STILL is! One of the few things the film industry has put out that displays such a very needed and wise sense of personal living and direction (Frank Capra's version of Lost Horizon is the only other thing that even comes to my mind). A vast number of people have always supported Kung Fu the series throughout the years, while its few and far between critics still display their poor lack of judgments in some of the most unintelligent and appalling ways. From picking on Carradine's martial arts (ok, so he was no Bruce Lee or whoever, so what), to actually thinking the show was racist? Then I guess the character Klinger from MASH is grand display of racism too? With that line of thought, Gilligan's Island must be a form of white supremacy. Give me a break. I'm very glad this is coming to dvd in any way, shape, or form I can get my hands on it. I have been waiting a long time for this. Also recommended here at Amazon, and in the spirit of much of the philosophy of the Kung Fu series (at least the non overtly Buddhist parts), is the book "Lao-Tzu's Taoteching: With Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years, Translated by Red Pine, ISBN: 1562790854".
Rating:
Summary: Offensive
Review: I think this series is really offensive to Chinese people. It's a throw back to the days when they painted white people's faces with black polish. Only this was the 70's where that kind of blatant discrimination was thought to be over. Can people not see that David Carradine is NOT Chinese, even with their attempt at covering him with makeup to make him look like one? I'd say, boycott those who seek to profit from blatant discrimination.
Rating:
Summary: xavierinstitute has no idea
Review: xavierinstitute has no idea what he's talking about. This set will be the absolute best quality this show has ever been viewed in. It was shot in widescreen format, therfore you will have the original intended aspect ratio of the director, along with the remastering, this should be a great set!
Rating:
Summary: one of the greats
Review: everybody must buy the dvd's, unlike what people are saying you will not loose any of the picture, in fact you will enhance some through widescreen anamorphic format, wich is in the description or details of the dvd's. If you know anything about widesceen there will be know loss of picture on these dvd's, and just because there are black bars on the top and bottom of the picture doesnt mean they cut the picture. It is anamorphic, 100% original, plus a remastered picture makes this series of dvd's so much better than it was in it's original broadcast.
Rating:
Summary: Too much cutting
Review: "Propective buyers of this DVD need to realize that they will be seeing about 25% less image than was originally filmed and broadcast." Thank you for this review. Now I know not to waste my money on an inferior product. This was one of my favorite shows growing up so I will not buy it like this. 25% less image that the original. They must think we're dum.
Rating:
Summary: Finally...
Review: When I think of truly great television, I think of Northern Exposure, St. Elsewhere, Hill Streeet Blues, and Kung Fu. With this release, one of those four most remarkable television programs ever produced finally makes it to DVD. Thank you! Now I await the other three....
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