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Carradine: American icon, Martial Arts inspiration
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The “Kung Fu” TV series, with David Carradine, was my first exposure to a martial art. The series, although somewhat unbelievable at times (the episode where he had to walk through a trench of rattlesnakes—that was a bit much even for me, even though I WANTED to believe that he could do it-- that it could happen), was in a time in America before there was a martial arts school on most street corners and in neighborhood shopping center..jpg)
Carradine’s death has taken an American icon from our midst. From his “Fung Fu” persona emerged the character “Bill” in the “Kill Bill” movies. It was the same character that we had known from before. And now, although tainted with an evil revengeful streak, that core martial strength was the same. I think what David Carradine did for me was transcend the character he played.
In doing this he became an embodiment that told us there was something more than the just going through life, being stuck in a 9 to 5 world where you grew up; got a job; got married; retired and then died. There was the possibility of magic in the Universe that could be more than what our eyes were told to see and believe. Carradine’s death is a great loss. But he has left us with a legacy that is greater than a man, or a character, or an actor. He’s left us with a vision, and ideal of something that no matter what the world throws at us, remains a temple of purity and truth.
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