Hong Kong ‘stunt king’ recalls fatal incidents while shooting martial arts films

Hong Kong actor Chin Ka Lok. Photo from Angela Tong's Instagram

The 59-year-old actor opened up about these experiences in an interview with HK01 on Sunday. He recalled a life-threatening accident during the filming of the 1985 movie "Heart of Dragon," which featured Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Lam Ching Ying.

Chin Ka Lok said he intended to jump from the third floor of Baijia Mall in Clearwater Bay, Hong Kong, onto a metal roof and then a car’s hood before landing on the ground. However, during the shoot, things went awry. Instead of landing as planned, he fell directly from the third floor to the ground, resulting in hospitalization and nearly two years of recovery.

Previously an optimistic young man who believed he possessed "supernatural strength," Chin Ka Lok became mentally scarred and anxious after the accident. However, in 1987, while visiting Hung and his fellow stuntmen at a film shoot, Chin Ka Lok decided to return to work. He resumed performing stunts, leaping from cliffs in place of Hung and jumping off moving military vehicles.

Later that same year, while filming in the Philippines, Chin Ka Lok suffered the worst injury of his career. A special effects crew member misunderstood Hung’s instructions and prematurely set off a gasoline bomb. As Chin Ka Lok hadn’t yet escaped, he was engulfed in flames. Unfamiliar with the locale where the filming was taking place, he struggled to find an escape route quickly.

Chin Ka Lok’s mother and older brother, fellow actor Chin Siu Ho, learned of his injuries through media reports and rushed to Manila to see him. Chin Ka Lok underwent facial surgery, with his head swelling to twice its normal size and his neck covered in blisters.

"My brother Siu Ho was also in the film industry, so he was somewhat mentally prepared," Chin Ka Lok said. "But my mother was different. I had been in this profession for over 10 years, but I never told her exactly what I did. My heart twisted when my mother walked in and saw me like that."

Chin Ka Lok worked with Hung’s Hong Family Stunt Team for a decade, where he learned all aspects of film production from Hung, who was skilled in editing, cinematography, and lighting. Chin Ka Lok described those 10 years as invaluable, as he not only gained knowledge about filmmaking but also learned the art of dealing with people. He noted that being a stuntman meant facing life-and-death situations, and even Chan and Hung were not exempt from these challenges.

After leaving the Hong Family Stunt Team, Chin Ka Lok established his own stunt team, Chin Family Stunt, to continue Hung’s legacy.

In the 1990s, Chin Ka Lok transitioned to television series, reducing the risks on set. He left his mark with popular works such as "The Romantic Swordsman," "Journey to the West," "Detective Investigation Files III," "Dragon Love," "Gods of Honor," and the "Young and Dangerous" film series. He later married his "Gods of Honor" co-star Angela Tong.

Currently, Chin Ka Lok serves as the chairman of the Hong Kong Stuntman Association, focusing on protecting and training talent for martial arts films. In the 2021 documentary "Kung Fu Stuntmen," he mentioned that in the 1980s, no company was willing to sell insurance to stuntmen or action actors.

Actor Donnie Yen remarked in the documentary that stuntmen were absurdly and unbelievably daring.

"Some risked their lives to showcase their superior martial arts, proving their bravery and manhood," he said. "From another perspective, it’s because of this dedication that martial arts films back then were better than they are now."

Actor Yuen Woo Ping, also a former stuntman, commented that today, "there’s no real martial arts left to watch—everything is CGI."

Many stuntmen acknowledged that using CGI and creativity to shoot action scenes protects actors and allows them longer careers, as those who push their physical limits often find it challenging to continue working past 50. With advancements in technology and increased safety awareness, filmmakers now primarily rely on CGI rather than risking lives.

"What the previous generation of stuntmen achieved will never be done again," director Tsui Hark said. "I hope people recognize their contributions and efforts to Hong Kong action films."

He called stuntmen the heroes of the action genre, whose dedication made martial arts films so vivid and authentic, leaving an indelible mark on cinema history.