McDull, Kung Fu Kindergarten
Encyclopedia
McDull, Kung Fu Kindergarten (麥兜響噹噹) is a 2009 animated Hong Kong film directed by Brian Tse
. Telling the story of the fictional piglet McDull
entering a kung fu academy, the film is the fourth in the line of film starring McDull.
. The archaeologists identify it as being made by Mak-zi (also known as "McFat"), an ancient Chinese philosopher who had invented many things, but were arguably ahead of its time - for example, a myriad of electronic devices before the discovery of electricity. However, the crudeness of the artifact has led to the artifact being rejected for every museum in China and abroad, and thus, unwilling to destroy it, the artifact was set on a barge, continuously moving along the Yangtze River
. The story continues on to Mak-zi's descendant 18 generations later, McDull (Kwok Kwan Yin), a kindergartener living in Hong Kong.
Due to mounting debts from failed ventures and economic hardships, McDull's mother, Mrs. Mak (Sandra Ng
), decides to leave their home in Tai Kok Tsui
to find fortune in the mainland. Arriving in Wuhan
, Mrs. Mak, knowing that she cannot continue to take care of McDull while trying to make a living, decides to enroll McDull in the Spring Flowers Gate, a boarding Taoist martial arts academy in the Wudang Mountains
, while she continues to ply her trade in Wuhan
, Shanghai
, Suzhou
, and Hangzhou
. McDull finds it hard to fit in, being ostracized by his peers at the academy due to being a Hong Konger. However, a mysterious Brother Panda (Anthony Wong) encourages him to get closer and make new friends with his peers.
McDull eventually gets used to being liked by his friends, but when news of a prestigious martial arts competition, the International Kindergarten Martial Arts Competition, is to take place, nearly all of the students consider leaving the academy, McDull included. On the way down the mountain (as the mountain itself has no modern conveniences), McDull intends to call his mother to tell her that he was quitting the academy, but after a talk with the master's assistant (The Pancakes
), McDull learns about his master's plight: the headmaster had been a martial arts prodigy, mastering all forms of Chinese martial arts before the age of 20. When a published article by international action star Pruce Lee (a play on Bruce Lee
) that claims that Chinese martial arts was on decline and was more suited for show than actual combat, the headmaster had respectfully disagreed. A war of wards was exchanged, and the two agreed to a match together. However, because of the political situation in China at the time, the battle, which would be later known as "The Battle of Luohu
", was held at the Sham Chun River
, the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen
. The two battled all night, but the match was eventually stopped by a Zen master. Returning home, the headmaster had strongly believed that he had lost the encounter, and thus went into seclusion, trying to modernize Taoist Kung Fu with little success. He then turned his attentions to opening the Spring Flowers Gate, taking on the guise of Brother Panda to get new recruits and to comfort students at the academy. McDull, moved by his sacrifices, decides to return to training, and calls his mother to tell her to attend the competition.
Eventually, the day of the competition arrives. While at the competition, McDull notices his friend from Hong Kong, May, who had enrolled in a "wire-fu" summer camp sponsored by Yuen Woo-Ping
, also competing in the contest. Meanwhile, the headmaster has also received a revelation: at the competition, the headmaster of a rival school greets him, stating that he was a student of Pruce Lee. He goes on to state that Pruce had thought highly of the headmaster, and believed that the headmaster had won their encounter. Because of this, he had spent his last years extensively studying Taoist martial arts, and had written a book about the subject, which was dedicated to him.
Meanwhile, the Mak-zi artifact had wound up at the site of the competition, and, in front of a large televised audience just as McDull's match was about to begin, the artifact suddenly comes to life, revealing to itself as a crudely-made clock in the shape of a chicken powered by cow feces which could count 100,000 years, 100 years at a time, using a complex holographic system. Inspired by the sight before her, Mrs. Mak decides to move back to Hong Kong to start a new business. McDull, having been beaten up badly in the competition, also returned to Hong Kong, having discovered Mak-zi's original blueprints for the clock in the meantime. Having returned home, McDull proceeded to build a new clock using the blueprints as a guide.
The story is concluded by a flashback from an adult May, who had gone on to become an office worker, suddenly noticing McDull's clock in the sky. Taking a break from her mundane life, she traces the clock to its location, and find a quaint restaurant in the middle of Hong Kong's concrete jungle, run by the adult McDull.
Throughout the film, viewers were also treated into various stories involving Mak-zi, in a pseudo-documentary style, narrated by Wan Kwong.
Brian Tse
Brian Tse is the author of the Hong Kong children comic, "McMug and McDull" series. He is one of the two creators of the cartoon characters McMug and McDull. His wife is responsible for the illustration...
. Telling the story of the fictional piglet McDull
McDull
McDull is a cartoon pig character that was created in Hong Kong by Alice Mak and Brian Tse. Although McDull made his first appearances as a supporting character in the McMug comics, McDull has since become a central character in his own right, attracting a huge following in Hong Kong.-McDull's...
entering a kung fu academy, the film is the fourth in the line of film starring McDull.
Plot
The story begins as archaeologists discover a crudely-made artifact while doing an archaeological study before the entire area was to be flooded following the construction of the Three Gorges DamThree Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
. The archaeologists identify it as being made by Mak-zi (also known as "McFat"), an ancient Chinese philosopher who had invented many things, but were arguably ahead of its time - for example, a myriad of electronic devices before the discovery of electricity. However, the crudeness of the artifact has led to the artifact being rejected for every museum in China and abroad, and thus, unwilling to destroy it, the artifact was set on a barge, continuously moving along the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. The story continues on to Mak-zi's descendant 18 generations later, McDull (Kwok Kwan Yin), a kindergartener living in Hong Kong.
Due to mounting debts from failed ventures and economic hardships, McDull's mother, Mrs. Mak (Sandra Ng
Sandra Ng
Sandra Ng Kwan-yu is a Hong Kong film and television actress.-Biography:The daughter of Ng Kam-chuen, Ng was born in Hong Kong, where she attended St. Stephen's Girls' College. Encouraged by her parents, she began her entertainment career at the age of 16. She is most known through her comic...
), decides to leave their home in Tai Kok Tsui
Tai Kok Tsui
Tai Kok Tsui is an area west of Mong Kok in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The mixed land use of industrial and residential is present in the old area. The Cosmopolitan Dock and oil depots were previously located there...
to find fortune in the mainland. Arriving in Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, Mrs. Mak, knowing that she cannot continue to take care of McDull while trying to make a living, decides to enroll McDull in the Spring Flowers Gate, a boarding Taoist martial arts academy in the Wudang Mountains
Wudang Mountains
The Wudang Mountains , also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei Province of People's Republic of China, just to the south of the city of Shiyan.-Geography:...
, while she continues to ply her trade in Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
. McDull finds it hard to fit in, being ostracized by his peers at the academy due to being a Hong Konger. However, a mysterious Brother Panda (Anthony Wong) encourages him to get closer and make new friends with his peers.
McDull eventually gets used to being liked by his friends, but when news of a prestigious martial arts competition, the International Kindergarten Martial Arts Competition, is to take place, nearly all of the students consider leaving the academy, McDull included. On the way down the mountain (as the mountain itself has no modern conveniences), McDull intends to call his mother to tell her that he was quitting the academy, but after a talk with the master's assistant (The Pancakes
The Pancakes
The Pancakes is a Hong Kong based, award-winning one-girl band consisting of independent singer-songwriter Dejay Choi. The music of the Pancakes is characterised by Dejay's very innocent, almost child-like voice with bright and catchy melodies...
), McDull learns about his master's plight: the headmaster had been a martial arts prodigy, mastering all forms of Chinese martial arts before the age of 20. When a published article by international action star Pruce Lee (a play on Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
) that claims that Chinese martial arts was on decline and was more suited for show than actual combat, the headmaster had respectfully disagreed. A war of wards was exchanged, and the two agreed to a match together. However, because of the political situation in China at the time, the battle, which would be later known as "The Battle of Luohu
Luohu
Luohu District is a district of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.-Geography:The size of Luohu district is about 78.9 km² and contains 10 subdistricts....
", was held at the Sham Chun River
Sham Chun River
Sham Chun River serves as the natural border between Hong Kong and Mainland China, together with the Sha Tau Kok River....
, the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
. The two battled all night, but the match was eventually stopped by a Zen master. Returning home, the headmaster had strongly believed that he had lost the encounter, and thus went into seclusion, trying to modernize Taoist Kung Fu with little success. He then turned his attentions to opening the Spring Flowers Gate, taking on the guise of Brother Panda to get new recruits and to comfort students at the academy. McDull, moved by his sacrifices, decides to return to training, and calls his mother to tell her to attend the competition.
Eventually, the day of the competition arrives. While at the competition, McDull notices his friend from Hong Kong, May, who had enrolled in a "wire-fu" summer camp sponsored by Yuen Woo-Ping
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
, also competing in the contest. Meanwhile, the headmaster has also received a revelation: at the competition, the headmaster of a rival school greets him, stating that he was a student of Pruce Lee. He goes on to state that Pruce had thought highly of the headmaster, and believed that the headmaster had won their encounter. Because of this, he had spent his last years extensively studying Taoist martial arts, and had written a book about the subject, which was dedicated to him.
Meanwhile, the Mak-zi artifact had wound up at the site of the competition, and, in front of a large televised audience just as McDull's match was about to begin, the artifact suddenly comes to life, revealing to itself as a crudely-made clock in the shape of a chicken powered by cow feces which could count 100,000 years, 100 years at a time, using a complex holographic system. Inspired by the sight before her, Mrs. Mak decides to move back to Hong Kong to start a new business. McDull, having been beaten up badly in the competition, also returned to Hong Kong, having discovered Mak-zi's original blueprints for the clock in the meantime. Having returned home, McDull proceeded to build a new clock using the blueprints as a guide.
The story is concluded by a flashback from an adult May, who had gone on to become an office worker, suddenly noticing McDull's clock in the sky. Taking a break from her mundane life, she traces the clock to its location, and find a quaint restaurant in the middle of Hong Kong's concrete jungle, run by the adult McDull.
Throughout the film, viewers were also treated into various stories involving Mak-zi, in a pseudo-documentary style, narrated by Wan Kwong.