National Geographic is kicking China Revealed this week, a series that centers around two museum exhibitions which run from today through September 7, and a film program paired to each exhibit. Tonight, there’s a presentation to introduce the museum’s exhibit on the early 15th century Chinese explorer Zheng He; Friday at noon, the museum screens a documentary following National Geographic photographer Mike Yamashida as he retraces many of Zheng’s travels. And tomorrow, there’s a presentation to introduce an exhibit featuring unprecedented photographs and video of the famed Shaolin Temple. The film program to accompany the Shaolin Temple exhibit is truly a treat, as National Geographic will screen a triple feature of three of the most famous films inspired by the temple.

The film program alone, featuring three legendary movies from the equally legendary Shaw Brothers studio, is attraction enough, but the museum has sweetened the deal by enlisting Dr. Craig Reid to handle the introductions of the films. Reid was one of the first western actors ever to appear in Hong Kong martial arts movies, and went on to become a fight choreographer and expert on the genre. And lest you think that Reid’s skills extend only to the fighting aspects of the martial arts, he is also one of the oldest living people in the world with cystic fibrosis, a disease he manages without medication through the practice of qigong. Dr. Reid took some time to speak with DCist about the subject of his appearance in D.C. Saturday, martial arts film.

What is it about kung fu cinema that makes it such an enduring and popular genre?

It is the martial arts action…period. For anyone who has watched a good kung fu film, even a mediocre one, the bottom line is that the martial arts fights are just so engaging, far out, and in many films, fantastical and outrageous. We watch these films for what ultimately watching movies should be all about…plain simple fun. Certainly there are many films that bring out the spirit of martial arts and martial virtues, but most folks just enjoy the “kick butt” action. We can all appreciate the creativity of the fights and we can plainly see the actors giving it their all on the screen. Many times the fights feel real, because in Chinese kung fu films they are, actors are getting whacked high, left and center, and we can see that, and marvel at either their martial art skill levels or appreciate that they are willing to put their bodies in harms way for our entertainment. We all love a movie where a hero can rise up against all odds, take on the bad guys, or take on “the man,” but when the downtrodden hero can do it with such tenacity and tremendous elegance, and then you realize that there is a certain “accessibility and attainability” of what the hero is doing (meaning you can learn how to do what the hero is doing), then you just feel a little more “one” with the hero, and can’t help but to cheer for someone that can break out with such controlled mayhem. They are also cross cultural, whether one is black, white, Asian, hispanic, we all have the same love for the films.