Customer Reviews

Kung Fu Book of Caine

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a terrific way to re-live and reminisce about the great old days of the original Kung Fu TV show. The book gives a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at the creative and talented writers and actors who worked on the show, and follows with an episode-by-episode synopsis. The book, like the TV show, leaves you wanting more, so I can only hope that more will become available soon. In the meantime, the Book of Caine is a nice addition to any fan's collection.

This book has it all: a show by show guide, photographs, and more pertaining to the best television program ever. I have even more love towards the show after reading this book!

When this TV show was originally being aired on ABC back in the early 1970's I was a teenager and never watched it.

But several years later in the late '70's while at college in California, reruns were being shown on some station out there in L.A. - and I became hooked.

The flashback scenes with Masters Po and Kan are FANTASTIC, teach insightful lessons of life to live by, and really are the essence of the show.

Pilato's "Kung-Fu Book of Caine" is an absolutely tremendous supplement to the series, and with all the interesting background information he provides, one can appreciate the show even more.

Yesterday I was even inspired to purchase the recently-released DVD of the first two seasons of "Kung-Fu" here on Amazon [...]

The book gives a basic overview of the series without getting bogged downed with actor biographies, it sticks right to the series. Included in the book is an overview of every episode of all three seasons including a plot summary and listing of the main actors. It also explores the relationships of the characters to one another especially Caine and his teachers Master Kan and Master Po. A fantastic book that I used extensively as I rewatched the series (all three of the seasons are now available on DVD). An excellent companion to a fantastic show.

A must-have for fans of the show, and fans of Carridine. Worth a look for martial arts fans, and anyone interested in TV or Asian cinema. The shimmering finish on the beautiful cover photo captures the spirit of the show; I'm glad they used that instead of one of the lurid pieces of fighting art that graced Kung Fu lunch boxes. Most of the book is a detailed episode guide, which is fine. There are lots of photos, both from the show, and from actors face shots, etc. One only wishes the book were longer, though it's not short by any means.

This is a fantastic book if you liked the TV series in the 70's, Kung Fu. Or if you would like to learn about it and then watch the show. The author interviewed Carradine and others, has a summary and comments about each episode. Sometimes the masters are quoted, as flashbacks into Caine's life at the temple--these teachings guide him throughout the series. Many comments add to the understanding of the episode and a section on Kung Fu, the Next Generation, and Kung Fu, the Legend Continues. There are many b/w photos to enjoy.

If you're a fan, it's a must...if you're just curious, it's quite interesting and entertaining. This book gives you all the background on the creation of the series, it's making, the ending and what came after. If you are currently watching the series on DVD, it's fun to read the story of each episode before viewing. The only thing that's missing here are more anecdotes from the shooting of the series, such as the ones David Carradine talks about on the DVD series. Certainly worth the price!

If, like me, you are a fan of the Kung Fu TV series, you will want this book. It is a sort of guide to the series. Each episode is outlined in good detail, and reveals behind the scenes ideas and intentions of the writer(s). It also says when each episode aired, who the guest stars where, like Don Johnson at 15! which happens to be one of my favorite episodes, in which he plays a young Indian boy. Anyone with the TV series in their library, should also have this book along side them.