Urban Dictionary
Gun fu is the style of sophisticated close-quarters gunplay seen in Hong Kong action cinema and in Western films influenced by it. It often resembles a martial arts battle played out with firearms instead of traditional weapons.
The focus of gun fu is style, and the usage of firearms in ways that they were not designed to be used. Shooting a gun from each hand, shots from behind the back, as well as the use of guns as melee weapons are all common. Other moves can involve shotguns, Uzis, rocket launchers, and just about anything else that can be worked into a cinematic shot. It is often mixed with hand-to-hand combat maneuvers.
"Gun fu" has become a staple factor in modern action films due to its visually appealing nature (regardless of its actual practicality in a real-life combat situation). This is a contrast to American action movies of the 1980s which focused more on heavy weaponry and outright brute-force in firearm-based combat.
The focus of gun fu is style, and the usage of firearms in ways that they were not designed to be used. Shooting a gun from each hand, shots from behind the back, as well as the use of guns as melee weapons are all common. Other moves can involve shotguns, Uzis, rocket launchers, and just about anything else that can be worked into a cinematic shot. It is often mixed with hand-to-hand combat maneuvers.
"Gun fu" has become a staple factor in modern action films due to its visually appealing nature (regardless of its actual practicality in a real-life combat situation). This is a contrast to American action movies of the 1980s which focused more on heavy weaponry and outright brute-force in firearm-based combat.
Before 1986, Hong Kong cinema was firmly rooted in two genres: the martial arts film and the comedy. Gunplay was not terribly popular because audiences had considered it boring, compared to fancy kung-fu moves or graceful swordplay of the wu shu epics. What moviegoers needed was a new way to present gunplay-- to show it as a skill that could be honed, integrating the acrobatics and grace of the traditional martial arts. And that's exactly what John Woo did. Using all of the visual techniques available to him (tracking shots, dolly-ins, slo-mo), Woo created beautifully surrealistic action sequences that were a 'guilty pleasure' to watch. There is also intimacy found in the gunplay-- typically, his protagonists and antagonists will have a profound understanding of one another and will meet face-to-face, in a tense Mexican standoff where they each point their weapons at one another and trade words.
The popularity of John Woo's films, and the heroic bloodshed genre in general, in the West helped give the gun fu style greater visibility. Film-makers like Robert Rodriguez were inspired to create action sequences modelled on the Hong Kong style. One of the first to demonstrate this was Rodriguez's Desperado (1995). The Matrix (1999) played a part in making "gun fu" the most popular form of firearm-based combat in cinema worldwide; since then, the style has become a staple of modern Western action films.
The popularity of John Woo's films, and the heroic bloodshed genre in general, in the West helped give the gun fu style greater visibility. Film-makers like Robert Rodriguez were inspired to create action sequences modelled on the Hong Kong style. One of the first to demonstrate this was Rodriguez's Desperado (1995). The Matrix (1999) played a part in making "gun fu" the most popular form of firearm-based combat in cinema worldwide; since then, the style has become a staple of modern Western action films.
by Miskatonic Jack 2 September 2, 2010
Get the Gun Fu mug.When a young, unmarried couple buys a residence together with the hope of living out their dreams of an ideal home life. In most instances, the immaturity of the young couple and harsh reality of their home life soon sets in, causing a stress related failure of the relationship.
Prior to the sexual revolution of the 1960's, playing house before marriage was a social taboo.
Girl 1: Did you hear Jen and Mark broke up?
Girl 2: Really?
Girl 1: Yeah, she's living back at her Mom's house.
Girl 2: Well, that's what she gets for trying to play house at age 22
Girl 1: Did you hear Jen and Mark broke up?
Girl 2: Really?
Girl 1: Yeah, she's living back at her Mom's house.
Girl 2: Well, that's what she gets for trying to play house at age 22
by Cato_ June 4, 2013
Get the Playing House mug.(slang verb) To keep something all for oneself, thus depriving anyone else of having any. A slang term derived from the last name of famous actor Humphrey Bogart because he often kept a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, seemingly never actually drawing on it or smoking it. Often used with weed or joints but can be applied to anything.
by Endymion Chiba September 11, 2003
Get the bogart mug.A person or situation that looks like a fuck up from all possible angles.
Originally coined in S03E01 of The Thick of It:
Originally coined in S03E01 of The Thick of It:
Not only have you got a fucking bent husband and a fucking daughter that gets taken to school in a fucking sedan chair, you're also fucking mental. Jesus Christ, see you, you're a fucking omnishambles, that's what you are. You're like that coffee machine, you know: from bean to cup, you fuck up.
– Malcolm Tucker
– Malcolm Tucker
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Get the Omnishambles mug.1. An adjective taken from the root words of grim and darkness, both of which are featured in the tagline for Warhammer 40,000: "In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war." It is usually used to describe a setting that would equal poor living conditions and life expectancies for those actually living in it.
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Get the Grimdark mug.Comes from "Sex and the City", where Carrie describes it as the feeling you get when you meet someone you really really like. That sort of lovey, butterflies feeling when you just want to be with someone.
by trinny January 30, 2005
Get the zsa zsa zsu mug.Said by an shitty bird who is dangerous world-wide. He's an green owl which looks green, cute and innocent but in reality he fucking kidnap the users' family if they don't do their lession. It is said that duolingo's favourite language is Spanish. If you don't do your spanish lessons he might come in your house, kidnap your family or either vanish you. That's why he says Spanish Or Vanish.
Person: I feel tired. I'll not do my spanish lessons today, after all , nothing will happen if I didn't do my lessons for 1 day.
Duolingo: *Breaks door* SPANISH OR VANISH?
Duolingo: *Breaks door* SPANISH OR VANISH?
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