Kung Faux

History

Kung Faux was first created as an art project and movie treatment in 1999 before transforming into a half-hour television series by Kung Faux creator, producer, director and revisionist Michael "Mic" Neumann . The original Kung Faux series first appeared on the websites "Popdetail.com", "Dubtitled.com" and "BentoBox.tv" as video treatments for a proposed sequential art project and feature length film version of the "Kung Faux" concept, before using its comprehensive Remix formula to transform into an episodic format for television that first aired in 2003 as part of the inaugural launch of the Fuse music television channel in the United States, a subsidiary of Rainbow Media's AMC Networks. From there, Mic Neumann continued to revision, Remix and transform Kung Faux into a distinctive audio visual artwork and brand that has evolved through various forms and channels to over 150+ countries worldwide.

Reception

Kung Faux: "revisionist Mic Neumann has an offering worthy of the Postmodernism canon, alongside Jean-Luc Godard's Weekend and Luis Buñuel's Chien Andalou", reported Steve Johnston of The Film Cynics. Rashaun Hall of Billboard Magazine considered the mix of vintage kung-fu film footage, voice-overs with rappers, comic book style special effects, and a hip-hop soundtrack to be "a high-flying, hilarious send-up of the kung-fu genre." Evan Serpick, editor of Entertainment Weekly said the first two episodes of Kung Faux "are filled with hysterical and clever infusions". The Orlando Sentinel's Matthew Mark said "Kung Faux is a work of Postmodernism that would make Jacques Derrida's head spin." Muzik editor Conor W. McNicholas included Kung Faux in the magazine's Special Edition "Hot 50" issue, calling it "Comedy Gold" and Beth Accomando of KBPS said Kung Faux is "Hilarious, Fresh and Inspired."

Releases

Kung Faux music and voice-over work was performed by hip-hop artists De La Soul, Guru, Masta Ace and Queen Latifah. Other voice-over artists include KAWS, Steve Powers, Crazy Legs, Elephant Man, Afrika Bambaataa, Biz Markie, Jean Grae, Mr. Len, Roc Raida, Sadat X, Ron van Clief and Harold Hunter.

In 2003, the first volume of the Kung Faux collection was released commercially in 2003 by Dubtiled Entertainment and Tommy Boy Films, along with a Special Edition art toy from the Kung Faux line of Action Figgaz titled "Break Boy", which was licensed by Art Asylum and created for their collectable line of Minimates.

In 2004, Acclaim Entertainment optioned the Kung Faux video game rights for developer Blue Shift to produce before Acclaim Games ultimately filed for bankruptcy and reverted the option.

In 2005, Starz debuted Kung Faux when the channel started to introduce unique programming to compete with rival pay TV services HBO and Showtime.

In 2006, the artist duo known as Gnarls Barkley did a collaborative short film with Kung Faux which aired heavily around the world on the Channel V networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.

In 2007, Kung Faux debuted on the Rede Globo network in Brazil, and the Nelonen network in Finland.

In 2008, Kung Faux debuted in Japan on the Music On! TV network, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.

In 2009, Kung Faux debuted on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network, as well as Italy's GXT network, who debuted a Remixed version of Kung Faux with the artist Eminem.

In 2010, Kung Faux debuted on Twitter, and the Hollywood filmmaker Brett Ratner, known for such films as The Family Man, Red Dragon, the Rush Hour series and X-Men: The Last Stand, edited an English version of the Bollywood film Kites, headlining Hrithik Roshan and Bárbara Mori, using a comprehensive Remix formula originated by the international Kung Faux television series.

In 2011, Kung Faux debuted in Sub-Saharan Africa on the Sony MAX network, a subsidiary of Sony Channel South Africa, where it was described as a "Boundary-Busting Action Comedy Series".