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DVDs of KunTao Silat

by ThunderRock Media Productions

 KunTao Silat Thouars is the Dutch Indonesian art based on the combining of Silat, the fighting art of Indonesia, the Chinese fighting arts, and the arts of India and Arabia.  These videos show the background, specialty skills, techniques, applications and practice methods of this exotic and unknown, very direct and brutal art.

Made over a period of twenty five years, the information in these tapes will never be available again.  These are tapes made by martial artists, for martial artists.  The production values may not be as good as some others, but the information is what you would hope to have in any martial arts tape.

Willem de Thouars is one of the worlds' finest fighting men.  For over sixty years, he has studied with some of the foremost teachers of some eighty martial art styles; Pentjak Silat, the Chinese KunTao on Java,  the Five Majors of Shaolin and the Three Crowns of Chinese art in China, Western Boxing, European weapons arts and so on.  He has produced fine students for over forty years, teaching in the privacy of his own home to students accepted by invitation only.  For the first time anywhere, Uncle Bill makes his art accessible to the public by way of these videotapes of his work.  They give us an insight into the practice of a martial artist unparralled in his intention and dedication to honoring his teachers and their gifts.

Backyard Productions is Steve Gartin.  He has been shooting video of the de Thouars Brothers teaching and performing KunTao & Pentjak Silat for many years in seminars, classes, demonstrations, and in backyards.  He bought the gear,  learned to edit and produce and has been making videos of KunTao Silat for use by inner circle students for many years.  These are videos made by a martial artist for martial artists.  He shows the good stuff and doesn't waste your time.  The videos are made to be used and studied for years to come.  They are produced on the highest quality tape with the idea that you will stop and start, repeat and pause.
 
Malabar KunTao Silat is the name given to our art by the de Thouars Family as an American Dutch-IndoChinese martial art.  Guru Steve Gartin is a Cigar Dalem (Inner Circle) practitioner for over twenty-five years and lineage founder in the grace of Willem De Thouars, Paul De Thouars, Victor De Thouars and Maurice De Thouars.

Much of the material was videoed where and when it happened with available light and sound over a fifteen-year period.  Special footage and commentary is done to expound and explain the archival footage.

Introduction to HeartLess Monkey Knife

A basic investigation into the bladecraft of both Silat and KunTao.  Steve Gartin explains how the legwork and handwork integrates with the bladecraft at the foundational level.  A great companion DVD for HeartLess Monkey Knife #1, #2 and #3 since it establishes the basic concepts in a clear and understandable manner.   Filmed at 11,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies (two-camera version)

$50 

Heartless Monkey Knife

Heartless Monkey Knife takes it’s name from Willem’s description of the Ape Form; he is ‘wide-open, heartless and inviting’.

You are shown various sorts of knives and their characteristics discussed; sheathes and carry systems, grip styles, blade presentations, and practice methods.

There is a long section on wounds, first aid and body trauma by an EMT persilat; Steve Rollert.

There are lots of applications, footwork, hand positioning, body angulation and torquing. There are discussions of the combat mind-set, tactical considerations, and mental preparation.

HeartLess Monkey Knife II

• Maduran blade fighting: Uncle Bill
• Live Blade: Pak Victor
• Sticking hands: Steve Gartin
• Exotic weapons & Serak Djurus: Chas Clements
• and much more . . .
• <nemo outis@erewhon.com (nemo outis)> wrote > Excellent!  That's exactly the response you want to have on the record.  Good silat!
  
  It is-and a good segue` into saying a bit more about the video
  
  In the first HMK, we covered different sorts of knives, carry systems, some first aid kinds of things- then showed some grip styles, openings/draws, basic floorwork and stepping, and some practice methods and applications.
• 
  In HMKII, we amplify on all those concepts- there's more applications, lots of them. There's more about the knife, the use of the edge, anatomical targets. There are throws compelled by the blade, lots of grappling, unarmed responses to attack, little tricks and tips, and a wealth of knowledge that will meld seamlessly with any other martial art or serve as a stand-alone system.
• 
  The art is taken from Maduran Silat, as practiced by Tai Eng, a butcher. He applies the knife not only as a master of silat, but as a man who worked the blade on meat for a living. It lends itself to the smaller blades rather than being an art ratcheted down from using agricultural blades. It is perfect for the tactical folders and basic 'hunting' knives.
• 
  Most of the material is taken from seminars, workshops, personal intensives and performance footage, so there is no 'dead time'. Lots of stuff from
  Willem de Thouars and Senior Students; it moves very quickly and covers a lot of material. We're martial artists making videos, not video producers trying to learn martial art. You'll find the information useful, shot from good angles and the choice of material will aid your solo practice very practically.
• 
  Each of them is good by itself, material is not repeated or anything, but you probably ought to have both of them to appreciate the breadth of the system. We're just finishing up HMKIII, and the set of three will pretty much form the curriculum of the art, and be useful for studying at home without further instruction-
• 
  It's not like it's brain surgery- you know, unless it is.
  --
  Chas
  http://www.willemdethouars.com
  http://www.kuntaosilat.com/DVDs.html
  
  $50

  

  ---

HeartLess Monkey Knife III

This is a great series that just keeps getting better. This material is all taken from advanced instruction classes and workshops, so it is far advanced from the common ideas of knife-fighting. You won't see any 'Hollywood' stuff here- it's gritty, brutal and efficient.

It's sometimes hard for me to remember just how weird this stuff is until you see Uncle Bill express a skill that you've never even thought of before.
HMKIII is full of that kind of stuff- small tricks and concepts that you wonder why you never thought of.

The footwork in knife skill is of primary importance. How you enter your opponent is tremendously important when any touch from him can wound or kill. After you enter him, you must neutralize his weapons and his defenses

In HMKIII, Uncle shows more sophisticated leg attacks that set up the neutralization of the weapon and the opponent's defenses against your weapon. He shows a scope of 'gripping' the knife and the particular applications that the grip allows.

Uncle shows fa-jing with the knife as well as the body colliding art and the development of 'energetics' as applied to a weapons' skill.

All in all, this is a good one. The new digital camera, sound, editing  software and reproduction equipment has taken the production values to a new standard. The material has always been very strong, and now the technology is beginning to catch up and not be a distraction- Gartin's done another helluva job.
Chas 303-910-2685

This is a review of the DVD series produced by Steve Gartin and Chas Clements, et. al., practitioners of the Indonesian-based art of Kuntao-Silat entitled Heartless Monkey Knife, volume III.

 ThunderRock Backyard Productions is an in-house video presentation put together by Steve.

 This title opens with some spectacular scenes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and segues into some backyard training with Willem de Thouars and one of his senior students. For a technical explanation of the style, refer to an excellent article by Chas Clements made in 1983. http://www.nakededgecutlery.com/monkeyknife.htm

Next we see an impromptu free-form single knife pattern performed by the amazing 69 year old Willem de Thouars. This form, which some styles call 'Kembangan' (http://www.buktinegara.com/kembangan.html) or 'Kembaggan' as Steve calls it, which consists of flowing, flexible moves representing fighting actions against imaginary enemies.

From (http://www.doblesinstitute.com/wst_page7.html):

"Kembangan - The Flower Dance - Historically the Kembangan was designed to display the mastery of the art of Silat. In some circles its performance is used as a ritual offering to gurus, spirits, deities and higher powers. The dancer with the most finesse and control over the motion and the mental attitudes was considered to be a great warrior. Some Silat masters say that the Kembangan itself teaches the warrior how to fight. Distinctive to this dance is the portrayal of archetypes such as various animals and deities. The warrior learns to emulate the various archetypes and in doing so adopts at an innate level the qualities and strengths of these archetypes. In some instances it has been used throughout history to camouflage the martial sciences from colonists. Kembangan teaches flow and self-expression. It helps students develop smoothness and subtlety in their Silat. In a Kembangan the student moves through fighting positions and applications in subtle manner much like tai chi. The Silat player uses, subtle energy (Prana), combative motions, timing, balance, fighting strategy, distinctive mental states and attitudes. It helps them harness emotional stability and mental focus, which in turn sharpens his awareness as a fighter. With practice the Kembangan enables the Silat player to hypnotize and mesmerize his adversary."

Following this we are taken to one of Willem's outdoor classes where he adeptly shows several methods of unbalancing the opponent using 'soft' energy, and positioning of the body against the typical knife thrust, using training knives. The participants seem to be having a great time with lots of laughter and enjoyment of the training. Again we see the incredible agility and simple movements that Willem has come to typify. He shows a number of clever knife disarms, and follow-ups, both in normal speed and in step motion. What's interesting to see is his occasional flurry of motion and explosiveness, very deceptive for a man near 70 years old. The students appear to appreciate his patience and good humor throughout the training.

From this he moves into some nice unbalancing and trips and leg sweeps, showing how little energy it takes once there is proper positioning against the opponent's base. In a humorous, but interesting section he shows how one can fight as he calls it, as a 'coward', using a deceptive method of attacking the base of the supporting leg. Finally he goes over some body colliding, 'soft' moves of unbalancing.

The next segment moves to a new locale and the students work with Willem with some knife disarms, Steve shows some counters against a thrust by the Kukri blade, and Willem takes over again and shows some stick disarms and takedowns.

This is a nice follow-up to the previous title in the series and shows the fluidity and grace of the style. It’s a worthy addition to collection of the Silat student.

Badger South

Item Name: HMK Set
Item Number:
Price: $150

Special Presentation for Dan Inosanto ~ two DVD set

The first DVD was filmed in 1994 and the second DVD was filmed in 2004.

Uncle Bill and his Senior Disciples present both a broad view of the Willem de Thouars Branch of the Family Arts

and the specific Serak art as practiced and taught by Uncle Bill.  A "must have" for any serious practitioner in the

de Thouars Family arts.

$75 

Basic Training Set (four DVDs below): Available individually or as a Set

LegWork - Lankas

Malabar's flavor is distinctively "Indonesian" but draws its tools, training methods and tactics from many sources.    Monkey style KunTao is found in all levels and most applications of Malabar.  Preying Mantis KunTao hitting tools provide the Malabar practitioner with unusual attacks from unusual angles.

Tiger style KunTao permeates the Entry and Controlling aspects with a startling ferocity that establishes immediate superiority and total control of an assailant. 

The tornado-like circularity of the Ancient Chinese PaKua as practiced in Indonesia lends an overwhelming barrage of hitting, tearing, twisting and mangling techniques to Malabar defenses. 

Internal principles of Chinese Tai Chi and I Hsing ie are focused on combat, rather than health, although the basic health principles are applied in Daily Training. 

The footwork, triangulation, and unique close-quarter hitting tools and the devastating bladework of Poekulan Pentjak Petjut Kilat Silat have been integrated into virtually all of the Technical Applications we present to you in this video.  Combined, these elements have evolved into a fighting system designed to protect its Practitioner from skilled fighters, with or without weapons.

Each of the Systems and Styles from which Malabar has derived technique, training method, principle, or tool is honored by the Forms (Choreographed movements designed to ingrain "muscle memory" and skeletal alignment into a Practitioner's consciousness), which retain the ancient teachings of the Bapak Willem de Thouars lineage of the Dutch Indo/Chinese Family System of KunTao Silat de Thouars

HandWork - Djurus

The hand stylings of Malabar KunTao Silat are generally taught separate to the legwork and to the footwork patterns. That allows the hand positioning to be keyed to any leg position and to any footwork pattern.

In olden days, the handwork patterns (called djurus) were taught while seated. That required the practitioner to find a belly support for any movement, and to compensate through the hips for movements of the arm.

This shows a number of forms and variations of practice, applications of the hand techniques and it’s translation to weapons usage.

Djuru Satu2000

Djurus Satu is the seminal form of KunTao Silat. It can be practiced as an entire martial art; percussion, grappling, grasping, throws, weapons. It is a wonderful base on which to learn and practice any skill or any application.

Djurus Satu is the form from which most demonstrations of application are made. Much of it is derived from PPS Serak®, some Arabian sources, India and Chinese. The flow of the form melds one with the other seamlessly, and virtually any application can find it’s practice mechanism in Djurus Satu.

This video stands completely alone from the #2 Uncle Bill’s Backyard (archive set), and they are complementary without unduly repeating the same information. There are additional corrections, methods and styles of doing the forma, including a weapon in practice and the two tapes represent a good overview of the Djurus Satu.

Heartless Monkey Knife

Heartless Monkey Knife takes it’s name from Willem’s description of the Ape Form; he is ‘wide-open, heartless and inviting’.

You are shown various sorts of knives and their characteristics discussed; sheathes and carry systems, grip styles, blade presentations, and practice methods.

There is a long section on wounds, first aid and body trauma by an EMT persilat; Steve Rollert.

There are lots of applications, footwork, hand positioning, body angulation and torquing. There are discussions of the combat mind-set, tactical considerations, and mental preparation.

Deadly de Thouars Brothers

Special seminars by Pak Victor de Thouars, Maha Guru Maurice de Thouars, Pendekar Paul de Thouars and Bapak Willem de Thouars.  All four de Thouars Brothers on one two hour DVD.

Uncle Bill's Greatest Hits

Special moments with Bapak Willem de Thouars.  An unforgettable experience, getting to know one of the world's great martial treasures on one two hour DVD.

KunTao Silat

T-Shirts and wearables:

www.cafepress.com/kuntaosilat